Mac vs Windows

[Hugh Jarse]

I became a Mac convert reluctantly about 8 years back when the first intel based Macbooks were available.

Unfortunately work has stayed with Windows so while Chez Jarse migrated to Macland, we have been forced to maintain Microsoft compatability.

One of the macbook pro laptops has recently had to go to Dr Mac for maintenance and I have had to rely on a laptop hanging around Chez Jarse that has windows 7 and IE ver something on it.

I can not believe how often this piece of dog droppings crashes in the middle of something important, forcing me to have to retype everything from scratch.

The instabiltiy of IE and windows 7 and my 1 year old 'state of the art' when I bought it ACER laptop frustrates the bejesus out of me. In nearly 10 years of operating in the Mac world, I can count the similar occurances on one ghosts finger. It has not happened.

In Microsoft land, this happens with such regularity that I almost fell like a Christchurch resident when the Earthquake alarm sounds.

How good is Macland?

 

[Schadenfreude]

I fix broken PCs etc all day at work. My house is 100% Apple. It's nice to know I don't have to repair anything when I come home.

Apple TV
iMacs
MacBook Air
iPhones
iPad
iPod
Time Machine

All reliable.
All work together with little fuss.
All backed up automatically.

I migrated two iPhones yesterday after work (upgrades) very low stress.

The only rubbish they have left is the current version of iTunes (due to be updated this month), and the left over bits of skeuomorphism which is likely to be replaced shortly.

 

[Lindommer]

There's a lodger in my house who arrived about 21 years ago before going through the teenage phase in the last decade when things new and fashionable had to be acquired instantly, one of which was an iPod mini, in about 2004. The original contraption failed, so it was up to good ole Dad to negotiate some sort of restitution from Apple; the replacement failed, as did the replacement's replacement. He ended up with his FOURTH iPod mini, yes, four, one more than three, one less than five! But wait, there's more: his mother, aka Her Majesty, shouted herself an iPod nano to use on the train going to and from work. It was recalled and replaced with one of those super-compact clip iPods. There've been a total of seven Apple iPods in this house at various times in the last eight years, four of which were faulty. Not good enough.

Being a curmudgeonly old bastard who bases his business around providing outstanding service to his customers I mark other businesses/suppliers very severely on service. Most large institutions are difficult to deal with at the best of times (don't we all just hate endless phone menus, especially pointless privacy statements?) but Apple are the acknowledged leader in this field, daylight is second. It is excruciatingly painful trying to do anything with Apple. If I never have anything to do with Apple for the rest of my life it won't make up for the stress they've caused me and the time wasted. The lodger, aka His Majesty, was seduced into acquiring (note the absence of the word "purchasing") an iPhone a couple of years ago, even he's thinking of a Samsung for his next phone.

BTW, His Majesty's got an iPhone, Her Majesty uses a Samsung Android and I have a Samsung Windows phone. I didn't know it when I chose mine but users can't save numbers to the SIM card on phones using Windows Phone 7 and later, apparently it was possible in Windows Phone 6.5. And it can't be done on iPhones, we have to download our contacts to a PC, or Mac, and save them that way. But contacts can be saved to the SIM card on the phone on Android phones. A huge advantage.

 

[Sully]

I can't believe that people go out and spend twice as much on hardware than they would have on a windows laptop and wonder why it runs better. Spend the same amount on windows hardware and you'll get better stuff than the apple guys sell you.

 

[MrTimms]

To me the Mac v PC argument is the same as rugby v league.

Why does it have to be either or? I use a mixture of Windows, Mac, Linux, iPod, Android.

They each have their strengths and weaknesses. Restricting yourself to one or the other isn't really doing yourself any favours.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[Godfrey]

I work as an IT consultant and specialise in hybrid Mac/Windows environments. I now use a pretty even split at home - big, custom built PC for heavy lifting, MacBook Pro for my general stuff and an Android phone. I can honestly say that, like any tool, its quality is limited by your own ability to use it. People get very territorial about these things but I feel like they both have a place in the world.

That being said, after dealing with Apple on a business and consumer level I was very happy to begin using Android phones. Not as "tight" but more to tweak.

 

[cyclopath]

There's a lodger in my house who arrived about 21 years ago before going through the teenage phase in the last decade when things new and fashionable had to be acquired instantly, one of which was an iPod mini, in about 2004. The original contraption failed, so it was up to good ole Dad to negotiate some sort of restitution from Apple: the replacement failed, as did the replacement's replacement. He ended up with his FOURTH iPod mini, yes, four, one more than three, one less than five! But wait, there's more: his mother, aka Her Majesty, shouted herself an iPod nano to use on the train going to and from work. It was recalled and replaced with one of those super-compact clip iPods. There have been a total of seven Apple iPods in this house at various times in the last eight years, four of which were faulty. Not good enough.

Being a curmudgeonly old bastard who bases his business around providing outstanding service to his customers I mark other businesses/suppliers very severely on service. Most large institutions are difficult to deal with at the best of times (don't we all just hate endless phone menus, especially pointless privacy statements?) but Apple are the acknowledged leader in this field; daylight is second. It is excrutiatingly painful trying to do anything with Apple. If I never have anything to do with Apple for the rest of my life it won't make up for the stress they've caused me and the time wasted. The lodger, aka His Majesty, was seduced into acquiring (note the absence of the word "purchasing") an iPhone a couple of years ago, even he's thinking of a Samsung for his next phone.


BTW, His Majesty's got an iPhone, Her Majesty uses a Samsung Android and I have a Samsung Windows phone. I didn't know it when I chose mine but users can't save numbers to the SIM card on phones using Windows Phone 7 and later; apparently it was possible in Windows Phone 6.5. And it can't be done on iPhones, we have to download our contacts to a PC, or Mac, and save them that way. But contacts can be saved to the SIM card on the phone on Android phones. A huge advantage.

While we're on anecdotal evidence, I've had 3 Apple computers, replaced the first (Powerbook G4) after 8 years when the battery was cactus and then some dickhead stole it, have had Macbook Pro for 3 years with nil issues, this iMac for nearly 3 with no issues. Also 4 iPods including a vintage U2 Ltd Ed version, Shuffle, Nano and Touch - all going strong. iPhone good after a year, although I miss battery life of older phones. I have no complaints. I have heard a few stories of grief with after sales service at Apple, but someone tell me all the other companies are exemplary??
I'm sure high spec Windows computers would be fine; my work is lower spec and is OK, but a lot of the software is excrutiatingly slow and buggy which drives me nuts. I know plenty of people with Android phones who love 'em.
I reckon if you know more about OSs, and like to tweak, go Windows / Android. Apple stuff is easier for less tech-savvy people to just get on with. Ultimately, you pretty much get what you pay for.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I work with computers for a living and we're an all Apple household. We've never looked back.

 

[DrewB]

I too switched to Macs about 7-8 years ago. I have largely been happy and found them reliable and the right tool for me. I own a iMac, Mac mini, iPod, iPhone and iPad.

But, I'm starting to feel Apple are losing their edge. IOS looks really dated now, OSX hasn't changed that much in recent years.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Went to macs myself 4 years ago. Switched she who must be obeyed over about 2 years ago. Switched the small shoulders 1 year ago.
To that point all going swimmingly.
Purchased iMac 27" for work to replace existing iMac: mainly so I could run parrallels and, thereby, dragon dictate: in my experience dragon for Mac is one of the few programs that is not better on a Mac. It's awful on a Mac.
New iMac is shite: wouldn't run Cinema display - they replaced graphics card. Main screen dodgy.
Replaced motherboard including graphics card. No display. Reinstalled OS - no better.
3 weeks later still no resolution from apple who's representative waits until out of work hours and then leaves voicemail: twice! Despite asking for and being given mobile.
Jobs body is barely cold and they're making the evil empire look ok.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[#1 Tah]

Macbooks are the best computers on the market.

I will, however, fight the abomination that is iPhone/iTunes. Android all the way for me.

 

[Sandpit Fan]

Shouldn't this thread be in the Politics section.

 

[cyclopath]

Shouldn't this thread be in the Politics section.

It's heading more towards Climate Change, only more fervent!!

 

[BPC]

Being a curmudgeonly old bastard who bases his business around providing outstanding service to his customers I mark other businesses/suppliers very severely on service. Most large institutions are difficult to deal with at the best of times (don't we all just hate endless phone menus, especially pointless privacy statements?) but Apple are the acknowledged leader in this field; daylight is second. It is excrutiatingly painful trying to do anything with Apple. If I never have anything to do with Apple for the rest of my life it won't make up for the stress they've caused me and the time wasted.

Too true. My first iPod crapped out three times. Apple were bloodly difficult about the whole thing. Funnily enough, when iTunes got a software upgrade, my iPod stopping breaking down. I raised this with Apple who denied that there was even a possibility of a connection and implied I should be tarred and feathered for even suggesting Apple was less than perfect.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

As long as you are within the warranty period, or extended Apple Care Period, I have found their customer care department as sweet as apple pie.

After Warranty period (even by 1 week), they are as bad as 95% of the rest of the so called "customer service" departments of any organisation, ie while their official title is called "customer service", their real role in life is "customer frustration" and "customer denial of service".

When their products are working, they work so well and elegantly that the Disciples (Mactards) are prepared to accept this Industry Worst Practice without complaint or any other brand switching behaviour. Almost religious loyalty.

 

[MrTimms]

When their products are working, they work so well and elegantly that the Disciples (Mactards) are prepared to accept this Industry Worst Practice without complaint or any other brand switching behaviour. Almost religious loyalty.

Interesting choice of words, and actually the truth: http://www.digitaltrends.com/comput...action-in-brains-of-fans-say-neuroscientists/

In a recently screened BBC documentary, UK neuroscientists suggested that the brains of Apple devotees are stimulated by Apple imagery in the same way that the brains of religious people are stimulated by religious imagery.

 

[Scarfman]

I have used Windows products since it got invented. And I used IBM-XT before that. I have always hated the closed-shop approach of Apple. I'll buy what I want, when I want, from whom I want, thanks very much.

But I'm in the process of switching from Windows to Android/cloud. I think Windows might be dead, and if MS-Office is going to survive, they need to write a cut-down Android/iOS version.

I think the question is now iOS vs Android, isn't it?

 

[Schadenfreude]

Windows owns the enterprise.

There's nothing on the market that works like Exchange/AD.

Personally, I've never had a problem with Apple support. They usually replace the device if I have a problem.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Windows owns the enterprise.

There's nothing on the market that works like Exchange/AD.

Personally, I've never had a problem with Apple support. They usually replace the device if I have a problem.

We're about to test that theory by moving completely away from Exchange to Zimbra.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^ Do keep us posted as it is rolled out.