Mac OS X or Win XP?

I'm very attracted to Apple notebooks, they some like the sleekest most sturdy notebooks on the market, but my concern is how easily will I be able to transition from Win XP to Mac OS? Is it going to be a headache to have to deal with programs I'm used to on Windows going screwy on Mac OS? Or is OS X good enough that I won't really mind.

 

well...u can get a mac....but get virtualpc for mac...so u can still have XP

 

They have their pros and cons.
Maybe you have read this already:
X vs. XP
http://www.xvsxp.com/

If after reading this, you still can't decide, then it really doesn't matter if you choose one or the other.

OS X is much easier to learn than Windows XP.

Windows: Applications sometimes go screwy
OS X: Different applications, sometimes goes screwy
Debian GNU/Linux: Different applications, sometimes goes screwy.
Solaris 10: Different applications, sometimes goes screwy.

If you're trying to run from the screwy, it looks like you got no place to run to.

 

I have never liked and I will never buy a Macintosh computer. That company, although 'interesting', is not on my list of 'liked companies'.

I have been a Windows user since it first came out. I started out using DOS originally, now I am on the latest version of Windows, XP. Have not been dissatisfied.

The reason I don't have problems, spyware, etc., is because I maintain and take care of my machines. Once you start, it is a relatively simple task.

With Windows, you have a MUCH broader selection of software. Gaming is basically non-existant on a Mac. And don't forget that you have a huge selection of machines when it comes to Windows.

I'll never switch to a Macintosh. Linux perhaps, but not Mac.

 

I have always used Windoze Dos 5.3 / Windoze 3.x to today's XP Pro with all itterations inbetween (except Millenium). It does what I need it to do.

The biggest reason I would use a Mac is for Video editing. That said current Windows versions are getting better , but IMHO still not up to par with the Mac. I have used Vidoe Editing for the PC for a long time and the stability is getting better yeahhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

Just to gab, I would consider buying a Mac. I used one at work in the early 90s (same timeframe as Windows 3.11) and there was no comparison. So, to make clear, I am not knocking either the performance or quality of Apple.

Rather, I have two, mostly irrational reasons for not feeling entirely comfortable with Apple.
1. The owners tend to be elitists.
2. Both the hardware AND the software are proprietary.

Microsoft makes me uncomfortable enough, but at least Linux is always an option (I have a bootable CD lying somewhere around here). And the hardware is an open book, with lots of competing vendors.

EDIT: One more point to add is that I truly believe that Apple cares about its customers. But ultimately, I don't want to be owned.

 

I don't think an apple notebook would be cost-effective. It is worth more than it is, from a hardware standpoint. The transition, I think will be very hard for a tried and true Windows OS user. The software incompatiblilty is endless between the two and I don't care what people say about the "ability" to boot windows on a macintel, it jsut isn't there yet. Heck, the macbooks haven't even shipped for people to do that and might I add virtual PC is just a headache to run any kind of Windows OS. I tried multiple Windows OS on my friend's Apple and all of them had so much lag, you would open a browser, get a drink, go to the bathroom, take a shower, come back and it still wouldn't have loaded up(It is an exaggeration, I know, but you can see my point).

I am not praising the Windows OS and its DOS based older brothers, but it is just that it is very user friendly and there is so much software available for the Windows OS it would be too much to list. Having said that, you can do anything on a Mac OS X that you can on a Windows PC(and vice versa), but I am gonna say that it will have to cost you, time and money.

 

OS X is great. The minor incompatiblilities i have are so minor to me that they don't bother me at all. And if i really need to, i have a windows machine as a backup. I have found the switch to be realitivily painless for me.

One thing i think i will say about people saying mac products cost so much more then hardware is worth may be a factor that they do there own R&D and that would drive costs up more then if someone else was doing it.

Apple's stuff is great, and once you get into it, its hard to get out. As for the elitest comment, i would say that that is the outcome from everyone else bashing the mac platform. (yeah, i am prolly going to be flamed abit for this i figure, unless people are really nice )

 

What !!!!!! Flame Thrown

For me (and to be fair I have not researched recently) it is the incompatibilities with the Windows corporate world. Sure I can run a Word Processor and Spreadsheet on Max or Linux where my issue is

VPN (Allot of offices uses MS vpn - not sure there is a MAC counterpart)
Using client server tools Prolog / Primavera / etc ... (albeit most of these have migrated to a Web version)
Database (SQL Server / Oracle) tools - no sure what MAC offers (again could go web based for allot of Oracle anyway)

I could likley find replacements / alternatives for most of these -but to what end ? So I can say I have a MAC and join the elite group <hahah jk>

I agree Mac is more user intuitive / more stable and friendlier - but if you are coming from years of Windows it is a shift and a learning curve is required.

I relate it to snowboarding (which I cannot do) - "they" say Snowboarding is easier to learn the Skiing (which I do do) - but if you already know how to ski you have to unlearn allot

 

1. you should be able to pick up osx without much difficulty. you will find that xp is much more robust. analogy: osx is for people who take their car to the mechanic and say fix it. xp is for people who want to know what the problem is maybe try to fix it themselves.

2. osx is simply NOT as intuitive as XP and i'll give you real example of why not.

i was trying to figure out how to connect my friend's powerbook to the LAN in my apartment so that we could share some files. i went to help and searched for connect to windows. i got several results and clicked on the one that looked like it would help the most.

the first step it told me to do was to go to "finder". however, because help was running, the menu bar had no "finder" option to it. i had to close help to have "finder" come up. THAT is NOT intuitive. contrast that with help in the XP environment. usually, you will have the opion, prominently displayed in the help window, to "keep on top of other windows" and then, the instructions usually have actual links that you can click to open the window that you need to get to to follow the help instructions. THAT is intuitive... and user friendly... and a much better experience than osx.

 

The transistion from Windows to MAC is pretty easy

 

you didn't have to close the window, you just needed to click on the finder icon, or click on the desktop to get the finder menu bar up. I have networked my ibook with my window machines easily enough.

I think that it really depends on how adaptable a person is, if they are set in there ways, they might find the switch harder. But after the switch, i rarely like to use my window machines anymore. One thing is to find out, and get the excellent freeware thats out there to maximize the use of OS X.

 

I never like macs because of compatability issues, I believe Windows based PC's are easier to upgrade. If you go into a computer store, about 90% of software if for Windows. I don't understand the point in getting a Mac notebook. Windows based ones are much better value for money!

 

The thing about Macs is that it is alot better for doing video and picture editing than almost anything out there. Other than that I would go with Windows. That is just my opinion though.

 

my mac user friends said the same thing, however that only reinforces my point. if it was so intuitive or if osx was so much more user friendly than xp (which is what gets regurgitated everywhere), the help instructions would have told me that.

anyways, not trying to start another holy war; i'm just pointing out this real world example of why xp is actually more intuitive/user friendly/robust than osx

 

O.K. I am an owner of both a Windows machine and a Mac machine and like both of them a lot. However, if you're moving from Windows to Mac, it'll take you awhile before you get used to the new OS - it's nothing like Windows. As a Windows user, you're probably used to right clicking a lot with your computer - not so on a Mac. You have to hold down the "Ctrl" key and click at the same time to right click, which can get annoying after awhile. Also, if you're moving from Windows to Mac, you have to take time to get used to the controls - it isn't as intuitive as Windows, IMO. In addition, as other have already stated, you don't get the wide range of Windows software that's available for Macs. Mac software is limited in choice and generally costs a good deal more than Windows software. However, don't be afraid of Macs because of their OS - just give it some time and you should get used to it.