Mac vs Intel: What's Your Preference?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around preferences between Mac and Intel-based computers, exploring user experiences, opinions on pricing, software availability, and perceived advantages or disadvantages of each platform. The conversation touches on various aspects including personal preferences, technical performance, and cultural perceptions related to the two systems.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express a clear preference for Macs, citing their ease of use and historical significance in computing.
  • Others argue against Macs, highlighting their high cost and perceived lack of software availability compared to Windows.
  • One participant mentions that the majority of users are on Windows, which influences software development and game releases.
  • Concerns about the security of Windows systems are raised, with some claiming Macs are less targeted by viruses, while others challenge this notion.
  • There are discussions about the cultural associations with Mac users, with some participants making generalizations about their demographics.
  • Several participants engage in light-hearted banter about coffee preferences, linking it to broader cultural stereotypes.
  • Technical performance comparisons between Macs and PCs are debated, with conflicting views on which has historically been faster.
  • Some participants express frustration with the tone of the discussion, suggesting it lacks seriousness.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the merits of Macs versus Intel-based PCs. Multiple competing views remain, with strong opinions on both sides regarding usability, performance, and cultural implications.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes a variety of assumptions about user demographics, software availability, and historical performance comparisons that are not universally accepted. There are also unresolved technical claims regarding security and performance that depend on individual experiences and definitions.

shipreckdpenguin
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Just wondering what people prefer. I myself like Mac. And now everything will change with the introduction of the intel chip in Mac computers. What do you all think??
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
Windows or Linux

I hate nearly everything about Macs, ugh
 
Mac's are for girls!
 
I would like to buy a mac, but they are expensive, and I don't want to buy a cheap mac that is slower than my current computer.
 
As someone who has used both Windows and Mac boxes, I would say that I prefer Windows. Not because there is some intrinsic greatess in the Operating software, but because the number of Windows users outweights Macs users.

I find this fact means, for example, Windows users will be the first to see highly anticipated games released in their platform first (and sometimes, ONLY in their platform). Or, websites generally target Windows Users running IE, and sometimes how the site looks on a Mac browser, or if it is even accessable, are not EVEN CONSIDERED. Well, I could go on, and on...

Yes, that means more viruses and spyware target Windows users, but then again, I'm willing to keep my anti-virus and anti-spyware software uptodate (which is not all that difficult) to keep enjoying the benefits of being in the majority.
 
I've only used Mac OS 9.2 (at school) and it sucked. so I'd say Windows..
 
apple's too overpriced...
 
Mk said:
MACINTOSH ALL THE WAY! APPLE PRODUCTS ARE AWESOME. THink Different! Apple was the first company to introduce the "mouse" to the market, and also are purveyors of fine iPods, iMacs, iBooks, MacBooks, and PowerBooks.

PC's were the first companies to introduce speed into computers :approve: Oh yah, and the iPod alone can be considered reason enough to have apple banished from this planet.

All Apple products are easy to use (the manual for the first generation iMacs was only four pages long).

Apples are simple to use indeed! I mean, that is their target market remember :wink:

All Apple products are virtually immune to all spyware, adware, viruses, worms, trojan horses, rootkits, etc..

No they aren't, it's just no one bothers to make many of them for mac's because most people use computers... i mean pc's :wink:
 
  • #10
Pengwuino said:
PC's were the first companies to introduce speed into computers :approve:
This is debatable, to say the least. Actually Macs used to be much faster than PCs, then... not.

Oh yah, and the iPod alone can be considered reason enough to have apple banished from this planet.
This is an argument based on nothing. Most people like iPods. They also sell well. http://www.macminute.com/2003/12/22/ipod

Apples are simple to use indeed! I mean, that is their target market remember :wink:
Wikipedia:
The Apple II microcomputer, introduced in 1977, was an instant hit with home users. Apple further shaped the computing industry with the first commercially sold personal computer to use a graphical user interface, the Lisa and then, in 1984, the revolutionary Macintosh. The Macintosh, (commonly called the "Mac") was the first commercially successful implementation of the graphical user interface, which is now an industry standard. Apple is known for its innovative, well-designed hardware, such as the iPod and iMac...

No they aren't, it's just no one bothers to make many of them for mac's.
For that reason, they are.
 
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  • #11
Mk said:
This is debatable, to say the least. Actually Macs used to be much faster than PCs, then... not.

Yah i guess, i never followed the history anyhow, ill take your word for it.

This is an argument based on nothing. Most people like iPods.

Have you seen people who use iPods? Starbucks coffee, ipod, converse sneakers. That is your typical young american now-a-days. If you can handle these people, more power to you.

For that reason, they are.

Immune is different then untouched.
 
  • #12
Have you seen people who use iPods? Starbucks coffee, ipod, converse sneakers. That is your typical young american now-a-days. If you can handle these people, more power to you.
Is there something bad about these people? Are you discriminating? Shame on you!
 
  • #13
Mk said:
Is there something bad about these people? Are you discriminating? Shame on you!

Very bad! They alone will signifiy the downfall of society and the destruction of our solar system!
 
  • #14
This thread was brain damaged from the beginning.
 
  • #15
franznietzsche said:
This thread was brain damaged from the beginning.

Go drink starbucks you ninnie!
 
  • #16
Pengwuino said:
Go drink starbucks you ninnie!
I don't drink panzy coffee.

Really though, everytime i walk into a Starbucks (or any other coffee shop) for my either a) Triple Espresso or b) Double Cappuccino or c) Double Machiatto, I have to suppress my urge to laugh when the blonde haired surfer guy in front of me orders a Non-fat Soy Java Mocha Latte Blast Extra Cream No Whip Decaf. Really, I want to laugh so hard every time.
 
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  • #17
I'm trying to surpress my laughing at you :P. Does anyone just drink straight coffee from that coffee shop?
 
  • #18
Pengwuino said:
I'm trying to surpress my laughing at you :P. Does anyone just drink straight coffee from that coffee shop?


You do know what espresso is, right?
 
  • #19
franznietzsche said:
You do know what espresso is, right?

yah a wimp coffee. What happens when someone walks into a starbucks and orders "a cup of coffee"?
 
  • #20
The world ends.
 
  • #21
Mk said:
The world ends.

I knew it! It was all prophecized!
 
  • #22
All because penguins decided they didn't like iMacs.
 
  • #23
Mk said:
All because penguins decided they didn't like iMacs.

is tribdog your twin?
 
  • #24
Pengwuino said:
yah a wimp coffee. What happens when someone walks into a starbucks and orders "a cup of coffee"?


Ummm, right. Espresso is about 8 times stronger than your "cup of coffee".
 
  • #25
Pengwuino said:
PC's were the first companies to introduce speed into computers :approve:
Already answered.
Oh yah, and the iPod alone can be considered reason enough to have apple banished from this planet.
Right, because everyone loves to lug around a stack of CDs when they want to listen to music on the go.

Apples are simple to use indeed! I mean, that is their target market remember :wink:
What's wrong with simplicity as long as it works? I have nothing against PCs, just Windows (you couldn't pay me to go back to using Windows). But, most of the anti-Mac arguments would also apply to alternative OSs on PCs too. If you're more interested in playing games than getting work done, sure, get a PC running windows, but if you want a real computer to get real work done, get anything except windows.

No they aren't, it's just no one bothers to make many of them for mac's because most people use computers... i mean pc's :wink:
Uh huh. I don't really care WHY nobody is writing viruses for Macs, I just keep laughing everytime the Windows users are panicking because another new virus is on the loose and every computer in our building is infected except mine and those of a handful of other Mac users. There was one that went around and got so bad, the IT dept started cutting off network access from any location they detected the virus being transmitted from to force people to quarantine and disinfect their computers. I think our IT guy is warming up to Macs though since I haven't bugged him once since I moved here about any problems with my computer, while he's spending a good chunk of every day resolving problems on the windows machines.

Yomamma, OS 9.2 is ancient history. We've had that discussion before. Nobody in their right mind would try arguing that's better than anything. I'm already up to OS 10.4.4 and while I didn't notice any major differences from 10.1 to 10.3 (there were some, but nothing so earth-shattering I'd say one couldn't do without), there are quite a few new features on 10.4 that really do make life easier (my favorite so far is Dashboard...I've decided that while most of the widgets were fun to play with, they aren't really functional, but the ability to post a million stickies and push one button to see them and press it again to not have to look at them is really quite useful, especially for keeping track of frequently needed information...the stuff I used to plaster my desk and walls with sticky notes to keep accessible...it seems like such a minor thing, but so helpful and easy to use). I also like that the search feature (Spotlight) is right up in the top corner of my screen so I don't need to close anything or open new menus or even move windows around to get to it. When I have several windows open and need to get to the desktop to see or do something else, again, a click of a button on the keyboard, and they all move aside...no minimizing them one by one or shuffling them around...and once I've done what I needed to do, another click of the button and they are all restored back to full size. I don't know about you guys, but I've had many times when I'm in the middle of working on something with 4 or 5 programs open and active windows in all of them that I'm shuffling back and forth between when someone walks into my office and needs me to look at another file...clearing all the active stuff out of the way to quickly retrieve it for them and then putting everything right back where I had it to return to what I was doing before the interruption is a wonderful feature.

I can't speak to how any of this would compare to Linux...I have no familiarity with using it, thus wouldn't even try to make a comparison. But if you're comparing it to Windows, in my book, the Mac wins hands-down.
 
  • #26
Moonbear said:
Uh huh. I don't really care WHY nobody is writing viruses for Macs, I just keep laughing everytime the Windows users are panicking because another new virus is on the loose and every computer in our building is infected except mine and those of a handful of other Mac users. There was one that went around and got so bad, the IT dept started cutting off network access from any location they detected the virus being transmitted from to force people to quarantine and disinfect their computers. I think our IT guy is warming up to Macs though since I haven't bugged him once since I moved here about any problems with my computer, while he's spending a good chunk of every day resolving problems on the windows machines.

Yomamma, OS 9.2 is ancient history. We've had that discussion before. Nobody in their right mind would try arguing that's better than anything. I'm already up to OS 10.4.4 and while I didn't notice any major differences from 10.1 to 10.3 (there were some, but nothing so earth-shattering I'd say one couldn't do without), there are quite a few new features on 10.4 that really do make life easier (my favorite so far is Dashboard...I've decided that while most of the widgets were fun to play with, they aren't really functional, but the ability to post a million stickies and push one button to see them and press it again to not have to look at them is really quite useful, especially for keeping track of frequently needed information...the stuff I used to plaster my desk and walls with sticky notes to keep accessible...it seems like such a minor thing, but so helpful and easy to use). I also like that the search feature (Spotlight) is right up in the top corner of my screen so I don't need to close anything or open new menus or even move windows around to get to it. When I have several windows open and need to get to the desktop to see or do something else, again, a click of a button on the keyboard, and they all move aside...no minimizing them one by one or shuffling them around...and once I've done what I needed to do, another click of the button and they are all restored back to full size. I don't know about you guys, but I've had many times when I'm in the middle of working on something with 4 or 5 programs open and active windows in all of them that I'm shuffling back and forth between when someone walks into my office and needs me to look at another file...clearing all the active stuff out of the way to quickly retrieve it for them and then putting everything right back where I had it to return to what I was doing before the interruption is a wonderful feature.

I can't speak to how any of this would compare to Linux...I have no familiarity with using it, thus wouldn't even try to make a comparison. But if you're comparing it to Windows, in my book, the Mac wins hands-down.
Eloquent. I like it. :biggrin:
 
  • #27
Me: I like Mac. If you do not, fine.
I can not remember my last crash.
I have never had a virus.

And:

Who would you rather have dinner with: Steve Jobs or Bill Gates?

I think we all know the answer.
 
  • #28
Chi Meson said:
Me: I like Mac. If you do not, fine.
I can not remember my last crash.
I have never had a virus.

And:

Who would you rather have dinner with: Steve Jobs or Bill Gates?

I think we all know the answer.

I run XP, i also cannot remember my last crash or my last virus (outside of one day when i let my nephew on and he screwed everything up... he's a virus himself). And I wouldn't have dinner with either, they are both money hungry.
 
  • #29
Macs are love.

It might also be I'm partial to Macs because the programs I need and use were designed for Macs. Sure, you CAN use Illustrator and Photoshop on PCs, but it's just not as smooth. Windows is for officey/business people. Which I am not.
 
  • #30
I use windows xp at home and it's probably approaching a few months for uptime. I like xp for media. I use linux on my office computer at school for programming and simulation, but we also have mac computers in the server access lab. They all have their uses. It just depends what you want it for in my opinion. I do use vmware windows->linux and linux->windows as well though.

I did however buy an apple keyboard and love it :) bonus points for having 2 extra usb ports on its back.
 

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