LibriumArcana.Games

Macintoshs are always more expensive than PC, and are rather consistantly outperformed by their PC counterparts. You get locked into Apple's solutions whereas on a PC there are several competing vendors. Software on the Mac is inferior or at best matches software on the PC in every field.

So why does anyone use them? And why are so many of their users zealots for them? Do I simply have my facts wrong, or what?

I have a similar question with regards to a normal MP3 player versus an iPod. There doesn't seem to be any discernable difference other than the latter's expense.

Adam, the answer is obvious. Unlike Linux and WinXP, Mac OSX just works. No hassle, no issue. No real problems doing anything.

Also, nowdays the apple software suit is atleast comparable to anything in Windows if not better. Ask this on SDN and get some real answers.

I guess it's also matter of (market) perception. Before VGA came, the Mac has been the favorite among graphic designers and desktop publishers for its graphical capability (photo editing and such). Of course, PC's graphics has surpassed that of Mac these days, but many artists still psychologically perceive Mac as 'having superior image quality'.

Habit is also a defining factor; my uncle is a graphic designer, and he's been using Mac since 1980s. Now he admits PC's graphical capability, but he says that he's already used to Mac interface so it's kinda difficult for him to switch to PC. And he's not alone.

I'm not sure it's anywhere near the brand acceptence of old Macs. It's more that modern Macs DO kick ass.

I was always under the impression that people used them because either
1. They were elitist. And liked to pretend to be hip Gen-Xers with the little goatee and the black turtleneck.
2. It's all they have. I know my college was some kind of Mac-fiend place. I hated them. I hated the labs, I hated my journalism classes with the Macs, and I hated my programming classes with the Macs. And I hated using macs for word processing. Which brings me to
3. Two mouse buttons was just too many. I hate Macintosh mice.

Those are a few of the reasons that come to mind. I have honestly, even after being taught to, and spending hours and hours using the 'superior software' and 'top end technology' never found a compelling reason for using a newer Macintosh.

A big reason for using Macs is they have superior desktop-publishing apps, as well as apps for artwork, photography, and the like. That's why you see them used a lot in art facilities and in publishing. Beyond that, as Ace said, they do have rather the reputation for reliability. In fact, I would argue that the primary reasons they're not used much nowadays come down to two things: one, they really weren't that great back in the day and thus PC's came to pre-eminence in the market, two, as a result of that computing applications became strongly PC-centric. There's not much 'fun' stuff for the Mac these days-- to play most current games you've gotta download Windows emulators. Most programming is done on and for PC's. That's about it.

Elheru Aran wrote:A big reason for using Macs is they have superior desktop-publishing apps, as well as apps for artwork, photography, and the like.

This was true for a short time, but now you can get all those apps on Windows or even Linux for many of them. Things like Photoshop used to be Mac exclusive, but it hasn't been for years.

Can anyone actually name a Mac exclusive superior artwork application?

Artwork no, but alot of heavy stuff is optimised for macs.

Mac factors nowdays besides 'it's cool':

1) It just works. I cannot repeat how much that is importent.

2) Ease of use, have you tried using Mac OSX? Dreamy

3) Mac OSX, it bears repeating.

I second Ace. I have a Mac and a PC, but I only use the PC when I have to; For games and shit. Why? Because it crashes at least once a damn day. And it's virtually brand new. My Mac? Crashed last six months ago. It's perfect for just going on the internet, writing and printing shit etc, hassle-free.

This sums up my thoughts on Macs and their inferiority.