50 Reasons to Switch From Mac to PC
A few days ago Chris Pirillo compiled a list of 50 Reasons to Switch from PC to Mac. After discussing the topic with him, he informed me no one took up his challenge and he was looking for someone to do it. Well, I decided I’d give it a shot. I came up the following list, I did my best to make the reasons as “real” as possible. Let me know what you think - I’m interested! Leave a comment. Oh, by the way, I’m not a Windows fan boy, nor am I an Apple hater. I use both platforms on a daily basis. This list is just a compilation of reasons I have not made the full switch yet to Mac. Well, without further ado, I present the list:
Edit: I should note the list is not in order of importance, it is simply just a collaboration of ideas.
50 Reasons to Switch From Mac to PC
1. Windows is currently the dominant gaming platform; this of course, is a no-brainer. Most games developed today are developed with Windows users in mind. I am not saying there are no games for the Mac; However, I am saying the majority of gaming is done on the PC platform.
2. Ever heard of building your own Mac? Not really, this is because Apple strictly controls what hardware is used in their machines, it is not an ‘Apple’ if it wasn’t built by Apple. Homegrown PCs that run Mac OS are strictly against the License Agreement.
3. Purchasing RAM from the manufacturer is reasonably priced. Apple over charges for RAM, they have been doing it forever. You are better off buying RAM from 3rd party company such as, Crucial.com. Whereas, on the PC side of things you do not have to buy RAM from a 3rd party company when you purchase your computer in order to save some money.
4. Free software is definitely more plentiful on the Windows side of the fence. While there are a number of free OSX applications, the ones that are decent usually require some kind of fee. However, I must admit there is a large development of applications for OSX starting to take off.
5. Upgradeability. PC’s are far more upgradeable than Mac’s. In order to have anywhere near the freedom in terms of upgrades on a Mac you essentially are required to buy a Mac Pro.
6. Windows is the Operating System for the masses, sure you can switch to Mac OSX, but why do you think Apple created Boot Camp? So you could use Windows. Obviously Apple knows that Windows isn’t going away, nor do they think they will be over taking the Windows Operating System (any time soon). If you are buying a Mac for School, remember that much of the software and technical support provided by colleges is geared towards Windows, so even if you buy a mac, you might end up having to pay for a copy of Windows to use via Boot Camp.
7. PC’s can perform a lot of the same tasks Mac’s take the credit for such as, video editing, photo editing, audio editing, etc. There are a number of excellent applications for Windows that do those same exact tasks. There is Sony Vegas for video editing, ACID and Sound Forge for audio editing, and there is Photoshop on the PC as well.
8. Microsoft Office. Microsoft Office is the premier office suite as of today, businesses use it, students use it, and just every day people use it. While there is a version of it for Mac OSX it does not stack up against the Windows version.
9. Most software is released first for Windows. Ever notice that when new software comes out or new services, the Windows versions are released and a few months after, the OSX versions are then released?
10. Mac OSX isn’t the only operating system with widgets. Vista has the sidebar which has a number of functional and useful gadgets.
11. Vista has an integrated CD/DVD burning system that works just as well as Disk Copy on OSX and it is integrated within folders, so a simple click can burn an entire folder to a disk.
12. Firefox loads and runs much faster on a PC it seems than on Mac OSX. However, this seems to apply for most applications that are cross-platform.
13. Audio and video codec support – it is definitely much easier to play certain video files on Windows than it is on Mac OSX.
14. Going back a bit to software selection, one of the best audio players (if not the best) for the computer is Windows only – foobar2000.
15. Now you can run Linux within Windows using a new Linux distribution called andLinux. By within Windows, I do not mean virtual machine, I’m talking within the actual Windows operating system.
16. There are far more Windows based communities on the web where you can give and receive tech help.
17. The XBOX 360 integrates seamlessly with Windows Vista. I don’t see that at all on the Mac.
18. Microsoft patches security holes fast. There are certain exceptions; however, for the most part Microsoft stays on top of the game when it comes to providing security patches.
19. On Windows you can easily reassign system folders to different drives such as, My Music, My Documents, My Videos, etc with a simple right-click and edit of the path. I have yet to find a way to do that with ease on OSX.
20. On Windows clicking the X actually means you’re closing the application (with a few exceptions). No need to worry about it still running after you click X, I still do not understand why this isn’t the case on OSX. Granted it’s not actually the OS itself, just the way the application works, it seems to be more common of an issue on OSX. Is it too much to expect that when I click X it terminates and closes the application?
21. Going back to getting support, it is much easier to find a computer technician who is Microsoft certified than is Apple certified. I would have to say this is a definite plus for new computer users.
22. The Microsoft Knowledge Base is an excellent source of information. It is very informative and resolves a number of Windows problems from common to not so common.
23. Active X controls aren’t always bad. While they are commonly associated with malware, they do have a lot of use in the corporate world.
24. Windows’ built-in FTP is much nicer than OSX’s in terms of ease-of-use and accessibility through Explorer. Granted there are definitely better 3rd party software applications out there, in terms of comparing this particular feature in both operating systems, Windows has it right.
25. Exchange servers for Email. In a business environment Exchange is the way to go – hands down. It is leaps and bounds ahead of Leopard’s SquirrelMail. Plus you have Outlook Web Access which is just phenomenal.
26. Window management. Windows in my opinion does a better job at managing the windows you have open on your desktop. They sit in your taskbar or system tray and are easily accessible when you need them.
27. Ctrl + Alt + Del – easy to find and press on a keyboard. In Mac OSX the Force Quit key combination is just strange. If I was not familiar with a Mac keyboard I would have no clue what to press.
28. Add/Remove Programs – simple, easy to use, point and click uninstall process. I’m aware that on a Mac most applications can be removed by just deleting them from the applications folder. However, some put files in the Library which are not removed if you delete them that why. Is it just me or is it weird you need to download a 3rd party application such as AppDelete or AppZapper to make sure you completely remove software from your Mac?
29. Hardware customizations – PC’s are definitely easier to customize in terms of what hardware you can use with them. On the Mac if Apple doesn’t support it, you’re essentially screwed driver/support wise.
30. The dock may look nice, but it is a poor alternative to the task bar. I always thought it looked excellent, until I had first hand experience with it and realized the way it handles applications in terms of on the desktop itself is rather obscure. It just seems all over the place and potentially distracting - it doesn’t sit on your desktop nearly as nicely as the task bar. Not to mention, ever move something off the Dock? What happens? It goes *poof* - not cool.
31. Microsoft Keyboards and Mice are excellent in my opinion so why not use them to their full potential? If you use Windows you can activate all of the features of the keyboard and mouse. On Mac OSX you cannot due to the software not working on the OSX platform.
32. PC selling companies such as Dell offer to come install your new computer for you, for a brand new computer user this is great. I haven’t seen that offered by Apple.
33. Uh… hello. Where’s my right-click? Why can’t Apple provide me with a mouse that has a right-click by default?
34. The Genius Bar… Well, it is really not so genius in my experience. They’re not that good. I realize this may vary depending on location and who you get, but I went twice and I wasn’t too impressed with their knowledge and support.
35. People say Windows is more susceptible to malware, viruses, and Trojans, well, it may be compared to OSX, but it sure doesn’t mean just because you run Windows you are going to get infected. This goes with any operating system though, each has vulnerabilities. So surf safe, don’t install random applications, and I guarantee you’ll be infection free without an Anti-virus or anti-malware application.
36. You have an iPod or an iPhone, guess what no problem. They work on Windows too!
37. Leopard’s Finder gives me fits when I try and search a network computer. It works sometimes, but mostly it doesn’t. Windows XP and Vista both have no issues picking up each other across the network.
38. Why do I have to customize the Finder toolbar to have it show the Path I’m currently at? And even then, it still doesn’t display it unless I click the button. Windows seems to have the Address bar by default and will always show you your current Path.
39. Call me crazy here, but in order to have access to Back to My Mac, you need to buy .Mac? Isn’t Remote Desktop free on Windows?
40. People always say – “well, OSX is based off UNIX, so you get the UNIX system under the hood” My response generally consists of “Well, great. Chances are most users will not even be using that portion of OSX.” So I like to cross that “benefit” off the list.
41. Windows Media Center – I haven’t seen anything like that on OSX (at least that is comparable). iTunes is nice, but it is not the same. Windows Media Center is just perfect for parties or just browsing your music and videos.
42. Apple is essentially an electronics company today. They are no longer Apple Computer. They are Apple, Inc. If that doesn’t tell you something about their motives for the future I don’t know what does. Microsoft has been sticking to the software side of things since they were started. Of course, they have spread out a bit in terms of XBOX and some computer peripherals, but their main focus is and always has been software. I see dedication when I look at that. Apple well, I’m not really sure what they will be doing in 10-15 years from now.
43. Steve Jobs will not be around forever. I don’t know who will replace him and when that time comes will they be able to keep up the good work?
44. Context menus – This is something I’ve only really seen in Windows. I can add context menus, edit them, etc. On OSX, I don’t see that ability so much.
45. Inconsistent updates on OSX, I don’t know about you guys, but I like my regularly scheduled updates. Makes things simple, gets you into a habit.
46. Backup. Sure OSX has Time Machine which is nice, but up until Time Capsule was released and I’m sure not sure of this as I haven’t used Time Capsule, I have not found a way to use Time Machine with a network drive. On Windows my network drive is found and connected no issues and I can backup my data easily with the Backup Files Wizard on Vista. Time Machine is nice, but in reality here, you really don’t need to back up EVERYTHING. Just your data files should suffice for most people. However, in Vista Ultimate the Backup Files Wizard will allow you to backup EVERYTHING if you so desire.
47. Windows Vista ReadyBoost, I haven’t seen anything like that on OSX. Granted the technology is not there yet, but the theory behind it intrigues me.
48. A small but handy feature in Windows Vista – check boxes for when you’re selecting files. How many times have you been in the process of selecting a number of files and you accidentally forgot to hold down Ctrl and everything was suddenly deselected? The check boxes feature allows you to tick files/folders so that doesn’t happen anymore. Where is this feature on OSX?
49. The Windows Event Viewer. Ever start troubleshooting a problem and end up checking the Event Viewer for answers? I have. On OSX, sure you have the Console which logs stuff, but I haven’t found anything comparable to the Windows Event Viewer which is a beyond useful troubleshooting tool.
50. Alright, here we are #50. Last one. So where’s my Print Screen key so I can capture this accomplishment? Oh yeah, I need to open Grab or something on OSX. I don’t really like that.
I would like to thank Chris Pirillo for presenting me with this challenge, Allan Jude for re-wording a few things, and Mandy for proof reading.
For those who do not read all of the comments:
If you are curious as to how I really feel, you should read this new post:
Apple vs OEM - Follow Up to Mac to PC Switch
As I state in the post, it was not easy, nor do I feel they are all excellent reasons. However, the point of the list was to attempt to compile something rather than nothing at all; while I agree it would have better as a shorter list with only the best reasons, Chris was looking for 50. I’d be curious to see if anyone could come up with additional/new reasons. If you can feel free to post them.
By the way, the post did exactly what I had intended it to do.
not in question said,
February 21, 2008 @ 3:26 pmIf you don’t need a reason, you are probably a PC user.
Fuzzy Thoughts » Blog Archive » Where do I Stand on the Mac v. PC debate? Why Would You Want to Switch said,
February 21, 2008 @ 10:06 pm[...] from Microsoft Windows to Mac OS X. Jeff from BestTechie.net countered Chris’ post with 50 Reasons to Switch From Mac to PC. When Chris first posted his list, I was going to create my own list of 50 reasons why you would [...]
cucu said,
February 22, 2008 @ 9:00 amYou forgot an important one - Apple users are 99% fanboys with more money than brains :)
I would also place the ‘hardware and software locking’ at the very top of the list.
radioprotector said,
February 22, 2008 @ 10:29 am50. Alright, here we are #50. Last one. So where’s my Print Screen key so I can capture this accomplishment? Oh yeah, I need to open Grab or something on OSX. I don’t really like that.
Cmd + Shift + 3 takes a screenshot and saves it to the desktop
Cmd + Shift + 4 allows you to select a certain part of the screen to take a picture of. and puts it on the desktop.
jack said,
February 22, 2008 @ 10:35 amSome of them are true, some less so… Not a convincing list, though.
Yes, die-hard Apple fan here, with -lots- of experience using Windows [actually, from DOS 2 to Vista].
I appreciate people who don’t want to switch to the Mac, no skin off of my nose, I’m just very happy I don’t have to worry about all the nonsense in Windows [and there is plenty of it] at home.
No system, not even OS X is perfect, I just find it extremely enjoyable to work with a Mac.
The old software chestnut: there is now more Mac software available than ever and some of it [not all, wouldn't be reasonable to claim] is very, Very, VERY good [iLife, iWork, Library, TextMate, Scrivener, to name just five]. People are building ever better applications for the Mac. And more games, if you like them, are coming available.
But: if OS X is not your thing, hey, live like you want to live. I’m not going to try and talk you out of it.
Oh, and about nr. 50: it takes more than just the key, but there are several options for taking screen shots, they work great, you just need to grab some more keys :).
Peace, brothers.
shawn said,
February 22, 2008 @ 10:54 amI found most of the reasons lame, I won’t bother with deconstruction. I recently switched to a Mac and my life got a whole lot easier in dealing with my computer. I’m not a fan boy, I’m not an early adopter. I’m pragmatic about my time.
Shad said,
February 22, 2008 @ 10:57 amWhile I enjoyed reading the points you’ve made, I don’t think you have presented your argument in a persuasive manner. If I already own a Mac and use a Mac, why would I want to switch to windows? Because my iPod or iPhone works on it too? If I was “raised” on a Mac, wouldn’t Ctrl-Alt-Del feel just as strange to me?
The arguments you make wouldn’t necessarily make someone switch from Mac to PC. Perhaps if they were buying their first computer, yes, but not if they already own a Mac (And yes, I know the same applies to PC users switching to Macs).
Spuds said,
February 22, 2008 @ 12:45 pmI love my PC. Running Windows Vista and have had no problems.
J said,
February 22, 2008 @ 4:06 pm#33: I’m pretty sure Macs ship with a 2 button mouse now. The ones the other folks have at work have left and right click, and scroll wheel. There’s no split between the buttons, but if you press on the right side, you get a right-click menu.
Freddy said,
February 22, 2008 @ 4:10 pmEntertaining list. As Family IT, I get to slap all the boxen around–Winblows, Mackkk and Linyucks–my assessment is that they all get the job done and are all equal pains in the posterior. INHO, operating systems are not religions thank you very much. Over to you, Chet…
Apple vs OEM - Follow Up to Mac to PC Switch | BestTechie.net said,
February 22, 2008 @ 4:20 pm[...] post originated due to a particular “challenge” and I must say it wasn’t too easy. [...]
roger said,
February 22, 2008 @ 4:21 pm11 - You can burn folders on the Mac as well
22 - so is the apple kbase. in fact, i’ve had much better luck finding answers on apple than ms
25 - SquirrelMail is not an Apple product
26 - Dock and Expose work great for me
27 - right click on the application in the dock. it’s the last option in the menu if the application isn’t responding.
30 - it’s an alias/shortcut, so it doesn’t really matter. kinda like a quicklaunch button in windows
31 - i hate ms keyboards and mice. the keyboards are big and clunky and the mice are too large for my hands.
33 - as far as a i know, all Apple desktop machines except the mac mini comes with mighty mouse, which has a right button
39 - VNC is free on the Mac, as is the screen sharing component of iChat. As far as I know, Remote Desktop doesn’t work through a firewall unless you configure the firewall. Back to my Mac does.
40 - the scientific and university communities do
41 - FrontRow. Not as powerful as Windows Media Center, but it gets the job done.
49 - Activity Monitor is useful as well
50 - cmd-shift-3. been there since at least System 7.
AudioGuy said,
February 22, 2008 @ 4:38 pmWhat a lame list.
A couple of them are ok, but overall? Lame. Some of these reasons are also very poorly informed.
Nice try, but you came up a little short there.
Jeff said,
February 22, 2008 @ 4:42 pmIf you are curious as to how I really feel, you should read this new post:
http://www.besttechie.net/2008/02/22/apple-vs-oem-follow-up-to-mac-to-pc-switch/
As I state in the post, it was not easy, nor do I feel they are all excellent reasons. However, the point of the list was to attempt to compile something rather than nothing at all. I’d be curious to see if anyone could come up with additional/new reasons. If you can feel free to post them.
By the way, the post did what I had intended it to do ;)
Jeff
James said,
February 22, 2008 @ 5:30 pmHate all you like he is right. Yes Mac can do that “as well” so can PC. But for obvious reasons the PC has a LOT of advantages.
All Mac is good for is compensating for small penis size.
Elias said,
February 22, 2008 @ 6:29 pmWell, I’ll give you credit. This list is definitely better than nothing. like, way better than nothing. No really. This something is better than nothing.
moridin82 said,
February 22, 2008 @ 7:08 pmI like the list. There are reasons though for my using both systems.
As a Graphic Designer, Mac’s handle the high end needs of what i do better that Windows does. But thats a work only need for the most part.
At home I use PC’s for the most part, gaming and such. Thanks for the list.
Theo said,
February 22, 2008 @ 7:45 pmFascinating comparative arguments. I suspect that Apple’s core loyalty group are the graphic designers that have been using the Mac since before XP, or even W2K. The rest of the barking fans are just hipsters. I like FreeBSD myself, but almost all my work is done via MS Windows XP. I cannot imagine working on Apple — unless my boss provided me with all the software needed for the job. With a PC one can do anything, add anything, customize anything. I grouse that I cannot work with the BSD/GnuLinux machines all the time because the screen graphics are still inferior to the driver graphics written for the MS Windows platform; I think that I would grow too angry for words was I constricted to the proprietary world of Apple.( I would like to experience the development platform on Apple, being curious about Objective-C.)
Mark said,
February 22, 2008 @ 7:52 pmOkay, some of these are valid points, BUT I think a few of these don’t show an advantage either way, or relate to the end user, not the hardware/software :
1. A good use for BootCamp.
3. You’ve bought RAM from Microsoft before? So either way, it’s “third-party” RAM.
5. MACs may be harder to upgrade, but if you want to buy a new one, it’s easier to migrate to, and older Apple laptops retain their value.
6. Depends on what school you go to, and what you’re studying.
7. None of those programs are free. iMovie and GarageBand come installed on all MACs. Also, iMovie, iPhoto, iDVD and GarageBand can all share files/elements of projects between themselves - a real time-saver, and something that makes creating projects easier for the average user, working right out of the box. Photoshop is cross-platform, but that doesn’t make PCs any better, even @ best.
10. I don’t see PCs being better, just another tie here.
11. MAC/PC tie again here. I don’t see one being clearly better.
12. Firefox has never loaded faster on my PC. It can also handle many more windows for much longer periods of time then it can on my PC.
17. Its an XBox. So? Besides, look @ Boot Camp.
25. I have Outlook with Office for Mac. I don’t remember if its standard with Windows, or you still have to buy Office to get it.
27. Force quit is on the menu. If you use a Mac, you’ll pick up the keystroke for it anyways. Its not a hardware comparison, just a comparison of habbits of the end user.
28. Preference of the end user. I’m not a huge fan of the old Apple keyboards, but the one on my MacBook Pro is really good.
32. How do you “install” a computer? With the mac, remove from box. Plug in keyboard/mouse/monitor, off you go. Three connections, all simple to make. Its in the instructions. If you can use the computer, you’re smart enough to set it up on your own.
33. Any USB mouse with two buttons works with functioning right-click.
36. I repeat. They created BootCamp for a reason. Now- Apple has applications that work on Mac and PC. Let’s start seeing the reverse happen. . . . .
42. With the size of Microsoft, and anti-trust lawsuits, I’m not sure I’d be too sure where they will be in 15 years either.
43. Microsoft always does good work? There’s nothing that says Steve Jobs has to be head of Apple to make it successfull.
Okay, these last 4 are really just my opinion on these issues :
19. I don’t know about computers with more then one hard drive, I’ve only got a MacBook Pro, but with a computer with only one hard drive, why would you ever want to? I find that the location of my default music/photo/video files is much better on OSX then on Vista/XP.
21. Maybe not as many new Apple users need this tech support because Apple has more control over what hardware goes into their computers, and they work right away?
47. If Vista wasn’t such a resource-hog, you wouldn’t need this.
50. MAC has better screen capture. Part or the entire screen. Granted, it’s not one-click, but I’ve gotten much more use being able to capture parts of the screen and print them later - like relevant parts of train schedules, google Maps views, etc.
q said,
February 22, 2008 @ 8:13 pm51.OSX is slow as hell.
52.Don’t forget to eject a thumbdrive before you unplug it, something that you usually don’t have to do with windows.
Jeff Norris said,
February 22, 2008 @ 9:11 pmDon’t agree if you want stability stick with APPLE. If you want selection, virus, malmare, spyware etc stick with Windows. If you want something that is cool, fast, runs the start of the art OS get and apple or get yourself a intel based computer and load *nix on it.
Ujjawal said,
February 22, 2008 @ 10:52 pmValid points and you see the reason why PCs are for the masses and MAC is for more artistic types. As you say things does not just have to work it should look good at it too. the displays , the sounds,the looks on the MAC is anyday better.
Joey said,
February 22, 2008 @ 11:35 pmNot a Microsoft fanboy here, but wanted to reply to the last two:
@Jeff Norris
If you’re a competent user, you’ll have no trouble with malware or spyware. My XP machine has always run great and has never crashed or BSOD’d.
@Ujjawal
I agree that most Macs look better than pre-packaged Dells or HPs. But, since anyone can build a Windows or nix box anyway they want from scratch, you can’t definitively say “Macs always look and sound better.” Sometimes I run my PC through a 50in Samsung Plasma TV. I’d say that’s better than most Apple displays.
Anyway, I’ve used nix, Windows, and OSX extensively, and the first two meet all my needs.
Jon said,
February 23, 2008 @ 2:24 am@ q:
51: Have you ever used OSX. It’s definitely not as slow as Vista is with the same system specifications
52: If you haven’t been using “Safetly Remove Hardware” on Windows XP or Vista then you’re just as liable to lose your data.
These lists are always a real waste of time. Each person has his/her own needs. Should I buy a manual or an automatic car? Well that depends! You’re going to get input all over, it just depends on your needs.
Tenny said,
February 23, 2008 @ 4:18 pmGreat job man … you had me at reason 33:
apple click!!! WTF!!! what a waste of life.
Aaron said,
February 23, 2008 @ 9:06 pm1. True
2. True
3. PC manufacturers overcharge for RAM too and you CAN use 3rd party RAM in Macs.
4. There is more third-party software on PCs. However, I’ve found this to be somewhat of a handicap. If I’m looking for a specific utility, I have to wade through 50 versions of the same thing to find one that works decently. The Mac utilities are far fewer, so it’s easier to find one that works for your needs. If there isn’t a Mac utility, you can always use the Windows utility by booting into Windows too…
5. True
6. No point was made in the article…
7. True, however Windows doesn’t have decent color matching software built into the operating system which makes color matching your screen to your printer more difficult by having to rely on third-party utilities.
8. Office for OS X has more features than Office for Windows. For example: The ability to export PowerPoint shows as QuickTime movies.
9. True
10. True but it’s not a reason to switch from Mac to Windows
11. True but it’s not a reason to switch from Mac to Windows
12. True, but you’re really reaching…
13. Which ones? I have no problem using Perian or VLC to play any video files
14. That is opinion only — keep it unbiased please
15. You can run many Linux programs natively in OS X without using “andLinux”
16. True
17. True. A Microsoft product interfaces better with a Microsoft product. Duh.
18. Apple does too. Not a reason to switch.
19. Why would you want to? It’s easy to create an “alias” (or ’symbolic link’ in UNIX parlance) in Mac OS X to do the same thing. Just create the folder and Option+Command drag the folder to your home folder.
20. True — this is an issue for Apple people as well but is it a reason to switch?
21. True
22. True, though Apple has an excellent knowledge base as well, and Apple stores with geniuses staffed at all times. I think Apple wins this point.
23. You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m not giving you this point at all.
24. False; use the Finder to explore FTP sites and you’ll understand.
25. False; Office for Mac has an Exchange client and the web mail works on Mac as well.
26. Opinion. Keep it unbiased.
27. Opinion. Keep it unbiased. Since when does CTRL+ALT+DEL make more sense than CMD+OPT+ESC?
28. False. Lack of knowledge here. Mac applications are self-contained, not requiring libraries in most cases. Those that do come with an uninstaller.
29. True, but isn’t this essentially the same as #2?
30. Opinion. Keep it unbiased.
31. What are you talking about? Apple keyboards are fully utilized on Macs. Microsoft keyboards are fully utilized on Microsoft products. Huh?
32. Apple doesn’t provide this service because it isn’t necessary. Think about it.
33. False. They do.
34. Opinion. Keep it unbiased. I’ve had a few failures with the genius bar, but far fewer failures than I’ve had with Microsoft’s technical support over the years.
35. False. You are nearly guaranteed to get some sort of bug on any Internet-connected Windows computer, even if you’re careful and buy LOTS of extra (read: expensive) software that you don’t need on a Mac for the same level of security.
36. This is not a reason to switch.
37. False. Since Microsoft ditched NetBEUI, Windows machines have a hard time seeing each other on a peer-to-peer network. Apple uses Bonjour (mDNS in the UNIX world) to locate other network resources.
38. False. You have to set a preference in Windows to see the full path in the address bar.
39. False. Remote desktop functionality works without purchasing .Mac. The .Mac subscription facilitates the same functionality as “GoTo My PC”.
40. False. The security features of OS X are the reason its security is stronger than Windows boxes. That is used by everyone.
41. Opinion. Keep it unbiased.
42. What is your point here?
43. Opinion. Keep it unbiased.
44. Editing context menus in Windows is incredibly difficult, most of the time having to modify the registry. In OS X, it’s also difficult but not nearly as difficult.
45. Opinion. Keep it unbiased. Macs don’t have a schedule because stuff doesn’t break as frequently.
46. Lack of knowledge. You can do what you mentioned.
47. You’re comparing a theoretical feature of Windows to Mac OS X? That is not a reason to switch.
48. True. That is nice. :)
49. Event Viewer = Console. These two tools are equal in power.
50. False. There are several key combinations to select the entire screen, a windowed area, or a specific window. Additionally, we can put the screen grab to the clipboard or out to any file format (such as the default “PNG”).
Matt Sherif said,
February 24, 2008 @ 8:55 amNicely done, did you mention that the administrator account is WAY easier to use in Windows than in Mac?
cthellis said,
February 24, 2008 @ 2:08 pmAn interesting list; thought-provoking at least, though a lot comes from lack of exposure, lack of knowledge, or is not really a valid “switching” point. I realize you’re stretching to 50, but even so…
I REALLY, however, wish that “one button canard” would finally be put to rest. It wasn’t valid back in OS8 (when the iMac popularized the USB port), because just HOW many people were completely satisfied with the mouse their OEM gave them, and didn’t get their own at some point or another? Any multi-button mouse worked fine in MacOS. It also hasn’t been true even by default on all Macs for the past few years, once the Mighty Mouse was adopted. (Dumb name, but only “one button” mechanical design for down-clicking. It’s a multi-button mouse, with even side-clicks… it just doesn’t look like it.) Even the MacBooks gained “right-clicking” by means of a two-finger click shortly afterward.
Seriously, though… who HASN’T used their own mouse of choice in the past decade? Worked just fine. (Even previous to USB adoption Macs were using PS/2 mice and keyboards, but I’m guessing some features may not have played nicely with all manufacturers in all OS’es.)
Mase Murda said,
February 25, 2008 @ 1:03 amHow many people get excited when it’s time to use Windows?
(I can’t think of any)
Thomas said,
February 28, 2008 @ 2:57 pmGood argument, but I really think what it all comes down to of whether or not your a “mac or pc”, it just depends on what you’re used to. Most people don’t switch over a few reasons, so show me a major fault and that’ll do it, but until then, i think i’m pretty content.
Topher said,
March 6, 2008 @ 11:57 amI found both good and bad points about your list, much like Chris Pirillo’s list. Overall, both have a lot of truth’ in them.
My wife uses a Mac, two of them in fact. For me, I only need three reasons to keep using my PC.
1. Price. Comparable PCs are hundreds of dollars cheaper.
2. Games. I like to play more than just WoW.
3. Specialized Software. Most specialized software is PC only.
Those three reasons cannot be refuted by Mac users.
tractordriver88 said,
March 11, 2008 @ 5:57 pmExcellent! I agree with most of what you have to say!
One I would like to add:
The Eject buttons on external CD and DVD drives do not work. You must eject from the finder.
What I hate more than anything about macs is not the hardware itself, but the people who use it. They have an ego issue, like they are a better person because they use mac.
Well, I’ve had my time on both OS and I still prefer Windows by a long shot!
5 Reasons to Switch from Mac to PC said,
April 3, 2008 @ 11:57 am[...] BestTechie.net also has an article named “50 Reasons to Switch From Mac to PC” you might also want to read. You Might Also [...]
Histoires de geek! » Blog Archive » Réflexion du 3 avril 2008 said,
April 3, 2008 @ 1:47 pm[...] : 50 raisons de passer d’un MAC à un PC. (merci [...]
links for 2008-04-04 | MrLembke.com said,
April 4, 2008 @ 12:42 am[...] 50 Reasons to Switch From Mac to PC (tags: windows mac) [...]
Guacamole said,
April 8, 2008 @ 8:50 pmI am sorry Jeff, I really have to disagree with your basis here. I am going to be level headed, this isn’t intended to put down your ideas or opinions, instead I will briefly point to a few things I feel are obviously given weight and seem in reality meaningless. I know you may have struggled with coming up with the number ‘50′.
I guess it is an arbitrary number, however, seems to me there really aren’t 50 one way or the other in solid terms. So, that being said here goes. First let me qualify myself, I was a windows user for umpteen years, roughly 20 to be exact, I had a Dos 286 laptop that I used to BBS with (for those who weren’t born yet it means Bulletin Board Service), with the very first modems dialing up at if I remember right 9,000 baud, with 14.4 K baud following and staying for quite awhile (It seems unconscionable today) but that is what it was lol Ok, so about three months ago I bought an Iphone and that really introduced me to Apple products, which obviously had escaped me all these years.
I was impressed with its functionality when it came to using the web, email, video, music AND a phone. It’s ease of use amazed me. With that I took a closer look at the Mac (reason being I had bought a Vista HP Laptop and was having all kinds of issues with it way too numerous to get into here). So, I find the MacBookPro I bought (the heads on comparison in the HP family was about the same price within 200 dollars, not enough to steer me there especially with all the trouble I was having) I find the MacBookPro to be: easy to use, very powerful, starts up fast and shuts down even faster, I mean within seconds it’s down, and within 20 seconds it is ready to go.
I hardly ever use the keyboard shortcuts as I used to on Windows because everything is so easy to find compared to Windows. Once you get to know where they are you find it is all very intuitive. For example to force quit all you have to do is click the apple icon and it is in the list (at least on Leopard it is), then if you have the cursor in the program all you have to do is hit command Q to force quit.
While it is true I use windows for some things believe it or not it is two primarily, notepad to edit server files which works the best and fastest (which I believe I can get used to on the Mac but for now I use windows since I have it sitting there, and the other is a great tool for editing videos since it is free and so easy to use and no it isn’t windows media player, that is always hard to use. It is a freeware I found that isn’t advertised for editing but has that feature and I find it to be really useful.
Other than that, I really don’t have a need for the machine and someday will completely go away from Windows if I don’t install it on the Mac beforehand which I am really trying not to do. While it may be true there are a lot of things you can do with available programs for Windows, I largely find them to be annoying and a waste of time overall, not to say there aren’t some smaller things but to be honest, I could live without.
Now, since the Windows platform is here to stay I guess I have to deal with them but to be really really honest, I wish I didn’t have to. I find Mac support to be awesome, yes I paid for it but the PC OEM’s cannot offer the same, who would want to pay for support from India or the Philippines they are all hooked into? With Apple, it is someone in California you speak to EVERY time. Worst that can happen which is not a bad thing is talking to Canada employees.
HP has India and the Philippines on the front line and even if it escalates to California they are horrible. They never fixed one single issue only made them worse, all they did was aggravate me Bottom line, I am much more impressed with Apple than I ever was with Microsoft, HP, Dell, Gateway or whoever, not to mention Apples leanings towards open source and promoting such, to me makes them the clear choice and did I mention great products? Now, some of what Apple ‘claims’ is naturally overboard.
Tell me Microsoft does not make claims that are overboard? Gates says the ‘magic’ is in the software? Well if that is the case then they dished some ‘black magic’ to my Vista machine, which I am stuck with. I rest my case.
No fanboy here either of either party, I find OS X to be the much much better of the two platforms. I do not spend nearly as much time spyware scanning and maintaining the Mac which I really have learned to love. I found I used to waste so much time before. Also, open source which is really awesomely alive within the Mac communities and supported by Apple directly. The same cannot be said of MS or their minions.
Respectfully,
Guacamole
Bob said,
April 21, 2008 @ 2:12 pmYou fail to mention that if you use a pc and deal with audio you will no matter what run into latency issues because of the limitations of the pc’s ram and how window’s uses it. You dont by a mac for games thats just an ignornat statement u dont buy a Ferrari for the gas maliege you buy it because its fast and a superior car with great handling. Real audio programs run on Mac or Linux only because pc and directx audio especially in vista is horrible and cant render audio or video in real time. Pc’s are just horrible at ram
Robert said,
April 21, 2008 @ 8:56 pmThe only reason Macs are better at designing is because that’s what they’re built for. That is there intended pupose. Most retail pre-built Windows PCs arn’t built for graphics design. Or atleast intensive designing projects. Durr. Now a custom built Windows PC can match the best Mac PC if not better and can do everything a Mac can do and more.
someguy said,
April 23, 2008 @ 12:42 am@Bob: it’s called ASIO–welcome to the 2000’s
Frank said,
April 28, 2008 @ 11:04 am3. Macs uses their RAM more effectively than PCs. In PCs, it takes 2 GB from everything to run right, but in Macs, it only takes 1 GB.
7. Yes, it’s true that PCs can perform editing as well as Macs. But Macs are so much easier to use when editing videos. (Not sure about audio and such, never worked with that) Have you ever compared Windows Movie Maker with iMovie. Windows Movie Maker sucks.
10. Yeah, and Vista sucks (I should know I use it and repair it)
17. In what world. I try to connect Vista with my 360 all the time, and they connect, but information never works properly on my 360.
18. True. But my Windows laptop has to update every day… That is time everyday that can be spent do other things.
28. Windows has the same issue. Even when you uninstall programs from Windows, files are left in the Program Files folder.
32. PC selling companies such as Dell also install a lot of c**p on your computer that you’ll never use.
37. Windows makes you jump through hoops of fire to discover another Windows computer.
39. Last I checked, you have to buy XP Pro, or Vista Business or Ultimate to use Remote Desktop. Get it right
41. Two Words….Front Row
42. Microsoft is only still interested in software, because Google is. It’s naive to think that Microsoft is still on the software tract for any other reason. All Microsoft cares about is competing with Google.
47. C**p feature. Never works.
48. Don’t know what in the world you’re talking about. I’ve never seen them.
49. I am a computer repair technician, and I have never used this.
Dean said,
June 13, 2008 @ 6:13 pm5. Upgradeability. PC’s are far more upgradeable than Mac’s. In order to have anywhere near the freedom in terms of upgrades on a Mac you essentially are required to buy a Mac Pro.
I had to disagree with this one. Mac gets upgrade on an average two years, while Windows get upgrade on an average of 5 years… Yes both Mac and Windows do get updates whenever they are available, but Mac updates are much less and faster while Windows Updates are a lot and longer in updating.
6. Windows is the Operating System for the masses, sure you can switch to Mac OSX, but why do you think Apple created Boot Camp? So you could use Windows. Obviously Apple knows that Windows isn’t going away, nor do they think they will be over taking the Windows Operating System (any time soon). If you are buying a Mac for School, remember that much of the software and technical support provided by colleges is geared towards Windows, so even if you buy a mac, you might end up having to pay for a copy of Windows to use via Boot Camp.
It is true. I have to admit that I have to depend on Windows at times because not all things would work on Mac, so the boot camp is a great idea when you need Windows for a short time. I can use Mac most of the time while I can use Windows via the boot camp whenever needed.
8. Microsoft Office. Microsoft Office is the premier office suite as of today, businesses use it, students use it, and just every day people use it. While there is a version of it for Mac OSX it does not stack up against the Windows version.
That is crap. Mac do have a several open source Office suite and they can read MsOffice files, but it may not perfect but it can be done. I use OpenOffice.org, and it works great… perhaps, a bit of adjustment work.
10. Mac OSX isn’t the only operating system with widgets. Vista has the sidebar which has a number of functional and useful gadgets.
Hello! Mac was the first who created widgets. Vista borrow that idea.
12. Firefox loads and runs much faster on a PC it seems than on Mac OSX. However, this seems to apply for most applications that are cross-platform.
I don’t think it does make any difference, really. I use Windows at work and at home on my laptop and I use Mac at home. I notice that my Firefox works better and faster on Mac than Windows. Maybe it is because at our work, we have a strong firewall causing its slowness, but at home, I think it works faster than Windows Vista’s Firefox on my laptop.
25. Exchange servers for Email. In a business environment Exchange is the way to go – hands down. It is leaps and bounds ahead of Leopard’s SquirrelMail. Plus you have Outlook Web Access which is just phenomenal.
Well, that is the next patch that Apple is working on for the new version, Snow Leopard. Right now it works with new iPhone 3G. That is the beginning.
27. Ctrl + Alt + Del – easy to find and press on a keyboard. In Mac OSX the Force Quit key combination is just strange. If I was not familiar with a Mac keyboard I would have no clue what to press.
Learn it! You will find it very easy to use on Mac.
28. Add/Remove Programs – simple, easy to use, point and click uninstall process. I’m aware that on a Mac most applications can be removed by just deleting them from the applications folder. However, some put files in the Library which are not removed if you delete them that why. Is it just me or is it weird you need to download a 3rd party application such as AppDelete or AppZapper to make sure you completely remove software from your Mac?
Whoo hoo for you. Actually I find it opposite. Mac does a very easy way to add or remove… What Mac will do, just drag that application and drop in the Trash. And Empty it. It is gone. In Add and Remove app, I have to wait for a bit for the list to show up, and I have to click remove and then more clicks ahead, then wait for a bit, letting Windows do the dirty work. That is like maybe 3 to 5 minutes, while you just drag and drop in Trash, it takes less than one minute.
31. Microsoft Keyboards and Mice are excellent in my opinion so why not use them to their full potential? If you use Windows you can activate all of the features of the keyboard and mouse. On Mac OSX you cannot due to the software not working on the OSX platform.
Well, I had no problem. I use Microsoft keyboard and mouse for my Mac and it works fine. I dont see a problem really.
39. Call me crazy here, but in order to have access to Back to My Mac, you need to buy .Mac? Isn’t Remote Desktop free on Windows?
I can access my Mac anywhere remotely and it is free. It is called http://www.logmein.com. It is easy.
I hope I am not here to bash your entry. I am a computer geek and I know Windows for a long time. I am not very happy with Windows lately, it gets worse, and worse. It is not very stable. I always had problems with Windows for many reasons. After I get Mac, I had no PROBLEM with that for the last two years. No crashes so far, that I know of. Yes, it is because Mac is built based on Unix. That is why Unix is very stable. If I had to choose which Windows version, I would say either 98 or XP. Vista sucks. Very disappointed in it. I have it on my laptop right now. I hope Microsoft will come to the senses that they need a lot of work on Windows… and hope that their next version will get better. In the conclusion, I would not consider to switch from Mac to PC. I think I will stay with Mac for a long time, for sure.
Oh, one more thing, they just find a way to get Mac OSX work on PCs now. So basically, you could build a PC from scratch and install Mac OSX. :-) Is that wonderful?
Larry said,
July 2, 2008 @ 2:55 pmI have been in this business a long time and one thing I know is that it is not wise to not learn something that is starting to become a dominant player in this market.
I recently moved to Florida and decided to buy my mother a computer who has never used one before so that we could communicate better than just by phone. I just recently had to deal with several friends machines deeply impacted with spyware and malware (once you are plagued by these problems anything is better) so I thought about about it, did some research and went ahead and bought her a iMac.
I had no experience and so I first a a Mac guy sit down with me for about 2 hours showing me some really cool stuff with iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iChat, etc. Everything just worked seemlessly together. I got excited and went right back out and bought another one for myself. Since then I have also bought some for my friends so that we can all iChat now that I have moved.
I remember several big pushes in the military. We switched our mainframes over to HP Unix, we pushed for Novell Netware ( I even got certified), the push for Windows NT, etc. Now there is beginning to be a big push for iPhones and Macs.
I have only been using my Mac for about 6 months now and I enjoy the heck out of it. The best way to switch to Mac is to have a digital camera ready with some photos, a camcorder ready with some footage, some music CDs, a couple burnable DVDs and CDRs, and then have a true Mac guy sit down with you and tell you what to do. Not show you, but make you do it. In 2 or 3 hours you will be hooked.
I loved it so much that money was no longer an issue and let me tell you why. I had a beefed up PC for video editing and it was a nightmare after nightmare trying to get things done. I put about $3200 into that machine by the time I was done and was able to get it to work. I like it okay now but prefer the Mac out of the box so much more that I gave away most of that expensive hardware and software to friends. I gave away Adobe Premiere Pro 2, Adobe DVD Encore 1.5, Matrox RT.100 card, ATI 9700, ATI 8500DV, 120 FPS 4 input video capturing card, and a few other things. In the end I am mostly happy with even just using iDVD, iPhoto, iMovie, and iDVD because the ending result is really good and actually cheaper. But right now I am getting my first experiences with Final Cut Studio and so far I really like it.
I am not a big Mac guy. I am new to it. I prefer Mac over the PC but if someone asks me what is the best platform they should buy, I still ask “What do you want to use it for?” and their answer will be what I base my opinion on. I have a digital camera, a digital camcorder, I like having backups of all my important data, I like being able to make home movies into DVDs with nice quality ending result that are cheap and easy, I like the fact that if I do a high CPU usage process like a video render that it can borrow processor time from other Macs to complete the process faster, etc. etc.
For me, Mac just works for the things I love to do and it does it so much better. For once in the history of computing, proprietary stands out in front. Those willing to accept change, will be those still on their “A Game”.
Larry said,
July 2, 2008 @ 3:05 pmOh, I want to say one more thing about “Windows is the Operating System for the masses”. The masses are not always right. If you do not want to spend too much for an iMac do what I did for friends. I have found good prices online for used machines. Last week I bought a friend a 20″ iMac which was only 8 months old with the intel duo core processor, ram was upgraded to 2 gigs, and the hard drive was 250gigs. I got this for $675. Before that I got nearly the same version but the 17″ model for $575. They both looked like brand new.
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4four1ones said,
February 21, 2008 @ 2:51 pmJeff,
Well done my friend, Well done.
#18 - Security patches: while MS seems to deliver their patches early, it is disturbing that they have to do this so frequently.
#32 - Apple has phone help I believe for the first 90 days and for those folks that are in major metro areas you can take your rig up to the genius bar at the apple stores. While this is not the same as Dell coming to your home to install your computer, Apple does offer some assistance.
Isn’t there a fee for a Dell licensed pro to come install your computer? It isn’t an actual Dell employee dispatched from the Dell headquarters.
#33 - The right click. I am guessing that in the early days of development, Apple built their hardware to look different (mission accomplished) and it looks like that aesthetics of their mouse was coupled into this design theory. I have yet to figure out why Apple does not bundle a 2 button mouse with their hardware.
Your Digital Pal,
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