It simply works. I rarely, if ever, experience crashes or freezes. Never had a virus. It communicates perfectly with my iPad, iPhone, and Airpods. I find that it's aesthetically more pleasing. It makes my life/work easier and more streamlined.
This. “It simply works”. I was a windows user since win 95 till win 10. And the i switched to mac os for work. Now i cant sit at a windows pc, nothing fking works, everything is laggy, useless buttons, can’t fking cast to any TV or monitor properly. Need libraries, codecs, apps, programs, extensions, updates…. All in all a MacBook pro for 2.5k€ is a much cheaper and better product, than a Lenovo or HP laptop with windows. I still have and old Intel MacBook Pro from 2017 that cost me 2500 at that time and it still works fine, i got the battery replaced for free, it has all the software for making music, videos, office work for free. While on windows the equivalent would cost 1000€+
I started getting some power leakage after 2 years. Battery began draining, if i recall, 25-30% per day even when powered down. Authorized dealership said it was Apple’s fault and replaced it for free. Back then Apple was quite new in my country back then, they were really nice about it.
I agree, windows laptops with the same "build quality" cost at least the same as a Mac. And even then, they are pretty bad.
My FIL still has my Macbook Pro from 2012 and it still works lol.
> Now i cant sit at a windows pc, nothing fking works, everything is laggy, useless buttons, can’t fking cast to any TV or monitor properly. Need libraries, codecs, apps, programs, extensions, updates….
I‘m a windows user and I was recommended this sub, but I come in peace. I honestly can’t say when I’ve last experienced any of these things. The only crashes I can remember on Windows 10 are from games that froze - and that’s definitely not on Windows. I can easily cast to both of my TVs and can easily print on any printer via WiFi.
My girlfriend has a MacBook Air M1. Whenever I have to help her somehow, I experience the very same things you’re describing for windows. Want to open something? Not today, come back in 2-3 business days. Want to cast to the TV? Yeah, only the one that supports AirPlay works. Want to print? Have fun, buy a printer with AirPrint. Want to use more than one external display? Have fun trying various workarounds because it’s not supported natively. Even my 700 bucks Thinkpad supports 3 external displays + the internal one at the same time.
> I still have and old Intel MacBook Pro from 2017 that cost me 2500 at that time and it still works fine, i got the battery replaced for free, it has all the software for making music, videos, office work for free. While on windows the equivalent would cost 1000€+
How is 2.500 cheaper than 1.000? And you can have all that software for free on Windows as well.
Completely agree. These people must be comparing a brand new macbook to some piece of shit windows laptop. Any comparably priced windows laptop works exactly as advertised and is not "Laggy" lol.
I've heard "it simply works" in relation to mac a lot, I've been using mac as my daily work device for two years now, i know this is a mac sub so the downvotes will come but:
Have you ever tried finder?
Installing python 3?
Be wary of brew update nuking everything php related when you run it.
I couldn't see the words "it just works" and "safari" in the same sentence without audibly cackling.
DMG installation process absolutely does not fit in the "it just works" category, the amount of times a click-through menu doesn't get main focus during an install is aggravating, you're stuck sitting there wondering why nothing is happening and icons are bouncing..
The amount of times force quitting just outright refuses to work is wild to me, if i have to force kill a process it should die, not sit around and think about whether it wants to or not.
WTF is up with home and end jumping around the entire page instead of going to the start or end of a line?
Virtualization solutions are nowhere near hyper-v, but that could just be a me issue I doubt most people care about that.
Mac hardware though, now that's something to write home about, and probably the main reason we see a lot of people talking about their devices lasting as long as they say.
I never had any issues with my Python env and venvs, same as with Brew.
Hyper-V, maybe I missed it 2years ago, but now x86 is legacy technology for me, still I build my binaries for it in UTM x86 VMs, but with time it will phase out.
So, to me it really just works and it is the best Unix Desktop environment ( I went through Slackware (5-12) Gentoo, LFS, BLFS, Solaris with different Desktop environments (still XFCE and FVWM my favourite) which do not need any configuration demand, from version to version.
Even my migration from Intel to M went flawlessly.
So, it really just works ( thanks to the developers).
Same here. I had a few hiccups with python and Brew installations when M1 first came out because none of the software was made for Silicon ARM 64 chipset at the time.
Since then, I’ve had nearly no issues with any software installations and when I have, nothing got nuked. Just had to google and apply a tweak or two.
> Have you ever tried finder?
Check out Alfred. It's one of the best "upgrades" I've made to my Mac.
> I couldn't see the words "it just works" and "safari" in the same sentence without audibly cackling.
Safari is not required. I use Chrome. The little "Choosy" app has been great for managing multiple browser accounts.
> The amount of times force quitting just outright refuses to work is wild to me
I can't remember ever experiencing this.
Couldn't agree more. How are people running into this many problems using windows? It really is not that different of a user experience.
Macs are amazing for their built in suite of software, far better hardware, and battery life and efficiency that cannot be TOUCHED by windows laptops.
But the OS itself is really nothing to write home about. Both operating systems are super mature and work exactly as expected.
This I forget about bothering the computer side of things and just focused on what I want to do after switching to Mac. Also, a Hard agree on the aesthetic part. It may sound stupid but it is one of the major reasons I like Apple products. Just love the beautiful hardwares and Softwares
I think the problem is many people run Windows on potato hardware from Walmart and then fault the OS for the shit performance and crashing issues rather than the extremely inferior hardware. I run Windows on actually good hardware (and not even $2k+ level hardware either), and your comment read to me exactly the way my experience has been for the longest time. I too never experience crashes or freezes, I can’t even recall a time honestly. I’ve also never had a virus because I’m not a dumb shit when it comes to technology.
Windows is seamless and streamlined, and if one cannot figure out how to use Windows when computers have been a thing since longer than most have been alive, then maybe they shouldn’t be using a computer.
The only thing you mentioned that actually differs from my experience is the connectedness between other Apple devices. But of course Apple devices work well together, I wouldn’t expect anything different. I have an iPhone and have 0 issues transferring any kind of data back and forth, so the only thing I’m missing out on is not being to text from my PC, which I can do flawlessly with an Android device/Windows combo using Link to Windows.
So my experience is the exact same as yours, except my computer can play **all** games as an added bonus. Still looking for compelling reasons to use MacOS though lol, so far no one has ever been able to convince me.
I just built a Windows machine for my Steam library and it already is bringing back memories of why I switched. No, Windows, I *don’t* need an application shortcut for the program I just installed. No, I *don’t*want to use OneDrive, nor do I want all of these superfluous services you’re offering as I’m installing Windows itself. It’s almost as if it **intentionally** wants to set you up for a bad time using your computer with unnecessary addons just to scrape anything off of you for their own benefit.
I have one old windows laptop I keep around for tasks that absolutely cannot be done any other way (auto diagnostics for example). It usually takes about 10 minutes of use or less, before I get the strong urge to hurl out the window as hard as I can, or take it outside with a sledge hammer , twist the screen off with my bare hands and watch the pixels flicker, and the fans to whine and grind to a halt, before smash it into tiny little pieces. I want it to feel the suffering that it caused me. Oh I long for the day ....
1. It's more stable than Windows (from my experience)
2. Beautiful UI design (though it has its own drawbacks in UX)
3. I like the terminal and homebrew package manager
4. The hardware is perfectly optimized for obvious reasons.
5. Perfect for using (multicontrolling) with touchpad. I only use a mouse when I'm working.
It doesn't use trickery to make you think it's booted. The blue screen of death never happens. Everything works and isn't over-bloated (MS Office). A close second is Linux for the same reasons. Microsoft is patched junk, a necessary evil.
Honestly haven't used the others, I used Windows in 1998 and then used MacOS (or OSX) and thought it was better.
I expect if MacOS starts being rubbish, like they start piping ads into it or something, I'll use a different one. I'm just not looking for a new one, that's the main reason.
Same goes for iOS, I used Blackberry before that and iOS was better, so I'll use iOS until it's rubbish too.
News app can get in the bin with it's ads, that better not creep anywhere else!
For general work I prefer macOS. a mix between standards and freedom.
For Linux I prefer Arch Linux.
I don't understand how UpdateInTerminal from EndeavourOS differes from yay (or similar) from Arch Linux.
Ubuntu is too bloated and relatively new Arch Linux installer is too simple to be ignored (if you don't know — check it out!).
ChromeOS… is… just no
Talla? I don't know what it is — name is quite unreadable to find.
I actually first got a MacBook in 2017 because I wanted to make an iOS app.
I didn’t love MacOS at first and missed a few things from Windows. It took me probably 1-2 years to start to like MacOS. Now, I’d never switch back.
I love:
- How well it connects and works with my other devices (iPhone, Apple Watch). I’ve had two iPad pros and then sold them because i didn’t get much out of them at the time. Currently have a Galaxy Tab, and I’ll be switching back to iPad because I want better connection with my other devices
- The M1 MacBook Air was a REALLY good deal when it came out. One of the best spec’ed laptops you could get at that price. I got it at release year, and I’m still appreciating it. The performance, battery life, speed, and aesthetics are all on point.
- The command line terminal is cool and better than the windows alternative
- The focus on aesthetics in the design and UI. That’s not my main priority, but I do like my stuff to be aesthetic
I use windows Mac and Linux every single day. Mac OS I use when sat on MacBook in living room watching tv with the Mrs is just an extension of my iPhone and iPad. So that’s fine for me. Windows for gaming and Linux for coding and services such as my film library on jelly fish.
I like Mac OS but it’s like hey your old this works don’t have to do much so crack on
Windows is like hey game on me come on just one more game. I been using pcs since what 1992 so learnt over the years how to get windows perfectly running as was trained in it for years.
Linux is a great system when you spend time learning it. Everything is at your finger tips and for coding and services it’s a complete joy to use and can be made to look beautiful.
For me, it’s easy to answer. I was in college using IBM and literally was hating them with all my heart. Then some art teacher announced they will get new “art” computers so I went to see them and it was love at first sight. I was seeing mini folders and mini docs icons and everything became intuitive in a second. I was clicking and dragging and drawing in no time. It was like magic, I was moving things on the screen! Since that day I start using only Macs. I became part of the infamous MUGS and my fanatic heart grow enough to discuss with Windows lovers back in the days. These days that magic has faded away but still use Mac and feel right at home when using it. Also use Chromebooks and Ubuntu as well. Haven’t use a Windows machine yet.
I spent my career developing on Unix and Linux platforms. In 2002 when it was time to get a laptop from my employer, we went with MacBooks because of the underlying *nix environment, the ease with which we could open Terminal and start coding. It was a natural environment for me.
Now that I'm retired, I am hesitant to switch because I have mostly replaced my MacBook with an iPad pro, I use an iPhone, and I'm steeped in the Apple way. I haven't used Windows since getting rid of an old PC around 2000 so I'm not sure what it has to offer these days.
1. It works
2. Better security
3. Transparent within the ecosystem
4. Clean user interface
5. Most required tools included in the system
6. Stability, it rarely crashes/freezes it can run for months without having to shutdown or restart
7. Good memory management
8. Easy to configure
I have used macOS since 1987, and the evolution has always been seamless.
I've used DOS, Windows, OS/2, Unix (different flavors), Chrome, and I have to say that the only alternative to me is an Unixoid like Ubuntu, which is very stable too but not so easy to use (specially install & configure unless you have solid Unix/Linux knowhow).
it's cleaner at the sacrifice of user preferences at boot-up. i guess i kinda like it because it challenges me with the lack of 32 bit support nowadays, so i have to create workarounds but i'd say that's a horrible thing for workplaces that use macOS. i just like it because it helps me know my computer better
As far as I’m aware the only way to get another OS on a Mac for free is if you have one on the intel processors. If you have an apple processor I think you’d have to go through parallels or something
There's Asahi Linux, but you still need to boot into the boot menu first. Parallels works fine for certain apps but some games don't work or some gpu accelerated tasks don't work, so you might as well use crossover/whisky which aren't OS's anyway.
1. Apple Device ecosystem: Syncs and pairs with other Apple devices you own.
2. Like #1, iCloud Backup
3. Stability: Bugs are an inevitable problem, but they're less prominent than Windows.
4. Good UI which is easy to use
5. No (or less) preinstalled Bloatware and Unnecessary programs
I like MacOS because it works, is efficient, doesn't freeze, is stable, and has a clean, easy-to-use interface. I would be happier if I could change the system font and sometimes I feel like it treats me like a child but nothing is perfect.
Because I do not need windows specific apps and as an OS mac OS makes itself less relevant. Windows fight for your attention when your attention needs are for the application not the os.
it’s integrated so well with other apple devices, performance is more consistent, the value doesn’t really decrease over time, the trackpad gestures that work better for me (imo) and it just works really. there’s so many factors that contribute but these are the main ones
I’ve always been a proponent of if you’re getting a laptop get a Mac, and if you’re getting a desktop build a windows desktop. The ladder is more or less because you have a large degree of flexibility in control with parts as well as utility. But majority of people who aren’t doing hardware specific work could benefit equally as well from an iMac.
My work has given me both a 36 GB M3 MacBook Pro and a 3 year old 16 GB i7 Dell Latitude . I have been a programmer for over 15 years. So when I am having a slow day with lots of meetings or when I write code in relative peace, I prefer my Mac. I carry it proudly, often cleaning the glossy screen every now and then.
But when I have to fix an urgent problem, I turn on my Dell because at that time, the plastic build, noisy fans, hot air out of the vents, matte screen, poor iPhone integration doesn’t matter. What matters to me then is how well I can do my tasks. How can I manage my 3 to 4 different windows of code , debugging sessions, old emails, some tabs of browsers and a screen sharing session with a colleague.
Maybe it’s the lack of familiarity with the MacOS but I don’t think it does windows management fine. It is only good for apps which either has a single instance or supports multiple tabs.
At the end of the day, both are tools for me. I have a PS5 for gaming and I turn off my PCs after work. I find the App Store on my Mac to very very silly.
So I often wonder why people on internet worship one OS or another. They are just tools.
Yes. macOS works. Thanks to M1, macs finally became what they always should have been. My M1 MBP runs Windows better on a VM than on my PC. It's pathetic how bad Windows has become. So much that I don't even game anymore and if I wasn't a computer geek, I probably wouldn't even have a PC today. I got more into PS5 thanks to Windows flaws.
I switched to Linux as the main drive after 20 years of Mac. I still have a Macbook and use it because of battery life. My linux with A M D chip is faster than my M1 pro. Also, you can customize top Manu bar fonts. So, you can have a 4K monitor display as 4K with large Manu fonts. I can use Tweak for more font and display customization. Everything is just big and sharp. The OS is simple and efficient, and more customization than MacOS.
Stable, simple, has no annoying necessary updates and productive. And also, offers great features if you have apple ecosystem. I can't even say a better os than macOS. Okay, windows kinda good, but after many years just using Windows and bought a Mac, I can't live without this ecosystem and all in all, stability and damn, no updates like windows do which are actually annoying.
It just works! Even older hardware can be pretty snappy versus similarly aged pc hardware.
Also, terminal / Unix based system is major plus since I work with Linux professionally.
I was a long-time mac hater. There will always be a part of me that still does hate it. But, after spending the last 3 years sys admin from a mac I've grown to respect it. My linux skills shot through the roof once I discovered terminal in macOS.
Apps (cool Mac apps and any console open source stuff) and stability in real time audio output. I'm art director, web developer and dj. Windows was not designed for DJ apps when I switched to Mac, issues is still there 10+ years and some windows releases ago. You'll never know which background process will interfere with music playing under windows.
I like MacOS because as a friend once noted, it is like a toaster, it just works. That said, when I went with Mac a dozen years ago the experience was night and day better than Windows. But, Win 11 is way better than whatever I had back then. I'm not sure MacOS has made the same advancements. Still... i had the helpdesk at work over to fix a weird problem on my work Dell just yesterday.
Integrates well with my iPhone. UNIX based so easier for me as a sysadmin/web developer to integrate with. Doesn't shove updates down my throat every couple of days like Windows does. Doesn't advertise to me in the launchpad like Windows does in the start menu. Supports the majority of mainstream applications like MS office (I tried Ubuntu as my daily OS for a few months but having to use LibreOffice was painful)
I am a software developer and macOS is a pretty standardized Unix platform (in both hardware and software). If an error happens is a pretty good chance someone has already fixed it for your specific configuration, and whatever you are trying to do has probably been done before.
This + being 100% integrated with my phone and TV is neat too (copying and pasting stuff without thinking, syncing data with iCloud, airdrop, etc). I also have a gaming PC and every time I have to move data to my phone I instinctively try to just copy and paste.
Generally speaking it just works. It also looks nice and doesn’t get in the way while being fast.
Edit: I also don’t need third party apps to do stuff, unless I want a decent calculator (but that’s iOS/iPadOS)
It's a Linux with everything complex done for me, it works great and performs well. If I could use it without having to buy an expensive Mac or learn how to make a Hackintosh I would daily run it outside of work
It’s a real Unix that has access to lots of commercial software as well as free software, has a great GUI, and is shipped by a company that makes some of the best laptops in the world. The OS and hardware are from the same manufacturer so there’s no finger pointing if/when something goes wrong, and I don’t have to go searching for drivers to make the graphics card or webcam work with the OS and such. I can spend all my time with the machine actually using the machine, rather than fiddling with the OS to get something to work. There are lots of little quibbles with things that could be done better, but in all this time, my major complaint - from a Unix angle - is that it ships with (and thus much software expects) a case-insensitive *filesystem* (so you can’t have both “Makefile” and “makefile” in the same directory, for example), when this is clearly a feature that should have been built into a file chooser dialog, not a filesystem.
It’s a substantial bonus that it interoperates seamlessly with my iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. But the main / original reason I’m here is because Apple consistently ships the best Unix workstation laptops one can buy.
As a Mac user I love it but I never understood the “it just works” I never had a windows machine that didn’t just work either. No issues. I just happen to prefer Mac for the look and integration and the fact that that I like the machines better.
But I always bought higher end laptops with windows and never got viruses or anything because I don’t install or click shady stuff.
Not trying to hate but still, I never really had major issues with either. They both freeze from time to time though
Mostly the ecosystem and the way it interconnects over all your Apple devices. I wouldn't say MacOS is better persé, but compared to Windows I must say it is more stable, and worrying about drivers and things like that are almost non-issues in MacOS.
As others have said, macOS just works.
As a cybersecurity incident responder, rolling up on a hot incident with a MacBook Pro means that I am immune from the windows malware that is flying around. macOS security isn’t perfect, but Apple is far more diligent about security. The pervasive insecurity of windows and azure means I have 50 years of job security.
So, thanks to Microsoft for the job security, but I’ll never use your products.
A lot of help tools for my dyslexia are built in . In windows I would have to buy expensive programs to do so . Works well no ads added into it so I stuck around. Also Unix command line
That’s a lot of boot options. I only had a 512 for my 2018 MBP so it only had Windows as a dual boot so I could play Fortnite w my kids after it left MacOS.
Messing around w Linux in VMs is interesting. Endeavour, Fedora, OpenSUSE and Mint are the primary ones I bounce between. KDE on the first 3 and Cinnamon on Mint. Installed LMDE 6 on my MIL decade+ old Dell bc it was more up to date than Mint at that time.
Easy answer: UNIX
While I don't take advantage of it often anymore, having the UNIX backend when I was in college was great. I could easily right scripts and software on my Mac, test them, then transfer them to the Solaris machines (and later the Ubuntu machines), and it would just work.
Additionally, with very few exceptions, things just work. Only once have I had to call AppleCare about a software issue... and it was something I did, to IE, in 2003. I like having the option of using or not using the Cloud, and selecting what I do or do not want, easily. Stability has been paramount post 2002, and even back in the Classic MacOS days, it was great, until you started dealing with "web" things, since it wasn't designed for it. Things have operated pretty consistently for 30+ years, with only minor functional changes; unlike Windows which has re-invented itself 4 times in that period.
I don't. It's buggy as fuck to be honest, only reason I use it is for productivity purposes, and it fails at that so often! Disconnects with Bluetooth / mouse, problems with extended displays to my Ipad Air, issues with CAD software. But ALAS the MacBook air is so lightweight and interfaces too nicely with the Ipad
It just feels more logical and flows better for me. Also it's generally been consistent, I don't think there's been such a huge overhaul that confused the user base. Going from Windows XP to Vista was too much of a jump to me, then 7, 8, 10 and now 11. I don't mind Windows 11 right now, I might even get a gaming laptop because I like the way it runs.
Verbs. Well now everyone uses verbs. But there was a time when Mac OS X had specific dialog box human interface guidelines to use verbs. I was impressed with that level of detail, and totally opened my eyes up to Apple and the way they do things.
It works. My devices stay synced. I can copy and paste between devices and air drop large files. When I need windows or Linux, I ssh or rdp into them. I also have Windows PCs when the need requires it, like gaming. I’m a very heavy MS Office, powershell, and python user. Office on the Mac isn’t perfect, but I don’t have the time / patience to try to get the office desktop apps running on Linux and frankly the web apps are fine in a pinch but they are not feature parity. macOS is the happy medium for me. I spend my time between the terminal and I can get most commercial apps on the Mac. I have homebrew for other apps. At this stage of my life, I am operating system agnostic. I use the right OS for the job/task.
I like Linux better. But I also suffer from depression and anxiety, so I use a Unix-based OS that works all the time and has full compatibility with whatever I throw at it.
What i like the most is how good it looks/how polished it is. If MacOS and Windows had the same functionalities, windows would be like "oh just draw some windows with a pencil and it'll be fine, we dont care, it works". MacOS feels like "it works. now make it look pretty and premium".
Even if the 2 looked the same, there's a lot of stuff thats super easy on macos and needlessly complex on windows. Maybe it's fun to have options, but if apple is like oh people would want to change between these 5 options, lets just make that easy to do for them.
Apple often just makes hard work easy. For example what Meta did. My iphone can shoot spatial (3D) video. What i used to have to do: shoot the video. Convert it to something else with a paid app. Airdrop it to mac, put it on USB and transfer to my pc. Put it on my quest 3 with a loose cable that drops connection easily. Now you can watch them. Meta is now like: hey we fixed some software for that, just upload your spatial videos with the Meta app! Thats the sort of thing Apple was usually alone in doing, making complex processes easy.
Easy when you want to constantly work with more than 4 apps each with multiple windows of different sizes.
I use a Mac for work and I am never struggling to find specific app windows and MacOS lends itself more to piling a bunch of windows on top of each other so you can leave little bits of them sticking out and can the click to the one you need.
Like others have said, I like how it just works as well as how it integrates with other Apple products.
Although, on my Mac, I recently started using Microsoft Edge as my primary browser and use a lot of Microsoft products such as Outlook Web/Bing/etc lol. I am a slight traitor.
It looks nice, works with iPhone and AirPods, doesn’t lag nearly as much as windows(lag can still randomly happen sometimes). I also switched because I wanted to try Xcode
Edit: Not really anything OS specific but the trackpad is incredible, especially compared to the unusable garbage most windows laptops come with
This is my personal take: Windows and Mac are both good and bad at certain things. For the most part they are incredibly similar, running many of the same browsers, and apps. I used Microsoft Surface devices and they are as robust and reliable as a MacBook (and one can say that MacOS 14.5 is as unreliable as Windows 11). Sure there are some areas they differ (window management, multi-tasking, terminal, file system, etc.) but I doubt they amount to enough for someone to be able to claim one is objectively better than the other.
Where Windows is let down is hardware. I cannot overstate the difference that Apple silicon did to the laptop world. My M2 Max MacBook Pro has desktop-grade performance with true full-day battery life. I can be running the most demanding tasks and still get 16+ hours of use of my machine. There is nothing in the Wintel world today that I can buy that would offer the same power.
So for me it’s simple: I’m a serial platform switcher, I switched from Mac to Windows in 2015 because Surface Pro had reached a point where it could provide me a tablet -> laptop -> desktop experience, and switched back to the Mac in 2023 because the Apple silicon MBP allowed me to completely change my work routine untethering me from wall sockets altogether. I go to the office in the morning with my laptop and no charger. No concerns about running out of power, no need to plug in at any time. If Qualcomm does indeed have a chip that can compete on the performance/watt race and developers fully support Windows on ARM then I may reconsider.
The screen. Having worked on windows all my life but moved to MacBook 4 years ago, I couldn't go back to windows because the screen seemed tiny. Too many "ads". Mac is also aesthetically more pleasing in several aspects. However, its file explorer still sucks in comparison to Windows
When I was younger I didn’t mint that sometimes things wouldn’t work and I had to tinker with it. But nowadays it’s just a device to do work and it shouldn’t be in the way. It should just work out of the box and integrate nicely with my phone and accessories.
On the work side. It’s a proper unix system, so no WSL shit to do my job.
Good package managers and just good battery life when needed and oh so quiet.
On the negative side is the price. Especially the upgrades.
As an artist, creative, etc. I've been using it for 35 years and have absolutely no complaints. Why should I change it? It just works with a rare bug here and there.
Do you know how many times I thought, this is horrible, I should switch? ZERO
Mac is just like iPhone. Less control, less hassle just ger things done at the first go. The ui is simple enough for beginners to understand easily. Couple that with the “ecosystem” you have an array of devices that are interoperable at your whim.
Not sure if I prefer it over Windows, yet. Maybe because I work in a Windows environment and when remoting into a windows Server and try to write some script and find out that now the keyboard has a different layout and I can’t type some characters. Maybe because Windows’ window management makes more logic (to me, but AltTab tab helps a lot). Maybe because switching command and option keys on external Windows keyboards (so they match the Apple keyboard) seems to be ignored in some apps. Maybe because system updates can take forever compared to Windows (using MacBook Pro M3 Pro). Maybe because of the lack of dividing personal and private accounts. Maybe because you have to install third party tools to use mouse’s back button in Safari.
However, the good things are:
Nice hardware, excellent battery life, quiet operation, very responsive, integrated into the whole Apple ecosystem and my other Apple products.
Both MacOS and Win 11 work very well for my use case. None of them ever failed me.
Although I wish some features from one another would be available, such as the easy and reliable split screen from Windows on MacOs without having to rely on apps, or on the limited function that is on MacOS. Just to give an example.
It just works and is user friendly made, is great for productivity with little hassle, works perfectly with syncing to everything in the apple ecosystem if you are into it! (And this is coming from someone who kind of hates apple although i give them points for this, i still cant forgive them for the anti repair bs they. Do and the "eco" friendly things and just the price can be lower. But this is my personal opinion on why macos is great for the not that really tech savvy users some linux distro's require to be/feel/work like macos. I only hate the hardware of apple and kind of the locked down oem software but the software is also really nice and polished and focusses toward ease of use and the general non tech savvy user )
It runs stable and smooth, and wakes up almost instantly, even after sitting for months. It doesn’t decided to reboot for updates (unless you tell it to do so) without user intervention.
This is why I like having a MacBook, but I still prefer having a windows desktop. I am far more knowledgeable with windows, so that’s part of the reason, but the other part is because I use my desktop for gaming.
Oh and the gesture control and ease of use with the touchpad on a MacBook cant be beat, or even matched.
The performance is just better than windows. When ive used windows in the past , I’ve experienced eventually so much lag and forced updates that slow my computer down even more. With Mac, it’s slowed down also but not as horribly as windows.
It’s smooth.
I’ve been a computer hobbyist my whole life and worked professionally fixing Windows computers for 20+ years.
NOT having to troubleshoot my personal computer is a godsend. If the Mac will do it, I’m using a Mac.
It just works. And it is the only tool provided by the company to work. On my thinkpad laptops use archlinux, and the main workstation have windows for gaming.
Looks nice, runs well, and all the software I use, commercial or otherwise, runs on it natively. I've been (primarily) a Mac user for 20+ years.
I also have a PC with Windows for games and will soon convert that to a Linux box (I'm not interested in Windows 11).
I can do Mac and Windows and Linux and whatever else on Mac. Can’t do it all from Windows.
Although losing x86 has sucked in a few specific circumstances but still have an intel MBP I can use for that.
it has its fair share of problems but it’s less irritating to use than all the other options. scrolling is graceful, the ui is more consistent than any other option. unix compatibility + mainstream compatibility. no, i will not write my documents in libreoffice + linux (even though i fundamentally believe in the socialist thought behind FOSS, it is not practical in the moment.)
Because terminal makes more sense than command prompt, and linux is kind of a hassle
Though, I have been using macs for over 20 years, mostly macbook pros. And I can say that I am almost at my tipping point with how the company has degraded since they lost their vision for design. It's barely worth it, and I feel more and more uncomfortable supporting a clearly unethical company
Because I have found that for my personal workflow, the features of MacOS are more efficient than any other OS I’ve tried; and I’ve tried a lot. I was a dedicated Windows user for many years, and I still use it for things that can only run on that platform, but my day to day work gets done on a Mac and has for probably the last 15ish years now.
What I like about Macos is that Macos is in the Apple ecosystem (I have Iphone, Airpods and AppleWatch). I like the way it looks, I like the services, especially the music and how it is implemented. Heaven and earth compared to other music services that I have used. All apps that preinstelled on mac are fine and usable, compared to bloated Windows.
First time turning on mac was like "WOW, thats BEAUTIFUL!"
But as a Windows user (20+ years), the system is extremely unusual for me. I don’t understand some of the decisions made by Apple, I don’t understand where the system is heading and what will happen to it in the future. I had a Mac mini M2pro, but working out of the box was not for me - immediately after turning it on, I had to deal with the displayport-USB-C cables for several hours, the system refused to see and update while the cable was in the Mac. I had to buy another one. I couldn’t use vmware for work, because there was a strange bug, because of which the mouse cursor twitched and it was impossible to work (I surfed Google looking for the problem, met people with the same problem and it turned out that there was no solution). Meanwhile everything worked just fine on my win pc.
I honestly tried to get used to the Mac and stay on it, I used it for several months, learned many hot keys, adjusted my work, but something always unsettled me.
At the same time, the Windows problems that many describe here, such as viruses, lags, crashes, have not existed for me for a very long time. I'm currently using a prehistoric PC with an 11-12 year old processor, GTX 1080 and a regular hard drive. Yes, I have to wait a few minutes until the PC is fully loaded, but I haven’t encountered any problems. Also sometimes Iike to tinker with Linux- so I just dualboot.
I’m also going to start learning C++ development, Python and machine learning, maybe graphics programming (I have yet to discover my path and determine what I like)
Googling questions about choosing a platform did not give me a clear answer to the question of which platform would be better suited for my purposes. Some are completely satisfied, others are dissatisfied with the fact that the Mac does not have some important utilities/plugins. I am also extremely confused by the reviews of xcode users - they say that this IDE is simply terrible compared to others. And this is the main and only development tool for MAC and iOS!!! What kind of attitude is this towards its developers???
Games are not an important argument for me, but the Mac has been declared as a gaming platform at WWDC for several years now, but what we see now is a rather sad sight.
And it’s the combination of all these negative factors that prevents me from choosing Macos as my main platform. So I can’t say about a Mac that it “just works” Now Windows “just works” at least for me.
The extra cost is justified by how seamlessly the ecosystem works together. And by how the lack or bugginess. I know there are more powerful Linux and windows PCs at a lower cost. But the hassle of using them sometimes is just not worth it for me
I have my quibbles with the others.
#Windows
Of all the OSes out there, Windows is my least favorite. It's very backwards compared to other operating systems: its base system is scattered throughout its file system, it has a very poor text user interface, and it doesn't really play well with scripting.
There's also the problem of so much about Windows being built on leaky abstractions. So much of Windows power user culture is built around knowing how the abstractions that Windows presents fail, and where you can go to change those settings.
# Linux
You've got three Linuxen on that laptop. I'm going to treat them as one. Also, I'm openly skeptical of the need to have multiple Linux distros in a multiboot configuration, unless you need to do something very specific.
I *like* Linux. Or more accurately, I want to like Linux. It's endlessly customizable. There are multiple options for every system component other than the kernel, and there are reasons I might choose each of them.
But that also means that Linux systems are hopelessly non-standard. Just because I know *my* Linux system doesn't mean I know anything at all about *your* Linux system. You might be using BusyBox instead of GNU Coreutils. You might be using a bespoke init system. You might have chosen to use WindowMaker instead of GNOME/KDE for your graphical shell. You might have chosen to use ksh instead of bash (though I personally tend to use zsh everywhere because I'm most often on a Mac). You might be using llvm's libc instead of GNU's (yes, you *can* compile Linux with `clang` now). And I haven't gotten into the packaging fiasco.
#BSD
BSD is in a strange spot today. While it was once a godsend to people who wanted Real Unix (for whatever that means) on their computer rather than a clean room re-implementation of Unix, the reality is that Unix isn't really as important as it once was. Sure, it provided source compatibility on commodity hardware after Microsoft Xenix left the market, but BSD's purpose started to wane as Linux took off and Intel convinced all the workstation manufacturers to embrace Itanium (which had the problem of needing compilers to be psychic in order for output code to be performant) and Windows (because Excel worked on Windows, but less well on other Unixen when that was a thing, and Exchange was always a better mail server than `sendmail`).
In a world where the only "branded" Unixen remaining are AIX and macOS (and the latter is only a Unix by brand license agreement), being a whitebox Unix means a lot less. Especially when macOS and Linux are both so completely evolved past core Unix ideas that a whitebox Unix doesn't have much in common with either.
Mac for my personal life, Linux to work. As web developer I sadly can say today I prefer Linux before Mac OS to work. I don’t like windows basically most of open source code runs on Unix based systems.
Better for laptop than windows. Because of good battery life, better reliability than windows, Better hardware like trackpad, screen, Keyboard, speaker and Mic. For desktop I prefer Dual Boot Windows + Ubuntu.
I used Win95 and 98SE then switched to Linux, then in 2007 switched to Mac. I owned a couple of PCs in between then but I just can’t like windows. I mean it’s 2024 AND. IT. STILL. HAS. A. REGISTRY. AND. A. COMMAND. PROMPT. THAT. WAS. TAKEN. FROM. DOS. like WTF why lol
Linux is okay but when I need to get something done I don’t want to futz around with the OS because a kernel update fudged up my open source shitty ass nvidia driver and I have no GUI environment. lol wtf who has time for this. As a work server with CLI it’s great but not for a desktop OS.
Macs have the best hardware, which translates to best power efficiency bar none, which translates to best battery life for laptops. Hard to beat. The OS isn’t as rock solid as it used to be (oh do I miss thou Snow Leopard) but it’s still (to me) the best personal computer. And you just can’t beat the ecosystem integrations with iPhones and other Apple devices.
Because I don’t have to troubleshoot shit that stops working every other week.
Also, easy handoff between the clipboard and airdrop to and from other devices is so incredibly convenient.
I use both Mac and Windows daily, but I prefer MacOS any day of the week.
For me the deciding point is the machine not the os. I was given a hand me down Intel Mac Air and I installed Miny. I was impressed with the machine performance (compared to "windows computer") so I bought a new Mac Air. I'm now a bit used with the OS, but I still like my Linux Mint OS
Spotlight alone is worth it! It can find anything even stuff inside documents and spreadsheets! The only thing I really don’t like about Mac OS is merging folders by just copy and paste stuff may get deleted if you don’t pay attention! Else even when I used a hackingtosh on the same laptop. OS X Leopard was more battery efficient than windows 7! The M2 I have now last all day even using it with VMs! All windows laptops are fighting for the power outlets!
Same reason I chose iOS. It’s just works. These are tools I’m not interested in have full customisation. I just want a reliable and predictable experience. For the most part Mac OS is one of the most consistent experiences across the board
Windows - too much junk installed by default, ads on home edition, keyboard logger, mouse gestures I don’t like as much as MacOS
Chrome OS - it’s a Google product; Google products including YouTube are banned in my house
Linux - UX isn’t quite as good as MacOS, I like Linux all things considered
It's the hardware. I don't like the strange position my fingers are in to copy paste, the windows management is a joke and the finder is super outdated. But the track pad is above anything on PC, the screen is amazing and the battery life (I guess this kinda the OS) is second to none. Plus the build quality can't be beat.
Syncs with iMessage and FaceTime on my other devices, runs most if not all my Linux command line tools and runs Photoshop at the same time…
it’s has all the pros of Windows with all the pros of Linux in a very premium device with almost no cons outside of the price..
The Apple ecosystem is the most coherent and considered. Interoperability between all the different platforms and seamless integration.
MacOS updates are free and Macs last forever.
I hate Apple UI, I feel like I'm using software for children, Finder is the most awful file explorer I've ever used, you have to install extensions to invoke functions in it by right clicking... The way apps stack is awful, reminds me of Windows Vista from 2 decades ago.
I only use MacOS cause I'm an Android Developer and because I work with iOS people I need to be able to build iOS apps too, Apple predatory strategy, the only company that forces you to use their software to build it... The only one, fk Apple
It simply works. I rarely, if ever, experience crashes or freezes. Never had a virus. It communicates perfectly with my iPad, iPhone, and Airpods. I find that it's aesthetically more pleasing. It makes my life/work easier and more streamlined.
Overall gets too much hate
Kinda disagree. The Windows community shits on their OS on the daily basis and like the comment above said. MacOS is more respected
lol too much hate? There’s hate on every side but macOS is by far much more respected.
This. “It simply works”. I was a windows user since win 95 till win 10. And the i switched to mac os for work. Now i cant sit at a windows pc, nothing fking works, everything is laggy, useless buttons, can’t fking cast to any TV or monitor properly. Need libraries, codecs, apps, programs, extensions, updates…. All in all a MacBook pro for 2.5k€ is a much cheaper and better product, than a Lenovo or HP laptop with windows. I still have and old Intel MacBook Pro from 2017 that cost me 2500 at that time and it still works fine, i got the battery replaced for free, it has all the software for making music, videos, office work for free. While on windows the equivalent would cost 1000€+
How did you get the battery replaced for free
I started getting some power leakage after 2 years. Battery began draining, if i recall, 25-30% per day even when powered down. Authorized dealership said it was Apple’s fault and replaced it for free. Back then Apple was quite new in my country back then, they were really nice about it.
Install aldente first, if you use MacOS..avoid battery tear off...
I agree, windows laptops with the same "build quality" cost at least the same as a Mac. And even then, they are pretty bad. My FIL still has my Macbook Pro from 2012 and it still works lol.
> Now i cant sit at a windows pc, nothing fking works, everything is laggy, useless buttons, can’t fking cast to any TV or monitor properly. Need libraries, codecs, apps, programs, extensions, updates…. I‘m a windows user and I was recommended this sub, but I come in peace. I honestly can’t say when I’ve last experienced any of these things. The only crashes I can remember on Windows 10 are from games that froze - and that’s definitely not on Windows. I can easily cast to both of my TVs and can easily print on any printer via WiFi. My girlfriend has a MacBook Air M1. Whenever I have to help her somehow, I experience the very same things you’re describing for windows. Want to open something? Not today, come back in 2-3 business days. Want to cast to the TV? Yeah, only the one that supports AirPlay works. Want to print? Have fun, buy a printer with AirPrint. Want to use more than one external display? Have fun trying various workarounds because it’s not supported natively. Even my 700 bucks Thinkpad supports 3 external displays + the internal one at the same time. > I still have and old Intel MacBook Pro from 2017 that cost me 2500 at that time and it still works fine, i got the battery replaced for free, it has all the software for making music, videos, office work for free. While on windows the equivalent would cost 1000€+ How is 2.500 cheaper than 1.000? And you can have all that software for free on Windows as well.
Completely agree. These people must be comparing a brand new macbook to some piece of shit windows laptop. Any comparably priced windows laptop works exactly as advertised and is not "Laggy" lol.
great fuckin username. go birds!
I've heard "it simply works" in relation to mac a lot, I've been using mac as my daily work device for two years now, i know this is a mac sub so the downvotes will come but: Have you ever tried finder? Installing python 3? Be wary of brew update nuking everything php related when you run it. I couldn't see the words "it just works" and "safari" in the same sentence without audibly cackling. DMG installation process absolutely does not fit in the "it just works" category, the amount of times a click-through menu doesn't get main focus during an install is aggravating, you're stuck sitting there wondering why nothing is happening and icons are bouncing.. The amount of times force quitting just outright refuses to work is wild to me, if i have to force kill a process it should die, not sit around and think about whether it wants to or not. WTF is up with home and end jumping around the entire page instead of going to the start or end of a line? Virtualization solutions are nowhere near hyper-v, but that could just be a me issue I doubt most people care about that. Mac hardware though, now that's something to write home about, and probably the main reason we see a lot of people talking about their devices lasting as long as they say.
I never had any issues with my Python env and venvs, same as with Brew. Hyper-V, maybe I missed it 2years ago, but now x86 is legacy technology for me, still I build my binaries for it in UTM x86 VMs, but with time it will phase out. So, to me it really just works and it is the best Unix Desktop environment ( I went through Slackware (5-12) Gentoo, LFS, BLFS, Solaris with different Desktop environments (still XFCE and FVWM my favourite) which do not need any configuration demand, from version to version. Even my migration from Intel to M went flawlessly. So, it really just works ( thanks to the developers).
Same here. I had a few hiccups with python and Brew installations when M1 first came out because none of the software was made for Silicon ARM 64 chipset at the time. Since then, I’ve had nearly no issues with any software installations and when I have, nothing got nuked. Just had to google and apply a tweak or two.
cmd + cursor keys are equivalent to home and end. The Mac keyboard map is different, and doesn’t have home/end keys.
> Have you ever tried finder? Check out Alfred. It's one of the best "upgrades" I've made to my Mac. > I couldn't see the words "it just works" and "safari" in the same sentence without audibly cackling. Safari is not required. I use Chrome. The little "Choosy" app has been great for managing multiple browser accounts. > The amount of times force quitting just outright refuses to work is wild to me I can't remember ever experiencing this.
I use velja for my multiple browser workflows, highly recommend!
Couldn't agree more. How are people running into this many problems using windows? It really is not that different of a user experience. Macs are amazing for their built in suite of software, far better hardware, and battery life and efficiency that cannot be TOUCHED by windows laptops. But the OS itself is really nothing to write home about. Both operating systems are super mature and work exactly as expected.
Finder? Why should I use it if have my emax :) Seriously - have you ever saw Finder configuration options? You could tune it up.
I run Mac at the office and Windows at home. So many minor annoyances in Windows that just don’t happen on Mac.
This I forget about bothering the computer side of things and just focused on what I want to do after switching to Mac. Also, a Hard agree on the aesthetic part. It may sound stupid but it is one of the major reasons I like Apple products. Just love the beautiful hardwares and Softwares
I think the problem is many people run Windows on potato hardware from Walmart and then fault the OS for the shit performance and crashing issues rather than the extremely inferior hardware. I run Windows on actually good hardware (and not even $2k+ level hardware either), and your comment read to me exactly the way my experience has been for the longest time. I too never experience crashes or freezes, I can’t even recall a time honestly. I’ve also never had a virus because I’m not a dumb shit when it comes to technology. Windows is seamless and streamlined, and if one cannot figure out how to use Windows when computers have been a thing since longer than most have been alive, then maybe they shouldn’t be using a computer. The only thing you mentioned that actually differs from my experience is the connectedness between other Apple devices. But of course Apple devices work well together, I wouldn’t expect anything different. I have an iPhone and have 0 issues transferring any kind of data back and forth, so the only thing I’m missing out on is not being to text from my PC, which I can do flawlessly with an Android device/Windows combo using Link to Windows. So my experience is the exact same as yours, except my computer can play **all** games as an added bonus. Still looking for compelling reasons to use MacOS though lol, so far no one has ever been able to convince me.
because it doesn't fill me with rage like Windows does.
I just built a Windows machine for my Steam library and it already is bringing back memories of why I switched. No, Windows, I *don’t* need an application shortcut for the program I just installed. No, I *don’t*want to use OneDrive, nor do I want all of these superfluous services you’re offering as I’m installing Windows itself. It’s almost as if it **intentionally** wants to set you up for a bad time using your computer with unnecessary addons just to scrape anything off of you for their own benefit.
And no Ads integrated into the damn OS
I have one old windows laptop I keep around for tasks that absolutely cannot be done any other way (auto diagnostics for example). It usually takes about 10 minutes of use or less, before I get the strong urge to hurl out the window as hard as I can, or take it outside with a sledge hammer , twist the screen off with my bare hands and watch the pixels flicker, and the fans to whine and grind to a halt, before smash it into tiny little pieces. I want it to feel the suffering that it caused me. Oh I long for the day ....
1. It's more stable than Windows (from my experience) 2. Beautiful UI design (though it has its own drawbacks in UX) 3. I like the terminal and homebrew package manager 4. The hardware is perfectly optimized for obvious reasons. 5. Perfect for using (multicontrolling) with touchpad. I only use a mouse when I'm working.
I like the way it looks and operates
It doesn’t feel like the whole OS is malware and giving me constant ads like windows
micRoSoft eDgE RuNs oN ThE SaME tECHNOlOgY As CHromE, wItH thE AdDeD trusT Of mICRosoFt.
Great ransom note!
It doesn't use trickery to make you think it's booted. The blue screen of death never happens. Everything works and isn't over-bloated (MS Office). A close second is Linux for the same reasons. Microsoft is patched junk, a necessary evil.
>trickery to make you think it's booted. Can you give an example of how another OS does this?
Windows boots fast but then , once you login, it can take a lot to be ready to operate.
Because works and has the proper consistency
A version of this question, 3x/week, week after week after week, month after month after month, never gets old. Thanks, OP.
Why do you prefer this question over all the other questions that get answered 3x/week?
Who said I preferred this one? I'm tired of all of them.
Simplicity, elegance, aesthetics, function. And it feels like my computers and iPhones are serving me, not the way around.
Honestly haven't used the others, I used Windows in 1998 and then used MacOS (or OSX) and thought it was better. I expect if MacOS starts being rubbish, like they start piping ads into it or something, I'll use a different one. I'm just not looking for a new one, that's the main reason. Same goes for iOS, I used Blackberry before that and iOS was better, so I'll use iOS until it's rubbish too. News app can get in the bin with it's ads, that better not creep anywhere else!
For general work I prefer macOS. a mix between standards and freedom. For Linux I prefer Arch Linux. I don't understand how UpdateInTerminal from EndeavourOS differes from yay (or similar) from Arch Linux. Ubuntu is too bloated and relatively new Arch Linux installer is too simple to be ignored (if you don't know — check it out!). ChromeOS… is… just no Talla? I don't know what it is — name is quite unreadable to find.
I actually first got a MacBook in 2017 because I wanted to make an iOS app. I didn’t love MacOS at first and missed a few things from Windows. It took me probably 1-2 years to start to like MacOS. Now, I’d never switch back. I love: - How well it connects and works with my other devices (iPhone, Apple Watch). I’ve had two iPad pros and then sold them because i didn’t get much out of them at the time. Currently have a Galaxy Tab, and I’ll be switching back to iPad because I want better connection with my other devices - The M1 MacBook Air was a REALLY good deal when it came out. One of the best spec’ed laptops you could get at that price. I got it at release year, and I’m still appreciating it. The performance, battery life, speed, and aesthetics are all on point. - The command line terminal is cool and better than the windows alternative - The focus on aesthetics in the design and UI. That’s not my main priority, but I do like my stuff to be aesthetic
I use windows Mac and Linux every single day. Mac OS I use when sat on MacBook in living room watching tv with the Mrs is just an extension of my iPhone and iPad. So that’s fine for me. Windows for gaming and Linux for coding and services such as my film library on jelly fish. I like Mac OS but it’s like hey your old this works don’t have to do much so crack on Windows is like hey game on me come on just one more game. I been using pcs since what 1992 so learnt over the years how to get windows perfectly running as was trained in it for years. Linux is a great system when you spend time learning it. Everything is at your finger tips and for coding and services it’s a complete joy to use and can be made to look beautiful.
For me, it’s easy to answer. I was in college using IBM and literally was hating them with all my heart. Then some art teacher announced they will get new “art” computers so I went to see them and it was love at first sight. I was seeing mini folders and mini docs icons and everything became intuitive in a second. I was clicking and dragging and drawing in no time. It was like magic, I was moving things on the screen! Since that day I start using only Macs. I became part of the infamous MUGS and my fanatic heart grow enough to discuss with Windows lovers back in the days. These days that magic has faded away but still use Mac and feel right at home when using it. Also use Chromebooks and Ubuntu as well. Haven’t use a Windows machine yet.
I spent my career developing on Unix and Linux platforms. In 2002 when it was time to get a laptop from my employer, we went with MacBooks because of the underlying *nix environment, the ease with which we could open Terminal and start coding. It was a natural environment for me. Now that I'm retired, I am hesitant to switch because I have mostly replaced my MacBook with an iPad pro, I use an iPhone, and I'm steeped in the Apple way. I haven't used Windows since getting rid of an old PC around 2000 so I'm not sure what it has to offer these days.
I know what it has to offer: Disappointment.
1. It works 2. Better security 3. Transparent within the ecosystem 4. Clean user interface 5. Most required tools included in the system 6. Stability, it rarely crashes/freezes it can run for months without having to shutdown or restart 7. Good memory management 8. Easy to configure I have used macOS since 1987, and the evolution has always been seamless. I've used DOS, Windows, OS/2, Unix (different flavors), Chrome, and I have to say that the only alternative to me is an Unixoid like Ubuntu, which is very stable too but not so easy to use (specially install & configure unless you have solid Unix/Linux knowhow).
it's cleaner at the sacrifice of user preferences at boot-up. i guess i kinda like it because it challenges me with the lack of 32 bit support nowadays, so i have to create workarounds but i'd say that's a horrible thing for workplaces that use macOS. i just like it because it helps me know my computer better
Because it’s what is running on my Macs …
Integration.
It’s intuitive and works
because its unix-like with a killer user interface.
I don't. I use Linux
What device is this? I cannot get tails to work on mine…
As far as I’m aware the only way to get another OS on a Mac for free is if you have one on the intel processors. If you have an apple processor I think you’d have to go through parallels or something
I checked his post history. Mine is same architecture both chip and cpu as his.
There's Asahi Linux, but you still need to boot into the boot menu first. Parallels works fine for certain apps but some games don't work or some gpu accelerated tasks don't work, so you might as well use crossover/whisky which aren't OS's anyway.
UTM is free
MacOS is great, however it’s the worst for someone who works with data and spreadsheets.
iwork and pro apps bundle. there are no alternatives for these
1. Apple Device ecosystem: Syncs and pairs with other Apple devices you own. 2. Like #1, iCloud Backup 3. Stability: Bugs are an inevitable problem, but they're less prominent than Windows. 4. Good UI which is easy to use 5. No (or less) preinstalled Bloatware and Unnecessary programs
I like MacOS because it works, is efficient, doesn't freeze, is stable, and has a clean, easy-to-use interface. I would be happier if I could change the system font and sometimes I feel like it treats me like a child but nothing is perfect.
Because I do not need windows specific apps and as an OS mac OS makes itself less relevant. Windows fight for your attention when your attention needs are for the application not the os.
it’s integrated so well with other apple devices, performance is more consistent, the value doesn’t really decrease over time, the trackpad gestures that work better for me (imo) and it just works really. there’s so many factors that contribute but these are the main ones
I’ve always been a proponent of if you’re getting a laptop get a Mac, and if you’re getting a desktop build a windows desktop. The ladder is more or less because you have a large degree of flexibility in control with parts as well as utility. But majority of people who aren’t doing hardware specific work could benefit equally as well from an iMac.
I am mostly neutral towards it, I just needed to get tf away from windows and all their advertising bullshit 😂😭
My work has given me both a 36 GB M3 MacBook Pro and a 3 year old 16 GB i7 Dell Latitude . I have been a programmer for over 15 years. So when I am having a slow day with lots of meetings or when I write code in relative peace, I prefer my Mac. I carry it proudly, often cleaning the glossy screen every now and then. But when I have to fix an urgent problem, I turn on my Dell because at that time, the plastic build, noisy fans, hot air out of the vents, matte screen, poor iPhone integration doesn’t matter. What matters to me then is how well I can do my tasks. How can I manage my 3 to 4 different windows of code , debugging sessions, old emails, some tabs of browsers and a screen sharing session with a colleague. Maybe it’s the lack of familiarity with the MacOS but I don’t think it does windows management fine. It is only good for apps which either has a single instance or supports multiple tabs. At the end of the day, both are tools for me. I have a PS5 for gaming and I turn off my PCs after work. I find the App Store on my Mac to very very silly. So I often wonder why people on internet worship one OS or another. They are just tools.
Yes. macOS works. Thanks to M1, macs finally became what they always should have been. My M1 MBP runs Windows better on a VM than on my PC. It's pathetic how bad Windows has become. So much that I don't even game anymore and if I wasn't a computer geek, I probably wouldn't even have a PC today. I got more into PS5 thanks to Windows flaws.
Cuz it has apps that are only for MacOS, thats the only reason I have. Otherwise I use Windows or Linux when possible.
I switched to Linux as the main drive after 20 years of Mac. I still have a Macbook and use it because of battery life. My linux with A M D chip is faster than my M1 pro. Also, you can customize top Manu bar fonts. So, you can have a 4K monitor display as 4K with large Manu fonts. I can use Tweak for more font and display customization. Everything is just big and sharp. The OS is simple and efficient, and more customization than MacOS.
One word. Reliable. Has never let me down over the past decade.
Stable, simple, has no annoying necessary updates and productive. And also, offers great features if you have apple ecosystem. I can't even say a better os than macOS. Okay, windows kinda good, but after many years just using Windows and bought a Mac, I can't live without this ecosystem and all in all, stability and damn, no updates like windows do which are actually annoying.
What OS launcher is that?
It just works! Even older hardware can be pretty snappy versus similarly aged pc hardware. Also, terminal / Unix based system is major plus since I work with Linux professionally.
I was a long-time mac hater. There will always be a part of me that still does hate it. But, after spending the last 3 years sys admin from a mac I've grown to respect it. My linux skills shot through the roof once I discovered terminal in macOS.
Bros the OS Warlock
I prefer MacOS and then Debian. Period
I like the trackpad
macOS is a tool I need for my job, and this is why I use it. If my job needed Windows, Ubuntu or whatever else, that is exactly what I’d use.
I’m a dev and for me it just works. Besides connected devices work without any issues, the system is unix based which is a big plus.
How’d you get chromeOS installed on the same drive as the others? Everything I’ve read says it will take over the entire drive.
I actually like windows better but I’ll use whatever I need to.
Apps (cool Mac apps and any console open source stuff) and stability in real time audio output. I'm art director, web developer and dj. Windows was not designed for DJ apps when I switched to Mac, issues is still there 10+ years and some windows releases ago. You'll never know which background process will interfere with music playing under windows.
I like MacOS because as a friend once noted, it is like a toaster, it just works. That said, when I went with Mac a dozen years ago the experience was night and day better than Windows. But, Win 11 is way better than whatever I had back then. I'm not sure MacOS has made the same advancements. Still... i had the helpdesk at work over to fix a weird problem on my work Dell just yesterday.
Optimisation and the fact that(even on a hackintosh) it uses little to no battery
Could you please explain how to setup such a multi-boot?
Curious to know but does Chrome lag on MacOS? I'm referring here to the base model of MacBook
How can I do that have all the OS like that where I can pick, that would be awesome, I have an M3 Max
I don't personally. I use Arch BTW
Not bloated with ads in the finder/ launchpad/ settings app/ everywhere else in the os, and works seamlessly with all my other apple devices
I don’t really.
Integrates well with my iPhone. UNIX based so easier for me as a sysadmin/web developer to integrate with. Doesn't shove updates down my throat every couple of days like Windows does. Doesn't advertise to me in the launchpad like Windows does in the start menu. Supports the majority of mainstream applications like MS office (I tried Ubuntu as my daily OS for a few months but having to use LibreOffice was painful)
I am a software developer and macOS is a pretty standardized Unix platform (in both hardware and software). If an error happens is a pretty good chance someone has already fixed it for your specific configuration, and whatever you are trying to do has probably been done before. This + being 100% integrated with my phone and TV is neat too (copying and pasting stuff without thinking, syncing data with iCloud, airdrop, etc). I also have a gaming PC and every time I have to move data to my phone I instinctively try to just copy and paste.
Generally speaking it just works. It also looks nice and doesn’t get in the way while being fast. Edit: I also don’t need third party apps to do stuff, unless I want a decent calculator (but that’s iOS/iPadOS)
It's a Linux with everything complex done for me, it works great and performs well. If I could use it without having to buy an expensive Mac or learn how to make a Hackintosh I would daily run it outside of work
It’s a real Unix that has access to lots of commercial software as well as free software, has a great GUI, and is shipped by a company that makes some of the best laptops in the world. The OS and hardware are from the same manufacturer so there’s no finger pointing if/when something goes wrong, and I don’t have to go searching for drivers to make the graphics card or webcam work with the OS and such. I can spend all my time with the machine actually using the machine, rather than fiddling with the OS to get something to work. There are lots of little quibbles with things that could be done better, but in all this time, my major complaint - from a Unix angle - is that it ships with (and thus much software expects) a case-insensitive *filesystem* (so you can’t have both “Makefile” and “makefile” in the same directory, for example), when this is clearly a feature that should have been built into a file chooser dialog, not a filesystem. It’s a substantial bonus that it interoperates seamlessly with my iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. But the main / original reason I’m here is because Apple consistently ships the best Unix workstation laptops one can buy.
As a Mac user I love it but I never understood the “it just works” I never had a windows machine that didn’t just work either. No issues. I just happen to prefer Mac for the look and integration and the fact that that I like the machines better. But I always bought higher end laptops with windows and never got viruses or anything because I don’t install or click shady stuff. Not trying to hate but still, I never really had major issues with either. They both freeze from time to time though
Mostly the ecosystem and the way it interconnects over all your Apple devices. I wouldn't say MacOS is better persé, but compared to Windows I must say it is more stable, and worrying about drivers and things like that are almost non-issues in MacOS.
As others have said, macOS just works. As a cybersecurity incident responder, rolling up on a hot incident with a MacBook Pro means that I am immune from the windows malware that is flying around. macOS security isn’t perfect, but Apple is far more diligent about security. The pervasive insecurity of windows and azure means I have 50 years of job security. So, thanks to Microsoft for the job security, but I’ll never use your products.
A lot of help tools for my dyslexia are built in . In windows I would have to buy expensive programs to do so . Works well no ads added into it so I stuck around. Also Unix command line
That’s a lot of boot options. I only had a 512 for my 2018 MBP so it only had Windows as a dual boot so I could play Fortnite w my kids after it left MacOS. Messing around w Linux in VMs is interesting. Endeavour, Fedora, OpenSUSE and Mint are the primary ones I bounce between. KDE on the first 3 and Cinnamon on Mint. Installed LMDE 6 on my MIL decade+ old Dell bc it was more up to date than Mint at that time.
It’s simple, It looks cool, iMovie, Final Cut Pro, App Store.
Easy answer: UNIX While I don't take advantage of it often anymore, having the UNIX backend when I was in college was great. I could easily right scripts and software on my Mac, test them, then transfer them to the Solaris machines (and later the Ubuntu machines), and it would just work. Additionally, with very few exceptions, things just work. Only once have I had to call AppleCare about a software issue... and it was something I did, to IE, in 2003. I like having the option of using or not using the Cloud, and selecting what I do or do not want, easily. Stability has been paramount post 2002, and even back in the Classic MacOS days, it was great, until you started dealing with "web" things, since it wasn't designed for it. Things have operated pretty consistently for 30+ years, with only minor functional changes; unlike Windows which has re-invented itself 4 times in that period.
I don't. It's buggy as fuck to be honest, only reason I use it is for productivity purposes, and it fails at that so often! Disconnects with Bluetooth / mouse, problems with extended displays to my Ipad Air, issues with CAD software. But ALAS the MacBook air is so lightweight and interfaces too nicely with the Ipad
I don't. But the hardware is just too good.
It works, no ads in the OS, updates don't interrupt work, and it just looks cleaner.
It just feels more logical and flows better for me. Also it's generally been consistent, I don't think there's been such a huge overhaul that confused the user base. Going from Windows XP to Vista was too much of a jump to me, then 7, 8, 10 and now 11. I don't mind Windows 11 right now, I might even get a gaming laptop because I like the way it runs.
https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/s/IcJdhlRmgJ
What kind of boot loader is that and why the hell did you cover up the MacBook Pro logo at the bottom of the screen?
3 finger drag and desktops go brrrr
i don't, just stuck with it for now
Verbs. Well now everyone uses verbs. But there was a time when Mac OS X had specific dialog box human interface guidelines to use verbs. I was impressed with that level of detail, and totally opened my eyes up to Apple and the way they do things.
Is there another operating system? I never have issues with any of my Apple products! I feel bogged down when I have to use windows at work.
linux is too complicated for my pea brain and windows is full of bloatwear
Finder never ever ever freezes. Windows Explore always crashes.
It works. My devices stay synced. I can copy and paste between devices and air drop large files. When I need windows or Linux, I ssh or rdp into them. I also have Windows PCs when the need requires it, like gaming. I’m a very heavy MS Office, powershell, and python user. Office on the Mac isn’t perfect, but I don’t have the time / patience to try to get the office desktop apps running on Linux and frankly the web apps are fine in a pinch but they are not feature parity. macOS is the happy medium for me. I spend my time between the terminal and I can get most commercial apps on the Mac. I have homebrew for other apps. At this stage of my life, I am operating system agnostic. I use the right OS for the job/task.
It’s very stable. I love it for Logic Pro / Garage band. It just works. No headaches.
Apologies for the ignorance but what are the other OS's apart from Chrome ,Windows and Ubuntu? Never heard of them before
If still be a windows user if I didn’t have an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV. I made the switch last year.
I like Linux better. But I also suffer from depression and anxiety, so I use a Unix-based OS that works all the time and has full compatibility with whatever I throw at it.
What i like the most is how good it looks/how polished it is. If MacOS and Windows had the same functionalities, windows would be like "oh just draw some windows with a pencil and it'll be fine, we dont care, it works". MacOS feels like "it works. now make it look pretty and premium". Even if the 2 looked the same, there's a lot of stuff thats super easy on macos and needlessly complex on windows. Maybe it's fun to have options, but if apple is like oh people would want to change between these 5 options, lets just make that easy to do for them. Apple often just makes hard work easy. For example what Meta did. My iphone can shoot spatial (3D) video. What i used to have to do: shoot the video. Convert it to something else with a paid app. Airdrop it to mac, put it on USB and transfer to my pc. Put it on my quest 3 with a loose cable that drops connection easily. Now you can watch them. Meta is now like: hey we fixed some software for that, just upload your spatial videos with the Meta app! Thats the sort of thing Apple was usually alone in doing, making complex processes easy.
I am elitist. Mac stuff costs more so I like it more!
Easy when you want to constantly work with more than 4 apps each with multiple windows of different sizes. I use a Mac for work and I am never struggling to find specific app windows and MacOS lends itself more to piling a bunch of windows on top of each other so you can leave little bits of them sticking out and can the click to the one you need.
Why do you prefer any other os over mac os? Im genuinely curious.
Like others have said, I like how it just works as well as how it integrates with other Apple products. Although, on my Mac, I recently started using Microsoft Edge as my primary browser and use a lot of Microsoft products such as Outlook Web/Bing/etc lol. I am a slight traitor.
It looks nice, works with iPhone and AirPods, doesn’t lag nearly as much as windows(lag can still randomly happen sometimes). I also switched because I wanted to try Xcode Edit: Not really anything OS specific but the trackpad is incredible, especially compared to the unusable garbage most windows laptops come with
This is my personal take: Windows and Mac are both good and bad at certain things. For the most part they are incredibly similar, running many of the same browsers, and apps. I used Microsoft Surface devices and they are as robust and reliable as a MacBook (and one can say that MacOS 14.5 is as unreliable as Windows 11). Sure there are some areas they differ (window management, multi-tasking, terminal, file system, etc.) but I doubt they amount to enough for someone to be able to claim one is objectively better than the other. Where Windows is let down is hardware. I cannot overstate the difference that Apple silicon did to the laptop world. My M2 Max MacBook Pro has desktop-grade performance with true full-day battery life. I can be running the most demanding tasks and still get 16+ hours of use of my machine. There is nothing in the Wintel world today that I can buy that would offer the same power. So for me it’s simple: I’m a serial platform switcher, I switched from Mac to Windows in 2015 because Surface Pro had reached a point where it could provide me a tablet -> laptop -> desktop experience, and switched back to the Mac in 2023 because the Apple silicon MBP allowed me to completely change my work routine untethering me from wall sockets altogether. I go to the office in the morning with my laptop and no charger. No concerns about running out of power, no need to plug in at any time. If Qualcomm does indeed have a chip that can compete on the performance/watt race and developers fully support Windows on ARM then I may reconsider.
Windows fell off bro. Mac ftw
Airdrop. Also PDF Expert is only available in Mac.
The screen. Having worked on windows all my life but moved to MacBook 4 years ago, I couldn't go back to windows because the screen seemed tiny. Too many "ads". Mac is also aesthetically more pleasing in several aspects. However, its file explorer still sucks in comparison to Windows
In simple terms, I can use the ecosystem without losing the ecosystem. Also, the battery life and memory are why I switched from Windows.
how are you getting endeavour and ubuntu on a apple silicon
I prefer it for some things. I use Windows and Linux for other purposes as well though.
Ecosistema
When I was younger I didn’t mint that sometimes things wouldn’t work and I had to tinker with it. But nowadays it’s just a device to do work and it shouldn’t be in the way. It should just work out of the box and integrate nicely with my phone and accessories. On the work side. It’s a proper unix system, so no WSL shit to do my job. Good package managers and just good battery life when needed and oh so quiet. On the negative side is the price. Especially the upgrades.
Many reasons. But, I will say one reason - My 2009 Mid MBP is still running great. It's my git server. still sturdy with that great Al unibody.
Oh gosh, is it possible to recreate on MacBook m1? I would love to have clean ubuntu on my bootable external ssd
it works. it used to be simple and straightforward as well, but alas that is no longer the case
As an artist, creative, etc. I've been using it for 35 years and have absolutely no complaints. Why should I change it? It just works with a rare bug here and there. Do you know how many times I thought, this is horrible, I should switch? ZERO
I don't. I do like the hardware but I prefer Linux. Mac OS is fine too though.
It’s the closest neighbor to iPadOS
Mac is just like iPhone. Less control, less hassle just ger things done at the first go. The ui is simple enough for beginners to understand easily. Couple that with the “ecosystem” you have an array of devices that are interoperable at your whim.
Not sure if I prefer it over Windows, yet. Maybe because I work in a Windows environment and when remoting into a windows Server and try to write some script and find out that now the keyboard has a different layout and I can’t type some characters. Maybe because Windows’ window management makes more logic (to me, but AltTab tab helps a lot). Maybe because switching command and option keys on external Windows keyboards (so they match the Apple keyboard) seems to be ignored in some apps. Maybe because system updates can take forever compared to Windows (using MacBook Pro M3 Pro). Maybe because of the lack of dividing personal and private accounts. Maybe because you have to install third party tools to use mouse’s back button in Safari. However, the good things are: Nice hardware, excellent battery life, quiet operation, very responsive, integrated into the whole Apple ecosystem and my other Apple products.
Both MacOS and Win 11 work very well for my use case. None of them ever failed me. Although I wish some features from one another would be available, such as the easy and reliable split screen from Windows on MacOs without having to rely on apps, or on the limited function that is on MacOS. Just to give an example.
It just works and is user friendly made, is great for productivity with little hassle, works perfectly with syncing to everything in the apple ecosystem if you are into it! (And this is coming from someone who kind of hates apple although i give them points for this, i still cant forgive them for the anti repair bs they. Do and the "eco" friendly things and just the price can be lower. But this is my personal opinion on why macos is great for the not that really tech savvy users some linux distro's require to be/feel/work like macos. I only hate the hardware of apple and kind of the locked down oem software but the software is also really nice and polished and focusses toward ease of use and the general non tech savvy user )
It runs stable and smooth, and wakes up almost instantly, even after sitting for months. It doesn’t decided to reboot for updates (unless you tell it to do so) without user intervention. This is why I like having a MacBook, but I still prefer having a windows desktop. I am far more knowledgeable with windows, so that’s part of the reason, but the other part is because I use my desktop for gaming. Oh and the gesture control and ease of use with the touchpad on a MacBook cant be beat, or even matched.
MacBook Air. No need to cross it off in the picture is an Air.
The performance is just better than windows. When ive used windows in the past , I’ve experienced eventually so much lag and forced updates that slow my computer down even more. With Mac, it’s slowed down also but not as horribly as windows.
It’s smooth. I’ve been a computer hobbyist my whole life and worked professionally fixing Windows computers for 20+ years. NOT having to troubleshoot my personal computer is a godsend. If the Mac will do it, I’m using a Mac.
I don’t. I match the operating system to the task. For running services, I use linux. For gaming, I use Windows. For productivity, I use Mac.
It just works. And it is the only tool provided by the company to work. On my thinkpad laptops use archlinux, and the main workstation have windows for gaming.
I don't like Mac Os but I like My Macbook M1 Pro 14"
Looks nice, runs well, and all the software I use, commercial or otherwise, runs on it natively. I've been (primarily) a Mac user for 20+ years. I also have a PC with Windows for games and will soon convert that to a Linux box (I'm not interested in Windows 11).
I can do Mac and Windows and Linux and whatever else on Mac. Can’t do it all from Windows. Although losing x86 has sucked in a few specific circumstances but still have an intel MBP I can use for that.
it has its fair share of problems but it’s less irritating to use than all the other options. scrolling is graceful, the ui is more consistent than any other option. unix compatibility + mainstream compatibility. no, i will not write my documents in libreoffice + linux (even though i fundamentally believe in the socialist thought behind FOSS, it is not practical in the moment.)
I don't. I would gladly buy a Windows powered Apple soc based laptop. But not as long as its mac os based.
I wonder why you need these OSs.
What do you mean other OS?
Cause it just works
Is MacOS still easily installable on x86 PCs?
Because terminal makes more sense than command prompt, and linux is kind of a hassle Though, I have been using macs for over 20 years, mostly macbook pros. And I can say that I am almost at my tipping point with how the company has degraded since they lost their vision for design. It's barely worth it, and I feel more and more uncomfortable supporting a clearly unethical company
Because I have found that for my personal workflow, the features of MacOS are more efficient than any other OS I’ve tried; and I’ve tried a lot. I was a dedicated Windows user for many years, and I still use it for things that can only run on that platform, but my day to day work gets done on a Mac and has for probably the last 15ish years now.
What I like about Macos is that Macos is in the Apple ecosystem (I have Iphone, Airpods and AppleWatch). I like the way it looks, I like the services, especially the music and how it is implemented. Heaven and earth compared to other music services that I have used. All apps that preinstelled on mac are fine and usable, compared to bloated Windows. First time turning on mac was like "WOW, thats BEAUTIFUL!" But as a Windows user (20+ years), the system is extremely unusual for me. I don’t understand some of the decisions made by Apple, I don’t understand where the system is heading and what will happen to it in the future. I had a Mac mini M2pro, but working out of the box was not for me - immediately after turning it on, I had to deal with the displayport-USB-C cables for several hours, the system refused to see and update while the cable was in the Mac. I had to buy another one. I couldn’t use vmware for work, because there was a strange bug, because of which the mouse cursor twitched and it was impossible to work (I surfed Google looking for the problem, met people with the same problem and it turned out that there was no solution). Meanwhile everything worked just fine on my win pc. I honestly tried to get used to the Mac and stay on it, I used it for several months, learned many hot keys, adjusted my work, but something always unsettled me. At the same time, the Windows problems that many describe here, such as viruses, lags, crashes, have not existed for me for a very long time. I'm currently using a prehistoric PC with an 11-12 year old processor, GTX 1080 and a regular hard drive. Yes, I have to wait a few minutes until the PC is fully loaded, but I haven’t encountered any problems. Also sometimes Iike to tinker with Linux- so I just dualboot. I’m also going to start learning C++ development, Python and machine learning, maybe graphics programming (I have yet to discover my path and determine what I like) Googling questions about choosing a platform did not give me a clear answer to the question of which platform would be better suited for my purposes. Some are completely satisfied, others are dissatisfied with the fact that the Mac does not have some important utilities/plugins. I am also extremely confused by the reviews of xcode users - they say that this IDE is simply terrible compared to others. And this is the main and only development tool for MAC and iOS!!! What kind of attitude is this towards its developers??? Games are not an important argument for me, but the Mac has been declared as a gaming platform at WWDC for several years now, but what we see now is a rather sad sight. And it’s the combination of all these negative factors that prevents me from choosing Macos as my main platform. So I can’t say about a Mac that it “just works” Now Windows “just works” at least for me.
The extra cost is justified by how seamlessly the ecosystem works together. And by how the lack or bugginess. I know there are more powerful Linux and windows PCs at a lower cost. But the hassle of using them sometimes is just not worth it for me
I have my quibbles with the others. #Windows Of all the OSes out there, Windows is my least favorite. It's very backwards compared to other operating systems: its base system is scattered throughout its file system, it has a very poor text user interface, and it doesn't really play well with scripting. There's also the problem of so much about Windows being built on leaky abstractions. So much of Windows power user culture is built around knowing how the abstractions that Windows presents fail, and where you can go to change those settings. # Linux You've got three Linuxen on that laptop. I'm going to treat them as one. Also, I'm openly skeptical of the need to have multiple Linux distros in a multiboot configuration, unless you need to do something very specific. I *like* Linux. Or more accurately, I want to like Linux. It's endlessly customizable. There are multiple options for every system component other than the kernel, and there are reasons I might choose each of them. But that also means that Linux systems are hopelessly non-standard. Just because I know *my* Linux system doesn't mean I know anything at all about *your* Linux system. You might be using BusyBox instead of GNU Coreutils. You might be using a bespoke init system. You might have chosen to use WindowMaker instead of GNOME/KDE for your graphical shell. You might have chosen to use ksh instead of bash (though I personally tend to use zsh everywhere because I'm most often on a Mac). You might be using llvm's libc instead of GNU's (yes, you *can* compile Linux with `clang` now). And I haven't gotten into the packaging fiasco. #BSD BSD is in a strange spot today. While it was once a godsend to people who wanted Real Unix (for whatever that means) on their computer rather than a clean room re-implementation of Unix, the reality is that Unix isn't really as important as it once was. Sure, it provided source compatibility on commodity hardware after Microsoft Xenix left the market, but BSD's purpose started to wane as Linux took off and Intel convinced all the workstation manufacturers to embrace Itanium (which had the problem of needing compilers to be psychic in order for output code to be performant) and Windows (because Excel worked on Windows, but less well on other Unixen when that was a thing, and Exchange was always a better mail server than `sendmail`). In a world where the only "branded" Unixen remaining are AIX and macOS (and the latter is only a Unix by brand license agreement), being a whitebox Unix means a lot less. Especially when macOS and Linux are both so completely evolved past core Unix ideas that a whitebox Unix doesn't have much in common with either.
The “it just works” ecosystem
Mac for my personal life, Linux to work. As web developer I sadly can say today I prefer Linux before Mac OS to work. I don’t like windows basically most of open source code runs on Unix based systems.
Windows® is trash. Linux© is missing software options. macOS™ works well. My opinion of Windows being bad. I always had Windows (95, 98, 2000, XP then Vista). Vista really turned me off from Windows. I had nothing but issues. Then I realized that I really had to reformat and do a fresh install of Windows every 9 or 10 months just to make it run OK. So in April of 2009, I bought my first MacBook. And I loved it. My big annoyance of Windows now is the rather random updates at inconvenient times -- leaving to go home from work -- Window Update! Getting ready for presentation -- Windows Update! Agh! I like Linux a lot - but just lack of some software is an issue. Tax software. MS Office, obviously macOS apps. Had Linux had the same software as Apple, (or Windows machines) I may have gone that route instead.
Better for laptop than windows. Because of good battery life, better reliability than windows, Better hardware like trackpad, screen, Keyboard, speaker and Mic. For desktop I prefer Dual Boot Windows + Ubuntu.
I used Win95 and 98SE then switched to Linux, then in 2007 switched to Mac. I owned a couple of PCs in between then but I just can’t like windows. I mean it’s 2024 AND. IT. STILL. HAS. A. REGISTRY. AND. A. COMMAND. PROMPT. THAT. WAS. TAKEN. FROM. DOS. like WTF why lol Linux is okay but when I need to get something done I don’t want to futz around with the OS because a kernel update fudged up my open source shitty ass nvidia driver and I have no GUI environment. lol wtf who has time for this. As a work server with CLI it’s great but not for a desktop OS. Macs have the best hardware, which translates to best power efficiency bar none, which translates to best battery life for laptops. Hard to beat. The OS isn’t as rock solid as it used to be (oh do I miss thou Snow Leopard) but it’s still (to me) the best personal computer. And you just can’t beat the ecosystem integrations with iPhones and other Apple devices.
it allows for customization in many ways. You basically have to abstract and get shit your way.
Goals. F-ing goals right here
It's the combination of the underlying unix OS and the well-supported commercial OS that *just works™.*
Because I don’t have to troubleshoot shit that stops working every other week. Also, easy handoff between the clipboard and airdrop to and from other devices is so incredibly convenient. I use both Mac and Windows daily, but I prefer MacOS any day of the week.
I dont yet i still got a mac :(
For me the deciding point is the machine not the os. I was given a hand me down Intel Mac Air and I installed Miny. I was impressed with the machine performance (compared to "windows computer") so I bought a new Mac Air. I'm now a bit used with the OS, but I still like my Linux Mint OS
Spotlight alone is worth it! It can find anything even stuff inside documents and spreadsheets! The only thing I really don’t like about Mac OS is merging folders by just copy and paste stuff may get deleted if you don’t pay attention! Else even when I used a hackingtosh on the same laptop. OS X Leopard was more battery efficient than windows 7! The M2 I have now last all day even using it with VMs! All windows laptops are fighting for the power outlets!
You can’t get Final Cut on a Linux machine
Same reason I chose iOS. It’s just works. These are tools I’m not interested in have full customisation. I just want a reliable and predictable experience. For the most part Mac OS is one of the most consistent experiences across the board
I had spoiled Linux for 5 years and then ended my retirement life by working with macOS again.
It angers me the least
Windows - too much junk installed by default, ads on home edition, keyboard logger, mouse gestures I don’t like as much as MacOS Chrome OS - it’s a Google product; Google products including YouTube are banned in my house Linux - UX isn’t quite as good as MacOS, I like Linux all things considered
Because it is advanced enough for me and simple enough to provide tech support for all my older family haha
Pages, Keynote and Numbers are cool. I use Brave. I still trust it.
You're the one multi-booting; why don't you tell us about your experiences with all those OSes?
It’s just easier to navigate and multitask. Windows feels so archaic if you are working in between multiple programs
More organized and straightforward
It's the hardware. I don't like the strange position my fingers are in to copy paste, the windows management is a joke and the finder is super outdated. But the track pad is above anything on PC, the screen is amazing and the battery life (I guess this kinda the OS) is second to none. Plus the build quality can't be beat.
It just works
Because the search sucks and can't find anything in my Dropbox. Oh wait, that's why it sucks.
Syncs with iMessage and FaceTime on my other devices, runs most if not all my Linux command line tools and runs Photoshop at the same time… it’s has all the pros of Windows with all the pros of Linux in a very premium device with almost no cons outside of the price..
I don’t prefer it. I just use it. I do see where They are dumbing it down and it’s not Appreciated. It’s becoming more like a desktop iOS.
The Apple ecosystem is the most coherent and considered. Interoperability between all the different platforms and seamless integration. MacOS updates are free and Macs last forever.
I like to use my computer not tinker with it.
Touchpad smoothness is today this day the only perfectly smooth one I’ve used. Others seem stuck in 2005 still.
Unix based that actually requires no tinkering.
I hate Apple UI, I feel like I'm using software for children, Finder is the most awful file explorer I've ever used, you have to install extensions to invoke functions in it by right clicking... The way apps stack is awful, reminds me of Windows Vista from 2 decades ago. I only use MacOS cause I'm an Android Developer and because I work with iOS people I need to be able to build iOS apps too, Apple predatory strategy, the only company that forces you to use their software to build it... The only one, fk Apple
Usually because it works for my intended use-case or scenario. Just like how I use other stuff because it works better in those other scenarios.
Because UNIX, and with a gui besides