Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to suggest to son he gets a windows OS system rather than a Mac....

57 replies

menopausemad · 28/04/2010 12:50

Son, age 15, and knows everything about everything is quite bright. Just finishing some course work before GCSEs which he will complete this summer. Geeky lad, very computer literate.

Laptop died this morning - can't even get stuff off hard drive when used in a other machine. It turned into an expensive brick overnight.

I am sure everyone can imagine the drama but I will stop there! He wants to replace with an (expensive) Macbook. To be fair he has fancied going Apple for a while but I am worried he will make a quick decision that might not be helpful long term (if he goes for Mac it will be purchased over three years so will have to see him through college). College subjects; physics, maths, electronics, computing and chemistry. The college run both OSs and we have a selection of Windows stuff in the house should he need something that cannot run on Mac in Virtual machine/OS.

So AIBU to try and steer him towards windows? Cheaper, less of a commitment and possible, if he does not like it/has more money in the future. someone else in family will take it over?

Votes please! But if possible also points of argument that I can get him to consider....

OP posts:
sanielle · 28/04/2010 12:55

If he is paying for it, you ARE being unreasonable.

If you are paying for it.. he should be so lucky.. we had pen and paper in my day and it never did me any 'arm!

Ewe · 28/04/2010 12:57

If he can fund it, let him get a mac.

No reason why another family member couldn't use that if he gets a new one further down the line. I don't really think you have any valid objections unless you/he can't afford it.

He will almost certainly love it, especially if he is a bit of a computer geek! Get him to play around on one in a store first?

Original poster
menopausemad · 28/04/2010 12:58

Payment - a bit of both. I can't afford it so the majority will come from his 'allowance', which comes from...me!

Was talking to a friend this morning and we were saying exactly that - what on earth is happening that for a lad at school an expensive laptop is a necessity! It is though

OP posts:
fruitshootsandheaves · 28/04/2010 12:58

I have a Macbook and everyone else in my family has PC's with Windows. You can get software etc just as easily for a Mac in most cases now. I am a bit biased as I love my Mac but Dh isn't as keen as he says that the laptops our DC's have are much better value for money especially as the software goes out of date in such a short time.
Macbooks are very expensive, I bought mine mainly because the college course i am doing is graphic design and it is all done on Mac's but I do love it and much prefer it to windows.

FleurDelacour · 28/04/2010 12:59

If he is into photography/making videos/recording music then go Mac, if not Windows is fine IMHO.

ooojimaflip · 28/04/2010 13:03

The problem with getting a Mac is that people might think you are the kind of person that buys Apple products.

sanielle · 28/04/2010 13:04

The Mac is more expensive and you are helping to fund it.

Sucks to be him, but either he gets a job and pays for it all or he gets a windows (hardly hard done by either way IMO)

bobthebuddha · 28/04/2010 13:04

Well given that I'm writing this on a Macbook you can consider me biased . But I abandoned Windows laptops after 2 complete machine crashes and countless problems before that. I work from home and haven't had any issues with the Mac in the year I've had it. The Mac DH has had for 10 years still works fine. So I say let him go for it. They don't seem to turn into expensive bricks so you get better value in the long run.

trice · 28/04/2010 13:06

I am a firm convert to ubuntu.

Personally I think macbooks look really pretty. But that is not really the reason I would choose a laptop.

I would let him choose though. If you pick it it will be your fault every time it goes wrong.

Original poster
menopausemad · 28/04/2010 13:09

Trice "If you pick it it will be your fault every time it goes wrong."

That is a very good point!

The job - he will need to work as soon as exams are over in order to make up the shortfall in his allowance.

OP posts:
ooojimaflip · 28/04/2010 13:13

Short answer - you can do almost anything you want on almost any modern laptop. You can get cheaper Windows laptops than you can Apple laptops. Some people like OS/X. Apple are annoying. Microsoft are annoying. That's not that short really is it?

ooojimaflip · 28/04/2010 13:15

Personally I would advice any members of my family to buy Macs because I know nothing about them so they can't call me up for support on it. My MiL buying a Mac is one of the best things to happen as now my BiL has to do all the support

Kaloki · 28/04/2010 13:25

"The problem with getting a Mac is that people might think you are the kind of person that buys Apple products. "

Hahah!

If he's doing computing I'd have thought Windows would be better, as more people, and importantly, more companies use it. The majority of servers are either Windows or Linux.

He can always dual boot Mac OSX if he wanted.

Also, if he is interested in the programming side of things (especially web programming) the majority of users are on Windows so he is better off being on the same system.

Original poster
menopausemad · 28/04/2010 13:31

As things are at the moment he is considering electronic engineering.

The argument that most companies etc use Windows is the main one I came up with. I will point out the web design issues as well though. Thanks

OP posts:
mmmwine · 28/04/2010 13:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

rachw1 · 28/04/2010 13:36

Macs are actually ideal for web development because you can install VMWare Fusion or Parallels and run Windows, Linux or anything you like in a virtual machine alongside OS X. So one Mac can be a complete testbed for all kinds of operating systems and browsers.

I say that as a Linux user who has a Mac laptop mainly for that purpose - and for when I'm speaking at conferences as trying to get Linux laptops to play nicely with a projector under pressure isn't fun!

If getting a Mac go check out the refurb store on the Apple website - we get our business macs from there at hefty discounts and they are always as good as new with the same guarantee as the other products. Also get Apple Care before your first year guarantee runs out - it is worthwhile and will keep the machine running for 3 years, all parts and labour etc. I've had to use it before and it's always been no problem.

OtterInaSkoda · 28/04/2010 13:40

I tried to do programming on a Mac years ago and it was a bloody nightmare. I couldn't get hold of any compilers (things that turn the code you write into something you can actually use) that worked properly and ended up having to program "blind" - writing page after page of code with no way of testing it other than to head into college and use a PC. It was a PITA.

Having said that, this was years ago when Macs were still niche.

I'd suggest your ds talks to a computing tutor or two.

dawntigga · 28/04/2010 13:41

Argh! I'd go for Windows (although I loathe Microsnot) simply because Steve Jobs is very odd and I don't trust him not to have stuff on Macs that can spy.

SlightlyParanoidButDefinitelyDelightfulTiggaxx

emsyj · 28/04/2010 13:43

If he wants to do anything computer related, he should get a Mac. DH has a Macbook and uses it 24/7 and would never go back to a PC, he's a total convert. He does something to do with computers... don't fully understand but DH thinks the quality of Mac does not compare with PCs. He used to work freelance doing software engineering stuff (I think) but now works with a business that he has invested in doing project management but also internet stuff and programming. If your DS is interested in anything in that area, he's better off with a Macbook as most people DH comes across use them.

IMO Macs are as easy to use as windows and the software is more intuitive.

OtterInaSkoda · 28/04/2010 13:47

Oh - see if there's a way of running Visual Studio on a Mac - that's what your ds will most likely be using if he does anything programmy. I was able to use a free student version once my I was able to get a PC at home - if there isn't one available free for a Mac it might cost many ££.

paisleyleaf · 28/04/2010 13:50

I've only ever had a mac, and the times I have to use a PC I tear my hair out (so longwinded). And I often see people I know tearing their hair out with virus stuff.
You can get windows for the mac (if you really wanted to).
If money is a concern, I'd rather have a secondhand powerbook than a new pc laptop any day.

APassionateWoman · 28/04/2010 14:00

I echo paisley and emsy

I converted to a Mac about 7 years ago and on the occasions I have to use a PC now I get so exasperated with them. So slow and just weak in comparison to the marvellously shiny and robust Mac . They feel like something a little bit 'of the past'...

Agree, though - if you are paying for it, you should choose.

Kaloki · 28/04/2010 14:03

I think in terms of usability it's swings and rouindabouts. I hate using Macs personally.

OtterInaSkoda has the best idea, tell him to speak to his tutors. Seeing as they'll be teaching him, they'll be best placed to tell him what to buy.

It also depends on how hands on the engineering is. I believe that most engineering work will be Windows based. In which case, knowing that there are equivalent programs on each will hold no sway.

And in that case, you should probably be looking at PC's not laptops anyway.

RubberDuck · 28/04/2010 14:09

DH's macbook pro cost him 50% more than an equivalent laptop.

It's lasted twice as long as his previous laptops with no real need to upgrade for a while (though he's considering getting a bigger hard drive for it). He also hasn't manage to destroy it yet (for some reason, his laptops take a hard battering and usually die before they need upgrading).

Bought my iMac 2.5 years ago. Still don't feel any need to upgrade it - still does all I need to do and we push our computers hard. This is the first time I haven't felt the need to go out and buy a more cutting edge machine/do some serious upgrades after 18 months.

Macs are more expensive to start with, but they do last much longer.

RubberDuck · 28/04/2010 14:12

(Oh, I switched after a bug in the original Vista release destroyed my RAID drive - that and I was spending more time trying to get software to run properly than actually using the damn machine)