Mac Users Unite!

[cybergoober]

Hi. I'm cybergoober. I "migrated" here from the GTF. I was just curious as to how many other Mac users frequent this board.
I would appreciate it if this didn't turn into a Mac vs PC thing (or a "Macs suck!" thing). It's been done and it's really lame!

I've been using Macs now for about 8 years. I currently own an iMac DV+ 450 running Mac OS 9.2.2 and Mac OS X 10.1.2 . I use Windows (2000/XP) at work every day. I don't think either one is better than the other, but I do prefer the Mac OS. I've had far fewer problems with my Macs than with my PCs.

 

[Tom M]

I'm an XP user, but have always been of the mind that Mac OS' were the way to go. I used to run an IC lab at college, and the taste for Apples (I had non Mac's as a youngster, but it wasn't the same )
I choose Evil Bill's PC's because I like to play games, and everything hits the PC, but not the Macs.
Someday when I can justify the price of both, I'll buy one, perhaps if I have kids, I'll get them a Mac for scholastic purposes.

 

[mayorbill11_]

does having an OSX XP skin count?

 

[cybergoober]

Originally posted by mayorbill11
does having an OSX XP skin count?

No. Not quite. Which one is it? I'm using real_mac2 (I think) that I downloaded from themexp.

I guess it's cool that OS X looks cool enough for people to want to make their PeeCees look like it.

O/T- how do I change the icons in XP? I downloaded some themes for XP and they came with icons, but how do select the icons? I remember doing it once in 2k, but can't remember how I did it.

lata

 

[Magic069]

MAC sucks.

unless your a graphic artist, then, its ok.

 

[axletramp]

Originally posted by Magic069
MAC sucks.

unless your a graphic artist, then, its ok.

OK, give me one reason for a MAC user to migrate...

Yep I'm a graphic artist, and I use Windows, Macs and UNIX machines, and of the three I know which two are the only contenders...

Windows have to compromise... discuss... hehehe.

 

[Magic069]

I said unless your a graphic artist! sheesh!

 

[mayorbill11_]

Originally posted by cybergoober


No. Not quite. Which one is it? I'm using real_mac2 (I think) that I downloaded from themexp.

I guess it's cool that OS X looks cool enough for people to want to make their PeeCees look like it.

O/T- how do I change the icons in XP? I downloaded some themes for XP and they came with icons, but how do select the icons? I remember doing it once in 2k, but can't remember how I did it.

lata

its called eclipse OSX or something, its cool, i like the way it looks the best, i might change it, but it looks good.

im still wating for a good green on black skin.

id help with the icons, but i dont use em!

 

[axletramp]

Originally posted by Magic069
I said unless your a graphic artist! sheesh!

mmm, can't argue with that.

 

[cybergoober]

I'm not a graphic artist, and my Mac doesn't suck.

 

[Giancarlo]

Magic beat me to it.

 

[axletramp]

This is more like it....

 

[Jordan]

I love Macs, but their price and "proprietariness" have kept me away. I am considering one of the new iMacs, though...

 

[Rice Rocketeer]

Jordan:

here is my outlook on the new iMac....

The equivalent of a good-looking toaster....

It is a great system nonetheless and Steve Jobs has done a wonderful job with the Mac enterprise, but c'mon...what pay $1799 (the cost of the top of the line version) when you can get the same speed (even faster) and features in an Intel box. I am not dissin' Mac, but until they come up with something truly spectacular (the closest thing to it was the G4 Cube), i won't consider buying a Mac.

I remember the days as a kid where I would go to my Dad's office and work on his Macintosh IIC (or something like that). Mac has evolved so much in the past couple of years, but all they have produced is expensive (yet good-looking) toys.

Hope this doesn't discourage you from buying one...and if you do, let me know of your thoughts. By the way, the OSX looks AWESOME!!! Rock solid, from what i've heard.

-Rice Rocketeer

 

[LoudMusic]

Originally posted by Rice Rocketeer
Jordan:

here is my outlook on the new iMac....

The equivalent of a good-looking toaster....

It is a great system nonetheless and Steve Jobs has done a wonderful job with the Mac enterprise, but c'mon...what pay $1799 (the cost of the top of the line version) when you can get the same speed (even faster) and features in an Intel box. I am not dissin' Mac, but until they come up with something truly spectacular (the closest thing to it was the G4 Cube), i won't consider buying a Mac.

I remember the days as a kid where I would go to my Dad's office and work on his Macintosh IIC (or something like that). Mac has evolved so much in the past couple of years, but all they have produced is expensive (yet good-looking) toys.

Hope this doesn't discourage you from buying one...and if you do, let me know of your thoughts. By the way, the OSX looks AWESOME!!! Rock solid, from what i've heard.

-Rice Rocketeer

Oh my gosh, "you think as I do" (to quote a StarCraft character).

Mac has evolved so much in the past couple of years, but all they have produced is expensive (yet good-looking) toys.

The Macintosh (hardware/software) has never been anything more than an expensive toy. That is the way Apple markets it. It was 10 years ago that designers (not apple!) thought that the Macintosh would make the best graphics workstation. SGI was the only contender and their hardware was so much more expensive. Unfortunately it was better hardware, with a better operating system. But Apple doesn't even sell Macs as "graphics workstations". They're TOYS!

And don't give me any crap about this statement, I've been in the industry for four years and I've watched Apple's progress. They don't call it a business tool, the Mac geeks do. They don't call it a graphic workstation, the Mac geeks do. They don't even call it stable, the Mac geeks do. The only thing Apple has ever claimed is that the new Mac is better than the old Mac.

IT'S A FREAKING TOY! (however, a very pretty toy (: ) Maybe I'm just sick of supporting them on a day to day basis ...

~LoudMusic

 

[Jordan]

No, no, the iMac wouldn't be my primary workstation - basically just an extra machine that would allow other family members internet access and look cool in the living room at the same time.

 

[Klostrophobic]

Damn, I want a Mac.

The only thing keeping me from getting one is the price.

The iPod looks rather nice. Anyone have one?

 

[axletramp]

As I said before, I have to use all three systems/machines in my work. My preference is a Mac G4 (you can keep your iMacs for home/web use) followed by SGI Unix followed by a Windows PC. Speed nowadays, as long as you can afford the latest hardware releases, is not as much of an issue as it was 5-10 years ago. Unless you're pushing serious data (image manipulation, rendering, animation etc) a new Mac tower or a PC are going to do a pretty similar job - a Word, Quark, Photoshop document etc will work/look/behave the same way. Even the hardware is becoming more and more common.

My problem has been that when I use a computer it should work for me, be easy, logical, clean and allow me to work with freedom and speed. As I chop and change between the OS's it's the Windows system that does this least. You can never get away from that feeling of being patronised, restricted, interrupted and remote from the computer you're working on.

IMO, if 90% of the world's computers had not run a Microsoft OS for the past decade, then the link between the user and the machine would be much closer and the computer manufacturers could have concentrated on developing easy, fast, convenient products more integrated with our lives.

There I'll say it: Microsoft has held back computer development for years with corporate crap. Hardware is irrelevant to this arguement. At least the other OS developers are trying...

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by axletramp
You can never get away from that feeling of being patronised, restricted, interrupted and remote from the computer you're working on.

This is exactly how I feel about Macs though! Do it their way or not at all. "No, you CAN'T alter that. It's the way it is, OK?" and "Oops, we had a little crash. Still, it may not happen again, so don't try fixing it."

Personal preference I guess.

 

[cybergoober]

Originally posted by Klostrophobic
Damn, I want a Mac.

The only thing keeping me from getting one is the price.

The iPod looks rather nice. Anyone have one?

Got an iPod for Christmas! It's totally sweet. I can fill the 5GB in less than 10 minutes! (FireWire kicks so much @ss!!!)

LoudMusic- you must be talking about the iMac being nothing more than a toy. Apple actually markets the G4 series and the PowerBook G4 Titanium as Professional machines. iMac and iBook are consumer products. I've been in the business for about 8 years and think you are flawed in your perceptions. If Macs are nothing more than toys, than why do a majority of graphics departments in advertizing agencies use Macs?

Originally posted by Rice Rocketeer
...but c'mon...what pay $1799 (the cost of the top of the line version) when you can get the same speed (even faster) and features in an Intel box.

Oh, really? I haven't priced any comparable PCs, but I highly doubt you're gonna get a machine with 15" TFT Flat Panel display, 3 USB ports, 2 FireWire ports and a SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW! ) for much cheaper than $1799.

Someone please prove me wrong.

And I'm not even going to get into the whole speed thing because the chip architectures between the x86 and PPC are completely different. They process stuff in radically different ways. Just comparing MHz is a NOT good comparison of actual speed.

That is all.

lata

 

[cybergoober]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie




This is exactly how I feel about Macs though! Do it their way or not at all. "No, you CAN'T alter that. It's the way it is, OK?" and "Oops, we had a little crash. Still, it may not happen again, so don't try fixing it."

Personal preference I guess.

Huh?

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by cybergoober


Huh?

Well when I was using them on a regular basis, if you had a problem with an app, it was generally a reinstall of the app and/or the System. It wasn't like you could look around in config files or the registry to try and find the problem or optimise the system.

I always found that PCs are easier to optimise and fix. But then I work with PCs, so I probably don't know as much about Macs.

 

[cybergoober]

Well, a lot of times preferences are to blame for apps acting up. Just trash the prefs and go about your business. Also sometimes just allocating more memory to the rogue app does the trick. Even if it does come down to reinstalling an app, you have to admit it's a lot easier on a Mac.

I've had to cross-train some PC techs and teach them how to work on Macs. In general they find the Macs much easier to troubleshoot.

Where I work there are twice as many PC techs as Mac techs. Of the machines we support, the breakdown is roughly half and half (Macs and PCs). Mac trouble tickets make up only 32% of all computer-related trouble calls. You do the math .