Apple PC or Desktop?

[Capt Ted Striker]

I'm considering buying an Apple as I'm impressed with the quality and features.
However, are there any big disadvantages?
Will I have to re-buy all my software?
Any comments greatly appreciated.
Ted

[criticalmass]

Ted,

If you are an IBM-PC user currently you will have to buy a whole new suite of software, Few PC-compatible applications have been ported to the Apple OS and vice-versa.

It is the computer equivalent of leaving the known universe and entering a parallel one in which everything you were familiar with is different, and yet it all seems to work well enough. It is also the end of all your old computer problems - and the start of all your new ones.

"Anyone can make a mistake but it takes a computer to have a catastrophe."

[R O Tiree]

Apple - Pros - Good build quality, smooth installation of software, relatively small programs, relatively few third party peripherals.

Apple - Cons - relatively small userbase and therefore relatively small software base. The need to buy a complete new set of software.

PC - Pros - Huge third party peripheral availability, huge software base, huge amounts of support on internet.

PC - Cons - Buggy OS prone to hang ups. If you buy one from a "box mover" your processor might be very fast, but they will save money by installing cr@p video card, sound card, etc.

I run an Athlon 700 PC with named brand parts. I am very happy with it. On the other hand, my Dad swears by his Mac and he gets frustrated with his PC (from a box mover).

Best advice? Take the plunge and go for a PC with named brand parts. "Box movers" will build you one, but it will cost you dearly. These companies have a few boffins, who configure the standard models that the company offers, and the guys on the shop floor just slap the bits together. The HDDs are just carbon copies. If you ask for a different sound card, for example, the bloke in the assembly dept will put the card in, but make no attempt to configure it. It has to go back to the boffin to be configured, which is why a £100 sound card will cost £125 in one of these PCs as you are paying a premium for the boffin's time. The other option here is to build one yourself. The parts are cheaper (because you install them yourself) the build quality is as good as you want it to be and it will be configured exactly to your spec. The downside is that, if something goes wrong, like you've fried a chip because you didn't earth yourself properly, you have little in the way of comeback. Most parts suppliers' prices are inflated to some extent because they have a high instance of returns, due to people who don't know what they are doing bu&&ering things up. If you live in UK, try this web-site :
http://www.computerprices.co.uk/

They have up to date prices from many companies and will quote you the cheapest price for the parts you specify. If 8 of the parts you want come from 1 company and 1 comes out cheapest from another, give the first company a ring and see if they will drop their price to match on the last part, that way you will save on P&P.

Good luck.

[Specaircrew]

Apple = Betamax
IBM PC = VHS

[Capt Ted Striker]

Thanks for the input guys!
I think I'll stay with the pC for now.
Ted