Mac or PC?

Get the new Mac laptop with the Intel chip and MS Office for Mac. you'll be glad you did.

Office for Mac doesn't include Access, but FileMaker Pro is a better database, anyways.

I also suggest the Mac. I just bought an IMac (my first Mac)and there is no compatibility problems with my PCs. I have Microsoft office on the Mac and move back and forth between my work and home PCs and the mac with no problem. The Mac is so much nicer (plus no XP freezes, no spyware/virus concerns).

Dude get a mac... I have had one for 3 years now and have had no problems while in school. several of my buddies have many viruses... I on the other hand don't. Reason being is that most viruses, worms, and trojans, are made for PCs.

Good luck

Deltron3030

not to be repetitive, but I've got 3 PCs and 1 apple laptop. The apple wins.

There really aren't any compatibility issues these days. The company's doing so well that everyone supports it. I'm in grad school and can tell you that you shouldn't have issues of that sort.

Spend the extra dough. You're worth it.

if you buy the best windows comp out there, in less than 2 yrs it will be slower than dirt.. macs dont slow down

even linux is better than windows.. its like the best part of macs and windows in one.. if only google would make an os.. a free os... you heard it here first

another vote for macs ... use windows at work, can bring stuff back and forth no problem and much easier to use, etc. on the mac

the thinker wrote:

if you buy the best windows comp out there, in less than 2 yrs it will be slower than dirt.. macs dont slow down

[quote]

The computers don't 'slow down', they get infested with spyware and crap. there is a big difference.

[quote]

even linux is better than windows.. its like the best part of macs and windows in one..

[quote]

Mac OSX is basically a linux distribution with an in-house GUI

[quote]

if only 0google would make an os.. a free os... you heard it here first

No, I didn't. I've been hearing that idea for well over year now. To say you said it first is utterly laughable.

Hillary Clinton will run for New York Senate. You heard it here first.

Get a mac. I just got a used Powerbook and it is awesome. Somebody said this already, but they don't slow down. They maintain their value MUCH better than PC's.

Let me attempt to fix my first post

the thinker wrote:

if you buy the best windows comp out there, in less than 2 yrs it will be slower than dirt.. macs dont slow down

The computers don't 'slow down', they get infested with spyware and crap. there is a big difference.

even linux is better than windows.. its like the best part of macs and windows in one..

Mac OSX is basically a linux distribution with an in-house GUI

if only 0google would make an os.. a free os... you heard it here first

No, I didn't. I've been hearing that idea for well over year now. To say you said it first is utterly laughable.

Hillary Clinton will run for New York Senate. You heard it here first.

I love my powerbook!!!

Get a PC. Everything about a PC is less expensive and there is much more of it (software and hardware) available. Most of the world uses PC's. I know people who have used Macs for a long time and eventually gave in for those reasons. How many companies use Macs and how many use PC's? The compatability issue IS a big deal.

Believe me, if you get a Mac you will come across many more situations where you say to yourself, "if only I had a PC." On the other hand it will be a very rare situation when you have to have a Mac to get the job done.

Also, PC's are much easier to work on, or for that matter, build your own. I guarantee you I can put together twice the computer for $1500-$2000 in PC parts than you could dream about buying a Mac for--more hard drive space, more memory, and more speed--much more. Guaranteed.

I'm in a complete minority on this thread so far, and I will acknowledge that Macs are good computers. However, there are just way too many negatives, mostly because such a relatively small percentage of people use them. 90% or more of all software developers create products for the PC, not the Mac.

O.k. I'm done. Go buy your Mac.

I went mac this past year. i got an ibook for school. They're great! I'll never go back to PC.

Macs have been reliable, so far, but that will deappear soon once they start using intel chips, they did come down in price but in my opnion they are still more expensive that PCs.

Macs are better if you're gonna do extensive graphics other than that get a PC for one reason, most people have PCs, so software is easier to find if you know what i mean.

it's a no brainer wrote:

Believe me, if you get a Mac you will come across many more situations where you say to yourself, "if only I had a PC." On the other hand it will be a very rare situation when you have to have a Mac to get the job done.

NEVER, with the exception of gaming, have I wished for a PC. NEVER. That's 14 years of computer using. Truth is all you need is word processing functionality / the internet. You can do both of those on a Mac - FINE. Macs come with built in wireless cards so you'll be able to get online 10 seconds after you boot it up. No viruses. Great tech support. Microsoft Office package will open everything your PC shithead friends send at you.

Cross compatibility issues are FAR ahead of where they were 10 years ago - companies are reluctant to change because they've built their entire networks based on PCs, but I'll guarantee that newer companies who go Mac have far less problems.

Get a mac, you won't go back

GH wrote:

Macs have been reliable, so far, but that will deappear soon once they start using intel chips, they did come down in price but in my opnion they are still more expensive that PCs.

Macs are better if you're gonna do extensive graphics other than that get a PC for one reason, most people have PCs, so software is easier to find if you know what i mean.

It's not the processor, Einstein; it's the crappy operating system that make them so fragile. PCs are cheaper, that's about it. As for software, there are more games, but if you can afford a Mac, you probalby don't play a lot of games. Also, if you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO RUN A WINDOWS APPLICATION, you can buy Microsoft's Virtual PC, which will allow you to run Windows on a Mac (until, of course, someone reverse engineers the new Macs to dual boot either OSX or Windows... you probably didn't hear that here first.)

What kind of budget are you looking at? If you are just going to do word processing/email/powerpoint type things you don't need to buy the expensive models. Also, I'm pretty sure the Intel chip only comes on the MacBookPro in a laptop. The Powerbooks are still PowerPC G4's according to Apple's website.

Another vote for Mac here. I'm on my second, a 1 year old 12" Powerbook (had a 12" iBook for four years before that). My mom has a 12" iBook and my brother has an eMac. My cousin just got a Mac Mini.

The best reason to go Mac is that the operating system, core applications, and hardware are made by the same company. Because of this, there is a level of interoperability and stability that you don't get with Windows, where there are billions of possible hardware configurations.

For those who say, "You can get twice the computer for $x if you buy/build a PC instead of a Mac, you are disregarding three key points.

First, most people don't need that level of computing power for anything other than games. If you really want to play games, drop $200 on an XBox or Playstation that will not need to be upgraded a year from now to play the newest games.

Second, you're paying a premium for OS X, which is a far more elegant, intuitive, and stable operating system than Windows XP.

Third, you get a greater number of preinstalled applications, and of greater quality, with Mac. You get Garageband (easily a $100+ program to buy the equivalent for Windows), iPhoto, great calendar, mail, and address book programs (with the address book integrated across all applications), a web browser that is much better than Internet Explorer, and a Web publishing program (iWeb). To get all of these, you would need to pay quite a bit on Windows. Also, you are NOT paying for adware/spyware/virus software on a Mac, so don't forget to tack on the $50 plus $50 yearly subscription for virus software updates if you're buying Windows.

Obviously, the Mac people, though in a minority, make the most noise here or whereever for that matter. The fact is the Mac people buy their gadget for emotional reasons than practical ones.

Here is the summary of practical arguments taken from previous writers,

1. Less in price

2. More software (games or otherwise)

3. More support (thourgh vendors, etc

5. Easier to upgrade

4. More to choose from (more in supply, short in demand takes us back to point 1 above.

5. etc. etc......

The mac is the far superior computer. When I started in my current job four years ago, I was astonished that any idiots would use macs, and I had one on my desk that I had to deal with. About a month into it I swore off PCs because I realized how much better the mac was. I'm writing right now on my 2-year-old 14-inch iBook that runs like I just got it yesterday. I'll never own a PC again.