is an apple macbook worth the extra

vyle

Marty_J wrote: »

There's a difference between "knowledge" and "intuition". I'm reasonably certain you weren't a Windows whiz the very first time you used it.

You know how Windows works, and for some strange and incomprehensible reason, you expect Mac OS X to work in exactly the same way. Perhaps there are better ways to do things than the way Windows does them?

I guess it might not be that strange; when I use Windows, I expect to be able to open a PDF, create/open a disk image, open a RAW file, or look up a word in the dictionary, thesaurus, or Wikipedia, without having to install any additional software, but I'm frequently disappointed.

It's not so much 'expecting it to be the same' but hoping to see something that resembles the options I'm familiar with, without some obtuse flashy name that's trying to be 'hip'.

Some people get on with Mac OS, some people don't. I do find the smugness of some of the newly minted Mac evangelists a bit offputting though.

Some people I've spoken to may as well have said "I hate all PCs because I poured a kettle of water on one and it stopped working, but my mac is fine! I've not done anything as crazy, but that's besides the point!"

I mean, really, some people who have told me they don't like their PC because of the viruses later reveal that they've been doing some pretty daft things. Installing bonzi buddy, downloading screensavers from people they don't know, opening files with odd extensions and names. Yes, there are less viruses for the mac, but it's an expensive way to stop an idiot from breaking something.

whenever I sell a mac, the first thing I ask is how well they know/get on with windows, and if they like Itunes. If somebody hates itunes, then a mac won't be for them.

I am one of those people. Trying to edit a video in Imovie was a nightmare, because everything I tried didn't seem to work, and if it DID start to work, the mac died on me.

different people like different things, and I've never said macs are "bad" only that I don't like the way their software does things. I don't need life coaching or to be converted, I'm happy using my virus free, stable, comfortably configured windows 7 rig. I would rather spend around £500 building a crazy, uber specced PC than pay £1000+ for a similar spec mac that handles, to me, like a stubborn shopping trolly.

You may feel the same about windows, and that's fair enough, I'm not going to try and convince you otherwise, but I'm not inherantly 'wrong' and 'evil' for finding something else more user friendly.

Leopard

Nobody has suggested you are "wrong" or "evil". You are perfectly entitled to use and prefer Windows if you so wish – just as the OP's daughter is entitled to use and prefer Mac OS X.

It's all about freedom of choice.

Marty_J

vyle wrote: »

It's not so much 'expecting it to be the same' but hoping to see something that resembles the options I'm familiar with, without some obtuse flashy name that's trying to be 'hip'.

I think both Windows and Mac OS X are more similar than they are different.

Some people get on with Mac OS, some people don't. I do find the smugness of some of the newly minted Mac evangelists a bit offputting though.

Perhaps what you see as smugness, might actually be enthusiasm?

whenever I sell a mac, the first thing I ask is how well they know/get on with windows, and if they like Itunes. If somebody hates itunes, then a mac won't be for them.

I don't really understand this. So, if someone doesn't like Windows Media Player, Windows isn't for them?

I am one of those people. Trying to edit a video in Imovie was a nightmare, because everything I tried didn't seem to work, and if it DID start to work, the mac died on me.

You really seem to have the worst luck. My 10 year old daughter can edit a video in iMovie, and she just jumped right in without any prior knowledge. I struggle to think how iMove could be any simpler. She also uses iPhoto, Garageband, and iWeb.

different people like different things, and I've never said macs are "bad" only that I don't like the way their software does things. I don't need life coaching or to be converted, I'm happy using my virus free, stable, comfortably configured windows 7 rig. I would rather spend around £500 building a crazy, uber specced PC than pay £1000+ for a similar spec mac that handles, to me, like a stubborn shopping trolly.

You may feel the same about windows, and that's fair enough, I'm not going to try and convince you otherwise, but I'm not inherantly 'wrong' and 'evil' for finding something else more user friendly.

Out of curiosity, what is it that you, specifically, don't like about Mac OS X?

There are some differences, but to read your posts, one would think Mac OS X was entirely foreign to a Windwos user.

prowla

discodiva wrote: »

my daughter (aged 10 ) has been on an apple workshop with school and wants the macbook for xmas I origionally had a budget of £500 to spend on a laptop for her but don't mind spending the extra if it's worth it she will be going to high school sept'10 and the schools she has chosen all use apple comp. will this last until she leaves school ?

The answer is yes and no...

What does she want to use it for? If it's for Micro$oft Office, then probably better to get a PC.

But OTOH, the mac is waaaaay cooler, and the new mouse is an evolution.
I guess you have to pay more for style, just as you would with a new pair of shoes.

But I don't buy into the notion that the Mac's hardware is superior to a (reputable brand) PC, as most of the components are standard anyway (CPU, memory, display driver, screen, network interfaces, DVD/hard disk drives).

I own an older Mac laptop, but whan I replaced it I ended up with a Dell because I made a list of requirements and there wasn't a Mac to match them.
I've also recently bought a cheap netbook which is running Windows XP, but I might try putting Mac OS X on it.

I don't accept the idea that either Windows or Mac is inherently easier to use or more intuitive - they are just slightly different in how they do things. I also find it really annoying that you have to go to the bottom right of a window to resize it on a Mac.

Marty_J

prowla wrote: »

But I don't buy into the notion that the Mac's hardware is superior to a (reputable brand) PC, as most of the components are standard anyway (CPU, memory, display driver, screen, network interfaces, DVD/hard disk drives).

If the hardware is so standard, it much be pretty easy to put together a Mac by purchasing the components yourself, huh?

vyle

Marty_J wrote: »

Perhaps what you see as smugness, might actually be enthusiasm?

Insufferable enthusiasm :P

I don't really understand this. So, if someone doesn't like Windows Media Player, Windows isn't for them?

Even apple's reps have stated (as a selling point) that every first party apple program has the same layout, so if somebody is used to windows and can't stand itunes, everything they use on the mac as standard will be like that.

On the other hand, media player isn't indicative of every first party MS program's layout, although I would say I actually tend to use winamp, lol.

You really seem to have the worst luck. My 10 year old daughter can edit a video in iMovie, and she just jumped right in without any prior knowledge. I struggle to think how iMove could be any simpler. She also uses iPhoto, Garageband, and iWeb.

iPhoto had some nice features. I liked face detect, but the mac I was using also died while editing the brightness of a photo. At that point we moved on to garage band, but didn't get a proper hands on, because the rep was advertising the lessons from Sting.

Out of curiosity, what is it that you, specifically, don't like about Mac OS X?

The navigator's layout is strangely inconvenient. I find it incredibly hard to find programs in it. The dock thingy at the bottom never seems to work properly either. Whenever I use it, i click an icon, the icon bounces, then stops.

It seems to be very flashy, but not really practical.

randomtask_2

vyle wrote: »

The navigator's layout is strangely inconvenient. I find it incredibly hard to find programs in it.

I find using spotlight's search to be an excellent app launcher for programs not kept in the dock - just type the name of the application (or the first few letters of it) and it finds it and you can quickly open it - very slick and convenient compared to hunting it down via a start menu or opening multiple directories. I wish Windows could implement something equally powerful and fast.

M4RKM

when the icon bounces it is loading, when it stops bouncing the program is loaded.

if you don't like that, you go into system prefs, dock and untick the animate opening applications, then it doesn't bounce, just load the app..

also, the dock is perfect, because you can make it smaller and have more applications on there, or you just click GO, APPLICATIONS, rather than start, all programs... it's the same kinda thing, just in a different place...

M

vyle

randomtask wrote: »

I find using spotlight's search to be an excellent app launcher for programs not kept in the dock - just type the name of the application (or the first few letters of it) and it finds it and you can quickly open it - very slick and convenient compared to hunting it down via a start menu or opening multiple directories. I wish Windows could implement something equally powerful and fast.

it does. click the orb and type it into search - one of the few things i preferred in vista to XP and it's even better in 7.

markymoo wrote: »

when the icon bounces it is loading, when it stops bouncing the program is loaded.

if you don't like that, you go into system prefs, dock and untick the animate opening applications, then it doesn't bounce, just load the app..

also, the dock is perfect, because you can make it smaller and have more applications on there, or you just click GO, APPLICATIONS, rather than start, all programs... it's the same kinda thing, just in a different place...

M

The problem was that it didn't load.........until I restarted the macbook and tried a few more times >_<

frugalwannabe_2

discodiva wrote: »

my daughter (aged 10 ) has been on an apple workshop with school and wants the macbook for xmas I origionally had a budget of £500 to spend on a laptop for her but don't mind spending the extra if it's worth it she will be going to high school sept'10 and the schools she has chosen all use apple comp. will this last until she leaves school ?

Without being flippant, if the school require her to have a computer at 10 then you would save a lot of time and money on tutors by withdrawing her as soon as possible. There is no reason that a child should require their own laptop at that age; being able to use them is one thing, and if by this we mean word processing and internet usage then almost any machine shall do.

I am a mac fan, and am infact writing this post on one at the moment, however they are overpriced and can present several issues concerning compatibility. If you buy a mac you effectively must go all the way, Microsoft are the monopoly in charge, as such pretty much all new devices and commercial software is released for Windows.

In this day and age of the iphone, my Sony Ericsson W950 has no support for Apple, when I encountered a problem I had to install the supplied software on my friends machine to reset it. If I had not had access to such a machine, I would have had to send the phone back to the company for them to do it. Similarly, you shall find that you have to check for compatibility on every product, for Word (although Open Source alternatives exist) you will have to pay more for less, and this is something you will find with most software available for both Operating Systems.

Essentially a school will use their macs for word processing, and internet usage. Everything else will be emblematic and superficial e.g. power point presentations and music lessons via the computer. As such, if you must buy her a computer, I would suggest a £300 netbook, or a windows laptop / desktop.

If she has aspirations towards being an artist then, as with her schooling, learning the basics thus developing a foundation should be the first priority. Leave the macs for the teenage years when becomes all about style.

Now after all that, I will negate everything I have just mentioned and point out the Apple Education program. For some reason, as a new member I cannot post links, so I recommend you google Apple Education UK, it should take you to their website.