Anyone here like Macs?

lightwave1209

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I've always been a PC guy, and I still like the PC for its open architecture, and ease of upgradability. Lately, though the newer Macs like the iMac are very appealing.

Can you add RAM to a Mac, especially the iMac?
 

hank

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www.apple.com, click the Support tab, then click Discussions.

It depends a lot on which hardware, and whether you want to void the warranty.
The iMac is pretty much a closed box; you'll find discussion threads there for each model.

Not much criticism allowed there -- for that go to macfixit.com, or applerumors.com, or Google.

The big problem with Apple hardware is quality control (although surveys still claim it's among the better manufacturers). You buy the box, and if the computer doesn't work out of the box, you can be in warranty hell for a while before they get it fixed, in my experience. If you can find a place that promises to set it up and prove it works okay before you pay for it -- please post!
 

Biker Bear

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iMacs have fewer RAM slots (2) than the MacPro towers (8); thus it's best to get the machine with as much memory as you think you might want, or you will have to replace a module rather than pop one into an empty slot.

Think of them as being more like a laptop in this regard than a standard desktop machine.
 

RPM

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Don't be scared guys... jump in, the waters fine.
Been using Mac's for years and love 'em. Most my software will run on both both platforms, so that's a plus. Out of the box, the system software suite is pretty complete. Mail, Safari browser, iTunes, iPhoto, iDVD, iCal, and an overall easy interface. Our shop has high end M-Cad software that will only run on Wintel and now with the intel Mac's running "Parallel's" virtualization, I can literally run XP in the background, even copy and paste between systems seamlessly. Actually, my new iMac runs XP faster than some of our PC's.

To answer your question... It took me about 3 minutes to add ram to my iMac. Two screws on a bottom cover, and pop it in.

In the end, it's just a tool and whatever works better for ya... that's the one to use! My $.02
 

Valpo Hawkeye

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Mac user here. I used PC's since I was in grade school (I'm now 28). About a year ago, after I had wiped my PC laptop for the fourth time due to viruses and system instabilities, I said 'Enough!' I switched to a Mac and haven't looked back!
 

KenD

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Our office has been working on Macs for years.

Macs have always been good computers, and are getting better and better each round.

I am not a Mac "fanatic", and have used Windows machines. For our office, the advantage in using Apple has been financial. They are much cheaper to operate. For example, we have 30 machines networked. Some are using the newest operating systems while others are plugging away just fine on system 9.2 machines vintage 1999. We buy a new machine, plug it in and automatically we are all connected. One of our file servers is still on OS 8.5 and works fine. We have had to bring out an IT consultant about 6 times in the past 8 years. The issues were ususally wiring, routers and back up scripts - rarely involving actual Mac problems. Couple that with the lack of virus and file corruption problems, and the advantage is even more clear. Most companies of our size have IT consultant show up regularly at $100.00 or more per hour. Try to have thirty windows machines networked using different vintage operating systems at the same time. It won't work. Upgrade one machine and you end up having to buy all new computers for everyone else.

My friend had his PC network hijacked by some spam artist and it cost him $30,000.00 and a week of downtime to clean up his computers. Not to mention the problem with all his clients that received "viagra" and other porno spam from his e-mail accounts.

For home use, Mac are fantastic machines. I like to buy the latest and greatest for sheer fun; and the Mac platform really delivers in that regard. I rotate my machines to the office when a new model is released. I suppose for those that like to build their own computers from component parts, the P.C. would be the way to go. For me, the combiniation of design, simplicity and great software (especially on the newest machines) makes the decision easy. Keep in mind that for gaming, the PC is probably faster, but if you are really into games, buy a console system and try the Macintosh.

Also, Tiger, soon to release Leopard, is a mature solid operating system that is getting better each version. The integration of all the Mac programs makes the computer really enjoyable to use.

Vista has just come out, so for that reason alone, the Mac would be a good choice. Do you really want to beta test a new operating system? Also, you can run MS on the new Macs in case you later decide you really wanted a PC. machine.

Have fun with your new computer, whatever you decide.
 

Sable

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I've been using a Mac for a couple years now.

Overall, I'm extremely impressd. I work in a professional IT capacity, and my Mac has allowed me to do 98% of everything I need to do - the exceptions are some Windows-specific network diagnostic tools and installers for various network products (3Com, I'm looking at you...)

My Powerbook has been the best laptop I have ever owned. I've had a number of Inspirons and a couple of "Uber" notebooks - Sager and Alienware. In terms of portability and usability under every circumstance, from sitting on my lap [something Alienware flat-out can't do] to -70 and howling winds, it's never failed me. About three hours of battery life, too.

My industry is Windows-dominated, and I interact with it perfectly with my Mac. I'm a huge fan of XP as well, and the jury's out on Vista so far...my company should have our first Vista client rolling out soon.

I am looking forward with bated breath to Leopard.
 

ABTOMAT

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I've been using both Macs and PCs for years. I also collect Apple/Mac computers--right now I have about 38 of them dating back to 1979. I like both equally, for different things, and circa-2000 Powerbooks and iBooks are some of the best portable computers ever made.

You can upgrade RAM and hard drives in any Mac. Some also support processor upgrades, video upgrades, PCI expansion, and extra media bays.

I can't speak for the newer LCD iMacs, but I'll say that most CRT iMacs are trash hardware-wise. Made by Gold Star (cheap electronics maker, now known as LG) with low quality parts and poor cooling. The power supplies on the analog boards blow up like crazy. They're also nearly impossible to work on. I hope the newer ones are an improvement in this regard.
 

roadie

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fyi, macs adding ram is the same ...

there was a report that the current from 2004 (i think, cant remember) all macs will be using intel motherboards instead of its traditional RSIC (64bit) custom made boards.

and new macs will not be fiited with firewire, as USB 2.0 will be install ......

therefore now, a mac (inside) is almost identical to a PC
:)
 

ACMarina

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I roll an IBM Thinkpad with several flavors of Linux installed - pretty hard to beat free open-source software..
 

SoundMix

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I have both Macs and PCs. I needed the Macs for system specific professional audio/video software.

The Macs give me way more headaches than the PC's. Far more Mac system crashes than on XP. Everytime Mac upgrades their OS, much of my software gets buggy and needs to be updated.
awman.gif

Plus... there isn't as much software available for the MAC side. Make sure you can find all the software you want to run on a Mac before you buy one.

I'm planning on dumping my Mac's soon as the software I am using is now available for PC's.
 

guntotin_fool

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that sounds really odd, most off the musicians I know love Macs, and I know two pro Foley artists who will touch nothing but a Mac. In the field of graphics and art, Macs control the board. It has to do with vision too, Mac seems to employ people who see things as they can be, not as some dark machiavellian model that bill gates has cooked up.
 

SoundMix

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If you believe Macs don't have serious OS problems including security, go to their own web page http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305214
The updates listed there are for MARCH only.

Both Macs and PCs have serious issues.

For me, my PC's crash less often.

As for graphics, all of the professional photographers I know use PC's. Most of the graphics artists use Macs.
 

SoundMix

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Mac seems to employ people who see things as they can be said:
Bill Gates never made a PC computer, he does make software for Mac's and PC's. Your beef is not with Bill Gates, it is with Dell, Gateway, HP, IBM and countless others.

Apple makes computers that use the Mac OS and recently the Microsoft OS. It seems that Mac designers like Bill Gates.
 

nerdgineer

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My home computers are all Macs and I like them very much for stability, consistency, having less DRM, graphics capabilities, and just general coolness. I use PCs at work and they are OK but it helps to have professional IT around to take care of glitches and security.

My 2 non-full-techie daughters both use Mac laptops, and my full-professional-techie son just bought a new Mac laptop which he can boot up in any O/S: Mac/Windows/Linux.

Overall, we love our Macs...
 

carrot

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ACMarina said:
I roll an IBM Thinkpad with several flavors of Linux installed - pretty hard to beat free open-source software..
Don't get me wrong, I love open source, and I do run Linux, but the proprietary Mac OS X offers a more pleasant user experience, due to the unified look and feel of all applications, and strict HCI guidelines for Mac software. That's why I run OS X as my main operating system, anyway.

I know my next laptop will also be a Mac, because my Apple experience has been nothing but greatness. But I'll be booting XP/Vista and Linux as well as OS X, thanks to Apple's switch to the Intel architecture.
 

carrot

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I've always thought the PPC architecture was really nice, and being used exclusively in Apple products for the general consumer market, protected Apple from things like OSX86 projects.

But the move to x86 benefits Apple more than ever. Having moved to x86 a while back, things have smoothed out enough that more people might be willing to pick up a Mac over a new Vista machine, knowing if they dislike the OS X experience, they can always put Windows on it, or even Windows just for gaming and general compatibility. The switch to Mac is definitely worth it for anyone willing to give OS X a shot and not just complain about how different from Windows it is. Those differences are what makes OS X the better overall experience, IMO.

Also, this year at GDC07 there was increased interest in making OSX games due to the move to Intel architecture... so all is good in Mac-land.
 
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