Obvious Alias wrote:I like both macs and windows machines, for various reasons. As far as which is better, there really is no answer to that.
The mac os takes up a smaller footprint, but only has to work on a more limited number of hardware configurations. There are very few viruses aimed at macs, but there are fewer resources to turn to in the event that you have a problem with a mac, as the mac segment of the marketplace is so small (for instance, there is rarely a mac reseller/service center in small towns as there isn't enough business to justify their existence). The cost of a new mac includes the os.
Windows, on the other hand, offers the opportunity for essentially unlimited hardware configurations with very easy, diy-capable hardware upgrades. If service is needed, it is readily available, as windows-based machines dominate the market, and due to the unlimited number of configurations and the significantly higher number of people using them, there is a drastically higher likelyhood that one of those users will encounter a problem. The cost of a non-mac machine may or may not include the cost of the os, depending on the distributor (i.e. Dell includes the cost of the os, and you have the option to spend more if you want the bigger os; falcon northwest does not include the os, although you can choose to purchase an os when you purchase your machine from them; if you are building your own, you will be buying the os seperately or using a license that you already own).
To say that one is more reliable because of fewer complaints is really not taking into account the extreme difference in the number of users of each platform. Assuming (for easy math and easy illustration) that you have 100 people. Of those, 5 of them have a mac, 90 of them have a machine running windows, and the last five are running a mix of the other os's. If one person with a mac has an issue, that is a small number of people having an issue, and one voice of complaint raises very little notice with the other 99 people. But if an equal percentage of windows users encounters issues with windows, that would be 18 people, and 18 voices of complaint would be difficult to ignore. In truth, it is highly unlikely that either os has anywhere near a 20% rate of problems, but there is an illusion that one is more stable simply because the voices complaining are so much fewer in number based strictly on the scale of market share. By that same token, however, the needs of 90 different people (out of our original 100) who are using windows are likely to be far more diverse than the needs of our 5 mac users, again, simply because of the scale of the population surveyed. So what we are looking at, is one os, that by its very spread of market share, must act as all things to all people (a complete impossibility, and considering the myriad number of uses that people have for computers,it is actually impressive that windows has been as stable as it is). Mac, on the other hand, is reaching a much smaller grouping, using a much smaller collection of configurations (a task that they have done very well at).
So, based on that, I would say that the reality is that they are both relevant to today's computing landscape, but that neither is the right answer all of the time.
I currently am running a windows based laptop that offers a hardware configuration that would put it on a level playing field with many desktop systems, but I plan on selling this system and get a mbp, simply due to the physical size that a laptop with my specs takes up (I wouldn't even really call it a laptop so much as a "desktop replacement system"). My system is running vista ultimate, and I have yet to encounter an issue, either in terms of audio performance (in either a controlled home studio environment or a live performance environment) or any other issue (without any tweaking whatsoever; I am running this system exactly as it came out of the box). I can honestly say that I am completely satisfied with the performance of my system. The only reason that I am making the switch is that I am performing more often now and I don't enjoy lugging my mammoth laptop around. So since I am replacing the current laptop with a new one, I figured, "why not go mac?" as I can always instal windows on it as well (thank you bootcamp!) to continue using my windows-only applications (or applications that run better in the windows environment) and also be able to run mac-only applications. Seems like killing two birds with one stone, really, but the real reason for the switch is primarily due to the physical size of the laptop, not anything regarding performance (I could probably find a windows laptop just as sleek, but I do kind of want to get back into using Logic for some things, and so I would need a mac sooner or later for that).
So, there you have it. My non-opinion (as I don't really care which os I use as long as I am able to complete my desired task, which, as far as I can tell, really means having access to both windows and osx) has been thrown into the arena.
/bestpost
about this ..
Obvious Alias wrote:for instance, there is rarely a mac reseller/service center in small towns as there isn't enough business to justify their existence). The cost of a new mac includes the os.
Now only to small towns but to small countries too.
Also the macs to countries without applestore are even more expensive!
Both for purchase and servicing.
Here in Greece for example you have to be very lucky if you buy a mac.
here are 2 cases with 2 people who im close with...
A girlfriends completely new mb with DOA battery stayed to the service place for 20 days. (seriously) They couldn't just give here a new one and have her running in a minute?
A friends MacPro with a burned motherboard made a month and finally never fixed because he should pay 730 euros for a new one.
No bullshit! 730 euros for a motherboard (i know that it isnt a normal simple MB, that support 2cpus etc but 730?). well he switched to PC for that and he said no mac again until an applestore will open in GR.
(you cant even buy an apple-care pack here)
Im only telling this just to let people know what can happen to places without apple-stores or quality retailers/resellers.
Things are not perfect everywhere
wow what an energy.