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OT: Mac or PC


Munger_Disciple

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For the last 20 years, I have always used a PC. Recently my 6-year old windows XP pc crashed and I need to get a new machine. The two options I am considering are getting a Windows 7 machine or an iMac. Hardware wise, you can get way better processor, memory and hard drive for 50% of the cost of a Mac. However, I have heard that Mac is way cooler OS wise even though I have personally not used a Mac before. I will be using Office software (word, excel, ppt, etc) heavily, and some analysis tools like Matlab in addition to usual web & email programs.

 

I really appreciate feedback from members. TIA.

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I stay with the PC due to the lack of a learning curve. I have also used Linux Mint which I like alot. I would go to best buy and test drive a mac for 20 minutes. I cant get over the frustration, I can do anything on a PC and have put together at least 20 of them. Its tough starting all over with a Mac and I dont think I will every do it. Plus all my freeware and other apps are on a PC.

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I switched to Mac about six years ago.  The learning curve isn't particularly steep.  For what it's worth, I've only had one Mac crash on me, and that was a kernel panic because the hard drive was borked.  (I'd dropped that laptop quite a few times, and I think it finally caught up with me.)

 

You can still use Office software and Matlab though you'll likely have to pick up Mac versions.

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Agree with Merkhet

 

Have had Mac s for 10 years...recently I had to buy a Window 7/PC as my mac could not connect to the office system.

 

I hate the annoying pop ups, reminders, + other interruptions which seem to be absent from my Macs.

 

Luckily I don t have to use my PC very often, as I prefer to work on my Mac.

 

 

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About 3 years ago i bit the bullet and bought a mac after saying i never would because of various reasons.  I cant tell you how happy i am that i did.  I actually didnt tell anybody i bought one for quite some time.  The macs do cost twice as much but you need to make a decision about what is important to you.  For me its time and reduction of stress due to my pc not working.  If you want a computer without the popups, mandatory virus software subscriptions and blue screens of death i recommend a mac.  Its actually a bit odd..I no longer have any computer problems but still have to help friends and family troubleshoot their pc's.

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I stay with the PC due to the lack of a learning curve. I have also used Linux Mint which I like alot. I would go to best buy and test drive a mac for 20 minutes. I cant get over the frustration, I can do anything on a PC and have put together at least 20 of them. Its tough starting all over with a Mac and I dont think I will every do it. Plus all my freeware and other apps are on a PC.

 

You're not the type of person that Apple's targeting.

 

People I know that have purchased a Mac seem to be satisfied. For myself, I can't justify the extra cost.

 

Agree with Merkhet

 

Have had Mac s for 10 years...recently I had to buy a Window 7/PC as my mac could not connect to the office system.

 

I hate the annoying pop ups, reminders, + other interruptions which seem to be absent from my Macs.

 

Luckily I don t have to use my PC very often, as I prefer to work on my Mac.

 

 

 

Probably could have created a PC virtual machine with your Mac using something like parallels or virtualbox. At work, we've made use of a lot of virtualization for our development/test environments.

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I have almost entirely switched to Ubuntu Linux.  It's an excellent product, stable, secure and FREE!  I run a dual-boot Windows XP and Ubuntu system, but it's a rare week that I ever boot up the Windows side.  It's much less hassle to simply surf away and ignore the plethora of windows viruses that seem to pop up every week.

 

In my case, I use OpenOffice as my office suite.  I would suggest that it's about 98% as good as Microsoft office, but if you use some of the very obscure power-user features of Excel, you will find the 2% that's missing (some of the data handling capacities are not as well developed).  However, for the average Joe, the office packages are functionally equal, and it can open and save MS Office files in their native format.  I believe that there is also a free imitation-Matlab program too, but I've never found a need to install it.

 

Anyway, I like the MacBooks, but the price is just out of this world.  If you buy a cheap-o desktop/laptop/netbook, you can install a free copy of Ubuntu Linux, and you're off to the races for $500.

 

 

SJ

 

 

P.S. Even if you ultimately decide to stick to Windows7 as your operating system, download a copy of OpenOffice and take it for a test drive.  If you like it, then you'll save yourself hundreds of dollars by not having to purchase Microsoft Office.

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I have decided to go the Mac route with Open Office even though it is not optimal from a pure cost standpoint. My decision is mainly based on the fact that the rest of my family (wife & son) loves Macs, and it makes sense to have just one OS in the house (easier to organize backups, have a server play music, pictures in the house, etc). I am now trying to decide among the plethora of options, iMac, Mac Mini, Mac book pro, or Mac Book Air.

 

Thank you all for your valuable feedback.

 

 

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