Apple vs PC

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The PC's are very affordable and easy to update.

Along that line, it's pretty easy to build your own system and install your OS of choice.

1492 wrote:
Not surprising. Avast tested as being more taxing on system resources than MSE. A better choice would be AVG Free 2014 or Comodo Internet Security Premium, both rated as having far less of an effect on systems performance than Avast. And both Free. Comodo even rated top in protection while using similar system resources as MSE according to AV-Test.org. However, MSE rated at the very bottom in protection.

Thx. I will likely go to Comodo, then.

I went to Apple in 2008 also and still have that Macbook Pro that runs fine. I did buy a new one recently but still have the older one with an installation of XP running in a different partition. This I need for programming my home automation and alarm but that will change when I buy a new home automation system. I am not a real fan of the Pages/Numbers programs but use them for certain things that I want to sync across all the apple devices. I have found that Open Office works just as good as the MS Office stuff and my wife the CPA has no issue going between OO and MS Office when working at home.

I also don't miss the issues with viruses and having to subscribe to Macafee or Norton or the like, and yes I know there are free virus protection out there, but sometimes you really get what you pay for with these. If your PC lasts 5 years and you are paying $100+ a year for virus protection, that negates at least a little bit of the price difference.

I have never had to take a computer in for service, either mac or pc, but I know the Apple tech support is pretty good.

I do have a new PC that my wife need to be able to work from home when the weather is bad and they close the freeway.

As said before, this is like the gas/diesel, motorhome/trailer type questions.

And as alway, this is just my opinion and we know what opinions are worth.

TechWriter wrote:

Bill.Satellite wrote:
I have never seen an iPad or tablet that could replace a full function computer. I actually wanted to do exactly that but more and more I found little things that I could do with a PC but could not with a tablet.

So you own NO Apple products, right?

That is exactly correct. I don't own them because they are either too expensive or I don't need them.
I did a lot of work, including posting to a number of forums, looking for a way to replace my laptop with a tablet of some kind. Doing what I do with my computer was simply not possible with any of the tablets other than something like the Surface but even then only with Win8 but not RT. The Apple tablet limitations come quickly when you want to use any USB or HDMI ports (HDMI was required for my work) but all of them had too many limitations or cost too much money.
The PC's are very affordable and easy to update.

I converted to a MacBook Pro in 2008. Yes, it was more money, but @ 6 years old, it runs like the day it was new, even with the very latest OSX Mavericks installed. Find a cheap 6 year old PC that will run the latest version of Windows!

There is certainly a learning curve. If you are a POWER USER of MS OFFICE, the Apple counterparts (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) are not as well designed and operate very differently, which will require a larger learning curve. Beyond that though, the learning curve is nothing to worry about.

Here in my office, we dole out lower end laptops which rarely make it 3 years before needing replacement. All the while, my 6 year old MacBook shows no signs of aging. Cost vs value is the measurement that matters. Not just initial purchase price.

boy did you open up a can of worms! PC vs Mac almost as good as Tiffin vs Winnebago but really i am not sure anyone answered your question. LOL for that matter neither will I but here goes "nothing".

Both will do what you want them to do. And if you are like me after you buy one you will think "Why didn't I buy the other". Personally I use both and they both do about the same stuff. Sometimes, when I am writing a new book, I find the programs i use to format that book work better on Mac but PC can handle it just as well. Mostly that is because the software came out for one before it came out for the other. It really comes down to what you want to spend. and yes to those arguing about apple products vs Microsoft I have an android phone my wife has an iPhone. I use an iPad she uses the Nexus 7. I use a MacAir and a HP pc....it goes on and on and on...they all work!

NO

Not surprising. Avast tested as being more taxing on system resources than MSE. A better choice would be AVG Free 2014 or Comodo Internet Security Premium, both rated as having far less of an effect on systems performance than Avast. And both Free. Comodo even rated top in protection while using similar system resources as MSE according to AV-Test.org. However, MSE rated at the very bottom in protection.

kjburns wrote:
Short answer: No

I'm not convinced you need a hardware upgrade. Your usage seems to be pretty light. You might look at running a different browser like Firefox or Chrome with Adblock. Both are free, so it won't cost you anything to try them and see how they do.

Well, you beat me to it.

Ask your daughter to clear out yrars of bad/never used/don't need software you've probably got. Clear out all the apps that are turned om at start of computer session. Defrag, disk cleanup, stop using anything for AV but MS Security Essentials (free download).

II have a 7 and 10 yr. old cheap laptop and desktop running Win XP using Firefox w/ adblocker add-on. Fast boot, fast internet, no typing issues ever. Both machines are ols single core processors and only 1 Gb RAM. No problem. Your Sony is a cadillac, by comparison.

I recently started a different AV program (Avast) that is SOO sluggish that I may turn it off and go back to MS Security Essentials.

If DD won't do it for you, ask her to recommend a PC addicted friend.

Short answer: No

I'm not convinced you need a hardware upgrade. Your usage seems to be pretty light. You might look at running a different browser like Firefox or Chrome with Adblock. Both are free, so it won't cost you anything to try them and see how they do.