Why would anyone use a Macintosh?

C&T: Video Games, Table Top Games & Computerized Stuff
Post Reply
User avatar
Destructionator XV
Lead Programmer
Posts: 2352
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 10:12 am
19
Location: Watertown, New York
Contact:

#1 Why would anyone use a Macintosh?

Post by Destructionator XV »

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?
Adam D. Ruppe
Image Oh my hero, so far away now.....
User avatar
Stofsk
Secret Agent Man
Posts: 1710
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2005 4:46 pm
19
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

#2

Post by Stofsk »

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.
User avatar
Ace Pace
Antisemetical Semite
Posts: 2272
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:28 am
19
Location: Cuddling with stress pills
Contact:

#3

Post by Ace Pace »

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.
[img=left]http://www.libriumarcana.com/Uploads/Ace/acewip7.jpg[/img]Grand Dolphin Conspiracy
The twin cub, the Cyborg dolphin wolf.

Dorsk 81: this is why I support the separation of Aces eyebrow's, something that ugly should never be joined

Mayabird:You see what this place does to us? It's like how Eskimos have their 16 names for snow. We have to precisely define what shafting we're receiving.

"Do we think Israel would be nuts enough to go back into Lebanon with Olmert still in power and calling the shots? They could hook Sharon up to a heart monitor and interpret the blips and bleeps as "yes" and "no" and do better than that, both strategically and emotionally."
Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman
Sick, Twisted Fuck
Posts: 1949
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2005 2:37 pm
19
Location: MENTAL HOSPITAL
Contact:

#4

Post by Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman »

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.
The Sick, Twisted Fuck | Sap #2 of the Bitter Trio | Knight of the e-mail | Evil Liberal Conspirator | Esoteric Order of Dagon | Weird TGODer

Share your free D&D character here.

:welcome :arrow: :sheepfucker: :thumbsup

So be it. If saying "NO" means being alone, then to hell with love, with romance, with marriage, and all the shit life keeps pumping at me. I'll walk alone, but with freedom and a healed pride.

NEVER buy a LiteOn CD/DVD Writer. Ever.
User avatar
Ace Pace
Antisemetical Semite
Posts: 2272
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:28 am
19
Location: Cuddling with stress pills
Contact:

#5

Post by Ace Pace »

I'm not sure it's anywhere near the brand acceptence of old Macs. It's more that modern Macs DO kick ass.
[img=left]http://www.libriumarcana.com/Uploads/Ace/acewip7.jpg[/img]Grand Dolphin Conspiracy
The twin cub, the Cyborg dolphin wolf.

Dorsk 81: this is why I support the separation of Aces eyebrow's, something that ugly should never be joined

Mayabird:You see what this place does to us? It's like how Eskimos have their 16 names for snow. We have to precisely define what shafting we're receiving.

"Do we think Israel would be nuts enough to go back into Lebanon with Olmert still in power and calling the shots? They could hook Sharon up to a heart monitor and interpret the blips and bleeps as "yes" and "no" and do better than that, both strategically and emotionally."
Masterharper
Apprentice
Posts: 98
Joined: Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:17 am
18
Location: Somewhere Far Beyond
Contact:

#6

Post by Masterharper »

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.
User avatar
Elheru Aran
Initiate
Posts: 492
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2005 8:58 am
19
Location: Georgia Southern University, USA
Contact:

#7

Post by Elheru Aran »

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.
User avatar
Destructionator XV
Lead Programmer
Posts: 2352
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 10:12 am
19
Location: Watertown, New York
Contact:

#8

Post by Destructionator XV »

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?
Adam D. Ruppe
Image Oh my hero, so far away now.....
User avatar
Ace Pace
Antisemetical Semite
Posts: 2272
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:28 am
19
Location: Cuddling with stress pills
Contact:

#9

Post by Ace Pace »

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.
[img=left]http://www.libriumarcana.com/Uploads/Ace/acewip7.jpg[/img]Grand Dolphin Conspiracy
The twin cub, the Cyborg dolphin wolf.

Dorsk 81: this is why I support the separation of Aces eyebrow's, something that ugly should never be joined

Mayabird:You see what this place does to us? It's like how Eskimos have their 16 names for snow. We have to precisely define what shafting we're receiving.

"Do we think Israel would be nuts enough to go back into Lebanon with Olmert still in power and calling the shots? They could hook Sharon up to a heart monitor and interpret the blips and bleeps as "yes" and "no" and do better than that, both strategically and emotionally."
User avatar
Pcm979
Adept
Posts: 1306
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 5:22 am
19
Location: Command Deck, the UMSC Pillar of Awesome.

#10

Post by Pcm979 »

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.
Last edited by Pcm979 on Thu Jun 29, 2006 4:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
Image
"Are you trying to give me a spasm?" ~The Necrontyr Messenger
User avatar
B4UTRUST
Dance Puppets Dance
Posts: 4867
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 3:31 pm
19
Location: Chesapeake, Va
Contact:

#11

Post by B4UTRUST »

This sums up my thoughts on Macs and their inferiority.

Image
Image
Saint Annihilus - Patron Saint of Dealing with Stupid Customers
Post Reply