This sums it up:

Looks/Posh = Mac
Performance/Affordability = Windows

Originally Posted by herBs

Depends what program you're in though...

If you're in Social Sciences or something a Macbook is suitable for you but if you're in Engineering or in Computer Science for example, a window-based laptop is more friendly.

I'm in CS and use a MacBook, a UW software engineer I know has a MacBook, another friend of mine is going to UW for physics next year and has an older PowerBook, and another friend of mine who stayed back a year at high school and is coming to Mac this/next year for Engineering also has a MacBook. None of us have any problems or issues with "friendliness" ...

Its rly a personal preference.. in the grand scheme of things either will work fine for you.

Generally a PC would make more sense price wise. However i'm in Eng and I have a macbook pro and I love it. As for inventor, I ran that under parallels and it was slightly laggy but fine (about as laggy as those PCs in ITB that run VMware). The macbook is quick to boot up an launch apps and I also like it cuz its compact and light with solid aluminum and glass screen blah blah blah. But tbh most of the reasons I would pick OS X over windows are pretty much gone with Windows 7. Windows 7 is a genuinely great OS. That being said I'm gonna get me a bigger HDD and triple boot Mac/Windows/Linux.. But thats just cuz I feel like lol. Side note if ur a big PC gamer dont get a mac but that should be obvious.

Originally Posted by julianface

Ya I like how mac fans always boast about being able to run windows like you cant do the same on a pc, although no one does because there is no reason to run leopard ever when windows can do anything anyone could want.

It's a lot harder to install OSX on a PC than it is to install Windows on a Mac.

I've tried in the past and ended up stopping because of a hardware incompatibility.

There's not much reason to run Windows if you're on a Mac either. Any operating system can handle almost all of a student's demands. It's just the little things that are different between each OS.

Originally Posted by Andrew A

I'm in CS and use a MacBook, a UW software engineer I know has a MacBook, another friend of mine is going to UW for physics next year and has an older PowerBook, and another friend of mine who stayed back a year at high school and is coming to Mac this/next year for Engineering also has a MacBook. None of us have any problems or issues with "friendliness" ...

4 people out of I don't know how many who use Windows instead.

Originally Posted by herBs

4 people out of I don't know how many who use Windows instead.

I'm not saying that there's an advantage to Macs/OS X. I'm just saying that "friendliness" isn't an issue.

I like mac laptops better because they have the white one with the bigger geebeez.






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No, but in all honesty, Linux >>>>>>>>> OS X > Windows

I only put OS X above Windows because it doesn't friggin' restart on me to install some update in the middle of SC2.

Linux is my top choice for most things, but until multitouch support gets better for it, I'm still going to prefer OS X. Better Fat64/exfat support would be nice, too. And I haven't really been terribly impressed with any Linux applications I've found for syncing an iPhone

Originally Posted by Andrew A

And I haven't really been terribly impressed with any Linux applications I've found for syncing an iPhone

Blame apple for being douchebags and encrypting the hell out of the thing.

I like Apple products (mostly). I don't like Apple pricing. I hate Apple itself.

I would've gone for an Android if there were any really nice ones around in Canada at the time I got my iPhone, but there weren't, and I needed to be on a contract due to not enough free cash to get something unlocked :(

I think you will find that all computers students use are personal computers. (PCs)

Pre... 2005? Apple computers sort-of were their own kind of special hardware, but nowadays both Windows and Macintosh use the Intel processor, and in general, use analogous hardware.

I find Macintosh computers are more... cookie-cutter computers that work fantastically for the average idiot, which is why they often say that they've never had any problems... because more often than not, they don't do anything beyond basic tasks with it. Their operating system(s) are very limited in terms of modification, which one one hand, makes them less susceptible to error or desire of bad people want to create viruses for them, but on the other hand severely limits what you can do with them, but they're becoming more 'pc-like' lately.

'PC's on the other hand are highly modifiable, which makes each computer possible to be specifically designed (if you have the expertise, or care to ask to have one made to your specs) for purposes that would be better suited to your needs. The customizability results in much cheaper builds, and upgrades.

For engineering I, you're probably best off with a desktop computer for the bulk of your use, and maybe a tablet for in class stuff, or general around-campus-puttering. Obviously go with a windows system (I'd suggest linux, but the very fact that you're asking this probably excludes you wanting or being able to handle such a superior operating system. You'll have a lot less program incompatibilities for required or supplementary software, and any benefits from having the cool Mac user interface (and whatever widgets you get) is offset by having to switch between systems, and learn to deal with all the crap that goes with it. This may seem kinda silly, but its very possible to go through engineering I without even owning your own expensive computer (campus computers are fine, so long as you know where to look)... a simple cheap thing (mac or pc) is fine enough to browse your lecture notes, and labtime is set aside for students to go in and do the assignment or project.

I find that super duper lovers or haters of Macs to be uninformed and biased.. don't listen to them.

Thanks guys, I have used linux in the past, I've been a computer enthusiast for years now and I loved the control and power of linux but not much else. I've used a PC for the majority of my life and usually very happy with it. When needed i could always find a way to do what i need and my current desktop runs most programs without a hitch. I have recently used OS X and just love the interface and sleekness of it. It has a lot of functions and the OS is evolving, but it is not all there. As other users have stated, Linux was mainly a programming OS for me, PC did most things, word docs, spreadsheets, power points, some programming and a lot of web design. OS X on the other hand i found such a pleasure to use for things like Graphic Design.

I was just looking to know if there would be any compatibility issues with either of these, and I got my answer, AutoDesk Inventor is the only issue, or so it seems. Thanks and I'll update this post once I actually buy a laptop!

Uh oh, here we go again... what a waste of bandwidth.

As a third-year engineer who owns a Mac and has to do all his programming on Windows, trust me:

Save yourself the headache and get a PC.

I haven't really read the previous replies, but here is my opinion.

I was a die hard PC fan for many years. I hate change, and i wouldn't sacrifice my pc for anything. Eventually, it came christmas time, and i had already had one HP windows 7 laptop and a sony VAIO netbook which is also running windows 7.

since my mother wanted me to buy a mac, i decided oh what the heck, let's try it.

i think it was the best decision i made in all 18 years of my life!

i am deeply in love with the mac. getting the mac, has made me switch from a blackberry guy to an iphone guy.

it has allowed me to bring my laptop everywhere and use it with ease.

it was usable straight out of the box, and i never stop using it. its fantastic!