Apple or Windows? Which is better?

My powerbook G4 is the most be beautiful toy I ever played with, and that is it.

As a developer, I really would prefer to have a intel, to be able to run different OSs and to be able to find answers to my problems at the Internet, without paying, and without having to relearn the MAC way, that is completely different of the others. And don't tell it is different to be better, it is different to be different.

I just have this crap because it is what my school gave me.
 
ljc said:
My powerbook G4 is the most be beautiful toy I ever played with, and that is it.

As a developer, I really would prefer to have a intel, to be able to run different OSs and to be able to find answers to my problems at the Internet, without paying, and without having to relearn the MAC way, that is completely different of the others. And don't tell it is different to be better, it is different to be different.

I just have this crap because it is what my school gave me.
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I don't understand your point. What other OSes are you really missing? You can run any x86 based OS if you invest in Virtual PC. If you want Linux, you can run it natively on PPC (I used to do it until Tiger came out).

Of course, if you are interested in developing for .NET, you are stuck on Windows since Mono isn't really an alternative. Java runs really well on OS X though.

I develop a lot, and OS X is no worse than Windows or Linux in that department.
 
ljc just go and get a cheapo Dell laptop if that's what you feel you need. I'm not having a go just saying the obvious. The rest of us have better thing to do than listen to this kind of bs
 
There is also TexShop, a brilliant piece of software that makes working with LaTeX fun. I don't think you have anything similar on Windows, or Linux for that matter. If there is, tell me so I can tell my supervisor who is stuck on Windows! Related to LaTeX is BibDesk, a bibliography manager that to my knowledge has no equal on Windows or Linux. Sure, there are commercial alternatives, but BibDesk is free :)
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Hear, hear! Absolutely right. I would defnitely miss things like that on a Windows computer. The Macintosh platform is better than Windows because it allows a magnificent interaction of hard-core Unix with a very useable Graphic User Interface. You have all the strenght of the Command Line and all the interactivity and overview of Point 'n Click and Drag 'n Drop. You can run X11 apps alongside with Word and Photoshop natively without emulation. What more can you want? :)

I think that by sheer force of numbers there is MORE software for the Mac than for any other platform. Look at all the packages in Fink and Darwinports, look at MacUpdate: tons of freeware and shareware of all kinds and types. Both by commercial and by freelance developers.

Currently you can run 4 OSses on Apple hardware: Mac OS X, Windows (in Virtual PC), OS 9 (in Classic) and all kinds of PPC unix and linux distributions (and use OS X from within them with Mac-on-Linux ;) :p ). Who's bitchin' about compatibility here? There even is Gentoo/portage for Mac OS X!

Last but no least the Mac avoids two of the worst things in windows: virusses and the registry. :)
 
Ugh, LOTR humor, spare me...

Anyway, I think i actually prefer Windows computers. More upgradability, more programs, and despite the badness of IE, more sites work for it. Though Firefox is better. Firefox for PC is far superior to Safari IMHO, but Firefox for Mac is terrible. But there are benifits. No viruses. Fewer crashes. Better OS. But if I prefer Windows, why am I on a Mac? Simple. Powerbooks are hands down the best laptops. I'm on a powerbook. If I were picking desktops, I would chose a PC over Power Mac. And even though iMacs are neat, they're not that great.
 
More upgradability, more programs, and despite the badness of IE, more sites work for it.
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Put a name to it then. Upgrade what? What programs? Up to Tiger IE for Mac was included with the platform.

You can choose Mozilla, Camino, Firefox, iCab, Lynx, links, Opera, Netscape, Omniweb, Shiira, Sunrise Browser etc. on the Mac beside Safari. Plenty of choice, plenty of specializations and features to choose from. Very little compatibility problems. The net is based on standards. Safari has one of the highest degrees of standards support out there, IE has the worst. Sites need to be specifically hacked to work also in Win/IE, because it chokes on the standards.

There's some japanese websites (kodawarisan for instance) that post complete tutorials with pictures and step by step instructions for disassembling, upgrading and reassembling all types of Apple products as soon as they are released. The first thing everyone did once the mini came out was to look at the upgrade options and especcially how to do it yourself. The iMac had a self-service program, where the user was encouraged to open it up and upgrade it tehmselves. There are numerous hacks and tweaks for the G5 to fit multiple optical drives, SCSI Raid arrays etc. in it. Just because it is not in everybodies face, does not mean that macs are not moddable or upgradeable.

Name the programs that you miss on the mac platform. I sincerely hope that you are not just talking about games here.
 
michaelsanford said:
How is firefox on Mac worse than firefox on any other platform? Page rendering? Plugins?
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Just one minor nuisance: even though I plug in a Logitech mouse (2 buttons + wheel) I can't middle-click to open a link in a new tab. All other platforms I've used mozilla/firefox on works fine that way. It's just a little annoying to have to hold CMD and click a link to open it in a tab.
 
excuse me for not wanting to void my warentee by hacking my computer apart. and atleast with PCs, I can build my own instead of having to deal with apple proprietary issues. wintel also tends to be cheaper.
 
i frequently get "you are using a mac, sorry, this site only supports windows 95+" etc. bbc news feeds for example, among many.

plus there is no, decent, proper video libray-all-in-one app, say like real, or WMP. much as they are shite, they offer a function not supported properly on mac (i ignore VLC. it's not finished yet)

there's also games. petty, but irritating also.

and chat support. there's nothing better than basic text-over-IP. other than iChat, which no-one outside of the apple "reality distortion field" uses.

and epson printers. and a lot of hardware is a struggle to get going at first.

my phone (nokia pc suite). i can currently transfer one photo at a time via bluetooth. i have 97+ photo's on ther, that neeed to be transferred off. it takes a minute per photo. i need some mates pc to use it properly.

thats the bad, which is outweighed by the good, but it's still bad. it;'s makes you go hmmmmm... :( from time to time
 
Scottfab said:
excuse me for not wanting to void my warentee by hacking my computer apart. and atleast with PCs, I can build my own instead of having to deal with apple proprietary issues. wintel also tends to be cheaper.
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Well, and later you have to beg VIA or God knows which chip producer to finally get an appropiate driver that works with current windows versions.
See, some ppl like to work around the computer, and some want to simply work on it. I don't want to deal with hardware issues, driver updates and God knows what. I buy my computer to do what I want it to do as much as I buy my car only for drive. I don't care if I can easily exchange the engine. When it's obsolete, I go for a new one.
 
The answer to what the thread began with - Apple or Windows, which is better - is the following.

There is no way of saying Apple/Windows is better. Apple has its strengths, Windows has its strengths. Apple has weaknesses, but so has Windows as well.

It doesn't make much sense anymore to have a discussion like that because things have developed far too much.

Like Apple.
Buy a Mac.
Use it.
Stick to it.

Like Windows.
Buy a PC.
Use it.
Stick to it.

It's as simple as that.

No point in discussing this any further.

Everyone should use and take what he likes the most, what he thinks will suit best for what he's going to do with his machine. If it's Windows, so be it. If it's Apple, so be it. What you like the most is the best for you personally, but there's no way of saying that system XYZ is truly the best. Windows has its right to be on the market as has Apple, and all the others like Unix and Linux. Use what you like the most and you will find it the best system. But if it is the best? That's for no one to say.

My opinion.
 
Apple Computer goes beyond the user's expectations of what an operating system and computer should look. I like to design newsletters in iWork, listen to music, play pac man in Dashboard, chat with friends, surf the web, and this is what a basic user would do.
It seems your young enough where owning a Windows or Mac does not matter. If you find benefits using a Mac than stick to your guns. Be a leader and don't let your friends get under your skin. Usually people who have used a Mac either use it at work, a computer lab at school, or way back in Oldsville.
 
I used Windows for at least eight years. Finally got my hands on an SE/30 in 1997. Yes, an SE/30. I stopped using my then-current PC.

Tell you anything?
 
Can you tell me why windows is better than a mac other than your own personal reasons?

One reason why mac may be better for some is that it has style. Buying a mac is like buying a Ferarri and crapping on all those little bombed up pices of crap you see driving around.

Buying a windows is like buying a cheap plastic car that just does everything. or even trying to throw a powerful engine under the bonnet to get the speed.

You see some things are a fashion statement. Apple as a way is saying "Hey Im cool and YOUR NOT!

In other words go buy your girl a "Louis vouton" hand bag for $2000. I know it sounds crazy but it kinda goes along the same line. OR go buy yourself a new top brand name suite go do your hair clear your self up and then go for a nice walk in the shops. And then you can see the attention you get from all those attractive women.

Now do the same but dress like a looser don't do your hair, make yourself smell. Now see how much attention you get from women. Its all about attraction, how GOOD you are and your SOCIAL STATUS.

If you own a MAC with MAC OS X, YOUR TOO GOOD!, LOL;)

By the way what os are you using, OS Classic 7?
 
My answer is that Macs are just easier to use.
The simplest way of seeing this is the installation and removal process.
For the majority of applications (except for a few "Pro" apps) installation is as simple as drag and drop. Also, to remove, you just drag it to the trash.
None of this "Start - control panel - add/remove" and then you cross your fingers and hope that it was removed.
Windows puts files into your system like a weed. It will take you forever to just track them all down manually. And doing so will probably corrupt your system and make it unstable!

Aesthetically, osx beats everything hands down. Perhaps when Longhorn comes out (if ever........) windows will catch up. But by that time macs will be far ahead again.

Macs are the masters of innovation. When was the last time microsoft came out with anything original?

The machines are better made and everything is optimised and designed to work together. The problems with a lot of pcs are that they are put together with pieces compiled from so many different companies. Thus creating problems when you upgrade and find clashes occur. And when you buy something out of the box, you still need to buy a lot of accessories. Not even talking about the software that comes bundled with a new system.
With Apple, you have no need to buy software as most things are already supplied.

I was very much a windows user for many years, in image, film and sound editing and creation. But I will never go back. The ease of use and the quality of the OS will keep me a Mac user. I doubt windows will ever tempt me again.

I will admit that in the gaming arena, windows are far ahead. But with the new core video and sound that is in the new Tiger (OS 10.4) gaming developers might start taking a more keen interest in macs. They will be able to do things that will not be available to windows users. Here's hoping.

Whenever you talk to a Mac user, they will always say that Macs are the best. I think that you really need to just find an Apple computer and see for your self.
Best yet, if you have a Mac store near you, go in and ask any question you want.
The staff in Mac stores actually know what they are talking about (try and say that about most pc stores!).

Cheers.
 
I'm suprised nobody has mentioned the fact that you can actually be much more productive on a Mac straight out of the box than on a new PC. I remember when I got a new PC, the only thing I was able to do is play Freecell till I'd purchased & installed all the software needed. To date, I've only had to download and install a few applications (like TextWrangler which I use to write code) to have everything I need to be fully productive. I've had my PB for abt 2 months and I haven't even finished exploring all the software that came with it.
 
thanks guys. thats what im talking about.

i've had a mac my whole life and i always tell me people that mac is better.

but recently i've had to use windows a lot. e.g. for my ICT coursework i had to use microsoft access and publisher.

so that got me thinking that windows might not be simpler, but it does run all the apps at the end of the day.


btw. i have 3 apples at home. a dual 2ghz, a 1.6 ghz and an 400mhz ibook (old black one).

they all run os 10.3.9

btw quicksilver, if you really wanna be cool, get urself a 30 inch monitor with a dual 2.7ghz computer.
 
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