| W7, Linux, and OS-X | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 10 2009, 09:14 AM (639 Views) | |
| Phaedrus | Nov 10 2009, 09:14 AM Post #1 |
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OK here`s the scenario. The Computer fairy has been and left you: A Windows 7 system, a Linux System and an iMac. Which do you think you would use? Just one? Just two? All of em? This is my ideal scenario. To have all three OS`s to play with. Haven`t used W7 or OSX yet but here`s what I think I`d use. I would probably use all of them for different things. Linux mostly for internet and general computing. The Mac for my music stuff (Guitar Rig, Logic etc), and W7 for if I need a Windows specific app or to run some app that has a better Windows version, (like maybe Nero and Golf and a faster video converter, stuff like that). I wonder though if the aesthetics and ergonomics of a Mac would draw me to use that all the time ? I guess thats a factor too. I think Mark(ono) has both Mac and Pc. Maybe if you`re about Mark you can tell us which you prefer? |
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| John | Nov 10 2009, 10:18 AM Post #2 |
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My mate with the Mac only likes it because he says it looks nice, other than that he says it is no improvement over his Windows XP PC. I think we know my answer and it would be the Windows 7 PC and if i put my tower under the desk all you would see is a 23" piano black 1080p monitor so you could hardly say it is ugly. FWIW you wouldnt be playing golf on it yet, they have not updated gameguard to work on W7 even though Populous the Beginning from 10 years ago runs fine on the 64bit version
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| Phaedrus | Nov 10 2009, 03:35 PM Post #3 |
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Apple give the impression that just using a Mac is an enjoyable, pleasurable experience. Not just from its looks. You know the ergonomics of the keyboard, the new mouse and the apparent easiness of OSX ![]() Gaygard is a pita. I`m amazed game developers still use it. |
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| John | Nov 10 2009, 04:03 PM Post #4 |
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Windows 7 versus Snow Leopard http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/review/1561304/windows-versus-snow-leopard On a PC though you can buy any keyboard or mouse you like so whether you are using linux or windows you can get something that suits you i would have thought. |
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| Gina | Nov 10 2009, 07:33 PM Post #5 |
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I would certainly play with all three! The white of the iMac wouldn't match anything in our lounge so would stand out like a sore thumb however nice a shape! My AMD64 desktop has a piano black system box and matching monitor which in turn matches my nice new printer and my nice new Samsung LCD TV. Oh and my Logitech speaker system also matches. So, sorry, the iMac loses on decor grounds ![]() In use I think I would miss those extra buttons with the one button Mac mouse (or have they changed that?). Also, without having ever tried a Mac, I think I would find it more constricting than an MS driven PC. W7 is a bit new and other companies are still catching up with their software and drivers I believe. But in time they will catch up and then I think W7 will probably take some beating. But that's really a guess - I haven't tried W7 yet. However, with the Microsoft monopoly, installing external hardware is bound to be pretty easy. Linux matches my mindset. Things work as I expect in most cases. Maybe it's because I was brought up on basic computing systems lacking the modern sophisticated operating systems. I've worked with machine code and assembly language, graduating to fortran, Pascal, cobol etc. I even used forth for a while And I wrote a full word processor for the BBC Micro in assembler using a special font set to cram 80 characters across the screen where the normal maximum was 60. I was pleased with that! ![]() Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Linux hasn't become a sophisticated OS, because it has. But it's very modular, which I like. Ubuntu in standard form has been developed to mimic Windows in many ways, making it easy for users to migrate from Windows. And I believe Kubuntu mimics the Mac OS but I'm not that familiar with the Mac. |
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| Phaedrus | Nov 11 2009, 08:33 AM Post #6 |
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I used a Mac years ago when they has a single mouse button. They have changed a lot since then. Macbooks are either brushed aluminium or white. iMacs are aluminium. Macs have had multi button mice for a while, but the new mouse is touch sensitive and doesn`t have any buttons. http://www.apple.com/magicmouse/ There`s no case or tower either now as everything is built into the monitor housing. They use LED screens. http://www.apple.com/mac/ I like the way Linux is modular like you say. I love synaptic and I love compiz too. Don`t even think the sexiness off a mac could pull me away from that. |
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| John | Nov 11 2009, 11:03 AM Post #7 |
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The new Magic Mouse is only getting mediocre reviews though, style isn't everything is it. |
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| John | Nov 11 2009, 11:42 AM Post #8 |
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I do think Apple stuff looks nice though before everyone thinks i am the anti christ, i just prefer my PC, if it breaks i can fix it (my mates DVD drive broke in his imac and it was away for over week) and like Gina my all black jobbie suits me better than a white thingy. |
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| Gina | Nov 11 2009, 11:48 AM Post #9 |
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I can see why Macs are expensive! All that latest technology. |
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| Gina | Nov 11 2009, 11:53 AM Post #10 |
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Yes, I like mess about with my PCs - mixing and matching components, upgrading parts as well as assembling my own with the parts I want rather than those someone wants me to have! I'm a hardware person as well as software and a lot more than just a user Macs are aimed at people who just want a box that works and there are lots of them. It's just that I'm not one of them. Oh yes, I want things to work but I like to fiddle with things as well
Edited by Gina, Nov 11 2009, 11:58 AM.
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| John | Nov 11 2009, 12:19 PM Post #11 |
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They aren't though, windows will run on a mac now, its just a PC in a fancy dress these days. |
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| Phaedrus | Nov 11 2009, 03:59 PM Post #12 |
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I happened to be near a PCWorld today so I popped in for a look at the Macs. They do look good in the flesh and I had a play with the Macbooks and an iMac. They didn`t have the Magic mouse (the multi touch one) they all had the buttoned Mighty mouse with the funny little wheel on them. They were ok though. The iMacs actually look quite thick and bulky compared to normal monitors. They looked about 1-2inches, which I guess is ok considering all the hardware is inside there. If the dvd drive goes though you are knackered as its just a slot in the side rather than a drawer. They are certainly not as easy to repair/upgrade etc as a PC. The main thing I noticed about them were the LED screens, which were easily the best screens in the shop. They looked stunning. OS X was nice too and I liked the interface, but wanted to know how to get under the bonnet of the OS which isn`t obvious. The Macbooks were excellent. Again they have those brilliant LED screens. I really liked the Macbook Pro and would love to get one of those. |
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| Phaedrus | Nov 12 2009, 05:27 PM Post #13 |
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Just wanted to add about the Macbooks, I really liked the touchpad which was surprising as I normally use a USB mouse with my laptop. I prefer that to the touchpad. The Macbooks touchpad is big and I didn`t realize the Macs touchpad is also a button. (so you just move the pointer with your finger and then press down to click the pad) I really liked that. I guess the Magic Mouse could be used with a Macbook as well. |
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| Gina | Nov 12 2009, 05:58 PM Post #14 |
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My experience of mine and other people's laptop touchpads is that they vary enormously. Mine seems to be one of the better ones With mine you can tap the pad to produce a left mouse click - I thought they all did that. It also has scroll areas down the right hand side and along the bottom too, which is useful. Additionally two buttons produce vertical scrolling (in addition to the two standard buttons). I find my touchpad more comfortable to use than a mouse. Holding a mouse for too long makes my fingers ache - no problem with the touchpad. I also find the touchpad more accurate for cursor positioning. Though best of all is my Logitech trackball with it's nice big ball - over 2" maybe two and a half.
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| John | Nov 13 2009, 12:33 PM Post #15 |
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The screens are only lit by LEDs Trev, they are still an LCD screen, the only benefit is power consumption cos the LCD still has the same limitation of any other LCD pannel. If they look massivly different then they are either calibrated (which is good) or they use something like a VA panel (nearly all TFT screens use TN panels) VA panels look nicer in every way but suffer from slow refresh times which doesnt matter cos you didnt buy a mac for gaming. I hate all touchpads full stop LOL |
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| Phaedrus | Nov 13 2009, 03:25 PM Post #16 |
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Thats interesting about the LED backlighting. I don`t know anything about them technically, but I do know I walked round to the macs and went "wow!", walked back to the laptops and pcs, then back to the macs and went "wow!" again ![]() I didn`t realise I could scroll with my touchpad you can of course tap as well but I`ve just never got on with em. I`m tapping like a looney wondering if its worked. The mac touchpad is a proper button, When you press it down it clicks in and out like a mouse button.Next year I`m saving up for macbook. |
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