Quote:
Originally Posted by pilotbob
Frankly I have come to the conclusion that people that basically use a PC for Web/Mail are much better off with Mac/Linux than Windows. They are much safer and you can use a much less powerful (cheaper) PC and get better performance to boot.
BOb |
I tend to disagree with that. The problem with that approach is twofold.
First, Mac's generally tend to be more expensive, with basic PC laptops available for very low prices. While you may be able to get a eMac for a reasonable price, PC hardware is usually cheaper.
The second problem that pops up is when something goes wrong (and it will no matter what OS) ar they need to know how to do something, who will provide support.
I nor anyone in my immediate group of family or friends use OSX, so there is a lack of knowledge on how to use and fix any issues. This support structure problem is quiet commonplace, as outside the US, a very small percentage of users (about 5% I think) have Macs.
The problem is even wore with Linux, as getting support, especially for someone not very Tech literate. I'm pretty comfortable with Tech, but getting something done in Linux can be very convoluted at times, even with friendly builds like Ubuntu. While the pre loaded version on the eeepc looks interesting and easy to use, it still has its limitation.
With windows, despite its issues, you can be pretty sure that most anywhere in the world you can find someone to help you with it if needed. You can also find that it is much more easier to find software and utilities for it, with most new programs or services offering PC support first.
As such while I would personally like to get used to OSX, I would be very doubtful on switching a person to a Mac, without a support structure, be that of friends or family, or the Local Apple Genius bar.