PROACEX1's Random Thoughts, Ideas, and Opinions...

A Response to the PC vs. Mac Controversy...

2008-08-29T23:37:00Z

First off, sorry about the blog and the title, since at first it likely seems as a bit odd to have a blog about the same subject so close in posting time together, but I never got around to posting this before I left (I had decided to get back into the blogging world a bit), and I come back and someone (Capt. Insane :P ) already posted up a blog on the subject, so this isn't exactly a response to that blog in so much as it is some of my personal opinions and experiences on the subject (And this is my original blog I had before I left, just with some editing for grammar and references)! My apologizes if the blog names are so similiar (Mainly this is due to the the subject being so similar), and I must recommend you also read Capt. Insane's blog post on this subject, and the responses there (And I recommend checking out the links I provide at the end)... ;)

http://www.eggxpert.com/blogs/capt_insane/archive/2008/07/30/pc-vs-mac.aspx

I would like to mention that RjBass's blog "Windows, OSX, or Linux? That is the question." reminded me of this subject back when I first started this, and I would also like to recommend you also read his blog and the responses there:

http://www.eggxpert.com/blogs/rj_systems/archive/2008/01/22/windows-osx-or-linux-that-is-the-question.aspx

So, without further ado... :D

Well, I've seen a ton of c**p go on in my day, but the huge flamewar between PCs and Macs really takes the cake!

You wouldn't believe how many friends of mine who don't have a single clue about technology, but own Macs, use the normal bigotry claiming Macs are better then PCs...But do they have anything to back it up? Never...They never have anything to show for sources, nothing which provides actual proof, and are almost always lacking the empirical evidence required for a solid foundation of such a claim...

Apple's switched over to PCs hardware (More specifically, Intel CPUs) and components now, but they're still very incompatible with just about anything, hardware or software...

As of late, I've gotten into many arguments with some of my friends, and here is a response I made to one of my friends which should sum up the issue pretty well (Note that I did not include his original post, so this may not be as fully coherent as if I were to include his post, but it includes quite a bit of personal information):

The test you said about Mac's running Vista OS to be the fastest has already been proven wrong by Maximum PC, you can go to their site and read the article in which they tested a Window OS vs a Mac OS on both a PC and on a Mac...They did a test and have already proven PCs to be faster then Mac’s, when running either OS…

They only sometimes have a better GUI then Windows or Linux, Mac OS’s (AKA Operating system), such as Mac OS X, is roughly 10-20% slower on all applications then even Window’s Vista, and Window’s XP PRO is roughly 40-50% faster…You can talk about Vista being crappy all you want, but I can remind you of each and every time either Microsoft and Apple have released a new OS…They always have major issues…Mac’s current OS is OS X, which has many major issues, many just like Vista…So talk all you want about Mac’s having better OS’s, but in reality any new product from either a PC or Mac standpoint has major issues…

Mac's may have integrated hardware in their 24inch monitors (They go up to 30 inches), but they're limited as to upgrading, and have many cooling issues...PCs have the same ability and tech, but PC tech has equivalents to your iMac, there are many PCs, both OEMs and DIYs, which have the ability to be a standalone monitor design, just like your iMac, but these aren’t as limited like your iMac is, PC’s also don’t

have the drivers issues and compatibility issues Macs do...You can easily download drivers or dual-boot an OS if you have to use a different OS due to application issues with PCs…Oh, and the newer CPUs from Intel run cooler, which is why Mac’s are now using them, and guess what, that means Mac’s are technically PCs from a hardware standpoint!

“Cause they can’t get spyware or viruses at all”? Have you ever read about anything? Google “Mac viruses” or “Mac Spyware”, it has just as many viruses and spyware applications as PCs do, relative to the overall size of the Macintosh market vs. Microsoft OS market…Mac’s aren’t safer security wise either, with their OS’s having many exploitable trap doors and openings in their firewalls, and they easily acquire rootkits, especially in Mac X OS’s (Mac’s newest OS)…

“MAC'S also have this supercool thing called time machine, where you can retrieve ANY file that has EVER been on or deleted from the com

When it comes to Project sharing, there are free PC applications which do the same thing…And while PCs may not always be used by Hollywood movies (BTW Mac’s aren’t always used either, because they aren’t fast enough for a lot of it, that’s where specialty workstation GPUs come in)…

When it comes to hardware, Mac’s are pretty limited (Apple doesn’t allow for much modification)… “MAC'S also have this supercool thing called time machine, where you can retrieve ANY file that has EVER been on or deleted from the computer”

Guess what, PCs have that too, you can download them for free or you can buy professional ones…One example is File Scavenger, available for $50 from quetek.com…Oh, and btw, Mac's are now using Intel CPUs and PC parts, and are no longer running proprietary hardware on their newer systems because the older micro architecture of the Mac's CPUs were found too slow to compete with Intel's far faster Conroe (C2D) CPUs...

They have compatibility issued with many ATi and NVIDIA GPUs (Graphic processing units), have limited upgrade issues, warranty issues (You can’t overclock a Mac without voiding warranty, nor can you upgrade CPUs or motherboards without voiding the warranty on many of them)…And why do you keep on going on about Circit City? Who the c**p cares about them, that’s for n00bs like you and other folks who buy PCs or Mac’s from them…. Go to newegg.com for where many go to buy DIY parts, or for OEM systems, Falcon Northwest or Voodoo PCs…Mac’s don’t even compare to the ones made by Falcon Northwest Systems…

And go on about the difference of Gigahertz between the highest end CPU circuit city sells compared to the 1.8Ghz in your Mac, but guess what, go to newegg.com, zipzoomfly.com, buy.com, or many other online retail stores, and you’ll find that PC’s have faster CPUs (currently, you can get a quad-core Intel C2D at 3.0Ghz with the Penryn micro architecture and it’ll still be faster then a 4.0Ghz Mac G4 CPU…)

But it doesn’t really matter anymore, because while Mac’s are now using Intel CPUs (AKA PC CPUs), they are going to be 6 months behind compared to PCs…Why? Because Intel is released it’s new Penryn CPUs, and Mac’s have to either be upgraded (which isn’t available yet), or you have to buy a new one…

And when it comes to memory, Mac’s are still limited to DDR2, with only a few using DDR3…Also, Mac’s are limited to DDR2 667 standard (newer ones can use up to DDR2 800 standard, but PCs can go up to DDR2 1350), and DDR3 1333 standard for the highest end…Most modern PC motherboards can easily hold up to 8Gb of DDR2 or DDR3 memory, with many going up to 16Gb, and some going up to 32Gb…Mac’s can have up to the same amount of memory, but why? Because they are using PC motherboards…And, unlike Mac’s, you can buy or build a PC at just about any price point…You can also build a PC for roughly the same as buying a Mac and be able to pick faster or more advance hardware for a faster PC then a Mac of equivalent price…(You can check this out in the Maximum PC article, or at TomsHardware.com)…

So, in summary, Mac’s use PC hardware, their software is slower, and when run on PCs, Mac OS’s are slower then Windows OS, while Linux is faster then either of them…And Mac’s aren’t compatible with Linux (PCs are)…Mac’s may have better GUI’s for graphic design artists, yes, and they have a few applications used by graphical artists which are Mac only, but PCs have many equivalent applications…

You can argue all you want, but you don't study computer technology, nor do you apparently read enough to know what you're talking about.

I've been researching PC and Mac’s technology for more then 9 years now, so I really do laugh at your attempt at refuting my points and the fact that the highest end Mac's are all around slower then the highest end PCs...Hardware, software, and compatibility wise (don’t even get me started on the compatibility issues Mac’s have with games, other OS’s, applications, and otherwise)…

So, Fact #1: Apple's switched over to PCs hardware (More specifically, Intel CPUs) and components now, but they're still very incompatible with just about anything, hardware or software...They've got even worse 64-Bit compatibility with software then Windows OS do...

Fact #2: Comparably, Macs are not anymore secure then PCs (Windows or Linux)...A good basis for this fact is that a company (I forgot which) studied the PC market vs. the Macintosh Market (More specifically, Windows XP vs. Mac's equivolent OS), and they found that the amount of viruses, worms, rootkits, malware, spyware, and other bad or infectious software seems to be directly related to market share...Window's has the largest market share, so it's no surprise they also have the most infectious software issues, but when compared to Mac's, Window's is roughly the same...The infection rate is still very close to being the same!...And in some sectors, Mac's are even worse due to their lack of software security and the users blissfully idiotic ignorance (To put it simply)...

So I find it quite hilarious, especially when you see those stupid Mac commercials on TV...

Here are some other forum threads I've found related to this topic:

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/65779.aspx

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/108965.aspx

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/30022.aspx

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/post/29512.aspx

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/post/19695.aspx

And for us who are Selectee's:

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/ShowThread.aspx?PostID=329065#331299

I'll be posting up more on this topic later, as I come across articles and what not, and have new arguments with folks (possible Part 2? hehe)... :D

Respectfully,

PROACEX1

Hardware, is high-end/a new system worth it?

2007-05-29T01:37:00Z

So what good does it do to get high-end or new equipment?

Here are 10 reasons why, but be warned, many are not legitiment reasons to use with the parents or wife on why you want to spend $$$ on a new PC...

1: Your PC will be future proof for just a bit longer...What is future proof-ing? It is where you try to make your PC last a bit longer then you'd normally expect, both in performance and in its lifetime...

2: Games at their highest settings and resolutions, best graphics you can ever imagine, right there in front of you...Simple as that...

3: Being able to do something in a much shorter time then normal...You can edit video, photo's, home video's *cough cough*...You can essentially do almost anything faster...'Cept for bringing up internet explorer...It just doesn't want to ever come up!...Which is why you might as well upgrade your internet from dial-up to cable...Lolz

4: You'll have reduced heating bills, thanks to your new heater...You will also have increased cooling builds in the summer...

5: You can now finally get that 30in you've been dreaming about!

6: Its a great way to find yourself without a girlfriend, wife, or friends!

7: Being able to pawn all those n00bs in multiplayer...Heck, you'll be able to grief a bit better even!

8: You finally have an excuse to spend more time on your *new* PC...

9: You can do more things then you'll likely want to know with a new, high-end PC...

10: Bragging rights...Impress that nerdy girlfriend of yours...Impress your nerdy friends...Wow people who have no clue about PCs..."Pretty LEDs, ahh"...

Anyhows, enough with the jokes and partial truths...

To be honest, do you really need a high-end PC? Many of the arguments range from "it being outdated as soon as you buy it" to "can you really finacially afford it?" and many more...

But still, the question remains, do you really need it?

In all truth, this isn't even a question, not even a trick question at that!

The simple answer is: Does your budget allow it? Do you need it for whatever you may be doing? Do you need it for work or for play?

It all comes down to personal needs and bias...

For example, you don't need it for much more then a way to e-mail, play minesweeper and a few other "games", and maybe IM a friend...

Or do you need it becuase your an IT guy, downloading uploading a ton of stuff, multi-tasking with many applications, having to be able to do it all within a schedule which has to be kept...

Or are you a gamer who needs performance right here, right now? Are you a light or hardcore gamer? Are you old/mature enough to be able to be responsible enough to realize that a new PC is a long-term investment?

Also: Why does everyone seem to be so short-sited? Do you really want to be upgrading every 6 months to a year, or do you want it too last without to much money being put into it? Can you pay for upgrading every few months, or do you need something which can last?

Simply enough, it comes down to the individual, and the person's needs, wants, budget, and bias...

We here at Eggxpert can only help so much, the rest you have to decided and do yourself...And this is the truth...Of course, you have to remember you can also ask us for our opinions and comments, which may lead you in the right direction...

Respectfully,

PROACEX1

PCs vs. Consoles...

2007-05-21T19:52:00Z

Sometimes I've always wondered, what is better, a PC or a console...

I've layed awake at night doing cost-benifit ratios of which is better...

PC: Wider selection of video games, cheaper video games in some cases, good Single Player and Multiplayer (sometimes), better graphics (except the occasional times when the new consoles come out) better resolutions, more graphical options, more people in multiplayer, better controls/interface with some games, Real-Time Strategy Games (RTS), multimedia capabilities which are FAR better then any console, Pimp My Rig, DIY ability plus the ability to cut your finger while messing with a PC, PC has the ability to have software fixes (such as drivers, patches, MoDs), Ect...

Consoles: Cheap, Cheaper, Cheapest; Can play many games, mainly RPGs and FPSs, not too shabby graphics, normally has better multiplayer overall, due to a larger base, Xbox 360 used to be the only way to play Halo 2, you don't have to worry about paying $$$ to get a good gaming PC, you don't have to worry about paying $$$ to replace your gaming system cause of a house fire, a dog peeing on it, a lighting strike, ect; you can take it anywhere a bit easier then the 75 pound full tower ATX, not including the monitor, did I mention it's cheap?

So what does everyone say about this subject?

Please comment...

Respectfully,

PROACEX1

P.S. Check out my other blog post: http://www.eggxpert.com/blogs/proacex1/archive/2007/05/28/hardware-is-high-end-worth-it.aspx