Macs are better, I'm a convert
Last month, I purchased a Macbook after my last PC notebook died... and there's no turning back.
The big consumer barrier to purchasing a Mac has been the premium pricing. Machinist's Farhad Manjoo explains how Macs are comparably priced with PCs by factoring in the resale value of used Macs, a similar argument BMW uses with regards to its high resale pricing claim.
It's well documented but here are the most obvious advantages I notice as a long time Windows user switching to a Mac:
The big consumer barrier to purchasing a Mac has been the premium pricing. Machinist's Farhad Manjoo explains how Macs are comparably priced with PCs by factoring in the resale value of used Macs, a similar argument BMW uses with regards to its high resale pricing claim.
It's well documented but here are the most obvious advantages I notice as a long time Windows user switching to a Mac:
- Boot up time - 30 seconds
- Microsoft Vista is rumored to be a mess of an OS - so it compels users to switch to the elegant Mac OS
- No crashing, although sometimes one needs to "force quit", which so far does what it purports to do
- With the Mac/Windows OS interface, apparently one can run the Windows-only based real estate applications
Get a copy of Parallels for operating windows-based MLS systems and don't ever look back. Welcome to the club.
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Once you go Mac, you never go back!
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I TOTALLY agree about Parallels - best thing ever. It runs windows better and faster than any windows machine i use. I have used Macs for a long long time. If you need help, ANY thing at all, feel free to email me. I have tons of mac resources.
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Pat, I too was a Mac Book Pro guy, but went back to the PC because it works better with most internet based real estate/business applications.
I will miss the MAC cult. Hello Lenovo
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It was time to get new computers in our home. We did Mac for our desk top and LOVE it. It's so simple; you have to try to not "over think" when using it. For my lap top, which I use the most for my mortgage career, I had to stay windows xp pro.
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The Mac OS is certainly a more stable more elegant platform, and Apple certainly knows how to build sleek hardware. I wrote an article in May about using a Mac for real estate and it most certainly can be done. When I experimented I used Boot Camp and Parallels, which on one hand allows you to natively boot into Windows, but Parallels doesn't function as smoothly when connecting to the Boot Camp installation. So my suggestion now would be to bunk Boot Camp, and strictly use Parallels.
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Our daughter grew up on Windows. In prepping for her 1st year of college this Fall, we asked around. Our techie friends said..."Get her a MAC!" Dad had always been tech support. She resisted at first because it was unfamiliar. She's loved it from day one - no tech support needed so far with 8 months of use. Dad and I still have Windows XP Pro for our businesses.
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I concur about Parallel to enable Windows based programs. You can also use any mouse you want, Pat. I have a 3 button Logitech mouse that works fine. Since Apple was the originator of the control shortcuts, it's the same thing just a different key. The only issue I have on my iMac, which I use at home for almost everything real estate related, occurs with Microsoft's Office 2004 email program and it keeps crashing, so I went back to the Apple email and just use the other office programs as needed. I do find it intesting though when I try to open an Office document from a Windows machine, the progam associated with it opens up through Parallel on the Windows side. I can run both Parallel and my Mac programs side by side. Mac's rule.
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I miss my Mac. My whole Realtor world runs on Windoze, but I frankly don't have time to staple and glue together some alternate Mac solution. Parallel sounds cool... but does it really work? Easily? Without a hitch, ever? And I miss my old email address: [email protected] (that was tough to let go) but I do visit my old G5 from time-to-time when it's time for another neighborhood iMovie. Ahhhh, good times.
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Put a wireless Apple Mighty Mouse on your Christmas List. It is the best mouse ever made for a computer. (2 button meeces have been available for macs for a while now.) Glad to see you came over the bright side! Get the Mac Lovers App for Facebook and share your growing list of everything Apple.
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Mike and all,
All this Mac advice is perfect for the newbie like me. I notice that the best way to receive such useful blog commentary is to write articles like this where so many experts have much to contribute. It's so welcome to see all these anecdotes and tips.
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Pat,
I moved to a Mac power book G4 two years ago.
What a great machine. Softy is just that compared to Apple. I suggest all my coaching clients get a Mac so they can enjoy their business for a change.
Keep up the great work you do.
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Blogging real time is so easy, pictures and sound can be uploaded via cell phone on the spot and posted on the web. Nothing special needed, just a camera phone with MMS and a free blogger blog.
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Good points all. I'm a fan of both macs and PCs, but there is one definite advantage to windows based boxes -- price. For those on a budget, a good PC system can be had for well under $500, complete with most of the software needed in the world or real estate. Apple can't quite pull that off yet (nor do they probably care to).
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