Fear of Switching to Mac?
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Hi Guys,
There is a thread going on the Forum about 'What Machine to Buy',
a Windows Machine is being discussed. A few of us Mac Users have
suggested Switching to Mac but I think our advise is being ignored
or just falling on deaf ears! My 'Sales Pitch' was Reliability and
Trade-In Value
I have been thinking about why this is the situation and can only
look at my own experience as a Switcher. I change my Laptop on
average every 18 months. Currently I have the MacBook Pro with
1920x1200 resolution and all the bells and whistles that I could
get with it.Prior to this I had a top of the range Dell Precision. When I
bought the Dell Precision Apple had brought out machines with
the Intel Chip, while I gave it consideration I was simply too
afraid to make the switch and jump onto the Mac Bandwagon.
However after having some major crashes with the Windows I said
'Feck It', that's enough I will switch and try out the Mac.
Since doing so my Win Tech Guy has not seen me and my wallet
is in better health.I won't say that it was a total breeze switching. I now laugh
at the little problem I had. Put simple, I expected the Mac OS
to be similar in complexity to Windows. This was a mistake.
I should have switched on the Mac with an open mind and expected
things to work in a logical fashion. This was the case but I was
so used to Windows that my mind was geared to expecting problems.
After getting used to a few different 'keys' everything 'Just Worked'.I do have a few Win Only programs that I use occasionally but
Boot Camp or Parallels handles these with ease. There is one
little thing that I must check out still! I don't know as yet
if a Windows Keyboard works with a Mac while running Boot Camp
or Parallels as his might be useful to have. All that would be
involved is having a small Win Keyboard nearby for occasional use,
maybe one of those fabric ones for fun!The following links discuss and address the 'Switching Fear Factor'
in a very balanced way. Well worth checking out for anyone that
still has their backside glued to the fence
http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=847
http://www.applematters.com/index.php/section/comments/8-reasons-windows-users-dont-switch/My final comment, perhaps a silly one. I am a designer and I
like to have well designed things around me for work and pleasure.
ALL Apple products deliver satisfaction to me every time I use
them ..... may not so silly when one thinks about itMike
PS: Just noticed that this is my 500th Post .... Glad that it
may help others see the light. -
Ditto to what Mike said. I switched in Dec 2006 to a Mac. I bought a Mac Pro with a 23" Apple Cinema Display. It's awesome. It (the hardware and software) is laid out well. Not wanting to be without it on vacation last year, I bought a white MacBook last summer. The family has now gotten comfortable with the Mac too. They just work.
I still have a couple Windows XP machines. One I use for my day job, and then the family "email machine" with all our legacy data. When I need Windows (like for testing Ruby scripts or other software I've written), it's good to have.
Don't be afraid of the light!!
Todd
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Please don't take offense Mike, but it's exactly these sort of "help others see the light" comments which litter forums that I believe puts people off switching to Macs. You almost never hear PC users criticising Mac users for their choice of work tool, but I'm sooo sick of hearing Mac users do exactly that... as if all PC users are naive or stubborn for not switching.
I use PCs because
a) it's what I'm used to.
b) I understand (kinda) how they work, including their pitfalls.
c) they're absolutely standard in my profession.
d) software availability is never a problem.
e) there's a constant stream of free and open source software for PCs being produced by ordinary people.
f) I feel very strongly about distributing my custom across as many companies and individuals as possible- not buying all my hardware and a great deal of software from one very heavily marketed company.
g) I can pick and choose my machine's features across many brands and models to suit my needs and wallet.The list goes on, but it's a debate not worth debating IMO as each has their advantages and disadvantages which will suit different people.
Seriously, if Macs were that much better than PCs as some Mac users claim, they would've taken over the marketplace years ago, just as the iPod has totally dominated the mp3 player market. Sorry if this is a bit harsh (and a hijack), I know your intention is just to help those who may be considering switching, but I just had to listen to a relative (who uses a Mac daily, but knows next to nothing about computers) laying into PCs a couple of days ago just because he's not used to using one. When he couldn't print something on my PC (because I had forgotten to plug the printer USB cable back in the day before) he literally said "See, this is why I HATE PCS!" Uhhh... good argument.
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Jackson,
Amen! -
No offense taken at all Jackson and yes you are right about converted Mac Users pushing the case for switching. Was is Saul then Paul that became the most outspoken apostle
I will comment on some of your points and don't you take offense please
@unknownuser said:
Please don't take offense Mike, but it's exactly these sort of "help others see the light" comments which litter forums that I believe puts people off switching to Macs. You almost never hear PC users criticising Mac users for their choice of work tool, but I'm sooo sick of hearing Mac users do exactly that... as if all PC users are naive or stubborn for not switching.
Yes, as I said Mac converts tend to be a little over enthusiastic at times, not the case for long term Mac Users funnily enough! I imagine they simply don't know how much easier their life is!
I agree with you that one never hears WIN PC Users criticise Mac Users for their choice of machine. The only conclusion I can draw here is that there is nothing to criticise in the first place. Rarely does one hear a Mac User screaming about how bad the Mac OS is. On the other hand the Win OS is continuously being rubbished. Simple question! How many Win PC Users on this forum have moved over to VISTA? I will go even further! I am aware of PC Users that never moved on from 2000 to XP!
@unknownuser said:
I use PCs because
a) it's what I'm used to.
b) I understand (kinda) how they work, including their pitfalls.
c) they're absolutely standard in my profession.
d) software availability is never a problem.
e) there's a constant stream of free and open source software for PCs being produced by ordinary people.
f) I feel very strongly about distributing my custom across as many companies and individuals as possible- not buying all my hardware and a great deal of software from one very heavily marketed company.
g) I can pick and choose my machine's features across many brands and models to suit my needs and wallet.The list goes on, but it's a debate not worth debating IMO as each has their advantages and disadvantages which will suit different people.
a. Just because you are used to a system should not mean that you should remain with that system and not try alternatives that offer clear advantages that would probably increase your work output.
b. Yes, its good to understand your system BUT maybe its time to move on and look else where if it has too many pitfalls.
c. They were absolutely standard in our profession not any longer with the introduction of Boot Camp and Parallels etc.
d. Choice of software under Apple is excellent. While there are some WIN only options most is also available under OS X. On the other hand there is quite a lot of OS X only software which I find generally is of a much higher standard that the Win equivalent.
e. There lots and lots of high quality freebie software available to Mac Users also.
f. Macs have Intel Chips, nVidea Graphics Cards and will take Wacom and other input devices. Also many external HD's and addons. I feel that it is possible to spread the cash around. I would imagine that Dell's marketing budget is more that Apple's ... eeeer maybe it just that Apple does it better
Couldn't resist than one, sory Jackson g. Apple now offer a wide choice of spec when selecting a computer. I think would like to have a bigger nVidea GC on the MacBook Pro but again 'it works'! The desktop machines offer a fantastic range, check it out!
@unknownuser said:
Seriously, if Macs were that much better than PCs as some Mac users claim, they would've taken over the marketplace years ago, just as the iPod has totally dominated the mp3 player market. Sorry if this is a bit harsh (and a hijack), I know your intention is just to help those who may be considering switching, but I just had to listen to a relative (who uses a Mac daily, but knows next to nothing about computers) laying into PCs a couple of days ago just because he's not used to using one. When he couldn't print something on my PC (because I had forgotten to plug the printer USB cable back in the day before) he literally said "See, this is why I HATE PCS!" Uhhh... good argument.
The reason that Macs have not taken over the personal computer market is simply because Apple run a 'closed' system. IBM opened the doors many years ago and everyone and his grandmother jumped on the gravy train. If apple had made the same move I believe the case may be different today BUT again maybe not as product quality would have been diminished. The quality of the Mac is very very high. It gives me a feel good factor while working on it and this can only help with productivity. Your relative needs a holiday
Still its good that he has a Mac available to him. I imagine that if he had to work with a PC he probably would have given up the ghost long ago.I understand that Apple stock increased 100% last year and this growth in expected to continue. I would put this down to the decision by Apple to move over to the Intel chip and offer the option of Windows on the Mac. This was the reason I switched even though it really does not matter that much to me now.
Mike
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mac rulez!!!!! pc sux!!!
[joke]
a lot of people simply have no desire to switch their os and the way they work... i've never owned a windows machine and i don't know my way around the thing.. i have a hard time using one and have to ask for help just for the basics (ie- how can i get to a browser
)... i'm sure i could adapt to it if i wanted to but i really don't want to.. it might take 6 months or so until i'm very comfortable with the ins and outs of windows and that's 6 months that i'd rather spend doing/learning other things..you were into making the switch but i can also see how many people don't give a shhh... if you really want to make people switch, try loaning them your book for a month or so.. you might convert a couple of people by doing that but besides that, maybe you should just let it rest.. it's not that big of a deal..
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If I may interject here...
I use XP, Vista and Tiger (I have 7 rigs in total) and honestly prefer XP for serious work.
Having said that I need to understand what this is all about, is this about operating systems, hardware?I have a dual core Intel based Imac that works great for what I intended using it for, I have a very stable XP quad for modeling and other 3d apps which are native to the OS and frankly work as designed.
Vista IMO was launched prematurely and had driver issues, as did Leopard (surf the apple forums and see the disgruntled Leopard users) which I will not upgrade to until the issues are resolved. The only reason I have two rigs with Vista Ultimate was because I purchased them preloaded and really do not need to revert as they are render farm machines.
I do not want to compare one against another as they both have their strengths and weaknesses, however I would not buy a Mac if I intended to use PC software regardless of what boot-camp and parallels can do. Having a top end Mac running PC based software in emulation mode just makes ones Mac a hybrid PC really, the app does not run better on a Mac than a PC, it runs the same or maybe with a few glitches due to emulation issues.I honestly cannot see one reason one would have to change to a Mac in my field as support and compatibility is and will be an issue for the foreseeable future. Granted Macs ship ready to go and are nice to look at and well designed et al, but seriously when it comes to work that really is not what we need, we need a machine that can work with all our apps and have a seamless workflow. To be able to cross from one 3d app to another without switching over to another OS or rebooting into Windows.
So what is it that the Mac users are competing against? The hardware? obviously not as the new generation Macs are PC's with Intel chips and Nvidia cards etc. Software? nope as with the recent emulators Macs are running windows....so as I can see it Macs are really PC's in shiny white cases.
Hi, I'm a Mac, but with a cloaking device I am a PC too.
edit: I typed the above on an Imac.
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Solo, I'm smiling at your comments. I cannot argue with anything you
have said ...... but there again you are a Mac User! I also have an
Enigma Win Laptop nearby with 3.8 Processor for certain usesMike
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my pc's so far have been stable, i have never had a crash (lucky me?), though my first laptop died while i did my diploma work. well, may have happened with a mac too... i got all my files on an other pc, and went to work again.
so, last year i had to work on a mac, and i never really liked it. i did not like the "explorer" (how was that called again on a mac?), i did not like how it mixed files with folders. this was minor, i could have bought an application, with the pc-explorer layout. many times i had many serious problems, files got corrupted, did not print right, did not print at all, just one page would be printed from a multiple page document, shared stuff with clients would not print on their machine (also a mac), fonts would not install correctly,... the list was long. i am not sure if it was a mac problem, or if it was the setup in the office, fact is, i did have the problems.
i do not think a mac is more intuitive. i am a strong believer in organizing, and in my small world it is not good, if i have the possibility to install programms on my desktop. that is, what my mac did as a default...
as for design: though i am a designer, i still do not like macs. all those jumpy icons that would not hold still... way to stylish, i like simple and straight forward. my christmas present for me was a mp3-player, but NOT an ipod! and yes, most of the offices use pc.
i am not totally against macs, but i do not want one. and i am also a but tired of all those "by a mac" replies, if somebody is looking for a new pc. hello? he/she is looking for a pc!
though today i caught myself: i was dumping stuff in a folder, and thought: "wouldn't it be great, if i could highlight the important ones with a colour?" then i remembered, where i could do it...
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Eeva,
I agree with you about the native Mac explorer. I use Macintosh Explorer by Rage Software Inc.
Mike
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yeah, i know, i saw you meantion it somewhere, but i did not want to invest money in the office, i knew i would not work long. like i said, it was my smalest problem...
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The Mac/PC debate reminds me a little of the BIM or not-to-BIM discussions I have heard.
While it may be easy for a sole practitioners/small practices to adopt these technolgies things are a lot more complex if you have to multiply the costs of purchase/implementation/retraining in larger organisations. Then there is the question of availability of trained staff when you hit a bottleneck on a large project. I know of one colleague that had to abandon his vectorworks/mac workflow because he struggled getting staff and when he could find them he typically had to pay higher rates.
However seductive these machines are, they will for the time being remain for me a commercialy unviable option.
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@jackson said:
You almost never hear PC users criticising Mac users for their choice of work tool
Wow. Jackson, if you've truly never seen PC users criticising Mac users then you must have found some wonderfully polite forums. The arguments and bile, vituperation and nastiness are rampant across the net and were rampant before the spread of the net! Any of the rude and stupid things people have said about SU (there's a thread about that on this very site) have their analogue and worse in the PC vs Mac slanging matches - you certainly can't dignify them with the word 'debate'.
I've been around computers a long time and until recently didn't use either Mac or PC as my main machine so I had no horse in the race - and for that I used to get even more bile spat at me. I'm reasonably sure I've used professionally every 'major' OS and every CPU. They're all pretty bad if we're honest. When it came time to choose a new machine for myself though there wasn't really any competition to a Mac in my opinion.
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