What Changed You???
- Thread starter mattsuzu
- Start date
sirstaunch
Registered
LOL
no they always open the case
)
no they always open the case
)
My first personal computer was the original IBM "PC-1", purchased in early '82, and I've worked with the Wintel platform ever since - that is until Jan '04. I'm a CS prof. and my department was basically a PC shop. When we hired a new assistant prof, he turned out to be a Mac and Linux guy. When I was close to buying yet another PC, he suggested looking into a Mac because it was, at its heart, UNIX (something we were getting into with Linux).
What really prompted me was the day I had replaced a main hard drive and reinstalled Windows XP along with my many apps. I discovered one that would no longer open because it was tied to the hardware. I also had some new software that I was installing and had to go through the activation tap dance. That along with continuing virus threats broke the camel's back.
When I realized I didn't really need a desktop (I usually added all kinds of special boards, like firewire) because most everything was now USB, and the Mac had firewire built in, I started looking at Powerbooks. When a colleague let me try out his Powerbook (for me, the keyboard is one of the most important "feel" issues) and loved the powerbook keyboard - I was sold.
Since then, I actually began having fun with computers again (I was slowly burning out - too many decades of DOS/Windows and all their annoyances). I can't even begin to list the countless superior ways the Mac is over Windows machines. Installs are so much easier, the look and feel of OSX and Mac apps is uplifting, almost spiritual!, no blue screens (but I have had freezes - but VERY few), etc., etc.
Where I used to think mac addicts were annoying, I am no longer on the dark side - I love my mac!!!
What really prompted me was the day I had replaced a main hard drive and reinstalled Windows XP along with my many apps. I discovered one that would no longer open because it was tied to the hardware. I also had some new software that I was installing and had to go through the activation tap dance. That along with continuing virus threats broke the camel's back.
When I realized I didn't really need a desktop (I usually added all kinds of special boards, like firewire) because most everything was now USB, and the Mac had firewire built in, I started looking at Powerbooks. When a colleague let me try out his Powerbook (for me, the keyboard is one of the most important "feel" issues) and loved the powerbook keyboard - I was sold.
Since then, I actually began having fun with computers again (I was slowly burning out - too many decades of DOS/Windows and all their annoyances). I can't even begin to list the countless superior ways the Mac is over Windows machines. Installs are so much easier, the look and feel of OSX and Mac apps is uplifting, almost spiritual!, no blue screens (but I have had freezes - but VERY few), etc., etc.
Where I used to think mac addicts were annoying, I am no longer on the dark side - I love my mac!!!
morning
supernew
Amie said:
Wow! I can totally relate to that kind of relationship with my computer!
I have only had a computer for two years now. I still don't know how to do many things I should have learned years ago. I bought a PC because I didn't know better, I was just looking for the cheapest way to get up and running.
I stumbled around on it, and just assumed that the blue screen of death was part of running a computer.
I figured that it was my lack of expertise that contributed to my ever crashing computer.
this year I went back to school. I decided to buy a laptop to make my life a little easier.
To be perfectly honest, I noticed a few young kids at school opening up their ibooks, and I loved the look of them. (how superficial huh?). Mainly I wanted something ultra-portable so I knew I would stay with a 12" screen. A couple of friends had recently switched to mac and kept raving about them. I thought that they had been sucked into some kind of cult. i figured that they loved them so much because they never knew how to run anything on their old PC systems.
So anyway, on a whim, I bought this ibook.
Now I am aware that I sound like I was inducted into a cult.
I can't stop praising my new mac to anyone who will listen.
I can barely get any school work done, I just love exploring the possibilities.
the best part of discovering my new mac was finding this forum. I might even have returned it in the first week if I hadn't got the help I needed to learn a new OS.
I have had it for just under four weeks now. I will probably always stick with mac from now on. It's funny how happy and relieved I was to hear that windows music when I first installed Virtual PC. Now I don't think I will need to use it much.
Amie
Mac Convert for Life
See, hearing stories like yours makes me so very happy. Good for you! Enjoy the heck out of your iBook.morning said:Wow! I can totally relate to that kind of relationship with my computer!
I have only had a computer for two years now. I still don't know how to do many things I should have learned years ago. I bought a PC because I didn't know better, I was just looking for the cheapest way to get up and running.
I stumbled around on it, and just assumed that the blue screen of death was part of running a computer.
I figured that it was my lack of expertise that contributed to my ever crashing computer.
this year I went back to school. I decided to buy a laptop to make my life a little easier.
To be perfectly honest, I noticed a few young kids at school opening up their ibooks, and I loved the look of them. (how superficial huh?). Mainly I wanted something ultra-portable so I knew I would stay with a 12" screen. A couple of friends had recently switched to mac and kept raving about them. I thought that they had been sucked into some kind of cult. i figured that they loved them so much because they never knew how to run anything on their old PC systems.
So anyway, on a whim, I bought this ibook.
Now I am aware that I sound like I was inducted into a cult.
I can't stop praising my new mac to anyone who will listen.
I can barely get any school work done, I just love exploring the possibilities.
the best part of discovering my new mac was finding this forum. I might even have returned it in the first week if I hadn't got the help I needed to learn a new OS.
I have had it for just under four weeks now. I will probably always stick with mac from now on. It's funny how happy and relieved I was to hear that windows music when I first installed Virtual PC. Now I don't think I will need to use it much.
I'm an IT major and took a course in computer hardware. Saw an ad on Ebay for a G4 Yikes with a great graphics monitor that the guy was selling cheap because he replaced the HD and couldn't get an OS to load. I had a suspicion I could fix it and sure enough, he had configured the pins incorrectly and hooked up the cable backward. My area of concentration is digital illustration so I decided to keep the Mac and do my graphics work on it. I'm glad I did!
I switched from Mac to Windows in 1991 because I got tired of paying the premium for everything from printer cables to software. Also, I found every program I used at the time had equivalent or better versions for Windows. Windows NT and especially 2000 only served to confirm my decision.
I am in the process of switching back (still running into a few showstoppers) because I like the security built in to Unix, but I don't like the user interface of the Linux shells. Also, the selection of software available for Linux is pretty small. I like the hardware designs that Apple is producing, and the price differential vis-a-vis Windows machines is now within my tolerance.
I am in the process of switching back (still running into a few showstoppers) because I like the security built in to Unix, but I don't like the user interface of the Linux shells. Also, the selection of software available for Linux is pretty small. I like the hardware designs that Apple is producing, and the price differential vis-a-vis Windows machines is now within my tolerance.
iball
Network Demon
The U.S. Army is experimenting with live/recorded streaming audio and video over the networks using a Mac mini (small nets) or Xserve (larger nets) and since they are giving me a Mac mini to help with testing I figured I had better buy my own to use at home so I wouldn't be "lost".
Haven't booted my home XP Pro machine at ALL and am now looking to buy a nice Powerbook.
I can still VPN in just fine into my work networks via a Cisco VPN client (have to use it, no other alternative will work) AND remote into my Windows servers via the MS RDP client for OS X. VNC for everything else.
Besides, I can rip a DVD to my iPod in a couple of clicks AND still do other things while it is ripping with no hiccoughs in the resulting video file.
Never could do that on a 2.6 GHZ laptop running XP Pro but my 1.5 GHZ PPC Mac mini handles it flawlessly. Go frickin' figure.
If I didn't have to use some seriously MS-specific software at work (huge Active Directory domain, Visio, and Project Pro...ugh), I would finagle my boss into buying me a Powerbook.
Haven't booted my home XP Pro machine at ALL and am now looking to buy a nice Powerbook.
I can still VPN in just fine into my work networks via a Cisco VPN client (have to use it, no other alternative will work) AND remote into my Windows servers via the MS RDP client for OS X. VNC for everything else.
Besides, I can rip a DVD to my iPod in a couple of clicks AND still do other things while it is ripping with no hiccoughs in the resulting video file.
Never could do that on a 2.6 GHZ laptop running XP Pro but my 1.5 GHZ PPC Mac mini handles it flawlessly. Go frickin' figure.
If I didn't have to use some seriously MS-specific software at work (huge Active Directory domain, Visio, and Project Pro...ugh), I would finagle my boss into buying me a Powerbook.
nixgeek
Mac of the SubGenius! :-)
tomdkat said:
You might want to contact RacerX. He's the major NeXT/OPENSTEP/Rhapsody guy here. He still runs Rhapsody on his IBM ThinkPad and has show us screenies of it on the "Post Your Desktop" thread in the Cafe. I'm wondering when he'll chime in after seeing this post.
Essentially, I wanted something that worked like it was supposed to! I had become familiar with OS 9 while working with it at school in 2000-01, and after so many problems with Windows, I finally switched officially last year--the Mini was perfect for my grad-student budget, and now I'm saving up for an iBook.
I had become familiar with OS 9 while working with it at school in 2000-01, and after so many problems with Windows, I finally switched officially last year--the Mini was perfect for my grad-student budget, and now I'm saving up for an iBook.
pinkcyclone
Registered
Well I'm really excited! I have been using windows for years and first it was "virus protection" then it was "firewall" then it was "spyware" then it was "critical windows xp security update" I format my pc every 3 weeks (a month if I'm lucky) and I had to download 42 security updates last week. Windows has literally tens of thousands of viruses, trojans, spyware and other nasties. Mac OS X has THREE completely minor "trojans" which don't even work properly! Come on, these figures speak for themselves.
I was worried about being able to get my software for the mac - ha! everyone does Mac versions! It's amazing.
Oh and by the way, I have been using system nine for a while now and windows crashes more times in 2 weeks than my imac has in the last 2 months! Can't wait to get my new mac and retire my laptop to the shelf where it belongs.
Oh and one more thing...
spyware? whats that? I've never heard or seen any on Mac OS X - got to go and download 2 windows security updates oh then my virus definition downloads oh and I have to spend 2 hours scanning for spyware.
Where do I want to go today microsoft?
I'll tell you where! I want to go and bin all of it and have a fab worry-free time on my shiny new mac that looks like it belongs in an art gallery thanks so much
I was worried about being able to get my software for the mac - ha! everyone does Mac versions! It's amazing.
Oh and by the way, I have been using system nine for a while now and windows crashes more times in 2 weeks than my imac has in the last 2 months! Can't wait to get my new mac and retire my laptop to the shelf where it belongs.
Oh and one more thing...
spyware? whats that? I've never heard or seen any on Mac OS X - got to go and download 2 windows security updates oh then my virus definition downloads oh and I have to spend 2 hours scanning for spyware.
Where do I want to go today microsoft?
I'll tell you where! I want to go and bin all of it and have a fab worry-free time on my shiny new mac that looks like it belongs in an art gallery thanks so much
Let's see, where to begin. Have been a windows user since at least 1998. Didn't use computers that much until the whole internet thing started to hit big time. I remember using macs back in grade school, but didn't know enough about computers to know the differecne. In the past year I have had to reinstall windows 3 times on my laptop. I have for years been trying to edit and burn my home movies of my kids on my windows desktop and to date have only created maybe two in that time. I have had my Mac for 4 days and have created 2 DVDs in that time. It's just so simple. You plug stuff in and it just WORKS! Never was it this easy with a windows machine. I don't know how much time I have wasted over the years just trying to get stuff to work. This is great I can't wait to just keep creating stuff to look at for years to come. All done with such ease. I never even test drove a Mac before but you just hear how things are so much more stable and easier with a Mac. I wished I would have switched years ago.
powermac
iMac Dual 2.0 17'
desch-stl-"...I never even test drove a Mac before but you just hear how things are so much more stable and easier with a Mac. I wished I would have switched years ago."
If I had a nickel for every time some one says that, I would be rich. Glad you switched and enjoy the Mac. Strangely, Microsoft has some kind of a hold on people. Everyone I have converted has said the very same thing or "Why didn't I switch years ago?" At first I thought it was just because the Mac is so different, and they were over taken by the novelty of it. Later, they are still happy to have made the switch, and years have gone by, they have never looked back.
In many ways for me the Mac is a breath of fresh air is a rather mundane PC world. Last year around this time, I had to use a IBM ThinkPad for a few weeks, as my PB died at the time, after several years of loyal service.
In any event, I found myself using Windows for almost the first time in my life, and it was quite a experience. I can certainly, understand there is a period of transition to get used to how each system works. Although my experience did not find XP to be unstable, it was shaky at best.
Security was my biggest concern while cruising my usual internet pages and getting bombarded by all these little apps that wanted to be installed, etc. It gave me the feeling my system was open to anyone on the net. I had icons install themselves on the desktop, unknown to me until I closed the browser window. Another noticeable difference was how clumsier the interface was, and how to perform the simplest tasks.
The last thing was the port configuration, or lack of ports on the PC. A huge portion of the back was dominated by a 29-pin printer connection. In my opinion, on a laptop to have such a large portion taken over for a outdated port seemed barbaric. While only one USB, and a sad excuse for keyboard light, that came from the top of the monitor, that only light a small portion of the keys.
In any event, I was glad to get my new PowerBook, and made me appreciate my Mac more and more.
If I had a nickel for every time some one says that, I would be rich. Glad you switched and enjoy the Mac. Strangely, Microsoft has some kind of a hold on people. Everyone I have converted has said the very same thing or "Why didn't I switch years ago?" At first I thought it was just because the Mac is so different, and they were over taken by the novelty of it. Later, they are still happy to have made the switch, and years have gone by, they have never looked back.
In many ways for me the Mac is a breath of fresh air is a rather mundane PC world. Last year around this time, I had to use a IBM ThinkPad for a few weeks, as my PB died at the time, after several years of loyal service.
In any event, I found myself using Windows for almost the first time in my life, and it was quite a experience. I can certainly, understand there is a period of transition to get used to how each system works. Although my experience did not find XP to be unstable, it was shaky at best.
Security was my biggest concern while cruising my usual internet pages and getting bombarded by all these little apps that wanted to be installed, etc. It gave me the feeling my system was open to anyone on the net. I had icons install themselves on the desktop, unknown to me until I closed the browser window. Another noticeable difference was how clumsier the interface was, and how to perform the simplest tasks.
The last thing was the port configuration, or lack of ports on the PC. A huge portion of the back was dominated by a 29-pin printer connection. In my opinion, on a laptop to have such a large portion taken over for a outdated port seemed barbaric. While only one USB, and a sad excuse for keyboard light, that came from the top of the monitor, that only light a small portion of the keys.
In any event, I was glad to get my new PowerBook, and made me appreciate my Mac more and more.