Mac or Microsoft?

[Eric The Viking]

HP-UX or MPE for me!

But I refuse to say what HP ran its own central accounting operation on (in Palo Alto)! All the regional stuff was HP3000s and later MPE and HP-UX on 800 series, and, like other comments about 'big iron,' it worked pretty reliably and was largely immune to viruses and hacking.

I think the Met Office had a couple of Crays, in the 1980s.

 

[Jonzjob]

The first Cray I say was at Scientific Research Center Daresbury. A strange looking beast! It wouldn't have looked out of place alongside Dr Who.. A bit like a witches hat. Blindingly fast number cruncher, but no error correction?

 

[gus3049]

At the risk of upsetting a few PC owners (God forbid) This poll was the result of a discussion between John and myself and I wondered, given the nature of this forum, if it would show the 'normally accepted' (at least in the Mac community) result that the more 'creative' amongst us would use Macs.

The poll does rather seem, in a sort of, not necessarily deeply meaningful way show that this is the case. In the world out there one would expect a 95% / 5% ratio. As I write this, its approaching 50% here.

I don't believe for a minute that it means that woodworkers are, on average, amongst the highest earners and can therefore just indulge in spending the mythical extra :lol: it feels more likely that they appreciate (here we go again) the WAY IT WORKS AND THE LOOK AND FEEL as much as what it does.

As always though, this subject has livened up the forum so thank you John for doing the poll.

Edited to change 'turners' to 'woodworkers' - this started on the turning forum!!

 

[solti]

It all depends on what software package you want to use, some companies make versions for both the PC and Mac but not all. After that it depends on if you want to maintain compatabilty with your place of work, or are you or family interested in games etc they all affect what to get.

solti

 

[Eric The Viking]

It all depends on what software package you want to use, some companies make versions for both the PC and Mac but not all. After that it depends on if you want to maintain compatabilty with your place of work, or are you or family interested in games etc they all affect what to get.

I don't want to get into a big argument, but, with the exception of games, none of that is true. Macs will run Windows, faster than many IBM PCs, so will run all business apps (pretty much). Remote desktop functionality lets you drive a Windows office PC from a Mac at home too. Macs also network seamlessly with Windows PCs, and web browsing is pretty much platform-independent, including all the javascript, etc.

Years ago it was an issue, but it rarely is these days.

E.

 

[andycktm]

Walk on by,walk on by

 

[cutting42]

At the risk of upsetting a few PC owners (God forbid) This poll was the result of a discussion between John and myself and I wondered, given the nature of this forum, if it would show the 'normally accepted' (at least in the Mac community) result that the more 'creative' amongst us would use Macs.

The poll does rather seem, in a sort of, not necessarily deeply meaningful way show that this is the case. In the world out there one would expect a 95% / 5% ratio. As I write this, its approaching 50% here.

I will not rise to the bait this time (a lovely glass of Malt Whisky has chilled me out) but will answer the question in the (I think) way it was intended.

I agree the poll is interesting but not for the same reason. A poll entitled "Mac or Microsoft?" will deter as well as attract. the poeple it attracts are likely to be interested in the poll and its outcome, thus computer nerds of some kind or other, either techy or brand supporters. The vast majority of computer users are not interested in what computer they have or what flavour, they are just tools for doing a job.

Another car analogy (couldn't resist) of Toyota, famous for making stunningly boring but very competent cars that just work, never break down, great servicing - hmmm, sound familiar? ... Sorry got distracted didn't mean to compare Apple with Toyota as Apple at least have a design department .... back to my analogy - Toyota are the biggest car maker in the world.not by making interesting, clever or fast cars but cars that sell in their millions to Fred Bloggs who just wants reliable transport from A to B but really does not care about cars at all as objects of beauty, performance, status or any other possible reason.

My point being that forum polls are inherently flawed by addressing only people who want to answer that poll. The split may be accurate or way off but if it is, it more by luck than judgement I think and that goes for all Forum polls. How many members on here use a computer? Well all of them clearly, all 7898 of them! and how many responses to the poll - 33 at the last count.

By the way , I think you are probably right, there are more Apple fans here than average - or at least noisy ones compared to other forums I frequent judging by how often the Apple flag is raised.

Health, wealth and happiness to all and goodnight.

 

[gus3049]

At the risk of upsetting a few PC owners (God forbid) This poll was the result of a discussion between John and myself and I wondered, given the nature of this forum, if it would show the 'normally accepted' (at least in the Mac community) result that the more 'creative' amongst us would use Macs.

The poll does rather seem, in a sort of, not necessarily deeply meaningful way show that this is the case. In the world out there one would expect a 95% / 5% ratio. As I write this, its approaching 50% here.

I will not rise to the bait this time (a lovely glass of Malt Whisky has chilled me out) but will answer the question in the (I think) way it was intended.

I agree the poll is interesting but not for the same reason. A poll entitled "Mac or Microsoft?" will deter as well as attract. the poeple it attracts are likely to be interested in the poll and its outcome, thus computer nerds of some kind or other, either techy or brand supporters. The vast majority of computer users are not interested in what computer they have or what flavour, they are just tools for doing a job.

Another car analogy (couldn't resist) of Toyota, famous for making stunningly boring but very competent cars that just work, never break down, great servicing - hmmm, sound familiar? ... Sorry got distracted didn't mean to compare Apple with Toyota as Apple at least have a design department .... back to my analogy - Toyota are the biggest car maker in the world.not by making interesting, clever or fast cars but cars that sell in their millions to Fred Bloggs who just wants reliable transport from A to B but really does not care about cars at all as objects of beauty, performance, status or any other possible reason.

My point being that forum polls are inherently flawed by addressing only people who want to answer that poll. The split may be accurate or way off but if it is, it more by luck than judgement I think and that goes for all Forum polls. How many members on here use a computer? Well all of them clearly, all 7898 of them! and how many responses to the poll - 33 at the last count.

By the way , I think you are probably right, there are more Apple fans here than average - or at least noisy ones compared to other forums I frequent judging by how often the Apple flag is raised.

Health, wealth and happiness to all and goodnight.

A depressingly sensible post