Actually, my dad still has it in his museum, I mean basement. We played some fun games on the Apple, but it was kind of pricey and dad bought a bunch of thick books on DOS and decided we needed to make the switch to PC. That was the last Apple product I owned til I got an ipod a few years ago, then the ipad.
Here's my list of the pros and cons of buying an iMac.
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Pros
- I've been really impressed with my ipad. I think Apple likely makes a superior product compared to the PC market.
- I'm so sick of viruses. We have Norton 360 and Spybot and we still get junk on our computer that slows it down. The virus situation should be better with a Mac.
- Come on, they just look cool.
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Cons
- Price.
- Compatibility problems with our PC programs.
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Cons rebuttal (See how my mind works. Justification is a dangerous thing.)
- It's true that we could run out and buy an entry-level Compaq or HP at Best Buy for under $500 like we did last time, but comparing that kind of system to an iMac is like comparing oranges to, well... Apples. To buy a PC that's the caliber of an iMac, we'll probably have to spend closer to $1,000, making price difference no longer an issue.
- I think compatibility has improved in recent years, though I don't know this to be true. I should say, according to Apple, iMacs are compatible with all our PC files and devices.
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Here's where you come in. The Bible says that in the multitude of counselors there is safety. This is a big decision and it's a lot of money. If you have an iMac, is it worth it? Do you regret it? Have you found it to be less susceptible to viruses compared to your PC? Are there any programs you can't run, especially homeschool stuff? Did your old printer work with your iMac? Did you have to download lots of drivers to make all your PC stuff work with your iMac or was it plug-n-play? Help us decide whether we should make the switch.
Thank you for your input!
we have an i-mac and LOVE every minute of it! We would not go back and un-do our decision we made when we forked over the money. It has been worth every penny. No compatabality problems and no viruses and no need to even install a virus protection program. We were able to start using it immediately right out of the box and it is sooo simple to learn. We all LOVE it! Don uses a pc at work and HATES it. The only thing that we do not like is the text edit compared to Word. But, if we want to spend the money, we can purchase a Mac compatible version of Word. There is so much available now for Mac users compared to several years ago. I would say to take the jump and purchase one- you will NOT regret it.
ReplyDeleteWhen it came time for me to buy a new computer recently--like... well over a year ago, now... time sure flies--I was considering the iMac/PC debate myself. I use both regularly, and am very comfortable in both operating systems. Here's where I came down:
ReplyDeleteMy best friend purchased an iMac for about two grand (after taxes and all that). I could get myself a superior PC from cyberpowerpc.com for $815. I didn't want to spent more than a grand on a personal computer, and I figured I could completely replace my computer once--with the latest technology and software--and still come out ahead.
But, yes, if you plan to spend over a grand on a computer... get a Mac.
If you don't want to spend over a $1,000 on a computer... you half to buy a PC [smile]. And my PC is better than my friend's iMac.
As for viruses, there are more of them for the PC. But I have yet to have a problem with them. Ever. Practice good web surfing habits and you should be solid. At this point in time, both Windows and Apple have systems in place that require you to type a password before something can install itself on your computer. As always, the system can't protect you if you decide to press "Install" [smile].
My two cents. I'm going to leave this as a rambling comment because I don't feel like taking the time to edit it. Sorry!
~Luke
You're right that Apple makes a great product. The hardware is sleek and they use well-built components. Mac OS is solid and considerably less buggy than the Microsoft alternative.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Macs can and do get viruses (just not as often). Because most folks out there use Microsoft operating systems, they are a larger target for hackers. Nonetheless, Mac OS viruses are out there.
As far as getting the most out of your money, you could get a PC (not an HP) that has the same horsepower as the Mac for half of the price. If you haven't used it, Windows 7 is a fast and pretty operating system.
To echo Luke, I operated without an antivirus product installed for many years without being infected. I have also removed viruses from the same people's machines every few months because they seem to keep getting infected, even though they have antivirus software installed. Those folks click on things before reading what they're clicking on.
I have removed viruses that were transmitted through attachments in emails, malicious websites, "riders" on downloaded programs, and even Google Earth. Folks that are cautious web surfers are less likely to be infected, but it can still happen.
There are better products out there than Norton 360 for sure. If you keep a PC, I strongly recommend Microsoft Security Essentials as an antivirus program and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for all of your antimalware needs. They are both free for home use and are the best on the market.
And regardless of which platform you select, I strongly advise investing in an offsite online backup solution such as Carbonite. You don't want to lose those pictures of the kids, etc. if disaster strikes. Let me know if I can be of any help.