Re: Mini Mac, is it worth switching for PC to Mac?

[Simon McCaughey <simonmcc@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On 18/01/06, christopher purves <CHRIS_PURVES@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> My wife and I tried this experiment a few months back. Suffice to say
the
> minis are now sold and we are back to pcs although I loved the minis
at the
> time and was certainly enjoying playing with something new, bright and
> white.

Chris, interestingly we had almost exactly the same experience

> A few factors contributed to this.
>
> 1:) The wife couldn't get on with it as it was not what she was used
to and
> didn't want to change.

Yip, I think it is a big switch if you know your route through the PC
apps you are familiar with.

> 2:) The minis crashed - yes they did! and not just once. The concept
of
> apples never crashing is simply not true - this was one of the main
reasons
> for purchasing.

Mine never crashed.

<snip>


> 5.) I know spware/viruses  are an issue for pcs but something like
> Zonealarm's full package will sort you out on the pc and keep you
safe.
>
> 6.) In summary if you have been using pcs for 10 years its hard to
change.

Yip, that's what I found, the mac has millions of apps, but in my
years of PC use I have built up a tool set of apps that I can quickly
manipulate images / web pages / audio / video / code etc. To move to
mac means researching replacements for all those tools, and learning
them. That is not practical.

> O and its not the fastest thing either (not suprising given the specs.
I
> would buy the most expensive Dell you can get for your cash.

I would heartily second that - I would recommend dell to anyone, if
you want a budget machine, and something that's going to be reliable
go for a cheap dell. I have used  http://www.mcscom.co.uk to buy
almost new P4 Dell base units recently, and would recommend that too,
as you can pick up a higher spec machine like an 8400 with PCI express
graphics etc for about 300 quid.

HTH

Simon