Robots and Pencils Inc.

When Michael was forced to switch to a MAC because he started programming apps for the iTunes store, the Mac Vs. Pc war began in our home. He watched the Mac ads and laughed at me. But his laughs just fell on deaf ears. I had just purchased a souped-up ACER for just under $1000. The screen was huge and it was FAST. Although, getting started took hours because of all the FREE software, then I had to spend another hour deleting software I'd never use. And I couldn't install my Adobe CS2 properly (Vista's folders wouldn't let me install the software in them so I had to create a new folder). But other than that, I was happy. Happy especially not to have had to spend an extra $2000 to get the comparable Mac.

Then the PC commercials started (the ones where the consumers compare the specs of computers and are happy to save A LOT of dough by getting the cheaper PC instead of a Mac). And then, I laughed at Michael because he spent almost 3x as much as I did for his Mac. I also laughed everytime I heard him complain about something er other going on with his Mac. Yes, a lot of laughing was going on in our household.

Then, suddenly, the laughing died.

About a month and a half after I purchased my Acer laptop, something weird happened. Without me doing anything, Acer Arcade software self-installed and then the laptop died. The techs at Future Shop couldn't even extract my 1st anniversary photos from the hard drive it was THAT dead. Whatever, I must have got a bunk one, because the guys at the store told me they never had ANY Acers returned and to be really nice, since I didn't purchase the extended warranty, they'd do a straight exchange for ANOTHER Acer.

That's cool, I thought. I was happy they were so accommodating to poor old me. But, just to be safe, I bought the extended 'no-lemon' warranty this time. (It only cost 30% of the price of the machine for the 3 year warranty - please detect sarcasm in the only).

After losing a day and a half of work, I started not laughing so much at Michael for buying a Mac. I started fantasizing a Mac Ad that mocked the PC Ads, where the interviewer would be running up to unhappy consumers with computers to return and asking if they are returning a Mac or a Pc, and how much time they've lost due their return.

Back to Future Shop. Thank God for the no-lemon warranty. I said I didn't want another Acer. I was working on a deadline, so I needed another laptop, that worked. Argh! I had used HPs in the past with no real issues, so I thought, lets go with a HP. The nice guys at Future Shop (Nick Lee - you rock) really tried to steer me towards a Mac if I didn't want any more problems. He said the PCs had really gone down the toilet in the past few years - the race to the bottom, as Michael puts it. We debated for almost 2 hours (barely avoiding a cry-fest)...with the deadline looming. I know, I've got problems (I grew up in controlling home, so all of my siblings have the same "indecision disorder" if there's such a thing). But in the end, because I was really afraid of learning the ins and outs of a new computer, we went with a top of the line HP.

*Sigh*

Back home. The HP didn't have as much junk software, but when it came to click on 'Go' to get my laptop going, it crashed. Omigawd. Michael just looked at me. I was defensive, and said, "I've never had problems with an HP before, what's going on?" I was hoping it was just a fluke and the rest of my HP experience would be nice. But it wasn't. Eveything was waaaay slower than even the cheap Acer. Click, wait 5 seconds, action completed. Click, wait.... I wanted to hide in a hole and never touch Photoshop again. AutoCad was painfully slow too. And the laptop was hot to touch. Whuh???

Back to Future Shop.

Michael forbid me to get another PC. Decision made easy.

Yes, I had to spend almost 3x the price as the Acer, but I went with a Mac Book Pro - 17". I do graphic design all day long and don't like duo screens, thus the bigger screen option. But guess what. Weirdly enough, I turned on the laptop and I could actually use it almost instantly. And, this is really weird, the same software that had annoying glitches on my old PC works incredibly smooth on my Mac. Here's another really strange thing. When I use the program on my Mac that allows me to use Windows (I use AutoCad which only works on Windows) my laptop gets super hot. And, switching over was super painless! It's only been a few days and I already feel adjusted. There are lots of other really neat things about the Mac that make it a better experience, but overall, it just works.

Now I look at those PC ads and want to warn everyone of false advertising - can you really decide whether you should buy a 15-year-old car or a new car based solely on one being cheaper than the other? Granted, they both have tires, a gas tank, a steering wheel and can drive 100 km/hr but really, it's not a fair comparison. In my experience, I've driven the clunkers and I'd much rather drive a car that doesn't cause me anxiety every time I put the key in the ignition, afraid of what's next to go.

If you can afford it, go for a Mac. That's my advice. :)