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rslifka · Mar 27, 2005, 08:09 PM

Long time PC user here, recently switched over to the Mac in January of this year (iMac G5 20"). Previously I owned an HP Centrino-based laptop for a year, that worked like a charm, but because I'm into photography I wanted a bigger/better display, some more horsepower for Photoshop, but without a noisy or problematic PC backing it up.

Why buyer's remorse? Because I don't see what all the hubbub is about with my Mac.

Sure it works but I have to say my HP laptop worked without a single problem/lockup/freeze/etc. up until the time I sold it to my dad after buying this machine.

Sure it's got plenty of preloaded software, but the only iLife app I use is iTunes which works just as well on Windows with my iPod. I don't do any movies, and I use Photoshop's File Browser instead of iPhoto. I refuse to update to '05 solely the for RAW file support. Screw Apple for not making that a patch to '04. Oh and after spending $2k+ I can't play any games.

Sure it's quiet, but so is the monster Xeon-based Dell box I had installed at work a couple of weeks ago.

Sure it's pretty, but a 20" Apple LCD + Dell/HP CPU would be just as pretty.

All in all, I'm pretty disappointed. I don't understand what all the fuss is about. I really wanted to "get into" using the Mac, but I just don't have the interest to come home after programming for 10 hours a day and read through "The Missing Manual for OS X". I thought I would be blown away just by using what was in front of me, but it seems so "blah".

I've *got* to be missing something.

Rob

michaelb · Mar 27, 2005, 08:52 PM

It's a computer. What were you expecting, an out of body experience?!

The "Mac advantage" is that you get a computer that works in a consistent way, with less hassle keeping it working.

You seemed to appreciate this yourself at the end of your first paragraph.

rslifka · Mar 27, 2005, 08:56 PM

Originally posted by michaelb:
It's a computer. What were you expecting, an out of body experience?!

The "Mac advantage" is that you get a computer that works in a consistent way, with less hassle keeping it working.

You seemed to appreciate this yourself at the end of your first paragraph.

Don't get me wrong, I really do appreciate it. I reboot once a month, when OS X security updates are installed. Everything works, all the time and it looks and works great.

TBH, I don't know what I was expecting. Maybe if I switched back to a PC I'd realize all of what I'm missing now

Rob

joe · Mar 27, 2005, 09:02 PM

Originally posted by rslifka:
All in all, I'm pretty disappointed. I don't understand what all the fuss is about. I really wanted to "get into" using the Mac, but I just don't have the interest to come home after programming for 10 hours a day and read through "The Missing Manual for OS X". I thought I would be blown away just by using what was in front of me, but it seems so "blah".

It doesn't sound as if you're having an actual problem, only that you wish you hadn't switched. As someone who works primarily on PCs (network admin), I'd be one of the 1st to say that a Mac may not be the right choice for everyone. If you're a recent switcher and haven't discovered some of the hidden niceties of OSX (expose, hot corners, terminal, etc), then I'd give it some time. If on the other hand you're absolutely dissatisfied with your purchase, at least you can turn it around. Macs tend to have a greater resale value than PCs.

Unless you want to give more details about what software you want/need to run or what your primary use of a home computer may be. Those would be the only 2 suggestions I can come up with. Well, there is one more thing. If you're still at the stock 256MB of RAM it would be well worth it to upgrade to at least 512MB. OSX (like service pack2) works best with 512MB at a minimum.........joe

sworthy · Mar 27, 2005, 09:06 PM

A lot of what I like about Mac OS X are the little things like spring loaded folders, simple app installs, etc. Though I know you said you didn't have time to read books or anything, it might be a good idea b/c that's where you'll get a lot of the tips.

funkboy · Mar 27, 2005, 09:06 PM

Originally posted by rslifka:
Long time PC user here, recently switched over to the Mac in January of this year (iMac G5 20"). ...
Sure it's got plenty of preloaded software, but the only iLife app I use is iTunes which works just as well on Windows with my iPod. I don't do any movies, and I use Photoshop's File Browser instead of iPhoto.

This is not an issue with the Mac. This is just how you use a computer - that's okay, no harm done. Sometime you may have a chance to make an iMovie or iDVD.

Sure it's quiet, but so is the monster Xeon-based Dell box I had installed at work a couple of weeks ago.

Wow, seriously? Because most PCs - at any range of performance - are way noisier than my iMac G4 (and, I assume, the Mac mini). The practically silent operation is probably my favorite favorite feature of my iBook and iMac.

Maybe you'll only notice the difference if you're in a really really quiet room. In my dorm room, for instance, the iMac is barely perceptible, while I can notice my PC a lot more.

Sure it's pretty, but a 20" Apple LCD + Dell/HP CPU would be just as pretty.

There's no accounting for taste

That's totally up to your perspective... but to really play it up, would two boxes really be as pretty as one?

...I really wanted to "get into" using the Mac, but I just don't have the interest to come home after programming for 10 hours a day and read through "The Missing Manual for OS X". I thought I would be blown away just by using what was in front of me, but it seems so "blah".

Reading a manual may be part of your frustration. I find no need to read a manual, and if you do a lot of programming on your job, you're probably computer literate enough to figure out how to do pretty much anything on Mac OS X. Maybe get a UNIX manual to uncover the mysteries of Terminal; other than that you should be good to go.

Don't take your computer experience so seriously, just enjoy it, and see if that doesn't help. The Mac is about being fun - and I think you may not be looking for "fun" yet. But it's a novel goal

rslifka · Mar 27, 2005, 11:54 PM

As someone who's recently switched, I do take solace in the fact that I could probably turn it around and get a nice PC + Apple 20" display without losing TOO much money in the process (maybe a few hundred). But really, what does that get me? The ability to play crappy games I wouldn't otherwise want to play? It would certainly get me more comfort with what's happening under the hood, but why is that necessary? It definitely does not make using the computer more 'fun'.

It's true that the real noise of my Xeon box at work may be obscured by other workplace related noise. My previous home-built PC was so incredibly noisy it was like a lawnmower.

I have to admit, having the computer be in the monitor is really tough to beat in terms of looks. I can't imagine going back to the tower-under-the-desk nonsense.

Not sure what I can do to get over this funk. It's not every day, just every so often I try to remind myself why I've decided to stick with it. I keep coming back to having to get comfortable with knowing less about what's going on under the hood.

JazzCatDRP · Mar 28, 2005, 12:14 AM

Go back and use your Windows machine for a week or so. When I got back into macs recently, I didn't grasp the full amount of how much better I like the Mac until I had to go back to a Windows PC for a stint. It's all the little things that add up: spyware scanning, worrying about viruses, an application crash bringing the whole system down, etc.

ryaxnb · Mar 28, 2005, 10:42 AM

OK if a PC works for you... then get a PC. Personally I think the Mac is better, but if you don't see any advantages, then use a PC. Personally I almost always get viruses and spyware on my PC despite a firewall, antivirus, and spyware-protection software. As well, I have issues with crashing, and I just love OmniWeb, a Mac-only Web browsers, and iPhoto, also Mac-only. I like iMovie and iDVD too, although I don't use them that much. I think the shareware market on a Mac is healthier, love how pretty they look, etc. For some subtle examples of how the OS is also better, check http://xvsxp.com

omar96 · Mar 29, 2005, 08:19 AM

Originally posted by funkboy:
Reading a manual may be part of your frustration. I find no need to read a manual, and if you do a lot of programming on your job, you're probably computer literate enough to figure out how to do pretty much anything on Mac OS X.

It also depends on the manual. While I was waiting for all the upgrades for my first Mac (the Sawtooth) I read "Mac OS X: The Missing Manual (Panther Edition)" cover to cover, trying as best as I could to follow along with a 400MHz machine with 256MB of RAM and a Rage 128Pro. I got quite a bit out of the book, and by the time I upgraded the hardware, it started to feel like old hat.

mbryda · Mar 29, 2005, 08:32 AM

Originally posted by rslifka:
Not sure what I can do to get over this funk. It's not every day, just every so often I try to remind myself why I've decided to stick with it. I keep coming back to having to get comfortable with knowing less about what's going on under the hood.

Time. I've been a Windows user (unfortunately) since Win 3.11, work on it all day long and try to make it work....

When I first switched in '02, I wanted to take my iMac back after the first week. It was just too foreign for me. I was really struggling where things went, how the OS worked, etc. Took me about another week or 2 do really "get in the grove" of it and now you can pry my iMac out of my cold, dead hands!

More and more I curse at Windows and how idiotic a lot of the things it does really are (registry, DLL Hell, general useability). My favorite is when people ask me what I use for video editing or music or whatnot. I always tell them about my failures on the PC side and to just go get a Mac.

Hang in there and it will make sense sooner or later.

Jasoco · Apr 6, 2005, 02:21 AM

What's strange is that when I switched in late 2000 (OS 9 days) I practically fell into the OS right off the bat. It was like second nature for me.

TheTraveller · Apr 8, 2005, 05:37 PM

I think the Mac/Windows thing is like right-brain, left-brain people. Some folks will just prefer one way of working over the other, although they're very similar.

Moderator · Apr 9, 2005, 04:46 PM

To me every pen is not equal even though they do the same thing. Some pens just "feel" better to write with. Thats why I like os x..just feels better to me.

I use a PC for some work and am content with it...I've pimped it out os x style with a dock and a few other gadgets. Its ok. I don't mind it. The whole virus protection paranoia is a bit annoying but its ok

I think as time goes on you'll find more and more little hidden UI gems and keep saying ahh..I didn't know you could do that! Thats very intuitive thanks for that little bit of extra thought Apple.

Just seems like there is more care and thought put into the UI.

Krusty · Apr 9, 2005, 07:41 PM

Originally posted by Moderator:

Just seems like there is more care and thought put into the UI.

I like the UI more, I like the organizational themes more, I like the Unix underpinnings and bundled software (iLife, Dev Tools, Apache web server, etc) more. I don't hate PCs, I just like Macs more.
However, I do hate my current work PC. For security/virus/spyware reasons, I basically can't do anything with it ... install anything, customize anything, etc. I've been waiting for 3 weeks for our IT dork to log in as administrator so I can get a dinky piece of software that I think will help me keep tasks organized. Makes me feel like I'm connected to a piece of factory machinery where I can do anything I want .... as long as what I want to do is pull this lever and push that button on queue.

To the original poster. You've only had it since January. Honestly, it takes a while to get the "big picture" of thematic differences between the two OSes. At first, it probably seems like trying to figure out the way to emulate PC behaviors on the Mac. This won't serve you well in the long run . For example, almost every PC person I've know who has used my mac for some reason usually takes several seconds to drag and position windows so that they are full screen .. because that's just how they are used to working with apps. This makes the OS seem clunkier to them because they are used to just hitting a maximize button. The Mac OS simply isn't geared around this theme (for the better, IMHO). On the other hand, I still after decades of using both platforms, catch myself on Monday morning hitting the close box on apps on my windows machine and then having a moment of kicking myself when I realize that, yes, on this OS I have to keep at least one useless window open for any program I don't yet want to fully shutdown (which I think is ridiculous ... I have to keep some stupid browser window minimized in my taskbar unless I want to fully relaunch the browser to use it again ??). What f#ing design genius came up with that idea ?("overloading" the close button such that it means close ... ummm, unless you are on the last window in which case it means 'quit')

Worst case scenario ? You really never grow to like it. Mac resale values are high and you can probably get a lot of your money back and at least have had some experience with an alternative OS that will illuminate some things about Windows to you.

Hi I'm Ben · Apr 9, 2005, 08:20 PM

It's a completely different thing. When I bought my first mac.. I hated it. GOD I HATED IT SO MUCH. Because it was all foreign to me. Nothing made sense I didn't know what any applications were.. I felt so.. limited.

Things that help though are:
A 2 Button Mouse ( at least)
versiontracker and MacUpdate
and a friend or two you can IM about help or something.

The biggest difference between my Mac and my PC i have is that... I can't play games. Really other then that any program I use on PC i usually use on my mac. I prefer the OS on the Mac, which is the part that takes the greatest getting used to.

Anyway, once I got used to it. Everything was fine, but it took me about a month to adjust, about 2 to like it.

omar96 · Apr 9, 2005, 08:33 PM

Originally posted by Jasoco:
What's strange is that when I switched in late 2000 (OS 9 days) I practically fell into the OS right off the bat. It was like second nature for me.

My first experience with a Mac was in OS 8 in the music lab in college and I fell right into it but I was concerned that I wasn't doing things right, especially launching apps...was I really SUPPOSED to go to the Applications folder to openi an app? I guessed so at the time, but I thought it shoulod be easier, like Windows 3.1's Program Manager, but I eventually got used to it. Didn't try a Mac again until OS X and it was all pretty easy to get ahold of.