Mac vs. PC

Apple has introduced some great ads recently showing the advantages of owning a Mac vs. a PC. I have often asked the question when it involves blogging, why aren't you blogging? Well, it is now time to ask a simple question, about Mac vs. PC. Why not a Mac. I am serious!!

I don't see any reason now to not use a Mac in any law office. Take a look at the new ADs and ponder the question.

Comments

[Carolyn Elefant]

I am an original Apple/Mac user, beginning with my first Apple SE almost 20 years ago that cost $2300 with a dot matrix printer. I used that computer to publish an underground newspaper in law school (some might call it the predecessor to MyShingle) and to write resumes and cover letters for my classmates (I made some good money that way). In 1990, my apartment flooded and I lost my beloved Mac. At the time, I was still paying off huge student loans and I couldn't afford to replace the Mac with the $600 that insurance paid for replacement costs. By the time I bought another computer, it waws a PC as Macs were still out of my price range and at that time, were not compatible at all. Today, I still go back and forth on Mac but I'm not sure I have the patience to learn the new applications that I'd have to use for it. It's a great machine, though, and if I were starting today, I'd get one.

[Home Office Blues]

If you are using virus security as your motivation for switching to Macintosh, just don't let it make you complacent. You need to protect your data from loss, theft, vandalism, hackers and viruses regardless of your platform.

Obviously there are a lot more viruses for Windows, but Windows users know there is a threat and are prepared for it (okay not all of them are prepared). If Macintoshes continue to eek out market share (which I hope they do because competition is good) they may become targets themselves. You want to have your security software and practices in place before that happens, not after.

Cheers!

[Josh]

Although I like Macs, our firm would never switch to them because we have too much invested in non-Mac compatible software. Much of this software does not come in Mac-versions nor would we want to run vital software on an emulator on an ongoing basis. Mainly, this is our docketing systam and our billing and time keeping system. Also, the choices of OS X native versions of docketing and time keeping systems available is very limited.

You can't get WordPerfect on a Mac either. Sure, MS Word is available, but that would mean reinventing all those document templates and retraining all the staff and attorneys to use Word.

Compatibility is important too. Although Apple has made great strives to ensure compatibility between PCs and Macs, both systems have their quirks. Even Mac Word and MS Word are not entirely interchangable formats -- I know I've tried it.

All in all, I think we would be echanging one set of headaches for another, and then be limited in our software and hardware choices to boot.

Sorry Apple; you lose.

[Sean Moulton]

Our office upgraded from Windows 2000 to OS X and Macs some time ago. Avoiding constant productivity losses due to virues and crashes has been heaven-sent. I use Microsoft Word for document production, and Quickbooks for invoicing. The built in PDF function in OS X has become invaluable.