What do you use your mac for?

yantorsen · 18 Jan 2008 at 00:36

Dr Jones said:
Expose / Space / iPhotos / iTunes / .mac - theses and many other features (and 3rd party apps), which works very well together with each other, gives it an overall better feeling than what I can get from Windows. So in simpler words - OS X > Windows IMHO. If I can run OS X legally / properly on a decent Windows system (or a better laptop than my MacBook per pricing) - I'd happily revert back to PC.

P/S it's not just about the GUI, the independence of Apps and System files is a plus for OS X than Windows.

Maybe it is just me, but, why do you need iPhotoes to work with iTunes or Space? or anything else? What exactly do you mean by it works better togethor?

There doesn't seem to be any tangible reason to get a mac, that is my current opinion, but I want someone to convince me otherwise.

BillytheImpaler · 18 Jan 2008 at 00:36

ichabod crane said:
Everything, well nearly if only autodesk would read my numerous emails!

Don't take it personally. They haven't answered mine and I've been sending them for 6 years.

Mr Jones · 18 Jan 2008 at 00:43

yantorsen said:
Maybe it is just me, but, why do you need iPhotoes to work with iTunes or Space? or anything else? What exactly do you mean by it works better togethor?

There doesn't seem to be any tangible reason to get a mac, that is my current opinion, but I want someone to convince me otherwise.

Sorry, I just pulled examples from what I was using.
Hmm... an example;

I went out on a social event last night and taken 60 pictures. I want to email them all to my friends. I first plug in my camera and iPhotos uploads them and class them under an event name I gave.

I just select the event group and press "Mail" and it'll load them up and I can resize them to whatever size I feel comfortable to email with. When done, I just email to them - it kinda cuts out some stuff you need to do in Windows if you always do that.

Now that the emails sent, I want them to be on my website to show off, again, selecting the photos and click iWeb, I can have them on my website I've setup (with my .mac) to upload and made into a slide show.

Expose / Spaces comes in when I have to switch between programs and just a click of my middle button / bring my cursor to the "hot corner" (which I've set up for different function (i.e. spaces) I can switch between programs instantaneously.

I'm crap at explaining this, best thing is, go around an Apple Shop and give it a go - hard to have an everyday feel but if you have a friend with one, that'd be the best bet... it's late and I can't think anymore

yantorsen · 18 Jan 2008 at 01:14

Well to me, they all seem like fairly small things, if you just use Office with all the default windows programs it all intergrates fine anyway.

People often tell me you need to experiance a mac to understand how "good" they are. I've used them at school and my mates, I can't say I find them especially better than Windows.

Spyhop · 18 Jan 2008 at 01:39

One small thing that I like a lot is that there's a distinction between an application and a window. Applications aren't terminated just because you want to close their window(s).

yantorsen · 18 Jan 2008 at 01:52

wush said:
One small thing that I like a lot is that there's a distinction between an application and a window. Applications aren't terminated just because you want to close their window(s).

actually yeah that is quite a nice feature I admit. But you can setup windows to do similar, and it's hardly a massive feature.

PardonTheWait · 18 Jan 2008 at 10:13

yantorsen said:
I've used them at school and my mates, I can't say I find them especially better than Windows.

Without wishing to sound patronising, noodling around on a Mac at school or your mate's house is not the same as having someone actually demo to you what they can do. If you're really curious, pop to an Apple shop and ask a few questions, get someone to demo you a few apps and show you the .mac account and so on

clv101 · 18 Jan 2008 at 10:19

yantorsen said:
actually yeah that is quite a nice feature I admit. But you can setup windows to do similar, and it's hardly a massive feature.

What "features" are you looking for?

It's all about workflow/structure/look/feel etc. Not Mac and do X and PC can do Y. As I said above they are both computer systems and do basically the same things.

NickK · 18 Jan 2008 at 13:23

Everything but gaming.. although I'm considering EVE or something not too realtime dependant... so I can play a cheeky bit of gaming whilst watching TV and maintaining girl-points for not being anti-social playing games..

X3 native would be interesting...

Phate · 18 Jan 2008 at 13:28

clv101 said:
What "features" are you looking for?

It's all about workflow/structure/look/feel etc. Not Mac and do X and PC can do Y. As I said above they are both computer systems and do basically the same things.

Yep, just have different ways of going about them.

I'm not going to go off and say Mac's don't crash blah blah blah

but the great thing I love about mine is when I goto work my family can freely use it and I know when I get home it'll still be working, whereas the pc used to break/die all the time.

Phate · 18 Jan 2008 at 13:29

NickK said:
Everything but gaming.. although I'm considering EVE or something not too realtime dependant... so I can play a cheeky bit of gaming whilst watching TV and maintaining girl-points for not being anti-social playing games..

X3 native would be interesting...

But that point isn't valid any more imo because you can install Windows and run games in that, that's what I do for COD4 and a couple of others.

Only thing I use Windows for tbh, otherwise it wouldn't be installed!

MrMoonX · 18 Jan 2008 at 13:32

sitting on sofa watching tv whilst surfing the net

Mr Jones · 18 Jan 2008 at 15:13

aayzof said:
porn mainly. i live for the porn, me.

Do you not feel uncomfortable with the iSight on the iMac / MacBook (pro), assuming you're using either of them?

NickK · 18 Jan 2008 at 15:51

Dr Jones said:
Do you not feel uncomfortable with the iSight on the iMac / MacBook (pro), assuming you're using either of them?

FBI sees all... projected onto their 12ft by 40ft operations wall screen..

yantorsen · 18 Jan 2008 at 23:22

clv101 said:
What "features" are you looking for?

It's all about workflow/structure/look/feel etc. Not Mac and do X and PC can do Y. As I said above they are both computer systems and do basically the same things.

Well I understand that there basically can do the same, but I've just never understood how any of the things mentioned in this thread and other things that makie it easier are really worth the fairly hefty premium over a PC.

Mr Jones · 18 Jan 2008 at 23:38

yantorsen said:
Well I understand that there basically can do the same, but I've just never understood how any of the things mentioned in this thread and other things that makie it easier are really worth the fairly hefty premium over a PC.

You really need to find an opportunity to borrow a friend's Mac or head down to an Apple store to give it a good go about - you can speak to them too if you need more features explained - I kinda took a risk when I bought mine (spent a good hour and half in Toys R Us messing on their Demo, came home and ordered off Apple site)

Not looked back since.

clv101 · 18 Jan 2008 at 23:40

Of course you don't 'cos you haven't really used them yourself, poking about on a mate's doesn't count. Ask yourself this, how many people do you know who have bought a Mac, used it for a few months a year, then sold it and gone back to a PC? I mean residual values are good, they would be able to get a good price for their 2nd hand Mac. I don't know any. Wonder why? Why do people pay a premium? Why did I by an £800 MacBook when a £600 Dell would have been virtually the same spec?

You're missing something - and you're not going to find it by asking questions in a forum.

Mr Jones · 18 Jan 2008 at 23:53

clv101 said:
Of course you don't 'cos you haven't really used them yourself, poking about on a mate's doesn't count. Ask yourself this, how many people do you know who have bought a Mac, used it for a few months a year, then sold it and gone back to a PC? I mean residual values are good, they would be able to get a good price for their 2nd hand Mac. I don't know any. Wonder why? Why do people pay a premium? Why did I by an £800 MacBook when a £600 Dell would have been virtually the same spec?

You're missing something - and you're not going to find it by asking questions in a forum.

That's a good point too. I found a laptop with the same spec and upgrade sold for £720 delivered! Which is the price I paid for the Built To Order MacBook 16months ago! Madness~

(but that's a special one, others average at £500 to £580 delivered)
Which considering the age, holds a lot of it's resale value than e.g. Dell or even a Sony Viao these days.

lemonkettaz · 18 Jan 2008 at 23:57

I use my mac mini has a media centre really.

I dont use it for anything else really, my laptop is much better for office and adobe stuff

yantorsen · 19 Jan 2008 at 00:00

clv101 said:
You're missing something - and you're not going to find it by asking questions in a forum.

this is the answer I always get. Like macs have some kind of magical power that has to experianced, I'd just like someone to put it into words. And I do know people have gone from Macs to PC btw.

I understnad in the notebook market that apples are usually better built etc... and could almost justify the premium, but i was thinking more of the desktop market.

What do you use your mac for?

Man of Honour