# Apple vs Windows



## Sheilawisz (Aug 9, 2012)

First, I want to start this thread by making clear how aware I am that this thread has a potential to go the wrong way. If you want to give your opinion on which is better, please do so in a civil, educated way. So, the Death Match poll tonight shall take place between the two legendary rivals:

The Apple computers vs All the other computers running Windows!!

You know that I am a fan of custom-made Desktops with Windows, but this month those iMac things have a special discount at my city's Apple shop and I am considering to buy one. I have always used Windows, never Apple stuff so I cannot really vote on this one...

Any Mac users here in Mythic Scribes? Which do you prefer? Why??


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## Chime85 (Aug 9, 2012)

I personally prefer windows. As tempting as Apple is, I still _really_ dislike the fact that many programs will not run on them. So the counter argument is, 'you can install windows onto a mac computer to run the programs you need'. Well, that's all gravy, only, what's the point. Also as a writer, you cannot beat ms word 

x


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## Neurosis (Aug 9, 2012)

Bah, I can't stand Windows or Apple, Linux for me.


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## Chilari (Aug 9, 2012)

I have used Linux (when my parents wouldn't pay for Windows after we upgraded the family PC, and on my netbook because it was Â£60 cheaper with Linux than windows) and I quite like it, but I love Windows 7. It's got stuff I recognise, it works, it only occasionally pisses me off with mandatory restarts for updates, and I like the aethetic. Plus I play a lot of computer games (well, a few anyway) some of which aren't (or weren't in the past) compatible with Linux.

I'll never go Apple because a) it's managed to become very expensive on the back of branding; b) my hands aren't mittens and c) (least important factor tbh) while Bill Gates was giving millions (billions?) to charity, Steve Jobs wasn't really doing much on that side of things, but still gets the "underdog, good guy" branding while Bill Gates is percieved as "the man" to fight against. That annoys me.


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## Steerpike (Aug 9, 2012)

Apple products are overpriced and locked down.  I like Linux, then Windows.


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## Neurosis (Aug 9, 2012)

I hate the idea that Bill Gates is seen as a 'fat cat' business man to be despised. I think he has given something like 20 billion dollars to charity. As far as I am concerned, he is a modern day Batman and people should be idolizing him, NOT the late Steve Jobs.


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## Steerpike (Aug 9, 2012)

Neurosis said:


> I hate the idea that Bill Gates is seen as a 'fat cat' business man to be despised. I think he has given something like 20 billion dollars to charity. As far as I am concerned, he is a modern day Batman and people should be idolizing him, NOT the late Steve Jobs.



Neurosis:

This is because many Apple users have cast themselves a social progressives who are supporting a company with a like-minded conscience. It is important for them to maintain this illusion, because it justifies the added expenditure and sustains their own self-image. That's why when Apple announced it was dropping its green certification, the users complained. "How are we supposed to maintain our pretense if Apple does this?" So Apple reversed course. In the mean time these same users don't care about, or even want to know about, Apple's overall business practice. I have a number of clients who use Apple products, and for them they are status symbols and a statement of social conscience. I don't know how many times I've been subject to the same nonsensical mini-speeches about why I should use Apple at meetings.

I also have friends who use Apple simply as a matter of personal preference; which is cool by me. But you'd be surprised how many people make a social crusade out of their use of Apple products, which is laughable.


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Aug 9, 2012)

Neurosis said:


> I hate the idea that Bill Gates is seen as a 'fat cat' business man to be despised. I think he has given something like 20 billion dollars to charity. As far as I am concerned, he is a modern day Batman and people should be idolizing him, NOT the late Steve Jobs.



The only reason he had billions to give to charity is because of his horrific business practices. He's a lot like the old robber barons in that way; John D. Rockefeller was a brutal monopolist, and he also gave (the equivalent of) billions to fund universities, schools for black women (in 1884!), medical research, libraries, and all sorts of other great stuff.

It's ethically murky whether doing good things excuses prior bad things, if the only reason you could _do_ the good things is because of the bad things.

I will definitely agree that Gates outclasses Jobs in the philanthropy department; Jobs gave almost nothing to charity in his whole life. But by all reports, they were both colossal d-bags to work with. (I think Jobs had the edge there.)


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## Butterfly (Aug 9, 2012)

I'm a windows one.

Apple is way over-priced.

I haven't heard of Linux until now.


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## Sheilawisz (Aug 9, 2012)

Well, so far we have four votes for Windows, three for Linux and _nothing_ for Apple!!

When I discovered the severe, notorious hatred that exists in the world against Apple and Apple fans I started to have my doubts about buying an iMac... I am still considering to buy it next weekend because the discount is really good, and about the famous over-pricing of Apple products it seems to me that any brand name will always be way more expensive than a custom-built desktop.

In my case the iMac costs twice what I would spend on a powerful custom-built, but just a little more than laptops from other brands and even less than some HP computers...

I hope that I would not be seen as an Apple nuts girl by my fellow Scribes in case that I get the iMac after all, because it would be just a matter of personal preference like some people prefer Dell laptops, HP or Lenovo.

I would like to ask two questions, I hope someone here can answer: What is the Apple equivalent of Microsoft Word? Is it good to write my novels on it??


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## Steerpike (Aug 9, 2012)

You can get MSWord for Mac.

I wouldn't spend twice on the iMac, personally. The custom-built computer will be more powerful for the same money, and more upgradable over time, so you won't need a whole new computer as quickly.

Apart from that, if you have a strong liking for the Mac and its operating system, then you should buy what you like best


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## T.Allen.Smith (Aug 9, 2012)

Sheilawisz said:
			
		

> What is the Apple equivalent of Microsoft Word? Is it good to write my novels on it??



Apple uses Pages I believe as the standard. I've never used it though so can't comment beyond that.

As far as my opinion of Apple.... Love the iPhone & iPad but I prefer Windows for a computer. Apple seems counter-intuitive for a laptop or desktop.


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## Sheilawisz (Aug 9, 2012)

Thanks, everyone!! This thread has been really great and interesting so far =)


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## Neurosis (Aug 9, 2012)

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> The only reason he had billions to give to charity is because of his horrific business practices. He's a lot like the old robber barons in that way; John D. Rockefeller was a brutal monopolist, and he also gave (the equivalent of) billions to fund universities, schools for black women (in 1884!), medical research, libraries, and all sorts of other great stuff.
> 
> It's ethically murky whether doing good things excuses prior bad things, if the only reason you could _do_ the good things is because of the bad things.
> 
> I will definitely agree that Gates outclasses Jobs in the philanthropy department; Jobs gave almost nothing to charity in his whole life. But by all reports, they were both colossal d-bags to work with. (I think Jobs had the edge there.)



I am a colossal d-bag who is hard to work with, doesn't mean I'm a bad person (maybe). In seriousness you are right, but when you think about it that way Robin Hood had horrific business practices (theft), but then supposedly made good on those acts by giving it all to the poor. Its all a matter of perspective. My point is out of Jobs and Gates, I pick Gates. Honestly the only major tech company that has their hands clean is.... no-one I can think of.


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## Ankari (Aug 9, 2012)

I agree with Steerpike on why people buy Apple.  Worse, they cling to the notion that Macs are free drom all malware.  It's not.   Sheila, get a custom built Windows 7 system and buy a good anti virus.  I personally use Kapersky (and I've used Norton and Macafee) and you'll be OK.  The desktop I use is 5the years clean with no viruses.


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## FireBird (Aug 9, 2012)

I have an Ipod and that is the only Apple product I will ever want that I know of. I can build a HP laptop with windows for under half of what an equivalent Macbook costs and that is enough for me.


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## Legendary Sidekick (Aug 9, 2012)

Steerpike said:


> ...many Apple users have cast themselves a social progressives...


Steerpike, I'm sure you know I don't fit into this camp, but as the first on this thread to vote Apple I'm going to squash this stereotype.

I have no interest in whatever image a Mac user's supposed to fit into. I use a Mac because it's user-friendly. My efficiency at my day job is all the proof I need. During the school year, I sit and stare at my sluggish classroom PC hoping to print my files before my students come in. But over the summer mapping curriculum, I just grab my Mac Powerbook, plug in at the local Starbucks and finish my work faster than I can finish my Venti Tazo Chai Latte!

What...? Why are you all looking at me like that?


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## Steerpike (Aug 9, 2012)

Legendary Sidekick said:


> Steerpike, I'm sure you know I don't fit into this camp, but I'm the first on this thread to vote Apple.



Yeah I know  I'm just making overly broad assertions based on my interactions with my clients and academics, back when I was teaching, who were always wanting my to switch to Mac as part of some social crusade 

I still like Linux. I'm using Bodhi 2.0 and it is screaming fast on my laptop!


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## Sheilawisz (Aug 9, 2012)

@Ankari: Thanks for your advise, I am still trying to decide what am I going to do but I have to decide quick... the special iMac discount will not last very long, and after consulting prices from other shops I have realized that it's a really good offer. The custom-built option is still attracting me, but I would have to get a monitor too and the price would climb.

@Legendary: Wow, the first vote for Apple!! Thank you =)

That user-friendly point, the beautiful style and the fact that I do not need a super powerful machine is what keeps attracting me to the iMac.


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## Steerpike (Aug 9, 2012)

Apple is no more, or less, user-friendly than Windows, honestly. And with all of the designs by different PC manufacturers out there, you can get something of a very similar and equally nice style. But Sheila, it sounds like you are practically begging for reasons to buy a Mac. If you like them that much, get one


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Aug 9, 2012)

I've used Apple products a number of times, but I've never purchased or owned an Apple product. They make good stuff; easy to use, very good-looking, very user-friendly (assuming your needs are limited to what they've allowed you to do).

But I don't like their attitude, I didn't like Steve Jobs, I don't like paying way more money for way less control. I don't have any intention to ever buy an Apple product; of course, maybe way in the future they'll change drastically and I'll be willing to buy their stuff, but I'm not holding my breath against that eventuality.

The main reason I use Linux is because I like having control over my computer. The second main reason is that I got fed up with Microsoft and all the crap they pull. It's not perfect; my KDE installations tend to go senile after a while and I have to reinstall. On the bright side, I've already worked out a system to automatically back up all my data and store it in the cloud (or just have it live in the cloud to begin with), so if my computer dies, I lose nothing and can be back up and running in a couple of hours.


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## Sheilawisz (Aug 9, 2012)

@Benjamin: My best friend from Madrid is a great fan of Linux too, and he has been trying to convince me to switch to Linux instead of going with Apple. I am surprised to hear how good it is and yet few people know about Linux, maybe I should give it a try =)

@Steerpike: That's right, I am actively looking for good reasons that would lead me to buy or to not buy the iMac. I know that it's not a really powerful machine, it's not perfect and certainly they are not virus-free like some Apple fans claim... I am trying to find a really good reason to not buy the iMac, but so far I have not found any.

I was more worried about compatibility and how it would work for me as a writer, and it seems that it would be acceptable.


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## Steerpike (Aug 9, 2012)

The only reason not to buy a Mac is that it costs more and you don't get any extra benefit for the added money. If that doesn't bother you and you want one enough that you don't mind the extra cost, then get it. They're fine. Compatibility won't be much of an issue unless you use some specialized program that is only on another platform.


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## Sheilawisz (Aug 9, 2012)

Thanks Steerpike, the higher cost seems to be the only good reason against the iMac...


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## Penpilot (Aug 10, 2012)

Well I like both for different reasons. I used to used both operating systems on a regular basis, and I've found the mac to be smoother experience in doing everyday things. If you ever need to wipe a drive and reinstall OSX, I've found all you have to do is slip in the disk and follow the menu instructions. It's not always that easy with windows. 

Macs are like computers with training wheels and child proof locks and a adult standing there telling you not to put your finger in the light socket. Windows gives you all the rope in the world to hang yourself if you mess around without knowing what your doing and you're not careful.

I don't know if this is fact, so someone correct me if I'm wrong. I was told this from a friend who builds computers. The reason OSX runs so smoothly is that it only supports a limited combination of hardware components so it's easy for them to test most of the possible combination to make sure they run well under OSX. Windows on the other hand has to deal with an almost infinite combination of possible hardware combinations so that's why it isn't always a smooth ride or at least not as smooth as a Mac.

Up until a few months ago I was writing on a second hand mac but when it went to the great junk heap in the sky, I couldn't justify the hefty price to buy a new one. But it doesn't matter. Most of my mac programs have an analogue on Windows, and for those that don't, I'm able to run OSX on my PC via a virtual machine.  

Which one's better? To me neither. Each one has different things to offer depending on the user and intended use.


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Aug 10, 2012)

There's other reasons not to give money to Apple. If, for example, you don't like what they do with that money, such as file absurd software patent lawsuits against Samsung.


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## Sheilawisz (Aug 10, 2012)

You have to try to resist the 20% discount for the iMac, Sheila... Try to resist it, do not think of the 20% discount... Do not think of the 20% discount... What am I going to do?!!


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## Sheilawisz (Aug 15, 2012)

I have given Apple its second vote in this thread, because now I am using Mac OS X Lion and I keep liking it even more with every day that passes... I am very happy with this change =)


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## Amanita (Aug 15, 2012)

So you did buy the Apple one. 
Don't worry about other people's opinions, I don't think buying computers needs to be turned into politics. I also doubt that there are large differences in the ethical behavior of both companies or their leaders. 
I'm using a Windows computer simply because this was our first operating system and I'm used to it. And because it was cheaper too.


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