# [SOLVED] Why a Mac?



## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

I've read a great deal about people's opinions one why a Mac is superior to a PC and vice versa. I'm hoping for more, with slightly more computing evidence to support claims ^_^.

Good starting question...

Are Mac's inherently safer?

All opinions are welcome, but i'd like at least some specific reasons (ie, OS architecture).


----------



## elf (Jul 19, 2002)

There are a lot of opinions about this topic, without a lot of solid proof. 

1) The thing is, the vast majority of the world uses PC's. So the vast majority of virus programmers, program viruses for the windows operating system. So, as of right now, there are significantly less viruses for the MAC os than for Windows. If the market shifted, so would the amount of viruses produced for macs

2) Secondly, if you are looking to play games, it is easier if you have a PC, because most current games will simply not play on MacOS. Battlefield 2, along with HL2 will probably not be ported to MacOS (as far as I know...I could be wrong about this)

I'm sure a few of our mac users will weigh in on this, and completely disagree with me (sinclair?). Ultimately, IMO mac's aren't bad, they just don't hold enough of the market for me to get one. They are good with video/music editing, but I never do that. Honestly I've never much mac's much so I don't really know what they are good for...maybe sinclair can enlighten me.


----------



## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

ok, i'm here!:wave: 
it all depends on what you plan to do with the computer. a while back, we had someone else ask a similar question, but let us know it was gaming. here is a link to the thread. not much has changed, except that the intel mac pros are out, and they rock the house. without really knowing what you want to do with the computer, or what kind of things you have that you want to use with the new computer, i really can't tell you too much more. if i could afford one, i'd have a new mac pro sitting on my desk to replace both my mac and win pc because it can easyly out do both. so tell us what you are looking for in a computer, and i can tell you what i think you should get. and let us know what types of files you need to use, and i can point you to the mac version of the software.


----------



## v-six (Sep 12, 2004)

ito1matthews said:


> Are Mac's inherently safer?
> 
> All opinions are welcome, but i'd like at least some specific reasons (ie, OS architecture).


I use both systems, so I can add my two cents to this. You can be secure on a Windows platform, but it takes _alot_ of work. Macs are generally safer, regardless of the achitecture of the system. The sad truth is that there are eleventy billion (yes, that's a number) wanna-be hackers out there playing around on Windows. I don't think anyone could give you an exactly answer, as there very well could be holes in Mac OS programming that have gone unexploited. As elf said, the number of people trying to find these loopholes is _much_ lower. I usually just leave it at this: Working on a Mac is like flying an F15 through open skies. Working on windows is driving a tank through a city street occupied by a rebel uprising. You may have to make a few messes to get where you're going. I'm not sure there exists fair grounds for comparison. That's my less-than informed/serious view on the matter, Sinclair is the right person to ask, I just had to stick my ugly face in here :grin:


----------



## V0lt (Sep 14, 2002)

In my opinion, security on _any_ operating system is a matter of being proactive about it. Safe surfing habits are essential.

I've been using windows for 2/3 of my lifetime, and ever since I educated myself on the nature of spyware and generalized crap, I haven't had a single spyware infection or virus compromise my system.

There's only so much that can go wrong if you know what you're doing- for instance, running the machine under the Administrator account _all the time_ is an accident waiting to happen. It's just a shame that the average user chooses to or is too ignorant to not do this.

And not to talk down on the Mac- it's definitely a great operating system (and improving), but the only reason that there are less viruses threatening it is because there is a smaller userbase, and less software in general available for it. Mac users are deluding themselves if they think that the Mac would be anywhere near as "secure" if it had the exposure windows does. Work on a PC running Linux, and you have the same degree of "security" and even more flexibility. But keep in mind- security is a relative term. There's always a way in.


----------



## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

sinclair_tm said:


> so tell us what you are looking for in a computer, and i can tell you what i think you should get. and let us know what types of files you need to use, and i can point you to the mac version of the software.


Weeeelllllll, hehehe...

I'm searching for a replacement for my old PC, which was pretty much the center of my life at home. It's my TV (i have a TV card), my music (i don't own a CD or DVD player), my workstation (everything from word documents to computational software like MatLab), and my gaming station ^__^. I'm hoping for a computer that's slightly less quirky than i've found mine to be. I've not really had that much trouble with security, so i'm not overly concerned. I'm also hoping for a fast, multitasking computer (i tend to run alot of programs at the same time), that can be periodically upgraded without much hassle. Lots of crap, hehe ^_^;

Thanks all for your enlightening comments ^__^


----------



## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Thanks for your comments ^_^



Fox said:


> for instance, running the machine under the Administrator account _all the time_ is an accident waiting to happen.


I wonder, however, what you mean by this?


----------



## V0lt (Sep 14, 2002)

Well, when you create a user account with windows (the ones you see listed on the logon screen), you have the option of setting permissions in each account. Because most people don't spent every day installing new software or modifying essential pieces of the system, it doesn't make any sense to leave that open for programs to change. It's essentially the same as running Linux as 'root' all the time- which linux enthusiasts would agree is a terrible idea.


----------



## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

well, i do all the same with my mac, and they are alot less quirky then windows. but as for matlab, i don't know if there is a mac port of it. i havn't had to use it for several years, and the school i was at didn't have a mac version. the only thing is that macs are not the upgradeable type. i know that the imacs' and macbook pros' cpus are in scokets and can be upgraded, but i havn't heard about the mac pros yet. as for multitasking, i have found my mac to be way better at it than my pc. i can have it encode video to dv from whatever my tv app records in and then surff the web, email, or what have you and not notice any slow downs in the app i'm using. but i have been told that there is not as much slow down in windows if you have a dual core cpu.
but honestly, in order to use all the apps that you have now, as well as the same periferals that you have now, you should get another pc. but if you don't mind buying some new apps and periferals, and running the apps that don't have a mac version in windows under bootcamp (apple's software that will allow you to install and boot into windows xp on an intel based mac), then you aould get an imac, or if you have the money, a mac pro.


----------



## teh_chris (Nov 2, 2006)

if you are very experienced with PCs, be they windows or linux, macs will be frustrating for you. i have a dual G5 tower at work and it's like arguing with a retarded child.

if you are not that experienced with computers in general, then a mac will be great for you. most of the work in learning to use a mac is _unlearning_ the PC.

also, mac based documentation and the mac community is not very hacker friendly. the typical hacker mentality for learning something is to just start doing it, and looking for answers when you get stuck on something. that is the essence of hacking.

in the mac universe, you learn to do something _before_ you start doing it. so if you want to make your own home movies on DVD, you can find plenty of detailed articles on how to shoot them, how to arrange them, how to sequence, edit, score, voice over, add transition effects, blah blah blah. *but*, if all you want is a quick answer on how to compress your video so you can upload it to you tube... well you have to do quite a bit of reading before you get to that.


----------



## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

teh_chris said:


> ... *but*, if all you want is a quick answer on how to compress your video so you can upload it to you tube... well you have to do quite a bit of reading before you get to that.


sorry, but i have to dissagree with you. where have you looked for answers? i have always gotten my questions answered rather quickly. i also have to dissagree with the learning curve. i use both windows and mac and have never had any problems. moving from one os to another is aways a bit tricky. its just a matter of learning that they are not the same, and once you learn that, its all smooth sailing. there's no unlearning going on, just ajusting.

as for hackers, there are quite a few mac hackers (i'm one and know of several sites where people come to 'hack' their mac)


----------



## teh_chris (Nov 2, 2006)

sinclair_tm said:


> its just a matter of learning that they are not the same, and once you learn that, its all smooth sailing. there's no unlearning going on, just ajusting.


i think you misread my tone. i had a similar conversation with a friend of mine. she is a web designer (an artist) and i am most definitely not. when i said i was dismayed at how difficult a mac is to use despite all the allegations that i had heard to the contrary she said "they are not designed for people who think too much."

most mac fans think the mac interface is simple. the truth is that for your typical windows or unix user it is _fiendishly_ simple.

take burning a data DVD for example. to a person who has no idea how to use a PC, they may think that you can drag the files to the blank disk and you are all set. to an experienced PC user there is a process of finding the recording software, choosing drives, and files, and formats and telling it to burn.

on a mac, you pretty much just drag the files to the blank disk and click "burn disk". to an inexperienced user that sounds very logical. to an experieinced windows user that just sounds crazy.

i had similar problems with ubuntu after several years of slackware and other distros. stuff just worked and it freaked me out.

if you have used windows for a number of years, you know that you cannot trust your computer. if you have used unix in any form for a number of years, you know that you have to tune and tweak it to perform optimally. on a mac you don't have to do either.


----------



## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

i see what you're saying. but i still didn't find it hard to learn the mac, but it was in win 3.11 days. but i still don't call it unlearning like you did, but more along the lines of what you just posted, its ajusting to being able to trust your computer. :winkgrin:


----------



## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

When partisans debate, the newbie learns ^_____^

Thanks guys XD.

Continue ^_^.


----------



## teh_chris (Nov 2, 2006)

i wouldn't call it a debate. i am sure that there is some sort of workaround for all of my mac based frustrations that i have not yet discovered. i will probably sing a different tune once my mac kung fu is stronger. windows and unix have their frustrations as well (the explorer shell in windows is a crime against computing and i have yet to see a linux package management system other than slackware's that isn't needlessly complicated). 

if you are making the switch for good, then any frustrations you have will be one time affairs. i hop between a number of systems (windows and mac at work and windows, BSD and linux at home) so it's different for me.

one way that i keep things uniform on all three platforms is to use multi platform open source tools as much as possible. if you are comfortable with mozilla, open office, vi, as well as your basic unix commandline utilities, you should be able to sit in front of pretty much anything and use it effectively.


----------



## ito1matthews (Jul 23, 2006)

Haha, cool ^_^.

My mistake .


----------

