SquawkRadio Comments

i don’t know whether i should admit or not that i am typing this comment on my Mac Powerbook, which i have named Mickie.  Or that i have a Mac Notebook in the other room named Mackie. 

I do; however, know that i am not legally allowed to tell you about the chips that Lord Steve (aka Job the God, The Wonderful and All Knowing One etc) implanted in the back of my cranium after each purchase.  (Well, it wasn’t actually him.  It was a swat team of computer geeks wearing shirts emblazoned partially eaten apples.  They also kept muttering something about “down with the window” at which point i closed mine for them thinking they were cold… But that’s neither here nor there.)

In truth i love my Mac.  I can do everything the PC people can and am able to swap my documents back and forth via Jump Drive between the platforms without any deterioration to my formatting.  My Mac is user-friendly, intuitive and idiot-proof.

Now, if you don’t mind i have to go finish bricking up my front Window and check on my apple pie.

OOH my favorite conversation. From the day we brought one Mac into our house, I was hooked. The learning curve isn’t bad and frankly once you go Mac, you never go back! I am a Mac addict. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Can’t recommend highly enough! I have a Macbook Pro 15”. I bought it a red plastic speck case. I have a red iPod Nano (seeing a theme here?). Steve Jobs is a GOD which I promise isn’t a bad thing. No viruses, no popups, nothing gets slow ... Get the drift, LOL! Good luck, Connie!

The best advise I ever got was make a wish list before you shop. I was interested in lots of graphic capabilities, so I needed a lot of memory space. 
Talk to your writer contemporaries about what they use. I wanted certain things, ie..more memory, a great printer etc( also have a price cap in mind!!) .. then asked what others used. Anyone been in the camera dept. lately..it’s mind boggling!
As far as the mac/PC goes, it does not seem to be as important as what features you need! Sorry to sound like a commercial, but I was just as confused!
As with all electronics, now a days, you’ll have to make the same decision in 4-5 years again, anyway? (video games, anyone?)

Connie - I, too, am a Mac addict.  We’ve only had macs in our house for at least 10 years.  We’ve NEVER had to have a service call, never had to call tech support - you get the idea.  My friends with PCs are always wailing about the problems they have with their computers - I just grin evilly.  They all fear the dreaded virus - I just grin evilly.

I have an eMac at home, and hubby has a Powerbook.  Give Mac a try; you won’t be sorry.

My brother has attempted to drag me into the mac world for years.  It may be because I constantly call and complain about my PC.  Or maybe his microchip implant requires recruiting.  He is really thin, too.

I agree Macs are wonderful and probably much more reliable.  Unfortunately, they cost a lot more, as does the software and hardware.  I found this out over Christmas in a MAC store looking for gifts.

I bought a new pc notebook last Thursday.  My desktop, which has been working just fine, decided to freak out that day.  I was able to transfer everything despite my desktop’s refusal to acknowledge its keyboard.  I LOVE MY NEW NOTEBOOK.  My family members keep coming over to look at my screen because of the blissful look on my face as I work. 

All hail Bill Gates.  At least this week.

Connie, this is all you need to know about Mac vs. PC: When I had a PC and the power went off while I was working, or the machine got gummed up and had to be restarted w/o my being able to save what I was working on first (it happened more than I want to think about), whatever I didn’t save was lost forever. With my Mac, when the power goes off while I’m working (it’s never gotten gummed up and had to be restarted), when it comes back on, a little screen comes up telling me I didn’t save properly, and would I like to recover what I didn’t save? There’s not a “Hell yeah!” option, but there IS a “yes” option that works just as well.

And in case I didn’t mention it, it never gets gummed up like the PC did. 

As for the microchip in the brain, you hardly notice it. Honest. Though every now and then, a siren goes off somewhere like the Morlocks set off in “The Time Machine,” and I have this uncontrollable urge to do laundry. It’s manageable.

Connie, as always you make me laugh! I’ve done both the Mac and PC thing and have to say that I waver back and forth depending on how frustrated I am with what I am doing (have to blame something). Some stuff is not made for Macs. Very frustrating. That said, I think that the Mac computers with Intel in them are the perfect compromise because you can put Windows right on the computer (and with Paralells you can do a virtual machine that lets you go back and forth without the need to reboot) So this Libra has at last found a somewhat meaningful compromise that appears to work.

(also my Macs have never developed personality problems and deleted their mother boards the way my past PCs have.. knock on wood)

Connie, I won’t say I am a Mac addict (not like my husband), but having used PC and Mac for various purposes, I prefer the Mac for its ease of use (the computer itself and applications), the elegance of the design, and of course, it does not crash as often or as hard the way a PC does.

The people at Mac have the knack of developing products that suit current lifestyle needs (and wants) and also improving stuff that are already around (like the chip in my brain). 
If only they would make their stuff less pricey ...

I have a PC and a non-Mac laptop (I don’t know what else to call it) in my dorm, but I use a Mac for my Media Design class.

I pretty much wish the Mac would die.  I hate how it switches out of my current window if I happen to move my mouse into the wrong spot.  Everything either moves all the way to the side, or it splits into mini-windows. 

I hate the toolbar at the bottom where you scroll over it and the icons get bigger.  It’s pretty, but I’d rather have an easy dropdown menu (or whatever it’s called, I’m not up with the terminology), you know, a list of programs to pick. 

There’s other stuff that I hate, but I can’t remember it right now.  Mostly it’s just minor stuff, but enough to make me love my PC all the more.  I guess whether to buy a Mac or PC just depends on what you want to do.  Photoshop and InDesign work better on Macs I’m assuming.  But I think that I will stick with my PC and resign myself to saving a lot.  (Although, I have had my PC ask if I want to recover unsaved information, so maybe I won’t even have to worry about that)

LMAO!!!!!

You guys are such a hoot this morning!

Connie, by the end of the day, you will get an equal number of “for Macs” as “for PC’s”, and you will still be in the state of unknown.

I am a database coordinator and have been working on PC’s for over 15 years.  The speed of the evolution of computers is frightening.  When it hits the stores, it’s already obsolete.  They already have something bigger, better, stronger, faster, in the design lab.

I am not a Mac fan, but I know many devotees.  List your main uses for the computer and see which one suits your needs best.

I can guarantee that this will not be your last computer purchase.

I have always had macs, and I am completely devoted. For one thing, they are really beautiful machines. Plus, how great is it that my laptop matches my ipod, and my speakers, and my printer…
The best thing is that they work really well too. And the next best thing is that when they don’t, you can go to the genius bar (provided you live by a mac store) and cute, smart boys will fix it for you.

My first computer I bought was a MAC while I was in graduate school.  I was completely computer illiterate.  I wanted something I could turn on and use.  That is what I got.  I know a little more now and I would still love to have a MAC, but the business world for the most part uses PCs.  My husband needs to be able to work at home and not have to worry about conversion problems (though they are not as bad as they used to be).  We use a Dell laptop and it works well, but if I did my work from home full-time I think I would choose a MAC.

I am a PC person, but I know many people that absolutely worship their macs. I do think macs are very sleek and have heard they are good for graphics and music. Plus, information is hard to lose on a mac and they can take more of a beating (hence why they are used in schools).

That being said, I have to agree with Jessie and say that the layout for macs isn’t my cup of tea. I guess I am too used to windows and its quirks. Plus PCs are a lot cheaper and with this day and age when every 2 seconds something better in the computer world is out in the market, spending a lot of money on a computer doesn’t quite make sense to me.

At any rate, good luck with the decision and just remember that whatever you chose, you’ll have a new goodie to explore!

Oh, you guys are goooood! And you’re right, I am still as mystified! I like the idea of chea-- fiscally responsible. I like the idea of not losing any info ever (though my PC also comes back from a crash with a recovered file and asks if I want to save it) I like the idea of a healthyy (i.e. virus free) machine and I like chea--fiscally responsilbe. I do not like the idea that I’ll be walking out of the store with an obsolete machine. Especially one that isn’t...CHEAP

Connie:

If you find the answer to this debate (which has been raging for years) they will be chanting your name not Jobs or Gates!

I have had both Mac and PCs.  My boss is presently a MAC addict while I have a PC.

She has problems with hers and its 2 yrs old.  She has lost data and I would say she is very proficient with computers.  I know she doesn’t like getting a new platform like Leopard until some time has gone by to work out the kinks of any new system.

I agree with the others that say to make a list of needs, prioritize them and then look at what give you more of what you are looking for.

I don’t think there is any easy answer here.  Good-Luck!!!!

They already told you about the microchip? You’re not supposed to find out about that until after they charge your credit card. Hmm.

Yes, it controls your appetite, you program the settings via your iPod (diet, diet for sister’s wedding, diet for bikini season, and holiday blowout). You can turn lamps on and off just by walking past them. It serves as an alarm clock. It tracks how many pages you’re written per day and dispenses an orgasmic-like flood of endorphins if you reach your target. It makes sex better-- Well, you’ll have to find out more for yourself.

Seriously, i love my macs, and I am not a computer geek. My desktop has never crashed (the microsoft programs crash on it, but never the computer). It’s three years old and just starting to feel a big aged. The newer models can run Windows as well as OSX, for those games-I mean, important software programs- that aren’t available on the mac. My laptop is wonderful, too. Once you get used to it, it’s fabulously easy to use, and Macs come with a lot of software. Lovelovelove the mac!

(now I want a new one, too)

The Oxford English Dictionary is my most important research tool, and I have it downloaded into my pc. I use it every minute that I’m working.

The OED isn’t available for Mac.’s.

end of story.

martha

I would really recommend not going anywhere near Vista if you can help it.  Vista is to new - and there is alot of stuff that isn’t compatiable with it yet.

I would go for a mac (not just because I am a mac admin - I still work with a lot of windows machines).  I want a mac too, and I have been saving up to buy one that I can use for both home and work stuff… and yes… you can run off and buy a copy of XP and put it on it too!

so you can still have the best of both (pre-vista) worlds.

And there are some great writer’s software for mac!

OK, Connie, I don’t think one can underestimate the really important thing here. Look how CUTE the Mac stuff is! The environment is pretty, and colorful, and pretty and white, or colored.

And then you can get all the groovy accessories that go with your cutey Mac.

I’m just sayin’

I’m a PC girl all the way.  I’ve had a little experience with MAC (design software does seem to be better on them) but I can’t see ever changing.  I bought an HP Pavilion a few months ago and I love it.  I find something new it can do all the time.

That said, I do think those MAC commercials are great. 

My word is time36.  I’ll be 36 this year.  Does it have to remind me I’m running out of time?

My PC holds over 400 pics of Russell Crowe.  ‘Nuf said.

I want Terri’s PC.  See, we have the same name.  It won’t even know the difference......

I have to admit, one of the main reasons i want to get this Mac is so that I can see Liz and Christina first thing in he morning when they drag C they sorry butts out of bed.

My word is “ill26"--- so I guess my PC understands me

Maybe we could work out joint custody, terrio?

And what makes you think you’d see my butt, sorry or otherwise, in the morning, Constance?

Oh, and, Terri, if you had iPhoto, you’d be able to store even more pics of Russell. And sort them really easily. The way you like to Photoshop, Connie, and with your graphics background, you might want to check out the Mac seriously.

I should also mention that in case of a tornado warning, I can just yank the plugs out of my Mac and cart the whole thing to the basement, never fearing losing any files OR the monitor, since it’s all self-contained.

Okay, I totally (totally) don’t know a third of the things everybody is talking about, but that was one funny blog.  Especially the “proselytizer spying a potential convert” bit. 

Although that tornado warning/yanking out the chord thing is a pretty neat, Liz

J--going back to her scratches on the cave-wall

I have a PC, because it was cheaper, but I probably would go with an Apple book if I could have gotten it for about the same price.  My computer techie guys constantly are trying to convert me, and I do trust George.  He knows all, so if he says Apple--then I should convert.  Even if it is a cult.

Besides the commericials are too damned funny.

here’s the thing with macs:  they’re really pretty,and i shop for most everything based on whether or not it’s aestehtically appealing, but i still can’t bring myself to buy one.  it really has everything to do with the Jobs is God, apple can do no wrong mentality that most mac users have.  it just doesn’t seem healthy.  so i stick with what i know best, my slightly less attractive vaio notebook (which know apparently also come in pearly pink and green!! a pink laptop! ).

(schools37 is my word: obviously squawk knows where i need to be heading! grrr)

I grew up Mac, and love them for their elegance and simplicity of use. I worked technical support for a while on both Mac and PC platforms, and converted to PC when I moved in with my hubby for ease of networking (this WAS 15 years ago before it was as easy as it is now). My conclusion: Macs screw up less, but when they do, you NEED a store to fix it for you. PCs screw up more, but hubby (or a tech-savvy sister-in-law) can probably sort it out for you without the zillion dollar price tag.

Functionality - about the same, but there is more software available on PC, especially games and other distractions.

Convertability - these days bringing files from one to the other is pretty simple.

Networking - my brother brings his Mac laptop when he visits, and his wireless Mac talks to our PC network just fine.

So, it comes down to looks and money. Macs have a feel to them that just can’t be beat. The keys are smoother...I type faster on a Mac. They’re pretty. PCs...not so much. LOL

I was a Mac user for a long time but my husband needed a PC for work so we changed and have had PCs ever since. My students use Mac laptops in class and I have to think now how do I do that on a Mac.
Whatever you do get a laptop with lots of USB ports. Then you can plug anything into it.
The one software that I absolutely love on Windows is Publisher. I use is all the time.

Don’t get Vista yet-I was at a tech conference & no one knew how to do comparable things on Vista.

Yep, I’m a PC fan, and have been since I knew what Windows was.  But through my experiences, I never had a real problem with any computer.  I simply always got a new one when the OS was getting too old. 

But I have experience with UNIX and Linux, and I really HATE them.  And Macs at least once upon a time, were based on UNIX.  I just figure if a time in the future comes that I have to have a Mac, then I will, but I really can’t imagine why that would happen.

But here’s a hint for you guys—the more and more Macs become popular, the more you’ll see viruses and all that good and fun stuff we worry about for Windows.  And it’s simply because people go after what there are a lot of; right now it’s Windows.  One day, if it’s Macs, they’ll be in the same boat as the rest of us.

But I love those commericals too!

Lois

I’ve always had a Mac. My husband has always had a PC. We have both had computers die on us, usually in ugly ways (does anyone remember when my battery fried my laptop?) They both fail on occasion. That said—the Mac is easier to use, easier to customize (to make the dock not magnify, go to the Apple in the windows bar, go to dock, and click Turn Magnification Off), and most important of all, they don’t get viruses.

That said, I still run Norton AntiVirus because some of the a**holes who make viruses consider that a challenge.

Personally, I think Connie should get a PC because if she ever down the echoing halls of time has a problem with her Mac, she’ll call me and whine like it’s my fault, and I really prefer giggling when she calls to complain about her PC.

Er ... Connie isn’t reading this, is she?

Connie, is it the built in webcam that’s drawing you?  My windows laptop that I got in December has a built in webcam.  Of course, none of my friends want to admit what they look like when we are IMing, so I haven’t gotten to use it . . .

My new pc laptop has a built in webcam, too.  Although I’m still figuring out how to use it.  I did manage to see my brother from his mac while IMing yesterday. 

I’ve been keyboard shopping.  I love the ergonomic keyboards (the ones with the split in the middle) which every one else seems to hate.  And by the way, I don’t think you can buy a pc without vista right now.  I’m also looking for a new desktop for my kids and that’s all that seems available.  Although I’ve been using it this week and it seems okay.  It does ask permission constantly, though, just like the MAC commercial.

Happy shopping!

My new pc has Vista.
I am a total techno loser. I just wanted a new computer that I could use for email and reading this blog.And a little surfing. So I can’t say anything about Vista other than when I plugged it in, it worked. the old behemoth took up so much space !! Love the flat screen. My family suggested I get a laptop, but I’m not savvy enough to be able to run them without being hooked up to a wall socket. Maybe someday.

Hey, my word is common55. My age and - I guess - a good description of me.

Mac’s scare me.  Every time I sit down at one, my palms get sweaty, my hands start to shake and I basically freak out...and why you may ask?  Well, I’m not crazy, I just don’t have any experience with mac’s they make no sense to me, they confuse me.  They are like a foreign language. 

So I just bought, last month a Toshiba Satellite and I’m currently in love with it.

It goes anywhere I want it to go, which I love.

All in all, computers break, eventually they will all die and go onto the hard drive heaven, so get what you’re comfortable with. 

P.S. ALWAYS buy the extended warranty--the one where if ANYTHING happens someone else fixes it or replaces it.

Really, Connie, you know how short I am. If you tried to view me on the webcam, all you’d see is the top of my head.

(Just trying to beat you to the punch.)

My plan is to cut out a life-sized face shot of me, HEAVILY Photoshopped, poke out some eyeholes, glue it to a popsicle stick and hold it up in front of my real fave when I’m IMing.

Christina, I don’t want to look at your roots.
Get a phone book to sit on.

My ex is an IT guy.  He’s run every OS known to man.  BeOs, VAX, Unix, linux, etc. He recently got his choice of laptops for work.  He chose a Macbook.  He runs XP on it and it works great.  He’s doing all his work related stuff in a dozen different windows, running mac stuff AND windows stuff with no lag and no problems.  It’s staggering.  He can do all of that AND play WoW.  Don’t be fooled by the numbers. PC sellers will tell you that the prebuilt machine they are selling you is the fastest you can buy.  But is it really?  Every day new video cards, sound cards, etc come out.  And you’ll need to ‘upgrade’ to keep up. In 2 years, there will probably be lots you can do to make your PC ‘better’ but nothing you can do for your Mac.  Then again, your Mac might still be doing everything you need.

My family’s first computer, back in 1987, was a Mac IIx. Trust me, everything and I mean EVERYTHING you like about the Windows OS is a pale imitation of the Mac OS.  Mac still does it better.  Not to mention the fact that they do it with absolute style. XP has gotten easier to use but still..it’s just a pale imitation of the Mac.  Period.

If Connie gets a webcam, she’ll be seeing an entirely different part of my anatomy. 

Teresa, humming “Blue Moon”

Also, really check out the cases.  Not just for aesthetics.  How many USB connectors are there?  How many of those are in the front?  Where’s the jack for the mike and the headphone?  Are they next to each other?  This is VERY important if you ever need to use those.  Mine are separated and I can’t use them because the cord has the mike and the headphone connector separated by 4 inches of cord.  Not nearly long enough for one to plug into the back.  SUPER irritating. I bought an extension cord at radio shack.  cost me $8.  (have you seen skype?  free program for voice calls pc to pc.  it’s great for business or just to call friends for free.  also does video conferencing so your friends can see all the faces you make at them while they’re talking )

How many free slots are there for adding memory or a new drive?  You might decide you need a dvd-rw after all but can you put it in there? 

How many fans are there?  You will want several.  Most computer problems are caused by overheating. 

Ask some of these questions and your sales guy will be impressed. 

btw ladies, webcams have such low resolution that it’s kind of like being filmed through vaseline or cheesecloth.  It’s surprisingly flattering. 

Connie, I totally and completely feel your pain and confusion. Recently I had to replace my computer. I swear when it died you could hear me screaming from Florida to Maine. It was ugly. All I cared about was price and if the operating system would work with a database I needed to use. That was it. *g* Simple creature, aren’t I?
I do hear the Mac’s are really cool. My son would give his right arm for one to play games on.
I’m still waiting for my free copy of Vista to get here but I haven’t decided if I’ll download it. My DH said there have been issues with it and I may not have enough memory. UGH. My thought--computers are the devil. They are way too confusing.

Well my first computer, a Mac, is 14 years old and still runs well. Never been upgraded so internet is now an impossibility but great with writing. My two pcs on the other hand, well, they have been problematic one or two times (I spent the night before my birthday this year praying the non-destructive system recovery was just that on my new laptop) but I think you get more in a pc with hard drive space and memory which was the swaying factor to me since I do a lot of video capturing.
Oh and if your comp shopping, I recommend Costco. They’ve got a great six month no hassle return policy on computers. You can even buy from the website if your not a member

Get a Mac! I’ve always owned an Apple computer. I have used both sytems and can’t understand how anyone could choose a PC over a Mac. Using a PC is frustrating. When things go wrong, getting the PC going again is time consuming. And I don’t know how you can work on a PC with the threat of viruses daily.
And with the amount of time we spend on our computers the extra cost of a Mac is small when you consider the ease and satisfaction of operating on a Mac. Macs last, so really if you add in the extra years of use you get out of it, there is no real cost difference.
I don’t use the word “love” lightly, so when I say “I LOVE MACs and APPLE” it is no small thing, it’s BIG!

Okay, Connie, I’m going to swing the pendulum back toward the PCs. I grew up with computers in our house--I’m 29, so they weren’t quite as common homes during my childhood as they are now. And I’ve worked on just about every kind of computer with every kind of OS.

I liked the MACs when I worked on them, but I’ve found that I truly prefer PCs. Perhaps, it’s that I’m tech-savvy enough to know how to fix minor problems (or at least the seem minor to me) or perhaps it’s just that I’ve gotten lucky with the computers I’ve owned.

I agree w/Sarah and the others. Stay away from Vista (and Leopard). New OSes always are more trouble than they’re worth. Give somebody else the job of working out the kinks before you decide to take on an upgrade. Right now is a pretty good time to buy, too, as most stores will be wanting to sell off machines w/XP at a better rate to make room for computers the new OS.

LdyB

I also forgot to say to say that currently, I own my third PC laptop and second Sony VAIO. I can’t say enough positive things about the VAIOs. Yes, they are a bit pricier than most Dells or Gateways, but my experience has been that they are a higher quality of machine than others. Plus, they often come w/a ton of fantastic extras--like my first VAIO came w/Photoshop when everybody else was having to buy it for several hundred $$.

And yes, I’ll admit that that laptop died right before Christmas (in the middle of a research project, in fact), but I’d had the sucker for more than 4 yrs and it already was a display when I bought it! That thing ran great. The VAIO I have now is a bit bigger than I’d like and I prob will replace it w/a lighter one for travel purposes.

Keep your options open and, even if you settle on one type or another, make sure you shop around with the brands. It’s true. You do get what you pay for.

LdyB

Who cares about computers?  I have my copy of Sugar Daddy!  I was at the store as soon as it opened.  But I’m saving it for this weekend.  I’ll be reading it at the pool and the beach in Boca Raton. I am so tempted to peek and see who she ends up with.

I adore having two USB ports on the side of my flat panel monitor.  I use them all the time for my memory sticks.

I’m a Mac person, all the way.  I became one after being “forced” to work on a Mac at my job.  I soon fell in love with the Mac and it’s operating system.  I could easily troubleshoot and fix any problem that arose, and the graphics and video were better than anything I had seen on a PC (at that time). 

I must admit though, that some of the Mac zealots scare me as well.

I have a PC and an iBook - unless you want to do spreadsheets, I say get a Mac.  I’ll admit Excel is easier to deal with than Apple’s spreadsheet program.  I don’t mind saying so because Microsoft (stole) based Excel on someone else’s free spreadsheet program.

And they’re so cute!  And the Apple store guys are cute and friendly and actually help!  It’s hard to explain the attachment that forms with a Mac - it only starts with the chip implant...then it grows and grows and grows.

All hail Steve, our benevolent ruler and producer of wicked cool stuff!! 

Another Mac convert here.  I love my iBook, which I’ve had for a few years.  I find them easier to use than PCs, haven’t had too many compatibility issues (just one program for school that I had to use a PC for, otherwise everything else has worked—I have Office for Macs installed if that makes a difference) and so far it’s held up much, much better than my old HP laptop that died after about 3 years and all I used it for was write essays and browse the internets.  I was able to use the Macs at my school for a bit before deciding to get one; the free mini iPod (or Nano, now) and student discount helped, too. 

Mac person here.  And since you’re going to use it to write many more wonderful books, here’s a bit of Mac software you may be interested in.  It’s called Scrivener and Jenny Crusie recommended it on her blog.  What’s really cool is that you can download the full version on a trial basis (most won’t give you all the bells and whistles but this one does because they have such confidence in their product) for thirty days to see if it really fits your needs.  It’s all about organizing your writing, and it truly sounds fantastic.  I downloaded it for my thesis (not that I’ve actually worked on it lately, though).  Here’s the website if you’re interested: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.html

And, by the way, I highly recommend waiting for the new OS Leopard.  It’ll be worth the wait.

I switched from PC to Mac 5 years ago and ever since I’ve thought, “why did I ever live with Windows when I could have been using this??” It’s not just the aesthetics that are better. Everything just works. It doesn’t crash, it’s not confusing and stupid and virusy, it just WORKS. Once you get past the initial adjustment, I promise, you will never regret switching to Mac.

As for the cost I think it’s an apples to oranges comparison. Sure I could buy a cheaper PC with equal specs on paper, but would it run as well as the Mac? How much extra would I have to pay for virus protection? How much extra annoyance would I be dealing with, every day?

Also, every PC I’ve used has need replacement after a few years, and of course, by then it’s obsolete with no resale value. Whereas I re-sold my old Mac desktop machine last year for a fair chunk of money towards my current Powerbook. So I would say that more than makes up for any initial price difference.

p.s. I have since converted my brother, mom, and best friend just by letting them use my Mac. Shouldn’t I be getting some kind of referral points towards an iphone?

p.p.s. getting the microchip installed barely hurts at all

Ms. Brockway,
I wish I had the appetite suppressant upgrade on my microchip implant.  lol…
I have always owned Mac’s, very easy to use.  We, Hubby and I have had no problems with any of our Mac’s.  Though we did kill one. It didn’t get enough go, go juice (electricity) when it was running. Read we were cheap and didn’t get a UPS.
My kids (22, 20) both have PC, to play games (WoW, Counter Strike).  My daughter’s first PC died the blue screen of death, the second is/was an Alienware laptop that has issues that the Alienware tech people can’t fix and now she is on her third PC. She won’t get a Mac because she 1) can’t play the newest games and 2) you can’t use Vent to talk to the other player in your game. My Son has a PC, but needed to have a lap top for college. He wanted a Mac NotebookPro so that he could install bootcamp and then xp and have the best of both worlds.
Do you know somebody in College or homeschooler so you could use their education discount to save some money on your Mac purchase?

Sharlene

Omigawd, get a Mac!  OK, another of the converted speaking here, but I got one last year and will never ever go back.  Macs are incredibly easy to use, better with graphics, design, etc, and although the community might be crazy, it’s also incredibly supportive.  Any potential problems you might have, they have the answer.  Any bonus gizmos, gadgets, programs you want, they have that, too.  If you want to make your computer do something (short of standing on its head) that it can’t yet do, somebody will tell you how to do it.  Yeah.  Basically, get a Mac!

i went with a mac when i bought a laptop for college, and i’ll never go back to windows.  the performance is just so much better on a mac, not to mention the fact that it’s virtually impossible to get a virus.  i love mine, and i’d definitely recommend that you get one as well.

It’s all a matter of how much you want to re-learn to a certain degree.  Writing, saving and printing are slightly different.  So a learning curve is involved.  You may have to get all new software if you are using voice recognition programs, etc. 

I found Macs to be more intuitively designed.  The original WYSIWYGs and yes, I am one of those who believe Gates stole all the best from Jobs but that’s old news.  Microsoft’s products come with patches just about as soon as you get it them out of the box...but their support is pretty good. 

The DH knows more as he does this everyday.  He’s got some choice words for the folks in WA from time to time and IBM sometimes stands for (well I shouldn’t say here) but on the whole, it’s the beast of choice in the business world and, as such, must be tamed and appeased.

The DH knows how to recover data like it’s no body’s business.  Knows some really robust data recovery progams.  Funny, he still doesn’t know how to get the TP on the roller.......

As to microchips, if there is one out there that gets the book out there sign me up!

Good luck!

PC user here (I’ve never had the opportunity to use a Mac).  I love my HP Pavilion, but it did eat my hard drive last year (and I DO mean EAT!!!).  The poor drive is currently sitting in a box waiting for me to gather the $800 it’s going to cost to send it to a clean room lab so they can retrieve the info off of the discs.

As to laptops, I swear by my IBM Thinkpad.  I graduated from an Architecture program where we were required to buy a high powered laptop in the second year of the program.  Everyone else bought Gateway or Dell, I went with IBM.  They were having problems right out of the box, screens breaking, hard drives failing, etc.  My little Thinkpad has been dropped, in a rear-end car accident (it was in the trunk!), and had been through more than a computer should.  It also saw me through four more years of school after it’s purchase with NO problems whatsoever.  BTW, it is now 8 years old and runs WIN 98SE and is still running like a champ. 

In the end, it will all come down to your personal druthers.  Is there a college computer lab with both types nearby where you could “try out” computers to see what works best for your needs?

I’ve only owned 3, two desktops and one latop. My first pc still works. I can still get online and do anything I want to and the thing is over 10 years old. The only problem: it has 10 g harddrive.

A few things to consider:
Webcams being built in, if you want to point at something else, that isn’t you, you have to move the pc/mac around.  With non-internal you can point it anywhere and have cord to spare.

Can you use the OS’s on Macs? A friend of mine bought a Mac and it took her 2 weeks to get online and a month to use yahoo. She also said it takes more than one OS to use simple applications. To me, that’s a hassle.

Buying a pc/mac right now is going to be a huge chuck of change down the toilet. If you can, I’d say wait 6 months to a year if you can. A friend was a BETA user for Vista and now swears by it. I’ll still wait until my favorite programs are available.

I also agree with someone else above, it’s only a matter of time before people get creative and making worms/virus for Macs.

Besides all that, one last thing that might swing you back toward pc’s. Think of how many cults end up getting shot down by the FBI, is that weight loss chip really worth that?

Toshiba on/off button will go askew shortly after you buy that laptop and CompUSA has a nasty bunch in their “customer service”. 
Build yoursel a Dell of whichever - PC or laptop- you decide (both?)

I can’t vouch for the free Apple workshops but my husband was a Mac software Developer ‘93-98 and they’d serve tons & tons of chocolate. It was everywhere!

Yes, we own Macs, and get all geeky about Apple products. Wish it could control the appetite though. :( Obviously that’s the next thing they need to work on after the release of the iPhone.

"Obviously that’s the next thing they need to work on after the release of the iPhone.”

While they also create something like the iPod for ebooks, pretty please?

I’ve used both since circa 1989 - and given the choice, I would always go for Macs. I currently use a Dell at work, but still have Macs at home.

I do not understand how it could take someone 2 weeks to get online with a Mac and a month to get to Yahoo. Setting up a Mac to go online is simple. The “more then one OS” thing is old - it was during the conversion from OS 9 to OS X, when some old apps were still in 0S 9. You’d find VERY few people who do that now, since we’re at like 4 years since the first release of OS X.

And, about cost...sure you can find value priced PCs lower than the Mac...but not the Sonys. They’re going to set you back about as much as a Mac.