i can understand the gaming part... If there is only one real reason I want a PC is to play the likes of Half-Life and Day of Defeat. Otherwise all the Q3 mods work , JK2, MOHAA, etc etc
It all boils down to Half Life...
Other than that, have fun with crashes, virusses, and all the other fun things associated with Winblows
<strong>As far as documents are concerned, the import in AppleWorks is pretty good, and OS X can print every single document as a PDF which can be ready by anyone with a copy of Acrobat Reader. Which is everybody.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I've had luck sending documents as RTF as well. Word opens them up without an issue. AW's import and export to Word seem to work as well. I've never heard a complaint, although I have occasionally had to clean up an imported document.
But then, I've had to do that with Word for Windows, too.
I've never understood that "...but PC users have more software choices..." argument, really.
Yes, they do. If you go to Office Depot and count every silly landscaping, poker-playing, virtual hair/makeup makeover software available, yeah I guess they do. Or all the low-rent word processors, music players, video viewers, etc. strewn about the Internet and discount computer stores.
Quality vs. quantity, I guess.
Does anyone actually buy all that crap in significant numbers?
I guess so...but not anyone I know.
If you use a Mac, you've got access to all the major stuff that your PC-using buddies have. In many cases, it's simply better designed and easier-to-use. In many other cases, it's totally equal and just as enjoyable.
I could see where hardcore gamers MIGHT be the one segment that feels "left out" or disappointed when on the Mac platform.
But since I don't play games, I don't really care what they face or deal with.
But a PlayStation or something, I guess.
But the basic stuff we all use computers for? Internet, writing, music, e-mail, document creation, illustration/design/photo-editing, digital music/video/photography, virus protection, address book, fax, business apps, research/search engines, calendars, online chatting, etc. are ALL do-able (and quite snazzy) on a Mac.
All that with OS X and a zippy, nice-looking Mac of some sort trumps any "gaming" issues I may have.
If I was a true, hardcore gamer type, maybe I'd think differently. Or simply STILL use a Mac buy buy a PlayStation or X Box or whatever the hell it is people use for games.
He will come back to Macintosh, I can't stand to use a Windows computer. I was using my HP this morning and found myself banging my hands on the keyboard because it was crashing. urgh...
<strong>Oh, and the uni I'm going to is Oxford - I don't know if they use Novell. How would me getting the Mac version help?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Trust me, Macs work fine at Oxford. As far as I can remember, most of the network is TCP/IP based. There's a Mac section on the Oxford Computer Services website with instructions on how to put a Mac on the network, and they'll sell you cheap Macs too. Apparently there's a large student filesharing community which I thnk uses Windows file sharing (handled by MacOS 10.2) but that's discouraged by the staff.
PS. Let me just add how jealous I am that you got into Oxford. I got rejected this year... I'm trying again next year. For Experimental Psychology. What is it you're studying?
PPS. I've heard from a Computer Science guy when I was at the interview that OSX (the UNIX aspects) is great if you're taking that course.
MSN 8 is a PIECE OF SHIT. I've used it. My Windows friends have used it. No *Windows* user in their right mind would use it. Have fun at the dorms with the AOL user status. Loser.
Low-fi, could you post a link for the Prosoft thing? thanks.</strong><hr></blockquote>
<a href="http://www.prosoftengineering.com/products/netware_client_x.php"; target="_blank">Sure.</a>. It seems to look pretty good, but how it works in a real environment I don't know. I just wish they fsuking put it on the iMac here at the University of Edinburgh! They are still on 9, which is just silly...
<a href="http://www.microsoft.com/mac/msn/"; target="_blank">And if you really want to subject yourself to hell, then you won't have long to wait</a>. (watch the trailer on that site - is it just me that wants to smash that bloody butterfly into submission?)
So I ask again - if you couldn't have a 17" iMac, what would you buy from the PC market that you felt came closest in terms of superb style?</strong><hr></blockquote>
May I suggest something in a nice beige perhaps...
dont let the door hit you on the way out! i couldn't care less someone is dumb enough to drop his mac for a PC, let alone to do it just for games. Mac makes things easier and in many cases enjoyable to do.
You don't even need to restart on a Mac. Try changing network settings in Windows, and it will require a restart. I'm not if this is the with XP though: can anyone correct me?
low-fi</strong><hr></blockquote>
XP is WAY better. Less restarts. But finding the network settings is nearly impossible! Actually finding anything is impossible! :0)
I suspect you want to leave Apple because you want to. Psychology is replete with examples of emotional choice determining logical action.
I can see your dilemma tho'. I've got a load sitting at my feet at the moment and the Macs I'm afraid are in my clients offices. I've never actually bought one. Part bias, part habit, but in this part of Europe mostly due to the GARGANTUAN excise duties slapped upon an already too expensive computer. Voila.
Okay. Let me approach this from another perspective:
Enough people here have proven that compatibility won't be an issue with a Mac. Everyone ALSO agrees that PCs are gaming machines. So overall, the advantage to having a PC comes down to gaming.
And now to my point:
You are going to SCHOOL at OXFORD. School. Your education should be your number one focus. Call me a stodgety ol' has-been, but I just graduated less than a year ago.
Oxford is a prestigous school. You will have to work HARD while you're there. Use a computer that will help you complete your education in the most efficient manner possible.
You WILL have far less problems with a Mac. Period.
crikey! I know Mac people are known to be passionate, but some of you are down right rude. And before someone flames me, take three deep breaths and dig up an old Netiquitte FAQ.
Mac users are fanatical about convincing PC users to switch - it worked on me - and yet when someone poses the question of "Can you convince me to stay" many of you took the attitude of "drop him like a sack of S**T!".
Sure, the original poster DIDNT do ANY research. Most of us, including myself, jump straight to forums and post our questions.
I think many of us will take this as a lesson to search the net/forums first, as who wants to wade through 2 pages (and growing) of diatribe to find the valid responses.
I don't know a single person who, having switched to Windows, never repented it. I have seen only a guy or two who, having switched to Mac, ever repented it.
Comments
It all boils down to Half Life...
Other than that, have fun with crashes, virusses, and all the other fun things associated with Winblows
<strong>mpw_amherst: Where are you going to study?
If the network is novell based (which could be a possibility) then Prosoft have released the novell client for Mac OS X.
low-fi</strong><hr></blockquote>
Low-fi, could you post a link for the Prosoft thing? thanks.
<strong>As far as documents are concerned, the import in AppleWorks is pretty good, and OS X can print every single document as a PDF which can be ready by anyone with a copy of Acrobat Reader. Which is everybody.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I've had luck sending documents as RTF as well. Word opens them up without an issue. AW's import and export to Word seem to work as well. I've never heard a complaint, although I have occasionally had to clean up an imported document.
But then, I've had to do that with Word for Windows, too.
Yes, they do. If you go to Office Depot and count every silly landscaping, poker-playing, virtual hair/makeup makeover software available, yeah I guess they do. Or all the low-rent word processors, music players, video viewers, etc. strewn about the Internet and discount computer stores.
Quality vs. quantity, I guess.
Does anyone actually buy all that crap in significant numbers?
I guess so...but not anyone I know.
If you use a Mac, you've got access to all the major stuff that your PC-using buddies have. In many cases, it's simply better designed and easier-to-use. In many other cases, it's totally equal and just as enjoyable.
I could see where hardcore gamers MIGHT be the one segment that feels "left out" or disappointed when on the Mac platform.
But since I don't play games, I don't really care what they face or deal with.
But a PlayStation or something, I guess.
But the basic stuff we all use computers for? Internet, writing, music, e-mail, document creation, illustration/design/photo-editing, digital music/video/photography, virus protection, address book, fax, business apps, research/search engines, calendars, online chatting, etc. are ALL do-able (and quite snazzy) on a Mac.
All that with OS X and a zippy, nice-looking Mac of some sort trumps any "gaming" issues I may have.
If I was a true, hardcore gamer type, maybe I'd think differently. Or simply STILL use a Mac buy buy a PlayStation or X Box or whatever the hell it is people use for games.
<strong>Oh, and the uni I'm going to is Oxford - I don't know if they use Novell. How would me getting the Mac version help?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Trust me, Macs work fine at Oxford. As far as I can remember, most of the network is TCP/IP based. There's a Mac section on the Oxford Computer Services website with instructions on how to put a Mac on the network, and they'll sell you cheap Macs too. Apparently there's a large student filesharing community which I thnk uses Windows file sharing (handled by MacOS 10.2) but that's discouraged by the staff.
Check <a href="http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/"; target="_blank">http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/</a>; for more details. There's plenty on there such as <a href="http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/network/vpn/oucs-service/macosx/"; target="_blank">Configuring Mac OS X to access the university VPN network</a>.
Amorya
PS. Let me just add how jealous I am that you got into Oxford. I got rejected this year... I'm trying again next year. For Experimental Psychology. What is it you're studying?
PPS. I've heard from a Computer Science guy when I was at the interview that OSX (the UNIX aspects) is great if you're taking that course.
[ 03-04-2003: Message edited by: Amorya ]</p>
<strong>
Low-fi, could you post a link for the Prosoft thing? thanks.</strong><hr></blockquote>
<a href="http://www.prosoftengineering.com/products/netware_client_x.php"; target="_blank">Sure.</a>. It seems to look pretty good, but how it works in a real environment I don't know. I just wish they fsuking put it on the iMac here at the University of Edinburgh! They are still on 9, which is just silly...
<a href="http://www.microsoft.com/mac/msn/"; target="_blank">And if you really want to subject yourself to hell, then you won't have long to wait</a>. (watch the trailer on that site - is it just me that wants to smash that bloody butterfly into submission?)
low-fi
[ 03-04-2003: Message edited by: low-fi ]</p>
<strong>
So I ask again - if you couldn't have a 17" iMac, what would you buy from the PC market that you felt came closest in terms of superb style?</strong><hr></blockquote>
May I suggest something in a nice beige perhaps...
"Let me get a spoon so you can eat my ass"
<strong>
You don't even need to restart on a Mac. Try changing network settings in Windows, and it will require a restart. I'm not if this is the with XP though: can anyone correct me?
low-fi</strong><hr></blockquote>
XP is WAY better. Less restarts. But finding the network settings is nearly impossible! Actually finding anything is impossible! :0)
I can see your dilemma tho'. I've got a load sitting at my feet at the moment and the Macs I'm afraid are in my clients offices. I've never actually bought one. Part bias, part habit, but in this part of Europe mostly due to the GARGANTUAN excise duties slapped upon an already too expensive computer. Voila.
Enough people here have proven that compatibility won't be an issue with a Mac. Everyone ALSO agrees that PCs are gaming machines. So overall, the advantage to having a PC comes down to gaming.
And now to my point:
You are going to SCHOOL at OXFORD. School. Your education should be your number one focus. Call me a stodgety ol' has-been, but I just graduated less than a year ago.
Oxford is a prestigous school. You will have to work HARD while you're there. Use a computer that will help you complete your education in the most efficient manner possible.
You WILL have far less problems with a Mac. Period.
[QB]Use a computer that will help you complete your education in the most efficient manner possible.QB]<hr></blockquote>
I fear that may be wishful thinking. Net managers aside, do you really believe that; I mean, as a user?
[ 03-05-2003: Message edited by: Me and my son ]</p>
<strong>
I fear that may be wishful thinking. Net managers aside, do you really believe that; I mean, as a user?</strong><hr></blockquote>
I'm not sure that I understand your question. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
<strong>
You WILL have far less problems with a Mac. Period.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Since we're talking to a would-be Oxford student, that would be far fewer problems.
Otherwise, good post.
crikey! I know Mac people are known to be passionate, but some of you are down right rude. And before someone flames me, take three deep breaths and dig up an old Netiquitte FAQ.
Mac users are fanatical about convincing PC users to switch - it worked on me - and yet when someone poses the question of "Can you convince me to stay" many of you took the attitude of "drop him like a sack of S**T!".
Sure, the original poster DIDNT do ANY research. Most of us, including myself, jump straight to forums and post our questions.
I think many of us will take this as a lesson to search the net/forums first, as who wants to wade through 2 pages (and growing) of diatribe to find the valid responses.
Cheers
Adam
[lurk-on]