MacBook or MacBook Pro Users

Demiurge

Well, I need a new laptop, and I am thinking of going over to the dark side. Any experience you guys have with them? Any reason I should look elsewhere? I don't really play PC games anymore. I do still write and record music, so I figure for that alone it's the right move. What's the scoop?

SWFalken

I started using Apple Powerbooks in 2000. I have had a G3 400 which my wife now uses as her machine and my G4 1.25 GHz. which is my one and only machine. Both laptops have been dead reliable with no service calls or repairs needed in the 5+ years that we have had them. They are not perfect computers. My G4 is a hot running laptop with mediocre battery life at best and the PPC chipsets in them aren't the fastest that money can buy. Having said that, they both run acceptably fast, I am a Pro Photog and my computer gets worked hard constantly. The new Macbook Pros now have Intel Core Duo processors just like mainstream Windows portables and are able to run Mac OSX as well as Windows XP and Vista Natively. I have used OSX since beta and with each release it has only impressed me more. Having used most major operating systems over the 20 plus years that I have owned computers I can say without hesitation that OSX is the most productive and least intrusive OS I have had experience with. My laptop has normal uptime of around 3 weeks give or take, I never reboot!. Mac os is based on Berkley Systems Unix, so it is made to communicate, any network, any time, little to no configuration, most protocols built in. Being built on a wide distribution Unix has a lot of advantages. Owner does not run as Root by default, major advantage, no unauthorized software install where it can do real damage to file structures. In fact you must manually authorize any software install even to your home folder, that means that it is hard for dishonest people to put spyware/adware on your machine without your approval. I run my systems naked but for a firewall on my router and I have never had a single virus or piece of spyware on my machines. I keep my life on my laptop, my work, my family, my art, my Powerbook is a faithful companion and I would not trade it for anything.
Demi, if you have any specific operational questions, please feel free to ask and I will endeavor to answer them. JB

Demiurge

Thanks for the info! I probably won't be buying for a couple months, but I will let you know when/if I get one.

markmarc

Demi:
I've been using macs for years all the while my wife has used windows. never have I dealt with a virus or spyware. All the while I've had to reformay my wife's machines every 3-6 months because of viruses/spybots (even with Norton Anti Virus).
You will encounter a learning curve, much like using an HP calculator. But it's easy to deal with. A few things to keep in mind is that the Mac version of PowerPoint files will show text and images slightly off on a windows file. Secondly, when using a thumb drive, you will need to drag its icon to the trash and the icon will disappear before pulling out of the usb port.

The best news is that it will be a true dual platform machine, running both operating systems natively.

Hope that helps with your decision making when it comes time to decide.

Demiurge

markmarc wrote:

Demi:
I've been using macs for years all the while my wife has used windows. never have I dealt with a virus or spyware. All the while I've had to reformay my wife's machines every 3-6 months because of viruses/spybots (even with Norton Anti Virus).
You will encounter a learning curve, much like using an HP calculator. But it's easy to deal with. A few things to keep in mind is that the Mac version of PowerPoint files will show text and images slightly off on a windows file. Secondly, when using a thumb drive, you will need to drag its icon to the trash and the icon will disappear before pulling out of the usb port.

The best news is that it will be a true dual platform machine, running both operating systems natively.

Hope that helps with your decision making when it comes time to decide.

Thanks! It's the 2500 clams that's the real hiccup.

wantRTA12's

Hello,

After being a long time and pretty experienced Windows user, I switched over to Mac almost 3 years ago. It was a scarey thing, but I'm SO GLAD I did! I have narrowed why I like my Mac's over our PC to 3 things: 1) Mac's are easier to use. I've found that I can do everything on a Mac that I could on a PC, but with less difficulty - less mouse clicks! 2) Mac's are more fun to use. They're fun and they're cool! 3) Mac's don't have nearly the problems that PC's do! Viruses, spy ware etc. are no worry to the Mac user. While XP improved PC's stability, I've found that Mac's are still far more stable. I have never regreted switching to Mac - not once - and highly recommend everyone doing the same! I am a very happy convert. The learning curve is very small - within a day or two I was happily cruising everywhere. I've switched and encourage you to do the same!

mutelight

My friends MacBook Pro was the reason I switched from being a PC user and went all out on my Mac Pro.

Airplay355

So what kind of things are good to have in a Mac?

When you say easier to use, do you mean they are built for idiots? I'm pretty good with computers, and I know my PC pretty well. PC's seem pretty simple to me, they are just a PITA. Are macs as simple and easy to use in that aspect? Or are they just made for idiots?

I need to get a laptop for college in about 6 months. I was looking at mac's but i'm not really sure what to look for.

I was also looking at alienware laptops since they have come down in price when dell bought them. How would a mac compare to one of those?

I've used OSX but not as extensively as I use windows xp. What makes it so much better?

tecmo04

Macs are one million times better. no viruses and quality beyond belief.

Not to compare dell to alienware but i have a buddy who got a dell. 2 years later something major happened to it. He called up support and was told its cheaper to replace it, and that dells have a life of 2 years.

Now if thats what your interested in then go with a pc. But the wise investment is a macbookpro. And remember, you can still use windows if you choose. You get the best of both worlds (apple=99.9% and pc=.1%).

As to your question, what makes it so much better? Thats tought to answer. Besides excelnt quality and fantastic product support OSX is a pretty amazing system. Again, its hard to explain but if any friends have ask to borrow it. It like asking why a mustang drives better than a GTO. Its like asking which speaker to buy. You have to go try it and find out if you like it.

Long story short, its extra money but worth every single extra penny!

dane_peterson

I've owned several Macs over the last few years, and am currently running a MacBook 2.0. One of the things I like most about Macs is their plug-and-playability.
My manager recently purchased a PC laptop and was trying to set it up to print onto the office printer. The computer recognized new hardware, but then had to search for the driver, install it, and then it could run.
As for my 'Book, I plugged it in, selected the printer from the dropdown printer list, and bam. Easy as that. This is how it works with everything... I recently bought a gaming mouse that's made for PCs. I plugged it in via USB, and instantly it worked. (though it came with a CD to "install" the mouse software... for the PCs it was designed for!)

Beyond that, there are plenty of other reasons. Like a rock-solid OS, or better customer support due to a single centralized company. But I don't want to overwhelm you with reasons...

Airplay355

I'm not overwhelmed. I'm not trying to make you guys justify why macs are better, I'm generally interested in what's good about them, I just have 0 experience with them. I've only ever used slow outdated macs, never a fast top of the line one.

I guess I'm so used to the problems of a PC that I don't even think about them as problems, just as the way things are. Right now my PC is in pieces because my CD drives aren't recognizing CDs. It's a 6 yr old sony vaio. I thought having a computer last 6 years was pretty good. I've reformatted it 2 or 3 times, and I've had to replace oth cd drives, but other then that no major problems.

What I meant was what kind of features to look for when buying? I'm not sure what makes a good mac, and I remember you couldn't compare mac processors to PC ones...though now with mac using intel maybe that's possible? Are macs faster then PC's when running programs? How about for video games and image editing?

Will it cost a lot more to get a mac that will be the same speed as a much lower priced PC?

brettw22

Price is definitely one of the biggest 'issues'..........they can be almost twice the price on laptops......for desktops almost 4-5x......

jmwest1970

tecmo04 wrote:

Macs are one million times better. no viruses and quality beyond belief.

I'm not one to knock Macs. I like them, and I like my pc too. However, with the adoption of Intel chips, the Mac's days of no virii are soon to be over.

tecmo04 wrote:

Not to compare dell to alienware but i have a buddy who got a dell.

Not to burst anyone's bubble, but Alienware is a Dell product.

As for why a Mac is better than a pc or vice versa, it depends on what you want to do on it. If you're going to be doing the things that most people do, i.e. browse the net, check email, listen to music, or watch youtube videos, it doesn't matter which you get. They'll both do those things with ease.

If you plan to do hardcore desktop publishing, video editing, or music composition then the Mac wins hands down.

The downfall for the Mac is simple. Software. There are a lot of titles, if you know your way around linux, but native Mac software has the availability of a pronghorn antelope in a lion's den.

Both the Mac and pc have good and bad points, but it comes down to what you prefer. I've got both, and they both have a place.

dane_peterson

That's not as much the case anymore, though. iWork is a fantastic collaberation of software, is compatible with Microsoft software, and is much more versatile and feature-filled. If you do PowerPoint presentations and the like, you'll definitely want iWork to use the fantastic Keynote software.

Features to look for...
Well, as I mentioned above, I recommend getting iWork with it. It does come with a free 30-day trial, so you can try it before if you want. I also recommend the SuperDrive. It's nice to be able to burn stuff to DVDs, especially if you have large files you want to transfer or have on storage that wouldn't fit on a CD.
Also, after you purchase one, get memory. I recommend a Gig, unless you work with photoshop or other intense editing software... then go 2 gigs. Don't buy it from Apple though, it's way too expensive.
Lastly, just suck it up and get AppleCare. Extending phone and hardware service to 3 years is really a load off your shoulders, and it's transferrable if you ever decide to sell your computer.

mutelight

jmwest1970 wrote:

I'm not one to knock Macs. I like them, and I like my pc too. However, with the adoption of Intel chips, the Mac's days of no virii are soon to be over.

The chipset has nothing to do with virii, it is dependent on the OS. I have XP on my Mac Pro and I can get every last little bit of spyware and virii out on the net but it will only affect XP and the physical drive it is installed on. However, in OS X I need not worry.

jmwest1970

mutelight wrote:

The chipset has nothing to do with virii, it is dependent on the OS. I have XP on my Mac Pro and I can get every last little bit of spyware and virii out on the net but it will only affect XP and the physical drive it is installed on. However, in OS X I need not worry.

This is true to an extent. If, and it's a big if, you have someone who's not lazy and will use machine language instead of pseudo-code like VB they can produce a virus that's not OS dependent.

PhantomOG

The proliferation of viruses/spyware on PCs versus Macs has everything to do with the installed user base and almost nothing to do with the OS/microprocessor used. Apple users account for less than 5% of all computer users, and in the past has hovered around 1 or 2%. That's nothing. These idiots that go out there and write this malware aren't going to waste their time targeting a user base so small. If the roles were reversed over the past couple decades you would see just as many problems with Macs as you do with PCs right now.

unc2701

They're overpriced for their preformance, but most people don't come close to maxing out the performance of their computers. Anyhow, keep an eye on the website for refurbs and they always drop the price right around a new product cycle, so you can probably get the computer you're looking at right now for under $2k within 4-6 months.

Airplay355

It seems to be more economical to me to buy a PC. A mac with similar hardware cost's about 1k more. GEEZE

markmarc

What value is not having to worry about viruses, etc? Yes, some Mac laptop models are expensive, but so are Lenovo, etc. The amount of quality software installed on the Macs is tremendous.

I know I'm far more productive on my iBook, then I am on my school's laptop. In the end, it comes down to how comfortable one is with technology, those that aren't won't switch, those that are, will move from one platform to another with ease.

Airplay355

It has nothing to do with being comfortable with the technology. I'll use a Mac or a PC, I don't care. But a Mac laptop is going to cost about 1k more. That's not pocket change. I'd rather get an antivirus program then spend an extra 1k.

SWFalken

Virus infections have nothing to do with installed base. Most viruses are not written for profit, they are exploits for the sake of exploitation. What better way to make a name for yourself in the Hacker/Cracker subculture to be the one to finally make Mac users worry. Macs don't get infected because it is nigh on impossible to install software without user intervention. Another myth that needs correcting is that there is no software for the platform, that is the biggest myth that still get widely circulated. Macs run software from major enterprise apps to graphics and drafting to automated machine and manufacturing control software to POS and retail frontend. Anything that a Windows machine can run there is an analog in the Mac OS world that is just as capable. The last myth I will address is the price for performace myth. In the past Apple charged a rediculous premium for the pleasure of using the platform, but over time that gap has narrowed considerably. Comparing machines spec for spec the price premium for hardware alone has almost disappeared and I have no problem paying a small premium for better design and great UI.

unc2701

SWFalken wrote:

Macs don't get infected because it is nigh on impossible to install software without user intervention.

And mac users are just as succeptable to the "press ok to continue" The OS is slightly better, but if you're into *nix, you can do that on a PC, too.

SWFalken wrote:

Another myth that needs correcting is that there is no software for the platform, that is the biggest myth that still get widely circulated. Macs run software from major enterprise apps to graphics and drafting to automated machine and manufacturing control software to POS and retail frontend. Anything that a Windows machine can run there is an analog in the Mac OS world that is just as capable.

That myth is less true than it used to be, but outside of publishing, the business advantage goes to PCs in a huge way. My two biggest apps for my job, SAS and ESRI Arc* would need an intel mac with XP booted on it... at which point it might as well be a PC. Sure, you could find a mac running a CNC router somewhere in the US, but I'm guessing about 99% of them aren't using macs.

SWFalken wrote:

The last myth I will address is the price for performace myth. In the past Apple charged a rediculous premium for the pleasure of using the platform, but over time that gap has narrowed considerably. Comparing machines spec for spec the price premium for hardware alone has almost disappeared and I have no problem paying a small premium for better design and great UI.

The laptop premium is still in the 30% range (i just priced one out real quick- $2100 vs $2800 and the PC had a bigger HD). That's not a small price diff. I'd guess that the destop is more like in the 50% range, especially if you're someone who can put a computer together on your own.

The mac problems aren't as big as most people make them, but the "myths" exist for a reason. In the end, people should take a realistic look at what they use their computer for & see if the can do it on both platforms and deicde how much they want to pay.

Airplay355

If they were the same price I think I'd get a mac but it seems I can get alot more PC for alot less money. $800 or 1k being a lot in my case.

Thanks for the info unc.

Mazeroth

PhantomOG wrote:

The proliferation of viruses/spyware on PCs versus Macs has everything to do with the installed user base and almost nothing to do with the OS/microprocessor used. Apple users account for less than 5% of all computer users, and in the past has hovered around 1 or 2%. That's nothing. These idiots that go out there and write this malware aren't going to waste their time targeting a user base so small. If the roles were reversed over the past couple decades you would see just as many problems with Macs as you do with PCs right now.

100% accurate statement there.

I'm a PC user. I'll probably never switch over to a Mac, due to the gamer I am and how I like to build my own PC. However, my brother is a die-hard Mac fan and I do agree that Macs ARE better computers, but just not for me. OS X is leaps and bounds better than Windows could ever hope to be, but the lack of software and not being able to build your own computer really sucks. If you are afraid of viruses and spyware you just have to remember to be careful. People don't believe me, but it's the 100% honest truth. I've never used antivirus software and I've never had a virus in my life. I'm on the internet for hours a day and I download a ton of stuff. You just have to know what to download and what not to download. Also, your settings in your internet program can help you eliminate almost all threat of spyware.

PhantomOG

SWFalken wrote:

Virus infections have nothing to do with installed base. Most viruses are not written for profit, they are exploits for the sake of exploitation. What better way to make a name for yourself in the Hacker/Cracker subculture to be the one to finally make Mac users worry.

Hmm... let's see. Is a hacker going to write a virus which affects millions upon millions of people and businesses or he is going to write a virus for a group of people approx. 100x smaller that just happens to be smug? Which do you think will attract more attention? Get over it. Use whatever type of computer you want but please drop the idiotic superiority complex. You are just as deluded as the die-hard PC fan boys.

Demiurge

You guys aren't making this any easier now.

PhantomOG

I think you'd be ok with whatever you choose. Its just the ridiculous arguments that one platform is vastly superior to another piss me off. They both have their pros and cons and you'd probably be better off to ignore the idiots who think that either has no faults.

Demiurge

I agree, and it's clear a Mac is more geared toward what I want to do. I build all of my PCs, so I know enough about them, and I just want to go in another direction. Photography, Graphic Art, Music, and Video are what I am interested in for my home computer. I think I can get the best bang for the buck in a Mac for those interests.

unc2701

Demiurge wrote:

I agree, and it's clear a Mac is more geared toward what I want to do. I build all of my PCs, so I know enough about them, and I just want to go in another direction. Photography, Graphic Art, Music, and Video are what I am interested in for my home computer. I think I can get the best bang for the buck in a Mac for those interests.

Yep, you just answered your own question. In all the things you mention, Macs have an advantage and you'd probably rack up the price difference vs PC in software buying the equivalent to what macs ship with. Me, 99% of what i use my PC for is surfing the web & working from home, which I can handle on my $400 for parts PC.

Just make sure you're realistic about how you're gonna use your computer and the decision gets to be pretty easy.

polkatese

I am getting very close to switch camp to MacBook Pro, to replace my trusty 3 year old Compaq. A friend showed me the VM parallel software, which allow users to run XP on top of Mac OS. bitchin'! Fast, clean interface, come preinstalled with all of the i[/]**** video, audio softwares. I am stoke once I get over the price tag.

Btw, anyone who has authored home video on DVD on MacBook Pro, how easy and how long was the rendering/finalizing phase on it (for a single layer DVD)? On a Dell P4 3.2GHz with 1 GB of RAM it took me about 3-4 hours, just for a point of comparison for me.

Overall, I am stoke with the plan, the last Apple I owned was an McIntosh circa 1984. It has been PC wintel since then.

I am thinking of 2.3 GHz with 1 GB version, with 160 GB of HD, is it worthed to up the RAM to 2GB?

TIA, guys!