Macbook vs Netbooks

[Little32]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Do you think they're going to do that?

One thing that I love about Macs, but could come back to bite them, is the fact that very rarely do you HAVE HAVE HAVE to replace your Mac, even if it's old. My Mac is 6 years old next month and working like a charm (knock on wood). If I had purchased a similar PC laptop back in 2003, it definitely wouldn't have lasted 6years and I would have needed to replace it and its replacement too.

Right now, since people are stretching out things and not replacing unless absolutely necessary, the typical Mac user whose older computer is doing well isn't going to replace it when a new one comes out. PCs fall apart more often and owners are typically forced to get a new system. I think once the economy gets better, people who held off on getting a new Mac, or even the first Mac, will make their purchases.

Hmmm.... This is not necessarily always the case. I have a Sony Vaio right now that I got in about 2003 and it is still working well. I am thinking about a new one (a pc), but just because I would like something more portable not because I need it.

Before that, I had a Toshiba that lasted from 1997 to 2003, so unless my two computers have been the exception...pcs must not be as fragile as all this.

Plus, I do hear some rumblings of dissatisfaction from some of the Mac owners I know, with at least two of them saying that they are going back to pcs with their next purchase--though I could not give you their reasons why.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by Little32

Plus, I do hear some rumblings of dissatisfaction from some of the Mac owners I know, with at least two of them saying that they are going back to pcs with their next purchase--though I could not give you their reasons why.

One reason that I've heard is that you can not 'right click' on a Mac mouse.

I think that one thing people may want to keep in mind is that I don't think netbooks are great if it is your only computer. Netbooks are good, as someone mentioned, for portability. I mainly use mine to type Word documents and surf the 'net. I still use my Mac and consider it to be my 'main' computer.

As for the lifespan of a Mac vs. PC, I think it comes down to quality of PC and how you took care of it. My school gave teachers a Gateway lap top to use in the classroom. I had mine for about 2 years before the screen started going bad. I mentioned this to our department IT guy and he suggested that I just don't use the Gateway anymore as it is not worth getting repaired.

[Elephant Walk]

I just bought a Netbook and love it.

But you need to own a regular computer too, because netbooks really are just for being on the run. They're kind of worthless otherwise.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

One reason that I've heard is that you can not 'right click' on a Mac mouse.

I think that one thing people may want to keep in mind is that I don't think netbooks are great if it is your only computer. Netbooks are good, as someone mentioned, for portability. I mainly use mine to type Word documents and surf the 'net. I still use my Mac and consider it to be my 'main' computer.

As for the lifespan of a Mac vs. PC, I think it comes down to quality of PC and how you took care of it. My school gave teachers a Gateway lap top to use in the classroom. I had mine for about 2 years before the screen started going bad. I mentioned this to our department IT guy and he suggested that I just don't use the Gateway anymore as it is not worth getting repaired.

You CAN right click on a Mac.

That's the problem with most Windows users is that they don't want to 'unlearn' Windows thinking long enough to simply put 2 fingers on the touchpad and click the button.

ETA: sigmadiva...why did your screen go bad?

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

You CAN right click on a Mac.

That's the problem with most Windows users is that they don't want to 'unlearn' Windows thinking long enough to simply put 2 fingers on the touchpad and click the button.

okay, okay....I'll try to learn something new.

ETA: sigmadiva...why did your screen go bad?

I really don't know why my screen went bad. One day it started getting fuzzy / color lines across the whole screen and it would freeze up. I'd turn off the computer, restart it, and it would be fine for a while.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by Little32

Hmmm.... This is not necessarily always the case. I have a Sony Vaio right now that I got in about 2003 and it is still working well. I am thinking about a new one (a pc), but just because I would like something more portable not because I need it.

Before that, I had a Toshiba that lasted from 1997 to 2003, so unless my two computers have been the exception...pcs must not be as fragile as all this.

Plus, I do hear some rumblings of dissatisfaction from some of the Mac owners I know, with at least two of them saying that they are going back to pcs with their next purchase--though I could not give you their reasons why.

The only people I know who went back to PCs are either people who build their own computers on a regular basis, therefore knowing what they're doing, or those who have to buy computers for their offices and figure that the low cost is a reason to stock their businesses with PCs.

Most entry-level PCs can't handle the heavy-duty video and graphics that the entry-level Macs can. Since most of my work involves that, I had to replace my PCs in college on a bi-annual basis because they'd be obsolete. With my Mac, I've had it for six years and have put almost every major graphic/CAD/design program on it, and it still runs like the day I bought it. If you're doing basic academic work, you can probably keep a PC for a long time. My parents had their PC for about 8 years. It all depends on what you do with it.

[Little32]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Most entry-level PCs can't handle the heavy-duty video and graphics that the entry-level Macs can. Since most of my work involves that, I had to replace my PCs in college on a bi-annual basis because they'd be obsolete. With my Mac, I've had it for six years and have put almost every major graphic/CAD/design program on it, and it still runs like the day I bought it. If you're doing basic academic work, you can probably keep a PC for a long time. My parents had their PC for about 8 years. It all depends on what you do with it.

Well, this is different. Most of the folks that I know who do graphic intensive work sing Macs praises. But I know quite a few that do this work who use and love pcs too.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by Little32

Well, this is different. Most of the folks that I know who do graphic intensive work sing Macs praises. But I know quite a few that do this work who use and love pcs too.

I kind of feel the same way...you do so many upgrades on your PC only to still have it obsolete in < 5 years.

The last desktop I bought 2 years ago, just within the first year, I upgraded:

1. CPU to the highest standard on the board
2. the video card 2x ( I watch and record a lot of video)
3. Memory...of course
4. added an external hard drive (what most people should have now anyway.

The Mac, out of the box, the only thing I have done thus far is maxed the memory on the board and it handles the rest.

the G5 desktop can preconfigured and hasn't been upgraded since and still runs pretty much the same way.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Little32

Well, this is different. Most of the folks that I know who do graphic intensive work sing Macs praises. But I know quite a few that do this work who use and love pcs too.

Modern PC architecture (and the changing of Mac procs) has narrowed the gap significantly, but not necessarily on the "Best Buy" out-of-box/OEM models . . . especially with the floating-point/vector change-over for graphic design software. At this point, the preference for Macs is probably because that's what the majority of professionals started on.

Seriously, just like with automobiles, personal preference trumps just about everything.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Modern PC architecture (and the changing of Mac procs) has narrowed the gap significantly, but not necessarily on the "Best Buy" out-of-box/OEM models . . . especially with the floating-point/vector change-over for graphic design software. At this point, the preference for Macs is probably because that's what the majority of professionals started on.

Seriously, just like with automobiles, personal preference trumps just about everything.

Kind of amazing sometimes how Macs (even though they have their own stores) have such a small shelf space in Best Buy....

Just on another tangent, I find it bothersome when I go to Best Buy to do PC shopping in general how so few of them know how to sell the products they have and how so many people are willing to buy it just because it's there.

I tend to tell folks that buying a PC is like also buying a car. Take someone that knows PCs with you so they can speak the languane and if the person that is trying to sell it to you don't know thier stuff move on.

I had a friend of mine that recently bought an HP....had nice specs and everything..bought it because it was on sale...was very diappointed with the battery life....long story...suffice to ssay AFTER he read the reviews, AFTER he bought it did he understand why it was on sale...

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Just on another tangent, I find it bothersome when I go to Best Buy to do PC shopping in general how so few of them know how to sell the products they have and how so many people are willing to buy it just because it's there.

I tend to tell folks that buying a PC is like also buying a car. Take someone that knows PCs with you so they can speak the languane and if the person that is trying to sell it to you don't know thier stuff move on.

I had a friend of mine that recently bought an HP....had nice specs and everything..bought it because it was on sale...was very diappointed with the battery life....long story...suffice to ssay AFTER he read the reviews, AFTER he bought it did he understand why it was on sale...

Unless they know a lot about computers, your average PC buyer is going for the cheapest option, which explains why some seem to fail almost right away.

When I made the decision to switch from PC to Mac, I compared the performance-level Mac laptop (at that time, a PowerBook G4) to a PC with the same specs and the Mac came out a little cheaper. That's not why I bought it--again, I'm in the creative industry and back in 2003 PCs hadn't quite gotten a handle on that industry (it's gotten better, though). Of course, most people see the $500 price difference between the entry-level Mac and the entry-level PC and don't realize that the entry-level Mac won't have to be replaced at a certain point. The difference between the entry-level Mac and a performance-level PC is a little less stark, though.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

At this point, the preference for Macs is probably because that's what the majority of professionals started on.

Seriously, just like with automobiles, personal preference trumps just about everything.

Interesting you would say that. Macs were the first computer I ever used, but that was in elementary school, when Apple had the schools outreach program (back when all the computers came complete with the big floppy drive and Oregon Trail loaded on the machine). I actually find PCs far more easy and intuitive to use, probably because that's really what I grew up using for practical work such as typing out assignments and making presentations to my class; Macs were what we learned to type on in elem. school (think "home row" and "keep your feet flat on the floor").

My university requires its business majors to work on PCs. But I see that a bunch of the freshmen want to know why, and they're insisting on bringing a Mac with them. Well, one of the reasons why the school probably wants them to use a PC is that in the corporate world, almost everyone works on a PC. Macs are for people in digital arts, graphic design, the "creatives" in advertising agencies (but not even the account people) and things like that. Macs are just too expensive for most companies to purchase over and over, not just the computers, but the servers and stuff, too.

Oh, and whomever was saying that Dell's quality has gone down is totally right. Five-10 years ago they were pretty great, but my mom got a brand new one at around Christmas and the hard drive died ONE MONTH later. She is now having issues with the second machine. Other than my old Dells, I've had some good work laptops from HP and Toshiba. IBMs are terrible.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Interesting you would say that. Macs were the first computer I ever used, but that was in elementary school, when Apple had the schools outreach program (back when all the computers came complete with the big floppy drive and Oregon Trail loaded on the machine). I actually find PCs far more easy and intuitive to use, probably because that's really what I grew up using for practical work such as typing out assignments and making presentations to my class; Macs were what we learned to type on in elem. school (think "home row" and "keep your feet flat on the floor").

My university requires its business majors to work on PCs. But I see that a bunch of the freshmen want to know why, and they're insisting on bringing a Mac with them. Well, one of the reasons why the school probably wants them to use a PC is that in the corporate world, almost everyone works on a PC. Macs are for people in digital arts, graphic design, the "creatives" in advertising agencies (but not even the account people) and things like that. Macs are just too expensive for most companies to purchase over and over, not just the computers, but the servers and stuff, too.

Oh, and whomever was saying that Dell's quality has gone down is totally right. Five-10 years ago they were pretty great, but my mom got a brand new one at around Christmas and the hard drive died ONE MONTH later. She is now having issues with the second machine. Other than my old Dells, I've had some good work laptops from HP and Toshiba. IBMs are terrible.

What kind of issues is she having?

hey let me ask something to everyone replying...is there anyone here using Linux, Ubuntu or Red hat? Also what do you think about the fact that Google is trying to make Chrome into an OS?

[AGDee]

I have a couple Ubuntu servers at work. I've considered installing it at home, but just haven't gotten around to it.

[Little32]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Seriously, just like with automobiles, personal preference trumps just about everything.

This seems to be key, if this thread is any indication.