[PrecisionRifleman]

Linux...it does everything your MAC does and far more...on a PC that cost less. Matter of fact MAC OS is based on Unix these days. The only difference is that the MAC is not under the GNU license so you don't have the same level of flexibility that a PC does running a quality Linux distro. Either way you made out well since your no longer running Winbloz.

posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire

[syntaxerrorsix]

In all honesty, epiphany posts from new Apple users remind me of Jitterbug commercials and there are folks on here that make my head spin with their knowledge.

[IndianaMatt]

Originally Posted by syntaxerrorsix

It would take me 19 minutes to setup a dual boot 1990 technology computer running XP with Linux.

15 if it was just Linux, and adding OSx would add another 30 minutes or so.

If I used a computer from this decade you'd never have spent as much money as you already did.

Granted. But I bet it took you longer than 20 minutes to learn how to do those things.

I don't even know what Linux is. I don't want to know.

I want to buy a computer, get on GlockTalk to tell suckas what's up all day, and not have to worry about the difference between RedHat, Linux, and LemonParty.

Just like someone can be a proud car owner without knowing how to adjust distributor points on a flathead...

[syntaxerrorsix]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

Granted. But I bet it took you longer than 20 minutes to learn how to do those things.

I don't even know what Linux is. I don't want to know.

I want to buy a computer, get on GlockTalk to tell suckas what's up all day, and not have to worry about the difference between RedHat, Linux, and LemonParty.

Just like someone can be a proud car owner without knowing how to adjust distributor points on a flathead...

You have found your platform sir.

[sputnik767]

Originally Posted by eracer

What PC owners really do that? By the time the hardware you bought three years ago is obsoleted by the software you bought yesterday, you need a new motherboard anyway.

My current HTPC was built by me in 2007 and is now almost 6 years old. I built it back then using upper-range components. Since then, I have upgraded the video card slightly to enable uncompressed HD audio throughput (bitstreaming) over HDMI, added a bit more RAM over the years, and most recently installed an SSD alongside the regular, original HD. The computer is always on, and has been for the past 3+ years. It is only restarted in a power outage, windows updates, or if I leave home for an extended period of time. I have never needed to replace any parts due to malfunction. This 6 year old computer is more than sufficient for Netflix, my 1080p Blu Ray rips running at least 10,000 bitrate, playing regular blu rays from the blu ray drive, and outputting 5.1 channels of uncompressed audio to my AVR. In addition, it serves as a DVR for OTA HD signals via an antenna attached to the built-in HDTV tuner. If I wanted to, I could easily attach it to a regular monitor and use it for everything that you can use a current $1,200 macbook pro for, plus more. And consider that I also do own a $1,200 macbook pro, which will not suffice for how I use my HTPC.

A solid computer built with high quality components will not give you much if any trouble. If you buy a throwaway PC at a retail store, you should expect is performance and longevity to correlate with the price you paid.

[sputnik767]

Originally Posted by .264 magnum

1. One can easily make an appointment over the net and see an Apple Genius Bar person with no wait.

2. For many issues a Genius Bar person will help without Apple Care.

3. Apple Care also avails one to extensive over the phone/email support. For the record I don't buy Apple Care.

ETA - Apple stores also put on little scheduled tutorials about various things Apple - like it or not that's advantage over pc makers. I've never anything similar from a PC maker.

Apple has the best support for their products out of probably any other company. I would not try to argue against that. Having said that, I have never taken my computer to an Apple store because I am capable of fixing whatever goes wrong myself, so even the best warranty is not a selling point for me. I am much more concerned with how much I get for the price I pay.

And my own personal experience with my mac as well as my friend's mac solidified my belief that a mac and a high-end PC will last and perform the same. His computer ran like absolute crap before I got to it. A RAM upgrade helped quite a bit, and wiping and reinstalling Snow Leopard helped even more. All computers will slow down over time, and there is nothing magical about OSX that prevents performance degradation.

[Mochahooligan]

Originally Posted by Nestor

I'm using the MAC computer (not laptop) for the last 4 years. Previously owned 4 PCs over the period of 10 years or so.
No way - I'm not coming back to PC - I'm not a computer guru, but rather very basic user and just need something that works.
Mac does it much better than any of the PCs that I owned.
No problems, no viruses no nothing. Keep on running and all the PCs were doing was to give me constant headaches. Good for You - congratulations!

Nestor I agree! I am the same and I got my Mac 27" and it is awesome!

[gumpmonkey]

Originally Posted by hooligan74

Just don't try to upgrade the memory, hard drive or video card down the road....

What are you talking about?
I just upgraded from 60 gig to 500 gig hard drive on my 2007 Macbook this year.- Jp
(PS- Your video card will outlast three PC laptops)

[FLIPPER 348]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

I joined the cult of Apple with a new MacBook Pro.

What a machine! I cannot see how I will ever go back.

welcome to the cult



......and enjoy the comments from the Windoze-sheep. I always do!

[cgwahl]

Originally Posted by gumpmonkey

What are you talking about?
I just upgraded from 60 gig to 500 gig hard drive on my 2007 Macbook this year.- Jp
(PS- Your video card will outlast three PC laptops)

That was then. Look a few pages back and you'll see the new Macbooks are are tad more difficult now.

[FLIPPER 348]

I've never had the need nor desire to upgrade anything in my Macs. Hell, I could not tell you the specs of my current MacBook as they are not important to me. I've never had a virus or taken a Mac in for service since buying my 1st in 1998. never

[IndianaMatt]

As someone pointed out above: Apple does have some of the best support in the business.

Can you take your Toshiba or Sony PC back to the place you bought it, only to have someone sit down with you for free to explain and help you fix the issue you were having?

I can go to the Apple store in town and do just that.

You guys are just jealous. I'll post another picture of one of their beautifully designed and durable products, just to fuel it:

[Harper]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

Can you take your Toshiba or Sony PC back to the place you bought it, only to have someone sit down with you for free to explain and help you fix the issue you were having?

Never thought about it because I don't need to take it to someone else.

[686Owner]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

As someone pointed out above: Apple does have some of the best support in the business.

Can you take your Toshiba or Sony PC back to the place you bought it, only to have someone sit down with you for free to explain and help you fix the issue you were having?

I can go to the Apple store in town and do just that.

You guys are just jealous. I'll post another picture of one of their beautifully designed and durable products, just to fuel it:

I've read Apple has the highest customer satisfaction rate in the business. I'm sure that's a combination of a good product and customer support.

Good news is they are bringing back some of the manufacturing to the US. The question is: are people willing to put their money where their mouth is and buy american even if it costs more?

Rumors have it, the new Mac Pros (desktop) will be built here.

[Harper]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

You guys are just jealous.

That's funny considering your knowledge on the subject.

[robrides85]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

beautifully designed and durable products

Beautiful, yes. Durable, no. Just googled "replace ipod digitizer" (another part that went out on fiance's iPod, past warranty - mine had problems pre-warranty, so was replaced under warranty).

3.1 million results.

[IndianaMatt]

Originally Posted by robrides85

Beautiful, yes. Durable, no. Just googled "replace ipod digitizer" (another part that went out on fiance's iPod, past warranty - mine had problems pre-warranty, so was replaced under warranty).

3.1 million results.

Yes, durable for sure. Compared to flimsy HP or Toshiba cases. Absolutely.

Google results doesn't establish anything.

"Flying pigs" = 3 million results.

[IndyGunFreak]

Man, and you guys say Linux users are fanboys..lol.

[Restless28]

Also, IIRC, Apple's phone support is staffed by Americans who speak intelligible English. From past experiences with Dell, their customer support is staffed by Indians who speak unintelligible English.

[LL6]

[gwalchmai]

Originally Posted by syntaxerrorsix

Doesn't ring a bell.

Exxxcellleent!

[gwalchmai]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

As someone pointed out above: Apple does have some of the best support in the business.

Can you take your Toshiba or Sony PC back to the place you bought it, only to have someone sit down with you for free to explain and help you fix the issue you were having?

I can go to the Apple store in town and do just that.

The bold part tells it all. Do you have a free ObamaPhone, too?

[IndyGunFreak]

Originally Posted by LL6

Now that's funny.

[IndyGunFreak]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

Can you take your Toshiba or Sony PC back to the place you bought it, only to have someone sit down with you for free to explain and help you fix the issue you were having?

This is not "free"... You pay for this in the price of a Mac (thus why a Mac can be close to double the price of a similarly spec'd PC). Would the Genius's sit down with you and try to resolve the problem if your machine was not under warranty? I don't know, they might, but if you were out of warranty I'd bet a lot of that conversation is going to be steering you towards a new Mac. My only experience them has been w/ an under warranty Ipod that went belly up.. I honestly can't say enough about them... After waiting about 25min to see a Genius, they looked at it for about 5min, and immediately came out with a new one.

If you want to pay up front for that kind of support, then you have found exactly the product you want (and that's fine). However, don't think for a second it's "free". Apple's stock is not the price that it is because they do things "for free".

IGF

[dixietoo]

For me, the Mac-PC questions boils down to how mechanically minded the purchaser is.
The guy who changes his own oil or installs his own tile in the kitchen is a PC guy and the guy pays others to do such things for him wants a Mac. I just got a new laptop myself.
Its a PC, an ASUS. the reason I got this particular model is I can open it up easily and do upgrades. I put a second hard drive in it within a week of buying it, (it has a second drive bay), because I bought the thing for my work as a video producer. Now I have over a terabyte on board and the i7 core has all the power I need to process HD video in the field.
The average user really doesn't need the guts I have in the ASUS G74SX, unless they want to play the latest games, but some guys and gals will always be in the "modify club" who want their computer to do this or that better and faster.
The Mac folks I know aren't much for taking their machines apart. They don't need to or want to. That's kinda where the Mac came from. Built to satisfy a market for people who never wanted to learn "computing" which you had to do in the old days on the first "Personal Computers" which is what "PC" stands for.
I got into computers in the 80's because I wanted to do digital art and play games.
I learned to open them up and add things to them because, then, you pretty much had to buy the higher performance components and put them in yourself and install the software. Folks did this with Macs as well, but they were mostly professionals doing printwork or music or video, not someone who wanted a word processor that didn't take three months to learn how to use.