The REAL Ultimate debate: Mac vs. PC

[IAMTHEEVILBEAN]

Ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra rown

[Spectere]

I skimmed through the posts here and was hard-pressed to find any sort of truthful statement about Macs. All I see are idiots who think that clock speed really matters and OMG THERE'S ONLY ONE MOUSE BUTTON. For the record, I use a Mac. I also use a custom x86 system running Windows XP. I like them both. I'm only posting this to educate all the morons here who don't know anything about computers yet feel the need to argue about them. For the record, I've used Windows a hell of a lot longer than Mac OS/OS X.

First off, clock speed. Why buy an expensive dual-2.5GHz G5 system when you can get a nice Athlon 3400+ system? Simple answer: it's a different processor. Get a clue! A 2.5GHz G4/G5 could SLAUGHTER a 2.5GHz P4/Athlon. It's sort of like how an Athlon 1.6GHz (no, I don't mean a 1600+, I mean an actual 1.6GHz Athlon) is faster than a 1.6GHz P4, only with the RISC processors used in Macs the difference is more profound.

As far as the HORRIBLE ONE BUTTON MOUSE goes, it's USB. All you have to do is replace that mouse with another USB mouse (I know that may be difficult for some of you out there, but bear with me) and you have three buttons and a wheel. And, OH MY GOD, the OS supports it with NO problem! Yes, even the mouse wheel! Besides, if you knew anything about the OS you'd know that there really isn't a need for two more mouse buttons. But I digress.

As far as price, well, I'm not going to lie. Macs are expensive system. Consider this, though: the lower end Macs (an eMac) can be had for ~$800, and it's powered by a 1.25GHz G4 (I'd say that's probably at least comparable to a ~2.0GHz P4). The PowerMacs are all about power -- those are basically top of the line Macintosh systems.

Operating choice is purely subjective, but I find Mac OS X to be prettier and easier to use (but it still has a command shell -- Terminal -- for all the advanced users) and Windows to be more customizable. I don't know if it's impossible to skin OS X like you can Windows (I love my Object Desktop) or if nobody's bothered to try yet. I'm also using an outdated version of OS X (10.1...the newest is 10.3 >_< ) and I know they added a lot of new usability features between those versions.

And, for the Linux crew, keep in mind that OS X is based on BSD UNIX (FreeBSD, I believe). You can even download the open source core of OS X (Darwin) for x86 systems if you wanted to. If that doesn't appeal to you you can find Linux distributions for PowerPC, and they're pretty easy to get running (I used Yellow Dog for a while).

And if this post pissed anyone off, think about this: I just read through 4 pages of lies, inaccuracies, and general idiocy because people seem to love to argue about things that they don't know anything about. If a bunch of Mac heads ripped apart one of your favorite platforms in the same way that you guys (not all of you...) did (i.e. making false claims, being frickin' stupid, etc) you'd do the same thing and you KNOW you would.

[jewpinthethird]

As far as the HORRIBLE ONE BUTTON MOUSE goes, it's USB. All you have to do is replace that mouse with another USB mouse (I know that may be difficult for some of you out there, but bear with me) and you have three buttons and a wheel. And, OH MY GOD, the OS supports it with NO problem! Yes, even the mouse wheel! Besides, if you knew anything about the OS you'd know that there really isn't a need for two more mouse buttons. But I digress.

Yeah, I was just about to add how I am using an Aftermarket 3 button (Right, Left and Wheel) Optical mouse designed after the Mac Mouse.

http://www.xoxide.com/crysneonopmo.html

Yeah, and also, I plan on getting a mac for my next computer.

[Xaimus]

I don't neccessarily like windows, either. I have XP, and holy hell, what a system hog it is. Just running the OS will use a good half of your CPU's processing ability, and at least a third of your RAM. Beyond that, they made it really idiotproof, which is good for the idiots, but it sucks for us people that actually know what we're doing because XP makes it a lot more difficult than it needs to be. And if you modify your system at all, XP bitches at you.

I was running it on an old P166 with 64 MiB of EDO RAM. I had no problems with it at all; hardly any memory/cpu was being used when idle, though I'm sure that much of the stuff was sent to the swapfile. Windows XP is not any more difficult to manage than Win2k if you "know what you're doing".

Work: Mac (Music production, Image Design, Animation, Video Editting, etc.)

I'm really tired of hearing that a Mac is the only way to go for content creation. Everything that can be done on a Mac can be done on a PC running Windows or some UNIX-like OS.

Look in any music studio and you'll see macs in there.

It's a total waste of a studio's money, IMO.

every piece of software would have to be written several times to work with all of them, and u'd have to be sure ur game would work with ur comp.

Whohohoh this is where cross-platform toolkits like wxWidgets come in. It's free, it's open-source, and it makes cross-platform development cheap and mindlessly easy.

First off, clock speed. Why buy an expensive dual-2.5GHz G5 system when you can get a nice Athlon 3400+ system? Simple answer: it's a different processor. Get a clue! A 2.5GHz G4/G5 could SLAUGHTER a 2.5GHz P4/Athlon. It's sort of like how an Athlon 1.6GHz (no, I don't mean a 1600+, I mean an actual 1.6GHz Athlon) is faster than a 1.6GHz P4, only with the RISC processors used in Macs the difference is more profound.

To my knowledge, most modern x86 processors use RISC cores, with CISC interpreters. I'm not sure, and I'm probably just talking out of my ass. I'd also love to see what'd happen in a showdown between an SMP 4/2-processor Opteron system and a dual G5. I love AMD.

Operating choice is purely subjective, but I find Mac OS X to be prettier and easier to use (but it still has a command shell -- Terminal -- for all the advanced users) and Windows to be more customizable. I don't know if it's impossible to skin OS X like you can Windows (I love my Object Desktop) or if nobody's bothered to try yet. I'm also using an outdated version of OS X (10.1...the newest is 10.3 >_< ) and I know they added a lot of new usability features between those versions.

And, for the Linux crew, keep in mind that OS X is based on BSD UNIX (FreeBSD, I believe). You can even download the open source core of OS X (Darwin) for x86 systems if you wanted to. If that doesn't appeal to you you can find Linux distributions for PowerPC, and they're pretty easy to get running (I used Yellow Dog for a while).

By the way, Macs are based off of FreeBSD, so it's not a complete failure, but the holocaust wasn't either, so that's not necessarily a good thing.

Darwin, and thus OS X, are based on 4.4BSD. FreeBSD is simply Darwin's "reference platform" (BTW, FreeBSD is the godliest operating system ever). I do like the fact that Apple has crafted a UNIX-like OS that is actually easy to use for the computer illiterate. I wish that they'd release their entire OS X "package" for the x86 platform. I think they'd make a killing. Again, I really hate how people believe that Macs are the only way to go for any sort of content creation/media manipulation. ALSO ALSO I hate Apple's designs. I seem to be one of the few who think that the "glassy plastic" look and Aqua sucks.

Oh I see the 'I'm so cool' Linux people are here.

Ten bucks says none of them even know what the ls command does.

I'm so cool because I use FreeBSD as my desktop OS omgomgogmrs,mn,.9-h u4twghwjsv

[jewpinthethird]

I'm really tired of hearing that a Mac is the only way to go for content creation. Everything that can be done on a Mac can be done on a PC running Windows or some UNIX-like OS.

Are you a famous director/editor/musician/producer? Do you own your own animation studio/record studio?

I am not saying that Macs are "the only way to go for content creation". Hell, a Musket can kill a person, but a MP5A4 submachine is much more efficient and reliable.

[Xaimus]

I'm just saying that from what I've seen, Macs don't seem that special. I've heard wonderful music produced from people using Reason, FruityLoops, Cubase, CakeWalk, Buzz, and even Modplug Tracker on Windows or under Wine. Sadly, I am not a professional/famous musician/producer. I see your point, and I must agree -- I really don't know in detail as to why Macs may be considered as such.

[jewpinthethird]

I dont know why they are used so much either, but I figure, if that is the field I plan on getting into, might as well use the hardware. Plus, if they majority of record producers and film studios use Macs, they must be doing something right.

I use Buzz to make music (not that it is any good), and the glitches that occur are usually Buzz's fault anyways. But Aphex Twin and Bogdan Rycznski both use Macs...and they are two of my favorite electronic producers...so might aswell follow the footsteps of the greats.

[Xaimus]

Well, um... good luck! I'm going to "tough it out" with MPT.

[NeoDarkHeart]

another reason i hate macs:

they have commercials for them. with the most annoying actors and people that they can find. wtfjeffgoldblum?


now, i'll admit, you DO see commercials for dell and compaq and like one other brand, but they suck, and they dont count, because they're pre-made systems. macs come with all the crap already in it, uncustomizable, and it sucks.

with a PC, you'll need to get single parts and input them into one computer to get the best for your money and computing needs.

so yes, PC's need to be customized to wtfpwn like they do, but macs dont EVER wtfpwn.

[Xaimus]

I'm pretty sure that plenty of people have built their own Macs from individual parts.

[NeoDarkHeart]

is that even possible? it comes in the wtfinvincible casings, clear as they may be, and... a... handle... for some reason. *coughsoyoucanuseitasaboatanchorcough*

[Jam930]

you can use it as a boat anchor

[LEGO]

I just built my own PC. Took about 45 seconds to put in the motherboard and connect everything. Took about an hour to install and patch Windows XP.

Macs stink, and even most PC companies are horrible. Build your own and you won't be disappointed.

I'm installing SuSe or Fedora (linux) this weekend.

and I actually do know linux. It's useful.

[Belgarion]

I found this to be pretty funny:

http://www.redvsblue.com/appleswitch.shtml

[NeoDarkHeart]

i already linked to that, belg. lol. on a different site, yeah, but it's the same thing...