Intel Mac's and Windows

Quattro · 04-17-2006, 01:02 AM

Ok so I must be missing something here or I'm just not seeing the big picture.

What's the point of getting, lets say, a Intel Mac Mini and installing windows xp on it??
If your gonna install windows on a mac why don't u just save some money and by a small form factor board and install windows on that and do it the correct way.

The reason your buying a mac is so u can run OS10 or whatever on it, correct? Why mess around trying to get all the driver issues corrected so you can run all the software you like on a windows install on a mac??

Wouldn't it just be simple to just install windows on something it was meant to run on?

Bugbyte · 04-17-2006, 02:00 AM

First off, it's not cheaper for a small form factor system. See my post on this here..

Second, you're approaching this from the wrong perspective. You have to start with the basic premise that Mac users are dissatisfied with Windows. You HAVE to accept that or the whole Windows hoopla will make no sense at all.

Windows has no soul, it looks ugly, is overly complex, and gosh darn it, we just HATE it.

It doesn't matter whether that's true or not, it's what we think. Using Windows for a Mac user is like undergoing a Fear Factor challenge that involves eating maggots. Never mind that the rest of the galaxy doesn't notice doesn't care, and thinks we're stupid for thinking that way, there is a core of people out there who do. They're Mac users.

An observation that a friend of mine made will sum it up pretty well. He said, "When you ask a Windows user to show you their computer, they fire it up and demo all the applications they have on it. When you ask a Mac user to show you their Mac, they don't even turn it on. They just point at it and say breathlessly, -There it is!"

Now that you understand the perspective, you can understand why this Windows thing is so important. Mac users may hate Windows, BUT it's what 95% of the planet runs and therefore, there are some programs that Macs don't run. GPS is a good example for us car PC'ers.

Well, now they do. Granted, the kludge is that you have to install Windows on your machine, but now you can be Mac most of the time and run Windows when you absolutely have to. The final objection to our stubborn insistence that we use OSX, "but you can't run Windows programs on it", is now removed.

So the celebration is by the MAC community, not the Windows community. Finally, we can run an OSX operating system without compromise. (Well, yeah there's compromises, but I think you know what I mean)

And that's why it won't make any sense to satisfied Windows users. They're thinking, "Who the hell wants to run OSX anyhow? Why don't you just get XP and be done with it?"

Quattro · 04-17-2006, 11:30 AM

Yeah that's what I'm trying to get at. Mac users love their systems and praise how stable it is and how it never has any problems. So why would u butcher ur system up and put, of all operating systems, windows on it.
So you can't run some apps on it, you just gotta be a man and live with it, you decided run something only a small portion of the world uses.

I'm not trying to say anything bad about mac, I just feel its like your give the caputers soul to satin by putting windows on your mac.

Bugbyte · 04-17-2006, 11:47 PM

I'm with you. I switched to a Mac for the challenge. Less competition for apps, new territory to mine, similar problems but for a different community.

To keep my system with that pristine 'Mac-ness', I just left the PC in the car and use a KVM to switch to nav when I need it! That way I don't get any of that ooky Windows-ness on it and I can feel better about myself at the end of the day!

I haven't actually used the PC since I installed the Mac, though. It's more "hey look, two computers, not one!" than anything else. And by the way, the PC must not have liked it because now when it boots at 800X600 it put half of the screen off to the right. I can only access the left hand side unless I go 640X480!

Serves me right.

sebberry · 04-18-2006, 12:27 AM

Not to go mac bashing here, I am sure they are still good for a few things like brickles...

Anyway, moving right along. My roomate has a mac and puts down Windows anytime he has the oppertunity to do so. Personally, I find the interface far from intuitave and always stare blankly at the screen not knowing what do do. To me, and yes I say this as a Windows user, Windows simply makes more sense. The file structure, the window structure, the taskbar all that stuff. Not to mention the right mouse button...

Sure, if you are a unix minded computer geeky guy you might like mac osx for the underlying unix base, however this is useless for most desktop mac users. Everyone praises them for being more user friendly, but I just don't see it. It's almost like you need to know how to use one before you can actually use it. With Windows, you simply click "Start" and everything is right there....

Quattro · 04-18-2006, 12:31 AM

this not a windows vs. osx discussion.

darwiniandude · 04-20-2006, 04:03 AM

Quattro: this not a windows vs. osx discussion.

Exactly!

Besides, user friendlyness is relative. If you're used to OSX and have never used windows, you'll hate PC's, and if you're used to Windows and try and use a Mac you will get lost. The only real test would be to take a large section of people who have never used a computer ever, split them into two groups and see which group gets to terms with which machine quicker. What is the point??

iamgnat · 04-20-2006, 12:21 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by darwiniandude

The only real test would be to take a large section of people who have never used a computer ever, split them into two groups and see which group gets to terms with which machine quicker. What is the point??

Actually that isn't exactly a good test either. Just sitting anyone in front ANY interface (not even specific to computers) will almost always return poor results. They need to have a task that the interface provides first. Even the most advanced users of one system need (beyond the task) pointers of how to get started on a new system.

The real questions are:
1) How hard was it for them to pick up the new ways to perform the same tasks?

2) Once they have used the new interface for a significant period of time (relative to the task they are performing), which interface do they find better?

I remember way back when I did my first Linux install (back in the early 90s when it was still a hackers OS and a PITA to install). I fought through the install and changed out a bunch of hardware to get it to work. Then when I finally got X running, I just stared at it because I didn't know WTF to do with it. I also remember when M$ moved from 3.11 to 95. Most people hated the new interface and thought it was less productive, but after using it awhile it was hard to find anyone that was wishing for 3.x back

And when I got my first OSX Mac, I didn't know what to do with it at first (I never did figure out what to do with my old first series 6100).

-dave

Quattro · 04-21-2006, 12:52 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by darwiniandude

Quattro: this not a windows vs. osx discussion.

Exactly!

Besides, user friendlyness is relative. If you're used to OSX and have never used windows, you'll hate PC's, and if you're used to Windows and try and use a Mac you will get lost. The only real test would be to take a large section of people who have never used a computer ever, split them into two groups and see which group gets to terms with which machine quicker. What is the point??

so, whats ur point??

I said this wasn't a discussion of which operating system was better or which had better fucntions or which was easier to learn.
I asked, why would u install windows on a Mac?? Why go through the trouble? why take away something that makes a Mac a Mac??

2k1Toaster · 04-21-2006, 02:16 AM

There are two pretty distinct reasons.

The first is for OSX lovers: They do it for the reason that Bugbyte said in post #2. Windows dominates the market so there are naturally some things that don't get ported. There are emulators out there, but they try to convert the code and it boggs it down to not usable.

The second, is for Windows lovers (like me): I love windows because to me it is more intuitive. I don't like the graphics but then you can make em look better yourself! Well the reason to do it is because Apple has done something very very right aesthetically. They look good. My PC like most others' here, you built yourself. They look good because of the case and unique-ish look, but c'mon... Macs look x10 better. I like the sleek look that a PC really can't achieve for the same pricepoint. I refuse to use OSX though, so I shrug and say mines good enough. Now though, you can put the best of both worlds together, and run Windows, on a sleek Mac. The best example of sleek and stylish (other than iPod), is the Mac laptops. 5 hour battery life, thin as nothing, absolutely no fans, beautiful screen, and now your choice of Windows. That seals the deal for me...

skippy911 · 04-21-2006, 07:57 AM

Im hoping with the ability to run windows on a mac when people do real world benchmarking of a mac vs wintel machine apple will see how overpriced their hardware is and lower the costs

Ok Im dreaming but hey it could happen