I don’t know if this qualifies as one of the great unanswered questions of our time, but since it’s a debate, I thought I’d put it here.
I heard that Mac’s are hand’s down superior now that they use UNIX? Is it really that big of a deal? How does the newest Mac OS compare with Vista?
Both are simply tools, and neither does you a whole lot of good without software. Figure out which software you want, need, can’t live without, etc., and get the computer to match.
I should probably add that it’s hard to make comparisons to Vista, as that OS hasn’t hit release yet. We know what it’s supposed to do, but until release there is no guarantee all features will remain in the OS as stated, nor do we have a clue as to its initial stability.
Do you want to buy a station wagon, or a Porche ?
A Porche is pretty useless for a lot of things, but it has a distinct edge over a station wagon when it comes to burn-ups and pulling girls.
From my point of view, if you are heavily into graphics for publishing or presentation, then the Mac is a nice bit of kit.
If you want a PC for general business or home use, then a bog standard PC with 12 month old technology gives far more options.
I like the Mac commercials better. 
Though the one where the cool Mac guy is ‘debating’ the Windows guy and says (to paraphrase) ‘Macs now run all Windows programs’, and the Windows guy looks confused and says something like ‘Touché!’ really says it all to me…and answers this question, from my own perspective.
Think about it. Why does the Mac run Windows specific software? Why doesn’t the Windows machine run Mac specific software? Every time I see that commercial I laugh…at the Mac guy. 
Anyway, I’m neither a Windows nor Mac guy, though I run an XP and NT 2003 server instance on my Linux box (notably I don’t run a Mac instance…they don’t have anything I need). Mac hardware is more expensive, their OS is decent but it has nothing I need…while I use several Windows programs (like MS Project and Visio Professional for Windows to name a few).
But the biggest thing from my own perspective (for my home use) is…the games!
In the end though the ‘best’ OS is what works best for the individual. Its a combination of price, performance, ease of use and availability of the software that the individual both wants and needs to run.
-XT
I prefer non-deterministic Turing machines myself. Or in a pinch, an LGP21.
Me too. But there’s one thing that really bugs me. One commercial implies Macs don’t get viruses because they’re not PCs. Another commercial implies Macs don’t lock up because they’re not PCs. Then there’s the one where the guy says he’s both a Mac and a PC. Make up your mind. Are you a PC or not?
PS. I care not about the truth or relative merits of these claims - only this one little contradiction in otherwise likable ads.
Sorry for the hijack, I_Know_Nothing. Since I work in an environment majorly entwined in one side of the question I don’t have any unbiased advise for you.
Disclamer: I am an O/S zealot. But not the one that you might think.
I would say that if you are going to buy a laptop, or if you really want the most in flexibility and capability, buy the Mac. If you find that you cannot live without Windows, it shoud be able to run any version they release for a few years, probably better than most PC’s you buy. It being a Unix is not inherently more secure, you can still do braindead things that will get your box owned in various ways, but Unix is less of a target, unless you are running an internet site. As long as you are not running services you do not need, don’t have stupid (or no) passwords on the user accounts, you are reasonably secure. (I would say the same was true for Windows, but Windows’ Internet Explorer Browser has had too many exploits, and Vista will have IE7 by default. Rewrites of code rarely have fewer bugs, and the large monolithic install base is not in Windows’ favor here.)
If you want to maximize your dollar, then buy the PC. I would check out the big manufactuers, and not look at their high end models. If you find later you wanna run Mac O/S, you can do that without too much reading. If you get really into it, you could install one of the free unixes, and run either of the other O/S’s in a virtual machine if you want them =).
Basically, yeah, if you want sexy, and maybe more reliable (big maybe) buy the Mac. If you want cheap, buy the PC.
I can’t believe I’m responding in one of these threads, but objectively there is no inherrent difference between a Mac or PC with regards to graphics or audio, aside from software that might be available on only one platform or the other.
(it’s true that maybe the design house you work for uses Macs, which might be a situational reason to buy a Mac for home use, but says nothing about whether it’s a “better” system to get the job done).
Be careful, I_Know_Nothing. Some controversies are too hot even for GD!
Remember that the Macintosh is made and sold as an integrated unit (hardware and software). Windows PCs are manufactured by many companies using an enormous variety of motherboards, video cards, processors, etc, but using a common operating system. Obviously, there are advantages and disadvantages of each approach.
Here’s a comparison site for the two OS’s that I find to be reasonably thorough and unbiased.
Lots of good detailed performance information. Their conclusion is that MacOSX Tiger beats Windows XP (SP2) Home Edition overall, but is about on a par with XP Pro.
I use Macs. Now.
I used PCs from age 7 until about six months ago. I use a Mac at work and recently purchased one for at home. My boyfriend has my old PC and I use that for the few things I cannot do on a Mac.
My Mac never freezes when running multiple applications (one application might freeze, but the entire computer doesn’t).
And Mac graphics processors and such are just awsome. Macs were the first computers to ever have graphics capability and they try to stay on top of that.
MOST publishing houses, newspapers, and graphics design places use Macs, because they get better results out of them.
The reason Macs don’t get viruses and spyware is, plainly put, because not enough people use Macs to make it worth it for a virus or spyware writer. I see a day coming where it may happen, because Macs are getting more and more popular. But for now - I use a Mac for just about everything.
~Tasha
We have both in my office. Our creative, production, and studio departments use Macs. Our administrative, client services, and accounting departments use PCs. It’s about a 50/50 split.
Okay, first, it’s a misconception that Macs just run better or are more reliable, especially with the advent of OS-HeX (Jaguar, Tiger, Panther, whatever), and the new machines with Intel chips are as slow as standing dirt for Photoshop, Illustrator and QuarkXpress unless you have a dual processor.
Macs don’t lock-up or freeze. Pish! Macs are easier to use than PCs. Tosh! The Macintosh has joined the PC in being a headache inducing nightmare, especially on a cross-platform network. Macs don’t get viruses. HAHAHHAHAHAHAH!!! Macs are not subject to spyware attacks. Bzzz! Wrong. It’s been going down-hill for the lauded Macintosh ever since Apple decided to use standard IDE drives and PC RAM.
Unix-Shmoonix - If Unix has made things better for the Mac my network administrator certainly doesn’t see it.
Having said all that, I have a PowerBook at home and prefer it over my PC, not because it’s better, or has fewer glitchety-glitches (as evidenced by twice having to get it repaired—thank goodness for Apple Care), but because of the ‘cool’ factor. It’s also slimmer and lighter-weight than my Dell laptop.
As far as comparability from a user standpoint, I find both PCs and Macs to be virtually the same. Photoshop ‘feels’ a little clunkier to me on a PC than a MAC, but conversely, Word ‘feels’ clunkier to me on a Mac than a PC, so it’s probably just my learned biases. User-created files are now equally usable on both platforms, so no problems there.
By the way Apple/Microsoft, thanks for buying into Internet Explorer for two seconds and then dropping it like a hot potato for (blech) Safari. FireFox forever!
Fonts! Aaaaauugh!!! - I just had to get that out. The fight of TrueType/PostScript fonts, and screen fonts and printer fonts is no fun. Fonts are actually getting better on the Mac, especially since OpenType has been embraced, but there are still compatibility issues with system fonts, library fonts, and installed fonts, especially for Helvetica.
I have to admit there are far fewer boot and connection issues since Apple pretty much did away with the ridiculous hold Extenstions had over the system in OS8 and 9, but application preferences still cause more problems than they should, so much so that trashing preferences is usually the first course of action with dealing with an application that’s decided for no Earthly reason to cease to function properly.
As far as our PCs are concerned, for the most part there are no problems. We get all of our non-Mac computers from Dell. They come in the door, the box is opened, the computer removed, plugged in, ethernet cable is connected, DHCP kicks in and assigns it an IP, and it’s ready for use. No muss, no fuss.
Speed - It’s not true that Macs are faster than PCs, at least not anymore. Comparably configured, they’re about the same. Some apps run slightly faster on a PC, some slightly faster on a Mac, but it averages out.
Wrong. Macs USED to be an integrated unit comprised of all like components. No longer.
Force Quit is your friend. …and I congratulate you for never having experienced a Mac lock-up. 
No longer true.
To summarize, my PC’s a workhorse, my Mac’s a delicate flower.
By integrated I mean that one company designs the computer hardware and software. Microsoft Windows is designed to run on computer hardware from many companies.
Yup, I knew you meant that, but it’s no longer true. As a quick example, some of our Macs have Western Digital hard drives, some have Maxtor.
I’ve got nothing against Macs. I just like to be able to build my own computer from parts, play the majority of games that’re out there, and be able to buy a decent computer for dirt cheap, if I want.
Okay, maybe I do have something against Macs.
They sure are pretty, though.
There will be too many unsupportable opinions, here, to stay in GD. (Although, so far you folks are not doing too badly.)
Off to IMHO.
[ /Moderating ]
You can make that analogy so many different ways.
Do you want a Prius, or a 70’s Mustang?
The Prius is sleek and integrated. It’s got pleasing curves, snazzy technology, and it hums along doing complicated things while presenting a nice little display window to the driver. It rarely goes wrong, but when it does, you better talk to the guys at Toyota.
The Mustang is always in flux. You can make it about anything, if you want to, but it’ll take some tinkering. It’s got some older technology in it, but that means you can find way more compatible 3rd party parts, and lots of mechanics can work on 'em. Hope you know what you’re doing and don’t get in an accident, though: no airbags.