Advice Wanted
I've had my PC for about two and a half years - with all the components being from the year before. So it's getting dated - and I'd like to have a bigger screen. I'd rather no continue to update this computer and just buy an entire new system that'll last me for a while.
So at the mo I have Windows XP - which has it's ups and downs but has been a pretty good OS for me as long as I don't bog it down. But I have my fears about Vista, it looks like it takes light years to load and I'm not big on the interface of it either.
I'm keen to try out a mac - unfortunately I know almost nothing about the apple world - but I have gathered from reading a few posts on here that the new OS 'Leopard' comes out in October? And that new iMacs are coming out at the end of this month?
I'll be mainly editing photos and possibly downloading and editing video but also playing a few games that I'll probably download i.e Americas Army which I can get for mac.
I have a few questions.
For anyone who uses both Tiger/Leopard Beta and Vista - which do you prefer and why? What are some things I might not like about the OS?
Should I go for a new iMac soon after they release the new generation or wait until they've released Leopard - or even later?
I live in New Zealand so iMacs are more expensive than their Windows counterparts - so I want to be thrilled with my choice. I'd basically like to know whether the money I spend on the mac will be worth my trouble?
So at the mo I have Windows XP - which has it's ups and downs but has been a pretty good OS for me as long as I don't bog it down. But I have my fears about Vista, it looks like it takes light years to load and I'm not big on the interface of it either.
I'm keen to try out a mac - unfortunately I know almost nothing about the apple world - but I have gathered from reading a few posts on here that the new OS 'Leopard' comes out in October? And that new iMacs are coming out at the end of this month?
I'll be mainly editing photos and possibly downloading and editing video but also playing a few games that I'll probably download i.e Americas Army which I can get for mac.
I have a few questions.
For anyone who uses both Tiger/Leopard Beta and Vista - which do you prefer and why? What are some things I might not like about the OS?
Should I go for a new iMac soon after they release the new generation or wait until they've released Leopard - or even later?
I live in New Zealand so iMacs are more expensive than their Windows counterparts - so I want to be thrilled with my choice. I'd basically like to know whether the money I spend on the mac will be worth my trouble?
Comments
I'd rather no continue to update this computer and just buy an entire new system that'll last me for a while.
Computers aren't really built to last these days. You should only expect to get about 3 years out of any machine, though possibly more for the high end towers. It depends on what you do of course but still, parts wear out and especially concerning the iMac, the display is an LCD and if it breaks, it's not as easy as just getting the latest display from a local store.
I'm keen to try out a mac - unfortunately I know almost nothing about the apple world - but I have gathered from reading a few posts on here that the new OS 'Leopard' comes out in October? And that new iMacs are coming out at the end of this month?
Leopard was announced to be coming in October and the iMacs bloody better be coming out this month. They are long overdue. I don't like the iMacs though because of the display and I'll likely continue to wait until they release a small headless Mac with a good GPU.
I'll be mainly editing photos and possibly downloading and editing video but also playing a few games that I'll probably download i.e Americas Army which I can get for mac.
The game selection is bad on the Mac side. If you just want a few specific games, you might be ok but I'd recommend dual booting XP and OS X or just getting a PC.
For anyone who uses both Tiger/Leopard Beta and Vista - which do you prefer and why? What are some things I might not like about the OS?
Leopard beta is faster than Tiger. One thing I've always liked in Windows is the snappy interface. OS X always felt a bit sluggish with delays here and there. Leopard seems to have addressed this quite well. I don't like all of Leopard's interface but I can change some bits so I'm quite content overall.
I don't see the point of Vista. XP runs better than it so why downgrade? OS releases should be upgrades. What I would say is:
Leopard > (Tiger = XP) > Vista
I'd put Tiger and XP equal but they have advantages and disadvantages. I use both daily now.
Should I go for a new iMac soon after they release the new generation or wait until they've released Leopard - or even later?
You can get one as soon as it comes out but then it will be a revision A design. Generally you are better waiting a month or two for people to give feedback on them and then judge if it's worth waiting for another model (an update should arrive later on in the year again around November/December). In a month or two, they will be releasing Leopard so I suppose you might as well wait and save the money. Like I say though, the update is overdue so I wouldn't see much harm in buying immediately. Sometimes revision A's are ok.
I live in New Zealand so iMacs are more expensive than their Windows counterparts - so I want to be thrilled with my choice. I'd basically like to know whether the money I spend on the mac will be worth my trouble?
I've known PC users who bought Macs and some were very happy and would never go back to a PC, one person was in tears because they spent more than they normally would and couldn't do what she wanted with the Mac, another complains all the time at being forced to use a Mac. It all depends on what you are looking for and what your experience was like on the PC.
For example, as I've mentioned if you're a gamer then buying a Mac is bad because you can't upgrade the GPU and on the OS X side, the game selection is very small (and expensive). If you do word processing (which the crying girl did) then a Mac offers very little for that at the moment including a lack of printer support. But then for media editing, Macs seem to be quite a bit better in my experience with the available tools and performance. Having a dual boot helps but you don't want to reboot to write a letter in Office and reboot to edit a movie in OS X so it's not ideal.
For PC users who are happy with XP and cheaper hardware, I don't think the experience will be life changing. However, you really have to try it to find out for yourself and unfortunately that means buying one or finding someone who owns one and is willing to let you use it. They have a pretty good resale value though so if you don't like it after a few months then you can always ebay it.
Download videos via bittorrnet
Youtube
Browse forums
Edit photos and raw files
Play a few games
Homework presentations
And hopefully start editing and creating movies.
Although I do play some games - I will be able to get the newer EA ones with apple soon. Games aren't a huge part of my choice. I'll list what I mainly do.
Download videos via bittorrnet
Youtube
Browse forums
Edit photos and raw files
Play a few games
Homework presentations
And hopefully start editing and creating movies.
You fit the profile of an ideal Mac user.
You fit the profile of an ideal Mac user.
Now I'm after a reason to justify the price tag
Go try out Mac OS X at an Apple Store a few times. I think that'll be enough to justify it.
We don't have any apple stores here to my knowledge. If so - I'm not near one.
Computers aren't really built to last these days. You should only expect to get about 3 years out of any machine, though possibly more for the high end towers. It depends on what you do of course but still, parts wear out and especially concerning the iMac, the display is an LCD and if it breaks, it's not as easy as just getting the latest display from a local store.
Leopard was announced to be coming in October and the iMacs bloody better be coming out this month. They are long overdue. I don't like the iMacs though because of the display and I'll likely continue to wait until they release a small headless Mac with a good GPU.
The game selection is bad on the Mac side. If you just want a few specific games, you might be ok but I'd recommend dual booting XP and OS X or just getting a PC.
Leopard beta is faster than Tiger. One thing I've always liked in Windows is the snappy interface. OS X always felt a bit sluggish with delays here and there. Leopard seems to have addressed this quite well. I don't like all of Leopard's interface but I can change some bits so I'm quite content overall.
I don't see the point of Vista. XP runs better than it so why downgrade? OS releases should be upgrades. What I would say is:
Leopard > (Tiger = XP) > Vista
I'd put Tiger and XP equal but they have advantages and disadvantages. I use both daily now.
You can get one as soon as it comes out but then it will be a revision A design. Generally you are better waiting a month or two for people to give feedback on them and then judge if it's worth waiting for another model (an update should arrive later on in the year again around November/December). In a month or two, they will be releasing Leopard so I suppose you might as well wait and save the money. Like I say though, the update is overdue so I wouldn't see much harm in buying immediately. Sometimes revision A's are ok.
I've known PC users who bought Macs and some were very happy and would never go back to a PC, one person was in tears because they spent more than they normally would and couldn't do what she wanted with the Mac, another complains all the time at being forced to use a Mac. It all depends on what you are looking for and what your experience was like on the PC.
For example, as I've mentioned if you're a gamer then buying a Mac is bad because you can't upgrade the GPU and on the OS X side, the game selection is very small (and expensive). If you do word processing (which the crying girl did) then a Mac offers very little for that at the moment including a lack of printer support. But then for media editing, Macs seem to be quite a bit better in my experience with the available tools and performance. Having a dual boot helps but you don't want to reboot to write a letter in Office and reboot to edit a movie in OS X so it's not ideal.
For PC users who are happy with XP and cheaper hardware, I don't think the experience will be life changing. However, you really have to try it to find out for yourself and unfortunately that means buying one or finding someone who owns one and is willing to let you use it. They have a pretty good resale value though so if you don't like it after a few months then you can always ebay it.
Almost everything Marvin said here is true. This is Mac fan forum after all, so It's rare that you get so level headed answers to wich is better windows or mac questions. Although from Marvin's post you could get an impression that there aren't word processors for Mac. Office for Mac has Word, and also OpenOffice is ported someway to Mac. Also printer support is quite fine with Mac, even not all odd devices aren't supported.
Now I'm after a reason to justify the price tag
Imagine the serenity of never even having to think about viruses or spyware. That is worth more than you might give it credit for.
Much of what makes the Mac experience so great (witness the loyal nature of most Mac users) is really intangible. It is like walking into a well designed room; there is nothing specifically different about it than most rooms (they all have furniture, for example). But there is a clear sense when you step into an environment that is designed well that something is, well.... just more well thought out, and that is more pleasing. Maybe a weak analogy, but you get the idea, I hope.
There are any number of sites/stories on the web for switchers of those considering a switch. You might read what recent switchers have had to say: both good and bad to help you make up your mind. There is site in my sig. Switching to Mac is also a good site to check out. Apple also has a switchers section on their site.
Almost everything Marvin said here is true. This is Mac fan forum after all, so It's rare that you get so level headed answers to wich is better windows or mac questions. Although from Marvin's post you could get an impression that there aren't word processors for Mac. Office for Mac has Word, and also OpenOffice is ported someway to Mac. Also printer support is quite fine with Mac, even not all odd devices aren't supported.
Yeah, I wondered about that as well. Mac users have access to better word processing, with the options of Microsoft Office, NeoOffice, Nisus Writer, Mellel and Pages, as well as better LaTeX tools for heavy lifting.
I used Windows for about ten years, and a month after moving on OS X I was already more effective. It comes down to easy configuration (joining networks, file sharing, etc), lack of maintenance (no 3rd party virus scanners, firewalls, defragmentation, etc), easy installs, easy uninstalls, relatively common sense scheme of maintaining settings for individual apps so it's not possible for one app to trash the others like in the Windows registry/DLL system.
If you're content with playing Blizzard games, and not much else, then you don't even need Bootcamp.
I wanted a first person shooter to test out my new mouse, so I looked into America's Army (which I didn't know was available for the Mac before reading this thread) and it has been canceled. Only the 2.5 version is available for the Mac and it's a PowerPC build. Probably gonna be dog slow through Rosetta... I'll give it a try anyway.
I wanted a first person shooter to test out my new mouse,
Give Call of Duty 2 a try. Universal and highly addictive.
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I'll be mainly editing photos and possibly downloading and editing video but also playing a few games that I'll probably download i.e Americas Army which I can get for mac.
You may not know it, but development of the Mac version of Americas Army was discontinued after version 2.5. There is a still a community of Mac players, but the number of 2.5 servers is miniscule, and you can't play with your PC-using friends as they are already up to version 2.7 or 2.8. Also, finding a download of the 2.5 client is difficult, as are the few necessary patches to make it run properly that appeared a few months after the sofware was released.
Another alternative is to install XP on a Mac and play the Windows client. However, with the graphics engine being what it is, there is no reason it shouldn't play just fine on the rig you have now.