My Mac experience (Long, but interesting)

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Hi all,

This is my first post (or close to it), and I wanted to share some of my thoughts and impressions of my Macbook. But first, a little history...

About 15 months ago, I got the urge to try something new. CompUSA was having a BlackFriday promotion where I was able to purchase a MacMini for ~$400. It was the G4, with the combo drive, 512MB of ram, and built-in airport and Bluetooth.

To be honest, my first impression of OSX was somewhat of a disappointment. I was expecting this amazing new OS that would just blow my mind, leaving me no choice but to completely abandon my Windows roots. Well, unfortunately, it didn't. While it was new and cool, it felt like more of an alternative to XP, rather than the superior upgrade that it was supposed to be.

In retrospect, the problem wasn't the OS itself; it was more that I didn't really give it a chance than anything else. The Mini just sat next to my powerhouse PC as more of an electronic experiment rather than a computer. There were months at a time where it was never even turned on.

I sold the Mini about a year after I bought it (before it lost its G4 resale value thanks to Intel). However, it wasn't long before I wanted to use OSX again. Since I needed a new laptop for school, and the MB had the capability to run XP and OSX, it seemed like the perfect choice.

Now, after giving it another chance, I can say that the PC sits on my desk as the afterthought, rather than the Mac.

Now, I still don't claim that the Mac is superior, nor have I hopped on the "it just works bandwagon," but this time, I am really enjoying it. I've become a little more familiar with things such as spotlight, which is one of my favorite features of the OS, and most of the native applications - all of which are great.

So would I consider myself a "Mac convert?" The answer is still "no." I think a more appropriate term would be a "Mac appreciator." I like certain aspects of the Mac better than a PC, and vice versa. I use both, it's just that right now the MB is the current favorite. (I'm sure a lot has to do with its newness and portability).

Am I a "Windows fanboy?" The answer to that question is also "no." I like XP, and to be honest, Vista is a great OS as well (w/ the exception of the ridiculous licensing terms and process).

I guess I'm just a computer fan, rather than one particular devotee. (I'll drink Coke or Pepsi for that matter as well). Yes, I took pictures of my MB when I opened it, but I also have detailed photos of all the PC's that I have built. Again, I just like computers, and can appreciate performance from either brand.

In closing, I do have one issue that irks me: Apple's marketing. They seem to think that running a Microsoft smear campaign is the best way to generate sales. I have to disagree. In fact, if the software is as good as it claims to be (which is arguable), then it should sell itself.

Anyway, that's my story
 
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Thanks for the great post :)

It's nice to see someone who is neutral on the whole MS vs Apple front....good on ya!

I've just turned 18 and am about to purchase my first iMac. I was going to go for a MacBook. However I really don't like the idea of using a laptop as my desktop computer. It would be nice to be able to have one to use at College, however it would mainly be used at home for web design and college work.

Thanks for the informative read vicariousgeorge :)

Rick
 
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Have had my 20" iMac for a month now and I'm with you all the way. More often than not my Sony Vaio notebook is on the side of my desk and I am running both simultaneously.
 
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Good points. Although I am not a switcher, it is always interesting to see what brings people to the Mac. There are many Mac users that are not anti-m$. At the end of the argument, it really comes down to what one prefers. Both Mac and PC are equally capable. I obviously prefer the Mac, and Apple is a company I would rather support, their ideas and products are those closer to my personal preference than Microsoft.
 
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A fair appraisal. I was quite impressed with Vista at first, but gradually I'm starting to see through the (actually quite limited) eye candy and seeing it really is just XP dragged into 2007.

But, I still use a PC at home for games, but have the luxury of having a Mac at work.
 
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vicariousgeorge, the ads you mention are not a smear campaign. Precisely what makes them so funny is that they each one has an underpinning in truth. Each one targets an area where Mac are simply superior to PCs. If the observations in each case weren't "spot on", the ads wouldn't be funny. But they are, and they are.

That having been said, "smear campaign" is a bit strong. They are more like gentle humorous ribbing.
 
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vicariousgeorge, the ads you mention are not a smear campaign. Precisely what makes them so funny is that they each one has an underpinning in truth. Each one targets an area where Mac are simply superior to PCs. If the observations in each case weren't "spot on", the ads wouldn't be funny. But they are, and they are.

That having been said, "smear campaign" is a bit strong. They are more like gentle humorous ribbing.

There are several parts of those ads that do have a few issues...I've noticed one of two and don't yet even own a mac.
 
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What do you mean by issues?
 
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Well not so much issues as misleading points. I'm not sure if its same with the US ones, but the UK ones give the impression that its impossible to do certain things on a PC (such as building a website).
 
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Do you remember those coffee adds with the man and woman who started a relationship over "borrowing" coffee? I remember getting vicariouslyinvolved in their lives and looked forward to seeing how things were developing between them. I see the Mac ads like that. I'm actually starting to care about those two computers and I do feel sorry for PC, he's really such a nice computer that's suffering from an inferiority complex! And they seem to like each other despite their differences. I know, call me a softy!
 

Tak


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Well not so much issues as misleading points. I'm not sure if its same with the US ones, but the UK ones give the impression that its impossible to do certain things on a PC (such as building a website).

Does not say its Impossible just that its easier with a Mac.
 
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I can see his point a little with the ads. For example, the one where the PC gets a camera: a lot of laptops have cameras now. The iMac might have a leg-up, I haven't seen the PC all-in-ones to see if they have cameras built in. The one where PC apparently hires a fake Mac is a bit off the path of the point of the commercials and bit slander-ish, as are the "goodwill" and "counselor" ones where PC just keeps being a jerk and Mac is the better "man".

All in all, their just fun commercials. I've seen companies do much worse.
 
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I've always thought those commercials were kind of silly. Just silly, not offensive.

The only one I like is the "Cancel-or-allow" Vista ad. It's funny because it's true™
 
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My experience with Vista is XP glossed over, like Alexis put it. The Mac commercial about Vista security is true. In short, Vista is just to annoying to work with day to day. Especially for a Mac user who is used to just operating with out pops-up, system warnings, etc.
 
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Personally I find the UK advertisements embarrassing. The UK Mac guy comes over as completely surly and snide, whereas the US Mac guy was mostly patient and helpful.

I think Apple has made a mistake in attempting to directly transfer the ads from one culture to another. While there are many similarities between the US and the UK, there are almost certainly more - and greater – differences.

Rather than changing the ads in minor ways to make them more British, they should have just used the US ads, or used a completely different campaign.
 
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Personally I find the UK advertisements embarrassing. The UK Mac guy comes over as completely surly and snide, whereas the US Mac guy was mostly patient and helpful.

Is that so, I thought that was the general difference between Brits and Yanks anyway! J/K. I'd like to see those ads though. Are they posted anywhere?

I'm surprised they haven't made a new one where PC comes out in a flashy neon suite and tried to act cool, but in the end he tears it off to reveal his same old suit underneath.

I find the greatest humor of the ads in comments made by Steve Jobs back in 1997 when he proclaimed Microsoft to be a great company and said he was done comparing Apple's OS with Windows.
 
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I have to agree.The UK ones arent as good. The UK mac guy isnt....well..."cool"...he seems much more geeky and a little dumb TBH.
 
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Thanks, Eric.
 

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