The Big Switch (PC -> Mac) - Page 5 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Barnes · 07-23-2009, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Wow that's pretty crazy. How are you using these machines? I'm not saying it's your fault, I'm just curious why you'd have so much more bad luck than the average user.

You're not putting your Macbooks in the microwave, are you?

You'd think I was a stuntman or lived in a frat house wouldn't you?

I take care of my stuff. The laptop doesn't even leave the living room.

FanIn80 · 07-23-2009, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barnes

You'd think I was a stuntman or lived in a frat house wouldn't you?

I take care of my stuff. The laptop doesn't even leave the living room.

Wow, that's insane. Maybe I should get the extended AppleCare...

Bobblehead · 07-23-2009, 01:04 PM

There seems to have been a number of CPers who have purchased Macs lately.

I wonder if some of these posts may not have given them some food for thought?

It sounds like the OS is still highly regarded, but the hardware being used in their closed system may be weak point (although Fotze and BlackEleven seem to have had recent OS issues).

And there was just an investgative report by KIRO news which makes it appear like Apple is trying to stonewall any negative publicity. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...FB007CAA25.DTL

Actually, with the number of ipods sold, I don't think the failure rate is a bad thing - no commercial product will be 100% - but the actions taken by Apple's legal teams seem somewhat strong.

BlackEleven · 07-23-2009, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Out of curiosity, what are some of the problems you guys have been having?

Just the system crashes I listed in my first post (the kernel panic and the constant rebooting), as well as a few application crashes.

I've only been using Mac for a month or so, so I'd be really annoyed if I'd had hardware failures already.

Igottago · 07-23-2009, 01:11 PM

I switched to Mac in January, and honestly, its been ok, but I can't say I've been totally won over. I'm kind of split down the middle right now. There are some things I really like about it and some things I don't like as much as my old PC. I still use a PC daily at work and some things just seem better, like productivity software, etc. For some of the more creative things I do with garageband and music software, the mac has been great and works with far less hassles than my PC ever did. Was it worth the extra money? Not sure. Having garageband as a free part of the software was really useful for me, plus I like the size and design of the laptop. But I also could've bought a solid windows laptop for a lot less and used the extra cash to buy a good music production suite, which may have been better than garageband anyways.

6 of 1, half dozen of the other. At the end of the day its a computer and it works for me right now. In the future I may go back to a windows based computer. As long as I get done what I need done, it doesn't really matter.

Pastiche · 07-23-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Wow, that's insane. Maybe I should get the extended AppleCare...

Applecare is an absolute must for any apple product. My wife has used hers 6 seperate times now between her Macbook and iPod.

FanIn80 · 07-23-2009, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

There seems to have been a number of CPers who have purchased Macs lately.

I wonder if some of these posts may not have given them some food for thought?

It sounds like the OS is still highly regarded, but the hardware being used in their closed system may be weak point (although Fotze and BlackEleven seem to have had recent OS issues).

And there was just an investgative report by KIRO news which makes it appear like Apple is trying to stonewall any negative publicity. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...FB007CAA25.DTL

Actually, with the number of ipods sold, I don't think the failure rate is a bad thing - no commercial product will be 100% - but the actions taken by Apple's legal teams seem somewhat strong.

This is all just heresy though.

Like I stated earlier, this thread is hardly an accurate cross-section of Mac users. If these hardware failures were really that common, the products wouldn't get the continuously high ratings they do from all the respected sources. Not only that, but Apple computers are used by every major movie studio in Hollywood. Would they really try to produce multi-million dollar movies on hardware that was as flaky as you're suggesting?

As for the OS issues, having an app freeze is not an OS issue, there are other software companies that mac apps for OSX. This would be like faulting Windows every time you got an error message in some chat program or whatever. Also, a kernel panic is the Apple version of the BSoD. I think it's pretty safe to say it happens a lot more on a Windows box than an Apple.

As for the story about the iPods causing a fire. I have no problems with what they did. They kept a reporter from making a few bucks on a story that would have been overblown and sensationalized... and in the meantime, they investigated the causes, admitted their fault in a court of law and then changed the batteries in future products.

I'm pretty biased, in that I have absolutely 0 love for media sensationalists, so maybe I'm way off base. Freedom of the press isn't always what it's made out to be. If it's just a story on the facts and only the facts, that's fine... but it never is. It's always a "Coming up next, we take a look at why Apple is burning your house down and lighting your children on fire!! ... But first, here is 5 minutes of commercials for you to watch!"

Anyway, aside from everything else, it's common knowledge that the majority of people who don't have issues with a product, never post about how they don't have issues that product. A few people posting in a thread about pretty unlucky circumstances, does not a need to "rethink their decisions" make.

FanIn80 · 07-23-2009, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

Just the system crashes I listed in my first post (the kernel panic and the constant rebooting), as well as a few application crashes.

I've only been using Mac for a month or so, so I'd be really annoyed if I'd had hardware failures already.

Oh hey, I missed that post. Sorry, lemme go back and read it. Maybe it's something I can help with.

Edit: Oh, never mind, you meant the one you posted today. For some reason I was thinking you meant the first post of this thread.

It's interesting why you're having those problems. You mention "rosetta," do you have multiple language packs installed? I have a buddy, for instance, who is French and his wife is Spanish. They have everything installed for all three languages (English included).

Have you called Apple to ask them about it? You have full complimentary software support for the first 90 days (it extends to the full 3 years if you added on AppleCare).

The Mail app crashes are interesting, too. I've had no issues with Mail at all. Have you tried just backing up your data and doing a fresh OS install? It takes about 30 minutes to do a full start-to-finish disk-wipe and OS re-install on a Mac, btw. Including updates afterward.

Titan · 07-23-2009, 01:42 PM

Not to derail but:

I am having problems with the black screen after waking the mbp from sleep.

I uninstalled the monitoring program, can't remember its name, that showed all the system stats which seemed to help for a while but am having the problem again. Anyone else have this? Solutions?

FanIn80 · 07-23-2009, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titan

Not to derail but:

I am having problems with the black screen after waking the mbp from sleep.

I uninstalled the monitoring program, can't remember its name, that showed all the system stats which seemed to help for a while but am having the problem again. Anyone else have this? Solutions?

iStat? Yeah, I had some problems with that app too.

I'm not as familiar with some of the Mac trouble-shooting steps as I am with PCs, but I think this is a case for resetting the PRAM?

Edit: Which Apple product?

Titan · 07-23-2009, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Considering I switched to Macs a year ago... and, in that time, I've bought:

1x 24" iMac
1x 15" MBP
1x 13" MBP
2X 13" MB
1x Apple TV
1x iPhone 3G
1x iPhone 3GS
1x iPod Nano

And I've only had the one problem...

Other than your clear case of impulse control abandonment in an Apple Store?

FanIn80 · 07-23-2009, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titan

Other than your clear case of impulse control abandonment in an Apple Store?

Haha. Touche, touche.

Titan · 07-23-2009, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

iStat? Yeah, I had some problems with that app too.

I'm not as familiar with some of the Mac trouble-shooting steps as I am with PCs, but I think this is a case for resetting the PRAM?

Edit: Which Apple product?

Mac Book Pro. isStat was it.

What is resetting the PRAM? Is that the permissions thing?

BlackEleven · 07-23-2009, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Oh hey, I missed that post. Sorry, lemme go back and read it. Maybe it's something I can help with.

Edit: Oh, never mind, you meant the one you posted today. For some reason I was thinking you meant the first post of this thread.

I've been following this thread with interest for a while, but today was my first post

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

It's interesting why you're having those problems. You mention "rosetta," do you have multiple language packs installed? I have a buddy, for instance, who is French and his wife is Spanish. They have everything installed for all three languages (English included).

I don't mean Rosetta Stone. I mean Rosetta, the mac software that allows you to run powerPC apps on an Intel box. Apparently, I need it to run Office 2008. I got it to work by finding Rosetta on the Mac installation CD (under optional packages) and installing it manually and then running the Office installer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Have you called Apple to ask them about it? You have full complimentary software support for the first 90 days (it extends to the full 3 years if you added on AppleCare).

No, I've been able to workaround all the issues myself. The only time I considered it was for the constant hanging issue. This is what lead to the OS update (and subsequent kernel panic). After a second attempt at installing the update, it seemed to fix my hanging issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

The Mail app crashes are interesting, too. I've had no issues with Mail at all. Have you tried just backing up your data and doing a fresh OS install? It takes about 30 minutes to do a full start-to-finish disk-wipe and OS re-install on a Mac, btw. Including updates afterward.

Well since I have Office now, I don't care too much about Mail anymore. Entourage can sync with my Exchange-based calendar whereas Mail/iCal can not, so its a much better option for me. Entourage was crashing like mad at the beginning too FWIW, but since I updated it with the latest service packs, it's been pretty solid.

FanIn80 · 07-23-2009, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titan

Mac Book Pro. isStat was it.

What is resetting the PRAM? Is that the permissions thing?

Which MBP, though? Assuming you bought it brand new from Apple, when did you buy it?

Titan · 07-23-2009, 02:00 PM

Just over a year ago. Not the brand new ones but one before them.

mykalberta · 07-23-2009, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Just to add, I had a 15" MBP I bought late last year that had problems with the 9400 chip causing the screen to lock up. I called Apple, they had me reset the PRAM... 2 weeks later it happened a second time, I called them back and they booked an appointment for me to bring it to Market Mall. The Genius there looked at it for about 30 seconds after reading the notes on my case, and then ordered a whole new logic board for it. I brought it in a few days later when the part arrived, and it was replaced by 8:00PM that night.

Considering I switched to Macs a year ago... and, in that time, I've bought:

1x 24" iMac
1x 15" MBP
1x 13" MBP
2X 13" MB
1x Apple TV
1x iPhone 3G
1x iPhone 3GS
1x iPod Nano

And I've only had the one problem...

Edit: Whoops. Sorry, meant to add this to the post above.

What is a logic board - do you mean motherboard? I know you cant mean an actual logic board. How much did the warranty cost that got you that service?

FanIn80 · 07-23-2009, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

I've been following this thread with interest for a while, but today was my first post

I don't mean Rosetta Stone. I mean Rosetta, the mac software that allows you to run powerPC apps on an Intel box. Apparently, I need it to run Office 2008. I got it to work by finding Rosetta on the Mac installation CD (under optional packages) and installing it manually and then running the Office installer.

No, I've been able to workaround all the issues myself. The only time I considered it was for the constant hanging issue. This is what lead to the OS update (and subsequent kernel panic). After a second attempt at installing the update, it seemed to fix my hanging issue.

Well since I have Office now, I don't care too much about Mail anymore. Entourage can sync with my Exchange-based calendar whereas Mail/iCal can not, so its a much better option for me. Entourage was crashing like mad at the beginning too FWIW, but since I updated it with the latest service packs, it's been pretty solid.

Oh cool. I think the new OSX coming in Sept will bring Exchange support to the Mail app. I know you're using Entourage, but I'm just throwing that out there. When I was still working at the office, I used Entourage too. It's actually pretty nice, but now that I no longer need Exchange support, I've gone back to Mail. I also have MobileMe, so it works better that way.

FanIn80 · 07-23-2009, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykalberta

What is a logic board - do you mean motherboard? I know you cant mean an actual logic board. How much did the warranty cost that got you that service?

I have no clue. They called it a logic board, and it says "Logic Board Replacement" on the service slip.

I didn't pay a dime for that service. It comes standard with every Mac for the first year out of the box.

You can extend it for 2 more years (for about $200) by adding on AppleCare. The best part of AppleCare, is that you can add it on on the 365th day if you want. You don't have to do it at the time of purchase, and it doesn't matter how many times you've had it in for repairs. Also, adding on AppleCare gives you full, unlimited, on-the-phone and in-person software support for any Apple consumer software running on the machine (including the OS).

I could also mention that Apple considers any peripherals (such as an Apple Airport Extreme wireless router) that is being used by the Mac as also included under the same warranty coverage... but that would just be bragging.

Edit: http://www.apple.com/support/products/proplan.html

mykalberta · 07-23-2009, 02:18 PM

Ok so Apple warranty destroys all known PC warranty, at least the first year. $200 for 2 more is cheap for service if you are in the same city as an Apple Store.

We pay $103 for 3 year next day shipping service with HP for a business laptop(works out to be 3-4 days when you get the computer back).