Vista's a real pain in the neck right now but it'll probably get better over the next six months as Microsoft patch it (AKA finish the bloody thing). Saying that, it irritated me enough that I fled to Linux in utter despair after Media Player crashed the entire system so hard that I couldn't even access task manager for the umpteenth time. So I'm probably not an unbiased source given that I seemed to run into every compatibility bug going for the six weeks or so I used it. The latest thing about a 90% drop in network performance when playing media files really is the cherry on the top. I did notice some abominable connection speed issues but I attributed them to my using Virgin Media, which is about as reliable as a chocolate teapot at the best of times.

I've never used a Mac but I've heard good things about them. MacOS is a UNIX environment these days which gives them an automatic leg-up over Windows in my eyes (UNIX is cryptic but logical and doesn't have that thrice-damned system registry to muck things up) and the GUI's apparently pretty nice too. Problem is application compatibility. It'll probably be a real faff-on if you want the latest and greatest MS Office or whatever and just forget about games unless you want to dual boot (which is pretty easy to set up apparently, so not too bad if you don't mind shelling out for an XP license). If you're happy enough to get by with things like Open Office (which actually works quite well these days unless you're doing something really flashy with spreadsheets or suchlike) then you'd probably be fine. The loss of IE is hardly something to grieve either but there are some websites still that barf if you try to use another browser (some programmers are just lazy twits). You can get all the GNU tools too, I think, which is great if you're going to do stuff like programming or whatever. Emacs for the win.

There'll be a bit of a learning curve with the Mac, though. Like I said, never used one myself, but apparently it doesn't bother to try and imitate Windows for newbies like Linux distributions generally do. If you haven't used one before, it'll probably take a while to get used to it before you can use it as easy as you do Windows now. For a start, all the keyboard shortcuts are different from what I hear and the menu bars work a little differently (they anchor to the top of the screen rather than the top of the application window - like on the Amiga).

And just in case you were suffering from a bout of temporary insanity after reading this and were considering asking: No. Do not get Linux, not unless you're a computer geek (like me) and have the patience to faff on getting drivers and stuff working. There's always something that doesn't work quite right with Linux, even with the nice user-friendly modern versions, and it's rarely a point and click thing to fix in my experience. The end result is a fairly nice system if you like that sort of thing but the process of getting there can be double-plus unfun. I suppose if you bought a system with Linux in mind it would work better but that'd take better planning than my usual approach to life.

[/geek]

Well, big surprise that I voted Mac. :~p I've always had better luck with them than any of the Windows machines. And supposedly the newer ones are easier to run Windows on as a second OS, though I haven't had the opportunity to see for myself yet so I can't vouch for that.

Macs are more stable and more secure, and I find them more efficient. The student discounts are pretty good, though you'll need to order from a university I.P. (or while logged on using a VPN clinet or the like.)

Of course, if you're used to Wintel you'll find there's a learning curve, but don't let that sway you, as theres a learning curve with Vista too! It's not really that dramatically different, anyway. File compatibility isn't generally a problem these days, especially if you work in Word. The default mail client is much better than Outlook, and there's some very good bundled software for making presentations. The media and photo software is also good.

Personally, I've always found Macs much more pleasant to work with, and the interface is much better designed. (of course, to an extent it's a matter of taste, but it's just somehow smoother and less clunky).

/ Mac zealot !

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If it helps, you can jump through hoops some place to get XP. Puck has XP Pro and I got him a few months ago from Dell.

I know they brought the XP option back after a lot of people complained.

As far as I know, there are no viruses for Macs. Hubby's got a Mac laptop, and swears by it.

Having worked extensively with both PCs and Macs, I've found that a well-built PC beats out Mac every time when it comes to not crashing when you're in the midst of trying to save something important.

Not that I'm any fan of Windows, mind you. I run Ubuntu Linux these days, which I've found gives me the best of both worlds: the stability and end-user serviceability of PCs (cracking a Mac case voids the warranty, at least here in the states) combined with the Linux-brand security that keeps Macs virus-free.

In the end, it's really just a matter of what you prefer. I'm a PC and Linux gal, myself. I like thinkpads because they're really lightweight and easy to lug around, and Ubuntu because it's really user-friendly, stable, and totally free. But if a Mac's going to suit your needs better, get a Mac :).

Yeah, I mean it's anecdotal on my side, too. Suffice to say that having had to deal with Macs at my old school for all my digital art assignments, I developed a deep personal loathing for iMacs and OSX.

My computers have always been homebrew numbers with individually-purchased components, which saves me a bunch of money and means I don't have to worry about voiding the warranty by opening the case. But that's hardly the best solution for everyone. I have the blessing of being surrounded by people who fix computers for a living.

And I wouldn't put money on Vista being any good, having never worked with it. There are definitely still ways to get a hold of XP.

ha, yes. uncrashable OSs are like perpetual motion machines. Best of luck picking a computer that suits your needs :).

I've been using both Macs and PCs these days, and I have to say that I really like the new Macs, while I have nothing but hate for Vista. It seriously doesn't have all the bugs out yet, and you should not get it or anything with Office 2007 if you can help it. Plus, if you really want Windows, you can run it on a Mac these days.

I'm a PC gal to the end, but I had to vote for Mac. It honestly depens on what you're using it for, truthfully. However, you said the evil V word: Vista. Vista sucks so hard right now. I am SO glad I bought my laptop a month before it came out, so I have XP.

And discount is always good.

You might still be able to find a laptop with XP on it, but you'll probably end up with a XP "pro" rather than "home". I ended up doing that when I replaced my old laptop back in March and for what I do, there's really no difference between pro and home.

If I hadn't had the XP option, I would have seriously looked at a Mac because as Vista is really nothing more than a service pack for XP and a resource hog to boot.

So, totally unhelpful, I'm sure, but really you've got to decide what you want out of a new machine. And, of course, don't forget to take into consideration what kind of things you do with the computer and whether you want or will have to invest time and money on and new programs if some of what you've got for Windows isn't open source and/or written for Mac.

I imagine Vista has some sort of basic Microsoft image editor on board, but I don't know for sure. As for what comes standard with a Mac, I have no idea.

Even if you buy a Mac, you'll still be giving Bill Gates more $$. It's not common knowledge, but several years back Microsoft bought Mac.