Going Mac...maybe.

eanjay · Jul 21, 2008

pennwalk said:
Mark,

I am thinking about adding to the mac fleet here. I was wondering if you like the glossy screen.

Chris

I've been living with a New 24" iMac for about two months now - the glossy screen has never been a problem. Granted, don't have windows behind you, that's asking for trouble, but for the rest, you just don't notice reflections. I think the eye tends to just 'look through' anything that's not part of the image - it's not a problem at all.

EanJay

N80 · Jul 21, 2008

I think you are right and apparently most people like it. But for pros and serious photographers glare is an issue even on non-glare screens. I have the lighting at my computer desk specifically arranged for that reason and when I had a CRT monitor it had a big black hood on it to cut down on glare.

I have used a friends ibook with a shiny screen and it did not bother me but I was not using it for critical color correction either.

eanjay · Jul 21, 2008

N80 said:
I have used a friends ibook with a shiny screen and it did not bother me but I was not using it for critical color correction either.

Right, for any 'Pro' application that required colour correction, the Monitor should be a seperate issue anyway. There are CRT's that would be much better suited to critical use than any LCD display,

EanJay

SamWalton · Jul 21, 2008

Are Mac's really Mac's any more? I truly think they were rock solid when their hardware was Motorola but part of this was because of the lack of variations in hardware and limited software. Today Mac痴 are just PC which are run a new Mac OS or Microsoft products as well.

N80 · Jul 21, 2008

I don't think the processor is what makes a Mac a Mac. The OS is a Unix based system and that hasn't changed. I have two PPC Macs and two Intel Macs. I can't see any appreciable difference in stability except that the Intel Macs might be a little more stable but they are, of course newer. I think OS X has always been a stable OS even though like any OS it went through growing pains. I think it is extremely stable now.

The processor really does not impact the user experience as long as it is fast and reliable.

So yes, I think a Mac is still a Mac. OS X was a far bigger change than changing processors and OS X is definitely all Apple. I was a very late adapter of OS X but it was a very easy and pleasant transition. I recently installed it on (10.3.9) on my oldest Mac (which came with OS 8 on it!!!) and it runs it very well.

eanjay · Jul 22, 2008

SamWalton said:
Are Mac's really Mac's any more? I truly think they were rock solid when their hardware was Motorola but part of this was because of the lack of variations in hardware and limited software. Today Mac痴 are just PC which are run a new Mac OS or Microsoft products as well.

Isn't a John Deere just a tractor with green paint, 3PTH etc? Have to wonder why we have some with red paint even if they can use 'green gear'.

Plenty of room for choice. Is a Mac just a PC - have to take a bite from the apple to find out.

Cheers - EanJay

CurlyDave · Jul 22, 2008

Are Mac's really Mac's any more? I truly think they were rock solid when their hardware was Motorola but part of this was because of the lack of variations in hardware and limited software. Today Macç—´ are just PC which are run a new Mac OS or Microsoft products as well.

Macs are still really Macs.

They are only built by Apple, and they just plain don't make low-end computers. All the components are specified by Apple and are high end. Plus, only a Mac will run the Mac OS. A Mac will also run Windows, but you can not load the Mac OS on a Windows machine, at least not without extraordinary efforts, and doing something illegal.

MarkV · Jul 22, 2008

pennwalk said:
Mark,

I am thinking about adding to the mac fleet here. I was wondering if you like the glossy screen. I spent a half hour at the apple store last week looking at the screens trying to imagine weather I would like the glossy screen. One thing for sure the color is beautiful. All of our other computers have anti glare screens.

Chris

Glare hasn't been something I have even noticed at this point. You got me thinking so I just turned on the overhead light in the office which normally is not used and no problem. The color quality is very impressive on this 24 screen. Now I have less than a weeks experience but so far very impressed.

MarkV

N80 · Jul 22, 2008

I think a lot of people don't notice glare at all. I've got a 20" iMac with the regular screen and any light coming from behind me bothers me a lot. But I'll go in there and my wife will be working on the computer with a floor lamp on right behind her making tons of glare and she doesn't notice it and doesn't even see it when I point it out.

Glare is a real, objective, quantifiable phenomenon, but its perception seems to be extremely subjective. But even with these new glossy screens (which are absolutely gorgeous) I don't think that glare is an issue with 99% of users. Otherwise, they wouldn't be selling so well!

smfcpacfp · Jul 23, 2008

I have been using both systems for a long time and taught computer classes using both systems and recently bought a MacBook Pro with Leopard and Windows Vista Ultimate on the machine.

To be honest I am pretty ambivalent about which OS I use. To me there isn't enough difference to prefer one over the other. Each has their annoying aspects. Mac's are software poor if you have very special needs. My Scuba dive computer and the best professional tax software run on Windows OS only. The Mac may be a little simpler to use. If you are doing e-mail and the Internet, it doesn't make a bit of difference.

I have never understood the religious fervor of some Mac users. There is an old saying that there is no greater fanatic that a religious fanatic, but to me you could substitute Mac fanatic. That fervor seems to have subsided in recent years with Apple's introduction of the ipod and iphone where Apple is definitely the leader.