Apple Vs PC - Pointless & Stupid...

In my last article, I mentioned why I wouldn't buy a Mac, with my own money.  Some people have commented that I'm anti Apple, or I'm in the "PC Camp" in the Apple/PC Fanboi debate.

What a load of old tosh!

I've been in the IT Industry for nearly 30 years, I've used mainframes, PCs, Macs - in short, been there, done that. I use PCs at work (because that's the environment I work in), I use PCs at home (because I like the platform, and the value for money it gives me), but I don't always run Windows, because I prefer Linux.  

I've dealt with this type of technology long enough, to know that every platform has good and bad points, but if you're aware of the good points, you should also not be blind to the bad.  I believe I have a balanced view on the subject, because I don't pretend that one platform is better than the other - they all have their strong points.  Apple make some lovely kit, but they do charge a bundle for it, and sometimes, it doesn't play nicely with anything that isn't Apple - that doesn't mean you shouldn't buy it, just be aware.  In the same vein, PC kit can vary in quality because it's so varied, but it offers better value for money, combined with cheaper repair costs - but it can be hampered by an operating system that has evolved in strange ways, leading to sometimes weird and wonderful problems - again, that doesn't mean you shouldn't buy it, just be aware.  If you don't like windows, try something else!

Any debate  about Apple vs PC is a stupid waste of time.  If you like one, stop wasting time trying to evangelise it's benefits - enjoy it for what it is - a tool.

Why I won't be buying an iMac...

As many of you know, I'm a cartoonist, as well as an IT Specialist, and many of my cartooning friends use Macs - in fact, many creatives use Apple Macs (in various guises) and will continue to do so, no matter what.  Many have tried to convince me to convert, and many times have I thought about it - and declined.

"But why do you decline?" you may ask.  "Surely they're stuff is great!".

Mmmnn...

Let me start by linking a review of the new Apple iMac 21.52 2012 version - this is for balance (!)

Ok - Apple make good products.  They are well engineered, look stunning, perform well, and provide a great user experience.  They are also expensive, difficult to repair / upgrade, and are somewhat proprietary in their nature.  Back in the Nineties, I was using Atari STs at home, PCs at work.  I loved my Atari - it was quick, slick and a joy to use, but it suffered form the same blight as the iMac, as it was expensive to upgrade, and proprietary.  By 1996, I was solely PC based, and have been ever since.

PCs may be a bit clunky, a bit large, and not as sexy as Apples, but they are cheap to upgrade / repair, and cheap to purchase - I can buy a PC that will out-perform an iMac for less money, and for those of you who would argue that buying a PC means that you're locked into that user experience, I would point out that not only can you run Windows on a PC, but you can run Linux (my personal favourite is PCLinuxOS) or even OSX (although you're not supposed to...)

In short, a PC is cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, and just as good.  I liken the Apple/PC choice to that of buying a Ferrari/Honda - both will get you where you want to go, but it'll be cheaper and more reliable in the Honda (and yes, I DO drive a honda)...