Comments on: Do you use a Mac? How about an iPod?

Readers weigh in on which computer company has had the bigger impact on the tech industry.

[Henry Frohlich]

Apple Rocks

I've used Macs since I was 10 and I owned the original 5 gig iPod
and now a shuffle too. Apple product are simply a pleasure to use
from beggining to end. Plus, Apple products are the coolest thing
to have on my college campus :)

[biffarno]

Pathetic to have others write your material

Do you often ask other people to do your work for you?

Tell us about it.

[Colin Tinker]

RE:Do you use a Mac? How about an iPod?

Both as anothe ruser says Apple Rocks.

[ross brown--2008]

Oh, do shut up

It's called research. Getting stories from your readers to create a
feature (one of many I imagine to celebrate Apple's 30th birthday).

They're hardly asking you to write a 1200 word article are they.

[claymor24]

Happy Switcher

I switched to Apple computers in 2001 when I purchased a G4
iBook. I began messing around with some of the build in software
like iMovie, and before I new it I was editing video for a living. Now
I run a production company which runs entirely on Mac computers.
After using OSX, I cannot imagine going back to the Windows
platform. And I really feel sorry for anyone who still uses it. They
don't know what they're missing...I'll be enjoying Leopard when (if)
Vista ships in 2007.

[nepali_geek]

You're right!!!

I also NEVER use Windows. Right now, I'm writing to you using Safari on My iMac G5 running Mac OSX 10.04 "Tiger".

[jbechen]

Simple answer on PC vs Macs

I am a computer consultant that works with both Mac's and PC's,
but when I am asked my "personal preference" all I tell them,
"I USE Mac's and I FIX PC's". For the record I also own two iPod
5G's.

[frankwick]

I don't really care, but to me, Apple is...

To me Apple seems to be more of a hardware company than software. Sure Apple has some nice small personal use apps like itunes, garage band, etc, but Apple's strength seems to be in the speed to market of hardware and devices. Furthermore, isn't the core of OSX and existing Unix variant which they did not write?

I have an ipod, but I don't use a Mac. My XP Media Center is way too useful and reliable to use anything else.

[The Cubelodyte]

Both!

I think there's some truth in what you say, but there's more to it
than that. Apple produces some extremely slick, integrated
consumer apps that work very well, and all play nice with each
other, like the iLife suite.

I think you could make an argument that Apple only produces
the apps to sell the hardware, but even if that is the strategy
(and I would emphatically argue it isn't), they spend a lot of time
and effort making very good software. I don't think I've run
across many apps or utilities written by hardware vendors on the
Windows side that I consider worthwhile.

The Apple philosophy as voiced by Jobs sounds to me like he's
focused the company on providing a total package that Apple
has full (or as full as possible) control over. Full control
necessarily means calling the tune for hardware and software.

[Zymurgist]

Apple Software

I always thought of Mac more as an industrial design company working in the field of consumer electronics.

Mac OS/X is actually a repackaging of the NeXT operating system, based on BSD UNIX running atop the Mach microkernel from Carnegie-Mellon. NeXT was started by Steve Jobs, so in a a sense Jobs split from Apple, started a company, designed some good hardware and an innovative operating environment to match, then brought it back to Apple when their Copland project (for a new Apple OS) was falling apart. So, sure, it's a refinement of a decades-old technology -- but that's the point: an innovative application built on a proven and solid foundation.

I say Apple's principally a design company in that all of their hardware and software (even business strategies) belie a high-level of design and careful attention to detail -- from the user interfaces right down to the API. One result is that they have a rapid development cycle (software and hardware), the second is that they produce a consistent high level of quality and aesthetically pleasing designs. They spend an awful lot of attention to making software non-intrusive, obvious to manipulate, etc. It's very refreshing.

I actually don't own any Apple products, though I bought my sister a higher-end Mac as a college graduation present. While I use Windows, Mac OS/X, Solaris, and Linux in my job, I still migrate towards Linux most of the time (though now that I have kids I might consider a Mac for a family PC). I personally find the KDE desktop on Linux (3.5) the most flexible and intuitive for a "power user" (I'm a computational biologist) -- the Mac UI in simplifying the most applicable bits for a regular user obfuscates / eliminates features a power user might look for. Windows is very awkward -- I can see how it may appeal to a secretary or something, but it seems very inconsistent and missing many features I expect out of an environment (and it performs poorly; I had several dual-boot machines and the difference was quite stark).

[KCL]

Apple Switcher

My history with Apple hasn't always been rosy. I was "Steved"
with both the Newton and the G4 Cube.

Until last month, I've been building web applications using a
3rd-tier laptop vendor (Hypersonic) on a Desktop-replacement
class machine.

The machine (an Aviator AX6) was a dog from day one. I
purchased it as my primary laptop. For the last six months, I
dealt with bluescreens, viruses (that blew past Norton) and
spyware. I got tired of it. When the MacBook Pro came out, I
decided to give Apple another shot.

The MacBook Pro has a lot of promise to bridge the gap --
extremely high-quality construction and tight OS integration
that Apple is known for AND the potential to run the few
applications that are XP-only (Visio being #1). We'll see where
that goes.

My wife laughs and says, "Now you're an Apple guy!" While I
resisted the label initially, I've come to embrace it. I will
maintain that I use the appropriate tool for the job, and it
became increasingly clear that a Mac WAS the appropriate tool
for what I do.

The Apple way continues to impress. Everything about this
machine is fantastic and simply gets out of my way. A great
example of the "Apple way" is when I bought my wife an iPod for
christmas about three years ago. When she was trying to figure
it out, she kept asking me how to do stuff. I'd never used one
but without checking the manual, I'd show her the solution
within a few moments. She asked me how I figured it out so
quickly -- so I told her to "think how YOU'D do it, and try that."

So, about 10 minutes later, I could see she was getting
frustrated again. Then she looked and held my gaze for a
moment, then back to her iPod and fiddled with it -- and lo, she
had solved the problem and gave me a big smile.

Realize that I am not some artist or creative-type. I am a 30-
year programmer who has done development on everything
from punch-cards to PDAs. I build PCs (Home-theater
machines) for fun. I chose the MacBook Pro for my work
because I got tired of having to tinker with my work machine,
just to be able to work.

[NeverFade]

no steved

you weren't, as you put it, Steved, about the Newton. Steve wasn't
at Apple when the Newton was released.

[reedsr]

weak sauce

"I am a 30- year programmer who has done development on everything from punch-cards to PDAs"


And you couldn't secure a windows box from virii and spyware? That is pretty weak.

[behni]

Mac vs iPod

I have 12 computers in my house; 10 are Macs ranging from older
G4s to a G5 and two PowerBooks. I have two iPods, both 60gb; one
is a photo model, the other a video model.

I must say Apple has provided me a lucrative career in IT; no one
else where I works understands them, and the user base is 15-20%!

[rpphoto555]

Of course

I like using Macs so I can hang out with an intelligent crowd.

[Jesus#2]

Apple.

When I was in graduate school, I was put in charge of
maintaining our computer lab. Half of the computers were Macs,
and half were PCs.
Needless to say, when it came time for me to buy my own
computer, I choose the system that would be less of a problem.

I like tinkering, but I do not want to work for my computer. I
want my computer to work for me...and that is what my
powerbook does.
I transfer files effortlessly to colleagues... and have not lost ONE
document or piece of data in 5 years. That's five years with no
malware, viruses.....or destructive crashes. And I use this
computer at least 8 hours a day during the week, and about 4 on
the weekends.

In addition, little things about the os make a big difference.. .like
being able to save anything as a pdf, take real screenshots in
multiple formats, expose, spotlight...effortless networking,
multiple network location setting... you name it. Compared to
the people I work with (all PCs)... I never have problems.... and
that's the way it should be.

[imasnapper]

I use over 350 of them......

I started out with an Apple IIe, and it has progress from there.
Now I run the Student Digital Labs for Brooks Institute of
Photography, where we have over 350 Mac's. it has been far easy
to maintain over the Last 8 years as we have grown. I love the
interface of OSX and the way I am treated as an adult. I get the
feeling when using Windows that I am being patronized.
Windows trys to hard or far to little when explaining something.
Apple gives you the information you need to get started then
explains where to go if you seek further help or assistance. My
personal Mac's, as well as my iPod, have become a part of my
life. The other day i was thinking; What would I do if I ever had
to switch to Windows, I came to the conclusion that I would
rather go back to reading the paper, and snail mail! I'm not
stating that Mac is the only way! this is America and freedom of
choice is paramount! All I am saying is, Mac is what works for
me.

[kidordinn]

Is there anything else to use?

YES I use a Mac, two in fact, an iMac and a Powerbook. After 25
years of working/fighting with PCs, DOS, Windows and all its
versions, viruses and security holes, I switched 3 years ago and I've
never felt better. I spend more time doing what I do best in
network management, writing scripts, etc. I let others now fight
with M$oft.
My iPod is a 40 GB model with now less than 8 GB left on it.
Apple rocks.

[sgacity]

Just one problem

I prefer the Mac. Especially with OS X, Mac has the better UI, the better underlying technology, it is, IMHO, just a better system. I much prefer it. (And, of course, I have to mention the idea of giving away the development environment with the OS instead of charging thousands of dollars for the priviledge of developing on their platform.)

Which brings me to that one, crucial detail: Price. In order to get a Mac that is powered even nearly as well as my last PC, I would have had to pay almost 4 times as much. Sure, I could get a toy for a price comparable to a decent PC. But, what's the point of that?

So, color me a reluctant PC user.

[vchmielewski]

Hard to believe

I find it hard to believe that a comparable Mac is 4 times more
expensive than a PC. I simply can't think of a comparison that
would fit that claim. Is there a $150 PC that compares to the Mac
Mini? Is there a $500 PC that compares to a PowerMac G5? Can
you give an example?

[the Otter]

Yes, please explain.

About 2½ years ago, the president of the company I was working
for called up to me and, for reasons I won?t go into, offered to
buy me a new computer. (He had specific requests, and my
current work PC?a 1.8GHz P4?based Dell?was woefully
inadequate.)

Now, you must understand: when this guy (an accountant, by
trade) took over the company in the early ?90s, everything there
was Mac-based. In the ensuing decade, he retired every Mac in
favor of an ?easy-on-the-books? Dell. So when he uttered those
magic words??It could even be a Mac, if you think that would be
better.??I jumped at the chance. He asked me to put together a
proposal for several machines, and I got right to work.

Two days later, I presented him with my report. It outlined all
the hardware and software that we would need to accomplish his
requests. Per his instructions, I tossed a Power Mac G4 into the
mix (the G5 had been announced, that very week), but it was
obvious that it would come down to two machines: a dual-2GHz
Power Macintosh G5 and a Dell Precision Workstation 650. The
Mac won out, for one simple reason:

Apple: $4,126 (with AppleCare)
Dell: $6,308

?and the Mac was superior to the Dell in 14 out of 16 key areas.

So seriously, let?s see some numbers. I admit that things COULD
have changed, in the last 2-3 years, but I haven?t noticed
anything.

Thanks!

[dcovey54]

Mac is a toy

I'm a PM, I can't get a copy of Project for Windows, and the Mac which I happily traded after a week seemed more focused on graphics which made it hard to navigate. If I wanted to do movies and pictures, Macs are pretty, but they don't have the breadth of software you need for a business.

[the Otter]

Project?

No offense, but so what if you can?t get a copy of Project for
Windows? Just use something else. ConceptDraw Project, for
example, works beautifully, can exchange data with MS Project,
and is cross-platform. (And no, I don?t work for them; that?s just
one of many MS Project alternatives.)

I also find it humorous that you say Mac OS ?seemed more
focused on graphics which made it hard to navigate,? since I?ve
often thought exactly that about MS Windows. Guess that one?s
just a matter of what you?re used to.

Just my 2¢.

[nectar75]

It's not a toy

Well, it's unfortunate that you've traded your Mac after a week
because there is a massive amount of business software
available for the Mac. You don't need millions of piece of
software. All you need is one good one.
I've been running my busines on the Mac platform for over 10
years with very little problems. We are manufacturers,
wholesalers and retailers. With over 20million in sales. Macs
have made our business run much smoother. When all my
competitors were hit with those nasty mega visruses, we sailed
through with no problems and picked up a lot of business.

[Marty_W]

Bullcrap

Nice troll... but you might want to get back under the bridge.
(Yes, I know I'm mixing metaphors).

If you Google "Mac OS X project management software", you'll
find many suitable applications, some of which even read and
write MS Project files. You must not be a very good project
manager if you can't use a search engine.

Just because Microsoft hasn't ported Project, doesn't mean there
aren't MANY viable alternatives out there. (BTW, ask your self
"Why hasn't MS ported Project?" ... Smells like another MS anti-
competitive tactic to keep OS X out of the enterprise space...
Where's the DOJ when you need them?).

And to the other poster that stated Macs are "4 times more
expensive"... Umm... yeah, right. If you can find me a laptop PC
for $250 - $300 or a HIGH END PC for $500, then you can make
that claim.

You can't compare a Quad Core G5 with a $500 PC. Find me a
PC with 4 CPU cores at 1/4 the price and post it here. Or even
an Windows based Intel Core Duo machine that costs less with
the same features as the iMac... I'll believe you then.

It has been shown again and again on the Net that comparibly
equipped PCs cost almost EXACTLY THE SAME as their Apple
counterparts, so stop shoveling the BS.

[ebernet]

Project Management tools

I just did a quick search on a very useful site, and found over 20
Project Management programs for the Mac, all of which import and
export MSProject files:
http://osx.hyperjeff.net/Apps/apps.php?f=project%20management
So I do not understand your comment about "Not having the bredth
of software you need for business"

[bomoore]

Macs are a toy???

"I'm a PM, I can't get a copy of Project for Windows, and the Mac
which I happily traded after a week seemed more focused on
graphics which made it hard to navigate. If I wanted to do
movies and pictures, Macs are pretty, but they don't have the
breadth of software you need for a business."

What if you're business IS pictures and movies? I'm in that very
lucrative business, and we use Macs extensively. They're not
toys. They're tools. Just because they're not the appropriate
tool for you doesn't mean that others don't need them.

[dansterpower]

That's Baloney

That logic is a bunch of Broken Windows -- Sure you can get PM
software for the Mac -- I am a PM of the second largest
educational publishing company in the USA and I do ALL my PM
with commerical applications available for the Mac.

Check your facts and learn the truth. Macs are not limited, they
are empower business productivity.

[isotope]

Mac

Recently converted from Windows to Mac and LOVE it! I have had an
iPod since they came out.

[das7282]

Mac? Not for long...

Do I use a Mac? Yes, I use two. One at work (PowerMac G4) and a Mac Mini at home. But not for long. Next week we are replacing the PowerMac here at work with a Windows PC. Why? Because I am the only graphics designer using a Mac in an all PC office and I'm getting tired of being handicapped by my Mac. We recently upgraded our file server to Windows Server 2003 w/ Exchange Server and since then I haven't been able to connect my Mac to it. Since upgrading to Tiger I've some how lost the ability to print to network printers. Video's I encode on my Mac can't be played by Windows Media player, etc... basically an all around pain in the butt. I bought my Mac Mini last year and soon realized I bought myself a $700 toy that soon lost it's "gee-wise" appeal. Now it just sits on the corner of my desk collecting dust while I do my real work on my Windows PC.

As for an iPod... No, I have no use for one. I have a stereo at home, I have a stereo in my car and I have a stereo at work. What use would I have for an iPod?

[the Otter]

There?s a solution to that:

Get rid of all the Windows-based PCs in the office. Sure, it would
require more up-front cost, but study after study shows that the
average business saves around $2,200/year in tech support and
downtime for every Windows-based PC replaced with a Mac.

On a more sympathetic note, that?s a shame that you haven?t
been able to connect to stuff. I used to work for a company that
was about 95% Mac-based, with part of the other 5% being a
couple of Windows Server 2003-based Exchange servers.
Despite being in the I.T. department and often contacted for
help, I never heard of any issues like you?re describing. Sure,
there was the occasional ?Where?s my e-mail?? or whatever, but
it could always be chalked up to simple human error and, once
fixed, certainly never reoccurred.

How much do you want for the Mac mini?

[Marty_W]

Networking problems are easily solved

"We recently upgraded our file server to Windows Server 2003 w/
Exchange Server and since then I haven't been able to connect
my Mac to it."

I'm sorry you are having connectivity issues, but a little research
would probably solve your issues

Sites like http://www.macwindows.com/ have all kinds of cross-
platform integration help and tutorials... and they're not the only
site out there to help cross platform users. Do a little research
and your problems are not hard to solve. I've worked as an IT
guy in a mixed Windows/PC environment for years and no
problem is impossible to overcome.

"I've some how lost the ability to print to network printers."

Have you even talked to your IT guys? This is so easy to solve
it's nearly a no brainer. Even if the printers don't have
Rendezvous turned on, it *very* easy to add a printer by IP
address. This is NOT a Mac OS X problem, so don't imply that it
is.

"Videos I encode on my Mac can't be played by Windows Media
player,"

You don't seem to know much about video production for a
graphic designer. It's not the OS that determines whether a video
is playable within a certain application... It's the codec used to
encode the video. Sorenson (used in most MPEG 4 videos) isn't
used by Media Player by default, just as DiVX doesn't come with
Quicktime by default... But that doesn't mean you can't get other
codec to run on a Mac or Windows platform -- you just have to
install the correct software or plug-ins.

Your example is like saying "My Access database won't open in
Fox Pro." Sometimes you have to export the video in a different
format. Anyone spending 10 mintues researching video formats
with Google would know this.

It sounds like much of your post is FUD... especially your closing
comments about the iPod. I can't take any of the post at face
value since none of these "problems" are unsolveable.

[Thomas, David]

You Should Try Again.

I have two servers, runing Win2k Ent. and Win2k3 Ent. In
addition, a dell laptop, an iBook, and a MacMini. They are all
networked, share drives, and subsequently folders. I don't use
Exchange, for many reasons, so I have nothing to say about that.

I you are having problems, and you've upgraded to Tiger, and
receive automatic updates, then you simply haven't configured it
correctly, or you need help from you network administrator.

Finally what would you use an iPod for?! Maybe an iPod is not
for you, but there are a million reasons. You don't have to have
one of them, you sound perfectly satisfied.

I wrote my first program in 1975, as a kid. Worked with,
studied, researched countless things from Micro-chips to
Operating Systems. My two cents is that OSX is light-years
ahead of Windows, and Vista (even though it's not here yet), and
the hardware has always been at the top of its class. None of
those reasons, nor the myriad of others, has never been
appealing to me enough if looked at individually. However, its
the total solution that makes it work. Just like iTMS, iTunes, and
iPod.

You should ask for help from a local Apple store, the advice is
usually free. I feel sorry for you if you haven't been able to
figure out the system. But there is adequate help out there if yo
want it.

[mister dog]

Hampered by your own lack of knowledge, or anti system admins lying to you.

Dear Dean,

In my experience OS X is the most interoperable operating
system on the market. I have never found anything that it could
not do a windows machine could do, apart from crash and make
grown men cry. Yes, they "freeze" when losing network
connectivity with a mounted volume and that is annoying but if
you wait they come back to life. Printing over IP can be achieved
in many ways on your Mac, how do the printers in your
organisation work? Don't they use IP? How can you possibly be
unable to connect to your Windows 2003 file server when you
use smb://%server name% to connect? You don't even need
AppleShare running on it? Using Entourage to attach to your
Exchange server? LDAP protocols implemented in the 2003
architecture mean you can connect. Use Directory Access to
configure authentication of you Mac to a domain controller if
you wish. the Mac Keychain should remember authentication
methods for you though if you wish to log in "locally" to your
Mac.
Windows Media Player will try and upset you, especially with
DRM which I have even had messages about on my own content!
Encode your movies with a standard format and you should be
ok. Media Player is upsetting you! Try VLC player instead.
You would have a use for an iPod if you wanted a portable music
player. They are by far the simplest and most intuitive players on
the market which is why they are so popular.

[Kmett]

Turning 30 with Apple

I have a unique case, since I'm also turning 30 this year (in June). Since I've always been in the computer scene growing up, I've used Apple since the beginning, Apple II up threw the G5 and still going.

While my work requires that I use both PC and Mac, I will always side on the reliability of my Mac.

I've had a G4 at home for 6.5 years now and I'm still able to run on the latest OS without any hardware upgrades. Meanwhile, my parents have had to purchase 2 PCs and struggled with the Windows OS.

As many others have said, pricing is one thing that makes it hard to update your Mac. So I'm glad mine is still alive and kickin'. Happy Birthday Apple... I hope the best, so the prices will drop!

[ss_Whiplash]

Macs are cool....but there's some shortcomings

I use a Windows box as my main computer because I am a web developer and Visual Studio only runs on Windows.

However, if that weren't the case, I would use my Mac fulltime. It's just a smoother experience. But again, apps make the difference.

Now when VM-Ware starts supporting the new Intel Macs.....

[theorell]

Best value for my bucks!

I bought my mac two months ago and received my nano ipod for
christmas. I have been enjoying my laptop and ipod ever since! I
know OS X is a better operating system and I have never had a
problem with it and it is much easier to use. My ipod? I don't know
how to live without it. I am new to apple products but I am a
convert and it is worth the money I've spent.