Windows Is Better

Tomel said:

Have been a Windows user since it's inception and before that used MSDOS and before that CPM. Now have a Win7 Desktop and recently entered the Mac world with a MacPro Notebook.

Frankly, I really like both systems. Of course, at this point, I'm a Windows Guru and a Mac neophyte, but there are some things I really like about the Mac so far (not to say I'm anywhere close to going all Mac anytime soon). Given that background, here are some general comments and observations.

1. Mac notebook was certainly more expensive, but seems a lot more durable than most Win notebooks. Also, from power off, starts up and is ready to use in about 30 seconds. Shuts completely down almost instantly.

2. Love the trackpad on the Mac and wish Windows systems had an equivalent. Don't ever need to use a mouse with the Mac.

3. While software choices are more limited for Mac compared to Windows, have everything I need for my personal use (a lot of decent software comes bundled with the Mac). With Office for Mac, I can move back and forth between my Win system and the Mac virtually seamlessly.

4. Imaging software included with the Mac (Time Machine). Gives me a combined disk image and backup at all times.

5. Bundled software on Mac has some great integration features. For example, I recently got an email that said let's meet at 9AM next Tuesday. I noticed that "9AM next Tuesday" showed up as a link. Curiously, I clicked the link and it took me to the included Calendar software and gave me the option to add the meeting at 9AM next Tuesday.

6. My previous Win 7 notebook seemed clunky and slow. My i5 MacBook Pro doesn't seem much slower than my i7 desktop.

Maybe this gives some of you who have never used a Mac a little taste for some of its features. Am I a Mac convert? No. But there's a lot to like IMHO.

A well-reasoned and impartial comment that would have got rep from me had it been in a different forum to the Chillout Room.

Devux said:

... Mac was soldering the RAM onto the motherboard so that it couldn't be upgraded. Not sure if that is still true, but that's dirty.

This is true but only for MacBook Air. All other Mac laptops and desktops have 'normal' RAM.

... Mac was soldering the RAM onto the motherboard so that it couldn't be upgraded. Not sure if that is still true,

That never was true. Yes, they soldered RAM to the motherboard, but not so you could not upgrade. It was because permanent connections were, still are, and always will be better - they are faster, cooler, cleaner, cheaper, and much more robust.

Plus, back then RAM was very expensive and the home computer building/repair/upgrade industry was pretty much non-existent.

And I note that hardwiring (soldered connections) is still a common practice. For example, on many new ITX motherboards, such as this ASUS - the CPU is hardwired (soldered) to the board and there is no replacing it.

Regardless of the reason, still couldn't be upgraded

Either couldn't be upgraded, or because it was proprietary, could only be upgraded with expensive Apple parts. We can thank the ATX Form Factor standard for making the PC industry-wide compatible.