PC v Mac... Which do you prefer?

[Dannykilla]

I have just recently purchased a Macbook Pro & I think it is very nice, but I still prefer my Beast of a PC. I can't put my finger on it, why I do.
So I was wondering who what vB users prefer and why?

[Kier]

Not really the right question though, is it? Now that Mac's are essentially PCs, shouldn't the question be Windows or Mac OS X?

From my perspective, there are many things to like about OS X, but Finder is just so awful compared to Vista's Explorer...

I'd just like to add that my home machine is a Mac Pro, my own laptop is a Macbook Air, but I'm by no means a die-hard Apple fan.

So much of OS X is half-baked and nasty. Finder is one example (it suffers particularly badly because Explorer under Vista is so good). Keyboard navigation is also painfully ghastly on the Mac.

[Floris]

I agree that the 32bit Finder in Leopard is a dissapointment still.

But one I can overcome, I truely enjoy the Mac OSX over XP/Vista and even Linux right now. That doesn't mean changes in the future could make me switch yet again.

[Dannykilla]

Well I too am no die-hard apple fan, this is my first mac system, after friends and family telling me "Once you go Mac, you never go back" and I have to say I am very impressed with the macbook but I just always go back to my PC, and yes your spot on with the Vista's Explorer is awesome, especially compared to finder.
I do have one moan about Vista and that is the UAC that pops up on certain apps, but apart from that Vista is pretty Awesome! better than I thought it would be.

[Wayne Luke]

I prefer Windows and Linux over Mac OSX. Primarily because I am not tied to a single primary hardware vendor. Secondary reason would be the extent of hardware and software available which means you have choices and can pick and choose your entire setup.

I will add that I do not currently own a Macintosh and do not plan to in the future.

[Chousho]

Well, since Apple now uses Intel...

Semantics aside, when it comes to Operating Systems I prefer GNU/Linux. Pretty much any Windows software I need can be run through wine or the like, and that is if I haven't already found substitutes for it that are FOSS.

WinXP on my laptop dragged horribly whenever I tried to boot up, run apps or the like. Having dual-booted Fedora with XP for a while I got accustomed to using Linux enough that I eventually dumped Windows after it failed to boot on the day of a final (for Visual Basic, imagine my joy).

Besides wine, if I need anything else, VMWare is always an option, as well.

As for OS X? I prefer to not have my hardware and software locked down. I do love Apple for the work on CUPS, though. At least they're giving back to the community in areas desperately needed. However, there's so much more freedom in being able to buy top of the line hardware where you can get a deal and putting your favorite OS on the system of your choice.

Sigh sigh, I am le ranting, though. The moral of the story is: use what you like, use what you want. Laissez fair.

*As a note* I thought I had read that Finder was based on Beagle. I actually find Beagle to be quite nice for finding files. I haven't yet tried out Vista beyond some of the exterior parts as it wouldn't install on my laptop, but is the search really that much more improved?

[Kier]

*As a note* I thought I had read that Finder was based on Beagle. I actually find Beagle to be quite nice for finding files. I haven't yet tried out Vista beyond some of the exterior parts as it wouldn't install on my laptop, but is the search really that much more improved?

As far as I'm concerned, the search isn't the issue. I hardly ever use search either on Vista or OSX.

What is important is things like Explorer's tree view, which Finder suffers terribly for not having, decent keyboard navigation, the ability to type a file path into a window, a usable and useful breadcrumb facility, the ability to cut, copy and paste files, decent multi-file selection mechanisms...

All of which Finder lacks, badly.

[iBodo]

PC

I strongly prefer PC since I have used it logner than Mac, since it has a much friendlier interface and since it is a bit cheaper

[Floris]

I 100% agree with Kier.

Finder is a joke on the Mac, it should have been updated 2 versions ago, and it was very disappointing at the release of 10.5 to hear it's basically still the same.

It's one of those things you run into daily when working with projects and go 'omg, really! common' .. there are a few alternatives but I mostly use a load of shortcuts now and aliasses to make it easier for me.

[Cromulent]

I think I use the Finder about once a week, and I'm an extremely heavy computer user. Most things can be done within applications. iTunes in the best example to use as you never need to use the Finder to organise your music it is all done inside iTunes.

But, generally speaking I tend to use the Terminal for any large scale file operations. Being able to use wildcards and other useful Unix applications just speeds everything up no end.

[ManagerJosh]

Too bad we Windows users can't run OSX

[MrNase]

I prefer my good old Mac but I still use XP (my dad's PC and my girlfriends laptop) and what can I say… XP isn't bad but I don't want to go back. I love my Mac but I will never bash XP users.

[Wayne Luke]

But, generally speaking I tend to use the Terminal for any large scale file operations. Being able to use wildcards and other useful Unix applications just speeds everything up no end.

I actually prefer to not use the command line if it can be avoided. One of the things that I like about Windows Explorer. I don't have to.

[Homestar Runner]

Mac OS but that's just me =P

[TomJames]

I've got a couple of PCs and an iMac which I also have Windows Vista on (bootcamp) and I personally think both have their benefits and negative points. I spend most of my time running Windows Vista at the moment since I need to run Visual Studio 2008 but I used to spend all my time on OS X :P.

Oh and yeah, they need to fix the finder soon :P

Too bad we Windows users can't run OSX

Technically that's the fault of Apple making it require an Apple manufactured machine rather than one of other PC manufacturers.