Just curious...own an Apple Mac

[Tigershark_BAS 0]

Just curious if any Windows users have made the switch. I bought one last year (iMac G5 20") and have enjoyed the trouble environment and wealth of more professional looking design tools available for it.

100% switching is out of the question because, let's face it, as cool as they are they SUCK at gaming with only a few top tier titles making it to OS X. But I am interested in the community's attitude to Apple Macs and their other products.

[Delirium 0]

As much as they suck at gaming, they are like buldozers at CG.

Thanks to Tiger system which can consume up to 16GB of Ram unlike WIN XP (only 1.5 per app).

So, yes I would consider buying G5 Mac with quadro core board + two 21 displays.

Gaming gets boring these days. Well, until Arma or OFP 2, at least.

[blackdog~ 0]

I did 10 or so years ago...

I always played these games, because they kicked so much ass.

[hellfish6 7]

I got rid of my last Mac just before OS8. I always had reliability issues with their OSes, plus Mac games dissappeared around that time.

[4 IN 1 0]

mac are good on image managment i have to say, but thats really is the only thing that i could think up to be good using a mac

[kegetys 2]

A PowerPC Mac would have been nice, but now that they're x86 PC's too there isn't much point buying them, I could just run the x86 OS X on a cheap PC

Apple switching to x86 processors was a bit bad news for me as it propably means that the last hope of we ever getting rid of the x86 architecture is gone. Though in the other hand it might promote non-windows software development: since OS X is Unix (or BSD actually), developers could make one version of their software which is easy to compile to run in OS X and Linux and other unixes. Since the CPU is the same even assembler code will work, not to mention that Wine and Cedega can be ported to OS X now too to run Windows games.

[Mr_Tea 0]

I didn`t voted, nothing fit my opinion.

I´ll stay with AMD. My next system, whenever i build it, will have an AMD Processor (maybe more than one). I´m using Windows 2000 Professional with SP3, when the first open Beta of Windows Vista is available, i will try it.

I have no plan to buy an Mac somewhere in the future. The same goes for WinXP, i`ll never use it.

Edit:

Why should Apple be the dark side?

[4 IN 1 0]

Apple NEVER meant to be the dark side, its just that.......well, kind of bitchy to use(just like Unix)

[Tovarish 0]

I could just run the x86 OS X on a cheap PC

Or....

Quote[/b] ]Along with running Mac OS X, Windows XP installs without hitch on the Intel-based Mac, just as it would on any other PC, and booted without issue when installed on an NTFS-formatted partition. The only misbehavior sources encountered involved the video card. Initially, Windows refused to budge from an 800x600 setting on a 23-inch Cinema Display. Some prodding managed to get the screen to 1600x1200, but sources were unable to get Windows to take advantage of the entire screen.

Apple alluded to developers at its recent Worldwide Developer Conference that Windows should be able to run on Apple's Intel Macs.

As for installing Mac OS X on non-Apple hardware, attempts to boot from the included Mac OS X for Intel disc resulted in an error message on both a Dell and off-brand PC. The message states that the hardware configuration is not supported by Darwin x86.

Sources have indicated that Apple will employ an EDID chip on the motherboard of Intel-based Macs that Mac OS X will look for and must handshake with first in order to boot. Such an approach, similar to hardware dongles, could theoretically be defeated, although it's unknown what level of sophistication Apple will employ.

Also uncertain is whether the Intel-based development kits seeded to developers already feature the EDID chip or whether the installation disc contains a less sophisticated installation check that simply seeks out one particular hardware configuration--the one given to developers--and will not install on other configurations.

http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0506intelmac.html

I may consider getting one of their notebooks down the road, especially seeing as pretty soon you may be able to run any operating system on any computer without too much hastle

[EiZei 0]

Would'nt mind a mac but my budget is tight as it is already.

[ebns72 0]

I voted the last option "I would never..." but not because its the "dark side." Mac's just don't have a lot of gaming support. Simple as that. I use a pc mainly for gaming. IIRC mac's don't support directx architecture all that well.

[Tovarish 0]

I voted the last option "I would never..." but not because its the "dark side." Mac's just don't have a lot of gaming support. Simple as that. I use a pc mainly for gaming. IIRC mac's don't support directx architecture all that well.

......yet....with the intel architecture.....plus the fact that Mac is saying they'll be able to run Vista, and Microsoft is saying they won't do anything to stop it.....immagine a gaming rig that can take advantage of 16 gigs of RAM

[kegetys 2]

Running windows on mac hardware wouldn't make much sense to me, you'd be paying twice as much for a PC that just has an apple logo on it.

[Tovarish 0]

I like choice, let's put it that way. I like Apple's notebooks, but wouldn't get one if I could only run Mac OS and no windows apps. In the near future it looks like I can get one, and be able to boot Mac OS, Linux, and Vista.

[JdB 151]

Kegetys is right imo. Since Apple switched to Intel CPU's there is no point in buying an overpriced, lowgrade system.

[Colossus 2]

I've been using both iMac and eMac on my school, with OS X "Tiger" and "Panther", and I really liked Mac actualy. But since games comes in a limited amount on Mac I wouldn't have bothered to buy one myself.

Long story short: I got a iPod (mini )and thats the only thing I got from Apple so far.

[redface 1]

Apple NEVER meant to be the dark side, its just that.......well, kind of bitchy to use (just like Unix)

last summer, I temporarily had to work on a Mac for one month and that was enough for me

installing PDF and MSN was a nightmare, no support for my VPN client, I even encountered some clumsy clicking mistakes and lack of basic scrolling possiblities

It all looks very nice, but if your mind is stuck on the "windows" principle, all the popping, integrating, lingering and disappearing of programs is just too complicated

[GoOB 0]

Iv'e been using Mac at school for almost a year now, and I have to say that the new G5's and the newer eMac's we have there are just top (although I despised them at first, and still do at times when they do things I don't want them to do! Great for using programs like Illustrator, QuarkXpress, InDesign, Photoshop and what have you. But that is about it really, I would never switch to Mac entirely, but having one for image and video processing wouldn't be too shabby

By the way... What is the deal with the Apple-key? They were off their hats with coming up with that one.

[eisa01 0]

Kegetys is right imo. Since Apple switched to Intel CPU's there is no point in buying an overpriced, lowgrade system.

Good engineering, innovative features and let's not forget the OS

I know you can run it on regular PCs too with some hacking, but that's not the point.

I've got an iBook and I'm very satisfied with it. The software just works, I never shut it down unless I'm upgrading the OS, so with 1,5 GB of memory applications start fast. The only thing I'm missing is the ability to fastly navigate in dialog boxes with the keyboard. That's about the only thing Windows is good at, excluding gaming.

It'll be interesting to see if gaming on the mac will evolve, now as they've switched to Intel CPUs. I know there's some Linux apps that let you play games for Windows. My dream is that I someday can play ArmA on a mac.

[crashdome 3]

I own an iPod I got for free for buying a car, and it is a great tool but I would very much rather have a much more flexible mp3 player someday.

Having said that, I did vote for never switching and not "I own an ipod"... Macs are nice for those that use them but I absolutely HATE it's error messages and UI. They are very confusing and trying to configure something you really need to use Macs on a regular basis.

I manage our whole plant's PCs(Linux and Windows) and our Prepress dept (its an Image manipulation, plate-setting, and other digital printing related department for those who don't know) uses several G5s and I have literally cut myself off from any service to those machines. the dept manager is good at running the software but his whole dept tends to screw up everything on a daily basis. Anyone who says Macs are more trouble free haven't met these people. I have been using Windows for a loooong time and have severe issues far far less than they do. I really don't think Macs are evil - even though I may say so once in awhile . I think they are all equally good/bad (PC vs Mac) and I just choose PCs because I know them so well I never have any troubles I can't handle quickly... and even just having trouble is a rarity for me.

Oh.. and yes... even G5s can suddenly reboot for no reason.

[nominesine 0]

I use a Macintosh (OS X) at work and a PC at home. I mainly work with layout and design on the Mac (Photoshop, Quark Express, InDesign stuff) and still find the Mac superior for this kind of job.

As mentioned, playing games on a Mac is pointless (hence the PC at home).

Since the compatibility problems between files created on Mac and PC are nowdays down to zero, my philosophy is:

Use a Mac if you want an easy-to-handle environment for work; use a PC if you want to have some fun with the finished product.

It's like building a bar in your living room. I call a carpenter to get the job done. I call my friends when the party starts  

[ag_smith 0]

This pretty much concludes what I think about Macs

Edit:

Hehe, another one...

Seriously, I had an iPod. I had it for 2 days and then sold it to a friend. I simply couldn't stand using the damn thing. I don't even want to think about owning a computer made by that company.

[Delirium 0]

This pretty much concludes what I think about Macs

Edit:

Hehe, another one...

Seriously, I had an iPod. I had it for 2 days and then sold it to a friend. I simply couldn't stand using the damn thing. I don't even want to think about owning a computer made by that company.

Do you mean to say that having owned an Ipod, should reflect the whole range of Apple products?

That's pretty weak and unconvincing statement to me.

[ag_smith 0]

It very well reflects the "philosophy" behind all the Apple products. Eg. if you want to upload music to it you have to use iTunes and no other program.

I've also had some classes on my university where I had muy chance to fool around with Macs and for me it's all the same crap.

Matter of personal taste? Definitely. I'm just saying about my own feelings.

[Delirium 0]

Feelings, ok.

I have some other question for you.

Find me one 100% reliable piece of soft or hardware for PC platform.

How about:

-compatibility (harware, software, drivers issues)

-software worth of 10K EUR that has hardware specificaly build for it and it doens't work.

Windows that would not allow me to use technology that exists today without any hacks.

As I said earlier. For my kinda work (CG) Mac is a real solution, where Mental Ray can use all the CPU and RAM resources it has.

MAC is like a laptop - work based solution. PC is more open system that you can adjust to your needs.