Macs Vs PCs

[Ellis Cucksey]

Win.

[G. Ryan Smith]

actually… autocad is available on mac now: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=15421056&siteID=123112 . they released it about 6 months after i switched back to a PC… in part b/c at the time it wasn’t available (it was that and ArcGIS).

 

seeing as how you’re in los angeles land, compatibility won’t be a problem. but i had a mac for a long time in indiana and it was unbelievable how much crap i had to put up with just b/c i had a mac. not to sound bitter but it was just flat out ridiculous, it was like i was a second-class professional because i had a mac. just ignorance, really.

 

anyway, bottom line is, you can probably make either work. pc’s are less expensive and there will be fewer compatibility problems (real or perceived) – there’s always the occasional file and/or network hiccup no matter how many strides apple makes, but if you think the additional expense and occasional hassle is worth it i’d say go for it.

plus, actually, macs can run windows (and linux – i had a triple boot going at one point), so you could always have a pc boot as a backup plan. personally, i found that having multiple boots wasn’t really worth the extra time and effort, but that is an option if you love your mac but need to run a pc as well.

 

those are my two cents.

[G. Ryan Smith]

one addendum: when i said inevitable network issues.. that was my experience. but the IT people i was working with knew nothing about macs. i’m fairly computer savvy, but am not an IT professional, and almost no one else around me used a mac, so whenever i had any issues, nobody was able to answer any questions and i was basically on my own to try to solve them. again, that’s indiana, your experience will probably be different in LA.

[James DeRoussel]

I made the switch to Mac two years ago and do not regret it.  In fact, I will probably never buy another PC.  It used to be that the limitation was software, as in they did not make AutoCAD for Mac.  Now they do, and regardless, you can run Windows OS on a Mac anyway these days.  I have been running Windows 7 within Parallels on my Mac for two years with no problems at all.

 

The advantages of Mac, for me, are the stability/virus issue, ease of use, not being constantly bothered with time consuming software updates, and Apple’s unparalleled customer service.  Yes, you pay more for a Mac, but like anything, you get what you pay for in most cases.

 

There are a surplus of misinformed replies to your question in this forum, implying that Macs are simply a status symbol (eyes rolling), AutoCAD is not made for Mac, etc etc…  These appear to be mostly from people who do not use Mac’s and would, therefore, be in no position to know much about them.  Do your own research, weigh your needs, your budget, and make an informed choice for yourself.  A PC may indeed be the right choice for you, but don’t base your decision solely on the misinformed bias of people on the internets.  

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