What's up with Macs?

Bowling_4_Gold

I have been 'forced' to use an iMac G4 (I Think) at work this week, and around the office, people constantly comment on how user-unfriendly they are, and how annoying they are to work with. As this is about the first time I have used one for a whole week, I havn't really had time to properly assess it.

Other than the stupid noise it makes on startup and the fact there is only 1 mouse button (& no scroll wheel), what else is bad about Macs? Would be interesting to hear your opinions... Cheers.

sweetstudent

For me the question would be whats good about a PC?

I love my MacBook Because

1) Its easier to in/uninstall programs - simply drag and drop
2) Faster than Windows
3) Does not use Windows
4) Better program integration
5) Has the dock!
6) Comes with useful programs - iLife!
7) Is not slowed down running Internet security software
8) Better photo editing software
9) Computer and Software made by the same company
10) Two finger scroll - up/down and sideways (anywhere on the track-pad - hence no scroll wheel)
11) Two finger right click - (hence no right button - or hold down the left mouse button)
12) Swipe gestures, on the new MacBooks
13) Approx 6 Mac Virus - around 2 million PC Virus
13) Better looking (admittedly a aesthetic quality)
14) Will last far far longer than a PC will and be able to run lastest software - can a PC do that without an upgrade?
15) Spaces and Widgets


I can think of many many more positives about the Mac than i can think of bad things!!!

isofa

Bowling_4_Gold wrote: »

I have been 'forced' to use an iMac G4 (I Think) at work this week, and around the office, people constantly comment on how user-unfriendly they are, and how annoying they are to work with. As this is about the first time I have used one for a whole week, I havn't really had time to properly assess it.

Other than the stupid noise it makes on startup and the fact there is only 1 mouse button (& no scroll wheel), what else is bad about Macs? Would be interesting to hear your opinions... Cheers.

Bizarre post.

I've used both Macs and PCs for 15-20 years, both have postitives and negatives, but Macs certainly aren't annoying to work with, any more than Windows is - it's user error or lack or knowledge. In fact in general Macs surely have a few more advantages and extra touches that PCs don't.

I still use both daily, and couldn't work at my businesses without either, using a massive variety of applications from database and system design, application development to photography, imaging and DTP.

An iMac G4 is hardly up-to-date, it must be from around 2002 (depending on actual model), so are you using a similar 7 year old PC running Windows 2000 for comparison? If it's running OS X it's still way more advanced than Windows XP...

Any Mac can accept a 2+ button mouse, all modern ones have touch sensitive areas for left/right/scroll clicking.

Stupid startup noise: is that comparable with the din of the default Windows startup chime, a hang up from Windows 95, which I still hear on XP and later machines in offices today...

This post strikes me as yet another angling for a platform argument.

Kavanne

I like Macs because they don't slooooooooooowww dddoooooooooooowwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnn with age like PCs seem to do 10 seconds after you buy them!!

Bowling_4_Gold

isofa wrote: »

An iMac G4 is hardly up-to-date, it must be from around 2002 (depending on actual model), so are you using a similar 7 year old PC running Windows 2000 for comparison? If it's running OS X it's still way more advanced than Windows XP...

Yes actually. I had both the Mac in question and a system running Windows 98 (At Least 7 years old) on the desk and although I'm not saying the Windows machine was far superior to the Mac, they were certainly comparable in terms of responce time and general 'ability'.

From my (vague) knowlege, the Mac was certainly one of the more expensive models as it had a widescreen (about 21-22") monitor.

Stupid startup noise: is that comparable with the din of the default Windows startup chime, a hang up from Windows 95, which I still hear on XP and later machines in offices today...

You must have a mucked-up PC if you are hearing the same start up sounds throughout versions. See here for comparison.

It just struck me as extremely bizarre how such an apparently amazing and wonderful machine could have such a wierd noise coming out of it. Frankly, I would rather hear the shredder working it's magic.

I'm not trying to provoke another mac vs PC debate and am only trying to seek people's opinions after hearing such negative 'reviews' and comments from my co-workers.

I like Macs because they don't slooooooooooowww dddoooooooooooowwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnn with age like PCs seem to do 10 seconds after you buy them!!

PC's only slow because of poor user maintenance. If people would run CCleaner once a week/month, they wouldn't have that problem so much. In fact, I am currently running Windows Vista on my Single-Core PC with only 512mb of RAM and am experiencing little or no 'lag'.

Kavanne

Why should I do that? I am a very busy person and my computer should run fast on its own.

Marty_J

Macs run a hardware test on startup. That "stupid noise" you hear means it passed.

And this is about the 10th time I've told you that all Macs now have a four button mouse with a scroll ball. Please write it on a piece of card, have it laminated, and put it in your wallet. For what it's worth, I have right clicking turned off. It's easier and more efficient to use keyboard shortcuts.

It's pretty hard to address your alleged user-unfriendliness though without any examples. So if you really want a discussion, you're going to have to provide some.

If someone doesn't like Macs, well, then they don't like Macs. I don't see what else there is to say.

[Deleted User]

isofa wrote: »

Stupid startup noise: is that comparable with the din of the default Windows startup chime, a hang up from Windows 95, which I still hear on XP and later machines in offices today...

It's not mutually exclusive, my installations of Linux had a stupid acoustic guitar start up sound. I like the Vista one though.

Bowling_4_Gold

Marty_J wrote: »

And this is about the 10th time I've told you that all Macs now have a four button mouse with a scroll ball. Please write it on a piece of card, have it laminated, and put it in your wallet. For what it's worth, I have right clicking turned off. It's easier and more efficient to use keyboard shortcuts.

Oh, sorry if I didn't make myself clear, but I thought when I said 'No scroll button' it would have given a hint... The Mac I was using had the old mouse with only one button.

My colleagues, when presented with issues with the mac, spent about 5 mins getting nowhere. That's 5 mins of potential work wasted where as we then turned the old Windows machine sitting in the corner of the desk on and hey presto, within 1-2 mins we were up and running on the net. I think this is what they meant when they said they are un-user friendly and difficult to work with, when there is clearly an easier option right beside the mac.

I am just wondering if anyone else has any other reason why macs could be described as un-user friendly...??

Why should I do that? I am a very busy person and my computer should run fast on its own.

What? So you don't have 12 secs to start up a (free) program and let it run once in a week or even once every month? I think you would waste that time anyway waiting for a mac to decide if safari is responding or not :mad:

Kavanne

that is correct. I do not wish to let the program run. and we all know how slow the PC will be whilst it's actually defragging or running avg or ccleaner, don't we!

it safari ever doesn't respond (very rare) then at least 'force quit' on a Mac works unlike the beloved PC

Marty_J

Bowling_4_Gold wrote: »

Oh, sorry if I didn't make myself clear, but I thought when I said 'No scroll button' it would have given a hint... The Mac I was using had the old mouse with only one button.

You can use a one button mouse with a Windows PC too.

My colleagues, when presented with issues with the mac, spent about 5 mins getting nowhere. That's 5 mins of potential work wasted where as we then turned the old Windows machine sitting in the corner of the desk on and hey presto, within 1-2 mins we were up and running on the net. I think this is what they meant when they said they are un-user friendly and difficult to work with, when there is clearly an easier option right beside the mac.

Clearly if your colleagues don't know what they're doing (this applies to Windows, OS X, or Linux), and they aren't prepared to take the time to learn, they'd be better off sticking with what they know.

As it is, it sounds as though my 9 year old daughter knows her way around a Mac better than the people in your office.

So once again, unless you want to provide specific examples, I don't see how this thread can go anywhere.