Computer Woes: To Mac or Not to Mac…That is the Question….

I am in the midst of editing two novels… a book launch pending in November and a tentative second launch in January. During this my three year old, 15 inch Dell Laptop with Windows 7 started acting up. First the touchpad stopped working on and off, then the keyboard stopped typing on certain sites, the unit became hot, the screen froze, it wouldn’t shut off and the internet access was iffy at best. This slow death happened over a two week period and I was trying to determine the problem. After checking RAM, doing cleanups, checking everything, we determined that the motherboard was slowly failing. Not a darn thing I could do to fix it and now I needed a new computer, and fast.

But, the question was, to finally Mac or not to Mac? And my appeal to the world of social media didn’t give me any easy answers. It did give me PASSIONATE responses from both sides of the fence. So passionate that I have more than 93 comments on my appeal post, with people still chiming in. I have side emails filling my inbox, IMs and folks calling my house with their opinions. I won’t lie, the decision about what to purchase is daunting. I was scared of getting a computer that was going to possibly have only a 2-3 year lifespan, versus getting one that might have a huge learning curve. Some folks say the Mac is seamless and others have said it was a nightmare. Some wouldn’t get a Mac if it were given to them for free and others wouldn’t touch an HP or Dell with a ten foot pole. There seemed to be very few people with a middle ground.

At the end of the day, I had to decide which system was I going to be comfortable with in the long run. So, I did my homework. I took everyone’s advice and then spent hours at Microcenter playing with HP’s, Dells and Lenovas to experience their keyboards. I tried out Windows 7 machines (which I was used to and very comfortable with) and then Windows 8 models. I went to a Microsoft Kiosk in the mall and we talked for a long time about Windows 8. And then I went to the Apple store and spent a long time there. My cousin even met me there and offered his advice (thank you cuz). I played with the keyboard and marveled at how light the unit was and how cutting-edge cool the technology was. I also had a mini-heart attack at the price… (because the rep assured me I needed a model more upgraded than the one I had anticipated getting. But okay, if I needed it, I needed it.) I still kept my mind opened.

There were huge pros and huge cons to every computer I looked at. The HP’s and other models were still 15 inches and heavy. But while very affordable, their short lifespan was problematic. But, the learning curve with them would be nil. I understood their operating system like they were an old friend.

Then there were the beautiful Macs. They were super cool, cutting edge, smaller and lighter and for someone with a bad back, it was a huge pro. But there was going to be some learning curve. And the price-point was high. Very high.

I debated a lot and really thought about my personal needs and finally made my decision. I purchased my brand new laptop and the service center migrated all my work and one day later I am here typing this new blog post and happy as a clam. Really, really happy with my decision. It works for me.

And no, I’m not telling you what I bought. If I say I got an HP or Dell my Mac folks are going to be appalled and if I say I got a Mac my PC folks are going to think I sold out for glitz. So, I’m going to let it just sit out there and let you guys guess. The answer might surprise you!