What separates a Mac from a PC?

[Willem]

Originally posted by Winston
Thanks Willem. I can see I have a lot to learn and adjust to if I ever get myself a Mac.

Having worked with both systems, I used the Mac exclusively while in school but have a Intel machine at home, I've come to prefer the latter. A big issue for me was the price. I started out with a cheap system, and gradually upgraded as I could afford the peripherals that I wanted. With a Mac you can't really do that, it's all or nothing.

I also find it much easier to manage files with a standard PC. With Macs you have to open a folder and drag and drop from one to another. That can get to be a real pain if you have alot of sub-folders. I'm using a file manager that shows lists of everything on my system, so I just have to select what I want and hit the Move button.

I also prefer having multiple mouse buttons, Macs only have one. IMO it's much more convenient than using a combination of keyboard/mouse commands.

Then of course there's the fact that there's way more software available for the PC.

BTW, it was IBM who first developed the Windows/Intel configuration, and then licensed out the technology to others. So the best way of avoiding those picky people who point out that they're both personal computers would be to compare Mac PCs to IBM based PCs.

[Worthingtons]

I used to have a Mac, i liked the Mac a lot , but because i didnt have money to waste i had to get a PC in the end

[Panag]

hi ,

try the MAC forums , .....

have a nice day

[Aro]

I had to work with both platforms, with heavy graphics. Sincerely, no differences. After a little time, you are used to both systems. Painter7 (Procreate- a Corel subsidiary, I think) and Photoshop are the same.

G4/OS X is excellent, as well the P4/XP combo.
So, if you'll work with graphics (heavy ones! ), exclusively, any choice is good.
Movies and sound, I suppose is a job for Mac's. OTOH, digital animation is for PC's (I know that... My wife owns a little animation studio, with 10 animators working in PC's, including her), cause you have more programs and is less expensive.

Games? No-brainer... PC.

[monolith94]

"I also prefer having multiple mouse buttons, Macs only have one. IMO it's much more convenient than using a combination of keyboard/mouse commands."

$20 for a multi button mouse.

[yavoon]

willem not to point out the obvious but its easy to get a multi button mouse for a mac.

[Panag]

hi ,

nothing in the world above a kensington trackball

have a nice day

[DarthVeda]

*chant* Mac must die *chant*

*repeat*

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Asher

Like, for example, on the Mac, you have a single menu-bar at the very top of the screen rather than at the top of each window. This is more "intuitive", because it surely makes far less sense to attach the window controls to the window itself like they do on the PC.

This is actually worse since it takes up more space than it needs to. The toolbar pertains to the selected window. It is easy to see and use. That is unless you use two mice at once - but who does that?

Windows is a mess, there's cr@p everywhere and that stupid registry causes untold problems, or so my Windows using friends tell me. I'd rather die than go back to it.

Current benchmarks put it on par with late 2002 P4s...and IBM's chip is coming out in late 2003.

The processor speed is about the only decent thing PC's have going for them, and that's largely Motorola's fault for messing about. It's a temporary problem.

[Drake Tungsten]

Mac's greatest advantage is that it has Apple, the world's best software maker, designing programs exclusively for the platform. As such, Mac users get to enjoy groundbreaking and innovative software years before Microsoft manages to copy them. Read about the iTunes Music Store if you want a good example of this process in action.

OS X > XP

[Agathon]

Originally posted by monolith94
"I also prefer having multiple mouse buttons, Macs only have one. IMO it's much more convenient than using a combination of keyboard/mouse commands."

$20 for a multi button mouse.

If you learn how to use the system you shouldn't need a 2 button mouse.

[Sava]

Mac's aren't quite up to par with PC's. Despite Windows sucking, the overall disadvantages don't come close to outweighing the advantages. As for Mac's being better for Imaging, Media editing, etc; well that simply is false. I go to a school that has both Mac and PC computers for use in those areas and the PC's are far more powerful and user friendly. The biggest beef I have with the Mac's is the single button mouse. It makes it more difficult to use such programs. Instead of being able to right click and do things, I have to memorize confusing keystrokes. User friendly indeed. OS is better than XP. Unfortunately, you can't get OS/X on a PC.

[Q Classic]

ag, the fact that i have to press a keyboard key and then click--using two hands-- is a negative aspect of it when instead all i have to do is use a different finger on the one hand that is controlling the mouse.

multibutton mice are one thing i find far superior about non-ppc systems. at least you can buy one of those and put it on a mac.

[Juggernaut]

Mac has way superior fonts.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Sava
Mac's aren't quite up to par with PC's. Despite Windows sucking, the overall disadvantages don't come close to outweighing the advantages. As for Mac's being better for Imaging, Media editing, etc; well that simply is false. I go to a school that has both Mac and PC computers for use in those areas and the PC's are far more powerful and user friendly.

What have you been smoking? I've never heard anyone call Windows user friendly.

The biggest beef I have with the Mac's is the single button mouse. It makes it more difficult to use such programs. Instead of being able to right click and do things, I have to memorize confusing keystrokes. User friendly indeed. OS is better than XP. Unfortunately, you can't get OS/X on a PC.

As I pointed out before, if you use a Mac as a Mac and don't attempt to use it like it was Windows, you don't need a two button mouse. You don't even need to use the keyboard.