PC vs Mac
Well, I’ve gone and done it. I’ve opened myself up to the wrath of a whole bunch of people. This, I predict, will be my most hit post to date.
I use PC’s at work. I use Win2k. It’s a stable system without too many problems. I must use it, because I have four or five pieces of software which will not run on a mac, no way, no how, never, ever. Anyone who says otherwise is patently wrong, and comments of that sort will be immediately deleted. Anyone who believes that there is some magical PC emulating Mac software that will run all PC based software is in error, and I can and will prove that to all comers, end of question, period.
I have friends who use macs. They like them. The software they want to use runs on Macs. Good for them. If it works for them, it’s just dandy by me. I use a Bosch cordless drill, some like Ryobi better. I could care less. It Is A Tool.
What amazes me is the religious fervor associated with Mac lovers. Talk about drinking the Kool Ade! Sheesh. One of my most favorite internet pieces is here, a great little piece about the frustrations encountered by mac users. Go through the archives at Lileks, too, and see the tribulations he has. Other than a few persistent viruses, I have had zero trouble with Win2k and my Cow2k computer, since day one, three years ago. I know a lot of people have Windows trouble; I know that the Death Star is not blameless either. I do have several Linux boxes in my home, and often surf using Mozilla just because it’s so clean and fast.
Now, I don’t edit my blog while I’m working, and I don’t want to see ad hominems. Anyone I see just randomly flaming I’ll ban when I get home, so keep it civil. What I’d like to see are comments about personal horror stories with any software, os, or hardware. Be honest, have fun with it, and be polite, for Christ’s sake.

I’ve had very little exposure to anything but Windows. I’m a stubborn cuss about it too; I was the very last of my group to upgrade to Win95. I was used to 3.11 – I knew it’s bugs and I knew how to deal with them. Back then, I knew every single file on my hard drive, intimately. I was also the last in my group of acquaintances to upgrade to Win98. I’ve heard that XP pro is pretty stable too, but I like my 98. Dangit. Besides, I think upgrading would mean a new machine at this point, which is out of the question for the time being.
I really think it all comes down to which system you know how to work with best.
Og, what is a Cow2k? I must have been asleep the year that system was introduced.
I use Win98SE on my laptop. My next desktop will run Win98SE, Win3.11, and WinXP, just not all at the same time. I just have to get around to putting together all the parts stacked neatly next to the closet door. Oh Yeah, one of the boot drives will take an external drive so I’ll probably experiment with Linux too.
Now that I’ve finished boasting, I also have a older Mac laptop I got off eBay. It came with OS 8.6 installed and Microsoft Office. I decided to upgrade the hard drive so I could install OS 9.5 and experiment with a couple of emulation programs. My ultimate goal was to emulate Win 3.11 and thereby run XY Write, my favorite word processor.
Folks, Apple doesn’t make it easy to do your own upgrades. Physically swapping the hard drive is no problem, but reformatting and reloading software is next to impossible without having to accept the same limits your original drive had. And in this case, the drive was too small to go to OS 9.5. It’s sitting on a shelf, and I’ll get back to it someday. It’s a well made machine, but Apple has chosen the “closed box” option, so something that is routine for me in the Dos/Windows world is nigh impossible for me with this machine.
Rich
Ps. Og, if I’ve used up too much bandwith, feel free to pare this mini-rant down.
“I really think it all comes down to which system you know how to work with best.” Exactly, Deb.
Rich: Your comments are always polite and on point, why would I want to throw such a guest out of my house? I like long thoughtful comments.
Oh, cow2k = Gateway2000
I actually worked on an early Mac in my job back in 1994. At that time it was far superior to the Windows system in every way. Windows totally sucked up until XP from my perspective. But XP, with enough bandwidth and capacity is a fine system. I’ve never been hosed by a virus and I have a lot of IT support so I can’t speak up for the holes in the background being exploited by unscrupulous marketers and Al Qaeda, but I’ll stay with Windows for now. Mac is a boutique that my prole needs cannot indulge. There.
Macs used to be the best for graphics work; when I was working in publishing in the late 80s/early 90s, that’s all you saw in the art department.
And even now, I think the best software for certain professional applications (Final Cut Pro comes to mind off the top of my head, for editing movies), that tends to be Mac-based.
There’s lots more Win-based options now than in times past. Wasn’t always true, but since the overwhelming market choice is Microsoft, other applications have been developed for that platform.
And I politely beg to differ with you on the fervor felt by proponents of the Mac platform; it is only equaled by the nastiness often shown by those that think Bill Gates little toy shop is the only game in town and anyone that would use something else is worthy of scorn.
To quote from Rodney King, “Can’t we all just get along?” Use what works for you. What works for someone else is as individual as anything else in life, like, say, shoes. While I have seen some ugly shoes in my time, if that’s what you like, more power to you. Same with computers.
Jenny
your humble TubaDiva
Deb: you will get a puter upgrade when pigs fly or I win the lotto….or you cry on my shoulder and make pouty faces.
Debs personal IT guy. (who does have XP pro on his box)
I use windows and aix at work, and linux at home. I used to use macs at work nigh on to 10 years ago. I dont use windows at home because I keep getting viruses and worms. At work we regularly, every few months, suffer a catastrophic worming of the windows desktops and servers. Never on my desktop where I do development.
Macs are cleaner. SW development is way easier on windows. But at home linux is good enough, stable and cheap.
An Oxymoron Kinda Thing
A polite PC/Mac discussion?
Also, don’t miss the hysterically funny frog story!
You use a RYOBI? What the hell is wrong with you man
?!?!?
:)
and just to add fuel to the fire;
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/apple.php