What do you use your mac for?

1337z0r · 19 Jan 2008 at 00:01

I use mine for...

Web browsing
MSN - Adium really good IM program
Music
Videos

Plan to use it more for work seeing as office 2008 is out, plus I think its going to replace my desktop PC as I really dislike windows now

. OSX all the way!

.

Mr Jones · 19 Jan 2008 at 00:03

yantorsen said:
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.

How can we explain it with words? With what you've read in this thread and many others, talking about features and how it feels / work, you wouldn't be able to "feel it" like the end users - it's like me trying to explain how pigs brain taste like (and FYI, I have eaten one cooked in one of my family's herbal soup)

yantorsen · 19 Jan 2008 at 00:07

Dr Jones said:
How can we explain it with words? With what you've read in this thread and many others, talking about features and how it feels / work, you wouldn't be able to "feel it" like the end users - it's like me trying to explain how pigs brain taste like (and FYI, I have eaten one cooked in one of my family's herbal soup)

so ** saying it's not really a tangible thing?

I mean I use my PC for all the normal stuff, and I can't see how a mac could possibly do it any better than linux or windows.

clv101 · 19 Jan 2008 at 00:19

yantorsen said:
I mean I use my PC for all the normal stuff, and I can't see how a mac could possibly do it any better than linux or windows.

Obviously not. There's only two things you can do, forget all about Macs and just stay with Windows or actually spend some serious time with Macs and learn how they work. Talking about on the forum isn't going to get you anywhere. The only thing you can take from the forum is that pretty much everyone who has taken the time to learn about Macs love them. If you're curious as to why, and it seems you are, the only thing to do is find out for yourself.

Phate · 19 Jan 2008 at 00:23

yantorsen said:
so ** saying it's not really a tangible thing?

I mean I use my PC for all the normal stuff, and I can't see how a mac could possibly do it any better than linux or windows.

its not necessarily a case of doing it any better.

Type a word document in windows then one on the mac, both identical, both provide the same quality of work.

For me, it's the way the Mac goes about doing things just seems more natural and free flowing than the PC and I know the PC well, been using them for 16+ years now and maintaining them and I hate using the one at work, the amount of times I've gone to hit my expose' shortcut key to switch windows, nope, I gotta go through the outlook group then select the one I want, few seconds lost there!

Seriously, you gotta have a real play with it, just to see what we mean, you can use them for as long as you like in the Apple stores

yantorsen · 19 Jan 2008 at 00:32

so it's basically just the way the GUI flows better?

Mr Jones · 19 Jan 2008 at 00:37

yantorsen said:
so it's basically just the way the GUI flows better?

And the available applications, how some of them work seamlessly together - all adding up to a very intuitive / productive feel whilst you work.

I've got a mate who does web designing and he swears by using a Mac because of Transmit (and FTP proggy) and BBEdit - because the alternatives in Windows is, in his words, droppings from a bat - he came from a PC background, learnt everything under Windows and did some server work with *nix but after working for some company that does designing on Macs, he's been eager to own an iMac since.

It would be nice of Apple does some kind of OS X Demo download for Windows users, give them a chance to try - shame there's no such thing :/

yantorsen · 19 Jan 2008 at 00:50

Dr Jones said:
And the available applications, how some of them work seamlessly together

why do i want this?

azteched · 19 Jan 2008 at 10:00

I use a mac at work - physics research. PC at home does the gaming.
I would say that since putting Leopard on the work mac, I get the boring things done faster (Finder in leopard is certainly better).

Yantsoren - I dunno if I subscribe to the "apps working seamlessly" thing - it depends on your usage pattern (obviously). For what I do with it, the power of Unix tools + nice UI features is a winner, though.

yantorsen · 19 Jan 2008 at 20:33

azteched said:
I use a mac at work - physics research.

so why is your Mac better for this? or is it just thats what your work uses?

azteched · 19 Jan 2008 at 23:02

yes it's better than Windows because OS X is based on Unix, which means I have all the useful tools & programs I need natively (rather than through say Cygwin on Windows).

ikillbears · 19 Jan 2008 at 23:34

the thing i realised the other day why i love my mac is hot corners. Just dropping my mouse to the corners and i can look at ALL my windows or just ones related to the program. Its so easy and much quicker than using windows and alt tabbing + ive discovered its great for watching multiple porn vids

yantorsen · 20 Jan 2008 at 00:40

azteched said:
yes it's better than Windows because OS X is based on Unix, which means I have all the useful tools & programs I need natively (rather than through say Cygwin on Windows).

So it's no better than Linux then?

bigredshark · 20 Jan 2008 at 00:52

yantorsen said:
So it's no better than Linux then?

Better interface, more intuitive to use. Easier to find software etc...

I love linux for work but I'd never run it on my home machine, it's just not there yet. OS X has the unix shell accessible enough that it's there when I need it. I'll say thats a lovely advantage of OS X over windows, it has all the network tools ready to go, whois etc...

I hate cygwin with a passion, it's just a pain...

macuser · 20 Jan 2008 at 01:04

Earning a living.

macuser · 20 Jan 2008 at 01:08

yantorsen said:
so why is your Mac better for this? or is it just thats what your work uses?

He's probably a designer or works in print/pre-press? The
mac is industry standard in this line of work.

yantorsen · 20 Jan 2008 at 01:47

So from this thread I've concluded two reasons why you would use OSX or Lepeord over windows or linux.

1. its the industry standard in some fields
2. supposed seemless intergration of various applications

Is this all? I don't really understand number 2 tbh.

philhoole · 20 Jan 2008 at 03:29

yantorsen said:
So from this thread I've concluded two reasons why you would use OSX or Lepeord over windows or linux.

1. its the industry standard in some fields
2. supposed seemless intergration of various applications

Is this all? I don't really understand number 2 tbh.

Number 2 comes up a lot. Never, ever, with any explanation in my experience.

Then there's this thing about them being ideal for "creative" users which is driving me potty. I am open minded but will somebody please explain what this is all about? I mean it, please. How is CS3 (for example) different between Vista and OSX? If not CS3 then any app of choice.

I have the cash here to spend on a MacPro. But I will not buy one unless I hear more descriptive reasons than "it's better" or "seamless".

The only reason I am considering a MacPro is for 3D applications and Photoshop use. Naturally the 8 cores are the main focus here but there just seems to me an "emperors new clothes" mystique in some respects.

Why should I shift to Mac/OSX ? Maybe I should keep the £2k and go on holiday or save it for a few software upgrades?

Come on Mac users, tell me why I should go for it.

benjo plz. · 20 Jan 2008 at 03:47

Well...