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Anyone here have a MAC?

RTaylor said:
As I mentioned, the only reason "It just works" is because all their components are Bios locked (does a Mac user know what that is?) and can not be upgraded (besides ram and I think CPU).

Err...no. It has a lot more to do with a lack of the Registry. Hardly anyone ever messes around with their BIOS anyway. It's not 1992 anymore, you can manipulate a lot of the settings through the OS.

RTaylor said:
Mac's "Just work" because they are so vanilla for people that don't know better. Their commercials are an insult to computer users everywhere, they pinpoint lies, fallacies and loads of BS just to propagate their OS. They may have been pertinent in the days of Windows 98 / ME, but with XP and Vista lol is all I have to say.

A lot of the basic issues with the Windows O/S remain from the earlier systems. They still have the Registry, and they still have the Win32 API.  They've gotten better in some ways too, they just have a while to go.

RTaylor said:
I've been running this PC with Vista on it stable since last December, 0 reinstalls, I play all the best games when they are released (in your face Mac), surf the web, if I want to edit photos I have my pic of programs that feel good to me , same with video. I also have access to all the latest apps, programs, etc if I'm in need of one for any reason.

If that works for you, great. The games I want work for me on the Mac, and if I need to I can load Boot Camp and run Windows.

RTaylor said:
Typical Mac user response really, and it shows how little you really know about the Windows OS as well as your technical experience. If my system doesn't do something I want it to do, I just spend 2 minutes to get the patch for it.

I'm an MCSE. And going by your profile, I've been one since you were in high school.

RTaylor said:
Enjoy upgrading your Macs also. If I want to run something more graphic, cpu or memory intensive, or need more HDD space I buy that part and pop it in. What's that a Mac user has to do again? suckas

It's not hard to put more memory or storage in most Macs. A little bit harder to upgrade the processor, but I find that it's not necessary very often.
 
I started using the Mac in college for my Graphic Design program. I bought a PowreMac a couple of years ago and ever since I've been trying to get rid of my PC. I just find whenever I switch over to my PC, it's so clunky and depressing. The other cool thing about a PowerMac is that if someone breaks into your house while you're at home, you can use it to deflect bullets and take him out with one swing.
 
Ahhh crap I had a nice post about the Mac and how it's the console of PC platforms and so forth.

To summarize :

Mac ads are deceptive and chock full of lies. http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/  check out "breakthrough"
The OS isnt any more safe than the Windows OS, just less targetted by the masses.
The hardware is locked to the end user for the better part. PC users have oodles of options. Succulent options.
Windows is more popular thus all the bad news people hear. Mac OS has their issues but no one really cares.
Macs look a tonne better than the average PC.
Macs are specific to doing certain tasks, the OS, Bios and programs all reflect this, like a console is to gaming the Mac is to graphic design. PC's do it all nicely.
PC stole ideas from Mac, Mac stole from PC, both have taken from other sources.
Mac pimps themselves shamelessly.


To be honest it's all in what people prefer. The less tech savvy who wants to get photo, video, surfing done will migrate to a Mac because they are good for it . The more tech savvy or PC newbies prefers the Windows platform because of the price, ease of use and it's wide open for what you can do with it.

I can't wait to see what the next Windows OS can do. Rumor has it it's what Vista should have been. I don't think Vista should have been released when it was really (like Windows ME), but I do like it quite a bit.
 
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Err...no. It has a lot more to do with a lack of the Registry. Hardly anyone ever messes around with their BIOS anyway. It's not 1992 anymore, you can manipulate a lot of the settings through the OS.

you're saying that macs don't have a centralized configuration database? wrong, they don't have a centralized configuration database you can access.

it's not 1980s anymore either but that doesn't stop macs from using an operating system that was developed back then, flaws with _nix machines are plentiful and they've been hacked every day all over the world.

Anyone who knows anything about their computer goes into the bios at some point, the point of the matter is with a PC you can if you want to, with a mac you can't, that is a big problem.

A lot of the basic issues with the Windows O/S remain from the earlier systems. They still have the Registry, and they still have the Win32 API.  They've gotten better in some ways too, they just have a while to go.

The issues with windows have nothing to do with earlier versions, it has to due with bad 3rd party drivers/hardware/support. the current windows model is the same used as Unix based systems unlike versions pre win 2000 and NT.

I like the fact that my windows box recovers from a hard boot unlike every _nix box I've ever worked with, I like the fact that I don't have to recompile the kernel just to add a new device and hope to god it doesn't throw an error, I like the fact that while it's easy to break windows, it's also easy to grab it by the nuts and bend it to my every will at a whim

If that works for you, great. The games I want work for me on the Mac, and if I need to I can load Boot Camp and run Windows.

so you convert your mac into a PC when you have to... ie when you want to do something more than mac will let you. why not just start with a PC with twice the power for the same cost. only pay for one operating system... and if you really want a _nix operating system with dual boot, add linux or BSD on a second partition with dual boot and forget the boot camp crap. Or run a virtual machine with any operating system you want...

the answer is because you are a novice user that can't be bothered to figure this stuff out on your own and want an appliance that is already set up to do what you want not a computer and you don't mind paying a premium for said appliance.

As for mac gamers, they don't exist. Photoshop isn't a game.

I'm an MCSE. And going by your profile, I've been one since you were in high school.

sounds like you haven't re certed since then either

It's not hard to put more memory or storage in most Macs. A little bit harder to upgrade the processor, but I find that it's not necessary very often.

of course it isn't, macs are re badged PC componets with the configuration utilities removed and the price jacked up.


you are a smart car lover trying to get gear heads to give up their corvettes because the smart car is easier to use, wondering why we  give you weird looks and don't "get it". Yes we know you get 60 MPG and don't have any issues with setting the timming or fuel mixture, good for you. Enjoy your car appliance we are gonna get back to tuning our cars OK
 
so you convert your mac into a PC when you have to... ie when you want to do something more than mac will let you. why not just start with a PC with twice the power for the same cost. only pay for one operating system... and if you really want a _nix operating system with dual boot, add linux or BSD on a second partition with dual boot and forget the boot camp crap. Or run a virtual machine with any operating system you want...

Sorry to break it to you, but you'll never find a PC with twice the power as a Mac for the same price. The PC would be cheaper than that by far...you'd have to configure a top of the line gaming PC and get ripped off by Alienware / Dell to pay the same price of a Mac.
 
MedTechStudent said:
Not to mention the whole "no CD drive" thing which is a step backwards personally.  Their reasoning is that if the computers do not have it then kids will be less likely to uploud CDs to limewire and therefore help with the music download crisis thing.  Ya, bollocks like thats gonna happen.

And how exactly did you determine that that was their reasoning? Because I was certain their reasoning was, in order to make the MacBook Air as thin and as light as possible (the thinnest lightest notebook available) they cut out some features. If you want a CD drive in your laptop, don't get a MacBook air. Simple. Or, get an MacBook Air, and get an external USB CD Drive for the times you need it.

Please, people, let's not make unfounded acusations.
 
OldTanker said:
Sometimes I get bored on the road and I was wondering if there any games that will work on this computer? I know the graphics are quite limited and I have read mixed reviews on various websites as to what works and what doesn't, just curious if any of you have any insights on this. Thanks.

http://store.apple.com/ca/browse/home/shop_mac/software/action_games?mco=MTgyODI

Lots of games available for the Mac... but they can be hard to find at your local Futile Shop or Best Bye... there are Apple brand stores in TO (3) and Montreal (1), which are worth a visit just to look around, or you can order online from the Canadian Apple Online store (linked above), not to mention the games you can download from various Mac game web sites (either as demos, shareware or freeware). Since you say it was a recent MacBook, the games available at the Apple Store should all work, but (obviously) check the memory, hard drive and processor recommendations.

As far as the Graphics being limited... how so?

Cheers!
 
Pinto said:
As far as the Graphics being limited... how so?

Cheers!

He's talking about a normal MacBook, and the Intel GMA 950 does suck for 3D games.  The apple store webiste/system requirements on the boxes only say so for Supreme Commander and BF 2142 I think, but that doesn't mean It can run aother games.  The Sims 2 on mine (Core 2 Duo 2Ghz, 3GB Ram) is like playing Doom on a slow 386, lots of time to plan your actions in the next frame.  Also in VMware running windows you can't run anything that requires DirectX (I don't know about a native windows boot, I'm not gonna do that to my laptop!), so windows games need to be about 10 years old to work, fortunately I have a bunch of those CDs still.  >:D

Of course, if games are a priority, a MB Pro is the way to go, but my MacBook is awesome for what I want it for, Office-type programs, long battery life, easy to take on courses, etc.
 
c_canuk said:
you're saying that macs don't have a centralized configuration database? wrong, they don't have a centralized configuration database you can access.

No, Macs have no centralised configuration database. They use .plist files for each application to regulate user preferences for that application. That's a huge difference in complexity from a relational database like the Windows registry.

c_canuk said:
it's not 1980s anymore either but that doesn't stop macs from using an operating system that was developed back then, flaws with _nix machines are plentiful and they've been hacked every day all over the world.

Both the Windows and Mac operating systems have their roots in the 80's. Ever hear of DOS?

c_canuk said:
Anyone who knows anything about their computer goes into the bios at some point, the point of the matter is with a PC you can if you want to, with a mac you can't, that is a big problem.

Actually, you can access the BIOS with a Mac, you just rarely need to.

c_canuk said:
The issues with windows have nothing to do with earlier versions, it has to due with bad 3rd party drivers/hardware/support. the current windows model is the same used as Unix based systems unlike versions pre win 2000 and NT.

Your point would be much better if Win2k based operating systems didn't have the same driver problems as Win 9x and DOS.

c_canuk said:
I like the fact that my windows box recovers from a hard boot unlike every _nix box I've ever worked with, I like the fact that I don't have to recompile the kernel just to add a new device and hope to god it doesn't throw an error, I like the fact that while it's easy to break windows, it's also easy to grab it by the nuts and bend it to my every will at a whim

I rarely have issues recovering from a hard boot. Even if I did that's a filesystem type issue, not an O/S issue.

I'd also like to point out that its a lot easier to mount a Windows filesystem on a Mac than a Mac filesystem on a Windows box.

Recompiling the kernel is pretty much a Linux and BSD thing. You're not even allowed to recompile the kernel on the commercial *nixen like SunOS , AIX and HPUX. Or a Mac for that matter.

I've also found it difficult to break a Mac. The worst thing I've ever heard of was someone losing their encryption password to FileVault.

c_canuk said:
so you convert your mac into a PC when you have to... ie when you want to do something more than mac will let you. why not just start with a PC with twice the power for the same cost. only pay for one operating system... and if you really want a _nix operating system with dual boot, add linux or BSD on a second partition with dual boot and forget the boot camp crap. Or run a virtual machine with any operating system you want...

Two major reasons:

i) I usually run a Mac for 4 years. The price difference between a Mac and a Windows system works out to about 8 hours of work for me. That means the Mac pays for itself in the first year, sometimes the first 6 months in terms of time saved.

ii) Sometimes I have to run Windows for things like SQL Server, because it's a Microsoft product that they only release on Windows. Or I need to check code comaptibility with a Windows system. Nevertheless, when I'm done with the Windows things I'd rather just shut it down and have Windows go away.

c_canuk said:
the answer is because you are a novice user that can't be bothered to figure this stuff out on your own and want an appliance that is already set up to do what you want not a computer and you don't mind paying a premium for said appliance.

Actually, I've been building computers since I was in junior high. I'm just tired with having to do things like fix the BIOS settings when what I really want to do is write code or whatever. With a Mac, I can just do what I need to when I need to do it, without all the other BS I have to put up with on a Windows system.

When you have over two decades of dealing with this, maybe you'll feel the same.

c_canuk said:
As for mac gamers, they don't exist. Photoshop isn't a game.

The games I want are available on the Mac. One of the 2 major ones I'm waiting for (Starcraft 2) will be released for OS X at the same time as PC.

c_canuk said:
sounds like you haven't re certed since then either

Haven't needed to. The major changes since NT 4 have been in DNS design vs WINS. The actual OS is pretty much the same.

c_canuk said:
of course it isn't, macs are re badged PC componets with the configuration utilities removed and the price jacked up.

You rarely need to configure the components, because they come pre-configured to work with all the other components that have been used. That integration has a cost associated with it, along with certain benfits. If the benefits aren't worth the cost to you, then don't buy a Mac.

c_canuk said:
you are a smart car lover trying to get gear heads to give up their corvettes because the smart car is easier to use, wondering why we  give you weird looks and don't "get it". Yes we know you get 60 MPG and don't have any issues with setting the timming or fuel mixture, good for you. Enjoy your car appliance we are gonna get back to tuning our cars OK

If you like tuning cars sure. I gave up my old car because tuning it was too much work compared to what I'd rather be doing.
 
Ladies and Gents lets get back to this being a MAC help/source thread and not this is better then that thread.  Besides if your happy with a Mac or PC is what should mattter.
 
Lone Wolf Quagmire said:
Ladies and Gents lets get back to this being a MAC help/source thread and not this is better then that thread.

Hear, hear! Couldn't agree more. If you have legitimate Mac-related questions, and legitimate Mac-related advice, fine. If you've never used a Mac (and I mean seriously used one, not just fiddled with one in a store for 3 minutes), then your opinions about Macs are about as relevant as a nun's opinions about sex.  ;D

Cheers!
 
Has anyone used the new Apple Bluetooth wireless keyboard? It's the small thin silver one. Any issues getting a connection?
 
No defragging necessary. If you really wanted to you can use DiskWarrior, but it's not required and is probably a bad idea.
 
By the way, for anyone thinking of buying a Mac, either as a replacement for an older one or as your first Mac, there was a recent article in MacWorld that is well worth a read.

http://www.macworld.com/article/133150/2008/05/macbuying.html

Cheers!
 
Good read indeed. For an ignorant PC user, this clears up alot.
 
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