if you had the money will u get an apple?

[Timmac4]

Macs definetaly have their place. If you were trying to make a living at graphic art with a pc, you would have more of a challenge on any team projects since macs are flooding the graphic art world. Also most teachers I find use Macs, so try to trade off information between the two platforms. I myself use a pc, but I think Macs are great too. Just my opinion though. - Mr. Macintosh the 4th-

[MDLarson]

People, I dare you to take an objective look at Apple. I dare anybody here to walk into an Apple store and just tinker around with OS X. Things will be different, but you will at least be a little impressed with the quality of both the hardware (except the stupid one button mouse) and the OS.

Then, ask yourself, "What can I do with / on my PC that I can't do on a Mac?"
•Build a Mac from scratch
•Play [insert popular PC game here]
•Run a critical Windows only program
And... that's pretty much it, I'd bet.

Then, take a look at the good things about Apple:
•MUCH fewer computer virii
•Less expensive OS in general (as opposed to Windows)
•Rock solid performance (NO crashes)
•Super tight-integration between hardware and software (yes, this is an advantage to the proprietary Apple product)
•Complete access to the underlying UNIX layer
•Option to completely IGNORE the underlying UNIX layer (that's me)
•iTunes (Music lovers: pay attention to this one)

And yes, you CAN get a two-button mouse, plug it in to a Mac's USB port, and use the right click JUST like in Windows! (I know this is a revelation for some)

And yes, you CAN upgrade a Mac. Add or replace PCI cards, hard drives, video cards, processor cards. I already said you couldn't build a Mac from scratch, but when you're tired of doing that, take another look at the Mac.

Another thing you all have to realize is that iMacs, G4 Cube and eMacs are NOT aimed at the build-it-yourself crowd much like yourselves. Just like the low-end options from Dell, Compaq, HP and the rest of the group.

Lastly, realize that I am not 100% pro-Apple and 100% anti-PC. I know when to buy a PC and when to buy Mac. All I'm really saying is that you should not unfairly judge the Mac platform just because you:
A) Are unfamiliar with it
B) Think that anything that's not M$ is non-standard
C) Think that Apple's trying to hide something behind the pretty cases

And if anybody is throwing away any more bronze-keyboard laptops, I WILL BUY IT. What a waste, holoflux. Man, that pisses me off.

[Dracas]

Originally posted by MDLarson
And if anybody is throwing away any more bronze-keyboard laptops, I WILL BUY IT. What a waste, holoflux. Man, that pisses me off. [/B]

No Kidding man, the Old Wallstreet Laptops along with the TAM Macs, I've heard of people just tossing out both, what gets me is people throwing out the Twentieth Century Edition (TAM) Macs, those things are a fricken collectors item, their stylin, and their one of a kind, along with being quite upgradeable.

Now, as for your comments (that were somewhat true, again it depends on the opinion I suppose) the only thing I disagree with are thus (about macs):

"No Crashes" - I've seen a few quirky crashes, Sad macs, and the occasional OSX blurb "Houston, We have a crash." which blips up occasionally during a serious error between Darwin and the GUI and hardware systems, then again, any computer can be crashed with the right abilities, I have a knack for making things crash (intentionally) as it defines what hardware can and can't do (I've managed, to date, to crash our PS2 and N64 a whopping 60~70 times appiece, and they're relatively sound pieces of hardware).

As a matter of fact, I refused to buy an xBox because it crashed without me trying (way too often) which t'd me off that it wasn't worth the cash

Getting back on subject..

the other thing I didn't agree with was that, (in OSX) while you have the option of totally ignoring the UNIX base of the software (Darwin) you are literally locked out of the Admin user account of your own computer without doing some serious hardcore tinkering, it took me and a friend about 40 total hours surfing and asking (and elusive) tech support how to get into the admin account in OSX Jaguar.

Granted I can understand they don't want just anyone gettin in there and screwing up their system, but thats an almost ";Que Cat" worthy misdemeanor of ownership.

Aside that, I like Macs, good solid machines, a bit cheap on the hardware side, but pretty sturdy so long as you don't abuse them, which is where their appeal came from (to begin with) in industry, graphic arts and educational institutes, they're also INCREDIBLY long lived in comparison to current PC standards.

[ukulele]

Nicely put dracus. That is the only reasons why Jobs is able to hang onto ?% (is it 2%) of the market now? Hmmmmm.....

[MDLarson]

Daracas, good point about the crashing. "Your mileage may vary". But, I have had like one kernal panic and zero with the latest 10.2 Jaguar. Many others have had similar experiences with OS X.

I guess I don't understand the admin account in OS X. You can create as many admin accounts as you like in OS X. Are you talking about the root account? 'Cause that's a whole different level that SHOULD be turned off by default.

And anyone who quotes market share also has to realize that market share does not = a quality product. Don't get me wrong, market share is important, and the Mac is suffering when it comes to that. BUT, Apple can still make a solid produce regardless of market share. That's why I challenge you all to actually see if you can do it on a Mac. Chances are you can.

[ukulele]

And anyone who quotes market share also has to realize that market share does not = a quality product

It has been well established that Mac makes a quality product. The question asked in this thread really boils down to , "Is it worth the extra money?"

This brings up the question of "What is the advantage of spending the extra money?" It seems obvious that based on market share that 98% of the PC users in the world don't think there is any real advantage.

I dabble in stocks and would never even consider buying stock in a company that is loosing market share, much less their products.

[Dracas]

Well, in retrospect, people buy Acura vehicles every day, all they are is overglorified redesigned Honda's, and people pay an extra $10,000~$20,000 for them.

Now apply that to Apple computers. Theres not much difference, aside a few perks here and there, and (overall) a more 'reliable' consumer product

[Jonathan Daleo]

Are you out of your vulcan mind

[Dracas]

Live long and Prosper. Or was it Perspire? I can't remember

[Slade54]

Would i buy a Mac?

Its simple, No.

And i have more reasons then simply "cuz its a Mac"

1) Overpriced, Underpowered hardware
If they came down in price, that would elimante part of the reason for not buying a mac.

2) Support. Too many applications not supported.

3) Cant build it from scratch, the ulitmate way to save money if you know what your doing.

4) the Mac zealots are too dang annoying. (i recognize the difference between zealot and fan. Fortunatly, no zealots have yet entered this thread, but there are a few fans, and theres nothing wrong with that)

The main reason is pretty much price and support. If i want a Mac that can really perform, i have to dish out the dough. Or i can spend half the amount and get the same amount of power and god knows how much more application support.

And you guys do know there programs that will convert thigs such as word documents and such from x86 to mac (not sure what its called, risc maybe? but its not really risc as it was once defined, o well) and back between the two? (my school has lots of PCs and teh phasing out Macs, so they have software to convert the files for you, very useful. But our whole school is slowly switching to PC, cept for the library. And thats mostly due to space. A mac is all in one, very useful for space limited

And i have been wanted to fiddle with OSX, ive heard nothing but good things about it.

O, and if you Mac ppl havent kept up, ppl are finally enjoying a stable Microsoft OS, WindowsXP. I know some of you are like "no it isnt, its crashed for me!" That may be so, but for most all the ppl out there, its worked great thus far. And remember, 90% vs 5% market share, means more ppl use XP, more chances for ppl to screw it up, and complain of an "unstable OS" when there is a good chance its their fault.

[MDLarson]

Good points, good points. Although the "vast number of titles available for PC verses Mac titles" doesn't hold water for me, I'm sure it provides a psychological insurance aspect worthy of consideration.

Just don't throw away any more Macs!

[maje87c]

Don't throw away anything. Plenty of technophiles would love to have what you may consider junk.

As far as why macs don't sell, it is because their target audience is slim. They market to the enthusiast/tweakist with the easy Unix OS, but at the same time give the enthusiasts no way to overclock or build their own system. I've bad experiences with not knowing my system up and down before.

Not only does this alienate the enthusiast, but it also alienates the price conscious do-it-yourselfers.

To me, it seems like apple isn't trying to improve their customer base. I want a mac. But I want one that I can use. Not a funky computer in a monitor or a super desk lamp. I want a tower that I can work on or a Laptop that I can use for mobility. When the news of the G5 got out, I was hoping prices would drop, but they barely did. Instead of offering the older iMacs for 500, They cut the older iMacs out entirely, put the eMacs down to 800(previously the price of the older iMacs) and reduced the G4 prices around 100 each. I can't afford to pay 1200 for a machine whose performance is adequate, when I could make a monster gaming rig out of my current adequate computer, that I built for 600 dollars 9 months ago.

Solid OS? yes Capable OS? yes Worth the money for a nicer looking OS? no.

To me, a serious gamer and part-time OCer, apple has no way of doing what I want to do for the price I'm willing to pay. Linux honestly has more offerings than mac does.

[Dracas]

Actually, here's a very good reason to avoid 'throwing computers in the bin' altogether.

Theres enough Lead and Arsenic(?), as well as other volatile compounds, in one mainboard to polute around 50 square acres of ground water.

Holy ****!

[TerryP]

Yes, but I would still favor Windows. Still, I would like to learn more about Macs.

[mireland]

I used to really hate macs, but having learned a little about them and playing around them, now I only dislike them somewhat!