Want a "Windows vs OSX" list

[SpaceYam]

Hey all,

This is purely objective. I'm not trying to start a fight, I'm trying to come up with pro and con lists for both Windows (XP or 7) and Mac OSX. I have almost zero hands on experience with Macs since using the crap ones from high school, so I'm just going by what people say at the moment.

I don't care which you prefer, so this isn't supposed to turn into a Windows/Mac bashing thread.

I also need to clear up the misconception most Mac users seem to have where they don't realise that a Mac is, in fact, a PC and runs on x86 or x64 hardware, and the argument "Mac vs PC" is paradoxically incorrect .

Anyway.

Here is the list so far:

Windows XP / 7:

Pros:
Most software will run on Windows
You can build a Windows computer which will run on ANY x86 or x64 based hardware
Emulation software is widely available to run virtual machines for just about any other OS
Multiple OSes on one computer is easy to set up when you know what you're doing
Maya

Cons:
Insecure (not that this has ever worried me)
Popularity ensures insecurity
GUI in XP is dated (not that everyone cares about this, I certainly don't)
Can't emulate Mac OSX, but then there's no need for it.


Mac OSX:

Pros:
Is very pretty and has an easy to use interface
Don't have to worry about bad drivers since you can't officially use a non-Apple branded computer
Final Cut Pro
Crackers couldn't be stuffed creating viruses for Macs because not enough people use them, therefore there's no money to be made. (Cracker is correct, Hacker is not)

Cons:
Waaaay too expensive
Cheap, easily damaged construction materials
Cannot build your own computer and 'legally' install OSX on it
90% of the world's software won't run on it.
Boot camp can be difficult to set up correctly (???)
Fanboys
Leopard's Windows XP emulation, however it's done, can't emulate MIDI correctly


Feel free to suggest things, I hate Windows as much as I hate OSX, it's just I hate the Apple brand as a whole due to their overpricing and the fanboys.

 

[D-Man]

those cheap easily damaged parts.... are actually environmentally friendly... and aluminium..
not that it matters much...and on another note.. im pretty sure aluminium isnt that cheap... ?

> Emulation software is widely available to run virtual machines for just about any other OS
> Multiple OSes on one computer is easy to set up when you know what you're doing
very easy on a mac aswell.
http://www.parallels.com/
http://www.vmware.com/ for a couple.


> Cannot build your own computer and 'legally' install OSX on it
bs you cant. buy the cd's seperate. then bobs your uncle.

> 90% of the world's software won't run on it.
there are a **** load of programs free and bought that will run similar things.

> They still don't come with a mouse with more than one button!
why do they need to... check out this.
Apple - Magic Mouse - The world?s first Multi-Touch mouse.

Mac OSX.

Top quality for efficiency and process multi tasking.
very very good for editing - images, movies, audio etc.
Look great

 

[SpaceYam]

I'm talking about the cheap plastic they've been using for years!

And if you read the EULA you will see that you cannot legally install OSX onto a computer that is not Apple branded. I said LEGALLY. Pay attention

Similar is not the same thing, and that's still less than 90%

That mouse looks cool, but I still prefer two buttons and a mouse wheel , I'm not going to criticise it though.

Now, if you'll please re-iterate your points with a little less bias and a little bit more objective comparison that would be nice

 

[stocky]

Fanboys

agreed .

 

[D-Man]

agreed .

lol shut up

i use W7 daily and have for about the last 4 months, i have no problems with it at all - but definately love my mac.

 

[alien]

Macs may not come with a mouse with two buttons and a scroll wheel but you can still buy an aftermarket one. Like Logitech's MX Revolution mouse! Great mouse.

And for the record, i dislike Mac. Just not for me. Windows and Linux/*Unix!

 

[SpaceYam]

Well if it weren't for these two things:

Fanboys
Overpriced-ness

I wouldn't have a single problem with Macs. It would no longer be "I refuse to buy a Mac because they're too expensive and because you people just won't shut up.". It would become "I'm not buying a Mac because it doesn't suit my needs".


Having to buy an aftermarket mouse with more than one button is a bit silly considering pretty much any Windows PC on the market will come with a mouse with no less than 3 buttons including the scroll wheel. It's not like you're not already paying a premium cost for the computer when buying a Mac!

 

[JBDrifter]

Having to buy an aftermarket mouse with more than one button is a bit silly considering pretty much any Windows PC on the market will come with a mouse with no less than 3 buttons including the scroll wheel. It's not like you're not already paying a premium cost for the computer when buying a Mac!

Never used a Mac in my life... so I'm far from a fanboy... but I had a look at that magic mouse site and it said that they are packaged with every Mac computer now. Granted it has no buttons or scroll wheels, it's touch sensing is capable of all the functions of a 3 button mouse plus more. Although I don't think it is anything special... just seems like they've ripped a touch pad out of a laptop, made it look pretty and added a couple of software features. It's no more than an external touch pad.

Not here to support Mac, but if we're looking at it subjectively then the mouse "con" should be removed from the list.

 

[levymetal]

Sorry, I disagree with nearly everything you said.

>Windows
>Pros:
>Maya
Maya is available for OSX.

>Cons:
>Insecure
Nope. Windows is very secure. I haven't been running antivirus for 4 years now. The problem is when people download **** and they don't know what they are doing. You can do that on OSX too.

>GUI in XP is dated
2 ways to solve. Install 7, or customize using StyleXP etc.

>Can't emulate Mac OSX, but then there's no need for it.
Answered your own question. Not a con if you don't need it.


>Mac OSX:
>Pros:
>Crackers couldn't be stuffed creating viruses for Macs because not enough people use them, therefore there's no money to be made. (Cracker is correct, Hacker is not)
Why is there antivirus for OSX then?

>Cons:
>Waaaay too expensive
Huh? You specifically said this was a Windows vx OSX thread, NOT a mac vs PC. Leopard costs $29 to upgrade. Windows 7 costs $338 to upgrade (professional).

>Cheap, easily damaged construction materials
Again, you're speaking in terms of mac vs pc and not windows vs osx. For the record, macs seem to be as sturdy as any other computer I've ever used. My mate has a macbook pro - aluminium case is awesome, doesn't scratch easily, pretty tough as well.

>90% of the world's software won't run on it.
But you don't use 90% of the worlds software. Pretty much everything you need runs on a mac. And if you do need to use other software, use bootcamp.

>Boot camp can be difficult to set up correctly (???)
My mate set up bootcamp and installed windows during a lecture. Extremely easy to set up, and windows runs fine on it. The only problem is that it ****s with the clock.

>They still don't come with a mouse with more than one button!
I'm also pretty certain that macs mice are in fact 2 buttons. You can right click a desktop in OSX etc with a normal mouse, so I'm sure the mac mouse would have the same feature. But macs mice are **** to use, and normal mice work fine, so it doesn't matter anyway.

>Leopard's Windows XP emulation, however it's done, can't emulate MIDI correctly
Bootcamp.

 

[greenfoam]

I don't have a Mac but my brother does and it's quite obvious even to me that's it's years beyond Windows. I don't see any need to compare them. It's like comparing Linux to Windows one is serious and one is stupid. But in the Mac's case silly people can use a serious OS