Mac or Windows

[Peter]

For doing what?

[beck images]

Well what are you using now? It's a bit like saying what shoes shall I put on? Depends where you're walking as to what will be a better fit.

If you're talking about surfing the net, both pretty much do the same things. I have up until this year only used PCs, however due to my business I now also have a macbook as most magazines I deal with use them exclusively. For images it wasn't an issue however certain video formats wouldn't play directly on man without having to convert them first.

Macs pretty much cost twice as much as a similar speced pc and for me it took a little while getting used to the differences to make it worthwhile (different shortsuts etc). I now prefer macs for somethings and pcs for others, in truth I'm still quicker on a pc than the mac but i expect that will change over time.

Windows 7 has pretty much copied a lot of the more useful mac leopard features and is more stable than vista. So in my opinion if you're using a pc, there's no point getting a mac unless you need it for photographic or video editing purposes. I will say though that as Apple make both the machines and the software (no viruses etc) that things work a lot better without conflicts. As I have a desktop pc, a pc laptop and a macbook, I do personally fancy the 27" Imac but i'll have to wait a little while for that!

[jimslip]

I use Windows PC's for general day to day stuff and a Macbook Pro for anything to do with video.

To be honest I don't think there is a huge difference in performance these days. I used to edit HD on a Sony Vaio with no problems. I was thrown off a Mac forum for having the affront to suggest that Macs suffered from their own set of problems just like PC's and a Mac was, "Just a machine." The reaction I got was as hysterical as saying Allah doesn't exist, to a Muslim! If you ever have a problem with a Mac, the crazed, Zombie like, Mac fanatics will always say, "It's your fault", never the Mac's fault. I do love the Macbook Pro though.

There are fewer viruses written for Macs though, also you can't get (Mostly) dodgy, copies of expensive programmes for a Mac off Ebay. Not that I would ever dream of doing such a thing!

Lastly Macs are extremely expensive! However in the analogue, linear editing days of 15-20 years ago, to get the same performance and facilities for editing video as I get on my Macbook today could have cost in the region of at least ?60,000-?100,000, filled a whole room and you couldn't even surf for porn on it! !grin!

[jimslip]

Oh yes, here's another interesting fact from the not so, Good Old Days, on the first non- linear editing, ie computer editing, systems circa 1994, the cost of memory on a hard disc was around ?1000/gigabyte!

[Guilbert]

With a Mac both the hardware AND the software are designed and made by Apple.

So this makes for better integration and you are less likely to got "problems" with interaction between the hardware and software.

On a Windows PC the hardware is made by a whole range of companies and only Microsoft make the operating system.

However this tends to make a "Windows" PC much cheaper than a Mac (for machines of similar spec) - competition amongst makers of PC parts drives prices down.

It also means there are far more Windows PCs out there than Macs, meaning it is easier to find a person to fix one, there are more apps available for Windows, and they are easier and cheaper to upgrade and fix.

Unless you have a specific NEED for a Mac (and are willing to pay the extra to buy one) then go for a Windows PC.

[Sam Slater]

Reasons to buy into Apple/OSX:

1. Style.
2. Seamless integration with apple applications.
3. Less hassle with viruses, trojans, rootkits etc, etc.
4. Easier (I think) for non-techy people to learn.

Reasons to buy Microsoft/Windows:

1. Familiarity (we all know the score with Windows).
2. Choice (a greater range of -especially- freeware/hardware to get things done).
3. Gaming.
4. Cost.

5-6 years ago 'Compatibility' would have been another plus for Microsoft/Windows but I've never had my 5 year old G4 Powerbook reject any gadget I've thrown at it.

Apple has only style and a little more security on it's side. If you're that paranoid about malware and the like then I'd take the time and familiarise yourself with Linux.

Windows is like chicken. We all know it and eat it often. It's not lean rump/sirloin nor is it Venison or minted lamb. It's plain, boring but easy to use/prepare and cheap. You can't go wrong with a bit of chicken. I suppose what I'm trying to say is, stick with Windows unless you want to put the hours in and learn something new (Linux) or splash out on something sleek just to show off (Mac).

[jimslip]

Actually just remembered I've got "Boot Camp" on my Mac so you can run both Windows and Mac software.........on a Mac, I don't actually use it, but I suppose it makes the Mac win the competition of whats, "Better" on aggregate!

[Twingo]

[quote]With a Mac both the hardware AND the software are designed and made by Apple.

On a Windows PC the hardware is made by a whole range of companies and only Microsoft make the operating system.[/quote]

the Mac's CPU/Motherboard Chipset and integrated graphics is designed by Intel, it is exactly the same CPU model used in PC's

the discrete GPU/Graphics cards used are typically Nvidia based and are the exact same PCI-E cards you can place into your PC.

The harddrives/cdroms and pretty much everything else are all designed by third parties and again, are the same third parties supplying exactly the same components to the PC Market.

The only thing that Apple does is put all them pieces together in there own cases, charges 3x the price, and dictates that a TPM module is installed on the motherboard, so only them boards will allow OSX to be installed legitimately.

The reason why you can run OSX on a standard computer today with a quick workaround, is because there is nothing different between the hardware (with the exception of the TPM).