I'm personally a Mac user. 15" MacBook Pro (2009).
Started with PCs, then went out on a limb and bought an iBook G3 off of eBay for $300. It was nice but the logic board fried within two months (expected for a 10 year old laptop). I then spent my whole summer job $$$ on a white MacBook So yeh, Mac, but I do have an Xbox 360 and a gaming PC, so Microcrap hasn't left my life completely.
Started with Macs as a teenager. Switched to PC 20 years later when my company was growing...that lasted a few months then switched us all back to Macs. I dont see the allure of PCs unless you are a hacker or one of those people that like to keep modifying and screwing with things or want to play games. For most of the public Macs just work better. You turn them on and they do what they are supposed to do. Just like a microwave. I dont want to know how my microwave works. i dont want to *customize it*. A computer is just an appliance like a microwave to most people. Macs are great appliances.
I run Linux on several PCs and also on a Mac Book. I like to play under the hood, but Steve Jobs doesn't want me to. Jedi
PC guy for years, bought a MacBook Pro about a month ago. I really like it. Probably a Mac guy from here on out.
PC's exclusively. But I do some pretty high-end stuff that Mac's just can't do. I think Jerry's post is right on, Macs are appliances and definitely more suitable for the majority of computer users. I would recommend a Mac to any friend or relative who wasn't at least a competent computer user. They just get too loaded with viruses, spyware and bloatware. I am very happy that this is the case because it means Microsoft has a lot of work to do to change that, and only when they fix their ridiculous problems will the average user decide the PC is the better option.
There's lots of things. I run some high-end audio processing gear that runs only on PCs (Biamp AUDIA and NEXIA software), AMX and CRESTRON products only run on PCs, etc. It's not that a Mac COULDN'T do it - it's more that many companies don't want to write for a minority platform. But a Mac running XP or Vista can run much of it (but not all). I also do some stuff in Linux (my main operating platform) that have no Mac or PC equivalent. So all of my computers are dual-boot XP-Pro / Ubuntu 9.04 Linux. My Mac Book is triple boot - OSX, Ubuntu, and XP Pro. That way one computer can do anything I need to get done.
That used to be true but not so much anymore. They are slightly more expensive but thats the price you pay for quality and plug and play.
Not even, I spec'd a HP vs my 13" MBP, came out about $200 cheaper, but thats easily made up by going from Vista Home to Leopard. The OS is the biggest appeal of Macs, except that Apple logo on the top.
Circuit board design using Altium Designer (does not run on Mac) 3D/Solids modelign with Solidworks (doesn't run on Mac) Abaqus/Simulia Finite Element Analysis software (doesn't run on Mac) MasterCAM/CNC maching software (doesn't run on Mac) Rhino3D nurbs modeling software (doesn't run on Mac) qLed thermal modeling software (doesn't run on Mac) I also use PC's to drip feed several CNC machines in our shop. This requires serial posts and precise timing over the serial port which the Mac doesn't really do (better to use a dedicated PC). There are drip feed programs for Mac, but you are better of just using a real cheap PC for it. Also, Mac doesn't have a web server application that is comparable with IIS in terms of functionality, scalability and speed. And Mac also doesn't have an SQL server that is comparable with MSSQL or Oracle in terms of functionality, scalability or speed (we use SQL server on the back end in our business, as well as IIS). Most of the stuff I do requires software that is all solely available for PC's. On the other hand, my aunt in her 60's is *constantly* getting viruses. My mom is the same. My uncle is the same. All my cousins are the same. Not a week goes by that I don't get a call that they can't get on the internet, or they "lost" some program or other, or they can't print, or "their computer erased all their pictures". On the one hand it's frustrating because these problems are created by their own complete lack of knowledge about computers. Sometimes they do really clueless things, like they don't know that you only need to single-click links on web pages and call me to say their computer isn't working, or don't know the difference between the web and local folders, and single click to open a file and call me to say it's not working. I get frustrated, because in today's world you need a certain level of skill (which IMO is easily attainable) to get by with computers, and there is really no excuse for most of the problems they get themselves into other than just downright cluelessness. On the other hand, I used to write software and delve into the depths of the microprocessor and memory of these machines, so I have a pretty intimate knowledge of them... and I still occasionally will get a piece of spyware or virus or my computer does something 'weird' (today it was pausing as I type... until I went through all the running services and disabled the search service which was trying to connect to a disconnected network drive and causing a fraction-of-a-second delay in the UI). And I think that if *I* have problems and sometimes have a hard time fixing them, how is my 60 year old mother supposed to cope? Then I realize Microsoft has made a real ass out of Windows for quite a while. But I love that Macs are so easy to use for the non-tech-savvy. I wish my relatives would buy them and leave me alone And then MS would have more incentive to fix the fundamental flaws in Windows (many of which are NOT MS's fault, but they still get the blame for, IMO). Sorry for the tangent blabbering, just wanted to get that off my chest
I was really just highlighting how they really are pretty much equal price, tack on Vista Ultimate and they were exactly the same price.
