If you changed to Mac from Windows, would you be kind enough to explain why, plus your thoughts on the whole concept, please?

I'm quite curious about content creation in general and where any advantages might lie with regards to one OS or another for different people.

This could be related to apps, OS style, hardware, visual preference, taste, psychology, etc,.

Thanks.

 

I've used a Mac since 2009 and I have always found them to be considerably more reliable than any PC I used around that time. Prior to that I have had my fair share of experiences starting a PC only to have it fail. I've had a couple of Macs that I have got long usage from, with only 1 issue and that I fixed myself by booting in safe mode.

The software experience the last time I checked is well above PC. Every application is incredibly well designed, and things like command line work much better. Just about every good piece of design software now is available first on Mac, and often exclusive to their platform. For example Sketch, we make heavy use of that at work, and the industry in general uses it a lot.

The last couple of releases from Apple have been extremely disappointing though. I think the likelihood is I'll end up with a Dell XPS soon with Linux on. The XPS range has a developer version that's really well suited to what I'll need it for with good specs, unfortunately Apple have started caring less about software developers over the last few years. The new models are badly designed, the specs aren't powerful enough, and the new operating system is a real mess. I'll wait to see what they come out with this year, but I'm not hoping for much.

I've used a Mac since about 2004 starting with the old powerbook and, like Jack, I find it a lot more reliable than a PC. The screen is a lot clearer and the colours always seem a lot better. 

For Web design work I use Coda and there doesn't appear to be any comparable software for Windows. There is also a version available for the iPad which will sync with the Mac and allows me to make any small changes on the move if I need to. (I can make larger changes as well but I prefer to do most design work on the actual mac).

I still have my 1997 imac and it still works but showing its age. Its been a great machine though. I have a fairly high spec pc now with dual screens and windows 10.

We switched to Mac years ago, we still have Window's machines and I don't have anything against Windows but to me Mac brings all the intuitiveness of legacy Window's OS with a better selection of software for design and development.

I don't think I'd personally move from Mac to Window's if I'm using the device for work.

Thanks for the replies. Most of you are long-term Mac users, then.

My boss has a beautiful iMac, and the display is lovely.

I've been into Windows for many years, but when I look at his display, I realize that nothing really competes on the Windows display side apart from possibly the Microsoft Surface Studio, but underneath that is Windows 10 which doesn't look as pretty.

I used to watch many video tutorials and almost always the instructor was using a Mac.

I don't care to tinker with Windows like I used to, and I rarely game anymore. I want to do plenty of content creation going forward, and I think having a prettier display and environment would really help me to want to up my game and do things nicely. Or maybe it's just nice to change anyway. If Microsoft sold the Surface Studio monitor separately, I'd maybe give that a try (after saving a few pennies).

I live in Japan on my own and don't expect to buy much stuff here. If I need to go back to the UK for my parents (who are getting old), then I'd have to get set up again, and I could well go Mac.

Thanks 

On 18/01/2018 at 1:08 PM, KG60 said:

For Web design work I use Coda and there doesn't appear to be any comparable software for Windows. There is also a version available for the iPad which will sync with the Mac and allows me to make any small changes on the move if I need to. (I can make larger changes as well but I prefer to do most design work on the actual mac).

I didn't know anybody still used Coda.  If it works for you then fair enough but theres far better tools these days that are cross platform.

16 hours ago, citypaul said:

Not sure if we've discussed this before, but that's exactly where I stand. If I were to purchase a laptop now, it would most likely be an XPS with Ubuntu installed. I may even be tempted to give Windows a try, just to see how it is these days.

I've been using a Mac since about the same time as you - some time around 2008/9 I think. I've currently got a new model Macbook Pro (purchased by work). I feel like such a spoilt brat moaning about it, but I really don't like it. I hate the keyboard (after 6 months or so of using it, I still think it feels cheap and nasty, and it's horrible to type on), the processor wasn't even top of the line when it was first released, and the taskbar thing is an absolute joke. I don't use it for anything, except the escape key, which I'm forced into. 

Moving to Linux is made easier by the fact VS Code will run on it. About the only Mac software I can think of that I'd really miss is Sourcetree.

I agree with the keyboard but the touch bar is useful for things like Spotify, I can change a track etc without having to leave the keyboard.  I think most of it's uses are for designers though. I can imagine a lot of useful integrations with it for Photo / image editing etc.

5 hours ago, rbrtsmith said:

I agree with the keyboard but the touch bar is useful for things like Spotify, I can change a track etc without having to leave the keyboard.  I think most of it's uses are for designers though. I can imagine a lot of useful integrations with it for Photo / image editing etc.

It's not that useful for image editing either. All of our designers at work have the touch bar Mac, and none of them use it. Once you're proficient with a tablet, you're way more productive with it, like how a Vim user isn't likely to switch to a mouse all of a sudden. You would think for video timeline editing it would be nice, but it's not responsive enough, and leads to a bunch of mistakes. The whole thing is a gimmick, I'd imagine because OSX doesn't support touch like Windows 8, this is the best they can offer for now.