Naim/Mac Users?

Same machine as Chris preceded by a titanium macbook (dropped one time too many!); started using them in 1992. I'm not sure whether I would spend the extra on a macbook pro over a basic macbook with extra ram - at the end of the day they can all be dropped with the same result!

Peter

Very recently moved over to a MacBook.

I like it a lot. No problems so far. Although I quite like the Safari browser, certainly more than Explorer, I have retained Firefox which I prefer to both.

Steve

Steve

I ran Safari and Firefox together for a short while - generally Firefox performs much quicker on my machine and I really like the way you can add tabs to single click switch between web sites/ pages.

Peter

Not sure what system number this is - photo's soon to show etc, but:
Mac pro 2.8 x 2. into a samsung (desk) and llyama (behind the A90) monitor, Motu 828 mk 3 firewire interface. Studio8 etc etc.

quote:

Originally posted by northpole:
Steve

I ran Safari and Firefox together for a short while - generally Firefox performs much quicker on my machine and I really like the way you can add tabs to single click switch between web sites/ pages.

Peter

Hi Peter,

Yes I agree. Also, Safari 3.1 has a couple of small glitches when dealing with Google Mail and listing stuff on ebay. I'm sure they will soon be fixed but I'm impatient.

Steve

So,

I am a perfectly satisfied PC user, but have never tried any sort of a Mac having always used PCs at work in a office business environment and worked on PC-based software. I'm curious ; what genuine benefits would I be likely to see?

I guess my major use these days tends to be the internet, MSN Messenger, iTunes and storing photos - although I would also need to be able to run Microsoft Access databases and copy them to and from PCs reliably.

Just curious - there's always a time when this Pc will need replacing...

Steeve

quote:

Microsoft Access databases

It doesn't run on Mac without loading Windoze - it would run under Parallels if you loaded Windoze with a Parallels VM.

There are some excellent databases for OS X, but if you have to run Access then it's proprietary and a Mac is not the best platform for it.

I use FileMaker, Oracle and MySQL for databases. I wish Apple would resurrect HyperCard.

The benefits of the Mac are easy of use and a better operating system. I use the word better in the sense that the underlying design of Unix on which OS X is based is vastly superior to Windoze in the way it handles files, shared memory and disk allocation - plus being an Open system there is a vast amount of high quality free software available and is not susceptible to viruses. Windoze only advantage is it runs Microsoft proprietary software and some other companies who have chosen to look themselves in, has the Microsoft marketing machine behind and lots of people know how to use it.

Both systems work - and applications are ultimately more important than operating systems - otherwise we'd all be using Amiga OS.

Not sure if this helps

ATB Rotf

An Apple user since the Apple II in the early 70s and an Amiga user since they first hit the streets.

ROTF

quote:

...plus being an Open system...

Eh? OS X doesn't meet the criteria for being an Open System.... it is as proprietary as Windows from that perspective.

I own 4 Mac's currently so I'm no Windows advocate....just a pedant I guess!

Cheers

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
and some other companies who have chosen to look themselves in

"Some" ?

quote:

Originally posted by Exiled Highlander:
ROTF

quote:

...plus being an Open system...

Eh? OS X doesn't meet the criteria for being an Open System.... it is as proprietary as Windows from that perspective.

I own 4 Mac's currently so I'm no Windows advocate....just a pedant I guess!

Cheers

Jim

Hi Jim

The Darwin Unix core of OS X is open - you can get the source code if you want. Also through Darwin Ports there are hundreds of Open Systems programs that you can download compile and run.

Here is the Open Source OS X - http://www.opensource.apple.com/darwinsource/

The Aqua interface is proprietary as is the quartz graphic rendering engine and several other overlay components.

Writing code for OS X with Apple's superb and free XCode tools is really easy - writing code for Windows is much harder. The use of Dynamic Link Libraries in Windows are its worst aspect, it was understandable when RAM cost a fortune, but now it is totally unnecessary. In fact I'm not sure it was ever necessary Metacomco wrote Amiga OS in 64k without such nonsense and it was a full pre-emptive multi-tasking OS - well ahead of Apple or Microsoft. However, when Jobs left Apple and created Next, he followed the open-source Unix model and made a great computer and it was definitely the Amiga's equal; when he rejoined Apple, the Next OS became OS X.

OS 9 was definitely proprietary and was not a multi-tasking OS - hence the need to resolve conflicts when two programs fought for resources (what a joy that was). OS X was a giant step forward IMHO.

OS X is far more Open than Windows - if you write to POSIX standards then you can compile for OS X without much hassle.

However, I'm not sure if your definition of Open is the same as mine.

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by Deane F:

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
and some other companies who have chosen to lock themselves in

"Some" ?

Rather a lot unfortunately, but things are changing with more web enabled applications and Google now making a sizeable dent in Microsoft's dominance.

ROTF

Yes Darwin itself is open but the Mac and OS X hardly qualify as open systems - more open than a PC I would agree but not an Open System.....

Does this definition/description work for you?

Open Systems: Open Systems is used to describe information systems with the following characteristics:
- the products used conform to relevant internationally agreed standards;
- the standards are non-exclusive, non-proprietary and vendor independent;
- applications can be moved as necessary between systems of different makes and sizes;
- usable information can be exchanged when required between different Systems

Arguable for sure.

Anyway, as I said, I was just being a bit pedantic.

Cheers

Jim

PS. Last minute edit/thought.... Use of the Darwin kernel doesn't fall into the "ease of use" category for the average user does it?

quote:

Use of the Darwin kernel doesn't fall into the "ease of use" category for the average user does it?

Hi Jim,

As a "very" average user. My switch last week from PC to Mac has gone even more smoothly, than I had hoped. The reason I switched was less to do with PCs and more to do with the attraction of some of the Mac software for Photos, streaming and storing music and video.

I had microsoft docs, spreadsheets and presentations going back a few years. I spent a £100 on getting the home user MS office and all that seems to work fine.

Mail, calendar, contacts and stuff with Google. Music was in iTunes and images have all transferred in a very 'plug & play' way. Firefox retained for browsing. I hated Explorer.

Very impressed with the speed, presentation and build of the MacBook. I will have to get a new printer, but my old Docuprint is not supported by Vista either, so it gives me an excuse to investigate a wireless option.

Steve

quote:

Originally posted by Exiled Highlander:
ROTF
Use of the Darwin kernel doesn't fall into the "ease of use" category for the average user does it?

Not even for an experienced user.

Steve

I'm delighted, but not surprised that your move from PC went well. In my last job I used a MacBook Pro rather than the standard corporate issue Dell's or HP's and had very few problems using the Mac in PC land - except for (and it's a big "except for") the lack of a true Exchange/Outlook client and the ease of use that the calendaring facility brings. Entourage is OK but that lack of true integration created some issues although there were workarounds for most things. As a stand alone mail and calendaring client Entourage is OK.

ROTF

See, we were in violent agreement all along!

Cheers

Jim

i use a macbook at home w/ a little wireless network, love it. first mac. they're the greatest ....

i believe there are a couple of lengthy threads on this already, but why not start another and we can all talk up our macs anew.

Think I got first Naim amp/tuner and cd player back in 1992 (might have been 1993). Been with them ever since.

Started using Mac's when working in Brussels in 1994. Had a personal Mac ever since 1997 (iMacs, G3 Powerbooks, G4 Powerbooks incl Titanium and 12" and now Macbooks). Both wife and self use them at home plus ipods etc.My 84 yr old mother even uses a hand-me-down iMac to keep in touch with all our (mainly Mac usr) family.

Simple,ergonomic,reliable,easy to use, logical to understand when resolving issues- what else do you want?

Geoff

If you are a regular ebay lister I recommend garagesale

Yes it costs a few bucks, but it is in every way totally awesome.