Mac vs PC
I would be lying if I told you there was any really real frostiness in our home over the Mac versus PC issue, but my husband John and I certainly have different opinions on Apple computers.
Until a few weeks ago I was the only one in our relationship who had used any Apple products and I was less bothered by his anti- Apple stance than he was my devotion.
Drinking the Kool-Aid
I know they cost more and there are limitations to what one can do to upgrade an Apple computer or repair them yourself. Until recently I’ve had to place my faith in the Apple Genius bar because the internal workings bit seemed too intimidating to attempt to dig around in there myself.
Apple Genius in the Making
John has always scoffed at the name given to the folks who sit behind the Genius bar in the Apple stores, but he has shown himself to be one of those, dare I say it, slightly geeky computer guys who can and does build his own computers. I should add that he’s not limited to desktops, I’ve seen him buy a used laptop, take it apart, and rebuild to suit his needs too. While I haven’t always understood how he could do what he did, I have always had a healthy appreciation for his ability to do it.
Some of you may remember that the screen on my MacBook cracked about seven months ago which severely limited the ways I could use it. Lacking easy portability, I found myself doing less writing and photography. I blogged less, I read less on-line, and although I had an older model iPad that was helpful, it was still not enough. I had planned to buy a new Macbook this summer to replace the damaged one, but other things got in the way and I had to put that big purchase on hold. After this morning, I am glad I waited.
Picking at the Fruit.
While I was in the US this summer, John’s brother spilled something on his MacBook making it unusable. Cost estimates to repair it made it too much to consider so he offered it to John knowing he would want to take it apart. John happily settled in to see what the inner workings of the great and powerful Oz , oh wait, that’s another story … anyway, he went to work and learned so much about MacBooks that mine now has a new screen that looks great and works as well as the old one.
The quote for replacing my screen by an Apple Genius was about $700 US.
The total cost of having John do the repair was $0 and only required his time, his brother’s broken laptop, and my having a little faith in my new home-grown ” Apple Genius. ”
Just so you have an Apples for Apples reference point ( sorry, I couldn’t help myself ) John said if he’d had to buy the screen instead of using his brother’s it would have cost about $140 US for him to personally replace it.
(My Desktop image was taken by Tim Hollister and is the St Mabyn Inn where John and I had a lovely dinner on his birthday last week.)
Gifts Of The Journey 
It has to be a Mac for me too, Elizabeth.
I’m no geek so I need it to think for me, which it does because it is intuitive. I have used both Mac and PC and I turned to Apple when I got sick of PC’s crashing, freezing and constantly being under siege from viruses.
We have two elderly MacBooks in our house and they just do what it says on the tin … they go on and on and are real work horses. There is no way on this earth that either I or Roger would ever go inside and take them apart to see how they ticked – it’s just not our thing.
But we certainly admire people who can do that … and yes, I think they are geniuses … or genii …whatever.
I totally agree with you on the virus and the intuitive part and although my 2008 Macbook is pretty ancient by computer standards, I hope to get at least another year of use before I need to buy a new one.
Wow! Is there anything John cannot do? Kudos to him for his curiosity and sense of adventure…that’s why he stays so youthful!
He is a continual surprise to me too, Lani and a great role model with regard to learning new skills no matter what your age.
I have never used a Mac and nor am I ever likely too if I am married to my hubby, he will not entertain them , him being an IT consultant . He did tell me his reasons but I wasn’t particularly listening … All I asked was do you think I should get a MAC ,, NO!!
If you want a Macbook or any Apple product, you should have one. You would love it!
Isn´t it wonderful to have a husband who can fix these things? I got my e-book-reader-screen replaced after an accident with Irish cream – I was so happy and grateful.
I use a PC and the husband (being in the Arts) uses a Mac. I do rely on Norton to keep me clean, though. The longest I have had a laptop is four years, so if you can get six years from you MacBook, I´d say that´s pretty impressive.
So far so good, Viktoria with regard to longevity. It was my fault the screen got cracked and it is showing signs of wear in a few places, but I seriously use it all the time. As much as they cost especially compared with a PC, it should last a long time.
Great post. Yay John. How lucky you are!
For me it’s been a year-long battle to find a more portable laptop, like say an ultrabook. The Macs impress me with their size and battery life, but they fail in USB ports, tech specs, and long-term useability (with regard to upgrade and expansiveness); and their price is…well.
I have an HPG62 laptop now that I found at Walmart, on a whim when the stocker-boy was tearing down their PC display. Gave it to me for about $500 USD. I won’t get into all the techy bits, but suffice to say it has more power than anything out there. My only beef is the extended battery is heavy, which makes it less portable; but it is swappable with a flatter, albeit less power one.
It has been dropped, spilled on, and running constantly since I bought it two or three years ago. It’s also been great on power and its display is great for marketing work. Have never had a single glitch. If I do though, it’s nice to know it wouldn’t cost me a whole lot of money to repair.
If HP can get their ultrabooks a little smaller and lighter, I will be the first in line to buy. They make a sturdy product. Until then I’m looking at the Lenovo U410. It’s a really nice product with all the functionality and power I need, but every time I try to buy one online something goes awry with the sale. So, perhaps its a sign to wait.
When I was back in the US a few weeks ago and feeling desperate about my computer status, I was tempted to consider something other than another MacBook, but my purse only had room for a camera or a computer, not both. Fortunately, my wonderfully talented husband bought me some more time with the new computer screen. Happy Day! I am a lucky woman.
Camera. You said camera. I have seen some of the wonderful pics – tell me about this camera.
The photos you’ve been seeing were shot with a Canon G1X, but I’m sending you an email with more details. I’m still learning how to use it to get the best images, but it is a lovely bit of kit.
Mac for me, because they feel more intuitive and are far less prone to viruses. A relative has had soooo many viruses on his PC and watching his frustration has made me happy to pay more for the peace of mind.
Because of the way I earn a living, my computer is a business expense. Even so, I’ll keep this one until the wheels fall off (it’s four years old and going strong) rather than upgrade every year.
For me it’s Mac all the way, we were early adopters as Martin worked for Apple many moons ago.
I use a PC for work, and always have – I don’t have much trouble flitting between the two, but I love my Mac, for iphotos, for imovie, for itunes and as Donna above says they just don’t get the viruses
Like that of another commenter: I grew weary of p.c. problems and purchasing a new one every three years. So I am Mac 100%. MacBook (2011), iPad 2011, gave up my blackberry for iPhone in late 2011, and iMac when another p.c. crashed this spring. Lucky for me, I live 5 minutes from a amazing Genius Bar. MacBook had some major problems a few months ago. So I backed it up, took it to Genius Bar and within about 30 mins, they had it wiped an ready to re-load. I broke my screen on iPad while visiting my now deceased Mom. I was reading to her and the darn thing slipped out of my hands and fell on the leg of her hospital bed – it shattered. No Apple Care on this device. I did a little research and learned I may have to pay about $200 to replace it. So into the Genius Bar, explained my plight. AND they comped it. That’s right, I got a brand new one at no charge. I have used phone in support and received superior service while setting up my iMac. Yes, they cost more, but the product quality and service makes the customer experience wonderful.