For those of you who are going to misunderstand this post, let me clarify things. I'm not trying to explain my way into using a PC instead of a Mac, because PCs are that much better — they're not. A Mac has certain advantages over a PC, and every Mac user knows them, including me. That's why most Mac users can't see how they could go back to Windows. But, I'm sure most Mac users have also experienced plenty of frustration with their Mac, and think Apple could do a better job with things. This article was written for this purpose. It's a list of suggested improvements gathered over the span of a year by a fairly typical Apple user, and I realy do hope Apple puts my list to good use.
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Article comments
1 - mac switcher
I do not believe your complaints are typical of mac users or common among any Macintosh computers:
I have a PowerMac g4 1 ghz and iBook Dual USB G3 500 mhz.
- iPhoto runs instantaenously on my G4 and with reasonable speed on the old G3. Connections by USB to my Sony are fast, flawless and I've never had a crash of iPhoto. It is in my opinion an excellent consumer photo app; I've used the OS X bundled version, as well as iPhoto 4, 5, and now 6. All have performed superbly. There isn't anything like in the Windows universe. I can't imagine what's going on with your Mac, but it is the opposite of my experience.
-- I burn music CDs (r and rw) in iTunes. In over 100 burns of various playlists, both downloaded and MP3 rips of my own CDs, I've never had a bad disk (I upgraded my drive to a Pioneer DVR-111D SuperDrive). Like most Mac users, I use Toast Titanium to burn DVDs and data CDs, again without any problems. I've had 3 bad DVDs in 200+ burns using relatively inexpensive Ridata disks.
-- iMovie, iDVD, quicktime and EyeTV. I agree that EyeTV is a great piece of software for what it does (and i'm surprised you don't use Toast, given its tight integration with EyeTV), but to compare it to iMoive and iDVD is foolish. EyeTV is not a movie editor. It allows you to remove commericals. That's it. iMovie and iDVD are designed to create video presentations with a vareity of effects from the ground up. They are consumer apps and not particularly powerful, but they have little in common with EyeTV. As for re-encoding video, that is going to be a long and processor-intensive process no matter what software you are using. Which is why a lot of us like the hardware encoding feature of the EyeTV and similar devices. If your going to re-encode movie lengthy high-quality video, what do you expect?
-- I've never noticed jumpy video in iTunes. Seems pretty smooth to me.
-- Can't speak to your other points, most of which seem rather nitpicky to me. Perhaps you just got a lemon. Have you considered taking it to an Apple Store Genius Bar and having them see if there's a hardware problem?
2 - Phillip Winn
iPhoto sucks rotten eggs when you put a substantial number (thousands) of photos in it. I finally gave up and switched to iView Media Pro, which costs money. I never had stability problems with it, but it was really, really, really slow. I have a G4 iMac, but still.
The CD/DVD stuff sounds really weird to me. I've burnt many, many CDs and DVDs, and never had a problem. Not once. I did have the SuperDrive replaced after a year or two for some other problem I can't remember, so I may be running with a different kind of drive than you are.
The iDVD restrictions are for legal reasons, obviously. Or perhaps not so obviously. The point is that Apple can't themselves release a piece of software that makes DVD piracy too easy. If you need to burn (legally-acquired) video longer than their low limits, try VisualHub. Er, also not free.
The common iPhoto/iTunes libraries is an interesting conundrum. I would venture that *MOST* users do *NOT* want a common iPhoto library. I personally am quite happy to have my own separate iPhoto library, while my wife has her own, and my kids have their own. That's perfect, and I don't want them mixed, but I can see (barely) why people might. iTunes is another interesting one. In the past I have wanted an easy way for my wife to have access to my library, and we've simply shared across accounts. Pretty quick, and she doesn't need to burn or anything.
Since then, we've changed it again. I set my wife's iTunes to not make copies of files on import, and I've just added the artists and albums she wants to listen to to her library, which is a small subset of my extensive library. Seemed pretty easy to me, and she can have separate song ratings and play counts now.
Still, I can *DEFINITELY* see the value of a more directly shared iTunes library, assuming one could work out various permission-related things and decide about play counts and ratings. Which isn't obvious, I think.
All the crashing you've encountered, though, I'd say is a problem. It simply hasn't happened to me on my G4 iMac. Not at all. I'd take it to be looked at, personally.
3 - Shari
I don't know if you're interested in solutions but it sounds like you have a USB connection issue with your camera. If you've been using the same connection, use a different one. If you use a hub, stop using it. USB can be very idiosyncratic on both Macs and PCs. It appears to have something to do with how power is drawn from the port to run some devices but that might only be an issue on notebooks. All I know is that I have had issues with ports being put to sleep while devices are connected and they don't wake up unless you unplug and replug. In the case of notebooks, the ports are unusable unless you restart.
As for your CD/DVD issues, the age and speed media is burned at has a huge effect on how things work (again, on both PCs and Macs). However, it really does sound like you've got some sort of internal problem with your hardware. A disc burned on a PC may not work on another PC. I have to pretty much play musical drives with my discs until I find the one that works.
Generally speaking though, I don't have the sorts of issues you appear to have. The first thing I'd do in your shoes is remove any added memory and see if the situation improves. Bad added memory is the most common cause of system-wide difficulties. The second thing is erase and reinstall the whole kit and kaboodle. The third is have it looked at by a service person. Good luck.
4 - scott s
typical windows user in denial. best to come out of the closet with your love for windoze instead of trying to make the apple platform look bad which is hopeless.
5 - DK Brewer
"Burning DVDs and CDs is a real hassle."
Been a MAC user for years, currently oldish G4 Powerbook. Had similar issues with inferior discs, but mostly because my superdrive is an older one that can only read 2X speed discs. There are software updates to the disk utility, but don't help. Just stuck with it, so an affordable fix would be nice since this was an issue that arose shortly after my computer shipped.
"Mac OS X crashes. Yes, as unbelievable as that sounds, it does happen."
Wow is all I can say to that. I have 10.3.9 and, for fear of the Jinx, will only go knock on this nice, pine chair.
Regarding your other issues with some of the native software apps, like iTunes and iPhoto: not sure what the expectations should be for software that came "free" on your computer. Yes it's money to upgrade. I'm too cheap to plop down the $ for iLife 'O6 but then I rely on industry standard, professional apps like Photoshop CS.
Many of your other comments are interesting, I just don't care or know enough to have issues with passive FTP or user groups.
Best of luck.
6 - Howard Dratch
I forget how affluent Americans are. What a great computer -- one that should work. After all, I manage here in the jungle with my trusty iBook G3 900mhz on 10.3.9.
I had good luck with Apple support forums and knowledge base when I was trying to figure out the most basic things with this first computer without English-speakers nor Apple-users to help.
Toast works. You shouldn't have such problems burning. FfmpegX converts video files wonderfully and Gumby 50c helps with some others.
If Phillip Winn says "take it in", do. He knows whereof he speaks.
If you still don't like it, send it down to me. I'll even pay the duty on it.
7 - Multi OS Admin
LOL ( thats laugh out loud to the Windoze users ) ....this is a blatant Windoze user "in denial" as ScottS put it, and as far as I can read into it, its a BS article that some pathetic Windoze lover has put up in an attempt to spread FUD. If it is indeed happening to you, all those problems, then you must have killed a small child to deserve all the bad karma coming to you.....or you run (and love) Winblows. Either or. Both apply. Capiche?
8 - Jo Wensley
I gotta say im having many similar problems.
Before you all flame me im no ms shrill, just feel ive been conned by all the hype.
Macs do crash it happens, maybe me i dont know but its very frustrating.
ps i got an intel version.
9 - Somethin...
We use iDVD to Author wedding disks, and yes, it has it's problems- but it's a free program... I don't see free DVD authoring software on PC's... Also, there's this NEW thing called pirating where you can solve all your problems by getting free software like Final Cut Studio, Flash 8, Photoshop CS3, After Effects, and even Toast. Also; you aren't going to get viruses because you're ON A MAC.And before you all rail me for being a pirate; know that I have bought EVERY piece of useful software after pirating it; simply because I find thirty day trials constricting.
10 - dan
Your article on what you don't like about your mac reflects some of the problems I was having. I took it back to the store and they found a "defective logic board" and replaced it. That solved most of my problems except for power point freezing up the computer about a third of the time I use pps
Dan
11 - ferrari
i have so many of the same problems as you do. i have a MacBook. bought it because i was going off to college and figured haveing a computer that wouldnt get a virus was a good idea, and plus how many people say this is a good computer. this this sucks. it spits out almost every dvd and cd i put in it, even store bought movies. programs just close for no reason, AIM, Firefox, iPhoto to name a few. It has comepletly frozen on me by doing the most simplest tasks, playing music on iTunes and ejecting a disk. the only good thing about this piece of crap is that it comes with a camera and a remote, thats it.
12 - Vincent Yin
I think Macs are the wost thing that mankind has invented in the past years. If I were to swear I would say the F word 9999999999 about Macs
13 - Dirk Hanson
I've used Macs for 20 years. Few Mac owners ever find themselves spending several hours on a simple file conversion, or have their Mac reject half the blank CDs/DVDs as flawed. Either your machine is trashed somehow, or you've got some seriously wicked electromagnetic mojo going on. If my computer was that hopeless, I'd complain, too.
14 - Anonymous
iDVD runs along side with iMovie. If you want to burn DVDs, your supposed to run your movie through iMovie and then burn it with iDVD. As for your disk errors, it may be your CD?DVD drive. Bring it in to the Apple Genius bar and ask them whats going on.
15 - plugnplay
Mmm, interesting! I got to this forum because I'm researching the problem that many Mac users are currently experiencing with communications errors when trying to write DVD's.
If you Google 'burning disc failed communications error apple' you will see it's true. Different versions of Mac OS, different Macs, different drives, both built-in & external, and I haven't yet seen anyone with a reliable fix.
The problem seems to be spreading. I hope all you guys that aren't having problems with your Macs yet have got your fingers crossed!
16 - bliffle
I was going to switch from windows to mac but made a detour through ubuntu and man, I'm in love! Ubuntu is great. Within a couple weeks i had almost everything converted to ubuntu apps. It works. It doesn't blowup. I don't even know what happens when ubuntu blows up: no BSOD. Six months and still happy.
Now I'm bringing up kubuntu and knoppix on my old laptops, and it brings them back to life. restores their power and makes them useful and fast again.
Best thing is I can put the old WinXP or Win2K legacy system on a secluded partition on each machine just in case I ever need it again. In the process I mount a new 80gb travelstar ($50 on ebay) and use Acronis to copy the old system.
In case I ever have problems I have the RescueCD and the GrubCD ready to go, and also systems on USB sticks.
Best thing is you can try ubuntu out without actually installing it by using the "liveCD" which runs it from the CD just using RAM for temporary memory (so it's gone when you reload).
Try it, you'll like it. The ubuntu 7.04 "Feisty Fawn" is widely available as a straight download and also a torrent. And you'll LOVE the multitude of programs available for EVERYTHING, like the "deluge" torrent processor. And the "ffmpeg" transoder makes quick work of FLV to AVI conversions as well as many others: fast and accurate.
It's got a consensus type GUI for everything, and when you need it you've got the trad command-line terminal, beloved of unix folk (don't laugh, it is very flexible).
17 - Ken Edwards
What version of iLife are you using, and did you buy the Apple Care. Your iMac should not crash like that.
iPhoto doesn't work well with lots of photos.
I myself hate using the built in CD/DVD burning software, but I do use it, and do not throw bad discs with it. I use Toast, but that costs money.
I would suggest hitting the Mac OS X Hints forums for a centralized iTunes/iPhoto library, or any other issues you have. That is a great resource both the forums and the tips repository.
18 - Phillip Winn
iPhoto definitely doesn't handle large photo libraries well. When Steve Jobs demoed the latest version, he referred to "really large" libraries as containing 5000 photos. Ha! There are 30,000 photos in just my "Canon" library, where the images range from 3-5MB each (not counting the RAW image, which I don't think iPhoto handles at all). I left iPhoto behind long ago.
Raoul, I'll just reiterate my initial advice of a year ago, and hope that you did take it in to be looked at, because what you're describing is not at all normal.
I mention this in the hope that other people reading the comments will also take their computer in if they're having *anything* even remotely like this happen to them. It's just not right, or normal, or common.
19 - Raoul
I finally took it in for repairs, and it turned out to be the logic board and the Bluetooth module. They were replaced, and now it remains to be seen if the iMac will be more stable over time.
I was pretty unhappy with the whole repair experience though. They kept it at the store for 10 days, and that was a big problem for us, since it was our main computer. I expected better from Apple. If someone's interested, I wrote about the repair on my blog.
Many thanks to those who pointed out the logic board and Bluetooth module as likely culprits. You were right!
20 - Jessica
I just lost ALL my pictures.
I photo does SUCK it is slow and crashes all the time. I selected delete original files when it was done downloading then it CRASHED and so now all my pictures are GONE. does anyone know if there is anyway to get them back
21 - Dawn
I switched to Mac about five years ago and have had no problems worth mentioning. You seem to be very unlucky! Even my husband who uses a PC admits he's envious of the ease with which I use my MacBook. He would switch to Mac himself but has to use certain Windows programs for work.
I'm sorry you're having such a lot of problems, but hope no one thinks this is typical of most Macs because in my experience and those of other Mac-users I know it certainly isn't.
22 - AP
There's a reason only 6.1% of people choose to use Apple. People that need to get things done don't use macs outside of Cupertino.
(by Apple's own account)
23 - Dr Dreadful
I switched to a Mac a couple of years ago and also don't have most of the problems mentioned in the article. I do have one of the newer Macbooks with an Intel processor, but I don't know how much that has to do with the problems I don't have that Raoul does (or did).
Yes, Macs do crash, but very rarely and getting them back up again is such a cinch that it's barely even a nuisance. Unlike a PC, where it takes 20 minutes sometimes to coax the wheezing thing back to life.
iPhoto is, as noted, slow, but I haven't noticed any other major problems with it - although this could be because I'm too lazy to organize my photos the way it wants me to.
One of the main things I like best about the Mac OS is that when I turn it on it's ready to go in a few seconds - no more getting up to make a cup of tea or do some laundry while waiting for Windows to lumber into action.
24 - Moi_ha_ha
You just suck with Macs.