The Never-Ending Debate: Macs vs. PC's

Geek talk.

Moderators: Dex, smash

Which is better: Mac or PC?

Mac
6
38%
PC
7
44%
don't know / don't care
2
13%
I don't use a computer.
1
6%
 
Total votes: 16

thefelinepunk
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The Never-Ending Debate: Macs vs. PC's

Post by thefelinepunk » 18 Aug 2006 10:26

For as long as I can remember, anyone who has been anyone in the worlds of art or photography has told me that I'm a fool if I want to own or work with any other computer than a Mac. Not only, do they say, is a Mac more tailored to all the things I'm specifically interested in, but it just makes manipulation of art much easier. Yeah, all the same things can be done on a PC, but I've been told a Mac just makes it easier.

Going into school for art - with the goal of transfering to a major university in two years - I'm going to need to know how to use the tools that the majority of professionals in my field use (and most places I know of, even Marvel, use Macs), and be proficient in their use enough to create a nice portfolio... so my question is, should I give up my 5 year old Dell PC for a shiny new MacBook or MacBook Pro?

I actually learned my first computing skills on a Mac, and a Mac is also where I learned how to type. When I finally got my hands on a PC, it just seemed easier to understand, it came more naturally to me.

I've been a die-hard PC supporter for a long time, using every cliched defense against Macs that every die-hard PC supporter uses. Thing is, I think, I support it mostly because my familiarity with it alone. As I got older I liked the PC with Windows (in one form or another) for its ease of use, and also because I came to understand slightly more about manipulating Windows than your standard everyday user. I know how to put a PC together and make it work (for the most part). I just prefer the Windows way of doing things to what I remember of the Mac operating system I learned on once upon a time.

Yet now I have people telling me that Mac OS X is so much better than any previous incarnations of the Mac operating system, and is also far superior to Windows. I've had a friend say that chances are there will be a lot of elements from OS X that'll be ripped off in the new Windows Vista.

I know for a fact that if you have enough money and know where to look, you can get everything you need to make a PC do anything you want to. If you know what you're doing, you can make an operating system do exactly what you want it to do. Yet, does a Mac make these things come in so much of an easier, prettier package that it could make an old-school PC user like me switch?

I'm obviously in the middle here: your arguments can either bring me back to the side of all I know to be good and true, or bring me into the clutches of the dark side.

So which is it, Mac or PC?

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Post by AngelBaby » 18 Aug 2006 10:52

Hell, if you're really that worried about missing Windows (or some program that only runs on it), now you can buy a Mac anyway and you can have both.

But I bet as time passes, people in that boat find they use Windows less and less... ^_^

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Post by Hortnon » 18 Aug 2006 13:04

I will always argue the PC route for 2 reasons:

1. System flexibility and cost. You're not tied down with the hardware some guy half a country away thinks you need...And it'll cost less, too.

2. While it may not effect you as much, and isn't AS relevant anymore now that Macs are just PC's with lame DRM out the ass...compatibility. I want to use the same OS for everything I want to do. From photo and video editing to gaming, Windows covers it better.

But, every OS has its place. If you aren't going to be gaming, you don't mind spending a bit more, and you aren't planning on upgrading for a LONG time, get a Mac.
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Titleist
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Post by Titleist » 18 Aug 2006 13:43

I'm way more efficient on a mac and i make monies using them so....
Mac>PC.
Regardless of what people say, the hardware is sexier and the OS is tons better.

The argument for "not enough games"..."macs are more expensive" don't work anymore.

But yeah, if all you do is game and surf the internet, then you can get by with basically any pc.
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Dex
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Post by Dex » 18 Aug 2006 14:04

This is the most pointless debate ever. It's all a matter of preference... Neither is better than the other, they are completely different entities. Some people like big boobs, some people like small boobs. What pisses me off is the Mac fanatics who act like their shit don't stink. And by shit I mean Macs. Just look at those gay Mac commercials with the 2 guys... the PC is the old, fat, worthless idiot.. and the Mac guy is all trendy and young. Such arrogance! Show me a PC commercial where they insult Mac users.

One of my personal hobbies is building PCs, including upgrading.
I love to "get my hands dirty", tweaking settings and improving what needs to be improved on. The main reason why PCs are so volatile is because the insides are so... interchangeable. Because of this, they do have weird quirks with IRQs and IPs and whatnot... I personally like having problems to fix. It's much like having a girlfriend with low self esteem :unsure: Plus, it's nice to have the same machine for 10 years, upgrading parts for about $100-200 every other year, and still having a top of the line computer.

Macs are much more user friendly, but they aren't as amazing as most mac-heads claim. Yeah, the graphical power is amazing. Pictures, video, music... Apple makes a really great multimedia computer. I've used Macs for years, including 2 years in college (computer art classes & creative writing English classes), and while I do agree with the finer points of their appearance and stability... the same can be said for windows-based laptops. Because, just like a Mac, everything is built to work with WHATS INSIDE, and upgrades are not really possible. I've owned 3 laptops in my life (all PC) and I've never had a single one crash... or get screwed up... or anything that most desktop PCs suffer from. Never.

And Titleist...
The argument for "not enough games"..."macs are more expensive" don't work anymore.

But yeah, if all you do is game and surf the internet, then you can get by with basically any pc.
Thats a bunch of horse shit. Do you know how popular LAN parties are? Or internet gaming cafe's? PC gaming is much more popular than you realize. And yes, Macs are WAY too expensive. Why should I buy something for twice the cost of a PC, when it's going to be obsolete in 2-3 years? It's all a status symbol, you fucking scenester.

Titleist
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Post by Titleist » 18 Aug 2006 14:10

Dex wrote: Thats a bunch of horse shit. Do you know how popular LAN parties are? Or internet gaming cafe's? PC gaming is much more popular than you realize. And yes, Macs are WAY too expensive. Why should I buy something for twice the cost of a PC, when it's going to be obsolete in 2-3 years? It's all a status symbol, you fucking scenester.
No, i don't know. I'm not a nerd like that.

How is it going to be obsolete? Everything is upgradeable now and intel's roadmap is available for all to see. Macs aren't twice as expensive either. Well, i take that back...maybe twice as expensive as a piece of shit built pc.

ps- i luv u jon
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thefelinepunk
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Post by thefelinepunk » 18 Aug 2006 14:29

OMG DEX TAKES 1ST BLOOD! :eek:

Titleist
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Post by Titleist » 18 Aug 2006 14:46

dex told me once he'd consider buying a mac. What a scenester hippie faggot fucker.

ps- i still love you jon. but i love michael scofield more.
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Dex
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Post by Dex » 18 Aug 2006 15:33

Titleist wrote:dex told me once he'd consider buying a mac. What a scenester hippie faggot fucker.

ps- i still love you jon. but i love michael scofield more.
Yeah, I'd still buy one, beacuse they are good machines (if you read my post), but I wouldn't turn into one of those douchebags who acts like one is superior to the other.

Apples and oranges.

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Post by smash » 18 Aug 2006 20:46

I'll side with 100% of what Dex said.

I'd consider buying one too, because its something to LEARN. And like Dex points out, Mac fanatics are pricks about 'I'll NEVER own a pc' whereas here are two diehard PCers saying 'I'd consider buying a Mac.' Mac users really have a reputation of thinking/acting like they are somehow elitest. And that makes me hate them, that much more. Countless trade shows I've worked I've had Mac people walk up shove their hand in my face to stop me from talking and go: Do you have Mac items? When I'd respond "No, sorry." they would simply say "Then I don't want to talk to you."

Which brings me to Dex's other HUGE point in his comment. PCs are free-market economy. Mac's are not. Want to change your video card on your mac, oh that's right, you CAN'T. And when Mac finally started allowing their components to be changeable (stealing from a PC concept)...where can you get parts from? Oh that's right, not a third party vendor, you had to get everything manufactured through Apple. Slowly, Mac has been changing this, over time, which can only mean that business wise they KNOW trying to lock their equipment up was a bad business decision.

Now, to answer TheFelinePunk's question. There are several things YOU need to consider.

What can you afford? Macs are inherentely more expensive. As are PC laptops. I think right now, you have bigger and more burning financial concerns.

What are you more comfortable with? You said you are way more comfortable on a pc. That should play a big factor in your mind.

What are you more likely to get support on, should you need it? Of course a Mac-hole will tell you in a heartbeat 'macs don't have problems".

Do you know enough to work on a Mac that, if/when you get a job somewhere will you feel competent on their office equipment? This is probably very important, but it also is something completely out of your control. You need to consider when that might occur and can you get yourself up to speed by then. You also say that you've owned a Mac before, so maybe you are fine already.


In reference to your 'you can do everything on a pc' comment, I'll just point to Grymmjack (the maker of my website). He is an ARTIST. He's a programmer/musician/photographer/web developer. He does 100% of his work on a pc and he can match talent for talent with any amateur musician, photographer or graphic designer. No question. For him, he's tried Macs and its not natural to what he does and what he's used to. A Mac would impede his talents, not make it easier.

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Post by exelis » 18 Aug 2006 21:13

Commodore Amiga 4000!

Ha!

Hortnon
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Post by Hortnon » 18 Aug 2006 21:23

Wow, I didn't write more than I did because I figured everyone here would be a Mac fan.
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efilflah
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Post by efilflah » 18 Aug 2006 21:40

I can add nothing to this post the Dex and Smashy haven't already covered. So I'll just copy them.

Macs, whilst decent machines in their own right, are too limiting for someone like myself. I (like Dex) enjoy tweaking my PC, squeezing that extra bit of performance out by overclocking like a madman and changing anything and everything I can at the lowest possible level. Sure not everyone is like me, but having the option to do something if one chooses to I think should be a big part in people's choices between the two. Macs basically tell it's consumers what they need and what they can do, and tbh I think it's fucking condescending.

Macs are getting more and more like PCs all the time, to the point where soon, apart from the external appearance, higher price and different operating system, they might be identical in functionality, which begs the question "if PCs are supposedly inferior and unstable, why are Apple taking Macs more and more in a PCs direction?"

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Post by eamon angelface » 18 Aug 2006 22:07

I want a third option. I hate this two party system.
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Post by Phife » 18 Aug 2006 22:29

Macs cost too much, don't have enough software available for them, and are way overhyped.

PCs are like children, needing constant attention. Revise this. Fix that. Download this or that driver. But EVERYTHING works on a PC.

So in a close race PC takes it.

And please tell me that no one here drives around with the dumbass Apple sticker on their car.
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