[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by carthick1000

I use Linux and got some windows based workshop manuals run using wine on linux. There is also wine for Mac, I think. Now-a-days some workshop manuals are browser based or some people who converted them from windows program to browser based ones. For eg. there are browser based service manuals for MX-5 ND and Tesla Model 3.

Thanks, that is good to know. My problem is that I tend to work on older cars and that was all Windows. I have a few manuals that were converted to just PDF files. Especially, if they create a good index it is very workable.

I have had subscriptions to some (Jaguar) manuals too and those were browser based as well.

Jeroen

[ashish.uno]

Originally Posted by ramnaresh_2000

Voted for windows pc. I am currently using Macbook Air from last 3 years. Last week it died on me and did not boot up. I am currently at my hometown which is a Tier-2 city. I took the Macbook to every repair shop and none of them even touched it. Finally after searching for 3 days, I found a place which repairs Macbook. He quoted 3k and was not 100% sure he can fix it. If it was windows pc or laptop, it would have been serviced on same day and I would have been using it on same day.

This post could be offtopic, however i faced he same issue, where the mac just played dead. No warnings nothing.

Turns out it is software related. The service guy held shift + Enter for 10 secs (maybe) and the machine booted up. I was so relieved!

Try this and let me know if it worked out.

[n_ramesh99]

I had to buy a laptop recently and was considering MacBook briefly. However, I was able to make up my mind against it very quickly.

I was using a iMac 21.5 from about 2012 for personal use. I do not own any iPhones or iPads though. I did not feel that comfortable with AppleOS. The main reason was that you don't have the control and felt they consider customers as total tech illiterates.
Finally, one fine day last year, the iMac just refused to boot. I took it to an authorized apple repair center, but they told it is a problem with Graphics card and cannot be repaired.

My other personal HP laptop from 2012 still works fine, though a bit slow. Mac was good initially, but they did an OS update and then it became terribly slow. RAM upgrade helped a bit, but not quite. As regards to the hardware reliability and lack of support, I found that Apple is infamous for all those. If you do not believe that, look at these videos: https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...louis+rossmann (and several others)

[poloman]

Just for the sake of information, the share of operating systems is roughly 8:1 in favor of windows. Mac sales form just 7-8% of the over all global PC market. So don't panic looking at the results of polls yet.

[charanreddy]

Windows all the way.. Its too much of a learning curve for me to adapt on the Mac especially on the work front. I borrowed a Macbook Pro and returned it with in a week to office. My work entails a lot of excel and it too confusing in Mac.

I do have a personal Mac Book Pro at home, but we use it to watch video and store photos mostly.

[ramvenky74]

Macs are good there is no doubt about it. It very tightly controlled and many a times, it makes me feel, someone else is controlling my system. I have lots of grouses with windows, but they just vanish when fed with SSD's. SSD's drastically improve performance of a Windows laptop/ desktop. Windows 10 pro in my 2009 Intel Core 2 duo can boot in exactly 6 seconds once I upgraded to SSD. It's a 7K cost for a good 512Gb SSD. with the right hardware spec, Windows can give a tough fight for Mac no doubt about and we have the freedom for upgrade etc.

[saket77]

Using Mac since almost a decade now and Windows for over 2 decades. My over a decade old Mac gave up a couple of months ago but was amazingly fast even on the last day. Unfortunately it suffered liquid damage else it would have been with me even today. I replaced it with a MacBook Air. I also use my MacBooks for browsing, multimedia some audio recording and editing work and it does it out of the box wonderfully well. Without any third party software.

I’m also using my wife’s windows laptop during this lockdown for office work because for MS excel, Mac isn’t a good choice; especially if you’re into keyboard shortcuts. What’s disappointing is that my wife’s laptop is getting slower as more and more files are being created. Typical of a windows machine.

I would say that except excel usage, I’m fond of macOS and how relevant Apple machines are for a long time. So, I vote for Mac.

[NPV]

I voted Mac because that's my personal choice and that's what I have for home/personal use.
As for work, I don't have a choice right now due to employer and clients choice of platform for my current software development work, so it's a Windows based PC.

[Tucker48]

Definitely windows PC's.
Plethora of options.
Price range from a fraction of Mac to considerably expensive than it. (A PC for every price bracket)
Most importantly is freedom of choice.
My windows laptops/desktops last no less than 8-10yrs. Yes, I always go for good specs(if not the best) while buying a PC with minor upgrades or part replacement (like cooling fan/battery) during its lifetime.

[Ph03nix]

Voted: Windows PC.

<rant>
I hate mac's. I am forced to use one(Macbook pro) for work. I hate the fact that apple is adamant about the option, command, control keys. Absolutely drives me nuts, switching between machines. What's wrong with a standard keyboard layout?

Start a compilation job on the macbook and it quickly transforms into a desktop. While the machined aluminium is good to look at, it heats up like crazy and no way you can use it as a *lap*top.

Ports: It comes with a sum total of 2 USB C ports. Be ready to lug around a USB hub/display adapter around.

The last two OS versions have been incredibly buggy. Inconsistent suspend behaviour the biggest gripe. Then there are basic features like window tiling missing.

I work in infrastructure and will have several chrome tabs open and couple of IDE's, this brings the fabled mac to its knees. For more than a lac, they give you 8 gigs of ram. Want to upgrade, buy the next model and pay many times more for a 4K ram module. Go apple!

While I have a lenovo thinkpad with windows 10 for personal use. I cannot remember the last time I have seen a BSOD on Windows 10. Its very reliable and the upgrade possibilities are a big plus. It's solidly built, has a decent display and has enough ventilation to handle cpu hungry tasks. It's way more usable at 60% of the mac's cost without a significant bulk. I bet top dollar this will outlast any mac, given the upgrade options.
</rant>

Rant aside, the macbook may work for a casual business user. However be careful about the lock-in, you won't be able to cut copy paste on windows ever again! The less said about other hotkey combinations the better.
Also with a mac, how will you ever "excel" at your work?

[arunrajk81]

Voted for Windows.

My observation is if we spend atleast 60-70% of the price what we spend for a Mac, chances are there we get a good windows laptop. I have good experience with Dell, Lenovo was a mixed feeling and my HP experience was totally bad. Irrespective of the brand, all these bad experience were caused by entry level laptops that cost around 25-35k. On the other hand, I have a Dell and Lenovo both high/mid range laptops that worked without much issue for 11 years and one of them is still working with win vista. (I know Win-Vista is most undesirable among Window series).

What I want to convey is it’s the Hardware plus software combo makes a good trouble free system. Since Microsoft is selling OS mainly, they don’t have much control where their software is getting installed (I am not sure how much they are serious about surface computers). Windows can be installed in a junk hardware as well as on a quality machine. It’s different in the case of Apple. They got full control over their hardware and software, which makes mac consistently a good machine (The case is similar with Android vs IOS). If at any point Apple start selling OS alone that can be installed in any hardware, then we may see issues similar to windows what we are facing. (I know the chances are less – I remember they did that at one point earlier and stopped, or I may be wrong?). Windows is one OS that brought computer closer to common man and I still like it. It doesn’t mean I dislike mac, I am considering mac as my next laptop, not because I want to move away from PC, instead I want to try one more OS. I work on Linux a lot as part of my job and I don’t want to consider it for my personal computer.

[rascalangel]

Voted for PC. Just because it's configurable and upgradable to suite ones needs. Plus one can always dual boot with Linux for speed. Windows being prone to viruses and hacking is as good as a myth now with some basic common sense. I haven't had a anti virus since win8. Inbuilt defender does the job well. If you need windows OS to be fast just ensure you got 8gb ram and a good SSD. I have upgraded by barebones 19k (yes, right) asus laptop with both and it runs smooth with just pentium processor. Even fusion360 runs well. However, I did long for a macbook for its aesthetics and he/sw integration. But considering their price and the performance of latest ipads( new iPad air is nice!), A macbook pro price would get me a gaming laptop and I can buy a ipad with pencil. Gaming laptop(I don't game at all) over normal top end laptops is because they don't come with soldered on components and are designed for upgradability. Ipad because it has the usability of iOS with practicality of a tab.

[samabhi]

Voted for MAC.

I have been using Macbooks for almost 7 years now at work. I am a software developer and the ease of use that MAC provides with respect to the tools, installing and updating packages, running docker containers at ease, there is simply no question that Macbook is the best in this aspect. Macbooks improves my efficiency at work and there is no doubt about it.

I have started using Windows at home for some freelancing projects and its getting better, especially after Windows released the WSL2 updates. WSL2 can easily be integrated with the softwares installed on the Windows OS. Windows is getting better for sure.

About stability, MAC is on the decline and Windows is on the rise. My first Macbook that I used at work for more than 3 years didnt crash not even once and in all that 3 years, I restarted it only twice or thrice. But the next gen Macbook Pro have been a night mare to use. First it was the defective keyboard and the frequent crashes. I am using my 3rd Macbook now and its become even worser than the previous one. It freezes all of a sudden and it hates chrome and any plugins installed in it.

Inspite of all the challenges, I still prefer Macbook for its ease of use. Regarding the keyboards, I think its a matter of fact, getting used to it and setting the right customized shortcuts to function as the windows one. I use both Macbook and Windows laptop regularly and the shift is not a concern at all.

[parag_bandkar]

Windows. Any day. Journey from Dos 6.00 till Windows Server 2019. Server Operating System, Boards. Endless possibilities.

I recollect the first server machine I built for myself was worth close to a lakh rupee in 2004; This is not possible with Apple. Fun and Learning not measurable at all.

I didn't sell any of my disks from 99, so resale value not applicable at all. I agree old machine are of very less value.

Although I am not able to find voting option. My vote will always remain windows.

[Pontiac]

Mac disadvantages:

Apple hardware is usually a generation old. With support for newer technologies and standards running a year or two late. Be it 5G for their phones or WIFI standard on their MacBook’s. Below are two other disadvantages that are not discussed in this thread.

• No AX. C’mon in this world where AX is a year old, the most expensive MacBook comes with only AC.

If one ends up buying a MacBook this year, he will be stuck with an old wireless standard where the whole world has already advanced further with no means to upgrade to AX later.

• Built in display is a big letdown with even the 16” coming with only 3072x1920. Especially at a disadvantage when you use a wide external monitor that are 4K compatible.

In comparison, a 15” Asus comes with a 4K (3840x2160) display at $1.6K.

PC disadvantages:

Some brands are notorious for crashes. One has to be careful in choosing one. Apart from that, one can get all the desired hardware combinations on a sturdy and reliable package. Just have to research enough.