HenryBHough
Diamond Member
Over the years I have had both PCs and Macs.
At the time I started using computers the logical choice (graphics were not yet a factor) was the PC for a long list of reasons.
BUT once the internet became a big factor things started to change. You could count on the most popular browser, Internet Explorer, to expose you to every bit of malware out there. Mac got a big edge because the operating system (OS) was much more resistant to most hackers and they didn't pay that much attention anyway because they wanted max damage out of least effort - there weren't that many Macs around to infect.
I shifted to an early iMac and those problems went away. Then to a faster, slightly later, iMac and started using stuff like PhotoShop Elements and some engineering design programs. On, then to a MacMini which performed as well as PCs that cost twice as much and took up much more space.
Then a 24-inch iMac - excellent machine and still in use.
Added a 27-inch iMac - fastest available at the time and still in use with a second screen. Problem was that the version PhotoShop I used on the 24-inch won't run on the newer processor in the 27. OK, learned a new version of PS but now it seems the version I'm using won't run on the latest (Mavericks) OS so I'm sorta stuck. I also got locked into an earlier generation Appleworks package (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.) that won't run under Mavericks so I'm in a time warp.
Finally, an 11" MacBook AIR which is perfect for travel. Upgraded it to Mavericks since I use a whole different set of programs on the road.
All-in-all, I'm very happy with the Mac family but what someone else might like depends on where they are in their "computing life" and what they want to do. Today the capabilities of both PC and Mac are about the same though the latest Windows (8.0) runs more like something you'd use on your smartphone. If you're a smartphone addict you'll find the PC with Windows 8.0 quite workable. If you're a regular computer user with no love of the smartphone you'll hate the PC.
Over the years I have found the Apple products more long-lasting and subject to fewer problems. The tendency is to outgrow them with a need for more speed which, when quenched, results in incompatibility with programs to which you've grown attached. It may be the same with Windows so caution all the way.
If you're a computer user think hard about some of the tablets. To make them act the way you want you might have to add expensive accessories like keyboards, a mouse, and discover to your horror that many have NO usb port so everything has to be wireless. Possibly meaning a new printer and God Only Knows what else.
Nice thing about PC laptops - you can buy them cheap. If you do then back them up regularly because they will crap out pretty fast. Nice, though, since they don't cost all that much and the replacement will do more and do it faster.
Good luck.....
At the time I started using computers the logical choice (graphics were not yet a factor) was the PC for a long list of reasons.
BUT once the internet became a big factor things started to change. You could count on the most popular browser, Internet Explorer, to expose you to every bit of malware out there. Mac got a big edge because the operating system (OS) was much more resistant to most hackers and they didn't pay that much attention anyway because they wanted max damage out of least effort - there weren't that many Macs around to infect.
I shifted to an early iMac and those problems went away. Then to a faster, slightly later, iMac and started using stuff like PhotoShop Elements and some engineering design programs. On, then to a MacMini which performed as well as PCs that cost twice as much and took up much more space.
Then a 24-inch iMac - excellent machine and still in use.
Added a 27-inch iMac - fastest available at the time and still in use with a second screen. Problem was that the version PhotoShop I used on the 24-inch won't run on the newer processor in the 27. OK, learned a new version of PS but now it seems the version I'm using won't run on the latest (Mavericks) OS so I'm sorta stuck. I also got locked into an earlier generation Appleworks package (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.) that won't run under Mavericks so I'm in a time warp.
Finally, an 11" MacBook AIR which is perfect for travel. Upgraded it to Mavericks since I use a whole different set of programs on the road.
All-in-all, I'm very happy with the Mac family but what someone else might like depends on where they are in their "computing life" and what they want to do. Today the capabilities of both PC and Mac are about the same though the latest Windows (8.0) runs more like something you'd use on your smartphone. If you're a smartphone addict you'll find the PC with Windows 8.0 quite workable. If you're a regular computer user with no love of the smartphone you'll hate the PC.
Over the years I have found the Apple products more long-lasting and subject to fewer problems. The tendency is to outgrow them with a need for more speed which, when quenched, results in incompatibility with programs to which you've grown attached. It may be the same with Windows so caution all the way.
If you're a computer user think hard about some of the tablets. To make them act the way you want you might have to add expensive accessories like keyboards, a mouse, and discover to your horror that many have NO usb port so everything has to be wireless. Possibly meaning a new printer and God Only Knows what else.
Nice thing about PC laptops - you can buy them cheap. If you do then back them up regularly because they will crap out pretty fast. Nice, though, since they don't cost all that much and the replacement will do more and do it faster.
Good luck.....