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Why don't more people buy Macs?

I don't dislike Apple or the Mac, I just don't really want one. These days Apple is just a brand of PC. Yes, they have their own operating system which is a contrast compared to every other PC maker out there. I just don't find that hugely attractive. Sometimes I have to use Macs at work, with various iterations of Apple's 12 year old OSX operating system. Again, I don't dislike using these machines, I just don't want one.

I prefer Windows and have for many years. Some people hated Vista - I loved it and was happy to get off XP in 2006 when the Vista betas started to hit. I haven't had an XP system since then, don't miss it. Today, Windows 7 64 Enterprise and the software available for it do everything I need. Could I accomplish roughly the same thing on a Mac? Probably? Do I want to? No, not really.

I'll comment on viruses just for fun. I've had a computer virus just a number of times and I've been computing since the late 1980s. I haven't had a virus of any type infect any PC I work on since at least 2005. You might ask how I can remember - I'm an IT Sys Admin - we tend to be a little anal about these things. :)
 
I still have my first Gen PPC Mini Mac, which I bought in '05 just so I could get to know Macs in general. Since I believe I'm a techie/geekie type of guy!

TBH, I haven't had a lick of problems with it and been using it as part of my HDTV setup, using a wireless keyboard & mouse (non-mac). I did upgrade the ram after buying it.

I also believe price is a leading factor in why more people don't go the Apple way for computers. I would love to get me another Mac but, again, price is the issue when you can get more hardware buying a regular PC.

I'm also a Linux guy, so I put it on all my machines!
 
psychotron said:
Seems odd to me that Apple can dominate sales in MP3 players, smart phones and tablet computers but when it comes to PC sales, they aren't even close. I think price is the main issue. Most people try to go cheap with their computers for some odd reason. Fear of a new OS is probably another which is odd seeing as how these people are using Apple products daily anyways. Thoughts?
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Good question. And Jerofld is near spot on with this:
Macs don't sell well because people have brand recognition of Windows. They think they need Windows to run anything they need to run. And, depending on your needs, this may actually be correct, but I'd wager that 80% of the PC owning population would be just as fine on a Mac as they would on a Windows machine.
Click to expand...

The first new Computer I ever had (actually belonged to my wife, and she got it in the divorce) was a Mac and it was sweet. After the divorce I could not afford to buy anything so my PC picks were what others threw out. And at the time I was finding lots of PCs sitting curb side.
Started with Windows 3.1 and then a few years later moved up to 95. But they were still nothing compared to the Mac.
In time 98 came out and I really started seeing just how full of security holes windows was. Began longing for that Mac once again. BUT!!! there was no way I could afford one. Macs Prices were just beyond my range. So I spoke to a friend who owns a PC store and he told me about Linux.
Now back then Linux was ruff and a pain to use in about every way, but I tried it, and found promise. Today, Linux has Matured and there are many Distros out there that are marvels of art and science.
My I Pad 2 is now as close to a Mac as I care to get. The IP2 is a great little device and I like it as much as my Android tablet, but I am so use to Linux now that anything else feel alien.

So after that mountainous mole hill, my point is. A great part for many of us not using Mac is Price.
And why Macs cost so much is a story for another day.
 
Personally, I use Windows because of Marketshare. If I had my choice? I'd run a flavor of Linux that could run .exe's natively and with the same level of performance as Windows.

Like it or not, because of hardware availability and compatibility, A Windows machine dollar for dollar will always out perform a Mac.
 
That is your opinion. And for you that statement is true. And that's great. But it is not true for all.
Best value for the dollar depends on the needs or wants of the consumer.
For me the Market Share of windows is a huge reason of why I avoid it. It is true that you can do a great deal more with windows than the others because of its market share (more programs available for it and all). But for some that comes with a huge fail, being viruses and malware. 99%of all viruses and malware are written for windows because of it market saturation. But for those who just want to get on line and do email or brows or other simple things like being part of this forum, those malware issues can be a huge pain. Antivirus software and anti malware can be costly and is hit and miss at best. Microsoft Security Essentials is said to be a good free service but still it does not catch everything.
Linux or Mac are an opt out of that mess. Mac is a expensive opt where Linux is not and Linux runs on most hardware these days.
For me, I would rather use a OS that has to worry about less than 1% of the malware presence on the net than one that has to worry about 99% of it.
No antimalwar programs hogging up system resources means my PC's runs smoother and longer on a particular install than any windows install I have ever had.
It all boiles down to what a person wants to do with their hardware. as to what OS is best for them.
 
androidfonefan said:
That is you opinion. And for you that statement is true. And that's great. But it is not true for all.
Best value for the dollar depends on the needs or wants of the consumer.
For me the Market Share of windows is a huge reason of why I avoid it. It is true that you can do a great deal more with windows than the others because of its market share (more programs available for it and all). But for some that comes with a huge fail, being viruses and malware. 99%of all viruses and malware are written for windows because of it market saturation. But for those who just want to get on line and do email or brows or other simple things like being part of this forum, those malware issues can be a huge pain. Antivirus software and anti malware can be costly and is hit and miss at best. Microsoft Security Essentials is said to be a good free service but still it does not catch everything.
Linux or Mac are an opt out of that mess. Mac is a expensive opt where Linux is not and Linux runs on most hardware these days.
For me, I would rather use a OS that has to worry about less than 1% of the malware presence on the net than one that has to worry about 99% of it.
No antimalwar programs hogging up system resources means my PC's runs smoother and longer on a particular install than any windows install I have ever had.
It all boiles down to what a person wants to do with their hardware. as to what OS is best for them.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, this is simply not true.

Most of Mac Malware is generally swept under the rug, but it does exist and it effects about the same percentage of users because it's done through social engineering.

Mac ‘Flashback’ Virus: What It Does And How To Remove It

If I were to go for security through obscurity, I would vote for Linux, but that leaves you unable to do so many things which is the primary reason Linux isn't my main Operating System on my PC.

I personally wish Linux would hit the mainstream and garner the attention of all the big corporations that develop productivity software and games, but this is not the case for today.

Thanks for your post. :)
 
in my family we have 2 iPhone 4s, two ipad2s, and an apple TV...we bought a Mac mini ans honestly we didn't care for it...it was slow
 
Vihzel said:
I think the biggest single factor that influences all decisions is PRICE.
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This mostly.

It's also due to familiarity. Tried weaning the mom on Hackint0sh and Kubuntu (on an extra PC). She couldn't get used to it and kept asking for Windows (had 2 PC's connected to the monitor, one dual-boot OS X and Linux, the other on Windows). I think the newer generation who grew up on iPods, iPhones and iPads might be more inclined to use Macs. I do believe we're seeing bigger marketshare for Macs now compared to before.

Personally, couldn't get used to OS X, either. Guess I'm just really used to Windows. I can easily switch to Linux (I like KDE) but the fam requires Windows.
 
psychotron said:
Seems odd to me that Apple can dominate sales in MP3 players, smart phones and tablet computers but when it comes to PC sales, they aren't even close. I think price is the main issue. Most people try to go cheap with their computers for some odd reason. Fear of a new OS is probably another which is odd seeing as how these people are using Apple products daily anyways. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

There are LOTS of reasons for that. The main is that the Mac is a status symbol, plain and simple. From a functionality and software compatibility
standpoint, it is like "Windows for dummies, for twice the price".


1) The biggest point is Price. Build a Windows PC for $500 using the exact same level of hardware as found in a $1200 Mac. $800-1000 gets you to the level of a $2500 Mac. It is just dumb to overspend for the exact same hardware products.
This doesn't mean people are CHEAP as you call it, it is just having a brain. Personally I cannot understand how people could be so dumb to continue spending $1200 for a computer when they can have the same power and more compatibility (like mentioned below) for a third or half the price.
It is like a guy puts a pretty paintjob on a Mustang and charges an extra $100,000 versus a $50,000 Mustang, smart people would see right through the added paint and buy the $50,000 Mustang. Yet some would buy the overpriced Mustang as a status symbol, even though both have the same base power and performance.

2) Gaming: Very few games that have high graphics demands are created for Mac simply because it doesn't have the fan base, pure GPU capabilities, or upgradability as Windows based systems.

3) Hardware Upgrades: With Windows, take the old video card out, put the new one of YOUR choice in, install drivers (if not already installed) and within minutes you are ready to go. With a Mac, you have to double check the Hardware Compatibility Lists, make sure you get an EXACT match to whats on that list, and HOPE the new part works. Many times it will not because it is not an opfficial Apple product, which means you need to return or sell that new part, then go through Apple and pay double or triple for the exact same part that has their approval sticker on it, and some special chip embedded in the part that allows it to work in a Mac.

4) Software: this is similar to windows versus android, people want Program X because they are familiar with it so they try to find their familiar software on the new platform. Same thing goes for a Mac, people have 20+ years with familiar Windows point and double click, right click, scroll, etc, so they see no need to get a Mac with one button, no right click, no scroll wheel on the mouse.

5) Smartphones/tablets: Apple is actually losing that battle to Android based setups, for the same reason as mentioned above. you can get an Android for half the price, same or better performance, better support, and more/better apps available by the community instead of being locked into what Apple wants you to have, and charge you for it

The list can go on and on, but in the end it is just dumb to buy a Mac unless it is absolutely required for work, or you have extra cash to blow. For me, I will build my own systems for less than half the price of a Mac and get the same or better performance.
 
talikarni said:
There are LOTS of reasons for that. The main is that the Mac is a status symbol, plain and simple. From a functionality and software compatibility
standpoint, it is like "Windows for dummies, for twice the price".
Click to expand...

Macs are certainly a status symbol in China. They love the glowing Apple logo. Sometimes they'll put Apple stickers on Lenovos and things.

talikarni said:
1) The biggest point is Price. Build a Windows PC for $500 using the exact same level of hardware as found in a $1200 Mac. $800-1000 gets you to the level of a $2500 Mac. It is just dumb to overspend for the exact same hardware products.
Click to expand...

You're talking about tower PCs of course, we don't all need these. Plus most people don't build PCs anyway, that's rather a geek thing. Most people just go out and buy a PC. Although building a PC is certainly a good education into how these things work, I've done it myself in the past. Plus you can build and customize exactly what you require, if that's your desire. To most ordinary people a computer is just an appliance, a tool for getting work done, they're not geeks.

Also one can't really build an all-in-one PC, like an iMac, which take up much less space than tower systems. One certainly can't build laptops either. There are many premium Windows laptops which are similarly priced to the Apple ones, e.g. Sony Vaio.


talikarni said:
2) Gaming: Very few games that have high graphics demands are created for Mac simply because it doesn't have the fan base, pure GPU capabilities, or upgradability as Windows based systems.
Click to expand...

If one plays Windows games, would seem rather silly to buy a Mac. Correct tools for the job. Anyway it's only tower desktop PCs that are upgradeable, can't really upgrade the GPU or whatever in an all-in-one system, laptop or netbook though. I used to be really into gaming at one time, not now though.

The only problem I have with OS X, is that it doesn't support Mongolian Script, so I use Windows 7 for this. Same reason why I don't use Linux for work or my studies. But if I'm browsing forums, reading the news, playing music, watching movies, OS X, Windows or Linux are OK.

talikarni said:
3) Hardware Upgrades: With Windows, take the old video card out, put the new one of YOUR choice in, install drivers (if not already installed) and within minutes you are ready to go. With a Mac, you have to double check the Hardware Compatibility Lists, make sure you get an EXACT match to whats on that list, and HOPE the new part works. Many times it will not because it is not an opfficial Apple product, which means you need to return or sell that new part, then go through Apple and pay double or triple for the exact same part that has their approval sticker on it, and some special chip embedded in the part that allows it to work in a Mac.
Click to expand...

Again this is rather a geek thing IMO. Many ordinary people, e.g. my sister wouldn't even know what a video card is, any more than she would know what a pump in her washing machine does. She knows how to use a computer for work, that's it. If her PC breaks down, she'll either pay a tech to fix it, or just buy a new one, just like if her washing machine broke down. Her PC is just an appliance.

talikarni said:
4) Software: this is similar to windows versus android, people want Program X because they are familiar with it so they try to find their familiar software on the new platform. Same thing goes for a Mac, people have 20+ years with familiar Windows point and double click, right click, scroll, etc, so they see no need to get a Mac with one button, no right click, no scroll wheel on the mouse.
Click to expand...

When was the last time you actually saw or used a Mac? One button mice, no right click, etc. that's all history.

MS Office on a Mac works pretty much the same way as Windows, except for the ribbon interface, I know a few people don't really like the ribbon interface anyway, including myself. Chrome and Firefox work very much the same way, Windows or Mac.

talikarni said:
I will build my own systems for less than half the price of a Mac and get the same or better performance.
Click to expand...

Again this is a geek thing, we're not all geeks. I used to be really geeky, but not so much these days. As I posted above, one can't really build an all-in-one PC or a laptop anyway.
 
Good catch. People started using Logitech mice, two buttons and a scroll wheel, on their Macs over a decade ago. Shortly after that, Apple stopped including one button mice. Last Apple mouse WifelyMon bought was a four button job with a scroll dodad, four years ago, for the Mac mini serving as the HTPC (home theater PC).

The Mac mini, at the time, was the exact same price as the only two Windows minis in existence with the exact same hardware configurations. Yes, you could build a bigger one for less, but for an uncluttered living room, people use the mini form factor that uses laptop components, pricier at the time than desktop counterparts. Except the mini included an IR remote, saving a $15 add-on for the Windows counterpart. Plus being guaranteed to work with the built-in media-only interface.

Lots of people buy Macs because they have shopped around, know exactly what they're doing, and aren’t idiots or iSheep. ;) :D

Use the right tool for the job, live and let live. :)

PS - watched some classic Doctor Who last night, used Remote Droid on my phone to control the HTPC, easy peasy. Remote Droid works great for Macs and Windows.

Mac vs Windows? Android wins. ;)
 
I'm sure someone (probably even me) has posted this, but if not...


mac_pc.png
 
I've been a Windows guy for 15 years, the company I support uses Windows. The company I support is also venturing into the Mac world and has given me one to learn on. My HP laptop needs replacing (2-1/2 years old, HDD diags are fine, reinstalled OS and still random BSODs), it's being replaced with a Mac. I have an AppleTV, so with ML I'll be able to AirPlay my Mac to my TV when I want to have a larger screen and still have the portability of a 13" MBP.

I'll still use Windows at home, I'm a gamer and build my own gaming desktops, but for my portable needs it'll be MBP and my Acer tablet.

I think the reason more don't sell is the price of admission. These computers are not cheap but the all-aluminum construction, trackpad and screen are MILES ahead of many of the laptops I've seen.
 
There may be hardware issues with your HP
Atop but before you toss it out because of the BSOD try downloading the ISO for Ultimate Linux 3.2 and run it live from the DVD and see if it works well on the hardware. I can tell you from personal experience that some devices that baulk at windows after a time will run Linux for several years before the hardware finally gives out.
It would be a shame to shelf a laptop without trying another OS. You may not be able to run all your needed windows software on it, but there are a great many web related thing you can do. Email, web searches, watching videos, on and on. And it will save the ware on your new Mac.
 
Considering the VERY random and infrequent nature of the faults, running a Live CD to see if it fails there won't be very much help.

To be honest, for the last 8 months I've been looking for an excuse to replace the thing. It was kind of an impulse purchase, I bought it a month after the Core i5 chips were released (it's a C2D) and I've never really been 100% pleased with the performance of the machine, though it serves well for the most part.
 
psychotron said:
Seems odd to me that Apple can dominate sales in MP3 players, smart phones and tablet computers but when it comes to PC sales, they aren't even close. I think price is the main issue. Most people try to go cheap with their computers for some odd reason. Fear of a new OS is probably another which is odd seeing as how these people are using Apple products daily anyways. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I own an iMAC, but just use it for music. Why I do not own more comes down to cost. I do not want to spend twice the price of a PC for product that will be obsolete in 3 years and I do not want to buy MAC versions for all my software. In addition, I am offended by Apples warranty service, which seems to revolve around its customers paying even more money for something that should be free.

As to their domination of Music products, they are dominating with 10 year old technology, not sound. Most android phones sound better than an iPOD or the iPhone and are a lot easier to do file manipulation.
 
andruoid said:
Its like buying anything else: do your research. Problem is most of the world is too busy to care. They (the consumer) want everything yesterday and have no patients to learn, they just want it to work. The danger is lack of knowledge, eg; throwing out a perfectly good laptop just because of a dead HDD. Therefore they spend more money than they have to.
Click to expand...

That is not quite true...the technology changes so fast that whatever you bought 2 or 3 years ago is obsolete today. I had a 5 year old top flight XP machine a couple of years ago that refused to play my latest photo software and would not allow updates of other software or drivers...too slow and too limited and too little memory.

IMHO, buy a mid range machine with a lot of memory at a low price and then replace it with a new one in 3-4 years. You will be happier and richer than spending a fortune on a machine that will be obsolete before the extended warranty quits and then fighting with it for the last year or so of its useful life..
 
Like it or not, nowadays people who buy low-end Windows machines see them as thoroughly disposable commodities. I'm sure we've all encountered people who have borked their copy of Windows, decided that their computer was physically broken as a result, and just tossed the whole thing out. It's kind of a sad statement on our consumer society, on the user-unfriendliness of windows, and on the technological ignorance of much of the populace ... all at once.
 
mplevy said:
Considering the VERY random and infrequent nature of the faults, running a Live CD to see if it fails there won't be very much help.

To be honest, for the last 8 months I've been looking for an excuse to replace the thing. It was kind of an impulse purchase, I bought it a month after the Core i5 chips were released (it's a C2D) and I've never really been 100% pleased with the performance of the machine, though it serves well for the most part.
Click to expand...

You could always do a dual boot install and keep the windows installation, this would allow you to try Ultimate Linux on the device to see if it resolves issues without losing any of your windows stuff. UL makes this real easy.
I understand wanting that excuse for a new toy. I do it all the time and my bank acct don't like it none but hay.
I only suggest this because I have a tendency to try everything on a PC before shelving it as useless.
 
I have to say Macs, Ipads, Iphones can go burn in hell. This trendy thing is because many people are not very smart the way they use technology and conform to the "shiny" look. When I am in the market for a computer - be it desktop or laptop - I look at the hardware that is being sold not how shiny the damn box is. If hardware is good and the price is good usually a good candidate for me except when it comes down to Chrome books which are absolutely stupid. No internet no work no cloud of course.

And if you think I am a hater - I am not I just fail to see what is so special about the Unix system which cannot be done on Linux which is free and it supports a much wider range of systems. Oh and yea I do not see why I have to pay thousands of dollars more for crappier hardware which has a shiny box and a half eaten apple logo on the front of it.
 
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