Read this before you buy a Dell

[dresslered]

As far as Mac goes I think they make a good machine but all of the control and programming software I run at the office won't run on a Mac.

That was years ago when the alternative was using DOS and a drawing package that didn't utilize a mouse. Today, I use all Dells.

 

[skobylenski]

Have you used a Mac with VP on it? If not, then don't say anything. For your information, it works just fine, and at times better than when you run Windows on a PC. Look at it this way, I can have the best of both worlds with a mac and VP - I can have a computer that doesn't randomly give me a blue screen of death, and if Windows does give me trouble, I just restart the computer and it's back in OS X. Again, if you haven't used it, don't bash it. #@$%!



KBennett - you tell the support people that you are running Windows XP or whatever, and you get support. It runs the same on a Mac as it does on a generic PC. It may be a little more bulky and klunky, but it still runs the same, so Tech Support doesn't need it. On another note, if you need tech support, you shouldn't be running VP in the first place.



Dresselred - Good choice on the Dells. My girlfriend has one, and it's been great. No problems at all. She runs XP.



No flames intended, but I just get riled up when people bash a system they have no experience with.



Scott

 

[KBennett]

No Mac bashing here.

skobylenski,

I am not bashing a Mac but when you make a statement about blue screens of death it sounds like you are taking a swing at the IBM PC's. I work on a PC based system about 200 hours a month and I get a blue screen / lockup maybe once a month using Win 98 and 95. It is all in how you setup and maintain your system. Our two software engineers at the office really like Win XP. It is stable and will warn you if a program locks up without locking up your entire system.



In the Industrial world that I work in no one uses Macs. A few Unix (correct me if I am wrong but aren't the new Macs Unix based?) and Linux systems but probably 95% of the systems are IBM PC based. As far as tech support goes, you don't have to worry about me using VP. I will stick with the PC that I know will run the 47 different programs I use AND support. If I were in the graphic arts or music world I would go Mac. The Macs manage their memory far better than an PC.

 

[skobylenski]

Okay, so maybe I was a little harsh with the blue screen of death. From what you've said, though, it sounds like we're pretty much in agreement. Unix is the reason that most of the world avoids Apple, but at the same time, it's exactly why Disney and Pixar adore it. For what it's worth, I readily switch between running my machine on OS X and Linux (Red Hat).



If I were to be forced into a PC, I'd go with a Dell running XP. From what I've heard from friends and family, they like this combo the best of any that they have ever run. We've used Compaq, Gateway, IBM, and a slew of others, running almost every OS from DOS and Windows 3. 1 right up through XP Pro. Yes, I know DOS commands, which is rare for college-aged kids these days. I can also program in Assembly and C++, and I can count in binary on my fingers (just to brag a bit ).