Switch From Microsoft to Apple?

We have 2 Apple Airport wifi routers. Simply put, they are a PITA so setup, configure etc. compared to a typical WIFI router that is browser configurable. I've never seen a router that took something so simple and made it much more complicated that needed.

Others here who have Apple notebooks do say for general use they are somewhat easier than Windows. However, when you want to do something above the average use thats where Apple seems to fall apart. High level networking, server connectivity, etc. all can be done but seems more complicated that it needs to be. Apple has THEIR way of doing everything and an IT person must conform to Apples methods which are not always the best nor easiest.

j3ff9ack wrote:
You may have two different editions of Windows 7 (Home Premium vs. Starter) that doesn't allow file sharing.

That's not entirely correct. Home Premium and Starter can JOIN a Homegroup, they just can't CREATE a Homegroup.

Regardless, they could still use a Workgroup and share files that way.

mileshuff wrote:
Apple has THEIR way of doing everything and an IT person must conform to Apples methods which are not always the best nor easiest.

Ha! This is rich coming from an IT person who mantra is "That which is not expressly permitted is forbidden".

Good one! Keep 'em coming.

j3ff9ack wrote:
You may have two different editions of Windows 7 (Home Premium vs. Starter) that doesn't allow file sharing.

Not necessarily, I have Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional networked and it was just as easy as I've described.

Ryder, I tried Adm Tools/Component Svcs/Local, and could not turn on Peer Networking Grouping, gave an error 1068 message. This stuff drives me nuts; I don't want to be a computer services geek, I just want to use the d**md thing. This whole computer thing seems to be a ball of many many programs, each of which can screw up. How can you be an expert on that much stuff? Thanks anyhow.

Man, I hate when it takes forever to do something that should be pretty simple. Good luck with your problem.

We made the jump from PC to Mac in 2008, with a MAC-Book Pro. Five years later, the MBP still performs as well as it did out of the box, with the latest OSX version on it. Will a 5 year old Windows PC even accept the newest version of Windows? What percentage of 5 year old windows laptops are already on the scrap heap, vs Macs?

Yes the APPLE products are more expensive when it comes to that initial cash outlay, but over time, I don't believe that's the case. A major OS upgrade for my MAC costs a mere $29. And.... It does not impact my performance in any negative way.

Yes, APPLE controls all aspects of software and hardware closely, but for those of us who have no desire to "do battle" with our equipment on a regular basis, that strategy works.

We have the MBP, two iPhones, an iPad, iPad Mini, APPLE TV, and a Time Machine. EVERYTHING syncs and everything just works! No need for tweaking and troubleshooting on a constant basis.

Lastly, I use a PC at work, because that is all that is supported, so I believe I have a solid basis for comparison......

paulcardoza wrote:
We made the jump from PC to Mac in 2008, with a MAC-Book Pro. Five years later, the MBP still performs as well as it did out of the box, with the latest OSX version on it. Will a 5 year old Windows PC even accept the newest version of Windows? What percentage of 5 year old windows laptops are already on the scrap heap, vs Macs?

One of our Imacs is a 2007 version still going strong with no problems since born.

Windows has/had a bewildering number of versions over the years and while it makes Mr Gates secure in retirement - its made a mockery of changes to foist upon its users.

Check out Windows timeline.

Mac OS timeline isn't any better: Mac OS timeline

I have a couple of Windows servers I use that have been in use since 2003, one running Win 2000 and the other running Win 2003. They both work fine and are perfectly capable machines.

paulcardoza wrote:
... Will a 5 year old Windows PC even accept the newest version of Windows? What percentage of 5 year old windows laptops are already on the scrap heap, vs Macs? ...

I have a 4 1/2 year old netbook that I recently installed Win 8 on. The netbook originally came with XP and Win 8 installed easily and runs well. So, yes, 5 year old PCs are perfectly capable of running the newest version of Windows.

I can't answer the question about what % Win machines are on the scrap heap but, in my experience, very few should be on the scrap heap. Most people upgrade not because they need to but because they want to, in order to get the fastest, most current cpu and such. For instance, I recently upgraded from a perfectly fine, 5 1/2 year old Dell dual core laptop to an i7 laptop simply because I wanted to. I passed my old laptop down to my wife who uses it everyday (mostly to play Spider Solitaire :)). I'm sure I could install Win 8 on it should I choose to. My son has a 6 year Dell laptop running Vista that he uses for school and streaming video to the TV.

I have 10 year old PCs that I have installed Win 7 on just to see if I could. I haven't done the same with Win 8 but may try that in the near future.

A few years back I was curious about how great people claimed Macs were so I went out and bought a Mac mini which cost $700 plus I put another $300 into memory and hdd upgrades. It ran every bit as good as a $300 Windows machine (except for it's extremely weak wifi). I used it for about 6 months and decided I didn't like Macs so I gave it to my daughter. She used it for a couple of months and hated it, begging for a Win machine. I tried to sell it for $500 (1/2 of what I had into it) but couldn't so ended up trading it for a Win laptop. I personally wouldn't consider another Apple computer.

For the most part, whether you go Mac or Windows, it's your personal preference as they will both get the job done. I find it interesting that, despite all the bad press regarding Windows 8, it has garnered a larger market share in its relatively short life than all versions of OS X combined. OS Market Share