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.

[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.

[hutchike]

iTunes doesn't rent music, so no Mac for me!

I was really tempted to buy a Mac, but then I discovered the Rhapsody music rental service from Real Networks and saved myself a ton of money. Given the choice of buying 1000 tunes on iTunes for $1000, or renting 1000 tunes from Rhapsody for $10, I chose the latter option. Until iTunes does music rental, I'm sticking with my Sony VAIO and Creative Zen player.

PS I believe Napster and Yahoo offer similar services to Rhapsody.

[Marty_W]

What happens when you stop "renting"?

You lose those 1000 songs... Lame.

With iTunes you OWN the song... and keep it forever.

[rmnigro]

Switched On Mac

I used to use a Dell notebook as my work machine and also
owned a Dell workstation for my girlfriend's and my home-
based business. After winning an iPod in a sales contest, I was
intrigued with the minimalism in the packaging as well as the
intuitive interface. I installed the software on my Windows
machine and it was actually quite straightforward, but somehow,
I felt that iTunes would be better served on a Mac. I then
purchased an iMac G5 last year (before the built-in eyesight
camera) and began to appreciate a "different" way of interacting
with my computer as well as controlling what I wanted my
computer to do. After spending a fairly short amount of time, I
began to notice areas where the "Mac way" was more efficient,
even if different, than the previous way I worked with my
computer. With that experience under my belt, when the time
came for me to replace my work computer, I requested and was
granted permission to purchase a MacBook Pro. To my delight, I
now have a MacBook Pro as my work computer and I still have an
iMac G5 as my "home machine". Since my girlfriend is a
photographer, I am looking forward to replacing her Dell
machine with a hopped up/maxed out PowerMac!

[Ulath]

Good choice!

Your girlfriend photographer will also love Apple's Aperture--a
professional photo manager and image editor app.

I work remotely for my company and I get about twice as much
done as I did on my work PC using a Mac mini.

[Earl Benzar]

Yes I do

I own two Macs (a PowerBook and a G5 Tower) and a video iPod.
Now you must understand that I was once a PC only guy. But I
used a Mac while doing some consulting work, and I was hooked
after that.

While I don't care to engage in PC-Mac wars, I am glad there is
an alternative to Windows. I do use Office on the Mac, and I do
also have a PC, so I am not a zealot.

[TyTyson]

Message has been deleted.

[Tiger1964]

Love my Mac

I had always wanted a Mac. Finally for Christmas my husband
bought me an iBook G4. It took maybe all of 5 minutes to get used
to it, LOL I rarely use my Windows desktop anymore because I
haven't found much I can't do on this little gem. OSX is rock solid!

[DKrudop]

There's no topping Apple!

I use several Macs.....an iMac at home and in my office at school
(both of the 2nd generation type) and a 15" G4 Powerbook. For
certain functions (grades/attendance) I'm forced to use the
Windows machine supplied by the school system....it always
makes me feel great to get back on the Mac afterwards......OSX
is much smoother, much more elegant in both form and
function. Windows just cannot compete in the transparency of
OS, nor in the ease of use.

I also have an iPod with nearly 2,000 songs on it.....am waiting
with great interest to see what the newest incarnation brings.

Happy 30th, Apple!

[john55440]

No & No, because...

I don't like Apple's close-proprietary philosophy. I like having choices.

Over the years, I have had IBM, Dell, and HP computers running Windows. Apple mandates that you only buy their hardware.

The non-graphic business world runs on Windows. Put "know how to use a Mac" on your resume, and you will get laughed at.

Windows has a larger library of available applications than Apple.

iPod/iTunes is also a closed-proprietary system. In addition, iTunes doesn't have a subscription-type service, which is what I would prefer.

[the Otter]

Your opinions are fine?

?as long as you recognize that they are just your opinions. I?ve
worked for several businesses that run 95-100% Mac OS X?
based machines with nary a Windows PC in sight. These
businesses are invariably at the top of their game because they
don?t have to spend millions of dollars on Microsoft products
when they can spend thousands on Apples.

Furthermore, you seem to be completely ignoring four things,
here:

1) I got my first job out of college?a programming job?in part,
because I was a Mac user. The company was completely Dell-
based, but the president?himself, completely sold on Dell?
recognized what I could bring to his business, given my
familiarity with Apple products. I didn?t get laughed at; I got
salary plus benefits.

2) Yes, Microsoft Windows has a larger library of applications
that Apple?s Mac OS X, but 99% of them are horrible. Let?s say
that, for example, there are 10 word processors available for
Mac OS and 100 for Ms Windows. That sounds pretty bad for
Apple, until you look at the flip side: out of the 10 Mac-
compatible apps, there?s probably 8 really good ones; out of the
100 Windows-compatible apps, there?s probably 3-5 good ones.
Not only does Mac OS X have a better selection of DECENT
software than Ms Windows, but it?s SO much easier to find it,
without all the crap out there, to distract you.

3) Closely related to #2 are the following observations:
? How many word processors do you need, anyway? While there
are certainly applications that don?t run on Mac OS, I think you?d
be hard pressed to find a TYPE of application that doesn?t.
? And if, by some strange chance, you DID manage to find one,
it?s significantly easier and A LOT less expensive to ?roll your
own.?
? Finally, if the program you need REALLY isn?t available, and
you don?t have the skills to ?roll your own,? just install Ms
Windows on your Mac! The benchmarks came out, last week, and
the MacBook Pro is faster, running Ms Windows, than any other
Core Duo laptop on the market. It?s not that the Mac itself can?t
run those programs; it?s just that Mac OS doesn?t run them
natively.

4) Yes, iPod/iTunes is a closed, proprietary system?just like
Windows Media Player. If you want to get music for your iPod,
you?re forced to choose between Apple, eMusic, any one of a
number of free download sites, or any CD retailer on the planet.
Most other digital audio devices require you to choose between
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and Microsoft Windows XP
Professional Edition. Which is the more closed system?

Finally, just a brief response to your preferring a ?subscription-
type service?: there?s nothing wrong with that. You prefer to pay
a monthly fee for the ability to listen to any one of millions of
songs; I prefer to save my money and limit myself to the 11,000
+ (and counting) songs in my iTunes library and a few hundred
internet radio stations (and podcasts, but you can get those,
too). We?ve chosen different paths, and that?s what makes the
world go ?round.

I like Apple for exactly the reason you like whatever you like: I
like having choices, and I choose a (IMHO) vastly superior
operating system on a computer that runs much more software
than yours could ever dream of. I choose a music store that lets
me keep what I buy instead of taking it back, if I don?t keep
bribing it. In short, I like Apple, and as long as they keep up the
good work, I see no reason that should ever change.

Just my 2¢.

[Marty_W]

Windows == closed proprietary too

If you think that MS hasn't locked you into their proprietary
system, you are deluding yourself. Multiple hardware options !=
open system.

iPod and iTunes is not as closed as you imply. You can purchase
the non-DRM'd music and play it with iTunes. iTunes supports
multiple media formats, including mp3, m4a, mp4, m4v, mov
and even Ogg Vorbis with a plug-in... Basically, anything
Quicktime can play, so can iTunes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itunes#File_format_support

You can also use iTunes without ever buying a single song from
the music store -- you can just rip your existing CDs. There is
even 3rd party software that can put songs on your iPod without
going through iTunes (though I haven't tried it).

If you prefer a subscription model, you can use Rhapsody on the
Macintosh. There are other music services that support the Mac
as well, but no, an iPod won't play WMA files with digital rights
management. WMA is not exactly "open" either.

With iTunes music purchases, you can use purchased songs on
multiple computers. I don't actually know if any of the
subscription services allow that, but somehow I doubt it. As
soon as your subscription runs out, you lose all of your
"purchased music" as well.

> Put "know how to use a Mac" on your resume, and you will get
laughed at. <

Don't be purposefully ignorant. If you put "Know how to use
Windows" on your resume, you will also get laughed at.
Employers look at specific skills like programming languages or
application proficiency. Your statement is a complete troll.

However, if you put "OS X Server Administration, Bash shell
scripting, Macintosh application programming, Objective C and/
or Cocoa" on your resume, you will recieve a LOT of interest.

Mac OS X also includes Apache, PHP and MySQL in the standard
install... Seems like there is a LOT of demand for LAMP
developers these days.

[Thomas, David]

Its Not Closed, Its Not Prone to Hacking

For three decades this argument has raged on. But the proof is
in the pudding. Apples operating system, like ALL operating
systems is proprietary. Apples un-like some operating systems
does NOT let you freely "get under the hood". This is called
good design. If they had stopped there, then I would be in
complete agreement with you, but they did not.

Apples operating system, from the moment it was released,
allowed you to use the functions of the operating system
through a little thing called the ToolBox. The philosophy is you
lock the operating system up, tight. Then you provide interfaces
into that operating, create another level of common tasks. Since
then, they've added many layers.

Apples operating system has, and always been, anything BUT
closed.

What happens when you leave holes in your OS. Just take a look
at the tech news, and see all the nasty things happening to
Windows. Apple was not the only company to take this
approach. IBM started doing it with their mid-range systems,
beginning with the System/38 (which was the pre-cursor to the
AS/400, then the e-Series, ...). This is the way a secure
Operating System should be built. As a result, many tasks can
be simplified, common data transfers are inherently possible,
common protocols, etc. As you can see, this all means that
the OS is NOT closed.

I feel like closing with a remark, but it would be in-appropriate.
It's just that you need to actually learn your information, not
repeat hearsay and gossip, which is rooted in propaganda.

[atomicjo]

Hey bro, keep telling yourself that...

Luckily I haven't had to work on windows in 10 years! It's silly to
say you'll get laughed at by putting "know how to operate a mac"
on your resume. I've aquired my last two jobs because I did
know how to work on a mac. Besides there is not a single piece
of software out there that can't run on an Apple. When you own
an Apple you are ahead of the game. Not to mention the unix
base under os x. With unix/linux everything is free! Check out
neooffice, it does everything winblows office does but it is free!
Don't complain about proprietary hardware. This ensures the
user is receiving the highest quality hardware available. Who
knows where the parts in your pee cee came from. So keep
telling yourself how monopolistic Apple is while your working on
the king of monopolies, winblows...

[Earl Benser]

Not everybody is happy with Mac...

...,But most people don't expect anyone to believe that it's
Apple's fault. Choices are personal, usually based on rational
thought. But that's not always true. Sometimes, it's just
unsupported opinion....

1. "I don't like Apple's close-proprietary philosophy. I like having
choices. Over the years, I have had IBM, Dell, and HP computers
running Windows. Apple mandates that you only buy their
hardware."
>> true as far as the basic computer is concerned. After that, all
choices are open. And because of the 'close-proprietary
philosophy', Mac's are not a random collection of design
kludges. That's a definite benefit.

2. " The non-graphic business world runs on Windows. "
>> Probably true. in the early DOS days, every semi-intelligent
or better nerd was a programmer, and over the long run, some
got pretty good at it. Businesses bought PC's because they were
cheap. They bought PC programs because they were cheap and
simple minded. Together, the combination got PC's into the
business programming area. Now, most businesses couldn't get
out no matter how much they want to - they are welded into
using Windows programs and can't take a chance on messing up
their financial operations with an OS switch.

3. "Put "know how to use a Mac" on your resume, and you will
get laughed at"
>> Not by anyone who has a clue about computers.

4. "Windows has a larger library of available applications than
Apple."
>> As long as you focus on quantity rather than quality, this is
definitely correct. But, toss out the abundant garbage
programming on the PC, and there is no advantage to the PC,
only a difference in customer focus.

5."iPod/iTunes is also a closed-proprietary system."
>> Like the other's don't??????

6."In addition, iTunes doesn't have a subscription-type service,
which is what I would prefer"
>> And that's you choice. There are numerous subscription
services out there waiting for your business. And there are
numerous devices which with play your subscription service.
iTunes certainly will not miss you.

Still, your opinion is yours to have. Good luck in your PC world.

[Gromit801]

Trot them out....

There must be a book that comes with PeeCee's for owners to
read, called Mac Urban Legends, and how to propagate them.

Looking at my computers, and lets take out all graphic apps, and
that leaves me with Home & Business Attorney, Quicken, Apple
Works, and a dozen other apps that have nothing to do with
graphics, and everything to do with business.

Essentially, you have Windowze users that really know very little
REAL information about Macs, and just parrot what they heard
other unknowing PeeCee users spew.

Use a PeeCee, and you have no choices. I doesn't matter a whit
what brand you use, if you have to use Windowze, you lose.

[J.G.]

That's not diversity

You bought similar boxes made by different manufacturers.
Then, you put the same OS on them. That is not diversity.

Furthermore, that OS does not work well and is currently being
rehabbed. (But, it needs to be reborn.) Meanwhile, the
INTEGRATED software and hardware system you denigrate works
very well.

You are confused, Johny.

[Marty_W]

News.com loves the flame war

This article is just itching to fan the flames in the Mac vs PC
debate. I have to hand it to News.com -- they sure know how to
generate page views.

I guess I'm one of the suckers since I'm about to add yet another
post. My personal list of Apples / Macs (one was even a clone):

Apple //c
Macintosh II
Power Mac 7100/66
Power Mac 7200 *
Power Computing PowerBase 180 (upgraded to G3 200Mhz)
Power Mac G3 (266 -> 400 upgrade) *
iMac (500 Mhz snow) *
Power Mac G4 MDD (2 x 1 Ghz)
Powebook G4 15"
20 gig iPod (4th gen)

* bought cheaply as a used machine, not brand new

My MDD is still my primary home machine and the laptop is
provided by my work....

[J_Satch]

Yes they do!

From a "Windowze" and "PeeCee" user, thanks for your post, especially the flaming part that you omitted! It's refreshing to see someone do something rational in such a forum from time to time.

[jasonblue]

Yes, I use them both.

I have been using PC's since Windows 4.0. I remember when 6.0
was the big upgrade. In late '99 I bought a new GateWay with
windows 98 loaded. At the time I thought it was great. As time
went on, I realized that I spent an equal amount of time trouble
shooting as I did using the machine. My frustration mounted and
I thought, 'there has got to be a computer that just works.' I
talked to my father-in law about getting an apple computer. He
is an engineer and who has owned, maintained and built his
various PC's since 1979. He said they were over rated, over
priced and incompatible with the rest of the world. But I
thought, 'Man they look cool.' So in Nov. 2004 I went out on a
limb and got an iBook G4. I have never regretted it or looked
back. It was like moving into a new century of technology. My
wife and I each have an iPod and now have had an iMac G5 for
about a year. My 8 year old son has an account on this machine
and he is incapable of crashing it. I have never had a problem
with it. I have recorded and posted my own MP3's with
GarageBand, and listen to my own music on my iPod. I have my
iTunes library streaming to my home stereo system with
AirTunes and my 100 disc CD changer is now gathering dust.
(anybody want to buy it?) I have a .Mac web site. I have sent my
friends and family photo albums made on iPhoto. I have made
family movies with iMovie, burned them into DVD's with cool
scene selections and sent them out to the grandparent. All of
these capabilities out of the box. I just hope these innovations
don't stop coming from apple. They have set the bar pretty high.
I am ready for my video/movie/TV show library to be on demand
through my computer and play on my TV. When Steve, When?

[ftfekete]

making the switch on the cheap

I have had my first ipod (20g 3g) for over a year and recently bought a 60g video. They worked ok with the PC but I knew they would truly sing connected to a Mac. I was also tired of my at least weekly routine of downloading updates for my various adware, spyware and anti-virus programmes (and still some nasties got through). So I started scouring ebay for a used model, I simply didn't need or could afford a new G5 for my needs. I wound up getting a G4 Digital Audio( still looks and runslike new), with two 120gig hard drives (lots of storage for the tunes), 1 gig of ram and Tiger installed. All for $400. So you don't have to sell the house to get into this game. Sure there is a learning curve coming from the PC world and the wonders of XP, but that is where the fun is and you do truly get a sense of discovery finding out what your Mac can do for you.
I'm looking forward to the journey and all are welcomed do to so to.

[gary85739]

excellent idea!

Your foray into Macs will make it easier and LESS expensive for those that don't necessarily need the newest gadget out there!

As for Ipods, audio or video, they seem limited, but serve a function, but I wonder who really needs anything that will hold thousands of songs or even videos? I'm sure these handy gadgets could just as easily hold "Books On Tape" type formats etc, but they are most likely used for music & snapshot storage. I take it they are small hard-drives?

[J_Satch]

re: making the switch...

"I'm looking forward to the journey and all are welcomed do to so to."

Judging from many of the post here, I'm not so sure most Mac users would agree that all are welcome...

[fasteddiesa]

Never going back!!!!

I use both a Mac (PB 15" G4) and an iPod (third one, a 60GB Video)
but I came about it backwards. I fell in love with the Mac 2 yrs ago
and THEN got an iPod, not the other way around. I was wanting an
upgrade from the usual laptops and could find nothing to interest
me until a friend suggested I look at Apple. It suits me to a T with
better graphics, interface, looks; it's fast, sexy, great with video,
music, lectures (now that Keynote is up to speed). In a word, cool.
Never going back. Ever.

[HawaiiMagnum]

Yeah, a bit...

Here's my total to date:
AppleIIsi (first purchase but worked on a Macsi a year before)
Quadra 660 AV
Quadra 840 AV
PowerComputing PowerPC Clone
PowerBook 165C
iMac G3 Bluberry
iBook G3 Tangerine
iMac G4 (current)
iBook 15" G4 (current)
iPod third generation (current)
Dell PC running Windows XP at work (ugh)

Conclusion: trying to dump the Dell.

It's been a great ride Apple, thanks!

[J.G.]

I miss my 165c

It was my first laptop. I once got thrown out of a Kinko's
because the manager thought I was damaging the phone line by
connecting it to a modem. (Yes, people were that ignorant back
then.) I also remember charging the battery for my 165c
wherever I could. Spent a lot of time looking at baseboards in
buildings. An outlet.
An outlet. Anything for an outlet. Best of all, I wrote my first
published book on it.

I resold my 165c. But, now, I wish I had kept it for the
memories.

[Ayounguns]

I use both

Use both a new iMac & a windoz pc's. Have owned Macs & used
pc's for years. Have repaired both at the school where I teach.
Was on my school district Y2K team & refurbed over 400 pc's &
200 Macs.

I will NEVER buy a pc. The pc's I now use FREQUENTLY have
major stalls, jams, hangups, "encounter problems" and need
restarts, sometimes in the middle of important projects (yes,
latest service packs have been installed, hard drive defragged
monthly, latest virus defs installed, hard drive scanned weekly,
etc.)

The Macs that I use never, EVER, have probs, never need
restarting, never EVER get any kind of mal-ware.

[reedsr]

stalls, jams, and hangups?

excellent use of technical terms, this may explain why you have so many problems. You must have no clue.

[sergiobevi]

My iMac - best item purchase in my life

Without a doubt, my iMac has changed my whole computing
experience, from frustration to total and utter amazement. There
hasn't ben ONE person who hasn't been amazed by what I have
been able to do with my Mac. I invite people to give it a try, you
will NOT regret it.

[aleph13]

I use both...

And I love 'em both!

[alvinr2k]

Yes & Yes & Yes & Yes -- conversion complete!!!

The Dell and the Gateway have gone to a couple charities. Our at-
home network now consists of two PowerMac G-4's and one
Powerbook. We have one 30 GB Photo iPod. When Apple moved to
OS X, I gleefully set about the housecleaning. Back in the day, I had
three Apple II's at home (not networked, of course). It is so great
to finally be free of the shadow of Redmond (aka re-boots and
driver installs).

[bobj123]

Apple's Almost GOOD Enough to EAT!

I have first encountered Apple Computers through my school system as a youngin' -- So have had some experiance using it although I have never owned anything other than my iPod 4G 20GB

[skidoodle]

Mac Ipod

My first computer at work was pc. At the same time i bought a
proforma 9500.
Love the apple much better.
That apple lasted me over 5 years and still works today.
I have since bought a G3 Ibook that i have used for 5 years
My newest additions my Imac Duo and my nano.
I still use pc at work but have placed my apple sticker on it with a
saying, WISH IT WAS A MAC!!!

Several of both

Currently own 7 Macintosh computers and two ipods and counting.

So is ther a point to this survey?

Mac Addict Since 1985

Have owned, a plus, IIVX, 6500, Powerbook 145, G4 sawtooth, 15"
Powerbook G4. I thought each machine was the ultimate. Am a
designer for remodeling firm. Use one of the best 3D design
programs in earth - Archicadd. We are a Mac only firm - Archicadd
was design for the Mac first then ported to pc world. Think I have
the best job in the world. Have owned one pc - gave it away.