Windows vs OS X

[hldomster]

Hello guys,

I think the thread title is self-explanatory, which one's better, which would you recommend a consumer to get: an Apple or Windows laptop.

I'm a casual MacRumors Forum user and this thread recently appeared from a Windows user who is thinking of switching to OS X, but wanted an objective view. Another user on the forum said the following:

You won't get neutral opinions in a Mac forum, they'll be biased towards the Mac. And you won't get neutral opinions in a Windows or a PC forum, they'll be biased towards the PC. So if you want a neutral opinion, you should ask this question in... <DRUMROLL> A LINUX FORUM </DRUMROLL>

So this is why I've joined this forum and created this thread. Needless to say, it's 3am and I'm a bit bored, but I think it would be interesting to hear the views of Linux users on this topic. And to keep to the point, please, no recommending that the OP should get a Linux distro and forget both OS X and Windows.

Thanks guys

[rokytnji]

Can't help ya bud. I don't run either one so don't know squat about em. Howdy and Welcome to the forum though.

[geese]

Can't help ya bud. I don't run either one so don't know squat about em. Howdy and Welcome to the forum though.

Same here.

[oz]

It is a bit like going to the Ford dealership and then asking if they'd recommend someone by a Chevy or Buick, but what the heck... welcome to the forums anyway!

[MikeTbob]

Where's the darn mac fanboys when you need one??lol
Hello and Welcome.

[jayd512]

Originally Posted by John Jacob
You won't get neutral opinions in a Mac forum, they'll be biased towards the Mac. And you won't get neutral opinions in a Windows or a PC forum, they'll be biased towards the PC. So if you want a neutral opinion, you should ask this question in... <DRUMROLL> A LINUX FORUM </DRUMROLL>

LOL! And we're not biased!

No comment on the choice of OS's, but Welcome aboard!

[L4Linux]

Welcome to the forums. It's good to hear that we are considered the least biased.

Apart from gaming or a legacy app in which you 've been locked in, I really can't see any reason to use Windows at all.
The Mac is not bad, as it uses a Linux-like BSD kernel, but it causes vendor lock-in as well and it is expensive in the middle of economic crisis.
So I 'll recommend Ubuntu 9.04 that will be released in April 23rd.
After all, most people buy Macs because they find them pretty, but Linux has all those Compiz effects and Plymouth bootloader that are many years ahead of the Mac.

[GNU-Fan]

Hello,

I assume you have to ask that question because you do not have much experience with operating system. In that case, and if it is only a matter of choice between these two, I think you will be happier with MacOS-X.

Judging from all that Conficker news recently, I think Windows can really doom you if you use it casually.

[elija]

So I 'll recommend Ubuntu 9.04 that will be released in April 23rd.
After all, most people buy Macs because they find them pretty, but Linux has all those Compiz effects and Plymouth bootloader that are many years ahead of the Mac.

I'd recommend Linux Mint 6 - did you really expect an unbiased opinion on a Linux forum? However, if the choice is purely Windows or Mac OS then Mac OS all the way.

As an aside did anyone else thing the Plymouth boot loader looked like all out thermo nuclear war?

[glaston]

If all you're taking into consideration is the OS itself, MacOSX is an order of magnitude more stable than windows, it's much more pleasurable to use, looks ALOT better and it just works the way you want it to.
The conventions it uses as far as usability is concerned are light years beyond windows.

However, Apple hardware has become cheap disposable junk.

I bought a PowerMac G5 in 2006 and fell in love with it.
Then in late Dec of 2008, it took a serious dump.
2 weeks ago it quit working altogether.
And the reason for it's untimely death is because Apple hardware is junk.
Plain and simple.
Here's a thread I started last week explaining the entire experience.
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/cof...m-machine.html
You should really read it in it's entirety.
When it comes down to it, Apple doesn't care too much about it's customer base.
The G5 is a professional graphics workstation.
It's not a consumer level machine.
I paid around $4,000 for it and now it's just a big aluminum doorstop with an Apple logo on it.
Apple wants between $600-$1400 to fix it.
All this happened within 3 months of my extended applecare protection plan expiring.

I don't know what product line you're interested in.
A MacPro, Macbook Pro, Air, iMac, etc..
If it's a laptop then the MacBook Pro would be the top of the line.
However, I know someone who has a relatively new MacBook Pro and they have to use an external mouse because the trackpad went out, some of the keys have gone out on the keyboard, the built in camera and microphone stopped working.

What I'm saying is be advised about Apple hardware.
The lifespan of their products is unknown.
Tend to be 3-4 years max these days.

There's Mac clones that run OSX on basic PC hardware.
It's called Hackintosh.
With something like that you can run anything on it.
Windows, OSX, Linux.
You can run windows on any Intel Mac too.
But why would you when you have OSX as an option!?

OSX is a phenomenal operating system!
Apples software is great, but the hardware they're putting into their machines is getting worse and worse.