Why do people like Macs?

For one thing, I have only heard of a few viruses that affect Macs, and they aren’t very common.

Also, originally the Mac OS was highly visual and so an excellent tool for artists, musicians, and folks who think graphically as opposed to verbally. Over time, however, Windows has taken on many more attributes of the Mac OS so the difference is no longer as great.

And besides, they cost more so you can make your friends think you are rich.

These arguments tend to end up being religious squabbles, but let me try (I am a PC user, have never owned a Mac)

They are beautiful. They are elegant. They have a lovely “feel”. The OS is intuitive and beautifully designed. They are proprietary, so they can avoid the hundreds of conflicts Windows OS must deal with from all the myriad hardware. The design community adopted them early and remains loyal.

After years of command line interfaces, System 6.0.3 was the first graphical user interface I ever used. Its use was instinctive and graceful. The UI itself was charming: Susan Kare’s designs will always be legend within the Macintosh community.

The Mac OS continued to grow and evolve, never failing to keep ahead of other operating systems in terms of look, feel, and elegance.

Most of all, even if people get sick of the phrase “it just works”, Macintoshes “just work”.

I like my computer experience to be simple and look good.

Here is a reason why I like Macs more than Microsoft.

Of yeah I forget to mention that all Zunes bricked at the exact same moment. That was funny. But the new Zune HD looks pretty neat.

they’re great with editing programs like final cut, and premiere pro. i know we use them at my high school for our communications program to edit film using the software you can put on the mac. Macs make life easier sometimes. lol

they’re on the surface easier to use for a new person, especially when it comes to using peripherals. but they have a very powerful underside (being Unix-based) that makes them useful for more complex things.

they’re beautifully designed, and care is put into how everything appears and feels (almost to the point of anal retentiveness).

Before Mac OS X, Mac was nothing. But, with the introduction of Intel and increased compatibility, I find it irresistible. Less of chance of viruses, less crashes, better looking interface, easier to use and customize, etc. I don’t hate Windows by any means, I used it from the first time I ever used a computer until a week ago. But my Mac does everything I want it to. I need Photoshop, an mp3 player and organized, a CD burner, ripper, and player, internet access, Microsoft Office, Google Earth, Picasa, AIM, an email client, and a calendar. Mac has it all. :)

I understand that if you’re into advanced computing and gaming, Windows is probably better. But that’s not what I do.

Fangirl checking in here.
I used to hate Macs (they looked clunky to me, and @ home my family used PCs, so it was hard to adjust). I think it’s only been in the past four years that I’ve relooked this (around the time OS X Tiger became dominant). I’m typing this on a Mac, and some of the things I love about it:

1) More fonts come preinstalled. After I got my Mac I was infected with the typegeek bug.
2) The displays (at least for desktop Macs) are brighter and the colours more vivid.
3) It feels more responsive when I click around, and searching for files is quicker and more painless than on Windows XP. (I have no clue if it’s different on Vista.)
4) The OS is a shiny lovely piece of eye candy. Shiny icons. Shiny doc. <3
5) The apps that come preinstalled (the iLife suite) are invaluable. & free Mac apps just tend to well-designed & integrated with the rest of the OS, aesthetics-wise.

It just makes life a little easier for me…since Macs are relatively rare I don’t have the spyware & adware I had on my PC. Macs automatically zip & unzip compressed files. I get brownie points from my friends because they know I have good taste in industrial design.

Oh! And let’s not forget the sidescrolling Mighty Mouse! (Half the time I can’t stand it, though, because dirt gets stuck constantly under the little scrolly bar.)

I used older Macs at work sometimes, although my usual work station was a PC. Back then it felt very ponderous to switch from PC to Mac because the things that become second nature on a PC were done differently on the older Macs.

However, using my mother’s Mac is relatively simple. The “second-nature” items are mostly identical, other than a few name differences. However, I still run into problems with sites that are not compatible with Mac internet software. OTOH, if I download and run Firefox on the Mac I can generally access almost everything (except the registration site for the junior college my daughter is attending).

I never, ever have to defrag my mac.

also, too, in my opinion, the little freeware apps that are available for Mac are more plentiful and of better quality. and they typically work better than their Windows counterparts.

oh, and no adware/spyware issues.

1. It’s “pretty”.
2. Everything specifically made such that it works to its fullest out of the box.
3. People like the idea of joining some rebellious club of rich people.

Unfortunately for Apple, number 1 is subjective, number 2 is a horrible business model and Mac’s greatest downfall, and number 3 is no way to sustain a user base.

yeah, i hate it when everything works.~

@Ivan

“Rebellious club of rich people?” I think I speak for more than one person when I say “puh-leez”.

Simple. They have more taste, knowledge, experience, and less bias than you do.

Is there anything else that I can help you with?

(and probably more money than you do – like most things that can lay genuine claim to real quality, Macs aren’t cheap.)

Fifteen words:

Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun.

Charming, graceful and informative, @DarkScribe . I see exactly why you have so much lurve.

The elegant, intuitive and thoughtful design of Apple hardware and the Mac interface allows the user to meaningfully relate to the data in a multitude of ways. Macs aren’t just pretty. Apple knows how to keep the distractions to a minimum, understanding how users want to be able to manipulate and create data. This often results in a user experience that can be thought of as a relationship.

The computer works with you to help you to do what you want to do. It doesn’t work against you, get in your way with superfluous interface elements, or limit you based on what it decides you want to do. The Mac OS also provides valuable feedback. Frequently unnoticed, but contributing to what is described as user friendliness, chosen menu items blink, and folders and documents zoom as they open, reassuring the user by providing links between causes and effects. Microsoft has tried to copy some Mac UI elements, but they just don’t understand how to implement them in psychologically effective ways.

Sure, a MacBook Air is not the fastest computer by measure of CPU power. But given that the Mac provides an overall integrated experience, fewer worries about malware and unrecognized peripherals, and freedom to work with your data the way you want to, you’ll ultimately be able to get more work done and enjoy it in the process.

OSX was written by hairy-arsed engineers and computer geeks, then made beautiful by designers who understood about making computers ‘nice’ for their users.

Windows was made by the Marketing men.

@simpleD That’s what I would have said if I knew how. Lurve.

@Bugabear “I suppose Macs are good for people with little to no knowledge of computers or those that dont do overly complicated things.”???????

ha..haha that’s the most dipsh*t argument i’ve heard about Mac vs. PC. Why do people think because Mac has created a wonderfully easy to use and elegent OS that means people who use it are incapable of doing more complicated things? Why would you want to use something overly and pointlessly complicated so they can go, “i’m smart cuz i use a complicated difficult to use computer”. thats just dumb.

1) If your itunes rip 3 copies of your CD’s then there is something wrong with you or your iTunes preferences.

2) If you’re a gamer then get a freaking Alienware computer, Mac’s are not gaming geared machines.

3) As far as apps go for iPod touch and iPhone, those apps are based on a programming language called Objective-C which is ridiculous, and the people who can program those complicated applications are fantastic and for someone to make something that complicated, fun and cool and when it takes possibly hundreds of hours to code and develop and debug and then sell it for a few bucks, i give them a thumbs up. AND there are plenty of free apps too.

4) Itunes itself doesnt take all that much space. All the songs you put into it are what takes up HD space you moron.

5) not having to buy and upgrade anti-virus software…ever…is fantastic. I can’t count how many times my parents PC has been defragged or dealt with some Norton software BS.

6) as a web designer, working on a machine that looks great and works flawlessly helps fuel creative thinking and enhances your workflow, instead of staring at a PC plastic injection molded box.

MOST OF ALL
Apple has created such a large fanbase because they make products look great and work even better.

@eponymoushipster

I do too. That is, until I want to use their hardware to do something that they didn’t anticipate. Or worse, until I want to use their hardware to do something that they explicitly forbid. Or, until I want to make some simple changes to how the operating system works/looks. Or, until I have to pay for an operating system or buy an upgrade.

So what hardware of theirs did you want to use that they explicitly forbid?

as for paying for an OS, well, if you want to use linux and fly your flag about that, that’s your business.

I’d like to use an iPhone with Google Voice, or use a flashlight app that automatically increases the screen brightness, or some other thing which Apple forbids.

And I’m not here to fly my Linux flag or engage in any other “my OS is better than your OS” sort of discussion. My argument was that Mac’s greatest feature is it’s greatest flaw. Freedom is very important in computing. Like I said, if you just want something that will work without you having to think about and will look pretty, than buy all means, Mac is the computer for you.

Wow, your passive aggression extends to every aspect of your life. kudos.

So your distaste for their “explicit forbidding” is because of two iPhone apps (one of which isn’t even available openly)? That’s heart.

Isn’t the “work without you having to think” argument a rehash of what DOS heads said when Windows started becoming popular so many years ago? You’re right. Some people have actual work to do, and not just sitting around tweaking their setup constantly. Stupid grown-ups.

If only everyone could run a compiler, or otherwise not be allowed to use a computer.~

No, my distaste is with proprietary software tied to hardware and the accompanying philosophy. Free software is not about tweaking your setup so that it looks pretty, it’s about increasing functionality and productivity however you see fit. I only know a few basic Linux commands, but if I want to modify a package so that it behaves a certain way, I can at least Google for the solution and find someone who’s more skilled that has done it for me already. And guess what, it’s not illegal if I just copy and paste his/her code. In fact, it’s encouraged. Also, if I want to, oh I don’t know, move my panel to the bottom of the screen rather than the top, I can do that. I can also give my install disk to my friend without fear of getting my door knocked down by a swat team.

I dunno what OS X things you tried to do, but i’m able to change all sorts of visual aspects on my Mac, between various Dock utilities, Geektool, etc. (all of which are free, btw) And the free utilities available for OS X are plentiful, useful and quality.

Geektool in specific is great, because it uses Unix commands, and pipes them into the OS X screen. I’ve used that, and free, posted on Google source, as well.

As for handing it off, well, that’s your deal. Frankly, i don’t know many people who are coming by, asking for an install disc these days.

Apple focuses on things other companies find useless. They make people love their computers. I’ve noticed windows users have a completely different mentality than those who own Macs. A Mac user would say “I love my Mac. It looks delicious. The dock reflects the windows above, it has a gorgeous genie animation when minimizing a windows and has a cute Poof animation when you delete a file. Muaah! I love it” but a pc user would say “I can get a Dell for 500$. Hello?” Most people tend to compare hardware instead of the thing inside. The operating system which is what many fall in love with when using a Mac. I’ve gone through many debates with friends and they don’t seem to get how someone is so loyal to a company who doesn’t give a hoot about me. I love Apple and always will. Mac users know this. Quality is first on the list.

Also I don’t really like how you said Macs are for people with little computer knowledge. I’ve used a Pc for pretty much my whole life. I’ve always hated it. I don’t want to get in another debate about Macs but there are tones of computer smart nerds in the world that choose macs. (Ex: Chris Pirillo ) He will tell you why he chose a Mac as his main computer and he’s pretty much the biggest computer geek in the world. I <3 OS X One day you’ll understand ;)

Oh and by the way, this was written on an iPhone.

I love Mac because they are easier to use, and less complicated.. I don’t like too much error messaged that used to pop up when I had Windows. I was a Windows user, well still am because not every company apparently uses Mac or support Mac, until the laptop I owned just kept breaking. I had the blue screen of death..

So I just decided to switch over.. So far so good..It’s quick, it looks good, battery last for a long time. MB Uni 2.4 320gb…

But really, it’s what works for you. I use Blackberry not the iPhone because I have too much e-mail accounts coming for work, and I love the push e-mail on all of them.

However, the hardware of my Storm sucks.. LOL. I miss my keyboard

I prefer Macs for the same reason that I prefer women to inflatable sex dolls.

@DarkScribe I “great answered” that in the hope that your analogy referred to “look and feel”.

I can go all day, literally but I think the people above made their points

mac is unbelievable

You WILL NOT like it until you try it

@DarkScribe are you comparing USB ports? “Plug and Play” is a great feature.

I hate how these discussions devolve into fanboy crap, and people who seem to want to have sexual intercourse with their computers.

@pdworkin <shakes head>...australians….

@pdworkin If I could give you negative lurve, I would.

@TheCreative Thanks so much, hon. That’s very sweet of you. In real life do you hit people with whom you disagree, and whose arguments you have a hard time dealing with only using your wit?

@pdworkin i believe @TheCreative was making that statement because your statement above was pointless and immature and stupid. There has been no implication of people wanting to have sex with their computers.

So, if you have nothing useful to say, then keep your mouth shut.

i would give you negative lurve too, were it possible, for being an idiot

@wenn

It’s called an exaggeration. It’s an exaggeration on the fact that people are so attached to their computers that they act like they have to defend them at every turn.

I don’t feel that way. I don’t have to defend anything about using a Mac and I have no interested in converting anyone. I’ll just say what I like about it and why I use it.

@wenn Thank you for your kind remarks. Here is the quote which would allow one to infer that some people have sexual fantasies about their computers:

“I prefer Macs for the same reason that I prefer women to inflatable sex dolls.”

It is not considered polite to call people an idiot, but I would submit that it is somewhat idiotic not to read the whole thread before you begin to try to trash your betters.

@pdworkin that statement makes no actual implication of having sex with the computer.

its an analogy, he is implying macs look and feel better to use than a plastic box of a PC. Not that he would like to insert his penis into it. but you apparently don’t understand how analogies work.

and you are not my better. Idiot.

@DominicX although i use a mac, i am not trying to convert anyone or over-defend macs. I just don’t like stupidity.

Dear @wenn Perhaps you would like to consider discovering the meaning of the words “seem”, “infer” and “fantasies”.

Very truly yours,
Idiot.

@pdworkin I’ve inferred that you seem to have these fantasies that you are quite clever and witty, even though you’re not.

boys boys. let’s keep it friendly.

@pdworkin I don’t hit people or get angry with people who disagree with my opinion because that would be wrong. I am angry at how you claim all of us are fanboys because we give detailed and long opinions on why we like what we like.

What’s a fanboy? How does it differ from a plain old fan?

@Darwin

In most cases, the term “fanboy” or “fangirl” is used to refer to someone who is devoted to their product or whatever and refuses to try other products or hear things about other products.

A lot of the aspects of the GUI that are frequently referred to as “eye candy” are actually useful. Take, for example, the genie effect. Whenever a window is minimized or a toolbar is closed, the genie effect shows you exactly where you need to go to get it back. I can’t count the times that I’ve seen people using Windows accidentally close a toolbar and then say, “Where did it go? How do I get it back?” If they’re computer illiterate, they just give up on getting the toolbar back. If they know what they’re doing, they’ll still have to waste a second or two to find the right button (and, using Office on a PC for years, I know that it’s not always easy to find a button; I swear half the time I opened Word the toolbars would be in a totally different layout than I had left them).

I have not used mac yet. can any one suggest me from where i can get mac os.

@potter here

I have not used mac yet. can you suggest where to get mac
I want to use mac.

see the post just above, i linked you to the apple store.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergonomics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_%28business%29

All products can be thought of in two ways: What it does for the user and what the user must do for it. If I’m going to part with my hard earned money I want a product that serves me as elegantly as possible.

Life can be abusive enough without having to contend with cheap, awkward or difficult to use devices.

If one must tolerate owning and using a computer (or anything else) Why shouldn’t it be as much of a pleasure to own, interact with, and look at as can be achieved.

Personal computers are demanding, cumbersome, ugly, even rude devices. Apple is doing everything it can to integrate the computer into ones life as simply and attractively as possible.

Some of us understand that if we must put up with eating, driving, clothing ourselves and computing it might as well be done as satisfyingly as possible.

Apple computer does what it can for us in the personal computing department.

I am a repair tech guy that owns a business and fixes pc’s and macs. I am very familiar with both and my intent is not to rip on mac users, but it’s hard not to. The top reasons to buy a mac are listed below:

1. Too much money burning a whole in your pocket so you need to spend it.
2. You don’t look at the components running the machine
3. You may be buying it for protection from viruses, but the thing is, if a lot of people start using macs.
4. They actually listen to the Mac PC commercials.

Reasons/problems with above reasons.
1. Money is nice to have so if it is really hurting you to hold onto it, give it to some poor college kid. I’m sure they could use it.
2. The reason I say you must not look at the components is because the components in a “cheap” $1,000 mac are comparable to a $500 PC.
3. Viruses are not a problem right now, but why would it be. Who in their right mind would waste time writing viruses that will affect the small population of mac users when they could instead work on infecting the large PC user community. Larger Mac community = more viruses for macs.
4. Mac don’t have viruses, give me a break. Their are some viruses for Macs and normally it takes longer for these to get fixed due to the lack of support compared to PCs. Cause they have “no viruses!” Ya ok, whatever you say mac world.

Additional reasons people may buy them.
– Most people don’t know anything about computers so they go to Best Buy, who in turns sells them the most expensive thing they can. The Mac, of course, the chepest mac is basically the same price as a freak of a PC.
– I ask them what part of the Mac makes them so much better than a PC and most people can not even give me a reason. Their answer normally is “it looks cool.” Really your spending twice the money so it can look cool. Unbelievable! I wish I could spend a lot of extra money on a computer just to make it look cool.

-advice, if you want a mac, make your own. You can get most macs a lot cheaper if you make it on your own. I don’t see the point exactly, but you can do as you wish.