Making the Switch...PC to Mac

Many of my fellow Software Developers (and people in general) might consider my switch from PC to Mac an atrocity, and the worst decision of my life. I'd beg to differ. HP, Acer Toshiba and Dell, who are the 4 of the top 5 PC manufacturers all took major losses for the amount of PC's they shipped in 2011. Apple, however, achieved a record gain of an 18% increase in the amount they shipped. But this post isn't about how many units they shipped. This is about why switching to Mac is for your own good. Mac's are streamlined. They're easy to use, efficient, and powerful. And you can expect consistency with Apple. You can expect their computers to keep improving. People using non-Mac PC's running Windows have to hope that the manufacturer of the computer is made to work well with Windows. The final straw for me was after Windows Vista. It was an atrocity and it simply didn't work. I personally was horrified by the thought of even using a Mac up until college. But I frequent crashes, loss of files, and the decreasing lives of the laptops I bought lead me to concluded it was time to give Mac a chance. I went to the Apple Store for the first time, and made the plunge. 

Contrary to my unfounded beliefs, it didn't take very long to adjust to the new Mac operating system. In fact, Windows 7 was made by Microsoft to look and work a lot more like a Mac operating system. 

Already a fan, I learned that with my Applecare Protection Plan I purchased with my laptop, I could bring my Mac into my nearby Apple Store and get a quick fix, or a replacement. One of the worst parts about owning a PC is that when something goes wrong, Microsoft denies any wrong doing and points to the computer's manufacturer. And of course the computer's manufacturer blames Microsoft and tells you to contact them. Even if Microsoft or the manufacturer accepts responsibility, it takes hours over the phone to resolve the issue with Microsoft, and if it's a hardware issue, you'll have to send your laptop in for repair which normally takes 3-4 weeks minimum. With a Mac, Apple makes life simple. Walk into the Apple Store with an appointment, which are almost always available same day, and unless you've damaged you're laptop you get a fix or replacement Mac within 30 minutes or so.

If you haven't noticed, Apple has also lead the pack when it comes new innovations in technologies. The most recent being their implementation in Thunderbolt for Mac's, they have consistently had the newest and best technology first, leaving the other top manufacturers (quite literally) scrambling to play catch-up.

There is, however a couple real downsides to Mac's. Most software developers, despite how popular Mac's have become, are resistant to developing their software for the Mac OS. This has begun to change somewhat in the last year or two, but for the most part remains unchanged. And for those hardcore PC gamers, you can't customize the mac...at all. You get what you buy. There are some initial options you can change, but the graphics card is normally not good enough for most high-performance games.

When all is said and done, Mac's are simply a superior product. Durable, easy to use, easy to get serviced, great performance, and the leader in new technologies are what make Mac's great, and some pretty undeniable reasons to make the switch.