Why didn't I go 'Mac' before.....

[Chris W]

Picked up a MacBook Air for the wife last week via the forum, and have to say I wish I'd done it sooner!!
It just works and feels like a quality product - and doesn't seem held back by the OS.

Sorted out MS office 365 home (5 licence bundle) last night for my Win7 Laptop and the Air with a view to sharing the remaining licences with my folks.

No problems installing on the Mac but having trouble on my Win7 laptop - have tried reinstalling and still no better... Just keeps saying Word has encountered an error and is closing!!

Needless to say when funds allow I will be buying another Mac!!

Can't decide if a Mac Mini would do for what I want - Web, iTunes, Word & Excel and a bit of light photo & gopro editing.

[senwar]

Picked up a MacBook Air for the wife last week via the forum, and have to say I wish I'd done it sooner!!
It just works and feels like a quality product - and doesn't seem held back by the OS.

Sorted out MS office 365 home (5 licence bundle) last night for my Win7 Laptop and the Air with a view to sharing the remaining licences with my folks.

No problems installing on the Mac but having trouble on my Win7 laptop - have tried reinstalling and still no better... Just keeps saying Word has encountered an error and is closing!!

Needless to say when funds allow I will be buying another Mac!!

Can't decide if a Mac Mini would do for what I want - Web, iTunes, Word & Excel and a bit of light photo & gopro editing.

Why would it be held back? Its an excellent OS.

I've been a mac user for about 15 years but still use a windows laptop for work. I used to support windows many many moons back and hated it but don't mind it now (although am still using 7, not keen on the parents 8).

I do think Apple's days of 'it just works' went a long time ago. It works how they want it to although in fairness that is more suited to phones/ipads.

Anyway, enjoy your new transition. It usually takes people a while to get used to them but sounds like you're fine. I love my macbook air, think its the best unit out there

[Bluetorric]

Why would it be held back? Its an excellent OS.

I've been a mac user for about 15 years but still use a windows laptop for work. I used to support windows many many moons back and hated it but don't mind it now (although am still using 7, not keen on the parents 8).

I do think Apple's days of 'it just works' went a long time ago. It works how they want it to although in fairness that is more suited to phones/ipads.

Anyway, enjoy your new transition. It usually takes people a while to get used to them but sounds like you're fine. I love my macbook air, think its the best unit out there

+1 I would never go back to windows after buying my macbook pro..........

[Chris W]

My work laptop is Win7 Pro and seems far better than my personal Win7 Home Premium laptop. Not sure if thats OS related or price/spec related.

[Enoch]

I went Mac when my last PC went west......I like most things, but try as I might, video editing in iMovie, isn't a patch on Windows Movie Maker....

[morgan]

I changed over to a Mac 4 years ago and have saved myself hours upon hours of messing about trying to sort windows problems out. Now I just open my macbook get the job done and that's it. Never buy windows again.

[Gruntfuttock]

+1 about 6 years ago. I have to use Vista at work which makes me want to wash my hands after using it!

[sestrel]

I changed over to a Mac 4 years ago and have saved myself hours upon hours of messing about trying to sort windows problems out. Now I just open my macbook get the job done and that's it. Never buy windows again.

Agree with that, bought an imac and so far so good. No start menu not working, no 'windows has encountered a problem' no 'critical error' etc etc etc etc....
Wish I could afford an ipad, but they are just too expensive for me )-:

[Beaunidle]

iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TV, wireless routers etc. Everything in this house is Apple bar my work laptop which is running on Windows 10 which is foul. I hate it with a passion.

[Omegary]

Can't decide if a Mac Mini would do for what I want - Web, iTunes, Word & Excel and a bit of light photo & gopro editing.

If you've already got a compatible keyboard and monitor a mac mini should be more than enough for your needs Chris. I've used mine for photoshop work etc and it can easily cope with large files.

If you haven't got a monitor etc you might be financially better off with an imac.

Cheers,
Gary

[craig1912]

I went for a Mac Mini 6 mths ago when my PC packed up and I wouldn't go back.

[LuBee]

Can't decide if a Mac Mini would do for what I want - Web, iTunes, Word & Excel and a bit of light photo & gopro editing.

I'm using a 5+ year old mac mini for exactly this ^^ and it never bats an eyelid

[Wolfie]

I went for a Mac Mini 6 mths ago when my PC packed up and I wouldn't go back.

Yep... Pretty happy with my Mac mini too

Nice cost effective alternative

[craig1912]

If you haven't got a monitor etc you might be financially better off with an imac.

Cheers,
Gary

I personally don't like the glossy screen and it wouldn't work in the location that I wanted so got a Dell Ultrasharp. Saved some money by going for a refurbed 2012 mini which is probably a better spec than current models (i7 quad core, 16gb Ram and fusion drive).

[stuie-t]

I don't mind Windows these days, since win 10 came out. I think some of the comparisons between apple products and Windows ones are a bit unfair, as typically a grand or more's worth of Mac will be compared with a much cheaper Windows product. If you spend the same money on a Windows product it will probably work very nicely too.
I just built myself a new win10 based media server pc with a decent i7 processor, 16gb ram and M2 ssd, and performance is amazing, startup is instant. All in it was about £600.

[paule23]

I went Apple when the original iMac came out (blueberry 233mhz!) and haven't looked back since.

[smithdj10]

Happy with my Mac, 5 Years old now

[shoppy]

Been a mac convert going on 16 years, I remember my first one, utter pain as so much software was not compatible but now everything works with minimal effort. I struggle when I get on to a Windows machine now.

[JamJam]

Apple are installing a new processor this year, with there Mac books/Air's due out around September. Therefore you might get a better deal on the previous models which are still amazing

[Alansmithee]

Apple are installing a new processor this year, with there Mac books/Air's due out around September. Therefore you might get a better deal on the previous models which are still amazing

It will be march not September according to most industry sites.

[Pitch3110]

MBA for the last 5 years as my work tool and only had one issue which was the MS Outlook package. Not missed a beat or one hour of work and still worth a few hundred quid.

Purchased a retina pro for my wife a year ago and it takes the experience up a notch and I will have one soon.

Enjoy

[Chris W]

I've been looking at the Non Retina Mac Book Pro for £899.

Has a standard HDD instead of SSD but can't see that being a problem.

Anyone have any experience of this model?

[JamJam]

I really think your best with SSD no moving parts, fast and quite, have you checked Apples refurbished section

[Alansmithee]

I'd hold off for two weeks or so if you can to see what we get in the refresh.

[Franco]

Hi, I have been working with Macs starting on 1988 (Mac classic with 10HD), on which I did all the images of my thesis. After that, have always worked in a mixed environment of PC, Unix and Macs. There are good areas of application for each, although after the Unix-based motherboard was introduced into the Macs, now we use some of these in native Unix mode instead of the Sun machines.

All our students use Macs for ease of graphics and general apps, but some PCs are still the workhorse in our labs, particularly as terminal for equipment.

Personally I have Macs both at home and at the office, as I find them familiar, without problems, solid and fast enough - but keep a PC laptop just in case.

[Enoch]

Yes I have to keep an old PC, due to lots of stuff I have that won't run on a MAC.....superchips code readers, some Bluetooth dongle stuff just isn't compatible with Mac even in 2016..

[Watchfreek]

I bought a Retina Macbook Pro when they were refreshed at the back end of 2013...It hasn't missed a beat...I love the fact that I can do what I need to do, simply close the lid, come back a few days later and it will start up almost instantaneously where I left it and have only used maybe 2 or 3% battery in that time...It just works!...

I have to use a PC for work which is fine most of the time...Sometimes I get the following message and feel like throwing a very heavy paperweight at the screen...I have never got this when working on Excel on my Mac...

[Glamdring]

Oddly, I've never had that with Windows either. What have you done to the machine to bugger it up?

[Alansmithee]

Part of the reason I have never switched to Mac is that I need seem to have the problems that people describe. Plus for a desktop rather than laptop, I just built my own (which is easier than people think)"

[Chris W]

I bought a Retina Macbook Pro when they were refreshed at the back end of 2013...It hasn't missed a beat...I love the fact that I can do what I need to do, simply close the lid, come back a few days later and it will start up almost instantaneously where I left it and have only used maybe 2 or 3% battery in that time...It just works!...

I have to use a PC for work which is fine most of the time...Sometimes I get the following message and feel like throwing a very heavy paperweight at the screen...I have never got this when working on Excel on my Mac...

I keep getting this on my new install of office365 when I try to open anything.
Have installed Win10 to see if it helps.

[Velorum]

I have two MacBook Airs - one for work, one for home

Made the switch a year ago

Excellent kit

[Captain Morgan]

We moved to mac's a couple of years back and generally happy but I do find excel seems more sluggish on the mac's than on PC's when dealing with large spreadsheets.

[reggie747]

Yes I have to keep an old PC, due to lots of stuff I have that won't run on a MAC.....superchips code readers, some Bluetooth dongle stuff just isn't compatible with Mac even in 2016..

Why don't you have a dual boot option on your mac ??

[Gareth-W]

I'd hold off for two weeks or so if you can to see what we get in the refresh.

that's what I'm doing as I understand a new MacBook is due in March (ish)

[monogroover]

I worked with 30 or so iMacs at a research lab eight years ago; they were poor I'm afraid. Unreliable and cumbersome both in hardware and software terms. I replaced them, along with an Apple file server with a population of Dells running Linux that outperformed them dramatically, were much more flexible and adaptable, were less than half the price and much less trouble to manage.

I did like the desktop environment, I must say. But the underlying OS (OS X of course) was decidedly mediocre, the poorest implementation of Unix I've ever worked with, and I've worked with quite a few - HPUX, Ultrix, SunOS/Solaris, AIX, BSD, IRIX and of course Linux (strictly speaking "Unix-like" for legal purposes). OS X has improved since then, but people bought into the same hype and marketing in 2007 as they do now.

As a fashion brand Apple does spectacularly well. They have made an absolute mint on the old One Born Every Minute principle, especially in the smartphone market. I've always admired them as a marketing company. As a technology company, not really.

[JasonM]

I worked with 30 or so iMacs at a research lab eight years ago; they were poor I'm afraid. Unreliable and cumbersome both in hardware and software terms. I replaced them, along with an Apple file server with a population of Dells running Linux that outperformed them dramatically, were much more flexible and adaptable, were less than half the price and much less trouble to manage.

I did like the desktop environment, I must say. But the underlying OS (OS X of course) was decidedly mediocre, the poorest implementation of Unix I've ever worked with, and I've worked with quite a few - HPUX, Ultrix, SunOS/Solaris, AIX, BSD, IRIX and of course Linux (strictly speaking "Unix-like" for legal purposes). OS X has improved since then, but people bought into the same hype and marketing in 2007 as they do now.

As a fashion brand Apple does spectacularly well. They have made an absolute mint on the old One Born Every Minute principle, especially in the smartphone market. I've always admired them as a marketing company. As a technology company, not really.

So why do you think nearly everyone else in this thread and the dozens of others have had experiences that are the polar opposite of yours ? Bad luck on your part? Ask yourself objectively, there are clear and truthful examples where owners have stated that their Apple ownership experiences have been superior to their equivalent Microsoft ones, do you honestly think the shiny Apple marketing hype is overriding a crap product and no one is admitting it? Im not saying that everyone will get on with Apple Macs but Ive seen many times more positive comments than negative. A company can't hide behind clever marketing if its a crap product, it might be able to for a couple of years, but no longer.

[Megatron]

I was a Mac denier and made the switch after finding I couldn't easily do things on my son's Windows 10 laptop. I succumbed to the peer pressure from my Mac cult colleagues and bought a top banana MacBook Pro. Wow - it took a while to be able to navigate my way round but I find the operating system so much more intuitive than Windows. And it's fast. Using my son's laptop reminds me just how clunky Windows seems at times, and that's coming from a lifelong Microsoft user.

[Enoch]

Why don't you have a dual boot option on your mac ??

Because I still have an old Toshiba laptop that does the other stuff I need...

[LuBee]

Go for SSD, I've just put one in my late 2010 mini and it makes a world of difference speed wise.

I have also put one in the otherhalfs ageing toshiba laptop (that he was about to be replaced) again with great results with a clean install of Windows 10

[Chris W]

Thinking SSD is the way to go too - if I'm going to fork out might as well go the extra.

[JamJam]

I don't think you will regret it mate, they are real class, takes a little time to find your way around but that's the fun part, loads of videos and cops on you tunne, if you looking at the laptop / air you will never use and mouse again, the touch pad is second to none

[dustybottoms]

Ive been using various Macs at home for about 16 years I think and have loved them all. Design and looks are excellent IMHO and the performance and longevity has been proven for me.

I still have to use Windows for work (hate it) on a Thinkpad; a tank of a laptop but woeful.
I also have multiple windows and Linux machines for home use when the mood takes me. But Macs are my preferred tools.

I also use an iPhone and have since the first iteration, I am unashamedly an apple fan boy.

Always makes me laugh when people say (as they did in the recent iPhone thread), that Apple products are not really for technical people. its such a pointless statement with no founding at all. IT and technology has been my only profession for 27 years now, with an infrastructure past and an application hosting and web security present. OK I admit it, there is also some Mainframe strategy work in my current role but lets keep that bit quiet please.

Amongst my professional peers there is a 50/50 split between Apple users and non Apple users. I would say that those that use Apple products tend to be happier, better looking, have good social skills without any trace of a personality disorder, can hold a conversation on a non IT subject, wear quality denim and have a healthy aversion to not wearing sandals with socks. OK a second admission about the sandals bit, that specific statement doesn't include some of those Mainframe people but if you also work in technology you knew that anyway.

[reggie747]

So why do you think nearly everyone else in this thread and the dozens of others have had experiences that are the polar opposite of yours ? Bad luck on your part? Ask yourself objectively, there are clear and truthful examples where owners have stated that their Apple ownership experiences have been superior to their equivalent Microsoft ones, do you honestly think the shiny Apple marketing hype is overriding a crap product and no one is admitting it? Im not saying that everyone will get on with Apple Macs but Ive seen many times more positive comments than negative. A company can't hide behind clever marketing if its a crap product, it might be able to for a couple of years, but no longer.

Hahahaha

[reggie747]

Because I still have an old Toshiba laptop that does the other stuff I need...

So you don't have to keep the Tosh - it's more that you're attached to it by the sounds of it ??

[Enoch]

So you don't have to keep the Tosh - it's more that you're attached to it by the sounds of it ??

No, I keep it because I can't be bothered mucking about with the Mac, just to do a couple of simple tasks that it really should be able to do anyway...

[reggie747]

I can't be bothered mucking about with the Mac

So you can't be ar$ed then. You should have said.......

[Glamdring]

So why do you think nearly everyone else in this thread and the dozens of others have had experiences that are the polar opposite of yours ? Bad luck on your part? Ask yourself objectively, there are clear and truthful examples where owners have stated that their Apple ownership experiences have been superior to their equivalent Microsoft ones, do you honestly think the shiny Apple marketing hype is overriding a crap product and no one is admitting it? Im not saying that everyone will get on with Apple Macs but Ive seen many times more positive comments than negative. A company can't hide behind clever marketing if its a crap product, it might be able to for a couple of years, but no longer.

Think about what I've highlighted. This is a pro-Mac thread on forum of people who are by and large better off than the average bod. The probability is that the comments will be from people prepared to spend real money on more expensive gear.

Again, there are hundreds of people online on the forum now who've not commented on this thread. So, out of those hundreds a couple of dozen Mac fans say they're ace. That doesn't mean they are, but that they think they are. Fair enough.

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Think about what I've highlighted. This is a pro-Mac thread on forum of people who are by and large better off than the average bod. The probability is that the comments will be from people prepared to spend real money on more expensive gear.

Again, there are hundreds of people online on the forum now who've not commented on this thread. So, out of those hundreds a couple of dozen Mac fans say they're ace. That doesn't mean they are, but that they think they are. Fair enough.

Usual anti post - why, oh why will you not acknowledge that those who generally end up with a Mac have done miles and miles with a PC?

My first computer was a ZX81, followed by Amstrad (2 versions) then one built by a friend, then a HP, another HP. Homebuilt by me, Toshiba Laptop, Compaq Laptop, another Compaq Laptop, HP Laptop, Lenovo Laptop (work supplied), Samsung Notebook, Another work supplied laptop - Acer this time. Final one of my own was a Toshiba.

Why will you not accept that some of the people who now rate them have been through multiple pain barriers and thousands of pounds getting there?

Seriously?

[JasonM]

I take your point, but of the hundreds of people who haven't commented presumably haven't commented as they haven't made the swap to Apple so don't have an opinion to give? The point I was making was the majority who have switched do prefer the Apple kit to the Microsoft, I'm not sure cost is a factor either, my wife's MBP cost £200 and my 4 year old IMac was £600. The only way I can judge if my Apple product is better than the MS stuff it replaced is the user experience, which in my case is poles apart. What other benchmark could I use?

[Glamdring]

I do. I just don't believe why, since I started with a ZX-81 too and then an Atari 800XL (keyboard model), Atart ST and then a whole series of PCs, bought and self-built. And not had anything like the trouble you guys claim you've had. One lost hard drive in all that time. One lost gfx card replace under warranty. One motherboard I burned out myself flashing the BIOS so my fault.
For me you lot bought into 'cool'.


Edit, my post refers to Chris's comment. He loves to pick on me because I have a better computer than he does... ;)