[JerryLove]

You can add to PC: crashes, can be slow at times, software is outdated.

You certainly could, if you don't mind being misleading with the false implication that a PC doesn't share these attributes with a Mac.

Windows - susceptable to malware (viruses/spyware/etc). Can become slow, unstable with time. Has mainstream (but non-free) software written for it. Only 'good' computer gaming platform at the moment.

I don't think windows is any more susceptable. In fact, I would assert that it's generally less so. In the same breath, I will aknowledge that there are at least an order-of-magnitude more pieces of PC malware than any of its competitors.

Mac - cool hardware. OS is stable, reliable, and user-friendly (and looks great). Some commercial games being ported to it.

I've personally found the stability similar to XP at best. Early versions of OSX not nearly so.

Linux - free (not sold and open source). Tons of free software to go with it -- some compatability issues, but can be easilly worked around with some knowledge.

Not accurate. Many distros of LINUX are, indeed, sold (Redhat for example costs more than WindowsXP). You can find free distros as well, though most LIUNX brands have gone to lengths to ensure that it's an inferior experience to their for-pay products.

[gtrdave]

Why Mac?

I'll share a summary of my personal experience with both Mac and Windows machines over the past 17 years of use both at home and in a professional environment.

At home: except for the random DOS/Windows machine and C/PM machine that I've toyed with in the past, I've owned Apple's exclusively for over a decade and a half. From my oldest Mac 512ke through several Performas to my current stable of G3 and G4 machines and from Mac OS 3 (I believe that was my oldest system) to today's OSX 10.4.x, I'm more than a little familiar with Apple hardware and the various versions of the OS that have run on said hardware (including clones).

Why Mac?

Simply because they do what I need them to do and do so with little complaining. My main computers (IIci, PPC6100, G4 Yikes!, and G4 dual processor Quicksilver) have all been used as multi-purpose machines; doubling as typical home use app computers and also as home recording systems, running some form of ProTools/GarageBand/Deck/Vision/Performer/Cubase/etc audio and midi apps.
With the exception of a power supply in the 6100 (notorious weakness in that pizzabox case) I've had 0 component failures in 17 years. It should be noted that the 6100 I had was also overclocked and then a pds G3 cpu was installed along with a NuBus video card, larger hard drive, cd-rw and gobs of RAM. That pc served me very well for over 5 years and was a opposing statement against those who rattle off the naive "Mac's can't be modified".

In the professional audio world, my experience with consumer Apples, consumer Windows machines and custom-built-for-audio Window machines (both AMD and Intel powered) proved to me that of those three choices, Apples are close to rock solid. In a world where time-is-money and lost time equals the job going elsewhere, reliability and speed is of the highest priority and I can not begin to tell the number of times I was left scrambling to finish or correct an assignment on a Mac because one of the Windows machines took a dive for what could be described as no reason at all.

Not to say that Macs are flawless. Hardly. They're computers just as any other computer is and prone to any number of random issues, those explainable and those not but on the average and I'd say by a great margin I've found that Apple Mac computers are much more stable than the other popular alternative. Combined with the added stability and safety of OSX and there's no choice for what I'll continue to buy.
Even with the availability of extra-cheap XP machines ($299 Dell desktops and such), my overly poor experience with them (my Dell Latitude laptop that I'm typing on here at work locks and dies for no good reason) is enough to convince me and I'm very happy to pay more for quality and reliability.
I get more consistent productivity and typically get a machine that will not be outdated in a year and a half or so in a Mac.

I'm sure other folks have had peachy experiences with Windows computers over the years but that has not been the case with me.

[smhatahy]

I've only had XP crash on me like 3-4 times this year? Not bad considering my computer is on 24/7.


And i find the lack of a right click on macs really annoying.

[tht00]

Originally Posted by JerryLove

I don't think windows is any more susceptable. In fact, I would assert that it's generally less so. In the same breath, I will aknowledge that there are at least an order-of-magnitude more pieces of PC malware than any of its competitors.

It's susceptable, mainly, because it exists in innumberable quantity. It's hard to 'be susceptable' to something that doesn't exist yet.

Originally Posted by JerryLove

Not accurate. Many distros of LINUX are, indeed, sold (Redhat for example costs more than WindowsXP). You can find free distros as well, though most LIUNX brands have gone to lengths to ensure that it's an inferior experience to their for-pay products.

You can sell anything (see Linspire's Oooff! ). That's not my point. You can certainly pay for certain distros of Linux if you like, but that doesn't discount that there are still tons of other distros that are absolutely free (and still the best, IMHO).

Also, as I'm sure you already know, Redhat is not for the average consumer anymore. Fedora split off of it years ago, being the 'free desktop version' and Redhat as the 'Corporate Edition'.

[Ryan Freeland]

Originally Posted by JerryLove

You certainly could, if you don't mind being misleading with the false implication that a PC doesn't share these attributes with a Mac.

I don't think windows is any more susceptable. In fact, I would assert that it's generally less so. In the same breath, I will aknowledge that there are at least an order-of-magnitude more pieces of PC malware than any of its competitors.

I've personally found the stability similar to XP at best. Early versions of OSX not nearly so.

Not accurate. Many distros of LINUX are, indeed, sold (Redhat for example costs more than WindowsXP). You can find free distros as well, though most LIUNX brands have gone to lengths to ensure that it's an inferior experience to their for-pay products.

Man, after buying SUSE, Ubuntu, and Slackware, I have no money left.

[tht00]

Originally Posted by nbfan

Another side note: If you plan on running MSN Messenger on OS X, skip it. That's all I'll say.

Why would you want/need to? I believe iChat handles MSN.

[Reuben]

Originally Posted by Akshay

And i find the lack of a right click on macs really annoying.

Mighty Mouse to the rescue!

[Reuben]

Originally Posted by nbfan

Another side note: If you plan on running MSN Messenger on OS X, skip it. That's all I'll say.

MSN Messenger runs fine on OS X. Is it different than the Windows version? Yes. Still runs fine though.

And like tht00 said, iChat can handle your MSN account as well.

[ApparentlyNothing]

I don't think iChat handles MSN. I know that Adium does, and it's better than iChat anyways (except no video or audio chat).

As for right clicking, plug in any USB mouse and it works fine. And I believe that Apple has completely transitioned to the Mighty Mouse being standard with their desktops. If you get a laptop, then they still have a single button, but CTRL + click = right click, and I believe Apple just updated the firmware on their laptops to allow for two fingers on the track pad + click = right click.

[gtrdave]

Originally Posted by Akshay

I've only had XP crash on me like 3-4 times this year? Not bad considering my computer is on 24/7.


And i find the lack of a right click on macs really annoying.

I find mice annoying which is why I've used a trackball with app-specific programable buttons for over a decade.

[nbfan]

Originally Posted by Reuben

MSN Messenger runs fine on OS X. Is it different than the Windows version? Yes. Still runs fine though.

And like tht00 said, iChat can handle your MSN account as well.

It crashes, freezes, automatically signs me out, and a whole buch of other crap.

[Shredcheddar]

If Adium handles MSN Messenger then I would go for that.

[Art]

As a small effort of dubunking the whole "Macs never crash. PC's crash constantly" myth, there is my personal experience with Windows XP.

Two desktop systems, custum built by me. Combined 8 years, 0 combined crashes.

One Dell laptop. 3 1/2 years. 0 crashes.

One Toshiba laptop. 1/2 year, 0 crashes.

Plus, the system I built for my brother's family, which is now at 1 1/2 years without a crash.

[Shredcheddar]

For my part: I acknowledge that I paid a premium for my MacBook, but I like the hardware and I like OS X. That is why I own a Mac. Other factors in my decision, though: access to cheap copies of Microsoft Office for Mac and Windows XP (through college bookstore).

[Reuben]

Originally Posted by nbfan

It crashes, freezes, automatically signs me out, and a whole buch of other crap.

What kind of Mac/ version of OS are you using?