Thinkin of switchin...

[Jon]

I love how jealous PC users always come into these threads trying to make people think their K-Rad L33T AMD $u><0R 2000+ is superior to the Mac just because they are too ignorant to go and actually learn what the differences (Not as many as you may think folks) are between the two platforms.

In my experience, and from reading the threads like this lately, the difference is more in the community.

The mac community seems to be very image orientated. If they have a mac, they make a point of putting pretty pictures of it in their sig and avatar sometimes, change their user description thing to 'switcher' etc.

I dont really give a flying crap about the hardware / software, I can appreciate the differences, and that it has its many uses. I just find the attitude of many mac users laughable. Its like the new 'cool' on neowin is to own a Mac, and I really dont get it. A computer is a computer, it doesnt make you any better, it doesnt mean you're more intelligent or smarter, but yet there is still this odd pride that seems to go with owning a Mac. I really dont understand it. :s :|

[Cara Veteran]

but yet there is still this odd pride that seems to go with owning a Mac. I really dont understand it. :s :|

There is...

I didn't understand it at all until I got my Mac...then I learned that the pride as I saw it before was an actual, visible, sense of caring and community between Mac users. Since becoming a Mac user myself, I've found that the Mac community IS an Elitist community, they are proud of their machines, and they are proud to be part of something different.

Many of us will recognize the old saying that the world is made up of sheep... Put that into PC Perspective. Most users who don't start off on a Mac end up, for some reason or another, hating Macs and Mac users, becoming the same 'Sheep' to the PC world, trapped in a realm of endless hardware updates to keep one up over the next guy...

Where the people who have been using a Mac have managed to move one step away from all that...you will find very few Mac users tooting that their 'Rig' is bigger and better than the next guy like you see on many PC forums...

The pride you all see and get annoyed with is the sense of community that countless teens, script kiddies, and general ###### have ruined for the PC world...many of them can't break into the Mac Community due to the raw cost...which has, over the years, seemed to protect the integrety of the Mac Community as a whole.

If you are all honest with yourselves, you will see more times than not PC users are indeed the ones starting flames in Mac based threads about why Mac users are morons... Wouldn't YOU defend youself and your community if someone did that to Neowin on another board? THAT is why Mac users react the way we do....

[Jon]

I dont take pride in my machine, I take pride in understanding it, and what I can do with it.

Its a bit like guitars, owners of ?1000 guitars often mouth off at how great their gear is, but they cant play for sh*t when it comes down to it.

I'm not tryng to be akward with that comment, its just another perspective.

BTW re: the sheep comment, whilst its true for many computer users, I'd say both many PC *and* Mac users, it cant be assumed that its always the case. I certainly wasn't a 'sheep' when I was fiddling with my PC1640, whilst the rest of the world was playing with pretty Amigas:))

[Cara Veteran]

I dont take pride in my machine, I take pride in understanding it, and what I can do with it.

Its a bit like guitars, owners of ?1000 guitars often mouth off at how great their gear is, but they cant play for sh*t when it comes down to it.

I'm not tryng to be akward with that comment, its just another perspective.

BTW re: the sheep comment, whilst its true for many computer users, I'd say both many PC *and* Mac users, it cant be assumed that its always the case. I certainly wasn't a 'sheep' when I was fiddling with my PC1640, whilst the rest of the world was playing with pretty Amigas:))

There are, of course, extremes on both sides.;))

Some people DO buy Macs because of their looks and think it makes them a God of computing, but you will find as a whole the Mac community itself seems to try and distance themselves from people like that.;))

I may have many more years using my PC than I do this new Mac, but I know that I will never go back to PC's... Why? The Community and the raw ability to truly do whatever I want with my computer...

Until you have owned both systems of a Modern Era (OSX and XP) you can not begin to understand nor appreciate the way the Mac itself feels. After five minutes of using my Mac I was feeling like I'd been blind all my life and my eyes had opened upon their first sunset of my life... Then to be greeted into the Mac community as a whole was an experience onto itself.

I wish I could articulate the things which truly do make owning a Mac worth wild, but I feel it is something that each person who has decided to make the change for themselves has to discover.:))

[aaron901]

Jon, this place is really warm and comfy.. but when some PC users come in and troll, bashing Mac when they have never even used one, you know that's irritating. look, i came to neowin when i was a windows user, since then i switched. don't you wonder why Mac users are so 'united'? it must be something behind it don't you think?

btw, about your image oriented thing, i don't think so. i was being sarcastic when i said that you're 1337. i myself don't like the word 1337.. but a lot of people bashing Mac because they think they're 1337 if you know what i mean.

[cyberbry]

Did anyone ever mention ... Ease of Use? ... for me, thats one Rather large reason

and, equally, i stand by wtmcgee... What are u referring to, with the point about GUI? ... are us suggesting that maybe Microsoft's GUI is indeed better for some reason? ... sorry, i really don't want to bring this thread to a flame... if we can keep answering one another's questions with proper answer's, it'd be appreciated ... by me, the mod's ... and the fellow readers alike! :D

So basically by your logic, Mac == Computing for dummies.

Yes, I'd agree.

Actually, I recall a recent survey where they found that Mac users actually on average had a higher IQ than PC users. I think it's probably because Mac users tend to be:

a) More wealthy - they can afford a Mac, after all...

b) Better educated

You ever notice how most Mac users are either the creative professional type or the sysadmin type? I personally have a WinXP box and a Mac laptop. At first, I used my PC for everything, and my Mac for just Unix stuff. But it really starts to grow on you. Now i use my PC pretty much just for the occasional game. Using the Mac is just so much more fun, and I feel a lot more productive on it. I love that I can run working versions of an entire Unix based online app natively on my Mac. Whee!

[Jon]

There are, of course, extremes on both sides. ;)

Some people DO buy Macs because of their looks and think it makes them a God of computing, but you will find as a whole the Mac community itself seems to try and distance themselves from people like that. ;)

I may have many more years using my PC than I do this new Mac, but I know that I will never go back to PC's...  Why?  The Community and the raw ability to truly do whatever I want with my computer...

Until you have owned both systems of a Modern Era (OSX and XP) you can not begin to understand nor appreciate the way the Mac itself feels.  After five minutes of using my Mac I was feeling like I'd been blind all my life and my eyes had opened upon their first sunset of my life...  Then to be greeted into the Mac community as a whole was an experience onto itself.

I wish I could articulate the things which truly do make owning a Mac worth wild, but I feel it is something that each person who has decided to make the change for themselves has to discover. :)

I cant really argue with that Cara, like I said, I've no problem with the hardware or software.

I'm just getting tired with all this talk of 'switching' lately. At least someone could discuss this in a sensible way, and not a "my computer is better than yours" kiddy fight. Cheers :)

don't you wonder why Mac users are so 'united'?

The hardcore linux community is united, very closely. But they tend to be complete ######. Elitism is not always a good thing.

? but a lot of people bashing Mac because they think they're 1337 if you know what i mean.?

Of course I knew you were being sarcastic, I'm English ff;);)

The word bashing is used too much on neowin. If you disagree with someones opinion, its the neowin 'way' to call it bashing, America bashing, Mac bashing, which ever. Very annoying.

You ever notice how most Mac users are either the creative professional type or the sysadmin type?

Never met a sysadmin who owns a Mac, know loads of them. It does seem to be the choice of Creative types though, I know many guitarists who use Macs for sequencing.

Anyway, as long as Mac posts are listed in the 10recentposts list, and not clearly labelled, you will attract windows users, and they tend to be annoyed being dupped into reading a mac foru;);)

[aaron901]

but yet there is still this odd pride that seems to go with owning a Mac. I really dont understand it. :s :|

have you ever seen any Mac users here go into a Windows section and shout "WINDOWS XP SUCKS"?! no yeah?

because that's what a dumb, uneducated PC users usually do, they would just run in here and start bashing Mac because Macs are too expensive for them. that's why i'm proud to own a Mac and sit here watching some cheap kid bashes Mac everyday. ;)

Anyway, as long as Mac posts are listed in the 10recentposts list, and not clearly labelled, you will attract windows users, and they tend to be annoyed being dupped into reading a mac forum

live with it and go bang your head to the wall. i often get into a thread that i'm not interested at all, well JUST LEAVE, what's so hard about that? must you leave some negative comment before you go?!

[Jon]

that's why i'm proud to own a Mac and sit here watching some cheap kid bashes Mac everyday. 

Thats a very odd reason to be proud of something.

[aaron901]

Thats a very odd reason to be proud of something.

yeah odd but i enjoy. :D you have no idea how low can people get when they're jealous. ;)

[macster]

Jon if you dont like Macs, i can understand that.

You are not better or worse than us

Just leave the Mac users or people who like Macs alone and look at your pretty Windows XP desktop. :happy:

Edited May 4, 2003 by macster

[Jon]

Jon if you dont like Macs, i can understand that.

You are not better or worse that us

Just leave the Mac users or people who like Macs alone and look at your pretty Windows XP desktop.  :happy:

Did I say ANYWHERE that I didnt like macs?

At least Cara new how to discuss something sensibly without acting like a spoilt little fanboy.

I've learned all that I'm interested in knowing right know, regarding the elitist community, any replies directed to me wont be read, as I'm 'leaving mac users alone, and playing with my pretty Windows XP desktop'. (altho I think my OS (debian without x windows) is somewhat unpretty) :)

Edited May 4, 2003 by Jon

[macster]

thnx for listening to my advice and leaving us alone ;)

[Mr Underhill]

Hmm....Strange...Well, I can never seem to wrap my head around any of this. I have a PC that I have built from scratch that runs XP, although with Litestep (an alternative shell for windows). Now this is my fun Box it's for gaming, media, and well, having fun. I have an incredibly pricey Mac running OSX (and for its hefty cost I'm still trying to find the gold encrusted platinum dipped whosawawhatsit that demands such a Herculean price tag), now that I use for creativity, i.e. music production and so on. And an OpenBSD machine (which costs less then an "everything" bagel with cream cheese) for my router/firewall. I have no loyalty to one OS or another, and certainly no loyalty to the hardware. My only loyalty is to the technology and what it allows me to accomplish. This constant "community" obsession with mine is better then yours, or I have "switched" and now I've seen the light, is all a bit absurd to me. Every complex operating system has problems (look at the earth as an example, "humanity" is still a bit buggy if you ask me. I've been waiting for an upgrade for years now, and no matter how hard I try I can't unistall WARv3.1.34) deal with it and move on. Elitism is for pygmies and we all live in a world full of giants. I've watched the world of computing evolve for nearly 20 years now, and the technology is arbitrary, it is a means to an end. In 10 years XP and OSX will be obsolete, Apple, and Microsoft may even be gone, remember IBM used to be "Big Brother" now they are just another player in an over saturated market. Just be happy you?re not an acolyte handing off your punch cards to a priest to feed them into the great batch processing mainframes of yore. Be happy with your machine, whether it be a hermetically sealed "user friendly" Mac or a hand built "hot rod" stuffed with 7 fans to cool an OCed AMD bordering on thermal meltdown, and while your at it kiss that 386 that?s running oh so quietly in the corner defending your lovely machines from all those nasty "hackers" out there. Oh...and one more thing, please remember that specialization is for insects.

Edited May 4, 2003 by Mr Underhill

[xmr]

Well said Mr Underhill.... I bought a Powerbook only a few months ago and love it... I didn't buy it because I thought it would be faster than my desktop, I didn't buy it because I hate PCs, I just thought it was a sexy portable unix box that you actually do other things with... I can do all the normal things I do with my PC on my laptop, with the added bonus of 54Mbps wireless.

I think OS X is great and shouldn't be bashed.... just as Windows XP is ok and shouldn't be bashed as much as is.

[[LOF]skinnylegs]

[LOF]skinnylegs: You are so irritating if i may say . it's his/her will to switch and it's very clear that he/she asks the question first

It is certainly his right to use whatever OS he wishes. Now that we have that established.....how about answering the question! It is almost unbelievable to me how many people have responded to this thread without doing so. The fact is that I can not think of one compelling reason to switch to Mac OS / Mac hardware (let's face it, you can't use one without the other)......not ease of use, not software compatibility, not cost, not aesthetics and not upgradeability.

So, you can go on with your rant about what an a-hole I am but the fact is that your post is irrelevant to this thread.

[Steve]

Why do you rule out Ease of Use? ... hmmmm...?

[[LOF]skinnylegs]

.....and if you had read from the beginning of the thread you would have read the following:

I guess I'll stick with a PC then, I really need my games for work....

So.....are you saying that someone who in into games (for whatever reason) is better off with a Mac? If so, you are just plain ignorant.

[[LOF]skinnylegs]

Why do you rule out Ease of Use?

Let's get real.....lol. XP and Mac OS are both easy to use. My g/f's 7 year old daughter is comfortable around the XP desktop for Pete's sake!

[jackwanders]

The only way! ... Besides, u can always keep a relatively cheap PC, for Games ... and have a Mac for "REAL work"

I plan on doing the same thing. Using my mac for real work and setting up my PC solely for gaming.

[[LOF]skinnylegs]

Underhill.....you're a freakin' prophet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[[LOF]skinnylegs]

Why come into a Mac forum and say you hate Macs?

I don't think anyone has responded to the young man's thread saying they, "hate Macs." I, for one, don't hate Macs. I just don't see them as being a good value for the money. I also don't like their extremely proprietary nature. I also don't like the fact that I can't run certain applications and games on them. There are things I like about the Mac. One thing I like is the dock. That being said, I don't need a Mac to run a dock. I use Object Dock and it works great! Of course, there is also Yz Dock and Moby Dock. My point was and still is that there is not a single compelling reason to switch to a Mac.

[[LOF]skinnylegs]

and have a Mac for "REAL work"

This one always gets me going. What would you define as "real work?"

[uniacid]

why would you do your "real work" on a mac instead of on a pc? I see it as wasting money if you were to do that.

[macster]

why would you do your "real work" on a mac instead of on a pc? I see it as wasting money if you were to do that.

Well maybe some ppl prefer the mac version of the program they use for real work.

Some ppl i know actually prefer Office v.X over Office XP.

Dont ask me why. They just like it

And maybe becoz they are some iApps that are easier to use for some ppl.

and maybe becoz they like OS X and the way it works, so they prefer to do their "real work" on it.