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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: gearman on May 05, 2015, 01:15:17 PM

Title: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: gearman on May 05, 2015, 01:15:17 PM
I have a Dell pc which is always locking up and is very slow. I recently upgraded to 5mbps speed.It still locks up a lot.  My 27 yo son says that I need a mac computer, that they never lock up and don't get viruses.I tell him that I don't see why with a repair  that it could be as good as new like my 1976 Convert.I saw a thingy called a WIN Cleaner on tv that is supposed to clean up a computer but you have to pay a yearly fee.  What say you all?  The dell was bought in 2007.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Gliderjohn on May 05, 2015, 01:22:29 PM
Your son is correct. Your Dell is ancient by computer standards and you say that you are still locking up. If you want continual frustration stay with your old Dell. If you want to use a computer with zero or little trouble go the Mac route. Macs are all we use at work and what I use at home. My home Mac is around four years old with NO issues or viruses. My work Mac is three years old with NO problems. My wife had used Windows based PCs all her work life and was concerned about getting but I talked her into it. After the first 24 hours of ownership she loved it and would not want to go back to a Windows PC. A local computer repair technician told me that "I work on repairing PCs all day long that is why I go home to a Mac." YMMV.
GliderJohn
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: not-fishing on May 05, 2015, 01:25:06 PM
8 year old Dell:

(http://www.buttonup.ca/gallery/239_dinosaur-dead.jpg)



Mac  (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-20532718,width-640,resizemode-4/new-cylindrical-apple-mac-pro.jpg)

And my shares in Apple will love you................ .
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: gearman on May 05, 2015, 01:29:18 PM
It is taking seven seconds for me to retrieve your posts.. Not good.  Keep the responses coming.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: acogoff on May 05, 2015, 01:36:43 PM
     There is nothing wrong with a dinosaur. My 6year old vista controlled dino does all I want of it. Just run crap cleaner program once a month.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: twhitaker on May 05, 2015, 01:39:35 PM
Ditto on my Vista controlled HP at home that I've had for about 7 years. $400 for the unit amortized over 8 years where else can you have fun for $50 a year?
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Dilliw on May 05, 2015, 01:41:35 PM
I have a Studio Hybrid from the same era and it's still fine for surfing.  12gb min of DDR2 will probably fix any slowness you might be experiencing.  
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: boatdetective on May 05, 2015, 01:57:09 PM
OH GOD- not this again.

First of all- the 2007 computer is old and much of this has to do with it not being able to keep up. I'd get something new.

The FIRST thing you need to ask is what are you using the machine for. Remember- it is a MACHINE- a TOOL- not an alter.  If all you are doing is surfing the web- get anything you please.  If you are a graphics/artsy type- Mac is an easy choice (but you would know that already). If you actually have to work with many differnet businesses- and if they have to open up your files-  get a PC. Sorry folks, but no one has rolled back the rock and Steve Jobs has not come back from the dead. Cross platform compatability is NOT simple and seamless. I had MSOffice for Mac and it was awful.

I started with punch cards and my first machine ws a 286- so I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to this. I did taste of the golden fruit and bought a Mac Air. HATED IT.  I had to relearn every single thing for Mac. Every little thing you do is different. If you are computer challenged and resent having to relearn everything- stick with what you know and just get a PC. I've got a Lenovo Yoga little thing that has been fantastic.

The whole virus thing- by this stage- is overrated. Don't go to sketchy web sites and don't open up strange emails.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmbwR9J6-Yw




Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: LaGrasta on May 05, 2015, 02:05:14 PM
once you try a mac, there's no going back.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: normzone on May 05, 2015, 02:05:50 PM
>>>>>I tell him that I don't see why with a repair  that it could be as good as new like my 1976 Convert.I saw a thingy called a WIN Cleaner on tv that is supposed to clean up a computer but you have to pay a yearly fee.  What say you all? <<<<<

Computers are changing faster than motorcycles - you should be comparing a steam engine to your Convert instead.

>>>>>I had to relearn every single thing for Mac. Every little thing you do is different. If you are computer challenged and resent having to relearn everything- stick with what you know and just get a PC.<<<<<

PC advice above is good - as for computer cleaners, there are good free ones (Malwarebytes, CC Cleaner).
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: bratman2 on May 05, 2015, 02:08:48 PM
My wife has a mac and loves it. Maybe 3 or 4 years old and has no issues with hers. My old laptop I just replaced is a HP that is maybe 4 or more years old. First, if you go windows route most or windows 8. It sucks in my opinion. My new Acer came with windows 7 and was one of the reasons I purchased it. So if you want a MAC you can't go wrong with them, they do operate different though and so there is a learning curve. If you want to save big bucks go with an Acer with windows 7. Mine is model Aspire E1-771-6496 and can still be purchased.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Bill929 on May 05, 2015, 02:23:54 PM
My wife and I both switched to Mac products two years ago.  Very good product (not cheap), and no viruses.  Learning curve is not near as steep as it used to be...  We both use them for our businesses as well as personal use, so they are heavily used. 
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: rboe on May 05, 2015, 02:44:30 PM
I'm a fan of the Mac: But. They can and do lock up (happens to me, but very rare). There are viruses for them (typically you have to do something silly like agree to install it - but this is where they are very tricky, you THINK you are agreeing to something good; the social engineering is very very good on with these guys). Get a good anti-virus for the Mac. I run Sophos. It's free (Guzzi content).

There is a learning curve for the Mac but if you buy a new computer you are looking at Windows 8.x with ten coming around the corner; I submit that for most folks, learning the Mac OS will be less painful than the new Windows. Your mileage may vary. :D

A couple things in favor of the Mac. When Apple pushes out a major OS upgrade, typically it is an evolutionary change. Not revolutionary (9 to 10 being the "recent" exception). Much easier on the users to gradually learn new stuff as it's not a complete do over. I was in user support until recently; Windows seems to need a support person and much more time is "wasted" dealing with updates and their unintended affects. If find the Mac to be much more hands off and low maintenance. For a tool, I like the less fuss it presents.

That said, some people and Macs don't mix well so if you can, try before you buy (give it thirty days). If you and Mac simply don't jive then you have Windows (same for Windows users, some folks just can't work with it - although they seem to be folks that have a hard time with a P-38 can opener).

You have choices, pick your poison; but I agree, you have some old hardware/software and while there are a few things to tweak (upping the memory if possible and not max'd out already, faster hard drive) but it's really diminishing returns and you may as well get new or "new".

I find the main problem with Windows, right behind Users, is all the crap that tends to get loaded on the base machine. Lenovo Thinkpads have little of this. Not sure about other business class machines but I suspect if you steer away from Home machines you can avoid this software bloat. Outlet stores for name brands are also a good place to pickup decent machines at a good price. Save your money there, not getting the cheap consumer level PC that has software bloat and cheap components.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Wayne Orwig on May 05, 2015, 03:10:55 PM
I have an antique home grown PC. Probably built in 2005. I upgraded it to Win 8.1 last year.

It runs 24/7 collecting my weather data and running a home brewed web site.
http://hogmountain.homenet.org/

The fact that it is 32 bit limits the RAM, so with the FTP server, web server, and the local file shares, it is a bit sluggish at time. But not a real issue. If it was an issue I would simply add a cheap solid state drive.

Best thing to do with the Dell is reformat the drive and reinstall everything, to make sure it is 'clean'. Some of the worse performance hits come from the crappy virus software like Norton. After the clean install put on a lean and fast virus checker. 
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Sasquatch Jim on May 05, 2015, 03:13:05 PM
 I have had three mac laptops.  They are not immune to viruses.  They are immune to most viruses.  There are evil ones who can get a virus into a mac
 but they are rare.  I have had a mac lock up.  Most of the time doing a forced shutdown will cure it or multiple forced shutdowns.
 When you do a forced shut down, shut off from internet access before powering back up.  Then clean the history and clear out ALL cookies.
 Then go back on the internet.
 I do not use wyfi.  My modem is the type that I plug into the laptop to get internet access.  If I suspect that some malware is trying to enter,
 the first thing I do is unplug from the modem.  Then I set about looking at the problem.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Dimples on May 05, 2015, 03:43:43 PM
If the Apple store is conveniently located, you might stop by for a demo. You may be pleasantly surprised. In my experience Apple has provided some of the best customer service for any brand of product I own.

Near you?

https://www.apple.com/retail/lakesideshoppingcenter/

Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: gearman on May 05, 2015, 03:45:53 PM
All of you responders know what you are doing. I  appreciate that. My son just called and is coming over.He bought a mac on an open box special for 4 or 5 hundred dollars. He says there is a return ability.I agree that Someone could clean my computer but not me.Even typing this is a nightmare......big lag in ..........cant'     ....talk...... ;D
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: boatdetective on May 05, 2015, 04:32:32 PM
I forgot to mention that if you have a hard time learning all the new swipes, touch and pull, and other arcane hot key combinations witha  Mac, you can drive to the mall and wait in line for 45 minutes to talk to some diffident hipster. That really was the most special part of owning a Mac for me.

I've found with most windows/office software, there are three different ways to do each command. With mac, there is one: their way. Drove me nuts.


BTW, with Windows 8, you can opt for the "classic" screen. Basically, this is the same as Win 7.0.  I think you'll see them drop the whole Win8 multiple panes.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: charlie b on May 05, 2015, 04:33:49 PM
You will probably be happy with the Mac, once you get used to how differently it works.  And in 4 years you can have the same issues you have now and need to upgrade again  :)

The below is one of the more honest assessments of Macs that I have seen in here.  After have three of them I won't get another.  They just cost too much for what they are worth.

And, FYI, PC's get viruses the same way Mac's do, by entering a website and selecting the 'wrong' item or downloading things from a second party website.

I'm a fan of the Mac: But. They can and do lock up (happens to me, but very rare). There are viruses for them (typically you have to do something silly like agree to install it - but this is where they are very tricky, you THINK you are agreeing to something good; the social engineering is very very good on with these guys). Get a good anti-virus for the Mac. I run Sophos. It's free (Guzzi content).

There is a learning curve for the Mac but if you buy a new computer you are looking at Windows 8.x with ten coming around the corner; I submit that for most folks, learning the Mac OS will be less painful than the new Windows. Your mileage may vary. :D

A couple things in favor of the Mac. When Apple pushes out a major OS upgrade, typically it is an evolutionary change. Not revolutionary (9 to 10 being the "recent" exception). Much easier on the users to gradually learn new stuff as it's not a complete do over. I was in user support until recently; Windows seems to need a support person and much more time is "wasted" dealing with updates and their unintended affects. If find the Mac to be much more hands off and low maintenance. For a tool, I like the less fuss it presents.

That said, some people and Macs don't mix well so if you can, try before you buy (give it thirty days). If you and Mac simply don't jive then you have Windows (same for Windows users, some folks just can't work with it - although they seem to be folks that have a hard time with a P-38 can opener).

You have choices, pick your poison; but I agree, you have some old hardware/software and while there are a few things to tweak (upping the memory if possible and not max'd out already, faster hard drive) but it's really diminishing returns and you may as well get new or "new".

I find the main problem with Windows, right behind Users, is all the crap that tends to get loaded on the base machine. Lenovo Thinkpads have little of this. Not sure about other business class machines but I suspect if you steer away from Home machines you can avoid this software bloat. Outlet stores for name brands are also a good place to pickup decent machines at a good price. Save your money there, not getting the cheap consumer level PC that has software bloat and cheap components.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: kevdog3019 on May 05, 2015, 04:40:19 PM
Mac is like s Jap bike but with the character of a Guzzi. You won't be sorry. Simple to go PC to MAC. Harder to go MAC to PC. THERE'S A REASON...
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: canuguzzi on May 05, 2015, 05:13:02 PM
You might notice that Apple no longer makes commercials about how PCs get viruses and MACs don't and for good reason.

The typical computer virus isn't the biggest concerns these days, it is malicious websites and malware that seeks to obtain access to your personal and financial data. MACs are just as vulnerable as PCs when it comes to that and can be even more so because of the false sense of security many people have thinking that MACs are inherently safer to use.

Its a funny thing sort of, you have an older PC. Now if you ask around, the people with MACs tend to have newer ones because they are buying news ones more often. I have some older laptops that run Windows 8.1 and were designed to run Windows XP. There is always someone around who manages to make the older PCs work with new software, something Apple people simply can't do, not because it can't be done but because it wouldn't be acceptable.

Your old PC can be cleaned up and made to run like the wind. If isn't going to happen with some fancy dongle or anything someone is going to sell you. You can do it for nothing:

To get ready, go get a download of AVAST anti-virus (free version) and copy that to a thumbdrive or CD/DVD. Keep it for later.

1. Save all you data. All of it. If you don't want to mess around, use an external backup device and let it do the job. Then verify everything you want is safely backed up.

2. Take the original recovery CD/DVD and reinstall everything to the same state as when you go it. Don't connect it to the Internet yet, just get the original software on it.

Hint: If you have a Dell or HP you probably can get for nothing, an upgrade to the latest supported operating systems (Windows) just for the asking.

3. Now go and uninstall every piece of trash software (known as bloatware) on the PC. It isn't hard to do and takes not all that long to do it. Get rid of all of it.

4. If the PC has anything called Norton...McAfee...T rend Micro... antivirus or security blah blah blah, dump that too. You aren't going to need it.

5. Now defragment the drive. Use the tuneup tools the system has in it to do that. Takes a little while but go have something to drink while the  machine works itself over.

6. Next you put on a nice clean new copy of AVAST antivirus. It is free.

7. Now connect to the Internet and let the PC update itself at the next scheduled time which should be shortly. If it doesn't, go to Control Panel or Start and find Windows Update and choose that. Simply accept the updates. This will take some time but that is where the good stuff you drink and eat comes in. Avoid the alcohol at this time.

You do that and you'll be amazed at how fast your computer runs and that it no longer locks up all the time.

This will work.

Anything else like Wincleaner and those kinds of things are like changing the oil and leaving the old filter there.

If your computer has Vista originally, Dell or HP can probably fix you up with Windows 7 or you can search Craigslist  and get one for your PC for next to nothing.

Then, let AVAST update itself and accept updates when it asks and everything will run and your PC will be as safe as you need it to be so long as you do your part about having good passwords.

"moto guzzi" is not a good password even though we might think no hacker in their right mind would ever think of it, they are evil people.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: redrider90 on May 05, 2015, 05:34:29 PM
I have 2 Macs and love them both. But do not be fooled that Macs do not freeze. Just google "the dreaded spinning ball on a Mac" and read on.
That said I still will never go back. I have a 2008 and a 2013 Mac Air. I was having trouble the spinning beach ball on the older unit.  After buying the Air in 2103 I doubled the Ram in the older 2008 Mac, added a new solid state hard drive and then upgraded the operating system with a clean install of Snow Leopard OS X, which is the most that Mac can handle. I then used my time machine, which is an external hard drive and dumped the whole history into the new clean hard drive with the new operating system. Since doing that it has run flawlessly and runs almost as fast as my new Mac Air with the flash drive and turbo boost and the Maverick OS X. But do not be fooled as Mac have their issues. I think they are easier to use and understand than Windows but they have their bugs and can cause big problems.  I have yet to update to the new Yosemite OS X because of too many problems are being reported. If you decide to buy a new Mac buy the 3 year extended warrantee. It comes in hand even if the computer is operating just fine but you cannot figure out how to use a program. You just call in and they will teach you how to use it over the phone at no charge.
 
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: prof_stack on May 05, 2015, 06:29:18 PM
once you try a mac, there's no going back.
Not so fast!  The walled garden of Apple is a happy place for those who drink the apple koolaid, and play by their rules. 

A new laptop, whether PC or Apple, will serve you well. 
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: fotoguzzi on May 05, 2015, 06:49:28 PM
the Applecare warranty replaced my Imac screen after a year and they gave a new mother board too.. would have cost $1500. to fix.

yo can get appointment at the mac genius bar so you don't have to wait in that line, for product service or to help you understand it.

My MacbookPro is a 2010 but I hot rodded it with a second drive (in place of the DVD drive) it's a SSD, (solid state drive)  it's about as fast as any new mac, boots in 17 seconds..  I'ts been a real workhorse, 1000's of miles in saddlebags, made a lot of HD video's, battery still lasts 4 or more hours.. I think I love it more than any motorcycle I've had.
https://vimeo.com/34351858   password: Guzzi
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: jackson on May 05, 2015, 06:59:40 PM
We own a Mac Pro desktop that I use primarily for video editing along with an older PC that I use in my home music recording studio.  My wife and I also have two HP desktops that I bought around 8 months ago and a Lenovo laptop (all the PC's run Windows 7 / 64 bit).

I am very familiar with both the Mac and PC operating systems and prefer a PC with Windows 7 over the MAC operating system for daily use.  The MAC does a great job with video editing because it runs several software programs that do not have a PC equivalent and that's why I own this computer.  Apple charges a heavy premium over an equivalent PC due to the fact that they've built a brand name that is synonymous with quality products but for just about any task other than video editing, you can purchase a PC that is fast & dependable for much less money.  The selection of software for MACs is limited and expensive when compared to the huge number of software programs for a PC.
We also own an Ipad Air and both of us use Iphones (so, we're certainly not Apple haters) but I won't purchase an Apple laptop because I just don't see the value when compared to a Windows laptop.
Norge Pilot gave you some very good advice that will fix your problem and save you a bunch of money.
Good luck with your decision.

 
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Kentktk on May 05, 2015, 07:50:55 PM
I have a Dell pc which is always locking up and is very slow. I recently upgraded to 5mbps speed.It still locks up a lot.  My 27 yo son says that I need a mac computer, that they never lock up and don't get viruses.I tell him that I don't see why with a repair  that it could be as good as new like my 1976 Convert.I saw a thingy called a WIN Cleaner on tv that is supposed to clean up a computer but you have to pay a yearly fee.  What say you all?  The dell was bought in 2007.

Listen to your son.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: canuguzzi on May 05, 2015, 08:54:18 PM
If you need a genius to keep your computer running, run away from the genius, they are there to take your money.

Just how much has that old 2007 PC cost you?

x3 at least for the MAC.
Title: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: sknapp351 on May 05, 2015, 09:06:51 PM
I have owned Macs since 2001, and am certainly biased. Since that time, I have worked at one job where we had to use Windows, and I will admit that Win 7 is a huge upgrade over XP, at least in my opinion. However, even at that job, I had to "fix" something on the computer at least twice a week. It may have been as simple as waiting 5 minutes while it installed updates. ( I love it when it restarted while I was in the middle of doing something) I often had issues with drivers, uninstall and reinstall. The pull for the Mac, for me, is that I rarely spend time working on it. My wife and I own a graphic design/web company and we currently have a 2006 Mac Pro that is our work horse, a 2008 MacBook Pro laptop, a 2010 MacBook Pro laptop, and a 2011 iMac as our work machines.

The hard drive in the 2008 laptop had to be replaced recently, I I had to reinstall an OS once. These computers are tools for me, and the fact that I spend very little time working on them opposed to making work on them, is huge to me. Yes, they cost more than a budget PC, but when I can look at the 9 year old computer that has run my company with VERY little downtime, that is a worthwhile investment for me. If this was just a browsing machine, maybe a budget PC would be better for me, but that's what my iPad is for. If budget was most important to me, I'd also likely be riding a Yamaha or Honda.

Computers are tools, and everyone needs something a little different. Figure out what is valuable to you, what you need, what is most important to you, then buy that.

Sam


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Kentktk on May 05, 2015, 09:08:11 PM
As always you get what you pay for, computers are no different.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Doppelgaenger on May 05, 2015, 09:12:35 PM
I have an irrational hatred of Apple and their corporate philosophy. Apple assumes that they know what is best, they dictate to you what it is you're going to get, and you don't get a choice. Some of their design choices are great, and some of them (like predictive text on the iPhone) are downright infuriating because the default is that the machine knows what you want better than you do, and it does what it wants to instead of what you intended. This thinking pervades their products. They don't support expansion ports for their products and they have planned obsolescence built in, by which I mean the newest operating system seems almost designed to slow down your device to the point that you throw it against a wall and get a new one.

That and apple prices are insane.

Depending on what you use your computer for, and this is a big 'depends', you might be better off with a chromebook. They can't do some things that regular computers do and they aren't all that useful when not connected to the internet, but they are blazing fast, start up almost instantly and they pretty much can't get a virus. It's somewhere between a tablet and a laptop. The batteries last for 5-8 hours and they don't get hot. If you just want to browse the net and do email, a brand new fancy chromebook can be bought for less money than the add-on protection plan for a new regular laptop. And if they ever break, everything is backed up on the cloud so you just get a new one, put in your password and you're up and running as if nothing ever happened.

Your dell could be refreshed to like new status, but you have to wipe the hard drive. Those win cleaner programs that are supposed to keep your computer running great are pretty much just a scam. Windows is mostly stupid and you can't fix stupid. That said I've heard from software friends that Windows 10 is amazingly good.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Kentktk on May 05, 2015, 10:51:44 PM
That said I've heard from software friends that Windows 10 is amazingly good.

That`s of course after they stole your money and time with ridiculously bad Windows 8
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: canuguzzi on May 05, 2015, 11:58:10 PM
Windows 8 and 8.1 is good software. It is stable and reliable. The problem with it was that everyone wanted something new and when they got it, realized they like the old stuff.

If you have Windows 7 you can get Windows 10 for nothing. Windows 10 will be the only system that works on anything you have, desktop, laptop, tablet or phone. Nothing else will do that.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: yourfavorite on May 06, 2015, 12:08:11 AM
Lots of posts already... Here goes my take: There are way more PCs than Macs so while there are viruses for Macs, most virus creators are targeting PCs because you increase the number of vulnerable machines. There's also a lot less malware and garbage software that you can accidentally install on your Mac. It doesn't mean its not out there, but you're definitely less of a target on a Mac.

All of that said, you will have to pay more for a Mac. Personally I think its worth it as I find the experience far superior to a PC running windows. This is of course a matter of opinion. You can save some money by buying a Refurb Mac. If you have an Apple Store nearby I recommend buying Apple Care for the comp as well. Depending on your needs for portability, I'd recommend looking at an iMac or 13" MacBook Air.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Doppelgaenger on May 06, 2015, 12:57:00 AM
That`s of course after they stole your money and time with ridiculously bad Windows 8

Agreed, but that's assuming you allowed yourself to use that crap. I never upgraded because I knew it was going to be crap and useless to me
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Kentktk on May 06, 2015, 01:14:26 AM
I dumped Microsoft 5 years ago and it has been joy and elation to never have to use their crap anymore!
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: fossil on May 06, 2015, 01:18:27 AM
A PC I can use and operate (!) in any way I like. A Mac not. A PC allows me to work with music files freely in any way I want to. A Mac not. With PCs I work without problems since Windows NT 4.0, including 3D CAD. The really important CAD - programs don´t even exist in Mac - versions. Each new Windows version I can operate in the same way without having to learn new things at once, meaning I can start and operate each machine at once. A Mac? This I don´t know. In the PC world I can choose between great laptops from DELL (Latitude E6xxx - series), Lenovo (ThinkPad T...) and HP (EliteBook). All 3 also offer superior series to those mentioned. Each of these devices is at least equal in quality to a Macbook pro. If you spend the money you get fat NVidia Quadros or the equivalent from ATI.

A PC is compatible to more than 90 percent to all computers in the world. A Mac not.

Why consider a Mac?

"Listen to your son." I say: listen to the Norge Pilot.
"I dumped Microsoft 5 years ago and it has been joy and elation to never have to use their crap anymore!"
And I like to use the OS from the man who gives the most charitable donations in the world instead from people whose employees in the fabrication sites sometimes see no other way than suicide because of the conditions at work. And beside that: Why is an operating system crap that runs absolutely well in companies, universities and so on? And for years on my different machines?
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Kentktk on May 06, 2015, 02:05:28 AM
You don`t live 3 miles from MS headquarters or 2 miles from the most charitable man`s 66,000 square foot Reichstag.  You don`t get to see his Dad trying to get Tax breaks for his beloved MS and then attempt to impose an income tax for everyone living in this state. Not to mention ruining your town with immigrants and not wanting to pay for things like a bridge to cross a freeway for MS workers,  but instead works "deals" so the public get`s to pay for it. It`s not as it seems to people on the outside and not knowing the real truth. Keep enjoying CTRL+ALT+DEL.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: poorBob on May 06, 2015, 05:01:39 AM

If I'm paying my own money for a computer, it will be a mac.

I have to use the company's windows rubbish for employment purposes but if it's MY money, it's a mac.

No computer is perfect but MS has been trying to be more like mac since the late 90s. I personally know people in Redmond assigned to the project.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: fossil on May 06, 2015, 05:13:53 AM
"Keep enjoying CTRL+ALT+DEL." Well perhaps sometime I will test this combination just for the fun of it. Up to now I don“t needed it.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: fotoguzzi on May 06, 2015, 07:34:31 AM
  Some of their design choices are great, and some of them (like predictive text on the iPhone)
You can turn that off anytime you want in "settings"
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: charlie b on May 06, 2015, 07:59:17 AM
And the battle goes on ............  :D
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: gearman on May 06, 2015, 09:34:18 AM
Well, I enjoyed all the replies.  my son installed the new Mac MINI last night.It takes 45seconds to boot up but it shuts down in only a few seconds.The script is different,but this may just be setup.It looked like it is easier to see pictures before importing into a craigslist ad.But I have no right to evaluate the merits of the Mac or PC.   I can try the mac for two weeks before I would have to return it.  The mac is very fast to operate,but that might just be because my Dell is so messed up.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: gearman on May 06, 2015, 09:42:48 AM
Funny, now that I have the MAC I get the banner ads at the top of the pages.I did not get the graphics with the pc.  Whats up with that.?
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: canuguzzi on May 06, 2015, 10:33:51 AM
Well, I enjoyed all the replies.  my son installed the new Mac MINI last night.It takes 45seconds to boot up but it shuts down in only a few seconds.The script is different,but this may just be setup.It looked like it is easier to see pictures before importing into a craigslist ad.But I have no right to evaluate the merits of the Mac or PC.   I can try the mac for two weeks before I would have to return it.  The mac is very fast to operate,but that might just be because my Dell is so messed up.

The observations are valid but would have been much different when comparing a new MAC to a new PC costing about the same.

Glad you like it though. In the end, what works for you is what matters and everything else is advertising.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: sknapp351 on May 06, 2015, 10:39:35 AM
Funny, now that I have the MAC I get the banner ads at the top of the pages.I did not get the graphics with the pc.  Whats up with that.?

Your PC browser probably had AdBlock installed on your browser. You can install that extension easily enough.

Sam


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: fotoguzzi on May 06, 2015, 10:43:25 AM
Funny, now that I have the MAC I get the banner ads at the top of the pages.I did not get the graphics with the pc.  Whats up with that.?
what brouser are you using? Safari is Mac friendly and so is Firefox.. they both have settings to block pop ups, look in the brouser preferences pane.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: kevdog3019 on May 06, 2015, 11:00:40 AM
"They won't let you inside the machine to tinker with it" says a Mac hater.  "They just want your money; it's a conspiracy".  Jobs didn't want folks messing with something the company put a lot of effort into (from his book).  If you don't like it, don't buy one, but we all have seen those MG's that folks have ham-fisted because they thought they knew better (yeah... even dealers without training).  I don't get how people can't understand the merits of a company not wanting you to get your paws on the guts.  I make products and CERTAINLY don't want people to mess with them or they come back to me un-repairable and I have to say sorry.  I'd rather not have to say that and spend MY time fixing them for next to nothing.  So... if it was greed I'd say mess with them as it will save me effort.  I'd rather they have a good product that's usable and a good experience to back it up.  That's how I look at Apple doing business how they do.  I can respect that.  Go to a Mac store and ask an employee a question.  I think the folks they hire are incredibly knowledgable and way more educated on the product than employees at ANY other store I've been to.  VERY professional and they walk you through the entire process and set you up with your phone, etc. and when you leave you have all your old phones data saved in your new phone and you leave with the ability to use the product out the door.  I'll pay extra for that service that's built into the price (I assume).  It's like a dealer that spends time answering any questions you have and makes sure everything is prepped right before you leave with the bike.  Apple has customer service down!      
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: canuguzzi on May 06, 2015, 11:10:43 AM
Yup, Apple will also tell you how to hold your phone and now how to wear a watch.

I can only thank the higher powers that Steve Jobs and Apple never designed a motorcycle.

The Apple designed motorcycle:

http://www.strangedangers.com/content/item/114352.html


Wait until you see the helmet.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: lorazepam on May 06, 2015, 11:18:54 AM
This is almost as good as an oil thread.  :BEER:
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: kevdog3019 on May 06, 2015, 11:23:22 AM
Yup, Apple will also tell you how to hold your phone and now how to wear a watch.

I can only thank the higher powers that Steve Jobs and Apple never designed a motorcycle.

The Apple designed motorcycle:

http://www.strangedangers.com/content/item/114352.html


Wait until you see the helmet.

Hmmm... I think someone drank some Kool-Aide.  I have never heard of how I should use any of their products.  Been about 20 years.  Someone is making stuff up again.  This is how wacko stuff gets spread.  You have been brainwashed my friend.   :P

Funny thing is I don't have one thing against PC's except to say I prefer Macs from a users standpoint.  There's like this vendetta against Macs that I can't understand.  Can anyone explain this??  I don't get how someone can emotionally hold something against another brand unless they have a personal experience that left a lasting impression.  Look... none of these creators were perfect.  You have some asses and cuckoos on both sides, but I don't see how that affects me the user.  Both creators have done good things also.  Why the hatred??  I mean this in all seriousness.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Two Checks on May 06, 2015, 11:24:16 AM
First, the Mac IS a PC, is it not?

And if you didn't like MSOffice on the Mac, don't blame Apple, blame Bill Gates.

BTW, did ya know MS wrote Office for the Mac BEFORE windoze?
Happy Mac user since 1984.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: canuguzzi on May 06, 2015, 11:37:37 AM
Hmmm... I think someone drank some Kool-Aide.  I have never heard of how I should use any of their products.  Been about 20 years.  Someone is making stuff up again.  This is how wacko stuff gets spread.  You have been brainwashed my friend.   :P

Its all in fun, geesh, but, Apple does tell you how to wear the watch:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204665

and Jobs did say people where holding the phone the wrong way.

I can only imagine their instructions to ride a motorcycle.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: kevdog3019 on May 06, 2015, 11:57:22 AM
Its all in fun, geesh, but, Apple does tell you how to wear the watch:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204665

and Jobs did say people where holding the phone the wrong way.

I can only imagine their instructions to ride a motorcycle.

This link is GREAT about the watch. It talked about potential skin allergies to the different metals offered, and how the back of the watch needs to be tight against the wrist for the meter to get a good read on steps taken. i don't see those two points being awkward or demeaning in any way or even self-righteous on a corporate level. No different than an oil spec listed and telling you where the fill plug is in a manual. What am I missing??
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Kentktk on May 06, 2015, 01:38:40 PM
First, the Mac IS a PC, is it not?


It is but it`s not, PC denotes using Microsh-t operating system.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: redrider90 on May 06, 2015, 02:07:46 PM
Not so fast!  The walled garden of Apple is a happy place for those who drink the apple koolaid, and play by their rules. 

A new laptop, whether PC or Apple, will serve you well. 


Agreed but anybody who is binary challenged usually find Macs much more user friendly. I took my PC away from my brother, who is a brilliant PhD forensic psychologist but cannot change a light bulb to save his life and has been able to now comfortably use a computer. My wife is also binary challenged but does know how to change a light bulb a had a similar response with I dumped my PCs. She found them more intuitive and easier to use than Windows. I think that his how Mac originally built the business . There operating systems are easier to use and harder to freeze the computer. Plus that wonderful feature called "force quite" will always get you out of a jam. Now they just have lots and lots of toys. I bought a few shares of Mac and wish I had bought a whole lotta few shares at the same time. I would be buying Guzzis' all around for the group if I had bought more.   ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: redrider90 on May 06, 2015, 02:11:56 PM
Funny, now that I have the MAC I get the banner ads at the top of the pages.I did not get the graphics with the pc.  Whats up with that.?

Wanna get rid of all ads on you Mac? Go to this free app and install and no more ads ever!
 https://www.ghostery.com/en/download
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: redrider90 on May 06, 2015, 02:19:06 PM
"They won't let you inside the machine to tinker with it" says a Mac hater.  "They just want your money; it's a conspiracy".   Apple has customer service down!      

Older Macs are very easy to work on. Lots of videos and PDF files available on the net and cheap parts on the ebay.  Now this lightweight Mac Air I am typing on I have not opened.
But my older polycarbonate Mac Book was easy to up grade and put in a new OS X  was easier than putting in a new dash on the Mille. Even after I dropped it and cracked the screen it was not so hard to replace.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: rboe on May 06, 2015, 02:47:02 PM
Wanna get rid of all ads on you Mac? Go to this free app and install and no more ads ever!
 https://www.ghostery.com/en/download

You beat me to it! I've been using this for a while now. Very scary when you see some sites have thirty bots and widgets running - on YOUR computer!

Price of a Mac vs. a PC is a bit of a red herring. Apple does not really target the cheap budget computer market. But if you compare the same hardware vs. same hardware you'll find they are competitive. If your budget does not allow a lower priced Mac then a Windows or Chrombook are your only choices. You can build your own but I find that can get expensive; for starters, it's hard to buy all cheap stuff and if you do, you don't get the volume discount breaks  the big guys get. :p

I found the jump from Windows 7 to 8 a non-starter. The whole pane thing was counter intuitive and I could not get to the classic desktop fast enough. Frankly I have better things to do with my time than try to boot strap my self to a new OS (since it was Windows, same name, one would think the learning curve would not be so steep). From XP to 7 it was annoying as some items, mainly the control panel, were buried deeper than in XP. Change for changes sake? Annoying but not a show stopper like 8.

Ever since I switched from Windows at home around 2003 each OS upgrade was pretty smooth. Baby steps, easy to pick up on new features while the whole interface was not all that different. So I could be productive while learning. Nice.

Plus; I used to be a UNIX geek and Mac OS is based on Berkely UNIX (Free BSD), with a fancy GUI bolted on top. Once Apple did that, I dropped Linux at home. Still have a Linux partition and still have a couple Windows machines - there are times something that is too useful to avoid and its' Windows only - like have JIS screw drivers on hand. :) Before that it was OS/2. :)

My ever so humble opinion on Windows 10 being the be all do all for all appliances (PC's, tablets and phones) is a bad idea in practice. There are things I do on the desktop/laptop that have nothing to do with a phone and I don't do Office on the phone. Makes better sense to have the OS specialize in desktop or phone sphere instead of shoehorning it in. Should run better and not be such a kludge.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: gearman on May 06, 2015, 03:19:50 PM
Wanna get rid of all ads on you Mac? Go to this free app and install and no more ads ever!
 https://www.ghostery.com/en/download
How do I know that this is safe?
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: gearman on May 06, 2015, 03:24:16 PM
what brouser are you using? Safari is Mac friendly and so is Firefox.. they both have settings to block pop ups, look in the brouser preferences pane.
I am using Firefox.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: canuguzzi on May 06, 2015, 03:28:07 PM
Windows 10 doesn't shove desktop feature onto a phone or tablet, that is the point. It detects the device and presents accordingly.

That is far better that having three specialized operating systems. There is virtually nothing that runs on an iPhone that also runs well on a MAC or an iPad and vice versa. It might not be Microsoft that does it as good as it needs to be but that is the future. Having a separate OS for each device type is the old way of doing things.

If I get a program or app, I want it to run on everything, not get three different versions.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: rboe on May 06, 2015, 04:50:31 PM
I am using Firefox.

On the Mac I typically use Safari but have Chrome and Firefox handy for those times Safari is not handling a page correctly. I rarely use Firefox anymore (loath to use Chrome at times because she is such a memory hog).

Ghostery is safe. If you happen to disable too many features on a web page (say a video that you DO want to watch you simply re-enable it and reload the page; it uses simple slider switches and color coding to tell you if a widget or cookie is enabled or not. I use it on Safari, have not tested it with the other two browsers.

One size that fits all (like in OS's) sounds nice, but in practice I prefer an OS designed and optimized for a particular platform. Trying to make it the do all and end all is getting too clever by half. E.g. I would not want Windows on my car. That said, Linux/UNIX like OS's are sneaking in everywhere in embedded chips in all sorts of smart devices. Typically those are pared down to the task at hand and not Swiss Army knives seeing what they are on before they load what is needed.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Kentktk on May 06, 2015, 05:12:12 PM
Windows 10 doesn't shove desktop feature onto a phone or tablet, that is the point. It detects the device and presents accordingly.

That is far better that having three specialized operating systems. There is virtually nothing that runs on an iPhone that also runs well on a MAC or an iPad and vice versa. It might not be Microsoft that does it as good as it needs to be but that is the future. Having a separate OS for each device type is the old way of doing things.

If I get a program or app, I want it to run on everything, not get three different versions.

You don`t know what you are talking about. It`s easy to move things from an iPad to an iPhone or to an iMac or any combination of each. That`s one of the best things Apple has going. Also all the devices work in a similar way so going from one to the other is easy.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Kentktk on May 06, 2015, 05:16:04 PM

 There operating systems are easier to use and harder to freeze the computer. Plus that wonderful feature called "force quite" will always get you out of a jam. 

'force quite"  is force quit. and is quite handy
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: Lannis on May 06, 2015, 05:49:59 PM
How do I know that this is safe?

If it's not, I'm in trouble.   I'll be your guinea pig ... soon as I saw the link, I downloaded it (WG would NEVER set me wrong, would they?  ;) ), and I'm as happy as a possum up a gum stump.   No ads at all any more, just a little purple box telling you who WOULD be running ads, and you can turn that off if you want.

If the program empties my bank account or something, I'll let you know once I get a new computer ...  :D

Lannis
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: fotoguzzi on May 06, 2015, 06:50:53 PM
I am using Firefox.
to clean up Firefox, use the help drop down menu, go to troubleshooting, it opens a new page, in the upper right click on refresh firefox.. they call it a tune up. you won't loose bookmarks.
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: gearman on May 06, 2015, 07:01:21 PM
If it's not, I'm in trouble.   I'll be your guinea pig ... soon as I saw the link, I downloaded it (WG would NEVER set me wrong, would they?  ;) ), and I'm as happy as a possum up a gum stump.   No ads at all any more, just a little purple box telling you who WOULD be running ads, and you can turn that off if you want.

If the program empties my bank account or something, I'll let you know once I get a new computer ...  :D

Lannis
Lannis, I am in your boat now. I just downloaded ghosty too.Anybody who had a pc800 can't be all wrong. I am trying to sell my second one now ;) Edit, I must have done something wrong;I still have the ads.It looked like  I said no trackers but allow cookies. Is this correct?
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: redrider90 on May 06, 2015, 08:56:16 PM
How do I know that this is safe?

I've been using it for 2 years on two computers on both firefox and safari and it has been nothing short of a dream. Maybe they are waiting on me tell enough people and then they will make off with all the change on one day.   :o
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: redrider90 on May 06, 2015, 09:08:53 PM
Lannis, I am in your boat now. I just downloaded ghosty too.Anybody who had a pc800 can't be all wrong. I am trying to sell my second one now ;) Edit, I must have done something wrong;I still have the ads.It looked like  I said no trackers but allow cookies. Is this correct?


Cookies are different than trackers, widgets, beacons, analytics.
I control cookies using better privacy. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/betterprivacy/
It also cleans most of the cookies storied in macromedia/adobe. Those are the big hitters that follow you around everywhere.
I use firefox a lot and clean my cookies a couple of times a day. When I need to go where I want to use cookies I use Safari.  Better privacy is an extension that deletes LSOs in adobe which is stored in the macromedia files.
LSOs which are flash cookies. Adobe is the worst thing in the world for helping all the buggers out there to follow you around.  But you need it to view a lot of videos. So I use better privacy, check my macromedia files to make sure better privacy doesn't miss anything and then I go into adobe on the web and clear out the files that are attached in adobe 2 X a day. 
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: gearman on May 06, 2015, 09:21:44 PM
Cookies are different than trackers, widgets, beacons, analytics.
I control cookies using better privacy. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/betterprivacy/
It also cleans most of the cookies storied in macromedia/adobe. Those are the big hitters that follow you around everywhere.
I use firefox a lot and clean my cookies a couple of times a day. When I need to go where I want to use cookies I use Safari.  Better privacy is an extension that deletes LSOs in adobe which is stored in the macromedia files.
LSOs which are flash cookies. Adobe is the worst thing in the world for helping all the buggers out there to follow you around.  But you need it to view a lot of videos. So I use better privacy, check my macromedia files to make sure better privacy doesn't miss anything and then I go into adobe on the web and clear out the files that are attached in adobe 2 X a day. 
Huh, I am out of your league . :P
Title: Re: Mac vs dell sgc
Post by: redrider90 on May 06, 2015, 10:09:14 PM
Huh, I am out of your league . :P


It's not hard. I just had to learn how to do it and access the files and download the app.  There are just a couple places where this stuff is stored against your will and knowledge. 1. is on adobe on the internet. So you go there and clean out the cookies daily. 2. is in a file on your computer (mac and PCs are in a different place)  which is also adobe but on the computer it is called macromedia. That's is where a lot of LSO flash cookies are put on your computer against your will and you do not even know it. I do not know why they call them flash cookies.
 https://www.piriform.com/docs/ccleaner/ccleaner-settings/cleaning-flash-cookies   
3. And then I installed the app called "better privacy" and that usually takes all the flash cookies out of Macromedia aka Adobe. I can do it in one minute.