Predict-the-Patch

[AlanH]

I think he may not have seen one for ages.

I have an early G4, though as it's a Sawtooth, it's not as old as the first Yosemite G4s. It's seven years old, and it came with OS 9, and I ran 10.0 as a beta on it.

 

[wiglaff]

No way?

All people talking like you haven't seen a mac in ages. People that have used it recently don't use your excuses anymore. Only excuse they use is price! And still for my opinion macs are cheaper!

Price and hardware. It boggles my mind that macs are shipping with the hardware they are at such high prices. Software comptability is another issue I couldn't get over at work, and it'd be a hassle for personal use (see Civ 4)

Vista is also looking to match OSX in terms of usability. Hardcore OSX users who love the interface might want to look at Vista.

 

[ainwood]

Price and hardware. It boggles my mind that macs are shipping with the hardware they are at such high prices.

People pay more for a ferrari than they do for a skoda. People pay more for a pair of calvin klein jeans than they do for levi's. People pay more for an iPod than for the equivalent creative.

<shrug> I'm quite happy with PCs, but you've got to realise that price isn't everything to everybody.

 

[The WAB]

Price and hardware. It boggles my mind that macs are shipping with the hardware they are at such high prices. Software comptability is another issue I couldn't get over at work, and it'd be a hassle for personal use (see Civ 4)

Vista is also looking to match OSX in terms of usability. Hardcore OSX users who love the interface might want to look at Vista.

You might go and have a look at the macs nowaddays. A mac mini is about 100$ cheaper as his counterpart of AOpen with the same specs. Actually now is the time to compare prices as Macs have intel on board. You will suprised.

Ofcourse a non brand PC will be cheaper but Apple is a brand so you should compare to brands.

Wich software compatibility issues? Like you said you haven't used macs for ages.

Civ4 is a bad port. This is the first time in five years ive encounterd something like what i can compare to the OS level of your PC. Civ4 is as buggy as XP when it came out. I hope Aspyr will be more faster to respond because it took MS a long time to get XP to service pack 2. The serive pack that made XP "good enough". And sorry your comment about mac users to look at the interface? Been there done that, for years already.
The sensation you feel with Vista is for me a long time memory.

And does Civ4 work fine on Vista? any news on that?

 

[AlanH]

Vista is also looking to match OSX in terms of usability. Hardcore OSX users who love the interface might want to look at Vista.

I doubt it. I don't need four dialog boxes to confirm that I want to delete a shortcut. By the time Vista is released I'll be running Leopard - OS X 10.5.

 

[Cougarcat]

This is useful because I am learning something, believe it or not I do not own a macintosh and have not used one since the early G4s.

Why do you even peruse this forum??

 

[The WAB]

We even forgot to mention that Vista is a total rip off of OSX so what is this PC dude barking about?

 

[wiglaff]

Four dialogue boxes to delete a shortcut in Vista? Please explain AlanH...

We even forgot to mention that Vista is a total rip off of OSX so what is this PC dude barking about?

I don't really understand this. Right now, on XP, I can search with Google Desktop as well as you can with Spotlight (or whatever they call it). I can use widgets that were created long before OS X hit store shelves. I can download phony Docks and pretend like I'm in lala land with a number of freely downloadable XP themes.

And I can run all software on the market...I can update video cards...and the technology in my computer is probably much faster (and certainly more affordable) than yours.

All Vista will do is incorporate some of those technologies into the OS, add a sleeker interface (wholly different from OSX) and more features (www.windowsvista.com).

If you are going to paint Microsoft as the arch-villain, stealing all of Macs ideas, go ahead (it's more than a little fallacious, and it's not a reason to hate an OS anyway). But instead of claiming that I have the intelligence of a 9-year old, implying I am a dog and talking about how prettily your Mac is packaged (or how its powercord is magnetized....) , it would be nice to hear a reason to use a Mac. Aside from sound-editing.

 

[Dauc]

Four dialogue boxes to delete a shortcut in Vista? Please explain AlanH...

I don't really understand this. Right now, on XP, I can search with Google Desktop as well as you can with Spotlight (or whatever they call it).

talking about how prettily your Mac is packaged (or how its powercord is magnetized....) , it would be nice to hear a reason to use a Mac. Aside from sound-editing.

Google desktop ...? Sounds like another Mircrosoft clone that just doesn't get it. Seriously, Unless Microsoft continues to pay you overtime once you clock out you should stop pushing your wears on us. You'll find no converts here.

 

[wiglaff]

Google desktop is not a Microsoft clone. It is made by Google (hence "Google Desktop").

 

[Dauc]

No, you, wiglaff are the Microsoft clone. Trotting along in a bleak world of mediocrity.

 

[Cougarcat]

Four dialogue boxes to delete a shortcut in Vista? Please explain AlanH...

He was being sarcastic. But it's not too off the mark.

 

[wiglaff]

You right-click on it and hit "Delete." You confirm. That is one box.

 

[ancestral]

Four dialogue boxes to delete a shortcut in Vista? Please explain AlanH...

He was being sarcastic. But it's not too off the mark.

No, it's true. It was posted on a Flickr account from a beta tester. Truly amazing.
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=151250154&size=o

If you are going to paint Microsoft as the arch-villain, stealing all of Macs ideas, go ahead (it's more than a little fallacious, and it's not a reason to hate an OS anyway).

I agree. Microsoft is not an arch-villain. Anyone who still thinks so - get over it. Who cares. And exactly - why bother "hating" another OS? Apple doesn't have villains anyway.

But instead of claiming that I have the intelligence of a 9-year old, implying I am a dog and talking about how prettily your Mac is packaged (or how its powercord is magnetized....) , it would be nice to hear a reason to use a Mac. Aside from sound-editing.

Rightly said. It was uncalled for for people to insult you like that. We're civilized here, and mostly adults. Some people need to grow up still, apparently.

I would gladly share with you the reasons why I like the Macintosh platform. I'm not sure why we're talking about this in the "predict-the-patch" topic, (hehe) but okay.


This is what I like about the Mac:

• Support. Apple has the best support in the industry. Consumer reports has consistently rated Apple #1 among PC manufacturers in customer support over the phone, online, and in person. And the iMac has the best record among all PCs for repairs. (Source: Consumer Reports, December; MacWorld, December)
  
• Quality. Macs are a few of the quietest running and almost undisputably the best designed computers on the market. Problems are fewer and they last longer. And they don't take up the entire desk. Why aren't all notebooks an inch thick? (Design That Turns Heads; sources are out there for the first part - sorry I don't have one right now.)
  
• Things work. System crashes don't happen anywhere near as frequently as they do on other systems. Part of the reason is because built on UNIX, and the OS X code doesn't contain legacy code from the 80's like Windows does. You also don't have to worry about installing and updating drivers for things to work. The 'Add Hardware' wizard? Who needs that? Plus the UI makes sense and is easier to navigate. A good example of making use of Fitt's Law with the menu bar always at the top and the dock at the bottom. And the things that should work do work. Like wireless networks. Or printing. (Source: It Just Works; Adherence to Fitt's Law)
  
• Security. Viruses and spyware do not happen. Mac OS X is a secure operating system, and virus writers have more fun writing their work for the PCs. The operating system has a built-in firewall - I don't think most Mac users even turn it on (I don't). (Source: Not on a Mac; Mac OS X Security)
  
• iLife. You cannot find anything close to a suite of applications which allow you to mix music, photos, and video - that work together - on the PC. Anything this powerful would end up costing you a lot of extra money - the PC equivalent of GarageBand alone would be $100 or more. Photos, videos, DVDs, music and web sites without having to read manuals or install anything, and it's damn simple to use. Want the latest version? $79 gets you the entire suite. (Source: iLife)
  
• Windows. Well, you can do it. If you want. And even at native speed. (Source: Run Windows; Boot Camp)

As for money, you pay a little more up front with a Mac. However, $1299 gets you a very nice iMac. Add a stick of RAM and you have a machine that can run most anything out there. It's fully capable of running Final Cut Pro, the same software that the show 24 is cut with. Or Scrubs. Or a whole slew of movies like Napoleon Dynamite, for example, and plenty more out there.

But factor in the price of maintenance, like keeping your anti-virus software up-to-date, handling repairs and seeking customer support, and that extra money you pay up front for a Mac is often way cheaper.

And yes, the Mac is not a great gaming machine. If playing games is a top priority for you on your computer, you wouldn't buy a Mac. Simple enough. I mean, it's good, it can do many games just fine. But no, in comparison to a gaming PC or console, it's not that great at all. If you want really great games, buy a PlayStation or XBox. Or that Wii for Christmas.

 

[Cougarcat]

No, it's true. It was posted on a Flickr account from a beta tester. Truly amazing.
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=151250154&size=o

Wow. That's beautiful. I'm bookmarking that sucker. A classic. It may still be a beta, but still. That's just unbelievable.

 

[Macintosh]

I am just wondering what it is that you see in them.

For me Macs are my chosen system for over one and a half decade now,
that is all you need to know.

As someone said: there are pros and cons for both of them: XP and OS X
Thats all.

All I say here is that for me it is truly boring beeing recurring confronted with this sort of Mac vs. Window discussion.

Do use the system of your choice and be happy!
I'm using my Mac and I am happy!

That's all folk,
now draw the curtain please.

 

[The WAB]

I hate people with high morals playing domination games

You people are on a game forum! The clash between civilizations. Don't come and tell me you guys wait till you build the UN to actually get some action in Civ4 or what?

The barbarians are invading our territory and we are striking back with Future Tech! Ok it's not fair but it's fun!

Grow up? Never!

 

[AlanH]

Four dialogue boxes to delete a shortcut in Vista? Please explain AlanH...

Sorry, I was wrong. Memory plays tricks as you get to my age.

As posted above, it's six, not four

 

[girtholomew]

As my 'nonsensical' song adaptation said - live and let live.

I've never understood this pointless debate.

You pay your money, you take your pick.

Got Civ IV last night for Mac - stable but no sound effects; that's the only issue. Will play my music and game music. Am i bovvered? Do I look bovvered? No is the answer.

 

[wiglaff]

ancestral, thanks for the great post. I appreciate it a lot.

No, it's true. It was posted on a Flickr account from a beta tester. Truly amazing.
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=151250154&size=o

It's a beta

[*]Support.

Just for record, Dell's is excellent here, I have had no problems with them. (see www.instapundit.com : June 27, 2006

DELL NON-HELL: The Dell Laptop was dead as a doornail tonight. Wouldn't boot, even in safe mode, producing a stop code and an "Unmountable Boot Device" error message. Called Dell Support, expecting it to be a bad hard drive. Waited more-or-less patiently as they got me to insert the recovery disk and run some diagnostics, and a nice man from Mumbai named (I think) Raktish helped me repair the bad boot sector and then noticed my computer was booting too slowly and took remote control and cleaned up some junk that was slowing things down. Total elapsed time (including about 8 minutes on hold at the beginning): less than an hour. Seems to be working fine now.)

[*]Quality. Macs are a few of the quietest running and almost undisputably the best designed computers on the market. Problems are fewer and they last longer. And they don't take up the entire desk. Why aren't all notebooks an inch thick?

Apple underclocks its Macbook video cards to make them produce less heat. This troubles me. But design is obviously in their favor.

[*]Things work. System crashes don't happen anywhere near as frequently as they do on other systems.

Depends on what you do. For me XP has never crashed, but obviously both will break depending on how hard you push them. But anyway, I am curious about what you say about "who needs the Add hardware wizard." True plug and play does exist in windows; over the past week I have installed a USB joystick and wireless optical mouse just by plugging them in.

What does OSX have here that XP doesn't?

[*]Security. Viruses and spyware do not happen. Mac OS X is a secure operating system, and virus writers have more fun writing their work for the PCs. The operating system has a built-in firewall - I don't think most Mac users even turn it on (I don't).

This is true, though a product more of apple's marketshare than its design.

[*]iLife. You cannot find anything close to a suite of applications which allow you to mix music, photos, and video - that work together - on the PC. Anything this powerful would end up costing you a lot of extra money - the PC equivalent of GarageBand alone would be $100 or more. Photos, videos, DVDs, music and web sites without having to read manuals or install anything, and it's damn simple to use. Want the latest version? $79 gets you the entire suite.

Do you regularly use Garageband?

As for money, you pay a little more up front with a Mac. However, $1299 gets you a very nice iMac. Add a stick of RAM and you have a machine that can run most anything out there. It's fully capable of running Final Cut Pro, the same software that the show 24 is cut with. Or Scrubs. Or a whole slew of movies like Napoleon Dynamite, for example, and plenty more out there.

I can see video editors or sound editors picking mac. Out of curiosity are you a film maker?

But factor in the price of maintenance, like keeping your anti-virus software up-to-date, handling repairs and seeking customer support, and that extra money you pay up front for a Mac is often way cheaper.

I don't have anti virus software and have never needed repairs