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NOTICE:This thread is to promote and dispel common rumors and misconceptions about Apple Computers, and spread awareness about their functions and abilities. So, I came up with a handy-dandy list of comments I have heard, and have followed them up with facts, as well as adding other information.

This is an informative topic, so please, use this fire extinguisher in case you feel a flame coming on. *points* Also, in respect to this:



This thread is considered by some the official Apple/Macintosh thread; As such, feel free to ask any questions, comments or opinions, as long as you read my little ramble below.

For tech help, you may get a quicker response in the main Computers and tech forum, and I would prefer not to turn this into tech support.

The purpose of this thread is to educate. Thats the whole point here. This thread is not meant to force my, or others, opinions onto others that post. If you don't like Macs, hey, thats fine by me. I just hope you read the first post at least, and at least feel a little more educated.

This is not a "OMG Macs are so Cool! Hooray!" thread. It is an Information Resource topic. You are free to post FACTUAL drawbacks if you feel the need to. Opinion is not Fact. Please make sure if you are posting what you consider factual information, it is indeed factual. Simply saying "OMGZ Macs suck! Boos!" is considered trolling, and a moderator will be informed.

The Above comes down to this:Trolling, Spamming, or flaming will not be tolerated, and a moderator will be contacted. This is your one and ONLY warning.

If in doubt, either PM me or one of the Tech Talk mods personally, or use Google.


Rumors and Lies

Myth 1. Macs have no software, other than what they come with.
Yes, Macs do have less software titles than Windows do, but why does that matter so much? A lot of productivity software titles are clones of each other on Windows, resulting in more choices. Sure, it's nice to have a large selection, but there is a point where too many choices are a bad thing. How many different word processors does a person really need? I can't imagine it can be a lot.

Mac OS has many comparable software titles, or even counterparts/ports of Windows software available for either download, or purchase. The Mac software library may have less, but unless it is highly specialized software, Mac OS has the same software categories as Windows does.

Furthermore, through X11, hundreds and thousands of Linux flavored applications can be run easily on OS X.

Myth 2. Macs are not as powerful as a Windows system.
Well, yes and no. Both systems, depending on the processes at hand excel in their own ways. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses. A Mac may out preform a Windows system in one area, and vice versa.

Myth 3. There are no games.
Then get a console! Actually, Macs do have games, just not nearly as many as Windows. World of Warcraft, Unreal Tourney 2k4, Myst, Neverwinter Nights, and Everquest are all available right now, as well as many others. They just take longer to convert, because companies want the cash fast, so they release for Windows first in most cases. In other cases, some companies want to see how well their game does before porting it, and others release it at the same time as they do on other systems. It varies greatly on the company.

Myth 4. They only support a 1 button mouse.
For many years now, the Mac OS has supported multi-button mice, even with scroll wheels. Right clicking in Mac OS brings up similar options as Windows. If the mouse only has one button, you can emulate right clicking by holding down the control key on the keyboard while clicking.

Recently, Apple released a multi-button, feature rich, highly configurable mouse which can be found here: http://www.apple.com/mightymouse/ This ships now by default with all Mac models, except for the Mac mini, iBooks and Powerbooks.

Myth 5. Files from a Mac are incompatible with files from Windows
In some cases yes, in some cases no. Sure, system files wouldn't be able to be read very well, or at all on opposing systems, but things such as Word documents can be read, as long as you have software that can read it. PDF, jpg, mpeg, mp3, txt files, and a onslaught of others are all cross compatible between many different systems.

Myth 6. Macs and PCs can't communicate together.
Everyday, hundreds upon hundreds of e-mails are sent from PC to PC, and from Mac to Mac, and from PC to Mac. Even on networks, Macs can connect to a Windows machine to transfer files.

Myth 7. You can't use them for anything, or do anything on them
Unless it is a very specialized piece of hardware or software you are working with such as those in the scientific or engineering communities, Macs can pretty much do anything a comparable PC can do. They can Rip CD's, burn CD's and DVD's, play DVDs, surf the net, schoolwork, photo editing, moviemaking, sound and music editing, download files, get e-mail, create presentations, digital photography, writing, keep schedules, chat, accounting, programming, and even run Windows through an emulator. There are many, many more things they can do as well.

Myth 8. They are not user friendly, and hard to navigate
This is more of a matter of opinion. What is user friendly for one person, may not be for another. Same with navigation. People think differently, and so one interface may be easy for one person to use, and very hard for someone else. It depends entirely on the person.

Myth 9. They are a pain to fix
Again, this is matter of opinion. It also depends on how sever the problem is. Since Windows and the Mac OS are so different at the functioning level, it can be difficult for an avid user of one to fix the other, especially when it comes to system specific problems.

Myth 10. They crash all the time, and are unstable
This is a matter of use and maintenance. Macs don't require as much maintenance as Windows does (Like defragging), and tend to be more stable than Windows, on average. If you are using a Mac that hasn't been maintained, of course it will operate poorly. Same with Windows though. Same with a car. And the OS crashing is different than an application crashing, and bringing the rest of the system down with it.

Myth 11. They have no tech support.
They have lots of tech support, and come with a warranty, which can be extended for 3 years, and completely covers your system, just like a PC warranty. But, no tech support is perfect, and some Mac users have horrid tech support stories, while other users have raving reviews. Same with the PC side of things, too.

Also, as of the fall of 2005, Apple is being rated as having the best Tech support over companies like Dell and IBM. Link: http://www.macobserver.com/article/2002/11/04.9.shtml

Myth 12. They have no Plug and play
They do indeed. Most USB devices are automatically detected by the OS, and usable without installing any drivers. Many digital cameras, joysticks, mice, and even external drives are detected quickly, and loaded up so they can be used immediately. Most newer Macs also have Firewire or USB 2.0, and bluetooth as standard or optional.

Myth 13.The designs are stupid.
Still, a matter of opinion. Not everyone likes the same car, or food, or color for that matter. Apple designs their computers to look good to most people, not everyone.

Myth 14.They can't be upgraded
This, as well as PC's, really depends on the models. If its an all in one unit (iMac), or a compact unit (Mac Mini) then the parts that can be upgraded may be limited. With Desktops, most things can eventually be upgraded. I have seen a processor upgrade card for an old Powerbook, that upgraded it from a G3 processor to a G4. That's a very decent upgrade. Furthermore, the 7x00 series could also be upgraded to a Desktop G3 with some tinkering.

For a while now, Powermac's have been very good at using similar parts for things like CD drives, DVD drives, Hard drives, and PCI cards. In some instances, you can even swap parts between a PC and a Mac.

Some powerbook models even have a PC (PCMCIA) card slot, for expansion, for things like video, audio, and even wi-fi.

http://xlr8yourmac.com/ is a great site that offers all sorts of upgrades for old and new Macs.

Myth 15. They have to be pretty! Thats why they sell!
It may be part of it, but it isn't all of it. Take a look at some of the older Macs. Apple making pretty computers is actual relatively new, in comparison to how long they have been making the computers. It wasn't;' too long ago you could buy a Beige G3 tower, and many of them are still in use today. Their looks didn't sell them then.

Many companies also have tried to copy similar designs, such as the iMac design. Some have it copied exactly, others have a similar design, such as the Gateway Astro, or the Gateway Profile, both of which try to imitate different iMac models.

Myth 16. You can't do any cool case mods.
Ahem: http://applefritter.com/hacks/

Myth 17. The [brand x] Xillibit bit processor is faster than the new Mac!!!
Ok, so? Is it that surprising that newer hardware is faster than anything else on the market when it comes out? Besides, there is more to computing than a pissing contest. Megahertz don't matter all that much between the two systems, because the internal structuring is so different.

Macs and PCs are two different machines. They are made to run differently, and do things differently. Some things are better done on a PC, while others are more suited to a Mac.

In the end, it comes down to what you are more comfortable using.

Myth 18. Microsoft bought a bunch of G5's to take over the world.
No. Well, yes... I mean... well... MS is a software company too. They do develop for the Mac OS. They even have a Linux lab. Kinda hard to develop for a platform you don't have access to, right?

The Xbox 360 runs on a modified/customized triple core PPC processor, somewhat similar to what Powermacs have. The Xbox 360 demo units at E3 '05 were actually 2 dual g5 Powermacs. Most likely, they use the Macs as development kit.

Myth 19: The Switch to Intel.
This really isn't a myth, because its true. Link: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jun/06intel.html

Apple is switching their processing chips to the same format as what your typical PC uses. There are several reasons for this, and more speculation. The main reasons are that they are having trouble mass producing the current chips, and they also run very very hot. The Powerbooks that will eventually carry this chip will be almost 25% slimmer than the current Powerbooks, as they don't need to add so much in the lines of cooling.

Also, for the Powerbooks, the processors tend to be slower than what a PC laptop can be, also do to cooling issues. A faster processor means more cooling, which means more bulk. Switching to different processors will make portable models significantly faster as well.

Also, Apple has been on rocky ground with IBM because of problems and delays both in manufacturing the current G5 line of chips, as well as developing the lineup further.

As far as OS X on a regular PC goes, a leaked development only version of the updated Mac OS X was leaked out, and people figured out a way to get it to run on a regular system, using a handful of workarounds. Chances are, once the new OS X is released publicly, this will be fixed, but someone very possibly might find a new workaround. Apple has no plans to release Mac OS X to run on anything that is not specifically a Mac.

There is plenty of information out there on all this, so let me give a few resources:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/worktech/cst-fin-andy09.html
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1368
http://maconintel.com/
http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0506intelmac.html

Myth 20. They Don't run Windows!!1
SInce the Intel Macs came out, some people tried to get Windows to run on them, and did so successfully on their own. As of April 5th, 2006, Apple has released new software called Bootcamp and is currently in a Public Beta phase, and it easily allows you to install and run Windows nativley on the Intel Macs.

Keep in mind, running Windows on a Mac does not make Windows magically secure. That means, it is still fully possible for Windows to get infected with viruses and Malware, just the same as it is on a PC. Be sure to use proper protection. wink

Myth 21. iPod babble! Babble Babble Babble!
Please go to iPod Awareness for all things ipod. Link: http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3879355





Oh, and a few things I decided to throw in, that aren't exactly rumors, but everyone should know them.

Apple is the company. Macintosh is the computer.
It's Mac, not MAC, as capitalization implies it's an Acronym.

ALSO: Check out THIS LINK for most any Macintosh commercial, and even some parodies as well!
http://www.Apple.com for all your Mac needs.
http://apple-history.com For Hardware old and new.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Macintosh For history and knowledge.

Heh. Thankies. Oh, and feel free to add to it as well. I know I didn;t get everything there is, but I think I got the big ones.

They already have made mention of it. Gotta love google.

biggrin this is true macks in all r better than windows cuz they require less processing power and memory to run the only the problem everyone is used to useing windows and when we change over it is just too basic to use so we hate it. the only other problem i see in mac is the lack of games ...i am a gamer myself and i would never see myself buying a mac bucause of the lack of popular games that i play bye 4 now.....

Ah, good to hear you're not a blind sheep Mac maniac, and you can form opinions to the contrary of what Apple says. And yes their benchmark thing is marketing and I wouldn't be angry, except they still claim that the g5 was the first personal 64 bit proc(opteron was, although it was made more for servers, it was readily available for home use) and that the g5 is the fastest computer in the world...when will the spin doctors learn...

As for networking, I don't like it either, but since I will most likely be the top dog student network admin next year I have to deal with it. Sigh...big networks are such a pain in th a***grumbles incoherently*

I own both a G4 400 Macintosh and a AMD 3000+ and I find the Mac to be much better for today's masses. The PC is better for those who know what they are doing and already have experience. I work as a tech support monkey and we get about 90% of our calls from PC users and they turn out to be the PC user or the PC itself having a problem, whereas our Mac users (yes, we keep track) rarely ever call and when they do, it's something easy to walk though and is more our problem then a problem with the Mac.

From what I know, here's the good and the bad about a Mac, from my research. The good points are simple: Macs rarely if ever crash, they're fool-proof, and they're prettier than Macs. There aren't no sudden freezes like with Windows (especially Windows XP Pro addition if you know what I mean), and as far as aesthetics, Steve Jobs has the nicest looking computer models I've ever seen. Have you seen the 17in Powerbooks with their metal exterior? How about the new G4 desktops? The iMacs? The eMacs? Do you remember the very stylish iBook G3 300, 366, and 466 "clamshell" models? Were they not the prettiest computers you've ever seen?

And processor power: it takes fewer clock cycles on a Mac power PC processor than a Pentium processor. The reason why you see three thousand gigahertz processors with Pentium processors is because they use 20 clock cycles to run, where a power PC (Mac) only takes three. A PC needs more power to run than a Mac does.

However -- Mac has two fatal errors. The first is most obvious: hardly anyone uses a Mac any more. I still have a bad taste in my mouth with a Mac due to the stupid Centras and Quadras I had to use in my computers class in high school. All the new iMacs went to the yearbook squad, while the computer club got the old useless ones, so I know I'll always have problems with Macs. Even one of the nice iBooks I might get.

The second reason is also quite obvious: Macs are pretty damned expensive. The new 17" Powerbook runs a cool $3000, so whip out your check book right away if you can afford it. The good news is that the new iBook Snow is now the first sub-one thousand dollar laptop. Hell, even the old iBooks run a thousand dollars.

I'm a gamer and I use my Mac more then my AMD machine, I feel more of a personal bond with my Mac.

14 is wrong by the way. You can use some PC hardware in a Mac if you know how to flash the BIOS of whatever you are installing. (cept for the CPU)

NinaV> You still need Dave most of the time. XP made it a b***h to talk to PCs from a Mac, it's always been kinda one way compatibly thing with Macs and PCs, Macs making more of a push.

I hope I'm not the only one who finds such technical language from a girl(I hope...) really really sexy...

*smiles happily knowing there are chicks out there that like comps and goes on his merry way*