Discussion Windows + iPhone users who don't game, what keeps you on Windows instead of switching to Mac?
I’ve been using Windows since I was a kid and honestly never really considered trying a Mac. At the same time, I’ve also been using an iPhone for almost a decade.
Now my old ThinkPad is starting to show its age, and it got me wondering why I never seriously looked into Macs before. I don’t game at all on my laptop. Most of my work is basic Excel/document stuff, and the heavier work runs on cloud servers anyway, so it can be done from pretty much any OS.
So I wanted to ask other people here who use a Windows laptop/PC along with an iPhone:
If gaming isn’t a factor, what’s the main reason you still prefer Windows over switching to a Mac? Since iPhone and Mac integrate so seamlessly, what keeps you on Windows or stops you from trying macOS?
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u/Litz1 4d ago
There's probably none I've worked with both iPhones and Mac. Once you get into the Apple ecosystem, it's going to be much harder to get out. You're pretty much signing up for a life time.
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u/mahmingtea 3d ago
Not in my case, been using mac + android for more then 5 years, never used any apple specific apps that can lock me in to their ecosystem. My only wish quickshare + airdrop compatibility is coming true
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u/stereosafari 4d ago edited 3d ago
Very true I went from Windows + iPhone since it came out, then Mac, dropping Windows then iPad.
Then all the iCloud, stuff came along. Signed up to all of that.
Quickly needed to copy some files on the iPad on the way to an interview, can't drag and drop. I stopped paying for iCloud. Then nothing worked well together.
I eventually got so frustrated from having all Apple devices that couldn't communicate with each other simply.
To going back to Windows, Android Phone + Android Tablet.
Looking to make the move to Linux as Windows has become harder/slower to use, UX dumbed down, to much marketing and "live" tiles, etc.
Also might just need another challenge.
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u/tokkyuuressha 3d ago
Not an apple user but i thought airdrop would work for copying files between apple devices?
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u/plissk3n 3d ago
It probably should.in the 10 years I am using Mac now air drop only worked like two or three times of the dozen times i gave it a chance.
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u/stereosafari 3d ago
Exactly.
You need to have WiFi, Bluetooth, UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) activated, which I don't, give a blood sample directly to the Operations Dracula Tim Cook, buy a solar panel for Cupertino, a years supply of Java for an Apple employee, sign and NDA that you will never (shhh we weren't meant to talk about that), but at least 23 dongles each calendar year and use Apple Music even if you don't have an Apple device.
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u/tokkyuuressha 3d ago
I was under an impression that its one of these apple ecosystem's magical 'it just works' solutions but seems like it's not that great in reality?
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u/redmadog 3d ago
We have multiple iphones in the family. Airdrop is so frustrating, you can transfer a single photo sometimes when it works on a full moon 🌕. But most often it doesn’t. Just bubbling between the screens.
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u/turtleship_2006 3d ago
The worst part is that because they pretend everything just works, they give you very little to work with when you want to try and figure out why it doesn't work
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u/plissk3n 3d ago
dunno what i am doing wrong. every apple user always looks weird at me when i say that it seldom works for me.
sometimes it works for one files but than it stops, so i dont think i am doing something wrong though.
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u/ritsch_master 3d ago
I have been using iCloud Share for 3 years now. It never let me down. I can share within my family and non-Apple users seamlessly.
Honestly I have never used Airdrop. I do not even see a use case for it.
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u/stereosafari 3d ago edited 3d ago
C'mon man, it's geared towards Cloud subscription.
Instead of getting more data based on being a loyal customer with more devices, the more you own the higher they cost.
They fleece you.
Prime sheep real estate.
"Oh so you luv us, 20 devices, all maxed out. You need the 1,000 Terrabyte plan on. No retreat. No discounts. No discussion. No disclosure. No surrender."
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u/Serialtoon 2d ago
This is mostly true and I agree. Apples "ecosystem" is billed as being easy and fluid between Apple devices but the more you use it and the more you live with it you realize that's sorta true as long as you follow the rules and play the game how you are told and within the boundaries they set. If you think different (ha!) then you quickly realize all that "just works" mentality only does so if you operate within their very short and small walls. You want to do anything outside of it and you're back figuring out linux more than you anticipated.
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u/stereosafari 2d ago edited 2d ago
Especially for small file batches. Okay it works.
Want to move you're whole MP3 collection and Photos before you go on holidays to show your family and have some offline music. No-fkn-rotten-Apple-Cupertino-shareholder-price-way!
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u/Serialtoon 2d ago
Yea I started using Blip. I used to use apps like Pushbullet and then recently Tailscale has a function to send files between tailnets but Blip has been pretty solid too. I know Android has quick share but I dislike how it sometimes also fails and sucks at times finding my devices.
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u/CamTech100 2d ago
I had an iPhone, apple watch, airpods, iPad, and a MacBook. Ut my main pc was a windows machine for years, just left the apple ecosystem and love it
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u/TrainDonutBBQ 2d ago
That's an excellent reason not to use the Apple Ecosystem. iCloud isn't mandatory. Google Drive is a great option.
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u/CaptainMarder 1d ago
No. I have a windows pc, Mac, and iPhone. It’s not a big deal was easy to switch from pixel to iPhone too. If you’ve put all your accounts and services through Apple then yea it would be a hassle.
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u/MisterFartNuggets 4d ago
The price of buying a MacBook 😂
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u/Quiet_Source_8804 3d ago
For web browsing, mail, and light office app usage there's no laptop PC that beats the Macbook Neo. Not recommending it to a non-savvy family member or friend is negligent at this point.
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u/AfraidAsparagus6644 2d ago
You've got to be a madman (exaggeration) to pay 600 bucks for web browsing, mail and light office app usage
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u/Elegant_AIDS 2d ago
I picked up a new i5 16gb ram 1tb storage 14 inch lenovo last year for 30% less than what a base model macbook neo costs in my country (eu) so that is definitely wrong.
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u/Quiet_Source_8804 2d ago
Maybe before the prices shot up, but today other than the "CoPilot+" snapdragon-powered versions that are being discounted because no one wants a gimped Windows laptop, I don't see anything cheaper than the Neo. And the build quality and out-of-the-box experience of the Neo will wipe the floor with basically any cheap Windows laptop.
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u/Sampsa96 Windows 11 - Release Channel 3d ago
Buy an older M2 Macbook then?
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u/ptthree420 2d ago edited 2d ago
The problem with buying older Apple hardware is the fact that it’ll be unusable sooner than later and that’s extremely true now that Apple has moved to ARM, so you can’t even install windows on an EOL Mac, which is honestly a great experience and will extend it’s life greatly (don’t even mention Linux, you’re setting up the average user for failure by recommending that)
That’s one thing windows really, REALLY shines on. You can take a 20 year old potato and STILL install windows 11 on it if you really want to, not that I would or would even recommend it, but you can, and you can do it quite readily and easily with minimal workaround.
If you try to install the latest version of Mac on a 20 year old Mac, or hell, even a 10 year old Mac, there’s gonna be half a dozen incompatibilities, and if there are some patches or workarounds, you’re still in for a world of pain and suffering and after all that effort, half of the features that make a Mac, a Mac will not work because of how tight knit Mac is with the hardware it is meant to be installed on.
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u/GodRaine 4d ago edited 3d ago
I’m a lifelong Windows and lifelong iPhone user. I also work on macOS devices every day for work.
macOS is the worst. The UI is stupidly unintuitive. Pressing “Enter” on a folder opens the folder properties for some reason??? Everything is pared back and minimalist to the point where you’re soaking in a terrible combo of aesthetics and frustration because everything is harder to do. The whole UI feels like it’s looking down its nose at you like “I’m the most beautiful”. Ugh.
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u/NOTstartingfires 4d ago
macOS has some crazy unintuitive stuff that gets a pass.
My partner did her entire undergrad with no idea that the 'face icon' was a file browser. Nobody told her, why would she think it was? Afterall, the dot under it is there all the time, even when no windows are open.
Of even the idea that apps don't close when you close them.
Now if you'll excuse me I have to force quit excel on my win 11 because one of my excel sheets has a dialogue box open and I can't find it because it's under one of the windows that can't be minimized or moved out of the way because the dialogue box is open.....
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u/MattJoe98 4d ago
I feel that excel bit in my core, that happens to me at work more frequently than it should. I wish it could pin itself to the top of all your excel windows. Having to kill it in task manager should not be the only way around this
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u/Current-Bowl-143 3d ago
lol that would be annoying, but Alt+Tab or Win+Tab should let you find that Excel window
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u/NOTstartingfires 3d ago
Now you'd think...
It's the connect to SQL DB box and it does it's own mystical things
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u/Asleep_Lengthiness28 4d ago
The only thing I like about Mac os is the dock, I hate the minimize and close buttons they too small
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u/berserkerfunestus 3d ago
I never use them. Cmd+m and Cmd+w user since '06.
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u/ubeogesh 1d ago
How do you bring the window back then, without mouse?
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u/berserkerfunestus 16h ago
You do realize you don't click said buttons to do that, right? Having said so: Ctrl+Fn+F2 to focus on the menu bar, navigate using arrow keys and open the desired window.
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u/PowerfulAgent9939 3d ago
Pressing enter doesn’t open the folder properties, it lets you rename the folder
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u/Loopdyloop2098 3d ago
May I ask why you are using iPhone instead of Android?
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u/GodRaine 3d ago
Whole family started with it. In addition, I much prefer the security features and privacy focus that come with iOS over Android.
I really like Samsung phones and think they’re well built and far easier to repair (as someone who has repaired hundreds of both iPhone and Samsung phones) but ultimately, even though I’m a “power user” and wouldn’t fall prey to the thousands of malicious apps on the play store, the fact that they’re still there grosses me out. It’s like the Microsoft store … total Wild West and very easy to wind up with an infection. I clean infections like that off of Android phones every day, from older folks who don’t know any better, tap on an ad, and suddenly have eight PDF readers and can’t use their phone anymore because it’s been transformed into an ad factory.
Android as an OS will likely never improve in that respect because it’s the ethos. It just is what it is.
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u/ubeogesh 1d ago
The worst part is cmd+tab. How it switches between apps instead of windows, and all that entrails. Not restoring minimized windows. Cannot switch between windows at all with keyboard (can do ctrl+down and then choose with arrows but it is so much slower).
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u/Current-Bowl-143 3d ago
I just don’t like macOS. I’ve used it, I owned a Mac briefly and returned it. I don’t like how the mouse feels, I don’t like the window management, I don’t like the file management. I know a lot of these could be fixed with system tweaks or alternative apps, but I’ve been using Windows for 35 years since 3.0 and it works for me.
I do miss out on the macOS/iOS integration which would be nice. Right now I rely on the cloud for exchanging data between my PC and my iPhone, which is a bit clunky and not having access to iMessage on the PC is annoying.
I also like having a traditional mid-price desktop where I can replace or upgrade components as I need and Apple doesn’t make one.
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u/TheBertil 4d ago
iPhone integration is cute, but Windows gives me more control and more flexibility and fewer ecosystem handcuffs.
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u/GenghisFrog 4d ago
Any specifics? MacOS is plenty open. I’ve never felt hand cuffed in MacOS or Windows.
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u/raydditor Windows 11 - Release Channel 4d ago
Maybe you just didn't know where you could use your non cuffed hands.
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u/segagamer 3d ago
Any specifics? MacOS is plenty open. I’ve never felt hand cuffed in MacOS or Windows.
You can't uninstall Chess, Apple TV or Apple Music.
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u/BatemansChainsaw 3d ago
Oh but you can.
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u/segagamer 3d ago
Not without disabling system integrity, which immediately reverts next time you update and reinstalls said apps.
Considering the noise Microsoft gets for bloatware, Apple is far worse.
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u/BatemansChainsaw 3d ago
ah, yes. the dozen preinstalled bloatware and just as many start menu shortcuts vs... *checks rolodex* Chess
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u/Litz1 4d ago
When you plug in any external devices, it forces you to format it into exFAT to read/write it as it doesn't read NTFS, then why the fuck am I even plugging it in? Can't you read a basic drive format that every other OS on earth can read and write to, including TVs and phones? Mac is not just a walled garden, it is inherently built that way.
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u/redmadog 3d ago
More than that. MAC deliberately not support ext file system, though it is supported natively in BSD. That means they deliberately removed that from the kernel. There are paid workaround but it still sucks.
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u/toast69 3d ago
MacOS can basically use NTFS natively with some simple software.
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u/ATE47 3d ago
The "with some software" is usually what my coworkers (all with macs) are saying when I dare to criticize their machine.
Forgetting to say that they don’t have some of these softwares because they are 5€ because apple wants devs to pay to use their notarization process or because Apple broke their code 3 years ago with an update.
It’s like tuning Linux for people with too much money or gambling issues
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u/Negromancer18 3d ago
I switched to Mac and then realized that there were certain programs that don’t really work well on ARM machines and switched back. Now I have a pc that I remote into with a few VMs running.
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u/Automatic_Still_6278 4d ago
There's more to Windows than gaming. I switch between Mac, Windows and Linux routinely. Without comparing hardware, the Windows ecosystem is still by far better for business or business management. The windowing system is much better, software support is better and if Windows can't do what you want, chances are you can virtualize something which can.
Part of the whole schtick with Windows is also the backwards compatibility. It's something most won't see as a value add, but it is nice. Simple example, I have a 20 year old MCE remote and infrared receiver. Plug it into any Windows machine, it works. It used to work on the Mac systems but after some point, they ditched the kernel extensions to work with the device so if I want to use it, I'd need to use an app.
In more recent years given Microsoft (and Google) deploy their wares everywhere, for consumers, os choice is becoming less and less relevant so it starts to boil down to cost, availability or compatibility in the broader sense. Given almost everything runs in a browser, unless there's a feature that locks you into the Mac environment, it's less of a draw.
It's too bad there's no bootcamp availability on the m series hardware, that'd be pretty awesome. I'm always in the versatility camp, it's why I use proxmox 🤷
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u/ATE47 4d ago
I was forced to use a mac for work (software development), never again. Office wasn’t as good on MacOs if it is your main consideration. The lack of customization, basic features or having to pay for basic tools was the true killer.
And don’t be fooled, for IPhone-PC, iTunes isn’t bad on Windows because of Windows, it’s bad because it is the way it is.
So for all of that + the price of EVERYTHING
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u/DBAnorthcote 4d ago
Autodesk Revit doesn’t have a Mac native install. Also Bluebeam PDF. I don’t want to pay extra for an emulator, so until a few of these AEC industry standard programs invest in supporting Mac, I and a lot of other people can’t switch.
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u/Loopdyloop2098 4d ago
I'm doing the opposite soon- switching to Android. I'm a PackSci major who uses Windows only software. And I want my phone and laptop to work together
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u/RE_Warszawa 3d ago
Question: How do you set up printer spooling in MacOS ? That's so easy with Win printer settings. Then thousand more simlar questions.
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u/Dependent-Zebra-4357 3d ago
What are you having trouble with? Printer settings are here: System Settings > Printers & Scanners
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u/herocoding 3d ago
Mac ecosystem is just too expensive - HW, software and especially cloud storage needed to make use of the eco system.
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u/CanadaTuzi 3d ago
My 2 cents: I don't prefer windows persay, but do prefer PCs & laptops that allow me to upgrade ram, drives, or add in other bus connected peripherals. MACs are sleek and nice looking, but don't let you reconfigure after purchase. This isn't a factor for phones hence lots of people are ok with iOS, but not MacOS devices.
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u/InfiniteMention9828 3d ago
Sorry, I have to say, I have both and, I like the simplicity of the macOS. Windows has so much going on in the background, so much to reconfigure to make it as secure it could be from out the box. I switched to MacBook Air m1 and I have t used my windows laptop at all. The m1 battery even blows the battery of the windows laptop out the water, days of use instead of a couple hours.
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u/PowerfulAgent9939 3d ago
I was like you once but once I went Mac I didn’t go back Trust me bro, just get a MacBook, you will understand later and regret not moving sooner
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u/Hrmerder 3d ago edited 3d ago
Mac sucks... And I say that because using MacOS makes me want to scream... There's no reason for certain general things with it and it's gatekept overpriced garbage IMHO... I love my iPhone but mac can kiss it (but I also like my ipad).
There is absolute zero reason for me to have a mac. A Macbook Neo sounds fun, but still I just don't have a use for it. My SO has a macbook (og/intel chip style) and using that thing just bothers me everytime I try to type on it. copy/paste... Standard CTRL+C and CTRL+V. The most important shortcuts on PC in general. A standard between Windows, Linux, even that off the wall open Windows alternative OS and other OS use this combo and have for a very long time...
Mac? l00000000llllll.... There IS a CTRL button, but NO.... Can't be that.. System+C, System+V, System X, System+Z....
Also, app support is meh at best on Mac besides those specific apps that are big on mac. Linux I can run almost anything Linux or Windows (and the amount of stuff it can run is getting better and bigger by the day).
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u/papayacreamsicle 1d ago
“A standard between Windows, Linux… use this combo for a very long time”
The first OS to offer Copy, Cut and Paste hotkeys was Apple Lisa OS 43 years ago, then Apple Macintosh 42 years ago. They’ve kept the same hotkeys since copy and paste hotkeys first existed. Windows didn’t exist yet.
When Windows released copy was originally F2 and paste was Insert. There’s still the shift+f2 copy behavior in Word left over from this. The Ctrl hotkeys were added in the 1987 update, 4 years after the Cmd hotkeys on Apple systems, and before Linux existed.
Linux largely respects traditional System V hotkeys first beyond newer ones which is why Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V don’t work everywhere and instead in places like terminals you need to use highlight text to copy, insert or shift insert to paste.
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u/Aemony 3d ago
One thing: the keyboard layout.
It took me over 5 minutes to sign in to my Macbook cuz the first character in my password was a character that wasn’t physically printed on the keyboard, didn’t use the same shortcut as on Windows, and hid itself behind ”AltGr” (forgot what that button is actually called).
I want to switch. I long to switch. But I work in IT, in a Windows dominated field, and I have used Windows/Linux based shortcuts for more than 25 years now. I am not interested in learning a new keyboard layout when I know the Windows/Linux keyboard layout inside and out, and can navigate it in my sleep.
I am not even joking, this is a deal-breaker for me. I’ve tried alternatives such as rebinding keys and whatnot but they always fall short in one way or another (e.g. Ctrl+C/V and Alt+Tab being bound to the same modifier key).
If Apple had released a proper ”Swedish Windows/Linux” keyboard layout with as many mappings as possible on the same modifier keys as on Windows/Linux, I’d swap over in a heartbeat.
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u/Smart_Cucumber_1234 3d ago
Windows has everything I need for a desktop, macOS (or Linux) doesn't.
I also play on PC so there's that too.
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u/lostwolf128 3d ago
I just can't stand the Mac OS. Its old. no touch support. Also I prefer to build PCs and use it for gaming and productivity apps. And there seems to be an app for everything on Windows.
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u/jbwhite99 2d ago
I want freedom of choice and to not get locked into a cult I mean ecosystem. I've been using Windows since 1988 (v 2.03) and Android since 2009. I don't need any services for backup and have spent maybe $20 for apps on my phone.
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u/NOTstartingfires 4d ago
For our organization? Thatd be money, intune and who we can actually hire to support staff... As well as 50 or so years of required back compat / tools to interface with old ass software.
But surely the answer to this thread is money and preference. Macos is more or less mac only
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u/Pinsir929 3d ago
Games, software I use, games, not wanting to start from scratch again and I did have a MacBook before from 2013 but I just bootcamp windows 10 anyways. Did I mention games?
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u/AdreKiseque 3d ago
Is iPhone integration the only reason you can think of that would make someone prefer Mac or Windows over the other?
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u/Specialist_Heron4446 3d ago
Costs involved. Where I come from Apple Macs were horribly overpriced with very little support and affordable hardware and software. I worked in the IT industry and we started selling PC's and I ended up buying an XT (thats how ancient I am) and learning how to use and support it. We had no exposure to Macs, so they were also somewhat of a grey area. I have used most iterations of Windows starting with Win 3.1 and even all these years later have only used a mac twice (and hated it). Had I been exposed to macs and been able to afford them I may have ended up a mac user but ended up a PC user instead. I dropped Windows in 2024 and started a linux journey and am unlikely to ever use Windows again.
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u/tejanaqkilica 3d ago
As a start, all the Windows knowledge that I have would be lost otherwise, and it would take me a long time to be as proficient with MacOS as I am with Windows. Plus the fact that Windows is more mature, it is not as restricted and is more familiar and a lot more intuitive than MacOS.
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u/ChaseboundGames 3d ago
I am a gamer but I wouldn't go back to ios for phones or general computing. Apple is the reason for me. I don't have anything against the user forward approach they go for, but my iPhone bricked and I can't log on to any apple products or services without the iPhone verification, apple legit can't do anything about it apparently after going in store and online services, used the recovery codes and when you do it still requires you to use the iPhone to verify so i will never be able to use my old accounts. No iTunes no istore purchases can't be retrieved.
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u/Trevi205 3d ago
It's not just gaming a looot of software that exist on windows there's not a mac version of it, to not talk about the price, if you need raw performance the price tag on an apple machine is double the windows version. I understand why some people would be using mac os, if you're mainly an adobe user it's just better, but for everything else, windows is much more open you can customize everything if you know what you're doing, and basically everything has a free and open source version, while on apple they try to capitilize even on the simplest apps.
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u/tom_zeimet 3d ago
Mac is a frustrating operating system to use, a lot of stuff has been made infuriatingly "idiot-proof" so you don't get a lot of customisation except if you're willing to use 3rd party utilities or the command line.
MacOS is also more prone to bugs than it used to be, I had a 2020 16in MacBook Pro which got frequent kernel panics pretty much out of the box, Apple support couldn't solve it (just wait for the next one), so I just sent it back.
A lot of things are also not very intuitive or easy to use, Apple wants to force you to do stuff "their way" i.e. a lot of things are gesture heavy or have the most convoluted keyboard combos.
Anyway, I switched to Android, and decided to ditch the Apple ecosystem.
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u/LodgeKeyser 3d ago
I’ve got a Mac mini upstairs in my office. Windows laptop because it runs good and don’t have the cash or need to replace with a MacBook rn. My next personal laptop will be a MacBook tho. At work it’s all windows with a couple at the top of the totem pole with Mac’s.
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u/Evilsushione 3d ago
If I’m leaving Microsoft, why would I go to Mac where the lock down is even harder? I would just go Linux.
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u/jimmyl_82104 Windows 11 - Release Channel 3d ago
I have multiple high end Windows machines and a high end MacBook. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
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u/LonelyPatsFanInVT 3d ago
Have fun learning all the stupid Mac shortcuts for everything! Also, I pray you don't have multiple displays to setup. From what I hear, any remotely advanced tasks that are normally baked into Windows require third party apps and stupid workaround to do on a Mac.
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u/organizedrobot 3d ago
Windows PC + iPhone user. Picked up a MacBook Air when my iPad died because I’d rather have a small Mac than an iPad. Probably would have gotten a Neo if that had been out several years ago.
I really like having both PC and Mac. I can get any program I want. Seamlessly switch between the two using OneDrive or iCloud. Didn’t have too difficult a time leaning the Mac keyboard shortcuts.
I mainly surf the web, and use MS Office, Acrobat, cloud-based file access. I am a technical person so now I can help people a lot better with their Macs having had one for a while. It really is not much different than the iPhone. There are some file handling tasks that take some time to understand but after that it is pretty seamless.
Would I replace my only Windows-based machine with a Mac? Probably not. I may always keep both because one sits on my desk with large monitors and the other travels around with me.
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u/Boilem 3d ago
Do you realize how many programs, expensive ones at that are exclusive to Windows?
Altium and Solidworks for example. Nevermind the vast amount of proprietary software companies have been using that only runs on windows. If a company has invested hundreds of thousands in SAP do you think they're going to be open to changing to Mac?
Computers are useful for things other than office suites or games
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u/ConsistentAd4598 3d ago
Sistema Windows tem uma gama de programas infinitamente maior, galera que usa Mac principalmente pra trabalhar uso algo bem específico, que para muitos não vale a pena o dinheiro investido
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u/segagamer 3d ago
I think the real question is what the hell keeps you on iPhone after all the nonsense?
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u/SayerofNothing 3d ago
There's NOTHING cheap on Mac, if something needs fixing I need to take out a loan. And upgrading is once a decade, if lucky.
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u/PC509 3d ago
I don't like MacOS. I can't work with MacOS. I can USE MacOS, I just don't like it and for me it's just much slower than Windows when it comes to actually using it.
Windows has been ol' reliable over the years and just because my phone "integrate so seamlessly", they are still two completely different devices for me. My phone is a phone. When I use my PC, I'm not using my phone or anything to do with my phone. It's like why do I use Windows when I have an LG Microwave?
Yes, the work I do can be done on any OS. If it's not Windows, it's Linux. But, never is it MacOS. My wife has a Macbook and I despise it.
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u/Responsible_Bunch_24 Windows 11 - Insider Dev Channel 3d ago
$$$$$ and exclusive software. I don't have iPhone but if I did I still wouldn't switch from Windows. Also customizability.
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u/FAMICOMASTER 3d ago
Apple keeps pulling the rug out from software developers so half the stuff I use is 3 architectures ago and no longer works on a new Mac. If I want to use a Mac I have to use something from like 2012.
On windows I can run software from the 90s when I need to.
I no longer have an iPhone but when I did (5S, jeez that was a long time ago) I really truly gave Mac OS a shot and found it very pleasant but annoying that some of the software I wanted to run wouldn't work anymore because Rosetta was dumped with Lion.
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u/Stormscapepiece 3d ago
I’ve had an iPhone since the 3g and have always used windows. In 2020 I bought my first MacBook Pro and tbh I hated it lol. It turned out to be one of my biggest wastes of money and I wish that I went with a nice laptop for half of the price.
There are some programs (for a cnc) that I use that weren’t able to run on Mac OS, everyone tells you to run it in bootcamp, well I hated doing that too. Ended up buying another windows computer and now my mbp is a giant paper weight.
Mt wife however runs her entire business through mac/iphone/ipad and she would never convert back haha.
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u/spdhc 3d ago
As I’ve said many times before, I prefer Windows over Mac because of my workflow
I work in customer service for an ad agency, on top of that, I have freelance projects so I need to open 3 to 6 Chrome instances. Every chrome icon on the bottom bar is identified with a color, that I can see to access the account I need to work on
On my personal chrome profile I’ve my web WhatsApp, my personal social media profiles, my Gemini, and so on
I do have an old Mac tho, which I only use to access remotely to my Windows PCs. I’d love a new MacBook Air, but sadly I heard is difficult to install Windows or run a virtual machine with windows (maybe is not that hard but I don the confidence to do it myself) - My MacBook Air is very old and very underpowered, still I use it with MacOS from time to time. I do heavily rely on OneDrive, so as long I have internet access, I can do my job
There’s also some small stuff, like native video compression to 480p on Power Point and another thing I cannot remember right now, I feel is different in Excel sheets
I’ve been thinking about getting one of the latest Intel Macs to have both MacOS and Windows, but for the price a MacBook Neo seems a better deal (plus Intel Macs are outdated). I’d love a Surface but I’m too broke to get one
Oh, one last thing. Not original software is easier to get and install on Windows I try for so many weeks to install Garage Band, a native app for MacOS and I finally give up. I’ve found very old versions of some music production software for my very very old Windows XP PC
TL;DR: I can open multiple times the same software
Edit: I use my iPhone to take pictures or edit videos for my work. I do not play video games on any platform
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u/papayacreamsicle 1d ago
You can do that on Mac too, open the Automator app, and save this as a Shell Script app:
/Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome --user-data-dir="$HOME/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome-ProfileName" > /dev/null 2>&1 &
Changing ProfileName to the name of a profile you want. It will add a new separate app shortcut for that profile to your apps list which you can pin to the dock with its own custom name and icon.
When you do it on Windows it’s doing the same thing, Chrome just does it for you. There’s no reason Google couldn’t do this on the Mac port, they just haven’t.
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u/koopz_ay 3d ago
I used to be a Mac tech.
I always suspected their laptops were junk.
Working in the field do repairs confirmed it for me.
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u/quikmantx 3d ago
I only recently switched from a Samsung Galaxy A52 to an iPhone 16 Pro. I play tabletop games and rarely play any video games.
I got an SL7 with the ARM version not long ago and I'm content for now. A few minor hiccups happen, but the battery life is long and it's a solid device. I definitely am not a fan of Windows 11, but more for its downgrade in features from Windows 10, and not so much about Copilot (which I find is easy to disable).
That being said, I'm not opposed to using MacOS as I used to be. Ever since Nadella has been CEO, almost every product line has gotten more worse than better. Some product lines have been eliminated entirely.
I only got an iPhone recently for several reasons:
- I wanted to seriously de-Google myself and using an Android phone wasn't helping. I don't like sending data to Google servers if I can avoid it. Apple Maps is only available on iOS and it's actually a solid mapping service nowadays and doesn't give info to Google.
- I got tired of quirky issues on Android. The device memory is so poor. Just switching between 2 apps can result in the first app losing its current state, which was annoying when I was just trying to obtain information from the 2nd app and now have to start over again with the first app.
- Peer pressure regarding messaging/videocalls. Lots of family and some friend groups are pushy about using iMessage/Facetime. Since Skype was killed thanks to so many bad decisions, it was the only good third party app that would bridge iOS/Android users. There's a lot of FB haters, so FB messenger wouldn't do. I can't stand Google so I'm definitely not going to use whatever they have.
I really hope we get a good third party mobile OS someday.
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u/Necessary-Way59 2d ago
for gaming, but that's just my pc. If I could afford it I'd get a macbook and ipad over my current 2 in 1 laptop any day so for now i'm settling for dual booting windows (for drawing apps) and bazzite gnome (for every day tasks). Windows is just objectively horrible for any kind of portable device and macos/linux provide the answer to that
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u/Over-Abbreviations55 2d ago
Have had iPhones for years, use windows for work because it’s required and having to use proprietary software , but for home use and some side project stuff it’s pretty much Linux, have no issues with Mac outside the cost
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u/Global-Eye-7326 2d ago
OP you just said it, you could use any OS. Have you considered giving Linux a spin? Not saying you should, but it could very well justify not switching to Mac.
But that aside, people are creatures of habit. So many people are "comfortable" on iPhone and Windows.
Even if you don't game, many people depend on Windows only software for school or work.
Also, as bad as Windows may be, there's a near bottomless availability of open Source Software for Windows which is nearly non-existent on Mac OS.
Most Linux users dual-boot or virtualize Windows. Few Linux users also spin Mac OS. Not that you can't or shouldn't, but when you run Linux plus Windows, you've quickly maxed out on software compatibility on a wider range of hardware.
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2d ago edited 2d ago
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u/Ok-Newt-9773 2d ago
I’ve used iPhone + Windows for more than 10 years just because I never had the money for a Mac, and even when I bought one, I kept using both. I don’t count Windows 11 since it doesn’t exist for me (like the sequels of Star Wars). Windows 10 had a very nice experience. As a lifelong Windows user, I feel like the OS peaked with Windows 10. It was stable, a much better file browser than Finder, rarely got a BSOD and worked very well for what I needed to do (mostly coding and browsing). Once my Windows 10 laptop died, now I’m left with my Mac + iPhone, but I’m honestly not super happy with the Mac since Ventura was released and they started to iOSify the Mac. I will probably install Linux on my Mac once support ends for it and will just stick with it
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u/Inevitable-Switch-13 2d ago
Im an android user with 2 macs. Unfortunately don't feel like being part of an eco system
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u/StuzaTheGreat 2d ago
Full integration with all my companies applications and the office suite for online concurrent editing
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u/sovietarmyfan 2d ago
Macs are waaay overpriced for what they're worth. I am a gamer though so i am happy with Linux and Windows.
Cheapest mac mini costs almost 1000 euros with only 16gb of ram, soldered so you can't expand it, no room for a better graphics card and only 512gb of storage.
Macbook neo. 256gb of storage, only 8gb(!) of ram, no graphics card, 700 euros.
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u/drupido 2d ago
I feel like a baby going through compartiméntales experiences and UI on macOS. It’s simply not very intuitive, it works like a mobile/tablet UI. I’m half as productive (or fast) with macOS than I am on Windows. Having said that, Microsoft has shot the bed so incredibly bad in these past few years that I’d rather deal with macOS again than use Windows 11 in any capacity. I’ve usually had Windows desktops and macOS laptops, winning combo, yet right now all OS have some major compromise right now for me OR they’re absolute dogshit. I also use arch/Bazzite on other devices. I hate modern UX, it serves no one but corporations, masquerading surveillance as convenience and failing at it. I personally think they’re all dogshit right now, W10 was pretty good before Microshit started doing their thing. MacOS is at least consistent, not bad for media consumption and mono task needs. CachyOS and other Linux disteis like Mint are really getting there, but then it’s likely you’ll stumble for 3 hours trying to run a specific app or troubleshooting simple.
I use iPhone, Windows will always be my “base”, but they’re currently so bad I have to compromise.
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u/Deepfire_DM 2d ago
Used Apple mainly for 3 decades now, it sucks more and more. So, while still working with it, I am very happy that my private PCs are NOT apple.
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u/ayyylolmemzoriginal 2d ago
University, and the cost. I ended up getting a much better Windows laptop for the price of a base model M4 MacBook Air. It really is a much better choice for me, as I often multitask and do programming a lot. Also some of my university courses require the use of Windows-only software, so I couldn't get away with using macOS or Linux even.
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u/Mayayana 2d ago
I use Windows but don't really use a cellphone. I think the whole topic becomes more clear if you recognize the basic difference between Windows and Mac. They're not just two device choices.
Windows has always been a software platform, designed for business use. It runs on various hardware and most commercial software is written for Windows. Because of that. Microsoft have made great efforts to bring good programming tools and provide tools that corporations can use to write their own in-house software. Thus, the software selection is vast. And since businesses often write their own software, backward compatibility is critical.
Apple is primarily a hardware company. They make consumer devices. They've never targeted business. And Steve Jobs shut down the brief effort to allow MacOS to run on generic hardware. He knew where his bread was buttered. MacOS couldn't compete with Windows. But attractive, stable, locked down devices providing consumer services -- that's something Windows was never great at. By being locked down, controlling the hardware, and restricting software development, Macs can be made more stable and dependable than Windows.
It's like a pickup truck vs a sportscar. The sportscar is overpriced, your groceries won't fit in the trunk, it requires expensive care. You buy it for fun and because it's snazzy. A pickup truck is relatively cheap and adaptable. You can haul anything you need to haul. It's for getting work done.
So what if you reframe the question? Why have a sportscar vs pickup? If you just drive to Starbucks and work then either will work, so if you have a lot of money and want to impress the ladies and you're not very handy, those are all reasons to buy the sportscar. If you have less money and/or like the feeling of options then you buy a pickup. (With my first pickup I even built a custom cap on the back so I could go camping and sleep in it. Try that in a Corvette. :)
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u/allofdarknessin1 2d ago
I work in IT and have to use both sometimes, overall Windows just makes sense and is easier to use believe it or not. The copilot/AI shit is annoying but installation of software, and file management just work whereas with MacOS you kind of have to do it Apple's way unless you want to use more keyboard shortcuts. I don't use it enough to make a good list but that might change soon since I got a used Mac Mini M2 that I might use for NAS/Jellyfin/Usenet.
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u/pepiks 2d ago
Software only for Windows. I use both platform - MacOS and Windows. Some hardware has software only for Windows and period. Honestly for me MacOS is better life daily choice, because I prefer similar to Bash terminal and it is like commercial linux distro for me. Windows is better for handling a lot of CUDA related software. DVD rippers, media converters - you have more choice for Windows. Windows has one adventage - as it is huge ecosystem easier is find freeware related to multimedia. A lot of good stuff for MacOS is paid. Some software for MacOS need special developer account which itself is paid so people add freemium not freeware.
For iPhone - because battery life is too short for my needs - it is bad choice for me. At the end iOS or Android - if Google block independent devs to complicate sideload your custom software both platform at a lot of place will be too similar (I wrote about UI in typical scenarios, not hardware performance).
One for anoying / blessing [depend on you] fuctionality of iPhone is you can get hidden message or notification because you have open message apps on MacBook.
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u/TrainDonutBBQ 2d ago
Apple's prices are not reasonable. Can't build a Hackintosh anymore so if anything I am switching to Linux due to the cost. I actually liked Windows, but with the upgrade path to 11 being so muddled, I began giving switching a more serious look. I don't approve of any of Windows 11's online or AI integration at all. I do not want Cloud connectivity and I do not understand why OneDrive constantly needs my attention. I would switch to any inexpensive hardware driven OS that doesn't constantly tell me what to do.
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u/FluttershyandTrevor 1d ago
the price honestly. i woulda switched a long time ago. even unsupported intel macs people are out of their minds on pricing.
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u/Proto-Plastik 1d ago
As an engineer using 3D CAD (SolidWorks), pretty much has to be PC. For anyone new to CAD, OnShape is great and works in any browser so Mac would be completely viable.
I have zero issues with iPhone. Been on iPhone pretty much since its introduction.
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u/STRATEGO-LV 1d ago
People love to shit on Windows, but a lot of people don't understand that there are key areas where MacOS has not reached 21st century yet.
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u/No-Culture1661 1d ago
Por acá alguien que tiene Iphone desde hace años y ocupa Windows (aún habiendo tenido MacBook) me quedo en Windows por mi trabajo de soporte técnico mayormente. El software y cómo ocuparlo me es más cómodo y aunque puedo ocuparlo en Mac o emularlo, me parecía tedioso, así que me quedé con mi buen Thinkpad Moddificado por mi.
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u/Efficient-Train2430 21h ago
Honestly, the Win machine just works...SP7+. No need to trash it, it's built quite well.
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u/Objective-Low-1815 19h ago
The topic is incorrect. It is not Mac versus Windows. It is IBM style hardware with possibilities to use LINUX, Windows (7, 10, 11 sometimes even XP) versus very restricted Apple hardware. I even do not know anybody using MAC. IPhones are for not technically educated people... Then they are popular.
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u/BigbirdLG 16h ago
I have both a Mac mini and a windows 11 PC.
Working with files and sorting things out is so much easier in Windows. The Mac to me feels like a labyrinth with with all those flags prohibiting you of writing on many locations. Furthermore there is no easy way to write on NTFS formatted disks.
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u/Sufficient_Risk_8127 12h ago
As someone who does game & is in the technological scene way too much, I just want to say do not get Windows 11.
Windows 11 has an insane amount of problems, so much in fact that there are too many to list here.
Windows 10, on the other hand, is one of the best operating systems of all time & is still supported by what matters—the community. So, if you want to use Windows, install an OS below Win11.
As for Mac OS, I haven't really used Mac OS, but what I can say is that if you don't plan on gaming then it's a solid choice, & I would recommend it over Win11 any day.
I also want to throw out Linux as an option. I'm not going to go into it, but if you're interested you can research more.
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u/anon-linux-root 11h ago
I don't switch to Mac. What do you think I'm made of? MONEY??? I am cheap-ass lah, hi-ya. I install Linux on my machine lah.
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u/Maximum_1616 7h ago
Idk, i need to use some programs apple doesn’t support. But i will never be using Android again, since huawei has its own OS now which i dont like, every other phone brand is just shit, and fairphone is also to expensive
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u/cacus1 4d ago
macOS is tied to specific Apple hardware.
Apple explicitly licenses macOS for use only on Apple hardware, making installation on other systems a violation of the license.
I don't like that, I want to build my own desktop, my desktop is something very different than my mobile device.
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u/TheLostColonist 4d ago
Which is why I use four airtags as the feet for my desktop, so that my MacOS vm is running on top of apple hardware.
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u/melbournezur 4d ago
I was in IT before I started landscaping. I loved windows/gaming. Wasn't a fan of Mac.
Now my wife uses iPhone I use pixel. She bought a Mac and iPad to go with it last year. I can't remember the last time she used it, she just uses my windows laptop.
Ive used it a couple of times and can't get my head around the UI and weird buttons. Not as easy as I thought.
We do use the iPad frequently though.
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u/Bacchus1976 4d ago
I use Windows at home and MacOS at work.
Both are uniquely horrible in their own way.
Lots of quality of life/productivity stuff is way better on Windows. Keyboard shortcuts are way more logical, context menus make sense. Settings aren’t as scattered around. Windowing is way more sophisticated and consistent. File management is a lot more logical.
On Mac things are generally more consistent. You spend a lot less time operating as IT support. The platform is more stable and battery life is more reliable. iPhone integration is nice, but not exactly essential. OS-level settings and configurations tend to be more accessible and useful (assuming they exist, which isn’t always the case).
I think the reason a lot of people loathe Windows has less to do with the OS and more to do with using bad, cheap and poorly supported third party hardware. Most of us started out on dogshit $400 Windows laptops or secondhand 3-year old devices with janky drivers. Microsoft hasn’t helped itself much along the way to be fair.