Mac or PC

[updog]

Many people just love Mac OS and the designs of these shiny things so they're willing to pay more just for that. I don't.

The looks of this thing is the last thing I paid for, but it's a good thing to have nonetheless. I like how, while programs still can crash, there's blue screen of death and endless whacking of alt+ctrl+delete. If a program's no longer responding, you just choose "close program" and it closes immediately. Easy as that.

It's overall very stable. In fact, I HATE using PCs now. Almost everytime there's some problem, or it's slow as hell, even though it's good by its specs.

 

[Nauru]

The looks of this thing is the last thing I paid for, but it's a good thing to have nonetheless. I like how, while programs still can crash, there's blue screen of death and endless whacking of alt+ctrl+delete. If a program's no longer responding, you just choose "close program" and it closes immediately. Easy as that.

It's overall very stable. In fact, I HATE using PCs now. Almost everytime there's some problem, or it's slow as hell, even though it's good by its specs.

You clearly have not used windows 7.

 

[Nauru]

Thanks for all the feedback, I know this topic is like beating a dead horse but I wanted some more current opinions, as I feel (and it seems that others here would as well) that pcs have gotten to a point where they are much more reliable than they used to be.

 

[updog]

You clearly have not used windows 7.

No, I haven't, but I've heard good things about it. If it works, it's cool. But no matter what Microsoft does now, I don't believe I'll make the switch back to Windows.

I have some friends who've had some problems, and some who've had no problems whatsoever.

 

[Ermz]

The PC vs Mac thing is a bit like the DIY vs buying original approach.

Going DIY will get you everything way cheaper, but if you mess up somewhere along the line, the trouble shooting can be hell. It also requires knowledge of calibration and assembly.

Buying original will get you the unit pre-assembled, calibrated, with a warranty. Easier to get started, but costs a fair bit more.

I'll let you work out which is analogous to which.

 

[arv_foh]

As a lifelong PC user, I switched to Mac my sophomore year of college, and I don't think I'll ever use Windows again. This being said, I haven't used any computers with Windows 7, so I can't compare there, but one reason I love my Mac is the ability to run a shitfuckton of programs at once. For instance, right now I have open Adium, Safari, Firefox, iCal, Aperture, Photoshop, Cyberduck, VNC Server, and Echofon with absolutely no slowdown... and I'm sure I could open up Logic, pop open a 40 track session with 3-4 plugs per channel and have no problems playing it back, even with all these programs still open.

One thing that I've noticed (and I'm not sure that this is universal) is that at one of my friend's studio, which is PC based Pro Tools LE, Pro Tools tends to "stutter" during playback... ie the audio will keep playing but the screen will freeze for a second.

Not to mention the lack of malware, spyware, and viruses for Mac. It's nice not having to worry about that junk.

My Macs (Mac Pro quad core and Macbook Pro) both seem snappier and boot faster than my girlfriend's PC/laptop of comparable spec.

 

[JBroll]

Dead horses have much better price/performance, with nice, thumpy lows and no crashes.

Jeff

 

[Kazrog]

I disagree with you, Jeff, for perhaps the first time ever. This issue will never be a dead horse because it is constantly changing.

My opinions of course here, and this is a very general overview/timeline but I can back these up with a lot of facts if needed:

• Windows 3.1 was inferior to Mac OS 6
• Windows 95/98/NT/2000 was superior to Mac OS 7/8/9
• Windows XP/Vista was inferior to Mac OS X
• Windows 7 and Mac OS X are now on about even footing

So this is a constantly evolving landscape, and that's only if we focus on Apple and Microsoft. It's very likely that Linux will emerge to become a more serious production contender over the course of the next decade.

In other words: try things out, find what works best for you and your productivity - it may not be the same platform now, 5 years from now, 10 years from now, etc.

 

[JBroll]

The issue may change... the discussion won't.

"Macs are expensive!"
"Dells cost just as much if you want to have them gold-plated and delivered by a underage hooker!"
"OS X is cooler!"
"I built a Mac with a shoebox and some lizards!"
"Viruses and crashes!"
"I just combined my iPhone with a Fleshlight... I'm going to call it the iMasturbateExcessivelyToConsumerGradeElectronics! Haw haw, I'm so witty other witty people look at me with approval and think to themselves 'Forsooth, that gentleman is witty like a witty thing!'"
"I fucking hate turtlenecks!"
"Firewire ate my baby before I even had it!"

There are only so many times we can have arguments over which things are more expensive, where the money goes, how much blow you could buy with the money you'd save, which specs you can put where, which ones will get you laid...

Jeff

 

[greyskull]

Well this thread has thus far been largely constructive.
I use Macs for pretty much all the aforementioned reasons, that and Pro tools works MUCH nicer with Osx
Tbh everytime i look at windoze i get angry now. Its crazy how long peoples vista computers take to start up.

 

[Airborne]

I know literally nothing about the technical facts (Mac vs. PC) but I switched to a Mac three years ago and couldn’t be happier with that decision.

I have no more computer problems since I made the switch to Apple.

 

[JBroll]

Greyskull, the constructive parts are Kaz's posts and stuff that has already been beaten over a billion times. If this takes a turn towards something original, great... but you can't blame me for not expecting much.

Jeff

 

[20Mg]

jbroll. Can you please construct a short story consisting of a hot gymnast, 2 black dude and a sybian machine. PLs

 

[JBroll]

A 'hot gymnast' walks into a store owned by '2 black dude' and purchases a 'sybian machine'. On the way out, the 'hot gymnast' looks back and says "Think that's weird? You should see what they did to my CB radio!"

Jeff

 

[20Mg]

i was thinking along the lines of pornography

 

[Dave1978]

I'm coming home to windows soon I don't like Logic at all and the legendary stability of MacOs is just a myth, although it's a bit more stable.

As an Apple user you pay a lot of money for a lot of ... nothing. Get yourself some high quality components, don't put trash on your HD and windows is stable as well.

 

[greyskull]

Greyskull, the constructive parts are Kaz's posts and stuff that has already been beaten over a billion times. If this takes a turn towards something original, great... but you can't blame me for not expecting much.

Jeff

absofuckinglutely

 

[Mutant]

1. If your friend is asking this question, then he will be better off with a MAC...

2. Buy a PC if you can:
a) Build a good PC
b) Set up Windows properly, so it runs without any ctds etc...
c) Protect your PC from any form of malicious software
d) Search the WWW for 1000s of great free plugins (and even more mediocre and bad free plugins )

3. Buy a MAC if you:
a) For some reason (compatibility with other studios ?) need to work on MAC only software
b) Are rich enough to not care about overpriced hardware and the need to spend money on almost all your audio plugins
c) Are not very good at using that evil PC/Windows combo
d) Think that it will make you a cooler person (just like in all these MAC commercials lol)
e) Like watching the spinning beachball: (ofc i am not serious here )

 

[digitaldeath]

There are plenty of companies out there putting together music production PCs. www.directresolution.co.uk is one such example. You'll never need to worry about incompatible hardware etc.

 

[drew_drummer]

"I built a Mac with a shoebox and some lizards!"