Are you looking to make the Switch?

[Rich Konopka]

Are you looking to make the switch? Or contemplating buying a new Vista PC? or dare I say the L word as in Linux.

I have read a few threads recently about switching to a Mac. I am one of those who is considering this. I use Linux on a daily basis and XP as well. Linux is rock solid while XP is a pig. Mac's seem to be the best of both.

I found this article (http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=9333) which compares XP, Vista, Macs, and Linux. Can you guess who comes out on Top?

[Mike Cutler]

Rich.

It's one of those decisions a person has to make based on intended use.
I have Mac's at home, both running the latest version of Tiger. For me they work great.
At work I have PC's, and they work great too. I'll dare to say that a lot of Windows problems are owner induced. Not that there haven't been some misfires on Microsofts part.
All the platforms have their respective good and bad. It's a matter of picking your poison.

One point in that article tht is in error though. Mac's switch to the Intel chip didn't predicate the ability to run XP. Mac's were running XP on the Motorola chipset almost as soon as XP was introduced. They've run Microsoft OS's for quite some time.

[Dennis Peacock]

I am now running Windows Vista Business edition (just because it was free) and I have fallen in love with Windows. IMHO, this is the 1st Winders version that they've gotten right. I've had ZERO problems with it.

[adam prochaska]

We made the switch to Mac this year and have never looked back. We have a mac at home and pcs at work and it has not been a problem. The only compatability issue that we have discovered is opening word perfect documents on a mac. Because mac does not support word perfect, you have to resave word perfect docs as rich text format (.rtf) document before you try using it on your mac. Also, if you decide to purchase a mac, i would recommend downloading firefox as a webbrowser. Safari (the web browser that comes with Mac) is good but, in my opinion, not as good as firefox. We have not installed parallels or boot camp (which allows you to run both the mac OS and Windows). If you intend to do so, I think they recommend at least 2 GB (if not more) of RAM. If you have an Apple store in your area, I would say to play on a mac for awhile and see if you like it.

[glenn bradley]

The "best" PC is like the "best" saw or the "best" anything. Don't get caught up in the techno-glossy blah, blah. Consider your use and target your shopping accordingly.

A 5HP Saw Stop is useless for trimming erected truss-ends. If you're heavy into graphics, focus there. If you just surf the web, organize photo albums and send email, keep it simple.

Enjoy the quest ;-)

[Jim Becker]

I will likely give serious consideration to an Intel based Mac when the time comes to replace my personal machine...but that will be longer into the future at this point due to additional addition costs, as it were. I could be comfortable with an Intel Mac given its ability to also run Windows--I have a few things that I can't afford to re-buy the licenses and they cannot be transfered between platforms. I wouldn't move to Linux, despite it being an excellent OS, primarily due to applications support.

[Art Mulder]

Even if you don't want to switch, I recommend watching their funny ads (http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/).
Actually, I like the UK Versions (http://www.apple.com/uk/getamac/ads/) of their "get a mac" ads even better than the already funny domestic ads.

[John Shuk]

God I love my mac!

[Rich Konopka]

God I love my mac!


This Guy Really Really Loves his Mac(s) (http://www.courant.com/business/hc-collectingapples0512.artmay12,0,3116182.story?coll =hc-headlines-business)

And I thought I was a G-E-E-K

[Matt Meiser]

I'd consider a new mac with dual boot for home. Its not even close to an option for work. I won't switch to Vista until at least SP1. I even just helped my mom buy a new laptop--and specified XP for her. All my machines at home run XP home or XP pro, except for my file server which is Ubuntu Linux (server edition.)

[Burt Alcantara]

I bought the first IBM PC and have upgraded ever since. My last 2 employers deployed Windows2000 enterprise wide. I never bothered with XP since W2K did everything I needed.

Now that I'm retired I mostly just browse, view videos, listen to music and run the occasional app. For me, browsing can get a little dull so when the hoo-haa about Linux vs Vista came out, I dug around. I found that Ubuntu was at the heart of this contraversy. I got a LiveCD and installed it.

That was a month ago. I've only booted Windows to verify Palm data and email archives. My Palm makes a great clock. I run Big Clock. Great piece of software.

Linux works for me. I like to tinker with it and run command lines. I support OpenSource and the fact that Linux is a world event. I dislike Microsoft's resolve to sue everything that will challenge them in any way or appear to reduce revenue.

The offices of the State of Massachusetts and the Republic of Germany, among many, got rid of MS Office because of ridiculous licensing. Both went to OpenOffice. This is a self updating program that does everything (in my experience) that MS Office does.

Buy, hey, I don't want this to sound like a rant. Just my opinion. BTW, most financial institutions use Linux to run their web servers. The ones that you trade on. My last employer, a major world bank began researching the feaseability of moving all desktops to Linux.

Linux is not for everyone, in fact, not for most people. It's growing, and one day will get everything right.

Burt

[Dave Fifield]

I have used Windows XP for years without any showstopping issues (and W2000/Wnt/W98/W95/W3.11 etc. prior to that). I'm really not sure how you can justifyably call XP a "pig". It does a fantastic job and is really good value for money. I haven't used Vista in anger yet, but I'm sure I will eventually, and I'm sure it's going to be another really positive experience.

I have also been using Mac OSX for years (and all previous versions of the Mac OS prior to that). Again, no issues.

I have also been using RedHat Linux for years (and all kinds of Linux/Unix versions prior to that). I have had plenty of issues with this OS. Drivers for hardware not being available on a timely basis mainly, but also several complete showstopping incompatibilities that were never solved.

I have also used all kinds of other OS's and programming languages over the years, all with both good and bad points.

What's my point? That there really is no ONE RIGHT ANSWER to the question of OS choice. They each have their merits. Use each for the main purpose it was intended for and live in peace.

Yours,

[Mitchell Andrus]

I can't get away from XP, for a while anyway. As I develop my new website, I've got to do periodic testing on IE5, 6, 7, Firefox, Netscrape... Also, my current website integrates with Fed Ex and UPS for shipping. They don't yet have Vista patches that work reliably.

If I had gone out and Vista'd-up, I'd be screwed.

[Al Willits]

All about what your gonna use it for I think.

I have XP on the computers at home and will not switch till MS quits supporting that OS, no need to.
XP and our PC's do everything we need and do it quite well, like said before, most foul ups are the beasty or mine screw ups and I rather not spend the money to change to another new OS just to keep up with the latest greatest bunch.

If I was heavy still into gaming I'd be building another comp, but since Mech Warrior basically died, my comp requirement are pretty basic.

I'm building a comp for the sound system in the garage and it will be XP also, I wouldn't even consider Vista till at least sp1.

Al