PC vs. Mac

-or- the suit vs. the slacker

from JoeUser Forums
By now, I am sure most of us have seen the new round of Mac vs. PC commercials. You know, the one with the middle age, sort of uptight looking, fuddy-duddy dude in a suit representing a PC, and the young, hip, cool, laid-back dude in old jeans and a T-shirt representing a Mac.

I have seen a couple of variations, but they all focus on the same thing. They all are trying to convey the same message: Macs are just cool and "work", whereas PCs are out of touch, laborious and problematic. Of course, I find it odd that so much of the advertising lately is on the hardware (considering I am typing this entry on my Windows laptop with Intel Core Duo processors, an pretty nice ATI graphics card, more RAM than a Mac Book and a larger HD than a Mac Book, at easily a few hundred dollars lower cost).

Nevertheless, I am not a Mac hater. In fact, I fully anticipate owning a Mac someday, when I can afford to have one IN ADDITION to my Windows computers. But I have to admit, I really don't care for these new ads. They just seem like such a faulty use of details, that honestly, I think they are embarrassing. In that spirit I share the following (sorry, can't paste the image myself as it is not mine and I don't have permission to be pasting it):

An alternative comparison between PC dude and Mac dude.

I found this quite entertaining.
131,935 views 263 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have Mac G4 in addition to my Windows PC. The Mac is nice. Looks good. Loads the software that I have to run with it. But it's nothing special. It's hardware that runs software that runs other software. {And it was a gift - I'm too thrifty to spend more than I need to surf the web and play a few games}

As far as the new ads go, I'm also insulted. The last one that set me off was the Japanese camera girl. We have (had) tones of digital cameras, thumbdrives, printers, scanners, monitors, external drives pass through the house over the years. They all worked just fine. {Except for the WinMe month . . . but I was just trying it, I never inhaled.}

Unless Apple market share increases by magic it'll never get very big. Where's the local Apple geek that can help you when you have a question? Nowhere. Where's the Windows geek? everywhere.

Funny ad. Thanks for passing it along.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top

Excellent comment Zubaz.  Gets an "Insightful" from me. 

I agree.  I don't see where the nerdgasmic factor comes in with Macs.  They are nice, no doubt.  But these days, what can a Mac do that a Windows PC can't?  Nothing that I know of. 

And as far as the camera commercial, I agree.  I haven't had any problem with any of the devices I have run on my Windows PCs over the years, especially in the 4 years I have been using XP.

Again, Macs are nice, sure.  But I just don't see anything about them these days that makes them better than a Windows based PC.  In fact, there is very little that really makes them different anymore.

TouchTasks - Access tasks with ease on Windows touchscreens.
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top

My Job is Wintel, so that is what I got.  But I love the Mac and how software is installed and how easy it is to clean up! 

But dont settle for 2.  Next time you buy, get a Dual Processor MacBook and load the latest windows on it!  Better than 2.

Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
I used a mac a while back. Was actually my first use of a PC. 1994 to be exact. While it was nice I actually like using Windows better. I hear all this about Mac being better at editing photos, videos and music. I personally don't see that Windows can't do the same. I have edited photos, video and music with no problems. I guess that's why we have variety, not everything is meant for everyone.

I will own a Mac someday, hopefully soon, but Not before a Windows laptop.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
But dont settle for 2. Next time you buy, get a Dual Processor MacBook and load the latest windows on it! Better than 2.


Why spend the extra money running an operating system that I don't need? Again, it's nice to have the Mac . . but I haven't had to fire it up in MONTHS {and that was to install Ubuntu . . . a third OS}.

Mac users may want to run Windows to play games or whatever . . . but why would a power Windows user need to boot to OS X?
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top

Why spend the extra money running an operating system that I don't need? Again, it's nice to have the Mac . . but I haven't had to fire it up in MONTHS {and that was to install Ubuntu . . . a third OS}.

If you dont need it, but some of us would like to not have to run 2.  I do have a Mac because I like it, not because I need it.  If you want a Mac, dont buy 2 machines, get one of the new Intel Macs and dual boot.  That is all I am saying.  If you dont need, want or use a Mac, stick with Wintel!  It is not going away in this century.

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top

but why would a power Windows user need to boot to OS X?

Besides the novelty, I don't really see it.

Again, I like Macs.  And from my experience with it, OS X is a great operating system.  But I just don't see it as a superior operating system.

But dont settle for 2. Next time you buy, get a Dual Processor MacBook and load the latest windows on it! Better than 2.

I guess I don't quite know what you are saying here Doc.  I have a widescreen laptop with dual processors.  Runs Windows beautifully fast, and cost me a fair bit less than a comparable Mac laptop.  What would the advantage of dual booting on a Mac be?  Other than being able to runs OS X, and I have no need to do so.  It would be for "wow" factor only.

Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top

That is all I am saying. If you dont need, want or use a Mac, stick with Wintel! It is not going away in this century.

Ah, now I get it.  You are saying don't have two PCs, but rather one Mac and dual boot.

Actually, for reasons I cannot adequately articulate, I would rather have a dedicated Windows machine and a dedicated OS Whatever machine.  No real good reason, other than just not having to worry about issues dual booting.  I don't know if you have used Boot Camp (the beta program to allow dual booting on Intel Macs), but I have heard plenty of horror stories.  I know it is only in beta, but for the time, I would rather have one of each.

Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top

Actually, for reasons I cannot adequately articulate, I would rather have a dedicated Windows machine and a dedicated OS Whatever machine. No real good reason, other than just not having to worry about issues dual booting. I don't know if you have used Boot Camp (the beta program to allow dual booting on Intel Macs), but I have heard plenty of horror stories. I know it is only in beta, but for the time, I would rather have one of each.

Well, there is VPC.

Just one hint on VPC - memory!  LOTS AND LOTS of Memory!

Then you do not have to dual boot.

Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top

Well, there is VPC.

Nope.  Still falls back to the dedicated machine.  If I want a Mac, it will never be to run Windows software.  It will be to run Mac software.  Likewise the same for the Windows PC.  I am very anal retentive about that sort of thing.

Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top

I am very anal retentive about that sort of thing.

Is that a Doc Joke?

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You could do Parallels, but that is basically a virtual machine.

I dont see the point in getting a Mac either. Show me something that a mac can do that this PC can't. (You can't say run OS X because that is already possible.)
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top

Show me something that a mac can do that this PC can't. (You can't say run OS X because that is already possible.)

Uninstall an App cleanly!

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Uninstall an App cleanly!


That all depends on the app and you know it. Both on windows and Macs.

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top

That all depends on the app and you know it. Both on windows and Macs.

Hmmm.....let me find the Mac Registry.

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
See . . you started off witha rational, balanced veiw, "use both" to Fanboydom. -=sigh=-

It might be a record though for the amount of time it took.
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
I've got both - an old 12" ibook and a 2 year old PC. The only reason I use the ibook more often is cos it's tiny and portable, has iLife, has around 4-5 hours of charge when I'm just typing or surfing, and runs word with the really handy sidebar thing that my pc doesn't have. Since I've had the ibook the only thing I've used my PC for is games. Looking at how geriatric it's getting I think I'll probably upgrade to one of the slimline iMacs rather than buying a completely new PC.

The disadvantages though of a Mac is that nothing designed for PCs works on it. For example Hotmail is changing its service to some LiveMail deal - Safari can't handle it. Safari can't deal with GoogleTalk without an external program. And then there's a ton of other websites that don't render properly in Safari, so I have to have three internet programs on the one computer just to deal with the lack of Internet Explorer, which is a bit excessive I reckon.
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
Cactoblasta: I think you bring up a good point.  From your post, it sounds like you use your Mac mostly due to personal preference (perhaps with the exception of the battery life part).  I think that is the point, it is all about preference.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I have an Apple...one of these...with all the extras [printer, mouse, etc]....cost me $5.
Fairly good deal, considering what its limitations are.  It turns on - just doesn't have any OS disks....

Mac's?

Over rated...

Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have an Apple...one of these


I have one of those too . . . And once or twice a year I break it out and play some games.

I wrote a lot of papers on the ][e. Maybe it should be surprising to me but that lil' guy did everything I needed it to do.

It's all about the bits you need to push. Ya know?
Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top

I have an Apple...one of these

Sorry, I started on an Apple II.

Reply #22 from JoeUser Forums Top

My father purchased one of the original 512k Macs back in 84.  It embarasses me to admit how long we used it, but let's just say I was still using Mac Write to write papers for my AP Enlgish class my Senior year in High School (I graduated in 1994!). 

Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sorry, I started on an Apple II


My father says his Apple ][ has a three digit serial number. It's mine when he dies.
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top

'Starting' for me was in 1970 ....no such thing as a Mac OR a PC back then.....

Punchcards and paperclips....

Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am getting a mac, for free mind you, and it's gonna be a 20" intel iMac or a 17" Macbook Pro. I am fed up with my pc, I fiddled with it's settings too much. Having a life threatening desiese does have it's posotives.