Off Topic: So what brings you here? Mac or PC

[bkrumme]

Even if the UI could be considered to be an integral part of the OS, there have not yet been any supporting or opposing arguments that mention the other, and more vitally important, aspects of the OS. Memory management, process/thread scheduling, hardware interaction...how do they compare between windows and mac?

I'll add a couple comments based on these aspects of the Operating System.

1. The filesystem in Mac OS (HFS+) automatically defragments files under 20MB in size (the majority of files on your hard drive) making I/O performance much higher on the Mac. You can only achieve this in Windows by using a 3rd party defragmenter like Diskeeper. The Windows defragmenter does not effectively defragment files, it only defragments the filesystem volume.

2. The most commonly used version of the Windows OS is the 32 bit version of Windows XP. This version of the OS, due to a Microsoft-imposed limitation on the Windows kernel, can only address a total of 3 GB of RAM TOTAL. In Mac OS, even the 32 bit versions, the use of 64 bit registers allows the OS to address up to 32 GB of RAM. The newer versions of Windows help this problem by having looser restrictions on the amount of memory you can use, but their memory managers do not properly clean up after themselves leading to high resource requirements. Windows 7 is better than Vista, but still doesn't reach the efficiency of Mac OS. Microsoft also artificially cripples their server operating systems so they can charge you more for the software license if you need to use more memory.

[ProtoChicken]

but then again there's nothing more literal than a computer. It only does what you tell it to.

Until they develop consciousness and become our cyber overlords.

[browndog]

I like the passion that has been shown here on this thread.

When I thought of the idea, I never thought it would of lasted this long without blowing up. I figured beej would have stepped in long ago.

Way to go guys!

[jamminjim]

I build my own PC's with AMD processors and Gigabyte MB's, I've never had a problem with them. Windows XP does all I need to do, and handles the non Microsoft programs well. I don't partricularly lilke buying computers ready-made. There is always some trade-off unless you have it built custom and that is $$$$. DIY PC is the way to go for me.

Wanted to add, I'd like to find the time to investigate Linux in depth as an OS. I ran it briefly on one rig and found it to be pretty good. There seems to be plenty of support out ther for Linux now too.

[Stratty316]

I just like my computers to work... so Mac is a better choice for me. Im not opposed to PC (gave my Girlfriend a netbook for Christmas) but for right now it is nice how easy to use the Mac is. I agree with the stat that Mac users get more done... when it only takes 2 minutes to install a new printer on Mac and 40 minutes on PC... I remember why I switched.

[Tim O'Sullivan]

PC all the way for me!

I use XP at work, my main machine runs 7 64 bit, my Wife's HP lappy runs 7 32 bit and I also have an HP netbook running 7 starter.

Mac's are fine for what they are, but they are horrendously over priced. I don't think the OS is justification for the almost 30% - 40% price increase over similar PC components.

I understand the benefits of the Mac OS and hardware being designed with each other in mind, and the benefits this brings through. Windows will run on all kinds of wacky hardware, and of course there will be driver and incompatibility issues.

I like to build and tweak my own computers, and Apple does not let you do this. To swap a HDD in my self built PC takes a few minutes. On a 27" iMac is an all day job and you need specialist tools. And you probably need a special drive or something like that!

Each to your own at the end of the day, but until Apple make their computers more realistically priced, or I get very rich its PC for me!

Windows 7 is excellent by the way. Super stable and everything seems to work with it. It also seems to load drivers automatically for everything I have plugged into it so far!

[b-jensen]

When will people learn that a Mac is a PC too..

[MikeVt]

When will people learn that a Mac is a PC too..

Hehe....you wouldn't know that by watching any of Apple's TV spots. They do a pretty good job of convincing us that Macs are not PCs.

Mike

[73h Nils]

You guys reminded me how much I love XP. I'm upgrading to 7 this week. Just making sure everything I have is backed up.

[browndog]

minor Hi-jack to my own thread

RIP... Doug Fieger, the lead singer/guitarist of The Knack

Since he’s not an EBMM player I thought I would just add a post to this thread, not a new thread

Next to Smoke on the water, "Muh muh muh my Sharona" was probably the most played riff learned by new guitarists.

[Chewie]

Chewie, Google Chrome huh, I'm using Chrome as part of Moblin, crashes an aweful lot. I'm gonna switch back to Mozilla, more stable IMO.

Glenn |B)

Generally I actually use Chromium on Linux but I haven't had any problems with Chrome.
Chromium PPA for Ubuntu
https://launchpad.net/~chromium-daily/+archive/ppa

I did notice some glitchiness in Chrome on the work Netbook, but that's not present on my desktops.

Only thing I haven't been able to do with Chrome is run Moonlight since Moonlight is distributed as a Firefox extension and not as a plugin.

Only reason I installed Moonlight is because Netflix requires Silverlight to watch instant queue movies. However Moonlight does not currently work to do that so I have no real reason for Moonlight, nor do I really have any reason to watch Netflix instant queue on my computer since I can do that on the TV with my Xbox 360.

[threeminutesboy]

minor Hi-jack

RIP... Doug Fieger, the lead singer of The Knack

Since he’s not an EBMM player I thought I would just add a post to this thread.

Next to Smoke on the water, "Muh muh muh my Sharona" was probably the next most played song learned by new guitarists.

sad news indeed ,

well no Hijack jeff as this a thread you started