<p>Time is growing near and we still need to purchase a laptop for D. She has had her own school based Windows laptop since 5th grade. But now she really, really wants a Mac for high school. Macs are very nice machines, easy to use and with Microsoft Office are very compatible.</p>
<p>However, I am trying to decide which computer to buy. At Andover, over 90% are Windows users and Windows is the recommended machine. However, they do support Macs. I do not want a computer to be a problem when it comes to academics for my D.</p>
<p>Can anyone add experiences regarding Macs on a campus full of Windows computers?</p>
<p>I would suggest a Mac, if only because they are less suceptible to viruses and your daughter probably doesn't want her computer to crash the night before a paper is due. At this point they are completely compatible with Windows, and since Andover supports Macs, there should be no problem.</p>
<p>Macs are much more efficient and reliable than Windows. With Windows, websites take a very long time to load, while with Macs, websites take only a few seconds. If anything, a Mac would make work much easier. Academics most likely would not be a problem.</p>
<p>I attend Andover (rising returning Lower) and have a Mac. I HIGHLY recommend it for your daughter. The Tech masters (student group that helps repair and hook up student computers) are very familiar with them, and I have never had any sort of problem. In fact, most of my friends with Windows wish they had Macs. I have no idea why the school recommends Windows. The only real reason I know of it purchase Windows is if you are a gamer, as Windows is much better for that. However, in my view, that's another reason to by a Mac. ;)
Congrats on your daughter's admittance to Andover, by the way. :)</p>
<p>Don't Macs these days come with boot camp anyhow? I know the one I ordered has boot camp on it, so I don't really see a reason to stick with a Windows machine.</p>
<p>wow. im surprised at how many people support macs. i hv a windows laptop and r home computer uses windows. although macs can use windows it is very very different. the programs run so different, u have to learn how to use microsoft powerpoint all over again. although, my middle school uses macs, most computer courses in schools and bussinesses use pc's. i think they are more reliable, easier to use, and prepare you better for what you will actualy work with in the buissiness world.</p>
<p>If you're planning to buy a Mac, do so a couple of weeks before going to school. It's not overly different from a Windows computer, but having some time to get familiar with the computer is a big help. It'll make the first couple of weeks easier if you don't have to worry about learning how to use your computer</p>
<p>I strongly believe that the world will be ruled by macs within the next ten years. So it would really be in your best interest to buy a mac...and they're awesome! Enough said.</p>
<p>I have a Mac and I can tell you that you won't have any compatibility issues. In fact, I actually think that you would have less problems with a Mac because they are less buggy. If you think about it, what could really go wrong? Pretty much everything you are going to use is going to be web based.</p>
<p>This is most definitely not the case; they are far less reliable. Vista and XP are both much more 'open' operating systems, i.e. they are easier to screw up. To this day, I believe there is not one virus that effects Macs.</p>
<p>Okay.... I agree Macs are cool looking and I want one, but I remember my friend--who has a Mac--having problems when she took a comp sci course.</p>
<p>This is an update from my original post. I spoke to someone from the Andover Help Desk...she was great! She said that the Andover recommendations on the site do not reflect the incoming class of 2007 (last year's 9th graders). She said more and more students are entering Andover with MACs. In fact, they are adding more MACs to the computer centers on campus as a result. She also stated that they have more issues with student's Windows computers because of virus and spyware attacks, which do not affect MACs. She stopped short of recommending the MACs, but said it is becomming more prevalent at Andover.</p>
<p>I'm in the process of purchasing a netbook...something for son to run around with in his last year of middle school. I'm impressed with one in particular, 40G HD, decent battery life, crisp screen, easy wi-fi connect. If I opt for Windows XP loaded, the cost is an additional $100 but i keep the preloaded Liniux (ubuntu), there's no price increase. Now there's a scary thought...Liniux...No time to master that curve, I'll pay the extra money!</p>
<p>Go MacAir. It is powerful and light enough to be carried everywhere. If you need CD capability in your dorm, no problem with addon.</p>
<p>Tuesday, the major stat programs for computers are "microsoft office" in reverse. They were originally written for the Mac and then tweaked for the pc -- they still work best on the mac</p>
<p>this is not really a very factual point to back up that windoes are better than macs but, notice in legally blonde everyone has a windows and elle buys a mac because it looks "pretty"</p>
<p>windows are used in most businessess and computer programming classes. they are easier to use x10!</p>
<p>arts
Computer programming classes still use pcs as they program in dos.</p>
<p>Apple "sold" Microsoft some of their patents to "make" windows so that Microsoft would continue to do Office for Mac.</p>
<p>More fortune 500 companies are now going mac - esp as the mac can now do both windows and OS. Go to an airport FF lounge now and about 1/3 of the laptops are apple as compared to rare several years ago. </p>
<p>Apple's own "office type" program has been rated as easier and better to use than Office by pc mag.</p>
<p>Finally, ipods and iphones work best with OS (Mac)</p>
<p>I went to Deerfield, where you can buy your laptop through the school (windows machines when I was there, think they still are). What was really great about that was that we had an IT department that could "reimage" my PC (which is where they back up all of my documents and then restore the computer to exactly how it was when I fist opened the box), and also, since it was a standard machine, they could replace anything that broke - usually for free. I also had a much easier time connecting to the secure windows network.</p>
<p>Most BS's have a program like this, so I'd encourage you to check to see if your D's school has one in place before making a decision. I'd also remind you that mac's are significantly more expensive for equivalent computing power, and the three main things you pay for are the OS (which many people find easier to use), the style, and the fact that you can get a mac serviced at a mac store (which is a moot point if your BS has some sort of IT department).</p>
<p>Your decision should come down to three things:</p>
<br>
<blockquote>
<p>what systems does your school support?</p>
<p>what kind of computer is your D used to working on, and what kind does she want?</p>
<p>what kind of network does your school run, and what kind of computers is it intended for?</p>
</blockquote>
<br>
<p>I use three computers regularly: the windows computer I use at work, my laptop (ubuntu), and the mac I'm posting to this forum with. I do all my coding on my laptop, and write all my papers and do all my schoolwork on the windows machine. Any of the three machines is equally as capable of doing the work, and I've found all three to be equally reliable in my 2 or more years in using them (the windows machine is going on 5 and still runs fine after a minor upgrade when I went to college)</p>