apple or windows?

[seare]

my last laptop has broken and i need to buy a replacement,i would really like an apple macbook,but my dad(who will be paying half!)doesnt agree.me saying "it looks really cool" doesn't cut it. I am doing GCSe and A-Level Design technology and i said some apple programs will help me with it, but he still isnt happy.

Any pointers on why macs are better than windows?? THANKS

[fo3nix]

I wouldn't go so far as to say that Apple Macs are better than PCs running Windows, but I'm a little biased anyway (typing this on a Macbook Pro).

1) the laptop itself
Apple laptops are made to their own precise specifications. Small things make them great like the slot-loading DVD drive, as opposed to the flimsy tray that most Windows-installed laptops come with. All the ports are on the sides, not the back, so that it's easy to connect stuff without having to turn the laptop round to see what you're doing. Brilliant screens. Built-in webcam. All that sort of stuff.
The bad thing is that because they use all their own hardware, you have to go with what Apple say. Although saying that, no laptops are particularly upgradable anyway.

2) software
Macs run Mac OS X. This is so much better than Windows, I wonder why more people haven't switched. There are no active viruses on it currently. There is no spyware. It has its own good firewall, you don't have to install a free one like Zonealarm. Its security features are light years ahead of Windows. It is based on UNIX, and as such is also much more stable than Windows and manages memory better. Case in point: I can happily leave my laptop on for weeks at a time without restarting, and it doesn't slow down.

Finally, at one point Macs were definitely better than Windows-based machines for doing design work. Now all the major important apps are also available on Windows, so it's a mute point really. Macs still have better colour support built-in, as well as much better typography, but this can be improved on Windows anyway.

[mikeyp]

I've only used a mac once, so am not much of an authority on the matter. Would like to mention a couple of things though.

My laptop has a slot-loading DVD drive. I like ports on the back, they dont get in the way of your mouse, or other work you have on your desk. My laptop has a very nice screen. Some companies in particular, like sony and dell, produce very decent screens with their laptops.

On the other hand, Unix/Mac OS X is superior security wise to XP. It also looks nicer, which is important, since you have to look at it. If you are literally only using it for design then i'm sure either choice is good. But once you start looking into third party programs and games, you may start finding that there is a wider selection available on XP.

All my friends who have macs prefer them to windows, I guess that counts for something!

[seare]

thanks guys its all helpin 2 prove my point!

[Fanriffic]

You could also mention to your dad that Macs can now run Windows software since switching over to Intel chips via the Dual Boot application on OS X.

http://www.apple.com/uk/getamac/windows.html

You will still have to buy the Windoze software to run on the Mac but please bear in mind that if you do install a Windows partition, you take on all the hassles that come with it for example viruses. Just stick with the Mac OS if you get one.

[gary baldy]

I could go on at great length why to get a mac from a general point of view but the fact you are studying Design Technology really seals the deal IMO.
Macs are industry standard in DT and i would say being mac-literate at an early stage will give you an advantage when it comes to finding a job. I would even go as far as aying that not being familiar with macs when looking for DT work will be a disadvantage. If you take your DT studies further to university for example i am 100% sure they will use macs. There are many good reasons why the DT industry use macs as standard and if your dad knows better i'm sure those hundreds of thousands of designers who use and love macs would love to hear why?
Send your dad round to my house and i'll convince him if you want!

[Matheous]

From a hardware point of view - I am on my fourth Mac now and only had one (the first) ever develop a fault. That was about fourteen years ago! The problem was the 'Power-On' switch which cost around 40p to replace....

Get your Intel Core-Duo Mac and you won't look back!!

[seare]

thanks alot guys ive 1 him over, im getting it next week. if i put microsoft word on it can i transfer work over to and from my windows computer with a usb pen drive?