The Mac vs PC Challenge

Chris,

I do agree with you 100%, I can see other OEM’s partnering with another operating system developer such as Linux.

We all have choices that we can take. I myself, is going to get a Mac Mini just to have another experience under my belt, I am 15 years old and am going into the IT Industry and have experience with Windows and Linux, but want to start exploring OS X.

This Mac vs PC thing is getting old, at the end of the day the average computer user does not really care about the ramblings of a old Windows geek who recently discovered the wonders of Apple.

Interesting video. I have been using Windows as long as you have, Chris, and I ultimately bought a Mac Pro when Leopard was released and am now using it as my main machine - as you are. I run Windows XP inside VMWare Fusion. I see this as the ideal setup for a power user - running both OSes at the same time. And there is nothing stopping me from running any version of Linux at the same time as well.

Windows Vista scared me off the Windows platform. I, too, and waiting to see what they do with Windows 7. I have swore off Vista for the POS it is.

I am not a power user, however, after observing Chris use his Mac/PC I am positive my next “PC” will be a Mac. My main issue with Windows is security. I want to feel safe when browsing or downloading, and I don’t. The Mac seems to be passing Windows by and kinda picking up where Windows stopped progressing in terms of helping the user feel that their computer is safe(or safer anyways).

1) Why should Apple join with another OEM? They’re making far more than most of them. Joining with another would drag them down.

2) The Mac OS is a form of UNIX. Using the included Terminal application makes OS X FAR more tweakable than Windows. On Windows, people “tweak” the color of the background and shape of cursors to cover up how disappointed and unhappy they are with the XP and Vista.

Chris,

Your shows are very thought provoking!

Your “Mac vs. PC Challenge” show is very interesting from the point of view of Kat’s comments. Her wonderful feelings in using a Mac is that of an integrated and unified experience that Apple provides to endusers.

The Windows PC World is fragmented– OEMs (hardware) + Microsoft (OS). Microsoft focuses on the developer and provides lot of opportunities to its camp followers who support the endusers.

The Macintosh PC World is unified, similar to Amiga. Apple directly deals with the enduser. The computer maker to the enduser chain is very very short. The Windows PC World is a confusing mix of hardware and software– OS, applications, security etc.

The comparison has to be multi-dimensional to explain Kat’s feelings. Some of the dimensions are objective (quantitative), and others are subjective (qualitative).

Ramayya

Kat, I have been saying that both Mac and PC’s are both great and bad for years! They both have their good points and bad points.

I’m very happy that you are taking a look at a Mac that has some decent memory. A Mac Mini with 512MB’s of RAM just isn’t really a good starting point for getting a great first experience. I’m very happy for you that someone upgraded the Mac Mini to have more memory.

Back when Microsoft Windows Vista was in Beta 2/RC1/RC2, I took a peek at it. I spent about a week with it and went out to my local Apple store and bought my first Mac. A MacBook. I spent about 1 and 1/2 months playing with it. When I had my MacBook setup as a desktop computer, I decided it was time to buy a desktop system. Fortunately, Apple had just released the Mac Pro and I went out and bought one.

I have been very happy with my Mac’s since. I have my MacBook hooked up to my home entertainment system using Front Row to watch movies and TV shows that I have on it’s HD and my Mac Pro is my main system. I still have two Windows boxes that I use for gaming and Ventrilo. I don’t spend that much time playing games these days because I have been attempting to learn how to program the Mac.

By the way, that’s another great thing about the Mac. All the development tools that Apple uses to develop software for OS X is available for free and is distributed on the OS installation disc’s.

Enjoy your experience with the Mac Kat. I have a feeling that you will really enjoy it. :)

you had many useful comments, why should it be Windows vs Mac.
Well, i think that people when buying a expensive stuffs like computers don’t want to have something that sucks, they don’t regret the purchase, i myself want a computer/OS that supports devices that i need to use, that is user friendly and that is fun to run, i think that it is good with a bit competition, that way the OS’s can be better, if the developers only listens, badmouthing mac or pc is stupid and waste of time. I have a open mind about Windows Mac and Linux, you can learn much and have much experience if you keep a open mind and you are willing to learn new stuff.

Define your computer experience

The following thoughts represent the computer experience – I believe these can determine which choice is best for you

Time these days is very expensive, and one may not be able to afford wasting his/hers on an unplanned migration to another platform.

Choosing an alternate operating system to live with on daily basis is not as easy as “… well, Spaces in Leopard is a cool feature”. Built-in features do not -necessarily- determine how you’re supposed to use your computer or organize work routines.

Choosing an alternate OS does is irrelevant with the fact that –well I had a bad experience- Microsoft, Apple and other OEMs spend millions and millions on R&D every year. It is incorrect to claim that

Choosing the alternative is possible, but cannot be a matter of taste and is irrelevant with the fact that –well I had a bad experience-

Why not trying to cope with these problems - At least for the so-called “Power Users”!

In the real consulting world, if you cannot fix a problem then you are not a Power User. It is a sad fact, but it’s true. Power users must be capable of making Windows, Mac, or Linux reliable enough to cope with day to day challenges.

The related content available on the internet these days is affecting the average end users in such a way; they’re altering their machines into dual, triple and even quad boot to work on different environment.

This is not how you make the best out of your computing experience. Switching between operating systems all the times to use a “cool” feature from Linux – such as XGL – which is “cool” –I admit, but then what? How frequently will one be flipping that 3D box?

What I’m trying to say is: “Define your computer experience”
-Applications used on daily basis for WORK
-I’m -obviously-a windows user as you can spot so far. However, I have lived in the MAC world since OS 7, 9, and X. I started to shift when windows 2000 sp2 was released (I have also used previous Windows versions starting like NT4 – along with various distributions of Linux), through XP and now vista.

I use one primary laptop on daily basis for long periods of time in various locations arount the world, depending on which customer’ site I’m requested to be.

A few actions that would help to complete the definition are usually like:
-List the number of applications you are currently using
-List the equivalent applications on other platforms.
Also make sure that the feature(s) you’re comfortable with or feel more productive by having.

Built in File encryption
Some users complain that it is not possible to select which parts of the disk to encrypt. In contrast to Linux, Microsoft Windows, and other operating systems, only entire home directories can be encrypted. For example, the user cannot encrypt the whole disk as one would be able to in Linux or Windows XP with various disk encryption software. One possible workaround is the use of Apple’s Disk Utility Application, included in the standard installation, to create an encrypted disk image using the same AES encryption offered by FileVault, which allows users to encrypt specific files and folders.
[Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filevault

Bringing other functionalities:
Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications (SUA) is a source-compatibility subsystem for compiling and running custom UNIX-based applications on a computer running a Windows server-class operating system. You can make your UNIX applications fully interoperable with Windows in SUA with little or no change to your original source code.
[SourceL http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/695ac415-d314-45df-b464-4c80ddc2b3bc1033.mspx?mfr=true

Virtual environments (guest vs. host environment):
-Time spent on each
-Number/kind of apps used on each
Such statistics would shed some light on “Why do you need another envoronment”? is it only used to fulfill a few limitations in the host such as application compatibility for software I need to run on daily/occasional basis?

The latter raises another issue:
Migrating to another OS
Plan for migrating to another OS by testing it first on another environment, preferably a contained one

Get to learn the new OS by testing all the applications/features you currently use/ will use

Plan transferring your data – and make sure that the new OS can handle this data. For example, if you’re shifting from Office 2007 (Windows) to Open Office (Mac). If you used to save your spread sheet in XLSX file format then make sure to convert them into a compatible one such as XLS – you may lose some of the layout or table design, so be careful!

Keep track of your experience by maintaining a score card listing all the cons and pros. Using score cards would help you making the final decision, since you may not be completely happy with some issues. For such issues, try to get an approximation on when this could be fixed, software/hardware update, possible tweak, and so on.

Keep your old environment available for two to four weeks after running the new OS on the live environment; if you’re using one environment, dual boot is the only choice. Backup the data you want to migrate then prepare for a clean install using the new OS if you determined that you covered all the aspects of the migration and the old OS is no longer needed.

I hope that help most of you to make a good decision on why, when, and how to shift

All the best for all,
Karim

Hi Chris, I think you’re absolutly correct. One OS is not better than another, it just depends on which OS you chose to use for the task’s that you perform on that OS. I personally use XP at the moment, I didnt chose the OS over any other, it’s just the OS I have have grown to use more frequently and I feel comfortable using an OS which I am familar with. I have also used OSX on a friends computer and I thought it was brilliant (Not better, if anything equally as good for the things that I usually do on a computer like 3D work). I wasnt too happy with Ubuntu though, again not because I thought it was rubbish but because it was a little difficult to learn how to use it correctly and more of a hassle to use than anything. I have decided to get a Vista based Dell machine as my next desktop for University because of the 3D design work I will be doing and I personally think that Vista has a smoother compatabilty with programs such as Maya and 3D Studio Max. I dont know if Ubuntu or OSX will run these program but I do know that with OSX you can get that BootCamp program to run it through windows. I think that the emering competition between Windows and Apple is possibly the best step towards built more stable and enjoyable OS experiences. Because these companies can learn what users want and what they need to do to provide them with the best OS experience they can offer.

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I’m going to say the same thing that I said to Kat… You don’t know how well Apple made their products until you use it side by side with a windows machine. I think she will switch over to the good side of the computer industry once she’s use it a while. Thats my guess… but I think it will work out for Kat’s benefit.

I would have to agree with Chris’ arguments. Apple was never really doing the same thing as Microsoft, the difference might not have been apparent then, but it definitely is now that the focus is mostly on converging technologies.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder……that goes for computers too. this may sound corny but when choosing the right one for you you must seek the inner beauty inside you. You have to know what you’re looking for before you go looking. I am close to purchasing a MacBook Pro soon and I must say this wasn’t an overnight decision. Similiar to what I did to my iPhone, I have been doing my research on to what my next computer needs to offer me before I make a decision. Whether you hate Windows because its the cool thing to say now or you honestly hate Vista…you still need to invest quality time in researching the right product….I also think that not one person on this planet can live without Windows..as of yet…..it’ll more than likely still be on the computers at your job..or you’ll want to play the latest game from time to time…bottom line I’m stwitching to a Mac because it will satisfy all my needs and it is what I truly want!

I have a Mac Pro and I think you just glossed over the video cards implying sameo sameo not worth more than a sentence to the questioner who asked if there were any differences. You applied it is no more than an issue than PC video cards…3rd parties. What 3rd parties for the Mac Pro? You cannot go to NVIDIA or ATI website and just get a video card upgrade. There are very few if any 3rd party video cards…the NVIDIA or ATI cards for MAC Pro (even with the same model # for the PC) are special ones and must be bought through Apple. If you go online to Macrumors and others you will see that your comments on that question was an oversimplification. Yes, you can use a NVIDIA perhaps one for a “PC” not an Apple S/N and can sometimes do a firmware change to use it for a Mac Pro but the average consumer would have a problem with that and any OSX upgrade could break it. This discussion of graphics card options limitations are well documented so graphics cards for a Mac Pro is not just as simple as you seem to have impied in your Mac Vs PC again.

Which operating system you used ALWAYS been about choice. (Unless someone TOLD you what to use, of course.) You either used DOS or Windows by default or you CHOSE to use a Mac.

Having been a Mac user since early 1985 and been forced to use Windows on rare occasions, I can say that the Mac OS has ALWAYS been better than ANY version of DOS or Windows of the day. Sure, some older Mac OSes has had some rough edges, but compared to Windows versions of their day, the Mac was always a breeze.

Anyway welcome to the BRIGHT side Kat!

Why is the video titled “Mac vs PC”, that’s retarded. It should be “Mac vs Windows”.

Mac is a PC, PC just stands for “Personal Computer”.

I really hate when people say “Mac vs PC” because it’s so stupid, and it shows the lack of tech knowledge by those that say that.

She loves it! But she just can’t say it.

I think most people who move over to Mac will be disgruntled Windows users. This will primarily be due to the crappiness in Vista. I am now debating on a switch to Mac because of the frustration with Vista especially on my laptop. I may not make the switch completely but I’m more open to it than a year ago.

This is all that need be considered:

“She spends countless hours a day volunteering her time to help people fix their Windows machines.”

i think macs are ok but pc (windows) is better

Let me get this straight. Your assistant Kat is a Windows expert? And I suppose your assistant Dogg is a Linux expert? ;)

Some still think it’s a “Mac vs. PC” debate and for a long time Mac users have only wanted to users to “have the choice” of what platform they wanted to use rather than be dictated to as many IT departments and enterprises have done.

Even today, with the sophistication of the Mac OS and Windows, my too-soon departed buddy Don Crabb would hollar that even today’s computers are far too hard to use, that the GUI still needs refinement and sophistication. Perhaps Apple had it right when they put out the “Kowledge Navigator” in the late 80’s which perhaps shows the goal or high watermark of ease of use.

Today though for many the choice is not just ONE, and that’s a good thing.

If Apple made it easy to install OS X onto computers other than its own, then I would gladly use it. Unfortunatly, Apple’s laptops do not meet my needs. I need a desktop replacement, and Alienware seems to fit me best. As much as I love OS X, the power Alienware offers overcomes my love for OS X.

If Apple made such a laptop, I would switch permenantly without a doubt.

personally Ide like to see more user friendly linux apps
and maybe a merge with Dell and Ubuntu.

I personally believe the Mac vs. PC battle has to do with value systems. As an individual, you honour certain values, and you look upon the world according to those values. In psychology it is known that we tend to seek out people that share our values and look upon the world the same way we do. If I like Apple, it’s because they share a lot of the values I think is important, such as quality, attention to details, putting the user in the centre and so on. People who worship Windows have other kind of values (which I will not go into).

I just want to say that I admire your position about Mac vs. PC. I have never owned a Mac and I have been a Windows and big Linux user. I must say that you sum it up pretty well. I used to be the type of person that hated everything about Apple computers but its gotten to the point where I’m interested in it more and more. I would very much enjoy messing and playing around with a Mac but unfortunately as a college student, I am flat broke but hopefully I can get a summer job, buy and try out a Mac Mini for myself and see how it is. I must say, I am a tired of Mac users bashing out Windows users just for the fact that they use Windows. I respect them as people who found what they like but just because other people don’t like what you like does not mean that their idiots for using Windows and the same goes for the opposite

It really strikes me as strange that people are now discovering the Mac and saying that finally Apple has a competitive product, when I believe Apple has been in the lead all along. First with a GUI (on a large scale), first in usability, first in innovation. Now Apple clearly fell behind from time to time on hardware specks due to vendors they had chosen, but the OS has always been ahead of Windows. No exceptions. This is not a new trend, though it may be a new discovery by those who were wearing blinders before and never considered their options. I was doing heavy duty design work on the Mac before Windows was even taken seriously by anyone in the graphics world. The big surprise to me is the Windows has made inroads into the graphics world at all. For some, hind sight is 20/20 but for others we have been there all along and we never envied the Microsoft world, we just laughed at it and pitied people who were playing catch-up.

if the market opened up to allow custom pc systems to run mac os x or windows with no implications then we could possible see which the market goes. i personally think that mac would proably be used for gerneral design and windows for gaming.

MAC is the best and the reason you hate it is beacuse YOU ARE POOR AND CANT AFORD GOOD QUALITY COMPUTERS!!!!!!!!!
And Also

MAC
IS
TOO
GOOD
FOOR
YOU!!!!!!!

Mac is just as proprietary as Windows in more ways than one. Both are equally good and bad. Linux of course is the free for all beauty :D

The Mac OS would never do that because it has requirements that Apple designs into the hardware like a ROM for starting up instead of a BIOS like windows machines use. The Apple hardware is a DONGLE for their OS hence there isn’t any authorization!
Apples hardware + Software= better integration period!

Buy both. Software is always free :)

how do you get a screen name for the live thing?

hey. I have many problems with my MacBook. One of them is that man Apps I download will download properly but when is time to use them they will automatically shut down ore will not work properly. Some examples are VLC, eyetv, photo shop ore toast.
Please help people.
Thanks

“I’m never gonna give it up” Kat got rick rolled :P

Will it ever end?

Darwin! Ha!

Pc = Better

I’m for both

Well i can afford good quality computer i have windows vista on my laptop with the best procesor 2 gigs of ram best graphics card runs GREAT!!!! isnt that quality… ;D vist ftw

Apple is kind lame, but OSX is great… This is why.. They always have to compare them selfs to something they consider inferior, pc/windows. So who bother comparing if is so honorable in comarison to a glorious mac? Honestly its petty and a bit childish. If the product apple creates is that great then let it speak for it self by showing consumers the power a superior product instead of bashing another to make it self seem superior by comparison.

good point.

Leopard is better, because they actually added more than just pretty looks to their OS.

ok i think vista is faster then xp dosent seem to freez is much now i didnt really like it when if first came out itt seems to work fine now i use it on my lapotp and xp on my desktop i think my vista sucks for wireless because it always freezes they gota fix that playing games and stuff i tihnk dosnt work as well as xp tho vista has its goods and its bads same with xp

i think os x vs. windows is that mac runs faster its easer to go thorough yours stuff its just to me beets windows butt it dose not have every thing for it like all the programs for windows butt mac has alot of stuf that u dont need to get like windows u always have to buy more programs but mac has it all with it butt windows has its ups and downs 2 like mac os x for gaming the windows pc is the way u wanna go butt for every day useing internet but the mac works better for a alot of windows open

if it was up to me id have both witch i do i would have both but id rather use my mac but i use my pc when i need it

please don’t make comments about **** you dont know about../fail..vista is consumers 3 times the memory (RAM) and video memory as XP..and game compatibility (if you know what you are doing) is better on a vista due to backwards compatibility feature

apple macs should **** off

The computers are good for different things

Apple is good at:
-making media

Windows is good at:
-Playing games

I personally think they are both great computers. :P

i no im not a dumb *** i ******* got vista dumbb *** im the one that boghtt all the ram and shitt stupidd *** i ******* got 4 gbs of ram dumbb *** i no xp suckss vista is justt moree stable then xp but still not better then os x srry dude fuckk off dont tell me what i already no stupid ***

Obviously people that use pcs don’t have a wide vocabulary, as seen in your statement. By the way, once you go mac, you NEVER go back, so enjoy your virus machine ram boy.

i got a mac within 6 months i got a laptop from hp and never want to use the mac

Huh?

I have heard so many people state: “Vista sucks”, but no one has provided good reasoning behind their false statements.

I´d say you´re like looking at the case from above as a neutral party and its quite clever and it totally blew me away. thanks i never thought of it this way… i like windows xp but its pc and mac now and some people like macs

WINDOWS + MAC = the best computer ever.
MICROSOFT + APPLE = the greatest **** you’ll ever know

well im using vista. the first 3 months i got many many MANY problems but THEY ALL GOT FIXED. After a year of using it i never got ANY problems at all. I check for updates everyday and use a nice antivirus and a nice antispyware. I also use tuneup utilities for better boot and better internet performance.

brilliant video

****** lol

I just bought my first Mac (MacBook) and will have it Saturday. Not switching, but I want to learn more and decide for myself which I like better.

I work in a techshop that services macs and windows pc. (we get many more macs) But realisticaly I just think apple sucks. Their hardware is very expensive and no better than third party products. I can do everything on my windows pc and so much more. My Vaio with vista bone stock with same specs as an 21″ imac just thrashes the mac in performance and the adobe suite. AND HP MAKES A HORRIBLE PRODUCT. It doesn’t matter how beastly the machine is, if it has HP stamped its S L O W

sounds like a lot of extra money that didnt need to be spent

well said

really now learn to read then

They’re probably all free. That’s the good thing about working on an open platform.

Plus, when I use safari on my Mac Pro at school, I get a shitload of popups. And sometimes the CS3 suite crashes when I’m opening big files. Doesn’t crash on my PC. It just slows down, finishes w/ever it’s doing and throttles up again.

It also plays games, which is sw33t.

Safari ******* sucks ***

Pirillo *** *** nigga , eat a **** nigga

:D I like your Mac. Nice face on it.

And Mac bashers, go download FireFox if you hate Safari. That’s what I did. FireFox works fine, exactly like IE7 to me.

And kids, a Mac on a shared server such as a school will ALWAYS run slower than ****. I’ve had to experience that. Private Macs are better than public ones.

New Macs can run Windows, so therefore, you have your love for Windows on top of the love for Mac.

There. Everyone’s happy. Right?

I like vaios but i hate how much trial software they give you