why did you REALLY do it?

[The Trooper]

1. I got hit with a virus TWICE, and had to reformat my hard disk (although I could have bought a new hard disk for a hundred bucks more). In fact, I was afraid to download anything (even MP3's) for fear of getting hit with viruses, trojans and worms.

2. Spyware. Good god was that a pain in the arse. My CD burner stopped working, I could barely connect to the internet without crashing because I'd receive about twenty of the most annoying popups ever. The worst popup you can get is an ad for one of those spyware-removal programs, which use spyware to deliver the message. Also, on easter, I received this thoughtless window from some stupid *******: "Happy Kiester!" and it showed a bunch of naked babies with easter egg designs painted on their asses. Even though I kept running Ad-aware to remove this crap, it kept coming back.

3. Crashes, freezes, "Cannot find software", "An error has occured, missing file not found. Explorer will now close." I had kind of gotten used to this sort of thing as it didn't happen so much on my computer, but my father and my sister who both had Dell notebooks had these problems so often, they could barely get any work done. Inability to install software. My printer would stop responding if I tried to print something it didn't recognize, and I'd have to restart it.

4. Having to defrag my computer. For a while, the graphics were completely shot and it took 20 minutes to start up. In fact, it was so corrupted that I couldn't even run the Quick Restore application that would reformat the hard drive and reinstall Windows.

5. But most of all, I just needed a new computer. I'd had this one for about 5 years and it was obviously a piece of crap. So I decided to get a new one for college. And since I was interested in graphics and illustration, I thought, "Why not a mac?" After all, it was macs that professional movie editors were using to add the final touches to their motion pictures, and weren't animation companies like Pixar using them? Video game companies, digital illustrators, visual effects technicians? It seemed like the right thing to do, and now I know I'll never look back.

 

[VastDeathmaster]

The reason I completely switched was a variety of reasons.
1. Didn't want to give in to the "evil empire"
2. Tried other OSes on the PC without much success.
3. Networking is a Dream with Macs, compared to PCs. (I was ripping out my hair trying to get a wireless PC network going, recently)
4. When you run one program and then jump to another one, it doesn't freeze the system up .
5. Decided I had enough of Win98SE's periodic crashes

 

[mig.gentry]

I just wanted a change. I'm not a heavy user so compatibilty beyond office files didn't bother me. Thought i'd get the laptop that i desired the most, so the iBook it was.
I'll admit that since i've got it my love affair with computing has begun. My gf just can't get me away from my beloved iBook. It's becoming a bit of a 3some in the bed on a sunday morning.

 

[mangoSharingan]

I'm switching because the iBook looks fantastic, has great build-quality and basically because I'm bored of Windows. I have been using just Linux for the past 2 months and it's like a half-Windows and half-Mac so I should be transferring to the Mac full-time soon. I'm going to continue running Linux on my Shuttle and probably dual-boot it with Windows XP so that I can use it to connect to my mobile phone or GBA SP. However, once I get my iBook, it will become my main rig. It looks fantastic and will be great taking it around everywhere. I'm glad Apple just recently updated their iBooks, made it more powerful AND made it cheaper. Can't wait to spend Christmas with my iBook!

 

[monk_boy]

i still haven't technically switched yet. i still use my pc as my main computer. the reason for me getting my powerbook was because i was looking for a smaller/lighter laptop (own a dell 8lber) and looking to learn *nix os, with a mac i can learn to use unix and osx. the main push for me gettin it was that one of my coworker was selling hers (she got her bf to buy it for her because it was pretty and so she can watch dvds/vcds on it, such a waste).

 

[shaun89]

OK, so from what im hearing... It just does what you want. I guess Apple Just Works!

 

[batchcga]

I saw an article on cnn.com when the new iMac came out. I was hooked on just the looks, but before I dropped $2000 on a new computer I did a little research on Mac. I am a IS/IT major and know quite a bit about Windows and such and have just "dealt" with the problems. So...from the article the 64 bit G5 processor and the AMD and Intel's new 64-bit stuff that I have worked with, I decided if Apple can put all that into a 2" thick screen, with awesome video editing software...it was the way to go power and stability wise. I bought one apple...and want an iBook now.

 

[ApplejustWorks]

OK, so from what im hearing... It just does what you want. I guess Apple Just Works!

Hmmmm.....:mac:


signed

AppleJustWorks

 

[adiliegro]

I would say that, yes, IT JUST WORKS!

 

[dropframe]

I was afraid of osX. OS 7-9 was some of the worse times of a computer I ever used. PLUS during those years, mac wasnt just a little more, it was a TON more. PLUS software was terrible, networking was terrible, everything was terrible.

Bring on 2004. Spyware, virus', windows updating massivly even more then mac, bill gates surpasses steve jobs on the evil list, and hardware/driver incompatibilities are starting to become a big problem on highend machines..

I started using a fujitsu p2120. My job changes and I need more power. I install linux on it to try and eck even more power out of it and get away from microsoft. After an acpi patch the computer never functions right again. Then I gamble everything and just buy a 12"pb b/c I cant stand the thought of using a huge dell/gateway computer with winxp. I loved my p2120 it was just to slow. I figure 64bit g4, and the size is just a bit bigger then the 2120, and it was built on a unix varient.

I am so glad I switched. I cant lose my main pc b/c I play games, but I only use the pc for my video editor and games. For day to day usage the mac rules, but apples refusal to play nice with avid and other high end editors I have to stay with the pc.

Besides half-life 2 is coming out, and you mac only guys are gonna be missing out.

 

[hype.it]

Didn't really switch, more like merged or forced into it. Industrial standard for graphics when i adopted onto the mac platform, back in the days when it was System 6... i miss those days.

*throughs a system Bomb!*

 

[Prometheus]

Switched cos OS X was the only OS I've never even played with. Fancied something new and a change, plus the iBook looks cool

 

[Devoidarex]

Not sure if I'm a "switcher" but I bought an iBook for a few reasons.

A few months ago, I was just having all sorts of problems with my XP desktop, and in a fit of anger (and ignorance) I formatted the HD and installed Debian Linux without knowing hardly anything about Linux at all (and I'm NO computer geek, though I wish I was).

Anyway, the experience taught me that computer life did exist outside of Windows and that computers COULD be very stable.

Unfortunately, my complete lack of technical expertise makes using my Linux machine to it's full potential pretty much impossible, as far as getting my printer fully functional, downloading stuff easily and all the other day to day stuff that Windows made easy.

So when time came to get a laptop, research led me to the newer generation of Macs that I found could work my printer no problem, hook up with my digital camera no problem and all the other stuff I wanted it to do NO PROBLEM. Plus, they had a great reputation for being reliable.

That and a killer student discount put a 1.2 GHz 12" iBook with built in Airport in my hands.

No regrets yet!

 

[code777]

well i grew up on Apple computers. From age 8 I was using a IIE and then a IIC. After that I used a Macintosh and then the Mac SE. My father use to write software for the Macs back in the day but business went bad and things went belly up (even for Apple at that time). Then I got my first Windows based PC in 1993.

Fast forward to October 2004. The reason why I switched back to a Mac OS is because I am TIRED of Windows. The coutless hours repairing Windows from all the crap out in 'net land made me go bonkers. The system crashes, the BSOD, clutter, etc..etc... got me fed up with M$.

At work we of course use XP Pro and all the system testing and tech support I provide is for Windows. I'm tired of it!

Now I'm not totally bashing Windows but for the most part I was tired of it and wanted to go back to Mac. The looks of Apple products are really cool and the OS is even better. Fun looking and easy to use/smooth. Once you go Mac you don't want to come back.... its true.

But working in the business world I have no choice but to continue learning and studying Windows XP Pro - the corp. i work for would NEVER EVER consider macs. Never. So in my personal life I choose to use Mac from now on. I get enough of Windows at work....

 

[UnderOath]

quite honestly - i like the looks and functionality of the iBooks, i currently have a laptop (sony vaio) and a desktop (Hewlett-Packard) but i love my desktop, there's no reason for me to switch there. Why not have the best of both worlds? I'm going for a apple notebook because my University uses strictly apple products and i got hooked! So clean, and innovative! I'm glad to announce that i've finally joined the MAC family.

 

[pkny]

i hope to mack on girls at starbucks when i whip out my soon-to-be-mine 12" powerbook..

i'm sure having a 17" would be make me more attractive than to be equipped with a foot long : P

 

[feedThai]

Because my powerbook is so **** sexy. i'd have to have beer goggles to say that about my old dell.

 

[feedThai]

oh, and also because my school gave me $200 off, and a free iPod Mini with the purchase of AppleCare. Sweeet deal.

 

[UnderOath]

what school do YOU go to?!?! that's an awesome deal though. just something your particular school was doing?

 

[shaun89]

Wow... thats a great deal. I like things better when they are free