I've got, got, GOT to get a new laptop, and confess I'm being drawn to a MacBook. I played with one a few days ago, and love the 'Garage Band' application in iLife (among other. things) - and it does look so easy to use. But I wish Mac-olytes weren't so darn smug! I really hate those 'Mac vs PC' ads - more for their 'ooh, aren't we cool and PC users lame' attitude. Makes me want to buy a PC in spite of knowing that a Mac would likely be better for home use like photos, video, e-mail, media...
And the guy at the Apple store was so derogatory as well -- when I asked about my personal website, and mentioned I'd bought an out-of-the-box offering from Mr Site, he said 'see - with a PC you have to buy everything separately'. So I asked 'wow -does that mean that with the Mac I'd get my own URL and web hosting space for my site then?'
Mr Apple: 'no, you'd have to subscribe to .Mac, and if you wanted your own URL, say, www.planetwulfagar.com, you'd have to buy that too.'
Me: 'Um, so, you're not really convincing me of the positive differences here - it looks like I'd have to buy something in either case.'
Mr A: 'Well, .Mac is more than just web hosting'
Me: 'It's still an additional expense. So it's unfair to say only with a PC do you have to buy extras'
Mr A: (ignores me and moves on to demonstrate Garage Band, which did indeed distract me)
So -anyone out there want to advise? Watch this space!
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4 comments:
As a devoted Mac person, you know my advice. I use a Mac at home, and Windows at work, and I find the Mac to be so much more intuitive. That is possibly because it's what I first learned on. Another reason I vote for a Mac is that if you get one, you will learn it so well that when I have problems, you can talk me through them! For example, I don't even know what Garage Band is.
I think you know where I'm going to land in this debate. (With your Mom!) I'll just add that the Snook - a dyed-in-the-wool Linux-loving build-your-own-computer freak - got a MacBook Pro last year. And he loves it.
Try to ignore the smug aspect. Fancy salesmen in London are going to wankers no matter what they're selling...
thanks Mom & Kristine... and if the Snook's happy with his Mac that's another positive vote. (speaking of linux -- I've loved the linux addition to the spoofs of the mac vs pc ads on YouTube...)
We're going to look again today - though not at the Apple store, but at John Lewis. They seem more balanced there (and they also told me a Mac would be better -- but I think a Pro is more than I need... or can afford!)
And don't get me started on having to pay UK prices for this!!
This is very timely. As a life-long Macolyte, I have always bought Macs, including a new MacBook, a month ago. SO for what it's worth:
1 The salesmen in the Mac story are extremely smug, not particularly knowledgeable and I had to queue 20 minutes at the cash desk for the privilege of spending £1000. Was minutes away from just walking out and spending the money in John Lewis instead. On the upside: the guys at the Mac Genious bar upstairs are brilliant, helpful and charming, if you have a problem.
2 I have had continual problems connecting to the internet with my new Airport Express, since I bought it and whenever I speak to the 'applecare' helpline, I get a call centre in India, were they are unable to deviate from a set script
Appple know that their customers don't like call centres in India but still they persist...
3 I was a smug 'mac-olyte' but thinking of switching to a PC next time. The reason: mac has been taking the good will of its customer base for granted. For example, the 'migration' process, of transporting documents from one Mac to another should be easy, right? Even the manager of the Mac store, when I phoned up to complain, agreed that the adjustment was 'painful'. Mac have abandoned its excellent word processing packaging Appleworks, so none of my old files or documents cna be transferred to my new Mac.
4 My new Macbook came with a really lame word processing package (that wouldn't even do a word count.) I was then forced to spend anothe £100 buying Mac for Windows, which is vastly inferior to Appleworks.
5 If you are thinking of buying a Mac, definitely buy the MacBook Pro (ie the larger screen) as the scree n on my macbook is too small for everyday use, tho good for travelling.
Et voila. In their favour:
1 they look good
2 this garage thing sounds impressive but I've no idea what it is either.
3 Mac offers all kinds of free workshops at its Regent St store.
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