Apple "QUALITY" ?

[OSXtasy]

 

Hi all, I'm kinda new here, and although I do admit that I am an MCSE in my career field, I have taken a few dips into OS9(My personal Supermac Clone s900) and OSX in my lifetime via friends that owned and still own MACS. Now I'm sure I will get flamed for this and called a troll, but comon ladies and gents, lets be honest here. The majority of the members of these forums are all highly educated, and aparently in some technolgy based field which requires the use of a computer. I am not therefore gonna make any comparisons as to which I think is better (MAC or PC), as I like them both(and own both). The point is, how is it that you MBP users can simply sit there and keep defending the "PERCEIVED QUALITY" of a product that is causing so many of your close brothers and sisters so much anguish?? I admit, some of Apples former hardware designs have been nice, but thats where it all ends. They are merely more asthetically pleasing.....THATS ALL!!! Take into account tht they all now share the SAME EXACT TECHNOLOGIES used (except a few like EFI....etc) in a vanilla pc. Now people, I've always heard that only people with a college degree, or yuppies, etc use macs, because they think they are smarter, but we all know that is not true..

 

With all this said, I am going to tell ya, I really would like to have a MBP(and I can easily afford one by the way), but not with all of the problems that seem to come with them. With all due respect to you MAC faithful, I'm freakin scared to buy one to be honest!! I mean, why spend 3 grand on a laptop that looks great, but under it all it is no better built than any other laptop on the market (think about the thermal paste application pics, "flex" in the screen, separation of the magsafe connector, and the one that caught on fire!!) and don't tell me that Apple has a "superior" design and "QUALITY CONTROLS". You just cant do that can you??? No you cant. Apples quality SUCKS worse than DELL even!!! Well flame-on I guess, cause I know I'm gonna get dogged for this but I just had to get it off my chest. And for what its worth, PC's are no harder to use than macs, if you know what you're doing, just like anything else. I honestly feel that most mac people are lazy when it comes to security, or anything that might require them to do a little research on a topic of interest and security as far as responsible computing.

In fact, if the mac faithful keep thinking they're so invulnerable for much longer, they're gonna get bit in the AZZ real soon.

[Swad]

I'm moving this to the thunderdome for the flame fest.

[OSXtasy]

Uh-oh, I must be in twuble now!!!

[OSXtasy]

Well I guess I'm not in twuble, as not one person has said one thing about my honest observations about Apple's "perceived" high quality. This just goes to show, that Apple should not be put above any other hardware vendor. Their computers are no better than anyone elses. They merely charge MORE for the same "hardware" which runs an OS that (I admit) is quite nice and intuitive for individuals that are not as into poking around or learning more about the underpinnings of how their OS does what it does. The average MAC user just wants to get work done. Anyway, I'm not bashing, just merely stating that to you all that love the macs.... until you MAC worshippers learn that Apple will continue to sell you {censored} hardware that has not been thoroughly tested, then you will always be used as guinea pigs. Please do not allow Apple to continue to do this, as there are some of us that would really like to get more comfy with their OS and hardware, but I will never do so until they come clean about their well known issues. In other words, if they will do this to their "TRUE BELIEVERS", just what the heck can I expect them to do to myself and others like me that are interested in giving their designs a try????

 

P.S. .... for what its worth, I have 10.4.6 running on a HP ZD8000, and EVERYTHING works!!!!(started with 10.4.3) It works so well that I had all but decided to buy a MBP and dual boot with XP (as I do on my HP already), so that i could do it all legally,(not proud of being illegit) and support they're ongoing progress. Well, now you know why I feel the way I do, and have NOT bought a MBP now, nor do I know if I will unfortunately...................

[Colonel]

Why are we all so loyal to Apple? Because Steve said we are...

 

 

we love macs...we love macs...

[GGF.SquallStrife]

You'll probably find that MBP has similar failure rates to any other laptop out there... however they're under the spotlight because of how big a thing this is for Apple.

 

Their hardware is hardly "not been thoroughly tested"... the x86 architecture has been around since the early 80's....

 

The PPC hardware, I found, was always of excellent quality. I have a G3 iMac that's been dropped, kicked, and spilt on god knows how many times, and it just keeps keeping on...

 

People bash iPod for it's apparently high failure rate, when in reality it was no worse than other MP3 player's mortality rates, but because iPod is in the spotlight, it gets sensationalised.

 

You want a {censored} product? HP Pavilion. I've never seen more faults in a single line of products, ever. Everything from power supplies to heatsinks. Even the power buttons got jammed alot...

 

MBP is new, you have to have teething problems...all new products do... Remember Windows XP in Q3 2002? Nightmare.

 

Im done.

[gee]

The Mac world is miles ahead of Windows re: security. Have you ever tried running XP day-to-day with a limited user account? I have, and it isn't pretty. Windows apps tend to scatter user files in Program Files (vs. organised User folder in OS X/UNIX).

 

The loyal customer base? I'd say that it's because Apple products have character and are well styled. A Dell just isn't as cute. This can also be seen in the European motor market (unreliable - but well styled and characterful - French/Italian vs. Japanese).

[OSXtasy]

WOW guys, it's been really refreshing to be able to be honest with a group of fans loyal to a particular product line, that represented themselves and their opinions so well during this discussion. I honestly thought I would be bashed to pieces!!! I am really impressed by this community, and therefore I must admit that I will continue to keep an eye on MBP's, and should the urge strike again (which it's never really stopped, I just got a little concerned about getting a lemon for 3 grand) I may just go ahead and buy. I'm also wondering how many revisions do you "loyal fans" and MAC GURU think it may be before the MBP is up to par with some of Apple's previous "well built and tested" workhorses that blend both form and function???

[jgrimes80]

As far as the laptops go... I'd say the next "revision" should be fine..

 

I think it's "flaws" are amplified because their sensational popularity... I just got my MBP back yesterday, heat issue is now under control, but still very warm by most poeples standards (former PC users).

 

If you can, find someone with a G4 PowerBook; watch a DVD with it on your lap... you'll find that they're not much cooler if any.

 

There's nothing significantly WRONG with the curent MBP but, as an owner, my advice is to just wait for the next round.

[gwprod12]

Apple's laurels rest on one thing. Engineering. I dont mean superior engineering, I mean overly engineering. As we can see, OS X runs on standard pc hardware. But it takes a hell of a lot of work to make an operating system, where as much as possible, it has been tailored to hardware, run outside of it's niche. Apple hardware isnt superior... it's the same (possibly even lower-end than the equivalent pc hardware), it's just that Apple said "this is the exact configuration that the Macbook Pro, Imac, Macbook and Mac Mini is gonna use... all drivers are going to be based on that, with as much code as possible to make sure of it"

 

Assuming that the new Mac Tower (whenever it shows up) is based on some radically different chipset and graphics card, I think we'd find just as much trouble making our current 10.4.6 DVDs work on it as we are getting them to work on our vanilla boxes (or, in my case, black as sin box).

 

It's easy for people to believe that Macs just work... Though put in anything a mac doesnt understand, and watch it not work.

 

Oh, and btw, the whole "Macs dont get viruses" is the most annoying line of BS. It's like saying a fish, because it cant catch my cold, must have a superior immune system.

 

But while it's true that there are no apple diseases now, that may soon change... and Macs have no immune system.

[bwhsh8r]

My ipod breaks like nobody's buisness... and so do my friends, and my dad's... that it enough to keep me away from apple products. also, i had a friend who had a mac, and i tried to do a science project with him and i ended up doing most of the work because of the incompatibilitys with his mac and my pc.... it sucked...... so the compatibility is an issue.

 

 

 

max

[myzar]

As far as the laptops go... I'd say the next "revision" should be fine..

 

I think it's "flaws" are amplified because their sensational popularity... I just got my MBP back yesterday, heat issue is now under control, but still very warm by most poeples standards (former PC users).

 

If you can, find someone with a G4 PowerBook; watch a DVD with it on your lap... you'll find that they're not much cooler if any.

 

There's nothing significantly WRONG with the curent MBP but, as an owner, my advice is to just wait for the next round.

cmon don't give up asus will fix the problems in the next revision

[U.C.]

The 3RD and 4Th gen iPods were the best. No problems. My two year old iPod still works, perfect. No problems. The nanos and the video have a problem that if there battery runs down totally, in many cases they dont charge. I found a simple solution

 

1) Open iPod

2) De Solder Battery

3) Connect Battery to 4-5V source for 1 Hour

4) Re Solder Battery

5) Charge iPod

6) Enjoy

[macjedimatt]

When you talk about Apple's quality it's more than just what breaks and what doesn't. It's what they put in the machines to prevent problems. A good example of this in the Sudden Motion Sensor. Now, I know that other laptops have them, it's a feature that you pay a premium for. But it's standard on every Apple portable.

 

Focusing on the laptops here, try and find one with the same features as the MacBook Pro for a lower price. The closet thing I can find is a Dell Latitide D820. Which, after increasing the processor to the same 2ghz CoreDuo in the MacBook Pro, is ~$2,234. I used to have an old Ti PowerBook G4 and that was a nice machine. Ran great, no problems. Except the thing fell apart because most of the case was painted and glued together. Now I have a FW800 G4 and it's practically unstoppable.

[sandmanfvrga]

Why the loyalty? Before the move to Intel the Mac had the custom IBM chips and when you bought the Mac, it was custom made to OSX and of course nobody could run it other than Mac users. Thus those that used Macs loved them and knew their hardware would work (from what I heard from Mac users). Now the move to Intel is brought this situation up: You got Intel Macs that are just PC's. Yes they are cutom built, but anybody can put together a PC (check these forums) that are EXACTLY the same spec wise as a Mac and run OSX perfectly. The loyalty is shifting. How can Apple solved this: lower the prices of their hardware which will never happen and thus, in my opinion, Apple loyalty may drop.

[jgrimes80]

Why the loyalty? Before the move to Intel the Mac had the custom IBM chips and when you bought the Mac, it was custom made to OSX and of course nobody could run it other than Mac users. Thus those that used Macs loved them and knew their hardware would work (from what I heard from Mac users). Now the move to Intel is brought this situation up: You got Intel Macs that are just PC's. Yes they are cutom built, but anybody can put together a PC (check these forums) that are EXACTLY the same spec wise as a Mac and run OSX perfectly. The loyalty is shifting. How can Apple solved this: lower the prices of their hardware which will never happen and thus, in my opinion, Apple loyalty may drop.

 

 

I don't think the loyalty has much to do with hardware as it does software and all around user friendly simplicity. Apple is notorious for having 2nd rate hardware with 1st rate software. If Apple has done anything right, it's building their OS and software to the extent they have. Few crashes, updates regularly, premier customer services etc.

 

While you arguement is valid in terms of hardware, I think that will simply prevent PC users from switching. In addition, it really only applies to the yet to be released "Mac Pro" because the laptops, Mini, and iMac are designed to accomodate hardware with space parameters. On top on that, Apple ditched PCI slots...

 

Most Mac users have gotten used to not paying much attention to hardware components. At least I know I don't. Fortunately, they haven't gone backwards on us. I've been purchasing Macs yearly, and everytime I buy one, it just keeps getting better, faster, and more interesting. I'm hoping with the release of the Mac Pro, I can phase out my HP workstation. <- which is great no doubt, but I'd wish it could run effectively OSX so I can sit at my desk with my comfy chair and check my email with Entourage.

[sandmanfvrga]

Good points. Though without the hardware, OSX wasn't as stable. But now with Intel chips the hardware is a mute point and your right, the software is the only thing that shines.

[A Nonny Moose]

Actually, for the longest time Apple had superior hardware, and people (most notably IT guys) were brainwashed into thinking the OS was inferior because it didn't have a command line.

 

Now fast forward to OS X and we had an awesome OS. One the hardware side, the Wintel world finally caught up (and surpassed) the PowerPC world (due to the chip companies not making progress on PPC chips).

 

Let's get our history right.

[Conroe Mac]

*shrugs* Apple hardware is good. It's just not worth the premium you pay for it. However, the OS is what you pay for. People love Apple because the Mac OS is better.

 

I can't afford an Apple, that's why I don't buy one. Apple realizes that marketing is important to sell a product that is overpriced (concerning the hardware), that's why Apple has good aesthetic appeal.