“It can be pretty difficult to make the key decision between Mac and Windows. But… Macs are the best choice for many users, probably you included,” Paul Vaughn writes for The San Antonio Express-News.
Vaughn writes, “All Macs come with a variety of software that will help you create movies and music without buying additional programs. Apple’s iLife suite is a nicely integrated package that includes iMovie, iDVD and GarageBand, among others. The combination of these lets you import your digital video, edit it, add titles, music and transitions, and then burn your movie to a DVD that can be played in any home DVD player. Movies created with iMovie have been featured at international film festivals like Cannes and Sundance — it’s that good. With GarageBand you can create your own electronic music, create podcasts, record live music and plenty more.”
“The same folks who made the computer and its operating system make all of this software, so everything works smoothly together and you get a fantastic user experience. There are also third-party applications available, but you get these tools pre-installed on any Mac as part of the price of admission,” Vaughn writes. “If you later want to move up to more professional software, Apple offers Final Cut Express and Final Cut Studio for more professional video work and Logic Pro for music. Many people working in the television and music industries use these applications.”
Vaughn writes, “But while making movies and music, don’t forget about your schoolwork. Microsoft Office is available for the Mac, and there are other alternatives as well. There are many scientific applications that work great on the Mac. If you need a specific application, check with the developer and see if there is a Mac version. If not, there may be an equivalent by another developer or you can run the Windows version on a Mac with programs like Parallels Desktop for Mac (http://www.parallels.com), Crossover (http://www.codeweavers.com) or another such application.”
“HP or Compaq (they are the same company now) will sell you a computer built by them, with a Microsoft operating system and some other third-party software that might be able to do some of the things you want. The software that comes with these systems is often there because the developer has paid the PC manufacturer to include it,” Vaughn writes.
“The Mac is an easy out-of-the-box solution and you will be productive on the MacBook within 10 minutes. Windows Vista sounds like it will be a nice upgrade, but you will have to choose from five versions,” Vaughn writes. “Every Mac comes with the full version of Mac OS X and iLife ’06; nothing is cut out for the less expensive systems. The version of Mac OS X is the same on a $500 Mac Mini as it is on a $2,500 Mac Pro. The only other version is Mac OS X Server, which is designed for servers and not average users. A Mac has all the features you want from Vista, but has them right now.”
Vaughn writes, “I recommend that you go over to the nearest Apple Store or Mac retailer and have the sales people demonstrate some of the software that comes with a Mac. I know you will be impressed.”
Full article here.
This is truly an excellent answer to a reader’s question, “Why Mac?” from The San Antonio Express-News’ Paul Vaughn. Vaughn is a freelance writer, graphic artist, Web designer and Mac consultant who invites readers to email him with any Mac-related questions at paulv@mac.com
Paul Vaughn’s San Antonio Express-News columns can be found here.
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This guy’s on the ball.
While I agree with him, he seems to much of a fanboi/infomercial to be very convincing.
It is almost impossible to talk about the without being enthusiastic.
Graphic artists rock! I agree 100% with his article!
Anyone who says anything good about Macs is obviously a fanboi. <rolls eies.>
He forgot something…
…that all new Mac’s also have the ability to run Windows OS as well as Mac OS X.
Of course Vista will be hobbled on Mac’s because of a lack of a Direct X video card.
Oh Microsoft knew EXACTLY what was up with the Intel switch, they planned accordingly.
In fact, it’s even possible, through the TPM chip, for M$ to deny Mac’s the ability to run Vista.
Suck on them eggs.
Can i ask people in here, when they jumped on board with their macs?
Was it before OS X came out or After the release of OS x????
Joe.
Way before. My first mac used OS 7!
A long time ago…..
Not they can not Rabid Dog
PC manufactures are already bitching about all the propreitary needs of vista just to run properly. MS wont be able to cut off apple without cutting off someone else.
My first mac was an old SE running os 6. somthing, os 7 was a huge improvment.
I didnt like OS 9 that much.
joe – my first computer, period, was a Mac SE in college. It had a whopping 40MB hard drive! I bought it with MS word and a printer from my university’s store at student pricing for… drumroll… $3,500!!! That’s almost six grand today, according to the handy-dandy inflation calculator: http://www.westegg.com/inflation/
“Can i ask people in here, when they jumped on board with their macs?”
1986…..looooooooooong before OSX.
First computer (ever) = Cube (OS 9.0.4) Sept. 2000
Current computer = same Cube (10.4.8)
Joe:
I bought my Mac 6 years ago. Before that I didn’t want anything to do with any computer. A very close and personal friend convinced me to get a computer. I bought a Mac based on my own personal research. I statred out with Mac OS 9 – I like the simplicity of OS 9, I like the stability of OS X.
My first mac was a PowerMac 7100 that I bought at a discount through my college’s bookstore in grad school in 1994. It set me back about $3000 with the monitor (but without the printer). According to macca’s web site that’s like $3800. It came with MacOS 7.5. After being in IT for years before this and being new to the Mac I LOVED it. I could use it without futzing with it – like an appliance. NOT like a Windoz box.
oh – and I still have it, and it works great. Though I don’t have much use for it today.
I must say that remembering how much I paid for that thing really makes me consider how much cheaper Mac’s are today. I have an iMac now but am considering buying a MacBook soon – and they are positively cheap compared to laptops of 1994!
First Apple experience… an Apple IIGS
First Mac owned… blueberry iMac 333
Mac user since OS 8.6…
My first Mac was a 128K Mac with an external floppy drive and an ImageWriter printer. It cost $4200 CDN with an extra year of warranty. If memory servers, the serial number on the case was 00016. It ran Finder 1.0, came with MacWrite 1.0 and MacPaint 0.9. It freakin’ rocked!
I immediately put it to use making money as a graphic designer and have never looked back. I’ve owned Mac Pluses, MacSEs, MacIIs (original), MacIIcx, PowerMac with a 603 processor, moved to a PowerMac G4, and currently use (at home) a dual 867 G4 tower (still very useful but getting long in the tooth) and at work run a brand new MacPro with dual 20″ cinema displays.
I used Windows for an extended period of time – once. I beta-tested Aldus PageMaker for many years, and tested V1 for Windows – our instructions from Aldus were “if it doesn’t work like it does on the Mac, it’s a bug.”
Times have changed.
MDN word = “ways” as in Windows sure has a long “ways” to go to catch the Mac.
mrmikey wins.
My first Mac was a IIsi which ran OS 6, i believe. Successive Macs: Powerbook 190cs, 400mhz G4, PB G3 Pismo, Quicksilver G4 867, and currently a 1.33 PB 12″ and a dual 2.7 G5.
1987 – Mac SE, cause I wanted a Chinese OS.
At work, I used a just-released Compaq 386, which cost my investment bank something close to $10k, at that time. Heck, I think the NIC card cost $1000, by itself. In fact, I had to negotiate our bank’s $12 million computer contract with IBM for several 3090 mainframes and a thousand PCs. Nevertheless, at home, I used a Mac.
Kaypro CP/M – 1983
PC Clone – 1986 (it ran under DOS and Windows 1!)
First Office Mac – Mac II (1989)
First Home Mac – Performa 6115 (1990-91?)
Current Mac – Dual 2.3MHz G5
And, by the way, I loved System 9. I was a VERY late convert to OSX, and still miss System 9 some times (like when I have font problems)
First Mac…..an original Classic with the B/W screen! OS 6.something.
My first Mac? 1984.
But it was the second model Apple came out with — the “Fat Mac”. The Fat Mac had 512k RAM, not like mrmikey’s 128k Mac. That, external floppy, ImageWriter and Filemaker was $3300. All the same, the Fat Mac came with the autographed case =^). 2nd? Mac IIsi. Then a Powerbook 650 (and a severe case of RSI — I’ll never use anything but an ergo keyboard again). Then a SuperMac clone of the 6100. Then a Graphite G4 dual-533 … and that lasted until two weeks ago when the motherboard finally gave out.
So now I have a Mac Pro tricked out real nice…..
MW: Who needs a life? I have a Mac Pro….
Made the switch just after the iPod was released and haven’t looked back.
I’ll never return to Windoze.
Moonie
Rabid Dog: Direct X video card? I run stuff in XP now on my iMac that requires this according to the package. Runs just fine. And why would MS want to intentionally hobble Vista running on a Mac. They get a lot more cash from a hard copy sale of Vista than an OEM install licence. Will take a long time before MS needs to worry about Macs running windows and somehow hurting them. If ever.
first Mac used. My father’s original 512k “Fat” Mac. Since i had previously just used ‘dumb’ terminals running off what used to be called a “mini-computer” ( only the size of a couple of steamer trunks, unlike the roomful of gear I sued in high school, punch cards and all).
Didn’t get my own Mac until 94, an LC630. (after using an Atari ST from 86 to 94), then a 6500/300 which i upgraded to a G3/400, eMac 1 ghz in 03, now a 20″ IMac Core2. In addition, daughter has 17″ iMac G5, 12″ iBook G4. Mother has PM 6400/180, and iMac G4 (Luxo Jr). All 8 units still functioning, altho some don’t get fired up very often. Can run System 8.1, 9.1, 9.2.2, OS X 10.4, and XP. Think I have my bases covered.
Also, Core 2 rocks!!