By now we all know how much Apple is depending on it's Switch campaign to get Windows
users to start using a Mac. However (and the Mac advocates gonna
hate me for this), there are a few reasons why switching may not be
best for some PC users.
You know that Mac users enjoy promoting the Mac, telling you why
you should buy one, what the advantages are, and what the
disadvantages of a PC are. What they won't tell you is why you may
not want to switch to a Mac just yet.
Applications are available on both platforms. There is Microsoft
Office for Mac. But some specialized applications are made only for
PCs running Windows, and buying Virtual PC with Windows makes your
already somewhat expensive Mac even more expensive.
Then there are applications like Kazaa for file exchange - even
though it contains spyware, many people still use it - and it
doesn't run on the Mac. If you're into games at all, your best bet
for gaming is either a PC or a game console.
Operating systems also work differently. Some people have no
problem using both Windows and the Mac OS, but others can't figure
out one after they've used the other for a long time. If you want
to switch to a Mac, make completely sure that you've used the Mac
OS and feel comfortable with it.
I don't mean just turning on a Mac and opening an application.
Actually sit down and use it for an hour or so. Open applications,
browse the Internet, and try using some of the features of the
OS.
Some people find that the dock and the Mac Finder work much
better for them than the Windows taskbar and Explorer. Others find
the opposite. In order to switch to a Mac, you have to be willing
to change your work habits completely. Apple has made this change
less drastic over the years, but there is still a big difference,
and you have to be ready to face it.
Make sure that your peripherals are compatible with the Mac OS
if you plan to keep them. If they don't work, you'll have to add
the cost of replacements to the cost of the Mac itself.
Also remember that Macs never do, never have, and probably never
will come with enough RAM. Buying more memory is another added
expense, although it doesn't have to be expensive. Probably the
best place to check RAM prices is on ramseeker, where you can compare
prices from several different vendors.
One of the big advantages of buying a Mac is that it stays
useable and up to date for quite a while. You can keep a Mac and
use it well for four years or more, but PCs start really showing
their age after just a couple years.
I had bought a used (maybe two years old) 550 MHz PIII PC to
replace my 200 MHz one when the top of the line models at the time
were around 1.4 GHz. Now, about 6 months later, you can buy a 2.2
GHz PC, Windows XP is becoming widely used, and my 550 MHz PC is
starting to look a little old. Try running brand new applications
on it, and I bet it would feel a little old, too.
This makes a really good case for the Mac - my 9600/233 still does a decent job for most
things, and current applications run on it without too much
trouble.
But let me also remind you that you pay more for the luxury of
being able to keep your computer longer. You can pay $699 for a low
end Dell that might last you two or three years - or $1,299 for a
low-end iMac that might last you four or five.
Is the Mac worth the extra cost? It's really a personal decision
that is governed by how much you are willing to spend now and how
long you plan to keep the computer.
I'm not trying to convince anyone not to switch, but you should
consider the pros and cons of switching very carefully before you
run out and buy a Mac.
Then again, some people do really well with impulse purchases -
the 1976 Pioneer
SX-1050 receiver I'm listening to now was bought on a whim, and
it was one of the best purchases I've made yet.
