Why are 99/100 computers I see in a library macs?

College Life
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<p>This wasn't the case a few years ago. Honestly, these kids these days think buying a mac makes them cool or "alternative." What do you think?</p>

2

<p>They just work.</p>

<p>Compared to most PC laptops, Macbooks are generally better built. The only PC laptops that have comparable build quality are Lenovo Thinkpad, Dell Latitude E-series, and HP EliteBook.</p>

<p>HP EliteBooks tend to cost more than even Macs, so they’re generally out of consideration. Thinkpads are durable, but they look quite ugly, which leaves the Dell Latitude E-series to really compete. The issues with the Latitude is that compared to Macs, they’re nearly impossible to find on the retail market. Most people I know of don’t even know they exist.</p>

<p>Other than the build quality, the overall experience is important. Not everyone is geeky enough to fix issues or bother with installing other operating systems such as Linux. The PC laptops generally tend to come with Windows. The issue with Windows is that you often get cases where things don’t work as you expect, and if you do something stupid online and click through warning dialogs, you may get a virus.</p>

<p>On the other hand, with OS X, it’s a pretty interface on top of a solid UNIX-based operating system that’s been an industrial-strength workhorse for more than 40yr. The result is a solid permissions system that makes viruses extremely difficult to write, a reliable system without much room for real issues that you see in Windows, and a pretty interface on top of it.</p>

<p>Thing is, for any PC, you can get a similarly spec’ed Mac for ~$500 more. As a student, your time is worth ~$40/hr. That means, if you spend more than 12.5hr fixing stuff on a PC that you wouldn’t have to face on a Mac, the Mac has paid for itself in terms of hassle saved. That, plus all the perks, makes it worth it.</p>

<p>The only reason why I don’t have a Mac is because I actually enjoy tinkering with computers, but for everyone else, I don’t see any reason why they’d touch a PC.</p>

3

<p>That’s all splendid, but some people insist on a mac when their major or work does not require heavy computing and all their computer work can be easily achieved on a pc half the price. </p>

<p>I am an avid user of both myself. I use mac for my “work” and pc for general browsing/games.</p>

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<p>This gets soooooo tiresome. Yes, Macs cost more than Windows computers with similar hardware specifications. We all get it, this is old news. If your buying decision is based primarily on initial cost, then a Windows computer will be a better choice. I can respect that choice, even though I think that in the long run a Mac will last longer, be less troublesome, and provide a better user experience. But once again, we have to endure the old canard that the only reason why students choose to pay a higher initial price for a Mac is because they want to look cool and be alternative. Really? College students are too stupid to make informed buying decisions about their computers? Couldn’t it just possibly be that the 99/100 students in the college library decided that it was worth the extra money for a machine that has some very attractive hardware and software features?</p>

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<p>Once again, ALF drops a truth bomb</p>

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<p>When was the last time you walked into a library that looked like this:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.waldenstructures.com/images/products/commercial/uci-office-building.jpg[/url]”>http://www.waldenstructures.com/images/products/commercial/uci-office-building.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Technically, that would be the cheapest, most economically sensible way to build a library - a simple prefab building with only the necessities. That would be very “fiscally responsible”.</p>

<p>Instead, even community college libraries tend to have proud architects involved, and I guess when the college administration decided to outfit said libraries with computers they decided to go with something other than the cheapest “fiscally responsible” option. Maybe they liked the way they looked or they thought they were stylish or something.</p>

7

<p>My son and his friends see Macs as “they just work”
-Less maintenance
-Virus free
-reliable
They were raised on technology, they have little curiosity about computers,
and see them as appliances.</p>

8

<p>because 98/100 are using one. So the next guy/girl buys a mac… and so on</p>

9

<p>Here’s the thing: it doesn’t matter how little work you’re doing; even if you’re doing minimal work on a computer, you will struggle with issues in Windows PCs that don’t occur in Macs.</p>

<p>Macs don’t sell because they’re better spec’ed; they sell because they’re less hassle.</p>

<p>If I truly wanted power, I can just build myself a PC (more like a workstation, though) that’s loads more powerful than the most powerful Mac you can get.</p>

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<p>I completely agree with ALF. As an incoming freshman, I find it a bit offensive that I’ve essentially just been lumped into this category of uninformed buyer attempting to be some sort of hipster. I want a Mac because they work. All throughout high school I’ve had unreliable computers that get viruses or slow down and end up needing to get repaired. Guess where that puts my school work? On the back-burner where I have to figure out another way to get things done. I don’t want to deal with that in college, and from reading reviews, testing Macs myself, and the opinions of a lot of other people, I’ve decided it’s worth the initial money. We’re not idiots, us “kids these days,” maybe we’re just thinking ahead seeing as we’d like something that will last the next four years. It may be a new trend but who cares?</p>

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<p>Unfortunately with the rising popularity of Macs, more and more viruses and malware are coming out for them. However, right now, I would agree with the above in saying that they for the typical user with little to no knowledge of the computer that Macs are easier to use.</p>

<p>I prefer PCs though :O</p>

12

<p>

</p>

<p>1) Not true. Same parts, same problems. Plus OSX has plenty of issues, freezes and random reboots. Windows 7 is pretty much on par with OSx as far as reliability. Notice all web servers are either a variation of *nix or Windows…
2) Not true. There is plenty of malware for OSX. The only thing saving it is that PCs are more abundant and therefore a better target. The more popular Macs become the more virii will appear.
3) Only true if you have AppleCare.</p>

<p>That being said… </p>

<p>1) I LOVE my MBPro.
2) It’s classy looking.
3) The higher end you get, the smaller the price differential becomes.
4) If I ever sell my mac the depreciation will be minimal as opposed to pc’s.</p>

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<p>“they just work” is software not hardware.
(Updates, installing/uninstalling both hardware/software, drivers, anti-virus programs etc.,)<br>
I manage a Mac & PC mixed network, the Mac’s cause me less headaches. I have no problem with my personal PC’s or Mac’s, it’s the (___)'s that are using them that cause the problems.</p>

<p>BTW; Many cheap PC’s are made with very cheap components, a ‘cheap’ Mac is made with quality components. Mac’s do not have the virus problems that PC’s have. Yes there is malware on both platforms, on Mac’s it orders of magnitude less. Maybe there is a reason that Macs have a higher resale value?</p>

<p>[Are</a> Macs Really Cheaper To Manage Than PCs? CIO.com](<a href=“http://www.cio.com/article/569163/Are_Macs_Really_Cheaper_To_Manage_Than_PCs_?page=2&taxonomyId=3048]Are”>http://www.cio.com/article/569163/Are_Macs_Really_Cheaper_To_Manage_Than_PCs_?page=2&taxonomyId=3048)</p>

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<p>I find it’s not the PC’s that are problematic. Rather it’s the user that is problematic…</p>

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<p>But, if it was actually the user that was problematic, why is it possible to build a system that works with that user?</p>

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<p>Gotta disagree. They are better assembled and tend to have better QA, so the hardware is usually somewhat more reliable (compare: HP and their laptops’ thermal paste), and I’ve had a grand total of about 3 kernel panics in 5 years of using OS X, whereas my windows machines (XP and 7) have panicked on me plenty. My impression is also that OS X is fundamentally more secure than Windows because it uses the underlying Unix components like the permissions system (it is a BSD derivative at its base, after all). Windows simply has more ways to attack it.</p>

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<p>I also think that the MBP and MBA are better built physically than many other PC’s. That’s why they’re sooo expensive. But many PC manufacturers are catching up or already there.</p>

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<p>Yea I agree that the macs do have some of the best build quality of almost all the laptops on the market, and for some people his can be a big deciding factor, especially for a college student who moves around a lot with their laptop. I know i would want something that feels durable and strong, too bad I don’t like Mac os…</p>

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<p>They are idiot proof. And the vast majority of people are idiots, so there you go.</p>

<p>I don’t mean to say you are an idiot if you use a mac though, please don’t misunderstand.</p>

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<p>I think IOS is for the idiots… Lion is for the wise.</p>

<p>Never live in the past but always learn from it.</p>