<p>We recently received the booklet from BC on ordering a computer through the BC laptop program. We’ve been PC users all along, but my D says that the majority of college students are using Macs. Does anyone have any suggestions or input?</p>
<p>I would certainly buy a PC. PC has more programs, more service offered, and is easier to use. If you want to get great hardware upgrades for your PC, PC has more options than Mac. Some my friends got Macs because it was the chic things to do. They eventually found out that many of their favorite programs are not Mac friendly. And the Mac’s boast of zero virus and great functionality are deceiving. Because there are fewer Mac users than PC users, hackers don’t bother with Mac. But when they do, there are fewer options to fix your Mac since anti-virus-software developers don’t concentrate their efforts on Mac.</p>
<p>I went PC b/c that’s what I have always used, that’s what i have at home, and if I need to call my Dad or my brother for I.T. support i am on my own with a Mac. I priced aruond and the deal on the Dell upper-end model is a great deal. The prices on the accessories offered (printer, locks, etc) are all very good as well — equal or better than on-line at Amazon and other low-ball outlets. </p>
<p>My head will be close to exploding as I settle into trying to find my way around BC and geting used to the whole scene and classes, etc. I figured the last thing I needed was trying to figure out how to use a new laptop with a new OS.</p>
<p>Get a mac. Yes, it’s true that there are no viruses in the wild for Macs. That doesn’t mean that there never will be, but the Mac OS has been available for over 6 years now and still no viruses. The previous posters argument that this is due to “security by obscurity”, i.e., fewer Macs is a false argument. You can do a search on Macdailynews.com to find articles on this point. The Mac OS is Unix-based and as such, it is inherently more secure than Windows. The implication that there is no antivirus software for Macs is misleading. It’s true that developers focus on PCs, but that is due to the fact that there are well over 70,000 viruses plus various other types of malware floating to infect Windows PCs (sand more every day), but antivirus software is available for Macs if you choose to use it.
As for PCs having more service: The fact is that Macs have the highest reliability and service record in the industry compared to PCs.</p>
<p>As for more programs for PCs: True, but most users only use certain categories of programs, such as Microsoft Office. It doesn’t matter if thee are 50,000 PC programs out there if most users, actually use only a few major programs and most of what is out thee for PCs is crapware. There are Mac versions of Microsoft Office (get the student edition—it’s way cheaper than the full priced version and its exactly the same.) Did you know that with software titled “Parallels” and a copy of Windows (XP recommended as better than Vista), you can run Windows software on a Mac? Yes, it’s true, s then you can run both Windows and Mac software and shift almost seamlessly between them. Check out the Apple.com site to see all the software available for Macs</p>
<p>How many PC users actually upgrade their hardware? The fact is most users will never do this. And how many PC users can get some hardware upgrade to work the way it should? A Mac generally has everything you need to run the software that you do use. The software and hardware on a Mac are designed to work seamlessly together resulting in fewer problems and a much better user experience. Every time Microsoft comes out with a major OS upgrade, many if not most PC users find that it won’t run as well as it should on their existing hardware. Macs have much longer life spans in that regard, and total lower cost of ownership over time.</p>
<p>Don’t just take my word for it. Check the reviews of the Mac OS compared to Windows by the tech columnists for the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and even some leading PC magazines. They all agree that the Mac operating system is far better than Windows. You may find some of these reviews archived on Macdailynews.com f you search. That site also is replete with reviews by longtime Windows users who made the switch to a Mac and never looked back. Check out the Aple.com site for more information, or better yet, go to an Apple sore (in most major cities) and check one out for yourself. Ask them all your questions about Macs.</p>
<p>If you end up purchasing a Mac, consider getting it mail order from a vendor such as MacZone or MacConnection. Compare the price with BCs IT vendor. It might be a slight savings, but you’ll save on sales tax and those vendors usually offer some extras, like a free copy of the “parallels” software.</p>
<p>Go Eagles! Go BC! (brother is a grad)</p>
<p>There are some differences in how you do things on a Mac vs. a PC, but generally the Mac OS is much more consistent than Windows. If someone is switching over to a Mac, it takes very little time to pick up on those differences.</p>
<p>Thee is relatively little price difference in comparably equipped PC and Macs. You can get a PC cheaper, but you get what you pay for, and you don’t get the Mac OS and the seamless hardware/software integration that you get with a Mac.</p>
<p>PC users are always calling friends and family for IT support because PC have many, many more problems. You have much less frustration, and lost time and productivity with a Mac. Macs just work so you don’t have the constant problems that require IT support. Check any school or company that has both Macs and PCs, and you will find that the bulk of tech support does toward the PCs as Macs require much less tech support.</p>
<p>As far as Mac vs PC at BC, there are plenty of both so definitely make your decision based on other virtues. Beware that the amount of disinformation out there, especially by fanboys, simply amazes me. </p>
<p>I do know that the security software and settings BC requires for PC users makes setting up a PC much more difficult than a MAC and slows them down a bit (the MAC has no protection software to install and set up). BC provides all the apps you need for both platforms. </p>
<p>Bottom line is both will work at BC just fine, use your judgment. Perhaps the D just wants to move to a Mac, no big deal both are satisfactory computing appliances for use at BC.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the information! We’re leaning towards the Mac, despite the cost differential.</p>
<p>BTW, in case you don’t like what BC offers in their booklet, you can purchase any MAC product as well as many peripherals directly from Apple’s on line educational store just by indicating you are a BC student. (Go to [Welcome</a> to the Apple Store - Apple Store (U.S.)](<a href=“http://store.apple.com/]Welcome”>http://store.apple.com/) and look for the educational store link on the left). You get the same educational discount, can configure the laptop how you want it, and get other discounts, shipped free to your door, no fuss. Both the BC IT department or the genius bar at any Apple store would happy to provide support.</p>
<p>I think you can also get the discount at any apple store, but I dunno</p>
<p>ColdCase I followed that link you provided and it asks for a username and password to enter the BC section of the website, do you know what they are?</p>
<p>Lol @ the PC is easier to use comment.</p>
<p>Anyway, I would get a Mac. I became a Mac user back in 2003, and I’ve never looked back. Compared to Vista, OS X is safer and more stable. Never have I had compatibility issues in school, but if need be, you can install Windows on it.</p>
<p>Mev</p>
<p>Instead of selecting “take me there”, select the “standard apple store for education” link below it.</p>
<p>The “take me there link” takes you to the BC bookstore, where you need your BC user name and password. The std store link takes you to the general apple store. From there its like buying anything on line. You will have to confirm you are eligible for the discount along the way…</p>