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Why would I want to use OSX over Win7 or *nix?

repoman0

repoman0

Diamond Member
Hello Apple Forum!

I've had the urge recently to give OSX a try. I've always been a Windows user, except when I was super young my family had a Mac with OS6.8 (as far as I remember) on it, which I loved to play around with. A month ago I started experimenting with Linux; I liked Mint 11 and used it on my laptop for messing around with, learning bash and the terminal, and just to become familiar with it - but for general use always ended up back in Windows 7. LibreOffice was nice but definitely not ready for compatibility with Office 2010 - I had tons of problems going back and forth. Now I'm thinking OSX may give me all the stability and fun learning stuff that Linux gave me, along with being user friendly and very pleasant to work with like Windows.

Things I liked about Linux were multiple desktops - in Gnome2 I had it so my mouse in the upper left corner zoomed out to four desktops. In Gnome3 I liked how the upper left corner zoomed out all the windows rather than desktops so you just click on a window to pick it - with lots of stuff open this could actually be faster than trying to pick from a dock or taskbar.

There is no way I can afford a real Mac, so I'd be getting a copy of Lion from Apple, and probably changing my Phenom X4 955 for a more compatible Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge CPU and corresponding motherboard and making a dual boot Hack/Win7 system (need to play Skyrim!!!). My HD5770 already works natively, so no upgrade needed there. I know it can work on AMD hardware but I'd really want to run the kernel and system as close to native OSX as possible for stability and ease of upgrading the OS.

Anyway, what do you like about OSX that is different from Windows 7? Is it worth a $150+ hardware upgrade after selling my old stuff?
 
unix:
Well, I like (so far) OSX because I'm a fan of *nix systems. I use ssh/sftp, terminal, gnu utilities, etc.. a lot. My familiarity with *nix did, in no small part, draw me towards OSX.

Bash scripting, for me, is easier in a real *nix environment (includes OSX). I never liked Cygwin in Windows.

I also like multiple desktops + dashboard quite a lot. Nothing remotely comparable exists for Windows, and all the "fake" multiple desktop/window management programs for it absolutely suck in comparison.

apps:
I also wanted access to some more popular and well supported software vs linux, like Lightroom and the iLife suite. Linux still lags from a comparability and workflow standpoint, not to mention UI aesthetics (imo). For example, UFRaw, RawTherapee, digikam, Darktable, etc.. are all nice. But, to me, they really do not compare to Lightroom.

I like the icon notifications in the dock (like mail). I liked Win7's window preview when you hovered over items in the taskbar.

The whole "install/uninstall via dragging to the applications folder/trash" is easy as pie. Launchpad is nice as well, similar to the software management UIs for *nix. Except you don't have to give a shit about dependencies if a contributor breaks a package. This is something sorely lacking in Windows (though, I think, coming for Windows 8).

Windows live writer was better than anything I've seen for OSX (not that I used it much). Mail.app is way better than either windows live mail or thunderbird. iPhoto and WL Photo Gallery are a wash. iMovie is much better than WL Movie Maker. MS offers nothing like Garageband. iTunes is better than either WMP or Zune. Sadly the store lacks a subscription like the Zunepass though.

cons:
There certainly are quirks in OSX though. Some keyboard shortcuts are different. The close window vs close application scheme is a little different, but that's just part of a learning curve. Like I only ever close the mail window, so it continues to run hidden and getting mail.

I'm finding out that spotlight in Lion can't index SMB shares, which sucks since all my data is stored on a NAS. So I either have to use find in the terminal or something like easyfind for GUI. That's irritating for me.

OSX seems to like data being local rather than networked/external. iPhoto defaults to copying during import, vs referencing the file. Easily changed, but just an example of the philosophy.

other:
Window's integration with Xbox services is quite nice. I don't have an Apple TV, but I'm sure OSX's integration with that is nice + airplay with the iPad's screen mirroring would be cool.

While codecs exist for OSX (flip4mac, perian), Win7 overall beats it on built-in compatibility for most common formats. Install haali media splitter on Win7 and WMP can play probably anything you'd come across. Perian was still a bit weird with some MKVs, and required quicktime 7 installed alongside quicktime X. I just installed MplayerX instead.

Time Machine is a lot better than Windows Backup for system imaging. First thing I did when I got my mini server last week was make a time machine backup. Wipe the drives, convert them to software RAID-0 and restore via time machine. It took, literally, 15 mins start to finish. But I still use something like Crashplan for onsite+offsite file backup (actually running on my Win7 NAS instead).

conclusion:
I don't find much real advantage of OSX over Win7. They both can get the job done and have great tools at their disposal. The only small advantage of each over *nix is availability of popular software such as, again, Lightroom....and aesthetics (though that gap is closing).

Ultimately, I am really enjoying familiarizing myself with a new environment.
 
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If you're into software development, and want to write apps for iOS (for iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad) then OSX is pretty much the only game in town there. Other than that, for just about everything else, it is still almost entirely personal preference.
 
Things I liked about Linux were multiple desktops - in Gnome2 I had it so my mouse in the upper left corner zoomed out to four desktops. In Gnome3 I liked how the upper left corner zoomed out all the windows rather than desktops so you just click on a window to pick it - with lots of stuff open this could actually be faster than trying to pick from a dock or taskbar.
Click to expand...

Yeah I got 3-6 windows (spaces/mission control) and have a host of trackpad gestures (expose multiple ways, etc).

I have both OSX and Win7 on my computer and these 2 features alone keep me constantly coming back to OSX.
 
Things I like about OSX are...

1) Misson Control on OSX Lion. I now use it more than Spaces, simply because of the multitouch gesture support, which I use a lot. Also as embarrassing as it sounds, I'm also enjoying Launchpad now that I have a dozen applications installed, and Launchpad gives me a good way to view them all at once while allowing me to sort them into the right category.

2) Multitouch gestures or keyboard shortcuts to activate Mission Control. I learned about the keyboard shortcuts recently, and have not missed Spaces much thanks to them. Also the multitouch gestures allow for pinch to zoom and two-finger pan, which I use almost every minute I'm on a Mac. It makes that big of a difference while viewing photos and PDFs. Unfortunately, I've heard that it may or may not work on a Hackintosh setup.

3) No worry about virus or trojan or malware or adware or any of the sort. The only thing I have to look out for... is getting phished, or getting hacked, but having no virus, trojan, or malware to worry about is a big load off. No more antivirus in the background or on specific days of the week.

4) It comes pre-installed with Calendar and Mail, two of the applications that I use the most daily. Finding alternatives on Windows 7 has proven to be a pain, especially for Calendar. For Mail, pretty much anything else works, but they are not all integrated seamlessly with the Calendar application, which... brings me back to OSX all over again.

5) iTunes works better on OSX than it does on Windows, and it's not available on Linux. And... I have an iPhone 4, so... this one is also a requirement. On a side note, it's also because I have gotten accustomed to managing and sorting my music in iTunes, and can't, for the life of me, go back to the file-within-folder system.

6) It's easier to do a whole-system backup than Windows 7, or at least I don't have to fiddle with third-party applications to get the job done.

7) This is something Windows 8 will have, so I don't think it's fair to mention it, but OSX supports mounting disk images directly as virtual drives.
 
I like it because it feels smoother than Windows 7 over longer periods of time. Over time Windows always seems to go slower and be more prone to issues, although XP SP3 & Win7 have been pretty good. In general OSX has been more stable for me as well. I like how the look & feel of the OS, I like how things install, I like not having to run antivirus, malware/spyware scanners, disk cleanup software, etc. OSX just kind of gets out of your way, once you get the hang of it.
 
Honestly, the gestures and spaces are what got me. I started to enjoy everything else after. But since then I'm finding more and more.
 
I've built many windows based pc's. I still remember windows 3.1, and the 12 (maybe it was 14) floppy disks needed to load 3.1.
Point? I've been around the block and then some when it comes to the history of MS windows.
ANyway... For just one of many examples, video editing is a pleasure with the osx included iMovie.
Pinnacle Studio (windows based) CONSTANTLY crashed on my windows pc,
thru windows 7, all versions.
MS Movie Maker was dropped after vista. And pinnacle studio was about the best of the windows based programs offered for video, well at least the most feature/affordable.
With windows, most people take up 30-50% of their time getting the system to function properly, before hopefully getting something done production wise.
With mac based osx, screwing with the computer to get it up to speed is pretty much nonexistent. You start your project, you finish your project. No sweat, no mess, no stress.
It just works! It always works.
I won't touch a windows based pc anymore. Period. And my family isn't very happy about that, since I was the one they ran to for their windows based pc problems.
Now I just tell them GET A MAC!
Computing is actually fun once again, something Bill Gates and Co. yearned for, but never achieved. And still haven’t to this day.
Instead of windows 95, windows 98, windows me, windows xp, windows vista, windows 7and next windows 8, save your money and do yourself a favor... Get a mac.
Six versions of MS windows. I call that six failures trying to get something right.
I wouldn't bet windows 8 will come any closer.
When you add up all those windows, you could save a lot with just buying that osx based mac instead.
Not to mention a lot of nail biting.
 
one thing I love about OSX is the window buttons in the upper left instead of right like in Windows. Took me a bit to adjust, but my mouse cursor is almost always on the left side of the screen because that's where the drop down menus are. It just makes sense, I know Windows can be hax0r3d to do this with WindowBlinds, but OSX does it right without having to mess with it. And there are just a ton of little things I like over Win 7. After being on OSX for a few hours when I boot into my Win 7, it reminds me of how I felt when I upgraded to XP and would go to a friends house and they were still on Win 95. And as already mentioned spaces rocks hard.
 
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Emulex has multiple Mac Minis he has rebuilt and refurbished himself (upgraded to c2d cpu?, hsf regooed, new memory, new hard drive):
#1 - Mac Mini 1,1(flashed to 2,1) 1.83ghz/3gb/250gb(newer)/combodrive - keyboard+mouse - $240 lion installed - computer + power brick only + keyboard + mouse. ** I recommend LION for advanced users only ** can install snow leopard for grandma's

#1.5 - Mac Mini 1,1 (flashed to 2,1) 1.83ghz/3gb/250gb(newer)/combodrive - keyboard+mouse - $240 lion installed - computer+power brick only + keyboard + mouse .** I recommend LION for advanced users only ** can install snow leopard for grandma's

#2 - Mac mini 2,1 2ghz core2duo/4gb/500GB (fresh apple pull from my macbook 17) hard drive - keyboard+mouse - $325 - lion installed - ** Lion works for your grandma ** - this rocks!

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2209537
Click to expand...
 
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I like the clean, minimalism of OSX. It generally requires less maintenance than Windows does.

Deciding on what OS to use, it really depends on what you're using the computer for. Some programs run better on OS X than they do on Windows, and vice versa. Mac for example, is better at creative programs like video editing. Windows handles high performance tasks better.

I use both and I really can't say I clearly prefer one over the other. Not since Windows 7 came out and fixed the problems with XP and Vista anyway. I do tend to use Windows more often these days, but that's more to do with my desktop being significantly faster than my laptop. And, I tend to use iOS more than both of those.
 
Why do I like OSX? Good question…OSX is perfect…Easy to use….Very friendly…Steve Jobs is GENUIS!!!
Windows? They are full of jokes…huge security holes force you to buy or get free anti-virus..eat up too much hard drive space. Billy Gates is cheater!!
 
Rottie said:
Windows? They are full of jokes…huge security holes force you to buy or get free anti-virus..eat up too much hard drive space. Billy Gates is cheater!!
Click to expand...

In a rare thread of this sort where posted opinions haven't been vapid, this drivel is out of date an unwelcome.
 
10.7 is pretty good but earlier versions of OS X were simply annoying compared to windows. no full screen apps, no right clicking, no closing out the app by hitting the red X, the list goes on
 
The reason I like *nix OS's is due to their overall design, that and my mom doesn't call me twice a month asking me to remove Super Win7 antivirus 2011 or whatever the latest virus she got is called.

The reason I like OSX is that it is a commercial *nix that I don't have to fuss with. That said, due to apples policies I will not buy another apple product.
 
i remember i had to use a MS Mouse with the original Mac Mini to make it as usable as Windows. the hockey puck mouse was crap
 
alent1234 said:
i remember i had to use a MS Mouse with the original Mac Mini to make it as usable as Windows. the hockey puck mouse was crap
Click to expand...

All version of Mac OS have supported CTRL+Click for right clicking. At least for the past 15 years or more.

The Red (or grey as I prefer) X will CLOSE the WINDOW, not necessarily the application. There is a separate command, CMD+Q which will QUIT the APPLICATION
 
Magic Carpet said:
It's based on FreeBSD. Might as well use that?
Click to expand...

I never had a problem with debian, I switched to OSX because I wanted to just use my computer and not 'work' on my computer. For the most part OSX does that. I get everything I really liked about *nix with some nice bonuses.

If someone made nice hardware and gave full time support to notebooks running freebsd and everything worked out of the box (with a decent upgrade cycle) I'd have no problem using it. I don't want to tinker to get my stuff working, I want working stuff I can tinker with.
 
TheStu said:
All version of Mac OS have supported CTRL+Click for right clicking. At least for the past 15 years or more.

The Red (or grey as I prefer) X will CLOSE the WINDOW, not necessarily the application. There is a separate command, CMD+Q which will QUIT the APPLICATION
Click to expand...


that's what made it annoying. pre-lion i had to go to bottom bar thingy to close an app. unlike windows where i just hit the X. it was as bad as the unclosable IE on the old Pocket PC devices
 
The main thing I like about OSX is that its easier to maintain. IMO, its easier to migrate and reformat. The second thing I like is that it has superior multi-touch gesture controls. The scrolling and multi-touch is way beyond the competition.

On the Windows side, manufacturers have to rely on Synaptics or develop the software themselves. My theory is, because of that, the touchpad software on Windows sucks pretty hardcore.
 
Patranus said:
What policies are those, being a business?
Click to expand...

Apple is anti-consumer rights and anti-innovation.

I do not have control of the devices I buy, and the apple products I do have control over I am losing control on a update by update basis. Further more, apple abuses the patent system to hurt innovation while at the same time stealing ideas from others and integrating those ideas into their own products.

Apple thinks that taking any existing idea, and adding i, cloud, or phone to it makes it unique and patent worthy. They are hurting innovation on a massive scale. I support intellectual property when it is unique and noteworthy, but most of apples patents are not that (most patents in general are not that). But patents are only a small part of why I hate apple. Their hatred of customers and developers is a much larger reason. Hurting customer freedom by pulling apps off the app store that they felt competed just a bit too much with them, intentionally crippling older devices so you will want an upgrade, locking me out of my own device so I can't do development without paying a tax, and only giving customers features ONLY AFTER those people they claim are stealing from them implement the feature. How long did we need to wait for multitasking? Why can't my iphone 4 run Siri?


I was the biggest apple fan you have ever met. I have personally made the iphone and ipad supported products for my company and am responsible for over 50 macbook pro purchases. I'm fed up with being treated like a felon for wanting to use their products.

I want freedom to run my software on my devices, to access my data how I want it, and to be free from a treadmill of forced upgrades for support. Apple refuses to give us tools to manager our products, refuses to play nice with developers, and just in general see's it's customers and cash cows that need milking instead of supporters who need quality products.

Their last OS release was a joke, iOS5 has added more bugs and crashes to my phone and ipad then I have ever seen in the last 3 phones I've owned, and my experience as a developer has essentially made me embarrassed I ever suggested them as a solution to anyone.
 
sourceninja said:
I never had a problem with debian, I switched to OSX because I wanted to just use my computer and not 'work' on my computer. For the most part OSX does that. I get everything I really liked about *nix with some nice bonuses.

If someone made nice hardware and gave full time support to notebooks running freebsd and everything worked out of the box (with a decent upgrade cycle) I'd have no problem using it. I don't want to tinker to get my stuff working, I want working stuff I can tinker with.
Click to expand...
Fair enough. May I ask you... what are you doing with it now?

Also, after having just read your post above.. are you dropping it all together?
 
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