Gothamist: 24 Hour Apple People?

Jae

Fri, 10 Feb 2006 12:44:57 -0500

Macs really aren't more expensive than other machines when you really investigate the issue...take a look at the following links: http://www.oreillynet.com/mac/blog/2004/05/mac_vs_pc_a_small_cost_compari.html http://www.systemshootouts.org/

CW

Fri, 10 Feb 2006 07:47:17 -0500

In contrast Macs simply work straight out of the box. In the multiuser aspect you refer to, Macs do NOT simply work straight out of the box. If you want a Mac running OSX to authenticate against an LDAP environment, you better hope Apple didn't break their LDAP client this week. Literally every release, Apple breaks LDAP. Then, maybe two weeks later, Apple releases a patch. Why is this? Why do I always get blamed for apple's ass-tastic QA? Sure, if you're 'playing' with photoshop you won't run into problems, but then again if you run Windows XP like Microsoft tells you (NOT as an administrative user), you don't run into many of the problems with spyware and viruses.

dude

Fri, 10 Feb 2006 06:33:20 -0500

mjb and Jack - I appreciate your comments; it's good to hear responses from people who have worked on different types of machines. Maybe Macs are better made, or maybe the typical user is more tech-savvy (doubt it), but it's good to hear substantive reasons for Mac-love aside from "they look prettier". Thanks (and I honestly wasn't trying to start another Apple war).

zincink

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 23:18:08 -0500

whee! 24 hours! command A+! Talk about service! hopefully...I can imagine all drunk mac people hanging out in the lobby..or perhaps telling the client.."meet me at the cube".

b

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 20:13:19 -0500

24hour store?!? - that would be a blessing considering how many times i've had to send in my powerbook

Jack

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 19:34:18 -0500

In my experience as a tech, the majority of PC/Windows related calls I get are related to dealing with inane idiotic bad software design on the part of Microsoft. Virus problems. Spam-ware/ad-ware. Junk. And lets not even get started on driver incompatibilities. Windows machines are a money pit for even the most casual user. In contrast Macs simply work straight out of the box. I barely get any tech calls for problems/issues with Macs and most of the consulting I do is based on people having minor problems. Or just want a techs advice. Never anything catastrophic. Also, the initial cost of a Mac verus a PC is an irrelevant issue now that Mac minis exist. They are rock-solid machines that are small and can run circles around most PCs. Unpack it. Plug it in. And it works. And you can get one for less than $500. As far as upgrades go, the vast majority of upgradable components for Macs are the same as PC parts. Need a new hard-drive, RAM or even a keyboard or mouse? No need to get special "Mac only" stuff like back in 1995. It's all even nowadays and mostly all compatible. And regarding the iPod battery debacle, Apple is not perfect. But that's really one issue compared to the idiocy one has to deal with on a daily basis when dealing with Windows machines. Ever try to explain to someone that they need to buy an additional anti-Virus program because Microsoft creates vulnerable software? It's not pretty. In the year 2006 the argument of PC versus Mac is idiotic. Use what machine you need to use. But Windows machines are needy little babies of computers.

Jobe Steeves

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 18:47:44 -0500

Here we go again. Any Apple-related post is just too irresistable to geeks who have internet fights about whose computer is better. This is probably why they pick up girls in computer stores.

mjb

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 18:43:27 -0500

To: Dude Hey: Right tool for the right job. Whatever works, right? Things work because you're used to them or because you think they're designed well, or whatever. Do we need to make it (as if enough geeks and dorks haven't done enough of this already) a thing of religiosity? Is that a word? Apple is another "blood-sucking corporation." You bet. So is Whole Foods, really. I mean, com'on. What do you expect? That said, my experience as a computer lab admin -- Macs definitely take a better beating in a multi-user experience and have a lower "Total Cost of Ownership." My parents have a 7 year old Mac. Running the latest version of Mac OS X. They don't edit videos, so this pretty much works for them. Imagine a 7 year old wintel machine made by PC manufacturer X (any one of them) running the latest version of Windows. Not going to happen without modding. Right tool, right job. No reason to hate. Something works well for you? Congrats! Doesn't happen for a lot of people no matter what toolset is plunked in front of them. - M Writing from an aged Powerbook running Ubuntu Linux for PPC, owner of a Mac Mini, an intel machine dual booting in into Debian and Win2kPro, and awaiting a new Intel-based "MacBook Pro."

jen

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 16:27:30 -0500

its cool that their building that applestore/cube thing in front of the GM building... but why did they have to reclad the lower level of the building (to the left and right of the main tower)? It wasnt much of an architectural wonder before (not that its a bad building), but now they added a cheap cladding and removed the white stone. Too bad.