Help me sell the idea of Mac to my mom!

[slugg]

Do you know anyone who switched from Mac to PC? The closest thing I've heard of is a Mac user installing VMWare, Parallels, or BootCamp.

I'm just curious... because I was talking to my mom about her upcoming computer purchase and I mentioned to her that I've never personally heard of anyone switching from Mac to PC, but I've heard of many people switching TO the Mac.

So far, I'm telling my mom to wait for the new Montevina refresh, then wait and see what the options will be. I'm probably going to pitch in to her purchase, since Apple computers are a bit out of her price range, but I really want her to be happy. I simply just can't be around for every time she has a problem with her PC.

She's just a bit worried about the Windows->Mac OS switch. I've got a Hackintosh set up, so I'll make her an account and the trial shall begin . A Mac is a tough sell to her because of her previously bad experiences on Mac OS 9. You know what they say about first impressions...

Any tips I should give her? Keep in mind, she's not really great with computers. She's not clueless by any means, but she's still just a basic user. She will be using MS Office, plus Entourage (she's used to Outlook).

It's unknown if she'll be going with a laptop or desktop. Either way, the choices will be an iMac or MacBook (non-pro).

 

[Injury]

Why should she switch? It sounds like she's comfortable with Windows and the price tag doesn't justify the cost of a mac.

If cost is the issue why not build a PC and install some form of Linux? If you being around to fix it is the issue, a mac is not always the answer. Contrary to some people's beliefs, macs can fail, too. When they do, you aren't going to find much decently-priced help unless you have an apple store nearby.

Seriously though, why should she switch?

 

[slugg]

I don't know how many times I've had to remove spyware from her computer. She keeps complaining about how her computer "gets slower and slower over time," plus all sorts of little things. She really doesn't like Vista, so she's open to ideas. iPhoto would definitely help her out with her digital camera/pictures. I showed her iPhoto and she just about jumped for joy. She just seems to get really frustrated with Windows, as do I, but I've enjoyed using OS X, so maybe she'll share the same feelings. Even though Windows has equivalents for everything, Mac just seems to be more pleasurable to use. She's going to try it out, so we'll see what she thinks.

Linux for my mom? No way. She absolutely needs MS Office. Plus, although linux is definitely easier than it used to be, it's nowhere near as user-friendly as Windows or OS X.

But yea, there's an Apple store within 5 minutes of her house, should there be some type of major issue.

I'm not completely ruling out a PC. I am, however, ruling out a Hackintosh. I'd rather pay more and have a solid, real mac with real tech support for her.

Now, I do want her to have a full understanding of both sides of the argument. What are some BAD things about Macs, other than the price? I've explained the compatibility issues that are relevant to her needs. Anything else?

 

[Viper0329]

I talked my mom into buying a macbook, and she's never been happier with a computer. Before the macbook, all she knew was the PC, and just barely at that. It's very easy to use, very stable, and she's able to do everything and more than she wanted to initially. I say go for it. The switch really, really is not that hard, even for people not that used to it. My grandmother, at 75 years old, switched to a mac with barely a weeks worth of questions.

 

[aphex]

The best way I can sell Mac to people, is that no tinkering is needed. It pretty much comes with 90% of the software most people need, no crapware out of the box, no viruses/spyware. You just turn it on and it works as advertised.

I switched my parents about 2 years ago and they love it.

 

[TheStu]

My mom got a big top of the line Dell notebook about a year and a half ago, hated it the entire time (I think that it might have been because that was the system my Dad specced out for her, and therefore that was the system that he wanted) and sent it back after about 2 weeks. Bought a refurbished BlackBook and hasn't had any issues since.

 

[sourceninja]

Personally I do not see much difference in the usability of linux, mac, or windows beyond the initial setup (which an end user should not be doing anyways). If a person can screw up a windows pc, they are going to screw up a mac as well (installing tons of trial software, tons of control panels, services, etc). The only way to protect her is to lock her down, and that means supporting her. The only reason to buy a mac is for the tools mac offers and the feel of the OS.

I use a mac simply because of the ease of the software. Security wise it is not better off then linux/windows, in fact out of the box it is running as admin just like windows. In fact the default settings of safari are very insecure. People who tout macs security are banking of security though obscurity, which is not security at all. While mac can be very secure, it still requires intelligence to do so. So while she might be safe for a while, she will probably find a way to screw it up. I know people like this who complain about their mac constantly.

My grandma used linux for awhile before she got a new computer. I set her up as a normal user and used ssh to install anything she wanted. She had no problems. On windows she now runs as a limited user and I use remote desktop to install programs for her. She still has no problems. If I bought her a mac, she would still have no problems because I would do the same thing. Left to her own devices, she would have problems.

I recommend apple products only because I like the craftsmanship and the feel of the OS and hardware. The OS has a nice feel and clean layout. The hardware is well built and reliable. But the biggest reason is that most of the tools the people I know need come with the OS and are great tools (ilife stuff, etc).

I personally use my mac because I find it to be linux with more commercial software. I get all the software I love on linux + commercial software that I can't get on linux (like WoW, photoshop, etc). There are compromises to be made, but overall I still think it is worth it.