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shaktiman
Senior Member


United Kingdom
1226 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  03:28:43
Well whats the point? they both r a bit sukky.

Sorry to all you os x'ers I hav'nt had the pleasure of that yet.

Well I try to set up the pc the way I want it but then it just reverts to the way it likes it. Same old moan about iconifying files & not allowing a clear sort, in both pc & mac the internet files are downloaded where? I'll be damned if I can find them or be bothered to find them, it is just so much hard work to make these computers do anything usefull(os.9 on Mac is particularly bad & ME on Windows is getting on my wick)

I've gotta get a try of OS X yeah?


shaktiman

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The Balance Of Judgement
Senior Member


Ivory Coast
1006 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  04:39:27
As much as OS X is a reliable OS, it differs very little from it's counterpart, Windows XP.

Both Operating Systems are born on the goal of the perfect GUI, and both suffer from a lack of complexity..they are so simple that at first it's actually difficult to use them. Both use new icon formats, new images and graphics and themes that visually set them apart from thier previous versions.

In the race before X, Windows 95 and OS 8 were the "new age" Operating Systems both companies were rushing to get out, and as a result, both came out as buggy as ever, even though I believe Microsoft edged out and had 95 before OS 8 came out.

Macintosh & PC both suffer from various design & marketing flaws. The PC side suffers from design flaws and cheap mass produced components that generally do not adhere to strict standards and are not reliable. PC's also suffer from design flaws that seperate many features of a Macintosh & PC. For example, Macintosh users could boot from a RAM Disk to do system diagnostic. PC Users could not, and Macintosh users had no 640KB memory roof whereas PC's did. So there are many areas that are unique weaknesses to each side. The Macintosh mostly suffered in marketing decisions where the ideas of the entire line were often influenced by one person at the top. It is widely known how arrogant Steve Jobs was in the early years about Macintosh, and although it can be understood, it did little for the company. Even though Jobs has softened a bit, it is only under pressure from many users and the fear that if he doesn't open some things up people will abandon the architecture.

Both machines have thier place, although the Macintosh side has always been a totem of intelligent design with common logic, where the PC has been a totem for disorganized thinking with care for speed with no thought to consequence. (The typical example of shortcuts that PC users will try to take in any course of events of backups or functions, where it is known that these shortcuts are not reliable. The Macintosh by comparison would refue to take shortcuts, only performing functions in a reliable way. Slower, but with a gaurantee of success.)

The main point against Macintosh is Apple's attempt to make a machine design cover even the mouse. The iMac mice are examples of horrible designs that only served cosmetic purpose. That and Apple refuses to open up as much as people would like, and Apple has abandoned past users and forced everyone to use a new Operating System with no seeming care for vicims who fall along the way. (These users sadly end up purchasing a cheap PC to replace an aging Macintosh.)

The argument over PC's is the blindness of users who put up with Microsoft and other companies who constantly stab them in the back. The PC side also has more con people who want to sell cheap mass produced goods and flood the market with useless junk that simply wastes peoples time. The PC is the breeding ground for viruses, spam, pop-ups and aggressive advertising. Seldom is something free.

Maybe you can balance the two. Sadly, not many do.

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cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms


USA
4679 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  06:13:37
One thing I'll have to say, is that Apple has been "abandoning" these OS9 users for the past three years, or even longer since OSX 10.0 came out, and EVER since, you've been able to boot into OS9, and even though that with new panther-loaded macs, you won't be able to do this, you'll still have the classic environment.

In addition to that, QuarkXPress (the last major app to actually make the move from 9, to X) has already made the move.

I see no reason, why, after 3-4 years of warning, and preparing it's people, Apple shouldn't make the switch. If someone feels left behind, or betrayed by Apple for moving to OSX, then I wouldn't know what to say to them, other than that they should try OSX one time. Personally, I used to hate OSX with a PASSION. I then got the TiBook, was able to use it a bit, and even installed it on the iMac 233, wherein I learned that OSX is fast on EVERYTHING.

As far as "New Age" I can really see only a few things that seperates OS8, from OS 7.6. One is HFS+ support. The other is it's shiny new appearance, which can easily be added to any mac running 7.0 or better.
Just like it's mac counterpart, all Windows 95 really got was a nice facelift, and boy is it a big change from 3.1. Although, you can still use 3.1's Program Manager, even today in Windows XP, that is the big change that Windoes users got. They got an entire new desktop system, where they could more easily see their file structure, and for however much it cost to upgrade, it was like they were getting ever-closer to almost being on a Macintosh.

As far as Windows XP vs. Mac OS X is concerned, neither are the first of this kind of "NextGen" OS, actually, Windows XP has it's roots in Windows 2000 and WinNT technology, which dates back to the 3.1 days (the first version of NT was 3.1)
Mac OS X gets it's roots from NeXTStep, which originated in 1986 IIRC, but with apple, it was gaining speed around the mid-late 1990s. This'd be probably '96-'97 with Rhapsody.

All of that having been said, there are differences in the macintosh market, and the PC market, HUGE fundamental differences, that have helped to make or break the platforms in many respects.

One of the first things y'all notice about macintoshes, is that theyre expensive right? That partially comes from the fact that Apple has no direct competition when making the machines, and that Apple, who has complete control over the mac market, uses high quality components, manufactured to great standards. And it manufactures it's own products to high standards.

On the other hand, you have the PC market, anyone can make anything inthis market, you either have to rely on Microsoft and the linux community to write drivers for hardware, or you need to write them yourself (if you're a hardware developer). Also, there's no surefire way to make sure that whatever you create, will actually work on everything. Apple, on the other hand, provides compatibility labs, including every single machine, from the original PowerBook and PowerMac G3 machines, to the very latest G5's, all in Cupertino, or someplace in Japan.

By completely controlling all of the hardware that goes into it's computer, the software that they create for it, and the ways that it's all packaged together, Apple works very hard to ensure that their systems, while might be expensive, work, and work great. Apple's been able to do this for a very long time, and for the most part, even the machines from a very long time ago, are functioning fantastically today.

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Gothikon
Full Member


Australia
537 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  06:39:35
quote:

Well I try to set up the pc the way I want it but then it just reverts to the way it likes it. Same old moan about iconifying files & not allowing a clear sort, in both pc & mac the internet files are downloaded where? I'll be damned if I can find them or be bothered to find them,

Well it's a bit pathetic saying you can't be bothered to figure it out, did you intuatively know where an Atari would download files to? were you born with this knowledge??

On a Mac almost every browser allows you to choose a location to download files to in the preferences. e.g. you can create a folder on your desktop called downloads and tell your browser to download files in to that folder. If you don't specify a download location the browser will either ask you or download files to the desktop.

If you have OS X and Safari there is actually a magnifying glass that appears beside each complete download in the browser, clicking on it opens the folder containg the download file and selects it.

On a PC IIRC (you'd think I'd remember having used one in the last 5 hours!) asks you each time you download a file where to save it to or what to open it with.


As for OS 9 it is dead as far as Apple is concerned. There is nothing to stop people from using it it just isn't supported anymore so don't expect it to get any better or for much new software. OS X has been pretty good since 10.2 and Panther is even better, there is nothing I miss about OS 9 anymore and I haven't used it on my machine in several months. X is rock solid does everything I need and is actually *fun* to use, unlike Linux or Windows which I use extensively at work, well that is until I have the money to buy an iBook, then I can run Photoshop and dev stuff and Virtual PC (to test different browser) on the same machine without rebooting all the time.

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Stryder
Junior Member


USA
382 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  08:10:50
I'd like to add just one point onto the pricing difference between the two. You have to keep in mind that if you're looking to have two comparable systems, you'll have to buy all the third-party hardware for the cheap PC that comes pre-installed in a Mac. In the overall outcome, you can spend just as much if not more for the PC. At least with the Mac, you know that the various hardware components won't be arguing with OS when you buy it.

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shaktiman
Senior Member


United Kingdom
1226 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  08:31:45
quote:
Well it's a bit pathetic saying you can't be bothered to figure it out, did you intuatively know where an Atari would download files to? were you born with this knowledge??

Yeah it would've tended to download stright onto c drive as default, then if you want the files somewhere else you can ordain this.

I am indeed getting lazy in my old age & no I try & set things then a gremlin may come & reset things, hey?

am I repeating myself?

I try to set things up the way I like it but then it just reverts to the way it likes it.

I think I am also grumbling about that dirty thing called IE ewwwwww my skin is crawling.

Mostly I right click & then save as, but note I say mostly & when I do not it downloads & then runs & then if it is open ok, if not you have to hunt for it.

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Unknown_K
Full Member


USA
602 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  09:03:45
OS 9 is pretty snappy and usefull on an older system that would run osx like crap (if you can hack it to install in the first place).

My 8500 448mb ram IDE drives and ultimaterez video and g3-400/1mb runs os 9 fast, while osx 10.1 (the one i tried) ran slower then shit.

While os 9 isnt the most stable os I have used, its ok for what I do with it.

win2k3 is very stable and usable on the PC side.

As far as the commects about the mac having everything built in, there are alot of boards out today with 5.1 sound, network, modem, and video built in and they are inexpensive.

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Stryder
Junior Member


USA
382 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  09:33:05
I think I may have mentioned "Comparable Sysyems". Look through your back-issues of Mac-Addict for an article called "The Truth" in issue 76 where they even illustrate a break down of what's offered, included, and would cost extra. Of course you have sub-brands that you could buy that has stuff included for less, but that's not really comparing Apples to , um, a major brand like Apple itself is. You can still get cheaper versions of Macs that were built in a generic case, but would you take one of those and compare it with a Dell? Brand Name and the companies that make them have a lot to do with the cost along with the warrented support that comes with the purchase.

That's like getting tools at the Dollar store and comparing them with Craftsman or Snap-On. Sure they're cheaper to buy, but they easier to break, prone to defects, and you end buying new ones all the time. Break a Craftsman, you go to Sears and trade it for a new one because they stand behind their tools. It's not just better made, but you have a hell of lot more protection in your investment.

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Stryder
Junior Member


USA
382 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  09:37:00
This would be the issue to look for.

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MacTO
New Member


Canada
60 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  09:51:51
quote:

I think I may have mentioned "Comparable Systems".

Assuming, of course, that you want a comparable system. There are some people who want a bare bones system because that is all they need and all they can afford. Why pay for FireWire, or a DVD player, or a CD burner, or Apple's iWhatever software if you're only going to browse the web?

quote:

That's like getting tools at the Dollar store and comparing them with Craftsman or Snap-On.

But many people tell me that modern PCs are much more reliable ... then I learn that their power
supplies are taped into the case because they had to replace it and the new one wouldn't fit for some
reason!

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Stryder
Junior Member


USA
382 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  10:01:20
Lol, I never said a person wouldn't want a bare-bones system.

I'm just bringing up the point that dollar for dollar, you'll paying about the same for a Mac or a Dell with the same bells and whistles. There's not as much of a gap as the PC world would like us to believe.

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TheDoctor
Starting Member



29 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  13:02:28
http://macvspc.info/

LOTS of information on this topic.

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The Lightning Stalker
Full Member


USA
747 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  15:01:36
You think Windows and Mac OS are hard to use, try using LINUX!

I'm not going to get involved in the age old battle of Mac vs PC. My advice is try and get some of both. Then you can figure out for yourself which one you like better.

quote:
I try to set things up the way I like it but then it just reverts to the way it likes it.

Sounds like your IE is screwed up. What version u using? You might want to try installing a newer version if you haven't already.

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Stryder
Junior Member


USA
382 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  16:07:48
quote:

Sounds like your IE is screwed up. What version u using? You might want to try installing a newer version if you haven't already.

The Lightning Stalker


I was thinking it might be a bad pram battery.

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Stryder
Junior Member


USA
382 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  16:25:52
quote:

http://macvspc.info/

LOTS of information on this topic.

Homeland Defense Analyst
http://www.inourowndefense.com


That's a great source!!

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MacTO
New Member


Canada
60 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  16:50:53
quote:

You think Windows and Mac OS are hard to use, try using LINUX!

There is a difference between easy to use and easy to learn. The Unix environment is quite easy to use if you know how to use it and do repetitive tasks (ie. almost any form of data processing, including image processing). Mac OS and Windows tend to be better for one-off jobs, where you you have to learn how to complete a task while doing it. In that case, it is better to have a consistent environment (eg. Apple Human Interface guidelines) where you can hunt for features without searching through and reading the documentation.

(That said, there is an unfortunate tendance in Unix systems to have to read through documentation for one-off jobs, such as editing the configuration file for an application.)


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Unknown_K
Full Member


USA
602 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  17:12:56
quote:

I think I may have mentioned "Comparable Sysyems". Look through your back-issues of Mac-Addict for an article called "The Truth" in issue 76 where they even illustrate a break down of what's offered, included, and would cost extra. Of course you have sub-brands that you could buy that has stuff included for less, but that's not really comparing Apples to , um, a major brand like Apple itself is. You can still get cheaper versions of Macs that were built in a generic case, but would you take one of those and compare it with a Dell? Brand Name and the companies that make them have a lot to do with the cost along with the warrented support that comes with the purchase.

That's like getting tools at the Dollar store and comparing them with Craftsman or Snap-On. Sure they're cheaper to buy, but they easier to break, prone to defects, and you end buying new ones all the time. Break a Craftsman, you go to Sears and trade it for a new one because they stand behind their tools. It's not just better made, but you have a hell of lot more protection in your investment.

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I guess your under the impression that a dell motherboard is different from the cheap integrated boards you find today in the aftermarket, its not. A long time ago US PC computer companies designed and produced their own motherboards, now its all done in taiwan (same places that build mac boards). This is the reason more and more people just build their own pc since the major sellers have too many buggy computers.

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Stryder
Junior Member


USA
382 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  17:58:51
Not under that impression at all. You're misreading and twisting my words around. You need to read through again apparently. You may notice I mentioned more than JUST the part quality. If you're building your own PC and broke the board or short something else during the operation, who pays for the replacement? It really iritates me when I present a rounded reasoning and someone thinks that picking out one item as the whole argument makes any sense. Narrow focus keeps one from taking in the complete picture.

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cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms


USA
4679 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  21:39:01
Hey, you just told my life story

I like to have a bit of this, and a bit of that, which is why I'm trying to get a bit of other things, a unix platform (SGI or Sun maybe...)

OSX lets you have the best of a graphical, and a text-based world, while windows can basically boast the ability to run on world's cheapest computers.

Cheap, is also not synonomous to bad.

Many older and even newer "Wintel" platform hardware is between dedent, and freakin' awesome... quality.

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maclover5
LC Doctor/Hot Rodder


Australia
5830 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  22:10:30
quote:

Many older and even newer "Wintel" platform hardware is between dedent, and freakin' awesome... quality.

Yeah, but hardware quality in general is starting to go downhill these days. Ever wondered how you can get a G5 these days for about 2 grand or less, when Mac IIs used to sell for 10 grand? Thats because the overall quality of the system is becoming cheaper and cheaper.

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Derekcat
Junior Member


USA
342 Posts
Posted - 07 Oct 2003 :  22:57:29
quote:
hardware quality in general is starting to go downhill these days

That's kinda what the guy at Fry's said…
"Things are getting more and more compact and using smaller and more breakable parts, that's why a phone you buy today wont last half as long as that one you bought x years ago…" [my dad was asking about cordless phones]

I think that's true to a point, but also something made 10 years ago didn't have all the production technology behind it that we have today… [Remeber why Rotary engines cost more? Cause the only group that has the equp. setup to make em is Mazda; if all GM cars started to use Rotary engines, the price would go down since they'd be make in bulk and not low quantity]
yea…

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Alien
Junior Member


Netherlands
269 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  01:14:29
quote:
quote:
Many older and even newer "Wintel" platform hardware is between dedent, and freakin' awesome... quality.

Yeah, but hardware quality in general is starting to go downhill these days. Ever wondered how you can get a G5 these days for about 2 grand or less, when Mac IIs used to sell for 10 grand? Thats because the overall quality of the system is becoming cheaper and cheaper.


It's not that simple. It's also development cost and manufacturing cost that have gone down. The Pwer Mac G5 is not of lesser quality than the IIfx which cost close to $10,000.

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maclover5
LC Doctor/Hot Rodder


Australia
5830 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  01:53:34
Good point, but there's a lot more new stuff breaking down today than there was, say, 10 years ago.

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Unknown_K
Full Member


USA
602 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  02:32:02
The IIfx was $10k because apple made a huge profit from it (high markup for a low volume product), and alot of the parts were made in america and also assembled and tested here.

Just about everything that used to cost alot and is now real cheap is made in korea/china/singaope/etc. Miniturisation and multifunction chips also helped out in this area. Look at how many chips an old video card needed and look at a new one.

Stryder: it doesnt matter if you build you own pc or a friend/local shop does it. Quite a few computers are still sold without a major brand label to them, all basically using the same off the shelf parts (barebone systems).

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Stryder
Junior Member


USA
382 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  03:11:35
I"m not sure how this keeps going over your head, but I'll freakin quote myself since you seem to keep missing the point.
quote:

Brand Name and the companies that make them have a lot to do with the cost along with the warrented support that comes with the purchase.


quote:
Break a Craftsman, you go to Sears and trade it for a new one because they stand behind their tools. It's not just better made, but you have a hell of lot more protection in your investment.

If you were to buy a new Mac or Dell, etc, you are buying more than the computer in itself. You're purchasing a "Package" that includes software, support (tech and/or otherwise), plus a warrentee against defects for some term of time. This is NOT something that you get from building your own and is rare and more limited if you buy it from some local guy that made a small business out of building generic ones.

I'm not comparing just the parts that go into the machine. How hard is it for you to comprehend that?

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cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms


USA
4679 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  06:19:15
and that's why we have to compare Apple to several of the largest PC manufacturers.

Which is why I'm not a carpenter.

I can't see why everyone things that quality has gone so far down and such, it is a whole line of things that make computers less expensive these days.

The first is, that mass producing, really does mean a whole lot of more mass these days, than 10+ years ago when the IIfx was the hot stuff on the desk.

In addition, lately, they need industrial designers less often, (they've been using the 4-handles G4 case how long now?)

Hard drives are cheaper, because of advancing technology, it's easier to make them, and more of them can be made, it's the same with memory and motherboards as well.

Also, more people are likely to buy a new G5 today, than people who bought a Mac IIfx however-many years ago.

also, because of inflation, 2000(today) is worth much more than 2000(13-15yearsago)

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maclover5
LC Doctor/Hot Rodder


Australia
5830 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  06:39:14
quote:

I can't see why everyone things that quality has gone so far down and such, it is a whole line of things that make computers less expensive these days.

Still, the overall quality has decreased. Stuff made in the '80s and '90s is often pretty hard to kill...thats why you see so many 486 boxen, compact Macs and pizzabox LCs still running like new. However, now we have hard drives that you throw away after 2 or 3 years, and PCs (both Macs and x86) crapping out after about 4 - 5 years.

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brad_k
New Member


Canada
63 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  06:42:42
This is an age old topic which I can't add much more to, aside from sharing my own experiences on why own a pc rather than a Mac for my daily usage.

First off, I'm no fan of the Micorsoft "experience", I often yearn for the simplicity of the Mac and all the toys that OS X has to offer, but there comes a point where you look past those issues and just concentrate on getting the job done. The user experience is just one small part of the equation (albeit important).

There are also several reasons why I cannot just jump ship from Windows XP. First, I've just too much invested in hardware & software I already own for this platform, so swapping it with a Mac is out of the question. Switching to Linux is also not possible for me though I've tried it more than once. Once you're over the learning curve, Linux can be a joy to use, it's empowering, it's freedom, and if all I needed was a browser and a office suite it would do me just fine. I do a lot of video processing with freeware tools for WinXP which just aren't available for any other platform (at the same level anyway). These tools being, AVISynth - and the hoards of filters that come with it, VirtualDub, TMPGEnc, not to mention all the many video codecs that are available. With these tools (amoung others) I'm able to do amazing things with old analogue footage and transfer them to DVD for family and friends, all on a shoestring budget. The simple fact is, no other platform can do this for me. Even if OS X came out tomorrow for the x86, I'd still have a hard time switching.

That said, I continue to love Macs. For all my pc can do for me, it can't replace (with WinXP anyway) that feeling of using a Mac. Is it any wonder I've dedicated a corner to my laundry room to them? :)


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Unknown_K
Full Member


USA
602 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  08:22:18
quote:

and that's why we have to compare Apple to several of the largest PC manufacturers.

Which is why I'm not a carpenter.

I can't see why everyone things that quality has gone so far down and such, it is a whole line of things that make computers less expensive these days.

The first is, that mass producing, really does mean a whole lot of more mass these days, than 10+ years ago when the IIfx was the hot stuff on the desk.

In addition, lately, they need industrial designers less often, (they've been using the 4-handles G4 case how long now?)

Hard drives are cheaper, because of advancing technology, it's easier to make them, and more of them can be made, it's the same with memory and motherboards as well.

Also, more people are likely to buy a new G5 today, than people who bought a Mac IIfx however-many years ago.

also, because of inflation, 2000(today) is worth much more than 2000(13-15yearsago)

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$2000 today is worth alot LESS then 2000 in the early 90's. The $10K a IIfx cost you in 1991 would have purchased a new car while today its not even close.

The reason quality has gone down is because computers are a commodity. Hard drive makers used to make a decent amount of money in the 70's 80's and early 90's since then most have gone out of buisiness while the ones left are struggling to make any money. Once a product becomes a commodity its hard to make any money from it even if the item is replaced often (like hd's). The older hd's were slower and generated alot less heat so they had a longer life then the ones today.

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Unknown_K
Full Member


USA
602 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  08:34:43
quote:

I"m not sure how this keeps going over your head, but I'll freakin quote myself since you seem to keep missing the point.
quote:

Brand Name and the companies that make them have a lot to do with the cost along with the warrented support that comes with the purchase.


quote:
Break a Craftsman, you go to Sears and trade it for a new one because they stand behind their tools. It's not just better made, but you have a hell of lot more protection in your investment.

If you were to buy a new Mac or Dell, etc, you are buying more than the computer in itself. You're purchasing a "Package" that includes software, support (tech and/or otherwise), plus a warrentee against defects for some term of time. This is NOT something that you get from building your own and is rare and more limited if you buy it from some local guy that made a small business out of building generic ones.

I'm not comparing just the parts that go into the machine. How hard is it for you to comprehend that?

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A mac or pc isnt like craftsman because you have a limited amount of time to get your item repaired (while your wrench is guaranteed for your lifetime). From what I heard from mechanics the older craftman tools were built alot stronger then the current ones to save money (not many people really stress their tools like mechanics do so it pays off).

The first thing DELL tells you to do when you have a problem is reformat the HD and reload windows from their cd's. Also getting replacement parts delivered is a very big pain in the ass. Compare this to the local box maker where you have a year warrenty and just drop the thing off and let them worry about it. Local shops sell software packages with their computers also.

Even if your buying parts and rolling your own you still have the year warrenty (or longer)on each component (unless its used). I had hd's break on me from systems I put together, all I had to do was call the RMA dept and a new drive was on its way and send the old one in when it showed up.

I dont think the value added by the top makers is worth as much as it used to be back in the computer stone age.

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The Lightning Stalker
Full Member


USA
747 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  16:29:27
No kidding. I had a lot of trouble getting a mobo/processor out of DELL (stupid Indians) even though it was obvious that was what was wrong with it. It took me over a month, during which time the warranty expired and I was almost up s%$# creek.

Let's not start comparing computers to tools.

This is why when I go Intel, I always get an Intel Desktop Board. This is because they designed the processor and they know the best way to drive it. Be there secret hardware accelerations in there or not.Go to Top of Page

maclover5
LC Doctor/Hot Rodder


Australia
5830 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  17:22:31
Lightning, I remember when i created that thread saying I was getting a Dell, and you said about the indians. I was surprised when i read about that, because I thought they only had Indians working for the Asia/Pacific division. Either way, i had an Indian sell me my system.

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wisof
Junior Member


USA
257 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  17:38:27
Indians???!!?!?!?!?Go to Top of Page
maclover5
LC Doctor/Hot Rodder


Australia
5830 Posts
Posted - 08 Oct 2003 :  17:52:20
Yeah. Dell employs Indians.

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cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms


USA
4679 Posts
Posted - 09 Oct 2003 :  10:15:13
so those interns are fake then? or they're i[native americans] with masks? either way, they're based in Texas, where [native americans] are most likely abound, unless you're talking about people from India...

Also, it's the price of the car that's gone DOWN, not the value of 2 grand...

because of inflation, 2 grand's value has gone up, because of quality and manufacturing techniques, the value(price) of a car has gone down.

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Metrophage
New Member


Tonga
54 Posts
Posted - 09 Oct 2003 :  14:11:47
Apples and Oranges is more like it. "Mac" is a kind ov computer made by one company. What is "PC"? Personal computer? The IBM computer from like 20 years ago? Does IBM even make computers anymore?

I think it's a bullshit euphemism, every time I hear somebody talking about "PC", they are talking about WINDOWS. Not Dos, not Linux, but an X86 computer which, is specifically running WINDOWS. If so many people prefer WINDOWS, then why can't they say so?

There are dozens ov good operating systems out there. And OS X is one ov my very faves. UNIX stability with minimal latency for audio work. It works without breaking, but if it does break, I can fix it.
What is so great about the 8086 assembly language which defines Windows? Not much really. The processors are ok, Win2k is ok. Neither are anything to shout about. Not anything really great, but I am supposed to use as my (the?) de-facto platform? It's not robust enough to be "the standard", and it's not very good for end users.

What makes a good chip architecture? What makes a fly bus? What makes an operating system solid, responsive, and expandable?

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Unknown_K
Full Member


USA
602 Posts
Posted - 09 Oct 2003 :  16:15:13
quote:

so those interns are fake then? or they're i[native americans] with masks? either way, they're based in Texas, where [native americans] are most likely abound, unless you're talking about people from India...

Also, it's the price of the car that's gone DOWN, not the value of 2 grand...

because of inflation, 2 grand's value has gone up, because of quality and manufacturing techniques, the value(price) of a car has gone down.

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If you like at the price of just about everything in 1990 and the price of the same thing now you notice that it costs more. So..has the value of $2k gone up or down?


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Unknown_K
Full Member


USA
602 Posts
Posted - 09 Oct 2003 :  16:40:04
quote:

Apples and Oranges is more like it. "Mac" is a kind ov computer made by one company. What is "PC"? Personal computer? The IBM computer from like 20 years ago? Does IBM even make computers anymore?

I think it's a bullshit euphemism, every time I hear somebody talking about "PC", they are talking about WINDOWS. Not Dos, not Linux, but an X86 computer which, is specifically running WINDOWS. If so many people prefer WINDOWS, then why can't they say so?

There are dozens ov good operating systems out there. And OS X is one ov my very faves. UNIX stability with minimal latency for audio work. It works without breaking, but if it does break, I can fix it.
What is so great about the 8086 assembly language which defines Windows? Not much really. The processors are ok, Win2k is ok. Neither are anything to shout about. Not anything really great, but I am supposed to use as my (the?) de-facto platform? It's not robust enough to be "the standard", and it's not very good for end users.

What makes a good chip architecture? What makes a fly bus? What makes an operating system solid, responsive, and expandable?



What most mac users dont get (and alot of old amiga os users didnt get back in the 90's) is that windows might not be the best, or that intel chips might not be the best; but when you put them together they are good enough to do what you want. Couple that with all the hardware and software choices out there for that platform and NOBODY with a proprietary hardware platform can compete in every area no matter how good the software or hardware is. So some brands get used in niche markets and make their manufacturers a nice buck, but they are not the industry standard. I dont want to start a flame war but those are the facts. Anybody can start producing windows apps or complete intel based machines that interface with other programs and hardware without having to get a liscence or pay royalties to ibm or microsoft. Can I start a company that makes mac, sgi, sun, etc clones? The open standard and multiple manufacturers made the PC what it is today not superior hardware or software, just the variety of both hardware and software manufacturers plus solutions for every industry and niche (wether its the best or not doesnt matter).

Another way of looking at it is how apple killed off the IIgs line even when they were popular and avoided the game market forever while the PC market never got steered away from ANY markets when they made even a slight profit. Also look at apple deciding to liscence the hardware out and then yanking it away a few years later.. that doesnt happen in an open architecture.

An os is just a layer between you the user and the computer. You really shouldnt even notice it because its just used to launch you aplications and provide drivers for your hardware. People get caught up in the OS while the real prize are the aplications. Amiga OS, OS/2 and BEOS were superior to win 3.1/9x but since the apps never materialised they died a slow or fast death. The reason apple went with the NEXT OS modiefied to OSX is because they finally realised they had to expand the user base (into unix software) or die out. There are less OSX capable apps out now then there were OS 9 apps, and there were probably more os 7.x apps then 9.0 apps. Today there are alot more xp/2k/9x apps then windows 3.x apps in the past. While many OSX users will say that why do I need more then 1 app for each function I say thats like saying why do I need more then just vanilla ice cream? Variety is the spice of life, the more choices the better.

In closing if the boneheads at apple would have kissed the game makers asses during the PC dos era when dos users like me were trying to edit config.sys and using multiple memory managers to get games to work they would have owned the computer market. But this just shows why a proprietary platform that picks and choses its market cant compete with an open ended platform where anything goes.


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maclover5
LC Doctor/Hot Rodder


Australia
5830 Posts
Posted - 09 Oct 2003 :  16:46:43
quote:

In closing if the boneheads at apple would have kissed the game makers asses during the PC dos era when dos users like me were trying to edit config.sys and using multiple memory managers to get games to work they would have owned the computer market. But this just shows why a proprietary platform that picks and choses its market cant compete with an open ended platform where anything goes.

I agree. Apple could've owned the computer market back in the 1990s, but instead they choosed to go the other way...god they can be so stupid sometimes.

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cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms


USA
4679 Posts
Posted - 09 Oct 2003 :  20:29:15
LOL, well what have I originally said, that the value of the dollar is going up or down? probably up huh?

well that migh've been a typo...


because yeah, the dollar continually buys you less and less, it was probably actually me tryhing to prove the point about how the G5 is, in fact, cheaper than a IIfx was...

(you noticed that ALL computers are getting cheaper right?)

:shudder: /me imagines a mac made by... (well actually, that would be pretty cool... Compaq Prolinea 040/33)

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Unknown_K
Full Member


USA
602 Posts
Posted - 10 Oct 2003 :  00:14:49
Compaqs have sucked rancid ass for a long time. Their only claim to fame was engineering a bios that was 99.99999% copy of the IBM one paving the way for real clone pc's. It also pionered the IBM portable (luggable too big to be called a laptop) computer. After the 386 compaq was just another me too clone maker.

I think the IIfx was probably the fastest desktop computer out in its time, and the price reflected that. The G5 while a great leap forward isnt the top dog in desktop speed, its also not 2x as expensive as a pc either so its a good design/cost ratio.

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