Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:44 am
Windows-on-Mac solutions such as Boot Camp and Parallels are essential for 'power users' using a Mac, but the statistics show that not many users are actually using them regularly. Mac users in general are not willing to put up with the effort of buying and setting up Windows; otherwise they would have gotten a PC in the first place. While you can theoretically run Windows apps on a Mac now, and it is essentially full speed, it is still costly in both time and money. Basically in a Mac OS vs. Windows discussion, it is not a victory for Mac OS if it lets you buy a copy of Windows to run Windows programs. That is like saying that apples are better than oranges, because if you have an apple and want citrus, you can always buy an orange to go with it. It is important to make it clear if we are talking about Apple hardware vs. non-Apple hardware, or Mac OS vs. Windows.
Basically in this case, Apple hardware is more expensive than equivalent non-Apple hardware, but the advantage is that it can run Mac OS. The question, then, is whether or not the OS is worth the price difference. I would argue that it usually is if you have a lot of spare cash, and you are an audiovisual professional, don't want to think about hardware issues, or want a cohesive user experience. A PC is usually a better choice if you are a business or software development professional or hardcore gamer, and you know how to build your own system and maintain your own hardware and software.
I don't think a Mac vs. PC debate even makes sense any more than an apples vs. oranges discussion does; it is really not a question of which is better, it is a question of personal taste and of what works best in what situation. I wouldn't drink apple juice with breakfast, nor would I want to eat orange pie. This thread exists because this is an eternal debate that always occurs on computer message boards, and if there is no specific place for it, it spills over into other threads. I think it is not really worth fighting about, but if people must fight about it, might as well confine it to this thread.
Basically in this case, Apple hardware is more expensive than equivalent non-Apple hardware, but the advantage is that it can run Mac OS. The question, then, is whether or not the OS is worth the price difference. I would argue that it usually is if you have a lot of spare cash, and you are an audiovisual professional, don't want to think about hardware issues, or want a cohesive user experience. A PC is usually a better choice if you are a business or software development professional or hardcore gamer, and you know how to build your own system and maintain your own hardware and software.
I don't think a Mac vs. PC debate even makes sense any more than an apples vs. oranges discussion does; it is really not a question of which is better, it is a question of personal taste and of what works best in what situation. I wouldn't drink apple juice with breakfast, nor would I want to eat orange pie. This thread exists because this is an eternal debate that always occurs on computer message boards, and if there is no specific place for it, it spills over into other threads. I think it is not really worth fighting about, but if people must fight about it, might as well confine it to this thread.
