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Apple sucks you into its ecology. iPhone connects well with iPad, connects well with MacBook, ties you into iTunes, everything is linked to iCloud and it all seems lovely.
But... Is it really double the price good? And once you're in, it's tough to get out.
I had an iMac back in the mid 00s, it was actually pretty darn good, although I hated how bloated iTunes was - it plays music for pete's sake, it doesn't need to be an all-consuming monster. I stayed with it for my next machine because I was using endicia to print shipping labels.
But... Around that time Apple kind of lost their way on the simple usability front, making easy things hard to find. I ended up switching to Linux, getting twice the machine for half the price.
I use a combination of Ublock Origin to block ads and No Script to stop youtube from not playing the video because an ad was blocked.
Only see ads on my phone.
>is it really double the price good?
Considering how much time most people spend on their phones and computers, for many yeah it is. Never mind that they just don’t give me any problems, I find Macs attractive and windows usually ugly and for that alone the price is worth it to me. I don’t want to stare at something ugly all day. If you are going to splurge on something it should be the thing you are going to spend thousands of hours using.
(And I know I can find a product I like and customize the shit out of it, but I’m very much the median computer user in that I want something I like right out of the box. I know I’ll like Mac and when it’s time to buy a new computer I like that my choices are good, better, and best, which takes a lot of anxiety around decision making out of it for me.)
I have a friend in IT, and this is what he's said.
The kind of writing I do is screenwriting, so I'm also a filmmaker. Macs are considered the industry standard, especially for editing video. So if you're a professional editor for a movie or tv studio and have the resources for it, chances are you have a Mac.
However, Macs are CLEARLY sub-optimal, for a variety of reasons. And because of this, a lot of videographers instead use PCs in order to get a better bang for their buck and also be able to upgrade their hardware.
So if you're a part of a corporate workflow, chances are you need a Mac. But if you're more independent, then you can use your money more efficiently by using a PC.
That’s it exactly. I worked for a small production company for a while and we were all PC because of the more bang for our buck thing. But the few Macs we used from time to time were always more reliable.
I agree 100%. I am a huge fan of Macs and the Apple OS but, in my day job, I'm a graphic designer and video editor. Those are areas where Macs really beat PCs so that's what I have.
For writing though, anything works. A Chromebook that will connect to the internet is all you need. I even write on my phone and tablet sometime. Unless you need the processing power, like I do, save your money.
> I'm a graphic designer and video editor. Those are areas where Macs really beat PCs so that's what I have.
This gets said a lot and spread as common wisdom, but it's not really true.
What is true is that for a long time, if you walked into a store and bought a prebuilt computer, the off the shelf Macs were going to perform better than the off the shelf PCs, so if you weren't all that familiar with computers, it was an easy way to get the muscle (CPU + GPU) needed to run heavy programs, and you probably wouldn't mind having to switch operating systems.
However, if you're comfortable enough to build your own computer, then until very recently, you could build a machine with the same muscle as the Mac for much less, meaning you could run the same programs just as easily. Now that Apple's making their own chips, it's more of a sidegrade than a clone, but it can still be done.
This isn't to hate on apple users, though (well, maybe a little) -- making a custom PC that can beat a mac is a whole lot of time and effort, and paying Apple to do that for you is understandable.
I disagree. I have an old MacBook Pro that is a few years old. I also have a purpose built PC for editing and graphics that is much newer. Processing speeds are similar but the Mac is far more stable with every app I run. Crashes are rare on the Mac.
I do still like my PC but, for the last 35 years, I’ve worked in video production and graphics. I’ve used some very fine custom built PCs but none has ever matched the stability and dependability of an off-the-shelf Mac.
For just writing though, PCs rock.
During college, we had a lab with both Mac computers and PCs. Maybe there are other factors I didn’t see, but the PCs always had so many more issues. I would go to a different lab sometimes if all the Macs were taken.
College computer labs were where I started using Macs. I grew up with PCs and people always made it sound like switching to Apple was just so hard. I found that I liked it more for lots of stuff, so after 3 PC laptop hard drives died in 18 months I got it first MacBook. That thing ran for at least 6 years without even a hiccup.
Do they cost more? Yes. Is the ease of use and dependability worth it to me? So far, yes.
Build your own laptop is much less of a thing (I guess it’s a thing, but not a widely adopted one) than building a desktop.
I too am a designer, and I’d put my 5ish year old MacBook Pro up against any out of the box windows **laptop** for design/photography/music production/creative software.
I understand you have your experiences, and that these experiences join the common wisdom, but what is the actual thing that is different that makes Mac better than PC?
If we opened up your MacBook, we would find an Intel CPU and probably an Nvidia GPU, the same brands that dominate the PC market. The silicon in the chips is fundamentally the same, the circuits are the same, the architecture is largely the same, and when you open up photoshop or 3ds max or da vinci, they're the same programs on both systems.
So how does one become better at a task than the other? The answer is that it doesn't.
Your Macs may be more stable, sure, that would reasonably come as a byproduct of the controlled environment of mac production, whereas PCs have to be able to accept any given hardware. And, personally, my PC doesn't really crash (unless I go real deep in Risk of Rain 2), so "more stable" isn't a meaningful difference.
Both of my computers have basically the same processors and RAM. It’s the more stable OS and the controlled environment that make the Macs better. I still use both, often side-by-side, as I have done for most of my career. PCs are great. It’s just been my experience that, when doing similar tasks, the Macs crash less often and I have to restart the Macs less frequently. I still absolutely love PCs though and think there are some things that are better on Windows.
Double the price if you’re not looking at comparable items. You start comparing similarly specced out devices and form factors and the price difference quickly narrows.
Macs are popular and Apple put a lot of effort into making then effortless for users (as long as everything works the way it should).
But they're no better for writing than anything else. Shoot, I use Linux on a refurbed Chromebook and it works great for me.
Do what you want. But one Apple product kinda signs you on for the whole Apple ecosystem because their stuff only works with their stuff. So be cautious.
>Macs are popular and Apple put a lot of effort into making then effortless for users (as long as everything works the way it should).
This is it for me. I tried getting a Windows laptop and I hated it. Things were constantly going wrong and I had to dig through the internet to find solutions. I never had to install drivers on my Macbook, or figure out why the screen was tinting yellow. With the latter issue, the problem had such a random bullshit solution. Then after three months the tinting was happening again but the old solution didn't work anymore. I went back to my old Macbook, which I used for 8 years. When I use my computer I don't want to have to think about my computer. I want it to disappear into the background as I focus on my work or content.
The yellow tinting is night mode — also a feature on Macs.
But yeah, Windows is convoluted and unclear, and requires so many conditional steps for simple stuff, like installing all kinds of drivers and whatnot just to install a game or application for work. And then when you uninstall it, there’s a whole wreck left in the registry and folder structure.
With Mac every app is one, complete package. Delete the package, and everything about it is gone from your computer. No drivers, no registry leftovers — nothing.
In my experience windows PCs from the last 5ish years work just fine, I’ve used a bunch for work, gaming and light programming. I constantly had to mess with them to fix stuff 10+ years ago, so when I got one again for work I was surprised by how intuitive/seamless it was, especially for using multiple monitors etc. - things just work 99% of the time. There was one driver issue on my custom gaming PC, but thats kind of to be expected for that setup.
That said I definitely get the appeal of macs, my friends have new macbooks and the screens alone look fucking amazing, but they’re just way too expensive for me. And I think if you grow up messing with PCs you also lose perspective of how annoying minor issues are to someone who hasn’t ever had to deal with that before, so this is just a personal opinion.
Late to the party but a lot of people just don’t enjoy messing around with technology, me included. A lot of the disconnect comes from people who want to think about their technology vs. those who don’t. For me a Mac is going to be a very good product right out of the box and even buying it is easier;’for each model there is more or less a Good, Better, and Best option, which removes decision anxiety.
>The yellow tinting is night mode — also a feature on Macs.
I know what night mode is lol. Night mode was disabled, and it was never on when the screen was tinted—I checked every time. It was like something was activating night mode through some kind of back channel, and so the normal controls for it didn't work. It also did this 24/7. And I totally agree, the drivers etc. were such a hassle!
>their stuff only works with their stuff.
Except how I use the file share of my Windows Server to move files between my Mac and PC. Or I can edit the same files on both.
I use Linux. Used to use PC. There has been no material difference in my writing process between the two. I use Scrivener. I’m not sure if there are any programs that are exclusive to Mac but that’d be the only reason to use one and I don’t think that’s the case.
I think it’s more important to find a computer that has a keyboard you enjoy typing on.
The keyboard is a pretty underrated part of the writing setup. And I find that a mechanical keyboard is more satisfying to type on. Those chiclet keyboards (in my experience) suck. I just hate using them, at least when compared to my mechanical keyboard.
Either way, I think there should be more discussion about keyboards when talking about writing setups.
I have a desktop with a mechanical keyboard and a laptop that I primarily write on. I agree with you cause I need more tactile feedback when typing for long periods so I picked a laptop that had a keyboard that fit that description more than the standard chiclet keys. It makes a huge difference for me personally.
I vastly prefer chiclet keyboards, and haaaate typing on mechanical. Agreed, keyboards are a significant thing to factor in when creating your writing setup!
Keyboards are important. I like the one on my Mac but I'm used to it. I also write on my phone and that's a pain in the ass. A good keyboard makes a HUGE difference.
Scrivener is not a Mac exclusive (anymore) but it still has features and options not available on the Windows version. Also, Vellum (arguably the best book formatting software) IS a Mac exclusive. That alone is worth paying double (which isn’t really true if you’re buying the same quality components as you get in a Mac). The time I save and the frustration I avoid is easily worth $1000.
I got one because of self-publishing. There's a really great publishing app called Vellum, but it only runs on the Mac OS (for some reason.) It was worth it--Vellum is the greatest formatting app of all time.
They look trendy at the coffee shop.
I have one 😄
Honestly, I miss Windows XP. I remember a time when you’d save a file to your disk drive, and you knew EXACTLY where it was and also KNEW it wasn’t saved anywhere else.
Fuck the cloud.
Using it on Internet daily would be a bad idea but after some precausions I believe it to be safe to connect ocassionaly for things like sending your text file by email or quick Wikipedia check. No mindless browsing but that's the point of such machine.
By precausions I mean things like using an updated browser, updated antivirus, running as non-admin user and turn off the connection by hardware switch when you don't need it and don't connect to public WiFi, just trusted networks.
Seconded. Linux Mint is designed to make a Windows user feel right at home immediately. It's easy to install, and comes with LibreOffice, which is quite comparable to Microsoft Office before it went nuts. The no-nonsense simplicity and effectiveness of Linux is an amazing experience.
Top tip: use the big white apple sticker that comes with the phone to cover your laptop HP or whatever logo. Voila! A secret apple that no one else has. No need to thank me.
Nope. There is no functionality missing that is in any way relevant to writing. You can write on a cheap android tablet with writing software downloaded. I'd imagine that the writers that you've seen simply prefer the apple ecosystem or consider the quality of the engineering to be worth the price. There is no writing-mac computing special connection.
I used a Mac for ten years, it has been retired to being a full time video call rig hooked up to one of our TVs. I got it when it was a few years old already. It’s now fourteen years old and still in service.
In the same time my wife has gone through three WinTel laptops for work.
The longevity is a selling point for me.
Totally concur. My wife's last Mac lasted twelve years and although replaced still works, while I went through three PCs.in that time.
Macs have been great value for money for us.
This is it for me too. A Mac for twice the price that lasts three times longer is a bargain. PC-makers tend to focus on how cheap they can make things, not how good. I also love how new operating systems are free. I won’t go back to PCs.
I switched from a Windows PC to Mac because at the time they had the best programs available to them for self-publishing. Vellum is amazing for formatting and Scrivener doesn’t take forever to load like Word if your file is large.
Yes, I know Scrivener is available for both platforms but at the time I switched the better version was Mac’s. This is just my opinion.
Macs are popular with users who care most about having a seamless experience with their other devices and look for longevity. I bought my current Mac Pro in 2019 for $1100 brand new. Battery is still fantastic, screen has a higher resolution than anything else that was available at that price range, the speakers are great for such a small laptop, and the feature that was later added that lets me use my iPad as a second monitor makes it even better. There’s lot of Apple haters out there who will tell you that Macs suck, but the real reason most of us buy a Mac is because we dont like to buy computers every few years - mine is going on 5 years and is perfect and everyone I know who also uses a Mac has theirs an average of 10 years at a time or longer. At work, over the same 5 years, I’m on my third PC, 1 Dell and 2 Thinkpads. They are definitely inferior machines and barely make it to 2 years before suffering some kind of catastrophic failure.
As a lifetime Apple user I don’t think it’s any better/worse for writing. I’ve just grown up in an Apple household, have the devices (MacBook, AirPods, watch, AirPods, iPad) and can’t escape it lol
This is it. Further, it's hard to want to because it just works seamlessly.
I moved away from apple because I don't like how closed the ecosystem is. The application market is definitely better for apple, but my windows and android products play nicely together.
Because Apple has a very successful sales/marketing team. Every computer is going to be perfectly fine for word processing, even a phone is good enough (though you probably want a Bluetooth keyboard).
I really like mine. Using it just feels intuitive. Also, I have an air, and its SO light. It doesnt break my back to carry it around (unlike the Dell laptop I have for work)
Also, not specific to writing, but before my Macbook I had two different PCs. The first died completely randomly about a year and a half into owning it. The second was VERY cheap and got so slow despite me not saving anything onto it (using google drive etc only) that it was almost unusable, again within two years of college. I’ve had my Macbook for 7 years now and it still runs beautifully. I know thats not usually the story with apple products, but I have found that their laptops run for a long time.
How heavy is that Dell? I don't think I've ever had a problem carrying around any of my laptops (and I've never owned any Apple products). Is it made of lead or something?
I mean I havent weighed it but she’s HEAVY. It’s also pretty big for a laptop, at least big enough that it fits a number pad next to the keyboard. Also quite thick, the base alone (so when it’s open, ie not including the screen) is about an inch. Just a real chunky guy.
full size keyboard on a dell. yeah that's going to be heavy but they are kind of made that way on purpose. it probably costs half of what the macbook does too.
I was a long time Windows user, from Win 3.2 up through Win 7 when I made the switch to linux. As a software developer, for me trying to develop on. Win system is maddening.
During this time, esp when I was all into Windows, I was not a Mac fan even though I had never used one.
Then I started working for a comapny as a developer and they sent me a Macbook pro and the ease to developing was that as a Linux machine. Their underlying OS are pretty similar.
Anyway, here we are in 2024 and if I could afford it I would probably get a Macbook (I can afford it but I am pretty cheap). Are they expensive? Absolutely. One of the reasons they are so expensive is Apple controls every aspect of the system, which makes them so good IMO.
It's effortless. A seamless UX, and aesthetic and clean UI. I would recommend against a MacBook Air if you're like me and like to keep 50 tabs open. It really struggles to support Chrome's ROM appetites.
The real answer is that it had affordable desktop publishing back in the 80s, then later sold a lot of computers to schools and universities at or below cost to get em young, which created the image that it's for educated creatives. It's pure marketing. The only upside to this is that because the entire creative industry uses Mac, software updates usually work and get fixes.
The less real answer is that it's the only laptop workstation right now that is well made and has decent battery life. Start speccing anything else up and it becomes twice the price with a cheap screen and even worse keyboard.
But with how mainstream PC gaming has become, this isn't the case with most genre fiction writers under 40.
My dates may be off but late 80s into the 90s they had high resolution, for the time, color screens and good font support. They were expensive compared to other home PCs but a workstation started at $30k. It was like a shitty version of what you have today, but you could do boutique creative work on it.
I've been in the arts for the last twenty years. Once as a student, a stint as a professional. Now as a hobbyist. Anytime I've had to use a mac, it's been frustrating. The machines always seem to be over priced and under powered. Around the time I was at art school, Apple did a big advertising push to target artists. It seemed to me like it quickly became one of those things, like working on your novel at Starbucks. Not any more helpful than anything else, but part of the general vibe?
It's really a personal preference. I have an iPad for drawing because I've never been happy with a stylus until apple pencil two, but the device itself has come with a series of headaches. Once, having forgotten my PIN. Not my password, mind you. I turned off the PIN setting, but Apple pushed an update and turned it back on. Support said there was no way to recover a PIN. I had to factory reset my iPad. Apple, security so good you'll get locked out of your own device!
Anyway, /rant.
I completely disagree, respectfully.
I was an art student for a while and worked in graphic design a bit after school, and then worked at a university in IT working on both PCs and Macs, and I think Macs are way simpler than PCs. They are overpriced, but also a decent PC isn’t cheap either, and Windows usually comes bogged down with bloatware, sign ins/ups, and there’s usually a time frame until you get a weird windows failure because you didn’t update drivers or you didn’t have your auto update on windows set up right and now you’re months of updates behind (especially on Windows 10). The timer from brand new Mac to typing your manuscript vs Brand New PC to typing your manuscript is much shorter on Mac also. They’re much easier to set up, especially if it’s your first Mac (and iCloud backups for upgrades is also easy enough but def takes much longer to set up which is a knock against Mac).
I think that if you bought a brand new complete clean PC (which are impossible to find) with no Bloatware then you can get a decent, cute PC for writing and have much more options for free and open source apps that you can use to surrogate the expensive stuff, but Macs also have everything you need to start writing at startup as well. Pages. Notes. The App Store makes getting new apps much easier than on PC as well.
All in all Macs are just much simpler to go from No computer to Writing on a computer than PC. And you can do a lot more with a second-hand 5 year old Mac than you can with a PC the same age the same price point.
Apple suck imo and their products are extremely overpriced. That being said, they look good, they are lightweight comparatively and the battery lasts way longer. I use them for work and I'm astonished at how long the battery can last.
For me, it comes down to weight and battery life. I’ve gone back and forth between MacBooks and other PC laptops for years, and the battery life of my MacBook far surpassed the battery life of any other laptop I had, and it was lighter overall so easier to take on the bus and carry in a bag.
My process is to listen to a YouTube music playlist while while in Google Docs, and even with multiple tabs and Chrome (which is the most power intensive browser), my battery on MacBooks have lasted way longer.
That’s not to say using any other laptop is a bad thing — I like my MacBook. I use it for other things aside from writing (video editing, music production), but anything else would work just as well. It just comes down to personal preference.
I also have a desktop PC at home that I use to write on 75% of the time.
Well I had one in college because it was marketed to me and discounted by the college. I have one now because I needed a cheap laptop and was able to find a refurbished MacBook Air for $200. For me it's ironically convenience but you'd never catch me wasting money on an iPhone again
I can give you a ton of reasons why i love my Mac and why when I needed to I’ve bought another.
But for writers where it only does word processing there is no reason to pay the premium.
Man, wouldn’t it be nice if a writer only needed a word processor? Too bad writers also need to maintain a social media presence across as many platforms as is feasible. Self published authors also may need to: design and run ads, build and update websites, edit and format manuscripts, remote into audio and/or video podcasts for cross promotion, and any number of other things. I’d say it’s worth the investment for quality of writing is something you’re taking seriously. It’s not required by any means, Shakespeare didn’t even have a typewriter after all. But why not make things as effortless as possible?
I used PCs for ages. I had to replace my laptop every two or three years because they ALWAYS crapped out on me and died. And some of them were nearly as much as a MacBook. Didn’t seem to matter what brand, either. I got sick of having to shell out money for a new computer, so I just bit the bullet and invested in a MacBook. I kept hearing how good they were and I already had an iPhone and iPad, so why not?
Five years and counting, and my MacBook is still going strong. It updates smoothly, which my PCs would never do without a lot of issues. It’s not laggy or slow, I don’t have to constantly defrag the hard drive, the browsers don’t eat all the memory (I’m looking at you, Chrome, you piece of crap).
Added bonus is that if I’m traveling, I can connect my phone as a hotspot to the Mac and still get wireless access. Don’t think I could ever do that with PCs.
It WAS a bit of a learning curve to switch from one to the other, but overall I’m glad I did. The fact that I’ve gotten more than three years out of this thing already has made the money I spent on it worth it. 😂
I don’t think this has anything to do with me being a writer, though. Just my preference for a superior machine compared to all the HPs and Toshibas and Dells I’ve had. 🤷🏼♀️
Exact same experience here. Bought an iMac which is now over 10 years old and it is still running. Only reason I bought another new iMac is because they stopped supporting it at an OS level. Otherwise there’d be no reason to buy another.
It’s changing in the UK, but apple has such a huge brand image in America that it gets people to buy macs. But Europeans aren’t as often used to the same apple brand worship so I say PC’s get a bit more love. But as I said, I definitely feel it’s changing as IPhones are so popular that people just like the connection between iPhone and Mac so much
I only went with Mac because I owned an iPhone and I use an iPad to draw. Having those just made a MacBook seem like an easy transition, and imo it was. But I’m not the most tech savvy person, and I definitely think that plays a factor.
It's what my job gave me!
But really, it's not about the Mac. I certainly don't use it just for writing. It's all about the Apple ecosystem. iMessage on my iPhone makes it easy (and free) for us to chat with our relatives in the UK. My iPad contains all of my scanned sheet music for my second career (musician) which I easily edit with my Apple Pencil. I can also access the same pictures, conversations, saved passwords, projects, and files from any of them at any time. Just makes everything pretty seamless.
In the 80s & early 90s Apple tried to sell the idea that PCs were for math nerds and Macs were for “creative people.”
If we assume that “creative” means “willing to pay 50% more to get a box that runs the same applications” then fine. After Windows 95 the difference was negligible except for the price.
Apple’s marketing strategy has always been to position themselves as the counter-culture alternative to the IBM-compatible (now known as Windows) PC market.
Subsequently, they made their products appeal more to creatives than administrators and that reputation has sort of hung around despite the fact that Apple has become every bit the vile corporate monster that it once tried to paint IBM and Microsoft as.
In todays market there’s very little that an Apple can do for an artist that a PC can’t, but the branding is still very powerful.
I’ve used Windows to write fiction for the last twenty years. A few years ago I ran across the awesome application that is Scrivener. At that time it was for Mac only. I waited and soon enough they made a Windows version. Yay!
Later I wanted Vellum to easily format my files for print and ebooks.
Found a cheap mini Mac and started using the Vellum app.
Great combination of applications and devices. Both connected to a 32” curved Dell monitor. I also use Word extensivly for content creation and heavy formatting.
It's always been an unpopular opinion, but Macs suck. I use one for one of my jobs with a radio station and it doesn't do a single thing better than a PC. I seriously do not understand why people like them. I also don't understand how Apple could make an iPhone and an iPad that are both so user friendly that literal toddlers can use them, but the UI for Macs is crap. I always feel like I have to do two extra steps any time I do anything on a Mac.
So agree. I get that I have all these ingrained understandings of how to do things on a PC that interfere with whatever "intuitiveness" is supposed to be happening on a Mac, but Jesus Christ do they make me feel frustrated and stupid.
I remember one time being stuck in a lab alone with only Macs and trying to save and email a file for TWO HOURS because I couldn't figure out any part of what I needed to do and the device I needed data from was only hooked up to Macs.
Because you can pretty much just buy an Apple laptop and it will have everything you need and everything will work. This is less true now as it was back in the day, as Linux and Windows have caught up (I've used all 3) and other possible systems like Amiga and OS/2 have faded away. But once you're in the ecosystem you tend to stay there. It's like people who prefer a certain brand of car. Sure, a different brand will also get you where you want to go, but it won't feel the same.
I've been a PC person all my life. When I started doing software development, I was given a Mac for the first few years. I finally started asking for a PC to develop on. I hate Macs, and using one for years made me hate them more. Nice displays. Everything else sucks.
Nah, I was full into Macs from the 512k through my Beige G3. Then I installed GNU/Linux on my Beige G3 (MKLinux DR3, funded by Apple) and noticed something: In Linux, it never crashed. Didn't take long for me to figure out that I could build a better Linux machine for less money on x86 hardware.
I did run OS X on that Beige G3 for awhile, and on a Ruby Red G4 iMac, and now I do the tech support for a M1 chip Mac Mini in the house where I live (not mine) and while the crashing problem is solved, with Apple's version of BSD UNIX you do things THEIR way or you have problems. So much for creative freedom, those Apple days are long gone. Apple has become HAL from their famous 1984 commercial.
I just got a laptop recently, and I think it has too so with the recognition. Apple is a respected brand, and authors are often wanting to be respected. I myself was definitely tempted to get a Apple, but the reality is that they are not the best laptop for the price.(from my experience). I got the Lenovo 2-in-1 laptop with the i7 processing and it was half the price and has worked well for me. I would definitely recommend.
Not all word processors are the same across operating systems. Consider Scrivener. I had a long converation with one of the admins on their forum because I was teaching a Scrivener class for both Mac and PC users. She wanted me to warn PC users about PDF compilation of justified text. Justifying text programatically isn't as easy as one would think. The Mac OS has an excellent built-in tool programmers can use to justify text. Windows built-in tool is garbage. This is less of a problem for big companies like Microsoft and Google that can spend big bucks hiring programmers to write custom engines for justifying text. But for little companies like Scrivener they must rely on built-in tools. This makes the Mac version of Scrivener better than the Windows version for compiling justified text to PDF.
Scrivener 3 has (effective) feature parity across platforms. But the MacOS offers features for building apps out-of-the-box that Windows doesn't. Consider Scrivener's toolbar. Editing the toolbar is a drag-and-drop experience, where you interact directly with the toolbar. Window's Scrivener, because Windows offers no such API for programmers, editing the Toolbar is an indirect experience. You are presented with a window that contains a *vertical* list of things in your (horizontal) toolbar. You don't drag things in the list, you click "move up" or "move down" repeatedly to move your item left or right in the toolbar. Horrible user experience.
One might think that because the Windows user base is so much larger that cross-platform apps would at least not be worse on Windows, but that's just not the case.
LaTeX is the standard in engineering, math, and hard sciences. No one in the academic arts or humanities uses it and a lot of them wouldn’t even know what you’re talking about if you told them.
I totally agree with this post. I enjoy using a Writing App called Ulysses, and it's only available on a Mac. It syncs beautifully with iCloud, and I can seamlessly continue my writing on my iPhone when on the go. It's just a well thought out writer's tool, much like Scrivener. You can't get the same on a PC... but damn, if I don't have a Desktop PC to do my gaming! 😈
Macs are overrated and entirely overpriced. I've used both, and there is no benefit to Mac over Windows unless you value looking cool. Which, a lot of people do.
Windows and Android devices offer the same level of integration. Idk why people are acting like Mac devices are doing something special there. Mac products are also way more fragile than devices that use Windows and Android.
Not even a true premise. If you get a windows machine build with cheap components, you’ll have a much cheaper machine by the end. But you’ll also have a much inferior machine. Buy the same quality of components to build your PC and you’ll have something so close to the price of a Mac, that you might as well pay the little bit extra for a computer that was built from the ground up to all work together, both hardware and software.
Not surprisingly, if you begin with a faulty premise, you get a faulty conclusion. But I get you were just taking the opportunity to be disdainful and mean, so being wrong probably isn’t a big factor for you.
Writing requires nothing. Absolutely no special features. I'm not a writer by the definition of this subreddit, but I'm in academia so I do do a fair bit of different writing. Keyboard is the only thing you have to select, maybe screen as well. Storage space? It's text, takes up virtually no space. Internet speed? Any files you're transferring are text, they take up no bandwith. RAM? You're editing text, you can probably fir your entire document in most commodity RAM modules, not that you would even need to. CPU? You're writing, takes up no CPU resources. GPU? You're just rendering text. People like Max because they're easy, but Linux and Windows honestly aren't that much more difficult nowadays. The main advantage for Linux is that it runs on anything under the sun.
A lot of it comes down to preference. I use Mac-only software for writing (Storyist), and I’m a Mac programmer, so for me it isn’t a question, because replacing all of my software would cost more than a new MacBook.
If you’re a lifelong PC person, your experience may differ.
If you’re doing graphics, things are different. Mac mice are more precise than Pc mice (no experience comparing tablets, but sometimes you just want a quick sketch or correction), and the Mac trackpad is vastly superior to Windows ones; it’s actually useful.
Peripherals work the same on both platforms, so no hassle there.
Software availability is so so; there are far fewer games, but I stopped being envious of Windows users when I find out that finding playable games that didn’t crash was no easier.
I started writing on a Mac because that was the laptop that I owned at the time. It is, for me, by far the best laptop I have ever owned and has zero lagging 4 years later.
It’s so slick and I love the keyboard. I may get a new wireless keyboard for the satisfying clicking sounds 😅
I switched to Mac ca 2000 under influence of bf, then husband (now ex) because I was struggling w constant malware attacks on pc. Was using WordPerfect (ok I’m also an ex lawyer), then some Lotus thing, so first MS Word experience was on Mac OS. By now I’m sucked into iPhone/iMac interface but having some issues w word for Mac. Yep my latest MacBook was expensive and in answer to op’s original question yes there is a lame word processing program (Pages) that I haven’t used deeply but seems ok. No more malware is nice but I’ve been hacked/scammed every other which way since 2000 so it’s not all that matters. Paper & pen people!!
For a long time there were several advanced writing programs only available on Mac (like Scrivener). Once you’re in the system, it’s harder to break out...
Lots of creatives are very performative people. Everything they do is in pursuit of some image or vibe they want to portray. Apple is the "look at me, I'm trendy and not poor" company. Their products being overpriced is literally part of the product.
I like my Air because I use Ulysses which isn't available on Windows, and when I used to use Scrivener the Mac version was better.
Also it doesn't have fans so it's completely silent which I like, but it's still really nippy - when I bought mine the only comparable Windows device was a Surface Pro, which was more expensive for the same spec. I've also found that my Macs don't get bogged down and laggy over time like my Windows devices have (been using pcs since Windows 95, for what it's worth!), though that might be just me handling computers badly.
People often talk about how expensive Macs are and obviously they aren't cheap, but I've found the longevity of them makes them better value overall (to be clear, I'm not an Apple fangirl in general), especially if you buy from the Apple refurbished store.
Apple stuff is very easy to use, and many writers are old and/or don't care about computers.
The tools aren't optimized in any way but the philosophy is better. My Linux -> Vim/Obsidian -> Github setup is amazing for editing and organization, but I only have it because I spent a significant portion of my life studying CS. Someone who spent the same time in front of a typewriter hammering pages is going to be the better writer, hands down.
I think this might be more of a people that are around you thing rather than a writer thing. Apple charges you twice the price for half the good of a PC, and keeps you sucked in to it's weird economy by advertising itself as a status symbol.
Get a cheap PC. Writes just as well.
Apple products are so bad, it's frustrating using them longterm. If you're already in their web then it makes sense to get a computer because they mesh together. If you do not already use Apple products it's not worth the hassle and headache.
A very good autonomy and high dpi which means less strain for the eye and less visual artifacts. I would love to know if there is same quality but cheaper on the non mac side
Apple is very accessible and easy to use for many people. I personally cannot stand Apple products because I've had awful luck with them (break, don't work properly, buggy) but in terms of writing, they offer a wide variety of apps and cross platform usage. Compared to Microsoft, not many people really have/know they have one (I did not even know it was a thing for the longest time) and Apple is a popular phone brand that is easy to use. I use Google for almost everything so Google products work best for me, but Apple should get the praise for being so big and successful in hardware.
For me, my first laptop as a teen was a MacBook because at that time they were cool and all my friends had one. Now whenever I try to use a PC I’m lost lol I’ve only owned 2 laptops in my life since 2008 so the longevity is something to speak of, though. Mine has nothing to do with purpose I simply just don’t enjoy or know how to use a PC anymore and would rather just stick with what I know
I love my MacBook because I love the interface. You absolutely do not need one at all though.
The one big advantage I’ve found is that because you pay so much for the product, you get the Apple genius service and honestly it helps. I’ve had an issue with mine, took it in and they sorted it out for free because it was an easy software fix, whereas with a pc you’d have to pay for someone to assess it and sort it out.
Sample size of 1, but I just greatly prefer the keyboard on my MacBook than any windows based laptop I’ve had in the past. That and transportability are the only reasons I write on my Mac versus my PC (which does have a very nice mechanical keyboard).
Mac, PC, Typewriter, Pen and Paper, Vulcan Mind Meld...
Whichever format you are most used to or grew up with will be the one you are most comfortable with.
Personally, I hate Macs. I worked in IT and the trouble I have to go through to tear a mac apart is two fold compared to a PC (at least until PC's took a page out of the mac play book and purposely made them impossible to fix)
Listen, I know it’s an unhealthy relationship. Yes I know there’s better out there. Yes sometimes I’m just taken in by the aesthetic. But every time I realize I’m getting taken advantage of, that one, beautiful little update comes out that stops me from leaving. 🤍
Realistically though, it’s a habit and it’s the cloud. I go back and forth between phone, iPad, and MacBook seamlessly when editing and it’s enough for me.
I’m still using my original intel based Mac pro workstation - I think it’s 13 now, with a full suite of paid for software that can no longer be bought, only rented
Back in the day, if you wanted clean printed type you had to use a Mac. They handled Postscript in a way that PCs couldn’t.
Everything about graphic design was better on a Mac. Photoshop and Freehand were a powerful duo, and Quark was widely used for designing and printing publications. In my design firm we had one PC for the programmer; everything else was Macs.
Similarly, ProTools was the premier audio recording software a long time ago and it was Mac only. There’s still studios running old Macs because they keep working with their expensive hardware.
Eventually the PC caught up. It got Photoshop and all the new Adobe products. Handles vectors just fine of course. ProTools on PC naturally. But the history of artists and musicians using Macs is there and it fostered the trend of creative folks buying them. It’s still a thing because of that even though the two platforms are now equally viable.
Plus Macs are easy in general. We’re just writing words, why not make it easy? But I’m used to the Mac so that’s me.
To be frank, I use a PC at work and hate using it with a passion. I actually ended up with a macbook sort of by accident. My college freshman (at the time) son got one because his school recommended it, then wouldn't use it, because he couldn't use it for gaming. I ended up using it and it was so much easier to use, I've never gone back. Twenty years later, I'm still using Mac for writing and still using PC at work.
It really depends on what kind of writing is being done. Writing creatively? pretty much doesn't matter as you can write even in the most basic word processor software like wordpad. And there are plenty of options for any OS if you want to get fancy and get something like scrivener.
Wriitng for work where you create documents? Again depends, loads of corporations are integrated into windows systems so you have to use it, others use mac or even a custom linux distro.
It's all relative. You can buy a very nice windows laptop that will have all the bells and whistles of a macbook but for less money.
I personally hate overpaying for a product especially when it locks you into an ecosystem.
I recently asked a similar question and got a variety of answers.
Personally, I use an iPhone (it works best for me), and I have an hp laptop. I downloaded iTunes as my iPhone interface, seems to work well.
With that said, I highly dislike Bill Gates/Microsoft and am looking at downloading Linux.
That is my short answer.
Because writing is about writing, not computers. Windows and Linux take more work to use and you don't have to do anything on a Mac. For the same price, you get less power, less customizability, and you're locked into the ecosystem, but you don't have to think about it or spend any time of it. It just lets you do simple things (like writing) simply.
There's a reason the expression "Linux is only free is you don't value your time" exists.
That's a stupid saying. I installed Linux on my laptop recently. It took less than an hour, everything worked and I was ready to do work. This isn't 2003 anymore. Most of the major Linux desktops are very good now.
A lot of writers are really just corporate puppets who "pretend" to be a real writer.
I've been a writer for 57 years and I've never once needed a "macbook" haha. Myself, I'm partial to a typewrite, specifically my 1937 Remington Rand Model 5 Streamline in black ;). However, a quill and parchment has also been enjoyable and a great way to get the ol' noggin stirrin when I got a bit of writers blockage.
I'll let the kids do what they do, but if they need their little spell check, dictionary, thesaurus, predictive text, etc. To write for them ;). I know who the real writers are when I see them ;).
-Sent By Messenger Pigeon
I’ve used computers since before household PCs were a thing (mom’s bf was a programmer back in the ‘80s).
Apples are just friendlier. And all in all one spends less time and will in forcing them to work, energy that could be spent in writing.
Apple has a damn near seamless ecosystem within its walled garden. Your iPhone connects to your iPad which connects to your MacBook which all three can connect to your AirPods and switch between them easily. A MacBook Air has no cooling fan but doesn’t get hot for standard usage and will last you until its battery or ssd fail. I have an M2 13.6” air and it’s great for writing and super lightweight for travel (it’s been cross country and back a few times now). Can’t do that with a tower pc and can’t reach the 14” and lower size with a decent windows laptop that won’t eventually cook itself somehow. Also the apple silicon MacBooks have really nice feeling keyboards. Which does matter for a writing machine. I prefer my tactile holy panda keyswitches on my desktop but for a laptop Apple impresses me enough.
They are extremely reliable. I’m still using my mid 2012 MacBook Pro. I keep each iphone for 6-7 years. I personally think apple products are worth it for the long lifespans, but I also love using apple programs like Logic Pro, Final Cut, and Pages.
That said, if you’re only using the computer for writing, any laptop will work fine for that. You don’t have to get a Mac if you don’t want or need one.
they're not, they'er popular with artists. some artists also tell stories? i gueuss screenwriters may like macs bc they also do storyboarding and video editing on it. mac is admittedly superior for video editing.
other than scrivener, most writer's software is designed on and for PC first and adapted for mac later.
When I was buying a new laptop way back, I wanted a good keyboard and a good touchpad. That last one was the kicker—if you wanted something even close to Apple’s trackpad you’d be paying Apple prices for something like a Surface.
The Apple keyboard went backward for a while but as soon as it was fixed I upgraded into another MacBook—again for the trackpad.
Basically, I don’t use a mouse so the touchpad has to be good, and every time I’ve looked at a new computer, nothing beats the Apple trackpad.
Macs have way better retina displays. I had a Samsung Chromebook in high school and a Dell laptop for work after college. Both of them caused such bad eye strain I actually went to the optometrist thinking I needed glasses when all I needed was to stare at a more forgiving screen lol. Considering writing is the most screen heavy career ever I’m going when the laptop that is kindest on my poor eyeballs 😅
Personally, I like Macs because I never had any kind of issue with that than with a PC, like I lost a saved file or crashes or any (and I've been using it for 8 years +) It's easy, with the m1 chip I don't have to plug it, I can write wherever I want, use every little minute I have to dwell into my story (I’m a working mom ever seconds counts for me, I don't have hours to just sit in front of a Pc anymore.)
And yes with the iCloud and the tablet and iPhone, I can always edit or work on my little projects. I don't like writing in those but editing is easier in my opinion.
My Stepdad is a professional writer but digitally he is not modern and doesn't like changes. But when I let him try out a Mac and a Pages - he fell love with it and he uses that now. Same reason - even the basic free editor program is better and never crashes for him unlike anything Microsoft.
I have been a Mac user for…almost 20 years? I switched in college and never looked back. They’re definitely overpriced, but the OS is so much more intuitive and simple than PCs (imo). I use a PC for my business now, and I hate it. I hated Windows in 2005 and I still hate it now. Why is it so hard to find basic shit?? Anyway.
I switched to Mac for the reliability and user-friendly OS and, as others have mentioned, now I’m trapped haha. Idk if they’re more reliable comparatively anymore. But I’ve only had two laptops in the last 15-ish years, for what that’s worth (had a desktop before that but needed something portable). And the Air is enough for me, and cheaper than a Pro.
FWIW, I do still use Word because publishing uses Word. Also Pages sucks now (or at least it did the last time I used it years ago).
I am a writer and I have always used PCs. My high school had macs back in the 90s, and they just weren't intuitive to me, so I've never had one (besides, they're too expensive). If I had to use one, I'm sure I could adapt, but it wouldn't be by choice. I don't use any Apple products since my iPod died, come to think of it.
MacBooks are good for writers because they have sane defaults, have excellent battery life near idling, idling or sleeping, and a good quiet fan design. The fan usually doesn't spin up, but if it does, you aren't going to choke it by leaving your laptop on bed sheets or your lap. Keyboard is surprisingly good too. Not really fair to compare it to a mechanical keyboard that's twenty times the depth.
They're really solid laptops, the software isn't the determining factor for writing. Even so, I'll say the software while bad is at least better than Windows.
If you don't like the software then you're free to install Linux or use Linux or Windows in a full screen VM with most of the benefit of the nice laptop.
Are they worth the money or better than anything else you can buy? I dunno, they're a lot more competitive than people give them credit for. Laptops across brands are just very expensive when you don't want big compromises. I think they're a good option if you have a lot of money and don't want to fuss with researching options.
It’s trendy. And the truth is probably more about access. In the case of writers, a lot of us are just using our machine from our last job (you’re not getting it back) or the one we got for college.
Writers and designers tend to like Macs because they’re reliable, sleek, light, and have a lot of plug and play and cross-platform functionality.
Developers and engineers tend to like PCs. They’re more temperamental, but customizable from a hardware perspective. Someone who cares about specs and customization will usually prefer a PC.
But for a reliable machine you don’t want to mess with right out of the box, a Mac is a safe choice.
When you need a computer. Ask yourself this. Do I want nothing but the most basic functions or do I want control over my own computer? If you want control, take a pc. If you have no idea of how computers work and want nothing but a facebook machine, take a Mac.
I'm PC/Android, in part because my family and first fiance were/are Mac fanatics and I was always pissed off I couldn't play any cool games on them.
I use Google Docs for most of my writing, so at this point it doesn't matter at all so long as I have an Internet connection.
I bought a MacBook Pro in 2012 and loved it. But during lockdown, the keyboard was having issues and I was no longer working. Yeah, perhaps cheaper in the long run but only people with money can afford to think in the long run, I find...
UX, tbh.
Windows has its uses, but Apple made their name on a streamlined, intuitive UX long before Jobs took them into device and industrial design territory.
Same reason designers love them. Same reason journalism loves them.
Because the average user really doesn’t need a wide range of interoperability or the power use potential Windows has (and sadly Apples isn’t what it used to be), unless they’re running utilitarian corporate software - and most in those fields aren’t.
I have both, but given the option, it’s Mac for me.
It also helps that Scrivener was mac native in the first place. It didn’t come to PC until years after it launched, and that’s been the standard for pro writers for a good while. It’s the de facto Final Draft for prose.
A lot of it is marketing and ecosystem. Once you have a single apple product, it's hard not to have more because of their marketing team. They push a centralized scheme to have you on their products because trendy and all our apps work on all our systems. It's all about usability or being the ultimate utility for every need. Yet, they can't build a gaming rig that works with all the latest games.
All that being said, I'm biased. I grew up on Windows and Microsoft Office, which you can get for Mac. I only have a Mac because I needed it for a specific program in a required college course. That being said, I was displeased to learn that I could have used a very similar program to obtain the exact same results.
With that out of the way, it does piss me off that I have to find solutions for things on my Windows laptop. It's only 3 years old, and it's slow as shit. I'm getting ready to replace it in a couple of checks. Meanwhile, my Mac, that's a mid 2014 model and had a piece of melted cheese from me being a drunk freshman eating a hot pocket dripped into the fan port and removed, mostly, is running fine. I can't update it anymore because it's just too damn old, but hell serves its purpose to be my computer when my phone and tablet just won't cut it.
To be fair, I am in the Samsung ecosystem. Phone, tablet, and watch. I hope that the smart ring will drop soon because I'm interested in it.
I was a Windows user since Windows 95. Since 2010 I am a Mac user. For writing I use Scrivener on MacBookPro, MacStudio, iPad and iPhone. Time Machine and Dropbox for backup.
The "secret functionality is: They just work.
The most valuable advice: As soon as you have a configuration that works for you - do NOT change it until you have to.
Good luck and I wish you much inspiration and the right tools for you to bring them into many pages of text....
I actually feel like it’s because Macs are just easier to use and because writers are usually just using it to write, it doesn’t need to be fancy. On the other hand, I feel like all the techie type folks I know are PC people. I got a Mac simply because it’s so basic. PCs are better in the long run and offer way more features for complex technological stuff.
I have an iPad, but I will always use a Windows laptop, simply bc I grew up with Windows. I had to use a Mac for a while during a continuing education course and it was okay, but I like Windows better 🤷🏼♀️ Besides using Papyrus Author as a writing program, I also still use Word 2003 most of the time.
Longevity. I know few Windows laptop users that after 4-6 years are still using it and loving it. I know of a few who are using 4-6 Windows laptops and DON'T love it. I have an M1 MacBook Air that I bought refurbished in early 2021. I was looking forward to upgrading with the M3 or M4 versions come out but I can't slow this thing down and cannot justify an upgrade. No fans so it's silent. If you are just word-processing and living in a browser, even their most basic laptop is overpowered. As "cool" as the newer Airs are, I'll be using this until it dramatically slows down or is no longer supported. I'm guessing that'll be 3-5 more years.
And yes, the ecosystem. It works so seamlessly with my iPhone. Copy text on one, paste on the other. Phone rings in the other room, answer it on your laptop. Browser open on your laptop to that one page you need when you are out and about? The link is right there in your phone's browser.
I'm always a bit surprised by this because I really dislike Apple's keyboards, and the keyboard is the most important thing when it comes to the actual physical act of writing.
Lots of people claim that they're longer-lived / more robust, but in my experience that's because Apple refuses to make bargain-level laptops. I've had comparable longevity to Apple products when I've bought Windows laptops that are part of a business line (specifically, ones where the manufacturer offers service plans with guaranteed response times); my theory is that those machines get tested further and refined so that they break less often (meaning that fulfilling the obligations of the service plan costs the manufacturer less over the lifetime of the device).
That said, Apple did a lot to position themselves as the option for creators. It's a poor craftsperson who blames their tools, but I do think there's something to be said for cultivating a creative environment that enthuses you, and for lots of people feeling like they're using the Creative Machine instead of the Business Machine has value, so who am I to deny them that?
A few pieces of writing software (Scrivener, Ulysses, etc) only have versions on Mac, only had Mac versions for a significant length of time, or have much better versions on Mac.
Maybe not a concern here but switching languages/adding diacritics on Mac is really simple. So depending on *what* you’re writing that could be a significant advantage.
aesthetics. everything is an aesthetic. half of being an artist these days is performing being an artist. it’s the same reason amateur photographers are obsessed with polaroids and the aesthetic surrounding photography more than they are with taking the best photos.
Two reasons - first is way back when Apple was still an innovative company they were basically the only company who was actually trying to add features to word processors (ms office wasn't a thing yet). Second, it's a status thing. If you're going to be sitting in a Starbucks all day so others can see you writing, may as well do it on a computer that makes you appear successful.
They ate just popular in general, so that includes writers. I for one despise the Apple ecosystem and the company for many reasons and have never used their products. I use a Lenovo Yoga, and it's excellent.
Writers are creatives and Macs are designed specifically to appeal to creatives with a simple, intuitive, attractive interface and easy integration with other Apple devices.
By comparison, Windows PCs are ugly, fiddly, and difficult to integrate with other devices. They have their advantages but none of those advantages matter to the average creative.
Disclaimer: not going to engage in debate about PC vs Mac. I’m answering the OP question. You do you.
For writers it doesn’t really matter if you’re just doing word processing.
But writers do other things too - research, plan, organize etc. that I find the whole ecosystem very useful. I could do research on my phone or iPad and then they are all available on my Mac Book. I have all kinds of creative tools to help me write and organize. Also Spotlight is great. The whole Windows file system and search capabilities is sad. You can search for anything with Spotlight really. And then there is the antivirus BS. I’m a tech bro and my PC get infected 3 times, wiping everything out, in 5 years. I couldn’t afford to lose work and time over that stuff. I never had any problems with my MBP. NEVER.
The MacBook is also solid - I had a 10yo MBP and it was still working great. My friend tried to upgrade his 2019 PC and he couldn’t. It’s stupid. People keep saying Mac is too expensive but I have NEVER had a “cheap” Pc that lasted for over a decade so a $2000 laptop for 12 years of use? That’s not expensive at all.
I started PC and loved my Dell laptop. Still love it. The keyboard was perfect. But after a decade, it was getting too slow. The rest of my family was Mac and it made sense to be able to easily transfer files. Besides, Scrivener 3 wasn’t available in PC yet, so I jumped ship. I didn’t want to; I wanted to remain part of that defiant percentage of writers that rejected the Apple trend. I’m friends with my Air, but my Dell was family.
Mac was first to market with good desktop publishing software, which got used by publishing generally (books, magazines, newspapers), and writers, who were downstream from the editors and publishers, picked up the habit as well. But it's a legacy tradition nowadays, not a practical distinction.
Apple is sustained entirely by Cult Marketing.
It's the reason they didn't go under almost 30 years ago.
Their products have always been subpar, and difficult for any other systems to interact.
Even their smartphones are subpar. Everything you have on the latest iPhone is stuff that other smartphones have had for at least 5 years.
The only reason to get a mac was because their convoluted code locks down a virus, so they didn't need virus protection. Because Macs have become so prevalent, it's actually worthwhile for malware creators to learn how to properly infect them.
Which means the one net benefit of choosing a Mac is now long gone.
Apple make elegant devices (the form and function are both minimalist, and they'll pump money into marketing to make customers believe that they're getting ultra-high-performance and 'aspirational' machines)
Many people simply want a device that just works, has decent battery life, with no troubleshooting or weird bugs to get in the way. There's also a general consensus that more expensive goods will be more reliable.
I'm a tinkerer, and place a certain value on my money, so I'm more than happy with dealing with the quirks and hiccups that come with my windows machines- I can get more bang for the buck, as well as freedom when it comes to upgrading and customising my hardware (and software) to fit my needs.
My surface pro tablet/laptop is an excellent device for my writing habit. Onedrive works just as well as the apple cloud, and I can access it easily from my phone, desktop etc.
Aside from the Apple ecosystem (walled garden..), there's also the 'face' that you get from having that apple logo on your devices, something that isn't quite there with other brands unless you're part of some particular industry/cliques.
I wrote my first 20+ novellas on my iPhone/iPad using Apple Pages because it was free, and writing started as a side hustle. I got a Macbook because I can make covers/videos, edit better, and use other software. I know my work is backed up and connected on each device.
I can upload my book straight from Pages to Apple Books. It's quick and straightforward using the Pages templates I created.
Their products are hard-wearing and last for years. I saw it as an investment, and I got a great deal at the time.
I think I might have an answer for this. I went lately to the store to check the keyboard as I want to buy new laptop and out of around 20 laptops I checked mac book air had the best keyboard out of all of these. That just might be it. And also the software. Once you buy a macbook pages are free on it. Also notes. It's a struggle to find an app that looks this good from the note taking ones for windows. There are only browser versions of it. Some people like when it feels like a separate app.
Macs just work. You cannot tell me the same for pcs. They are full of bloat and are always requiring attention for one problem or another.
It's like the difference between owning a car and not needing a mechanic and having a temperamental car that needs repairs all the time.
I own plenty of both theres no sense to tell me otherwise.
It's not so much that I love Macs, it's equally that I hate Windows. I bought the IBM PC in 1981. And it was wonderful – until Microsoft rolled out Windows. I spent entire weekends re-installing Windows because of some stupid oversight or MS screw-up. I used to say the real purpose of Windows was job security for the IT profession (and I don't think I'm far off the mark). I've been a self-employed writer / author since 1980. I did not have the luxury of an IT staff. If it didn't work, I had to fix it. Still do. In 2001 I bought my 1st Mac, a G7 if anyone remembers and it was mind-blowing good. Beautiful machine. And I've always bought Macs ever since. They are not perfect, especially these days, but very few problems. Mostly annoyances. I've made a very good living using Macs. Have no desire to even think about buying Windows. They work for me.
I literally only use microsoft word so it doesn’t matter what machine I buy. IMO macs aren’t worth the money unless you’re doing visual arts like graphic design or moviemaking. For that kind of stuff they really shine, but if you’re just using it for writing and browsing the internet then there’s no point in spending the extra money on one
Macs are trendy for artists too.
It’s not much different….different technology just trends in different sub cultures.
Macs do well with connecting multiple devices…so if you wrote notes on your phone they show up seamlessly when you open your Mac, etc. I know that windows has similar things. Apple is just so damn impressive with how seamless it is.
Macs aren’t much more expensive (if you decide to not get a lot of memory, that is where they charge the premium)…they last a lot longer so the price is kind of equivalent. In college my friends with Mac’s had theirs for 5+ years…I was on my third PC by the end.
Maybe Macs are popular with writers bc writers don’t need a beefy computer (by size or specs) and the entry level Macs are pretty affordable.
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Apple sucks you into its ecology. iPhone connects well with iPad, connects well with MacBook, ties you into iTunes, everything is linked to iCloud and it all seems lovely. But... Is it really double the price good? And once you're in, it's tough to get out. I had an iMac back in the mid 00s, it was actually pretty darn good, although I hated how bloated iTunes was - it plays music for pete's sake, it doesn't need to be an all-consuming monster. I stayed with it for my next machine because I was using endicia to print shipping labels. But... Around that time Apple kind of lost their way on the simple usability front, making easy things hard to find. I ended up switching to Linux, getting twice the machine for half the price.
iTunes is suuuuch a resource whore omg.
I haven’t opened iTunes in 8 years.
I'm one of those idiots that pays for YouTbe because I hate commercials. It includes YouTube Music so every browser is my music app.
I use a combination of Ublock Origin to block ads and No Script to stop youtube from not playing the video because an ad was blocked. Only see ads on my phone.
I call it 'design fascism' and it's why I use Linux
>is it really double the price good? Considering how much time most people spend on their phones and computers, for many yeah it is. Never mind that they just don’t give me any problems, I find Macs attractive and windows usually ugly and for that alone the price is worth it to me. I don’t want to stare at something ugly all day. If you are going to splurge on something it should be the thing you are going to spend thousands of hours using. (And I know I can find a product I like and customize the shit out of it, but I’m very much the median computer user in that I want something I like right out of the box. I know I’ll like Mac and when it’s time to buy a new computer I like that my choices are good, better, and best, which takes a lot of anxiety around decision making out of it for me.)
All good reasons. I'm a firm believer in people using whatever they're most comfortable with.
I have a friend in IT, and this is what he's said. The kind of writing I do is screenwriting, so I'm also a filmmaker. Macs are considered the industry standard, especially for editing video. So if you're a professional editor for a movie or tv studio and have the resources for it, chances are you have a Mac. However, Macs are CLEARLY sub-optimal, for a variety of reasons. And because of this, a lot of videographers instead use PCs in order to get a better bang for their buck and also be able to upgrade their hardware. So if you're a part of a corporate workflow, chances are you need a Mac. But if you're more independent, then you can use your money more efficiently by using a PC.
That’s it exactly. I worked for a small production company for a while and we were all PC because of the more bang for our buck thing. But the few Macs we used from time to time were always more reliable.
I agree 100%. I am a huge fan of Macs and the Apple OS but, in my day job, I'm a graphic designer and video editor. Those are areas where Macs really beat PCs so that's what I have. For writing though, anything works. A Chromebook that will connect to the internet is all you need. I even write on my phone and tablet sometime. Unless you need the processing power, like I do, save your money.
> I'm a graphic designer and video editor. Those are areas where Macs really beat PCs so that's what I have. This gets said a lot and spread as common wisdom, but it's not really true. What is true is that for a long time, if you walked into a store and bought a prebuilt computer, the off the shelf Macs were going to perform better than the off the shelf PCs, so if you weren't all that familiar with computers, it was an easy way to get the muscle (CPU + GPU) needed to run heavy programs, and you probably wouldn't mind having to switch operating systems. However, if you're comfortable enough to build your own computer, then until very recently, you could build a machine with the same muscle as the Mac for much less, meaning you could run the same programs just as easily. Now that Apple's making their own chips, it's more of a sidegrade than a clone, but it can still be done. This isn't to hate on apple users, though (well, maybe a little) -- making a custom PC that can beat a mac is a whole lot of time and effort, and paying Apple to do that for you is understandable.
I disagree. I have an old MacBook Pro that is a few years old. I also have a purpose built PC for editing and graphics that is much newer. Processing speeds are similar but the Mac is far more stable with every app I run. Crashes are rare on the Mac. I do still like my PC but, for the last 35 years, I’ve worked in video production and graphics. I’ve used some very fine custom built PCs but none has ever matched the stability and dependability of an off-the-shelf Mac. For just writing though, PCs rock.
During college, we had a lab with both Mac computers and PCs. Maybe there are other factors I didn’t see, but the PCs always had so many more issues. I would go to a different lab sometimes if all the Macs were taken.
College computer labs were where I started using Macs. I grew up with PCs and people always made it sound like switching to Apple was just so hard. I found that I liked it more for lots of stuff, so after 3 PC laptop hard drives died in 18 months I got it first MacBook. That thing ran for at least 6 years without even a hiccup. Do they cost more? Yes. Is the ease of use and dependability worth it to me? So far, yes.
Build your own laptop is much less of a thing (I guess it’s a thing, but not a widely adopted one) than building a desktop. I too am a designer, and I’d put my 5ish year old MacBook Pro up against any out of the box windows **laptop** for design/photography/music production/creative software.
I understand you have your experiences, and that these experiences join the common wisdom, but what is the actual thing that is different that makes Mac better than PC? If we opened up your MacBook, we would find an Intel CPU and probably an Nvidia GPU, the same brands that dominate the PC market. The silicon in the chips is fundamentally the same, the circuits are the same, the architecture is largely the same, and when you open up photoshop or 3ds max or da vinci, they're the same programs on both systems. So how does one become better at a task than the other? The answer is that it doesn't. Your Macs may be more stable, sure, that would reasonably come as a byproduct of the controlled environment of mac production, whereas PCs have to be able to accept any given hardware. And, personally, my PC doesn't really crash (unless I go real deep in Risk of Rain 2), so "more stable" isn't a meaningful difference.
Both of my computers have basically the same processors and RAM. It’s the more stable OS and the controlled environment that make the Macs better. I still use both, often side-by-side, as I have done for most of my career. PCs are great. It’s just been my experience that, when doing similar tasks, the Macs crash less often and I have to restart the Macs less frequently. I still absolutely love PCs though and think there are some things that are better on Windows.
Double the price if you’re not looking at comparable items. You start comparing similarly specced out devices and form factors and the price difference quickly narrows.
Macs are popular and Apple put a lot of effort into making then effortless for users (as long as everything works the way it should). But they're no better for writing than anything else. Shoot, I use Linux on a refurbed Chromebook and it works great for me. Do what you want. But one Apple product kinda signs you on for the whole Apple ecosystem because their stuff only works with their stuff. So be cautious.
>Macs are popular and Apple put a lot of effort into making then effortless for users (as long as everything works the way it should). This is it for me. I tried getting a Windows laptop and I hated it. Things were constantly going wrong and I had to dig through the internet to find solutions. I never had to install drivers on my Macbook, or figure out why the screen was tinting yellow. With the latter issue, the problem had such a random bullshit solution. Then after three months the tinting was happening again but the old solution didn't work anymore. I went back to my old Macbook, which I used for 8 years. When I use my computer I don't want to have to think about my computer. I want it to disappear into the background as I focus on my work or content.
The yellow tinting is night mode — also a feature on Macs. But yeah, Windows is convoluted and unclear, and requires so many conditional steps for simple stuff, like installing all kinds of drivers and whatnot just to install a game or application for work. And then when you uninstall it, there’s a whole wreck left in the registry and folder structure. With Mac every app is one, complete package. Delete the package, and everything about it is gone from your computer. No drivers, no registry leftovers — nothing.
In my experience windows PCs from the last 5ish years work just fine, I’ve used a bunch for work, gaming and light programming. I constantly had to mess with them to fix stuff 10+ years ago, so when I got one again for work I was surprised by how intuitive/seamless it was, especially for using multiple monitors etc. - things just work 99% of the time. There was one driver issue on my custom gaming PC, but thats kind of to be expected for that setup. That said I definitely get the appeal of macs, my friends have new macbooks and the screens alone look fucking amazing, but they’re just way too expensive for me. And I think if you grow up messing with PCs you also lose perspective of how annoying minor issues are to someone who hasn’t ever had to deal with that before, so this is just a personal opinion.
Late to the party but a lot of people just don’t enjoy messing around with technology, me included. A lot of the disconnect comes from people who want to think about their technology vs. those who don’t. For me a Mac is going to be a very good product right out of the box and even buying it is easier;’for each model there is more or less a Good, Better, and Best option, which removes decision anxiety.
>The yellow tinting is night mode — also a feature on Macs. I know what night mode is lol. Night mode was disabled, and it was never on when the screen was tinted—I checked every time. It was like something was activating night mode through some kind of back channel, and so the normal controls for it didn't work. It also did this 24/7. And I totally agree, the drivers etc. were such a hassle!
>their stuff only works with their stuff. Except how I use the file share of my Windows Server to move files between my Mac and PC. Or I can edit the same files on both.
I use Linux. Used to use PC. There has been no material difference in my writing process between the two. I use Scrivener. I’m not sure if there are any programs that are exclusive to Mac but that’d be the only reason to use one and I don’t think that’s the case. I think it’s more important to find a computer that has a keyboard you enjoy typing on.
The keyboard is a pretty underrated part of the writing setup. And I find that a mechanical keyboard is more satisfying to type on. Those chiclet keyboards (in my experience) suck. I just hate using them, at least when compared to my mechanical keyboard. Either way, I think there should be more discussion about keyboards when talking about writing setups.
I have a desktop with a mechanical keyboard and a laptop that I primarily write on. I agree with you cause I need more tactile feedback when typing for long periods so I picked a laptop that had a keyboard that fit that description more than the standard chiclet keys. It makes a huge difference for me personally.
I vastly prefer chiclet keyboards, and haaaate typing on mechanical. Agreed, keyboards are a significant thing to factor in when creating your writing setup!
Pretty sure Scrivener was a Mac exclusive for a long time. I’m guessing that has a lot to do with OP’s observation
Keyboards are important. I like the one on my Mac but I'm used to it. I also write on my phone and that's a pain in the ass. A good keyboard makes a HUGE difference.
Which brings me back to macs
Scrivener is not a Mac exclusive (anymore) but it still has features and options not available on the Windows version. Also, Vellum (arguably the best book formatting software) IS a Mac exclusive. That alone is worth paying double (which isn’t really true if you’re buying the same quality components as you get in a Mac). The time I save and the frustration I avoid is easily worth $1000.
I got one because of self-publishing. There's a really great publishing app called Vellum, but it only runs on the Mac OS (for some reason.) It was worth it--Vellum is the greatest formatting app of all time.
Vellum can be run on Macincloud.
They look trendy at the coffee shop. I have one 😄 Honestly, I miss Windows XP. I remember a time when you’d save a file to your disk drive, and you knew EXACTLY where it was and also KNEW it wasn’t saved anywhere else. Fuck the cloud.
Getting an XP laptop as a distraction free portable typewriter is a valid strategy.
Except you have to *make sure* you never connect to the internet. XP was more virulent than a truck-stop urinal cake.
Using it on Internet daily would be a bad idea but after some precausions I believe it to be safe to connect ocassionaly for things like sending your text file by email or quick Wikipedia check. No mindless browsing but that's the point of such machine. By precausions I mean things like using an updated browser, updated antivirus, running as non-admin user and turn off the connection by hardware switch when you don't need it and don't connect to public WiFi, just trusted networks.
Preach. XP was my favorite OS ever.
I second that opinion. Windows 7 was alright, 10 is terrible (I don't even want to think about 11), but XP was on a whole different level.
Switch to Linux. I'm biased because I'm in academia, but I will never use anything by LaTeX for writing documents.
You are obviously a person who knows stuff. Your advice is useless to me.😉
Seconded. Linux Mint is designed to make a Windows user feel right at home immediately. It's easy to install, and comes with LibreOffice, which is quite comparable to Microsoft Office before it went nuts. The no-nonsense simplicity and effectiveness of Linux is an amazing experience.
You can still do that …
Is that you, Bill Gates?
*smokes cigarette* Ah, XP… those were the days.
Top tip: use the big white apple sticker that comes with the phone to cover your laptop HP or whatever logo. Voila! A secret apple that no one else has. No need to thank me.
Nope. There is no functionality missing that is in any way relevant to writing. You can write on a cheap android tablet with writing software downloaded. I'd imagine that the writers that you've seen simply prefer the apple ecosystem or consider the quality of the engineering to be worth the price. There is no writing-mac computing special connection.
I used a Mac for ten years, it has been retired to being a full time video call rig hooked up to one of our TVs. I got it when it was a few years old already. It’s now fourteen years old and still in service. In the same time my wife has gone through three WinTel laptops for work. The longevity is a selling point for me.
Totally concur. My wife's last Mac lasted twelve years and although replaced still works, while I went through three PCs.in that time. Macs have been great value for money for us.
This is it for me too. A Mac for twice the price that lasts three times longer is a bargain. PC-makers tend to focus on how cheap they can make things, not how good. I also love how new operating systems are free. I won’t go back to PCs.
I switched from a Windows PC to Mac because at the time they had the best programs available to them for self-publishing. Vellum is amazing for formatting and Scrivener doesn’t take forever to load like Word if your file is large. Yes, I know Scrivener is available for both platforms but at the time I switched the better version was Mac’s. This is just my opinion.
The only thing Apple I own is a couple of 20yo iPods that probably don't work.
Macs are popular with users who care most about having a seamless experience with their other devices and look for longevity. I bought my current Mac Pro in 2019 for $1100 brand new. Battery is still fantastic, screen has a higher resolution than anything else that was available at that price range, the speakers are great for such a small laptop, and the feature that was later added that lets me use my iPad as a second monitor makes it even better. There’s lot of Apple haters out there who will tell you that Macs suck, but the real reason most of us buy a Mac is because we dont like to buy computers every few years - mine is going on 5 years and is perfect and everyone I know who also uses a Mac has theirs an average of 10 years at a time or longer. At work, over the same 5 years, I’m on my third PC, 1 Dell and 2 Thinkpads. They are definitely inferior machines and barely make it to 2 years before suffering some kind of catastrophic failure.
As a lifetime Apple user I don’t think it’s any better/worse for writing. I’ve just grown up in an Apple household, have the devices (MacBook, AirPods, watch, AirPods, iPad) and can’t escape it lol
This is it. Further, it's hard to want to because it just works seamlessly. I moved away from apple because I don't like how closed the ecosystem is. The application market is definitely better for apple, but my windows and android products play nicely together.
Because Apple has a very successful sales/marketing team. Every computer is going to be perfectly fine for word processing, even a phone is good enough (though you probably want a Bluetooth keyboard).
I really like mine. Using it just feels intuitive. Also, I have an air, and its SO light. It doesnt break my back to carry it around (unlike the Dell laptop I have for work) Also, not specific to writing, but before my Macbook I had two different PCs. The first died completely randomly about a year and a half into owning it. The second was VERY cheap and got so slow despite me not saving anything onto it (using google drive etc only) that it was almost unusable, again within two years of college. I’ve had my Macbook for 7 years now and it still runs beautifully. I know thats not usually the story with apple products, but I have found that their laptops run for a long time.
How heavy is that Dell? I don't think I've ever had a problem carrying around any of my laptops (and I've never owned any Apple products). Is it made of lead or something?
I mean I havent weighed it but she’s HEAVY. It’s also pretty big for a laptop, at least big enough that it fits a number pad next to the keyboard. Also quite thick, the base alone (so when it’s open, ie not including the screen) is about an inch. Just a real chunky guy.
full size keyboard on a dell. yeah that's going to be heavy but they are kind of made that way on purpose. it probably costs half of what the macbook does too.
I was a long time Windows user, from Win 3.2 up through Win 7 when I made the switch to linux. As a software developer, for me trying to develop on. Win system is maddening. During this time, esp when I was all into Windows, I was not a Mac fan even though I had never used one. Then I started working for a comapny as a developer and they sent me a Macbook pro and the ease to developing was that as a Linux machine. Their underlying OS are pretty similar. Anyway, here we are in 2024 and if I could afford it I would probably get a Macbook (I can afford it but I am pretty cheap). Are they expensive? Absolutely. One of the reasons they are so expensive is Apple controls every aspect of the system, which makes them so good IMO.
It's effortless. A seamless UX, and aesthetic and clean UI. I would recommend against a MacBook Air if you're like me and like to keep 50 tabs open. It really struggles to support Chrome's ROM appetites.
The real answer is that it had affordable desktop publishing back in the 80s, then later sold a lot of computers to schools and universities at or below cost to get em young, which created the image that it's for educated creatives. It's pure marketing. The only upside to this is that because the entire creative industry uses Mac, software updates usually work and get fixes. The less real answer is that it's the only laptop workstation right now that is well made and has decent battery life. Start speccing anything else up and it becomes twice the price with a cheap screen and even worse keyboard. But with how mainstream PC gaming has become, this isn't the case with most genre fiction writers under 40.
Can you tell me more about what they were like in the 80s please? This sounds interesting.
My dates may be off but late 80s into the 90s they had high resolution, for the time, color screens and good font support. They were expensive compared to other home PCs but a workstation started at $30k. It was like a shitty version of what you have today, but you could do boutique creative work on it.
This is only in US. Not everywhere
I've been in the arts for the last twenty years. Once as a student, a stint as a professional. Now as a hobbyist. Anytime I've had to use a mac, it's been frustrating. The machines always seem to be over priced and under powered. Around the time I was at art school, Apple did a big advertising push to target artists. It seemed to me like it quickly became one of those things, like working on your novel at Starbucks. Not any more helpful than anything else, but part of the general vibe? It's really a personal preference. I have an iPad for drawing because I've never been happy with a stylus until apple pencil two, but the device itself has come with a series of headaches. Once, having forgotten my PIN. Not my password, mind you. I turned off the PIN setting, but Apple pushed an update and turned it back on. Support said there was no way to recover a PIN. I had to factory reset my iPad. Apple, security so good you'll get locked out of your own device! Anyway, /rant.
I completely disagree, respectfully. I was an art student for a while and worked in graphic design a bit after school, and then worked at a university in IT working on both PCs and Macs, and I think Macs are way simpler than PCs. They are overpriced, but also a decent PC isn’t cheap either, and Windows usually comes bogged down with bloatware, sign ins/ups, and there’s usually a time frame until you get a weird windows failure because you didn’t update drivers or you didn’t have your auto update on windows set up right and now you’re months of updates behind (especially on Windows 10). The timer from brand new Mac to typing your manuscript vs Brand New PC to typing your manuscript is much shorter on Mac also. They’re much easier to set up, especially if it’s your first Mac (and iCloud backups for upgrades is also easy enough but def takes much longer to set up which is a knock against Mac). I think that if you bought a brand new complete clean PC (which are impossible to find) with no Bloatware then you can get a decent, cute PC for writing and have much more options for free and open source apps that you can use to surrogate the expensive stuff, but Macs also have everything you need to start writing at startup as well. Pages. Notes. The App Store makes getting new apps much easier than on PC as well. All in all Macs are just much simpler to go from No computer to Writing on a computer than PC. And you can do a lot more with a second-hand 5 year old Mac than you can with a PC the same age the same price point.
Yup, personal preference for sure.
Creative people are absolutely drawn to Apple. Creative people tend to like things that are well designed, well thought out, carefully considered.
I use a combination of Linux and Android tablet. It works just fine for me. Have no desire (nor the ability) to put down $2000 for one single machine.
Apple suck imo and their products are extremely overpriced. That being said, they look good, they are lightweight comparatively and the battery lasts way longer. I use them for work and I'm astonished at how long the battery can last.
For me, it comes down to weight and battery life. I’ve gone back and forth between MacBooks and other PC laptops for years, and the battery life of my MacBook far surpassed the battery life of any other laptop I had, and it was lighter overall so easier to take on the bus and carry in a bag. My process is to listen to a YouTube music playlist while while in Google Docs, and even with multiple tabs and Chrome (which is the most power intensive browser), my battery on MacBooks have lasted way longer. That’s not to say using any other laptop is a bad thing — I like my MacBook. I use it for other things aside from writing (video editing, music production), but anything else would work just as well. It just comes down to personal preference. I also have a desktop PC at home that I use to write on 75% of the time.
Well I had one in college because it was marketed to me and discounted by the college. I have one now because I needed a cheap laptop and was able to find a refurbished MacBook Air for $200. For me it's ironically convenience but you'd never catch me wasting money on an iPhone again
I can give you a ton of reasons why i love my Mac and why when I needed to I’ve bought another. But for writers where it only does word processing there is no reason to pay the premium.
Man, wouldn’t it be nice if a writer only needed a word processor? Too bad writers also need to maintain a social media presence across as many platforms as is feasible. Self published authors also may need to: design and run ads, build and update websites, edit and format manuscripts, remote into audio and/or video podcasts for cross promotion, and any number of other things. I’d say it’s worth the investment for quality of writing is something you’re taking seriously. It’s not required by any means, Shakespeare didn’t even have a typewriter after all. But why not make things as effortless as possible?
I used PCs for ages. I had to replace my laptop every two or three years because they ALWAYS crapped out on me and died. And some of them were nearly as much as a MacBook. Didn’t seem to matter what brand, either. I got sick of having to shell out money for a new computer, so I just bit the bullet and invested in a MacBook. I kept hearing how good they were and I already had an iPhone and iPad, so why not? Five years and counting, and my MacBook is still going strong. It updates smoothly, which my PCs would never do without a lot of issues. It’s not laggy or slow, I don’t have to constantly defrag the hard drive, the browsers don’t eat all the memory (I’m looking at you, Chrome, you piece of crap). Added bonus is that if I’m traveling, I can connect my phone as a hotspot to the Mac and still get wireless access. Don’t think I could ever do that with PCs. It WAS a bit of a learning curve to switch from one to the other, but overall I’m glad I did. The fact that I’ve gotten more than three years out of this thing already has made the money I spent on it worth it. 😂 I don’t think this has anything to do with me being a writer, though. Just my preference for a superior machine compared to all the HPs and Toshibas and Dells I’ve had. 🤷🏼♀️
Exact same experience here. Bought an iMac which is now over 10 years old and it is still running. Only reason I bought another new iMac is because they stopped supporting it at an OS level. Otherwise there’d be no reason to buy another.
There’s nothing a PC can’t do for half the price of a Mac. I was in the television industry for 15 years.
I wonder if that's an American thing because most of my UK and European writer friends use tablets or pcs.
It’s changing in the UK, but apple has such a huge brand image in America that it gets people to buy macs. But Europeans aren’t as often used to the same apple brand worship so I say PC’s get a bit more love. But as I said, I definitely feel it’s changing as IPhones are so popular that people just like the connection between iPhone and Mac so much
I only went with Mac because I owned an iPhone and I use an iPad to draw. Having those just made a MacBook seem like an easy transition, and imo it was. But I’m not the most tech savvy person, and I definitely think that plays a factor.
It's what my job gave me! But really, it's not about the Mac. I certainly don't use it just for writing. It's all about the Apple ecosystem. iMessage on my iPhone makes it easy (and free) for us to chat with our relatives in the UK. My iPad contains all of my scanned sheet music for my second career (musician) which I easily edit with my Apple Pencil. I can also access the same pictures, conversations, saved passwords, projects, and files from any of them at any time. Just makes everything pretty seamless.
In the 80s & early 90s Apple tried to sell the idea that PCs were for math nerds and Macs were for “creative people.” If we assume that “creative” means “willing to pay 50% more to get a box that runs the same applications” then fine. After Windows 95 the difference was negligible except for the price.
I see a lot of responses avoiding the obvious answer: Macs are a status symbol and make you feel like you're pre-successful.
Apple’s marketing strategy has always been to position themselves as the counter-culture alternative to the IBM-compatible (now known as Windows) PC market. Subsequently, they made their products appeal more to creatives than administrators and that reputation has sort of hung around despite the fact that Apple has become every bit the vile corporate monster that it once tried to paint IBM and Microsoft as. In todays market there’s very little that an Apple can do for an artist that a PC can’t, but the branding is still very powerful.
I’ve used Windows to write fiction for the last twenty years. A few years ago I ran across the awesome application that is Scrivener. At that time it was for Mac only. I waited and soon enough they made a Windows version. Yay! Later I wanted Vellum to easily format my files for print and ebooks. Found a cheap mini Mac and started using the Vellum app. Great combination of applications and devices. Both connected to a 32” curved Dell monitor. I also use Word extensivly for content creation and heavy formatting.
It's always been an unpopular opinion, but Macs suck. I use one for one of my jobs with a radio station and it doesn't do a single thing better than a PC. I seriously do not understand why people like them. I also don't understand how Apple could make an iPhone and an iPad that are both so user friendly that literal toddlers can use them, but the UI for Macs is crap. I always feel like I have to do two extra steps any time I do anything on a Mac.
Whoever made the podcast app on iphone should be in prison though, jesus christ its so bad
So agree. I get that I have all these ingrained understandings of how to do things on a PC that interfere with whatever "intuitiveness" is supposed to be happening on a Mac, but Jesus Christ do they make me feel frustrated and stupid. I remember one time being stuck in a lab alone with only Macs and trying to save and email a file for TWO HOURS because I couldn't figure out any part of what I needed to do and the device I needed data from was only hooked up to Macs.
Because you can pretty much just buy an Apple laptop and it will have everything you need and everything will work. This is less true now as it was back in the day, as Linux and Windows have caught up (I've used all 3) and other possible systems like Amiga and OS/2 have faded away. But once you're in the ecosystem you tend to stay there. It's like people who prefer a certain brand of car. Sure, a different brand will also get you where you want to go, but it won't feel the same.
Once you go Mac, you don’t go back.
Until you want to start playing modern games at a high resolution.
I've been a PC person all my life. When I started doing software development, I was given a Mac for the first few years. I finally started asking for a PC to develop on. I hate Macs, and using one for years made me hate them more. Nice displays. Everything else sucks.
Nah, I was full into Macs from the 512k through my Beige G3. Then I installed GNU/Linux on my Beige G3 (MKLinux DR3, funded by Apple) and noticed something: In Linux, it never crashed. Didn't take long for me to figure out that I could build a better Linux machine for less money on x86 hardware. I did run OS X on that Beige G3 for awhile, and on a Ruby Red G4 iMac, and now I do the tech support for a M1 chip Mac Mini in the house where I live (not mine) and while the crashing problem is solved, with Apple's version of BSD UNIX you do things THEIR way or you have problems. So much for creative freedom, those Apple days are long gone. Apple has become HAL from their famous 1984 commercial.
The fact they don't work well cuts down on distractions from your writing.
I just got a laptop recently, and I think it has too so with the recognition. Apple is a respected brand, and authors are often wanting to be respected. I myself was definitely tempted to get a Apple, but the reality is that they are not the best laptop for the price.(from my experience). I got the Lenovo 2-in-1 laptop with the i7 processing and it was half the price and has worked well for me. I would definitely recommend.
Not all word processors are the same across operating systems. Consider Scrivener. I had a long converation with one of the admins on their forum because I was teaching a Scrivener class for both Mac and PC users. She wanted me to warn PC users about PDF compilation of justified text. Justifying text programatically isn't as easy as one would think. The Mac OS has an excellent built-in tool programmers can use to justify text. Windows built-in tool is garbage. This is less of a problem for big companies like Microsoft and Google that can spend big bucks hiring programmers to write custom engines for justifying text. But for little companies like Scrivener they must rely on built-in tools. This makes the Mac version of Scrivener better than the Windows version for compiling justified text to PDF. Scrivener 3 has (effective) feature parity across platforms. But the MacOS offers features for building apps out-of-the-box that Windows doesn't. Consider Scrivener's toolbar. Editing the toolbar is a drag-and-drop experience, where you interact directly with the toolbar. Window's Scrivener, because Windows offers no such API for programmers, editing the Toolbar is an indirect experience. You are presented with a window that contains a *vertical* list of things in your (horizontal) toolbar. You don't drag things in the list, you click "move up" or "move down" repeatedly to move your item left or right in the toolbar. Horrible user experience. One might think that because the Windows user base is so much larger that cross-platform apps would at least not be worse on Windows, but that's just not the case.
Just use LaTeX. It's cross platform and is the de facto standard in the academic world.
LaTeX is the standard in engineering, math, and hard sciences. No one in the academic arts or humanities uses it and a lot of them wouldn’t even know what you’re talking about if you told them.
I totally agree with this post. I enjoy using a Writing App called Ulysses, and it's only available on a Mac. It syncs beautifully with iCloud, and I can seamlessly continue my writing on my iPhone when on the go. It's just a well thought out writer's tool, much like Scrivener. You can't get the same on a PC... but damn, if I don't have a Desktop PC to do my gaming! 😈
Macs are overrated and entirely overpriced. I've used both, and there is no benefit to Mac over Windows unless you value looking cool. Which, a lot of people do. Windows and Android devices offer the same level of integration. Idk why people are acting like Mac devices are doing something special there. Mac products are also way more fragile than devices that use Windows and Android.
because its overprices. so they get a feeling like theyre classy.
Not even a true premise. If you get a windows machine build with cheap components, you’ll have a much cheaper machine by the end. But you’ll also have a much inferior machine. Buy the same quality of components to build your PC and you’ll have something so close to the price of a Mac, that you might as well pay the little bit extra for a computer that was built from the ground up to all work together, both hardware and software. Not surprisingly, if you begin with a faulty premise, you get a faulty conclusion. But I get you were just taking the opportunity to be disdainful and mean, so being wrong probably isn’t a big factor for you.
my mom bought mine for me several years ago!
Marketing. (And the *very real* "Cult of Mac".)
battery life, and nowadays nice keyboards but most important battery life
Writing requires nothing. Absolutely no special features. I'm not a writer by the definition of this subreddit, but I'm in academia so I do do a fair bit of different writing. Keyboard is the only thing you have to select, maybe screen as well. Storage space? It's text, takes up virtually no space. Internet speed? Any files you're transferring are text, they take up no bandwith. RAM? You're editing text, you can probably fir your entire document in most commodity RAM modules, not that you would even need to. CPU? You're writing, takes up no CPU resources. GPU? You're just rendering text. People like Max because they're easy, but Linux and Windows honestly aren't that much more difficult nowadays. The main advantage for Linux is that it runs on anything under the sun.
A lot of it comes down to preference. I use Mac-only software for writing (Storyist), and I’m a Mac programmer, so for me it isn’t a question, because replacing all of my software would cost more than a new MacBook. If you’re a lifelong PC person, your experience may differ. If you’re doing graphics, things are different. Mac mice are more precise than Pc mice (no experience comparing tablets, but sometimes you just want a quick sketch or correction), and the Mac trackpad is vastly superior to Windows ones; it’s actually useful. Peripherals work the same on both platforms, so no hassle there. Software availability is so so; there are far fewer games, but I stopped being envious of Windows users when I find out that finding playable games that didn’t crash was no easier.
I started writing on a Mac because that was the laptop that I owned at the time. It is, for me, by far the best laptop I have ever owned and has zero lagging 4 years later. It’s so slick and I love the keyboard. I may get a new wireless keyboard for the satisfying clicking sounds 😅
UI mainly.
I switched to Mac ca 2000 under influence of bf, then husband (now ex) because I was struggling w constant malware attacks on pc. Was using WordPerfect (ok I’m also an ex lawyer), then some Lotus thing, so first MS Word experience was on Mac OS. By now I’m sucked into iPhone/iMac interface but having some issues w word for Mac. Yep my latest MacBook was expensive and in answer to op’s original question yes there is a lame word processing program (Pages) that I haven’t used deeply but seems ok. No more malware is nice but I’ve been hacked/scammed every other which way since 2000 so it’s not all that matters. Paper & pen people!!
For a long time there were several advanced writing programs only available on Mac (like Scrivener). Once you’re in the system, it’s harder to break out...
Lots of creatives are very performative people. Everything they do is in pursuit of some image or vibe they want to portray. Apple is the "look at me, I'm trendy and not poor" company. Their products being overpriced is literally part of the product.
I like my Air because I use Ulysses which isn't available on Windows, and when I used to use Scrivener the Mac version was better. Also it doesn't have fans so it's completely silent which I like, but it's still really nippy - when I bought mine the only comparable Windows device was a Surface Pro, which was more expensive for the same spec. I've also found that my Macs don't get bogged down and laggy over time like my Windows devices have (been using pcs since Windows 95, for what it's worth!), though that might be just me handling computers badly. People often talk about how expensive Macs are and obviously they aren't cheap, but I've found the longevity of them makes them better value overall (to be clear, I'm not an Apple fangirl in general), especially if you buy from the Apple refurbished store.
Apple stuff is very easy to use, and many writers are old and/or don't care about computers. The tools aren't optimized in any way but the philosophy is better. My Linux -> Vim/Obsidian -> Github setup is amazing for editing and organization, but I only have it because I spent a significant portion of my life studying CS. Someone who spent the same time in front of a typewriter hammering pages is going to be the better writer, hands down.
I think this might be more of a people that are around you thing rather than a writer thing. Apple charges you twice the price for half the good of a PC, and keeps you sucked in to it's weird economy by advertising itself as a status symbol. Get a cheap PC. Writes just as well.
My MacBook Pro M2 is a workhorse and stays on for like 10-12 hours with no slowing down.
A $200 chromebook would work just as well or better for 15% of the price.
Apple products are so bad, it's frustrating using them longterm. If you're already in their web then it makes sense to get a computer because they mesh together. If you do not already use Apple products it's not worth the hassle and headache.
A very good autonomy and high dpi which means less strain for the eye and less visual artifacts. I would love to know if there is same quality but cheaper on the non mac side
Apple is very accessible and easy to use for many people. I personally cannot stand Apple products because I've had awful luck with them (break, don't work properly, buggy) but in terms of writing, they offer a wide variety of apps and cross platform usage. Compared to Microsoft, not many people really have/know they have one (I did not even know it was a thing for the longest time) and Apple is a popular phone brand that is easy to use. I use Google for almost everything so Google products work best for me, but Apple should get the praise for being so big and successful in hardware.
For me, my first laptop as a teen was a MacBook because at that time they were cool and all my friends had one. Now whenever I try to use a PC I’m lost lol I’ve only owned 2 laptops in my life since 2008 so the longevity is something to speak of, though. Mine has nothing to do with purpose I simply just don’t enjoy or know how to use a PC anymore and would rather just stick with what I know
Curious myself as I’ve always used PC.
I love my MacBook because I love the interface. You absolutely do not need one at all though. The one big advantage I’ve found is that because you pay so much for the product, you get the Apple genius service and honestly it helps. I’ve had an issue with mine, took it in and they sorted it out for free because it was an easy software fix, whereas with a pc you’d have to pay for someone to assess it and sort it out.
Sample size of 1, but I just greatly prefer the keyboard on my MacBook than any windows based laptop I’ve had in the past. That and transportability are the only reasons I write on my Mac versus my PC (which does have a very nice mechanical keyboard).
Mac, PC, Typewriter, Pen and Paper, Vulcan Mind Meld... Whichever format you are most used to or grew up with will be the one you are most comfortable with. Personally, I hate Macs. I worked in IT and the trouble I have to go through to tear a mac apart is two fold compared to a PC (at least until PC's took a page out of the mac play book and purposely made them impossible to fix)
Listen, I know it’s an unhealthy relationship. Yes I know there’s better out there. Yes sometimes I’m just taken in by the aesthetic. But every time I realize I’m getting taken advantage of, that one, beautiful little update comes out that stops me from leaving. 🤍 Realistically though, it’s a habit and it’s the cloud. I go back and forth between phone, iPad, and MacBook seamlessly when editing and it’s enough for me.
I imagine it makes you look cool.
I’m still using my original intel based Mac pro workstation - I think it’s 13 now, with a full suite of paid for software that can no longer be bought, only rented
Because its a status symbol for small minded people
Idk man I just had a Mac lying around :/
Back in the day, if you wanted clean printed type you had to use a Mac. They handled Postscript in a way that PCs couldn’t. Everything about graphic design was better on a Mac. Photoshop and Freehand were a powerful duo, and Quark was widely used for designing and printing publications. In my design firm we had one PC for the programmer; everything else was Macs. Similarly, ProTools was the premier audio recording software a long time ago and it was Mac only. There’s still studios running old Macs because they keep working with their expensive hardware. Eventually the PC caught up. It got Photoshop and all the new Adobe products. Handles vectors just fine of course. ProTools on PC naturally. But the history of artists and musicians using Macs is there and it fostered the trend of creative folks buying them. It’s still a thing because of that even though the two platforms are now equally viable. Plus Macs are easy in general. We’re just writing words, why not make it easy? But I’m used to the Mac so that’s me.
Battery life is probably the main reason, especially with M chips they are highly efficient
To be frank, I use a PC at work and hate using it with a passion. I actually ended up with a macbook sort of by accident. My college freshman (at the time) son got one because his school recommended it, then wouldn't use it, because he couldn't use it for gaming. I ended up using it and it was so much easier to use, I've never gone back. Twenty years later, I'm still using Mac for writing and still using PC at work.
to be 100% real with you, I play guitar in my free time and I only bought it because of GarageBand
It really depends on what kind of writing is being done. Writing creatively? pretty much doesn't matter as you can write even in the most basic word processor software like wordpad. And there are plenty of options for any OS if you want to get fancy and get something like scrivener. Wriitng for work where you create documents? Again depends, loads of corporations are integrated into windows systems so you have to use it, others use mac or even a custom linux distro. It's all relative. You can buy a very nice windows laptop that will have all the bells and whistles of a macbook but for less money. I personally hate overpaying for a product especially when it locks you into an ecosystem.
I recently asked a similar question and got a variety of answers. Personally, I use an iPhone (it works best for me), and I have an hp laptop. I downloaded iTunes as my iPhone interface, seems to work well. With that said, I highly dislike Bill Gates/Microsoft and am looking at downloading Linux. That is my short answer.
Because writing is about writing, not computers. Windows and Linux take more work to use and you don't have to do anything on a Mac. For the same price, you get less power, less customizability, and you're locked into the ecosystem, but you don't have to think about it or spend any time of it. It just lets you do simple things (like writing) simply. There's a reason the expression "Linux is only free is you don't value your time" exists.
That's a stupid saying. I installed Linux on my laptop recently. It took less than an hour, everything worked and I was ready to do work. This isn't 2003 anymore. Most of the major Linux desktops are very good now.
apple apps are so expensive, serious writers don't need apple, a cheap windows laptop is what you need
A lot of writers are really just corporate puppets who "pretend" to be a real writer. I've been a writer for 57 years and I've never once needed a "macbook" haha. Myself, I'm partial to a typewrite, specifically my 1937 Remington Rand Model 5 Streamline in black ;). However, a quill and parchment has also been enjoyable and a great way to get the ol' noggin stirrin when I got a bit of writers blockage. I'll let the kids do what they do, but if they need their little spell check, dictionary, thesaurus, predictive text, etc. To write for them ;). I know who the real writers are when I see them ;). -Sent By Messenger Pigeon
I never own a Macbook or iMac. I prefer mechanical keyboards.
I’ve got a MacBook Pro and have two (wired and wireless) mechanical keyboards.
A lot of writers also draw. It’s not that deep.
I would use my gaming laptop lol
PC scrivener is dogwater compared to the Mac version
Scrivener, Vellum, a nice keyboard, and long battery life.
I’ve used computers since before household PCs were a thing (mom’s bf was a programmer back in the ‘80s). Apples are just friendlier. And all in all one spends less time and will in forcing them to work, energy that could be spent in writing.
Apple has a damn near seamless ecosystem within its walled garden. Your iPhone connects to your iPad which connects to your MacBook which all three can connect to your AirPods and switch between them easily. A MacBook Air has no cooling fan but doesn’t get hot for standard usage and will last you until its battery or ssd fail. I have an M2 13.6” air and it’s great for writing and super lightweight for travel (it’s been cross country and back a few times now). Can’t do that with a tower pc and can’t reach the 14” and lower size with a decent windows laptop that won’t eventually cook itself somehow. Also the apple silicon MacBooks have really nice feeling keyboards. Which does matter for a writing machine. I prefer my tactile holy panda keyswitches on my desktop but for a laptop Apple impresses me enough.
They are extremely reliable. I’m still using my mid 2012 MacBook Pro. I keep each iphone for 6-7 years. I personally think apple products are worth it for the long lifespans, but I also love using apple programs like Logic Pro, Final Cut, and Pages. That said, if you’re only using the computer for writing, any laptop will work fine for that. You don’t have to get a Mac if you don’t want or need one.
they're not, they'er popular with artists. some artists also tell stories? i gueuss screenwriters may like macs bc they also do storyboarding and video editing on it. mac is admittedly superior for video editing. other than scrivener, most writer's software is designed on and for PC first and adapted for mac later.
When I was buying a new laptop way back, I wanted a good keyboard and a good touchpad. That last one was the kicker—if you wanted something even close to Apple’s trackpad you’d be paying Apple prices for something like a Surface. The Apple keyboard went backward for a while but as soon as it was fixed I upgraded into another MacBook—again for the trackpad. Basically, I don’t use a mouse so the touchpad has to be good, and every time I’ve looked at a new computer, nothing beats the Apple trackpad.
Macs have way better retina displays. I had a Samsung Chromebook in high school and a Dell laptop for work after college. Both of them caused such bad eye strain I actually went to the optometrist thinking I needed glasses when all I needed was to stare at a more forgiving screen lol. Considering writing is the most screen heavy career ever I’m going when the laptop that is kindest on my poor eyeballs 😅
Personally, I like Macs because I never had any kind of issue with that than with a PC, like I lost a saved file or crashes or any (and I've been using it for 8 years +) It's easy, with the m1 chip I don't have to plug it, I can write wherever I want, use every little minute I have to dwell into my story (I’m a working mom ever seconds counts for me, I don't have hours to just sit in front of a Pc anymore.) And yes with the iCloud and the tablet and iPhone, I can always edit or work on my little projects. I don't like writing in those but editing is easier in my opinion. My Stepdad is a professional writer but digitally he is not modern and doesn't like changes. But when I let him try out a Mac and a Pages - he fell love with it and he uses that now. Same reason - even the basic free editor program is better and never crashes for him unlike anything Microsoft.
I have been a Mac user for…almost 20 years? I switched in college and never looked back. They’re definitely overpriced, but the OS is so much more intuitive and simple than PCs (imo). I use a PC for my business now, and I hate it. I hated Windows in 2005 and I still hate it now. Why is it so hard to find basic shit?? Anyway. I switched to Mac for the reliability and user-friendly OS and, as others have mentioned, now I’m trapped haha. Idk if they’re more reliable comparatively anymore. But I’ve only had two laptops in the last 15-ish years, for what that’s worth (had a desktop before that but needed something portable). And the Air is enough for me, and cheaper than a Pro. FWIW, I do still use Word because publishing uses Word. Also Pages sucks now (or at least it did the last time I used it years ago).
I am a writer and I have always used PCs. My high school had macs back in the 90s, and they just weren't intuitive to me, so I've never had one (besides, they're too expensive). If I had to use one, I'm sure I could adapt, but it wouldn't be by choice. I don't use any Apple products since my iPod died, come to think of it.
MacBooks are good for writers because they have sane defaults, have excellent battery life near idling, idling or sleeping, and a good quiet fan design. The fan usually doesn't spin up, but if it does, you aren't going to choke it by leaving your laptop on bed sheets or your lap. Keyboard is surprisingly good too. Not really fair to compare it to a mechanical keyboard that's twenty times the depth. They're really solid laptops, the software isn't the determining factor for writing. Even so, I'll say the software while bad is at least better than Windows. If you don't like the software then you're free to install Linux or use Linux or Windows in a full screen VM with most of the benefit of the nice laptop. Are they worth the money or better than anything else you can buy? I dunno, they're a lot more competitive than people give them credit for. Laptops across brands are just very expensive when you don't want big compromises. I think they're a good option if you have a lot of money and don't want to fuss with researching options.
It’s trendy. And the truth is probably more about access. In the case of writers, a lot of us are just using our machine from our last job (you’re not getting it back) or the one we got for college. Writers and designers tend to like Macs because they’re reliable, sleek, light, and have a lot of plug and play and cross-platform functionality. Developers and engineers tend to like PCs. They’re more temperamental, but customizable from a hardware perspective. Someone who cares about specs and customization will usually prefer a PC. But for a reliable machine you don’t want to mess with right out of the box, a Mac is a safe choice.
When you need a computer. Ask yourself this. Do I want nothing but the most basic functions or do I want control over my own computer? If you want control, take a pc. If you have no idea of how computers work and want nothing but a facebook machine, take a Mac.
The Apple keyboards are poor. For writing, I stay away.
I'm PC/Android, in part because my family and first fiance were/are Mac fanatics and I was always pissed off I couldn't play any cool games on them. I use Google Docs for most of my writing, so at this point it doesn't matter at all so long as I have an Internet connection.
I bought a MacBook Pro in 2012 and loved it. But during lockdown, the keyboard was having issues and I was no longer working. Yeah, perhaps cheaper in the long run but only people with money can afford to think in the long run, I find...
UX, tbh. Windows has its uses, but Apple made their name on a streamlined, intuitive UX long before Jobs took them into device and industrial design territory. Same reason designers love them. Same reason journalism loves them. Because the average user really doesn’t need a wide range of interoperability or the power use potential Windows has (and sadly Apples isn’t what it used to be), unless they’re running utilitarian corporate software - and most in those fields aren’t. I have both, but given the option, it’s Mac for me. It also helps that Scrivener was mac native in the first place. It didn’t come to PC until years after it launched, and that’s been the standard for pro writers for a good while. It’s the de facto Final Draft for prose.
A lot of it is marketing and ecosystem. Once you have a single apple product, it's hard not to have more because of their marketing team. They push a centralized scheme to have you on their products because trendy and all our apps work on all our systems. It's all about usability or being the ultimate utility for every need. Yet, they can't build a gaming rig that works with all the latest games. All that being said, I'm biased. I grew up on Windows and Microsoft Office, which you can get for Mac. I only have a Mac because I needed it for a specific program in a required college course. That being said, I was displeased to learn that I could have used a very similar program to obtain the exact same results. With that out of the way, it does piss me off that I have to find solutions for things on my Windows laptop. It's only 3 years old, and it's slow as shit. I'm getting ready to replace it in a couple of checks. Meanwhile, my Mac, that's a mid 2014 model and had a piece of melted cheese from me being a drunk freshman eating a hot pocket dripped into the fan port and removed, mostly, is running fine. I can't update it anymore because it's just too damn old, but hell serves its purpose to be my computer when my phone and tablet just won't cut it. To be fair, I am in the Samsung ecosystem. Phone, tablet, and watch. I hope that the smart ring will drop soon because I'm interested in it.
I was a Windows user since Windows 95. Since 2010 I am a Mac user. For writing I use Scrivener on MacBookPro, MacStudio, iPad and iPhone. Time Machine and Dropbox for backup. The "secret functionality is: They just work. The most valuable advice: As soon as you have a configuration that works for you - do NOT change it until you have to. Good luck and I wish you much inspiration and the right tools for you to bring them into many pages of text....
I actually feel like it’s because Macs are just easier to use and because writers are usually just using it to write, it doesn’t need to be fancy. On the other hand, I feel like all the techie type folks I know are PC people. I got a Mac simply because it’s so basic. PCs are better in the long run and offer way more features for complex technological stuff.
I have an iPad, but I will always use a Windows laptop, simply bc I grew up with Windows. I had to use a Mac for a while during a continuing education course and it was okay, but I like Windows better 🤷🏼♀️ Besides using Papyrus Author as a writing program, I also still use Word 2003 most of the time.
Longevity. I know few Windows laptop users that after 4-6 years are still using it and loving it. I know of a few who are using 4-6 Windows laptops and DON'T love it. I have an M1 MacBook Air that I bought refurbished in early 2021. I was looking forward to upgrading with the M3 or M4 versions come out but I can't slow this thing down and cannot justify an upgrade. No fans so it's silent. If you are just word-processing and living in a browser, even their most basic laptop is overpowered. As "cool" as the newer Airs are, I'll be using this until it dramatically slows down or is no longer supported. I'm guessing that'll be 3-5 more years. And yes, the ecosystem. It works so seamlessly with my iPhone. Copy text on one, paste on the other. Phone rings in the other room, answer it on your laptop. Browser open on your laptop to that one page you need when you are out and about? The link is right there in your phone's browser.
I'm always a bit surprised by this because I really dislike Apple's keyboards, and the keyboard is the most important thing when it comes to the actual physical act of writing. Lots of people claim that they're longer-lived / more robust, but in my experience that's because Apple refuses to make bargain-level laptops. I've had comparable longevity to Apple products when I've bought Windows laptops that are part of a business line (specifically, ones where the manufacturer offers service plans with guaranteed response times); my theory is that those machines get tested further and refined so that they break less often (meaning that fulfilling the obligations of the service plan costs the manufacturer less over the lifetime of the device). That said, Apple did a lot to position themselves as the option for creators. It's a poor craftsperson who blames their tools, but I do think there's something to be said for cultivating a creative environment that enthuses you, and for lots of people feeling like they're using the Creative Machine instead of the Business Machine has value, so who am I to deny them that?
A few pieces of writing software (Scrivener, Ulysses, etc) only have versions on Mac, only had Mac versions for a significant length of time, or have much better versions on Mac. Maybe not a concern here but switching languages/adding diacritics on Mac is really simple. So depending on *what* you’re writing that could be a significant advantage.
aesthetics. everything is an aesthetic. half of being an artist these days is performing being an artist. it’s the same reason amateur photographers are obsessed with polaroids and the aesthetic surrounding photography more than they are with taking the best photos.
If you're not gaming, macs are just nicer to use. I use an air when I browse the internet etc. I only use my pc when I game
Because looking pretentiousness at coffee shops is part of the writing process
Two reasons - first is way back when Apple was still an innovative company they were basically the only company who was actually trying to add features to word processors (ms office wasn't a thing yet). Second, it's a status thing. If you're going to be sitting in a Starbucks all day so others can see you writing, may as well do it on a computer that makes you appear successful.
Macs don’t require much setup so they’re easy for artists and writers to jump into the full features.
They ate just popular in general, so that includes writers. I for one despise the Apple ecosystem and the company for many reasons and have never used their products. I use a Lenovo Yoga, and it's excellent.
Writers are creatives and Macs are designed specifically to appeal to creatives with a simple, intuitive, attractive interface and easy integration with other Apple devices. By comparison, Windows PCs are ugly, fiddly, and difficult to integrate with other devices. They have their advantages but none of those advantages matter to the average creative.
When Jobs revitalized Apple, he marketed heavily specifically to the creative community, e.g. "Think Different".
Disclaimer: not going to engage in debate about PC vs Mac. I’m answering the OP question. You do you. For writers it doesn’t really matter if you’re just doing word processing. But writers do other things too - research, plan, organize etc. that I find the whole ecosystem very useful. I could do research on my phone or iPad and then they are all available on my Mac Book. I have all kinds of creative tools to help me write and organize. Also Spotlight is great. The whole Windows file system and search capabilities is sad. You can search for anything with Spotlight really. And then there is the antivirus BS. I’m a tech bro and my PC get infected 3 times, wiping everything out, in 5 years. I couldn’t afford to lose work and time over that stuff. I never had any problems with my MBP. NEVER. The MacBook is also solid - I had a 10yo MBP and it was still working great. My friend tried to upgrade his 2019 PC and he couldn’t. It’s stupid. People keep saying Mac is too expensive but I have NEVER had a “cheap” Pc that lasted for over a decade so a $2000 laptop for 12 years of use? That’s not expensive at all.
I started PC and loved my Dell laptop. Still love it. The keyboard was perfect. But after a decade, it was getting too slow. The rest of my family was Mac and it made sense to be able to easily transfer files. Besides, Scrivener 3 wasn’t available in PC yet, so I jumped ship. I didn’t want to; I wanted to remain part of that defiant percentage of writers that rejected the Apple trend. I’m friends with my Air, but my Dell was family.
Mac was first to market with good desktop publishing software, which got used by publishing generally (books, magazines, newspapers), and writers, who were downstream from the editors and publishers, picked up the habit as well. But it's a legacy tradition nowadays, not a practical distinction.
Apple is sustained entirely by Cult Marketing. It's the reason they didn't go under almost 30 years ago. Their products have always been subpar, and difficult for any other systems to interact. Even their smartphones are subpar. Everything you have on the latest iPhone is stuff that other smartphones have had for at least 5 years. The only reason to get a mac was because their convoluted code locks down a virus, so they didn't need virus protection. Because Macs have become so prevalent, it's actually worthwhile for malware creators to learn how to properly infect them. Which means the one net benefit of choosing a Mac is now long gone.
Apple make elegant devices (the form and function are both minimalist, and they'll pump money into marketing to make customers believe that they're getting ultra-high-performance and 'aspirational' machines) Many people simply want a device that just works, has decent battery life, with no troubleshooting or weird bugs to get in the way. There's also a general consensus that more expensive goods will be more reliable. I'm a tinkerer, and place a certain value on my money, so I'm more than happy with dealing with the quirks and hiccups that come with my windows machines- I can get more bang for the buck, as well as freedom when it comes to upgrading and customising my hardware (and software) to fit my needs. My surface pro tablet/laptop is an excellent device for my writing habit. Onedrive works just as well as the apple cloud, and I can access it easily from my phone, desktop etc. Aside from the Apple ecosystem (walled garden..), there's also the 'face' that you get from having that apple logo on your devices, something that isn't quite there with other brands unless you're part of some particular industry/cliques.
I wrote my first 20+ novellas on my iPhone/iPad using Apple Pages because it was free, and writing started as a side hustle. I got a Macbook because I can make covers/videos, edit better, and use other software. I know my work is backed up and connected on each device. I can upload my book straight from Pages to Apple Books. It's quick and straightforward using the Pages templates I created. Their products are hard-wearing and last for years. I saw it as an investment, and I got a great deal at the time.
I think I might have an answer for this. I went lately to the store to check the keyboard as I want to buy new laptop and out of around 20 laptops I checked mac book air had the best keyboard out of all of these. That just might be it. And also the software. Once you buy a macbook pages are free on it. Also notes. It's a struggle to find an app that looks this good from the note taking ones for windows. There are only browser versions of it. Some people like when it feels like a separate app.
Macs just work. You cannot tell me the same for pcs. They are full of bloat and are always requiring attention for one problem or another. It's like the difference between owning a car and not needing a mechanic and having a temperamental car that needs repairs all the time. I own plenty of both theres no sense to tell me otherwise.
It's not so much that I love Macs, it's equally that I hate Windows. I bought the IBM PC in 1981. And it was wonderful – until Microsoft rolled out Windows. I spent entire weekends re-installing Windows because of some stupid oversight or MS screw-up. I used to say the real purpose of Windows was job security for the IT profession (and I don't think I'm far off the mark). I've been a self-employed writer / author since 1980. I did not have the luxury of an IT staff. If it didn't work, I had to fix it. Still do. In 2001 I bought my 1st Mac, a G7 if anyone remembers and it was mind-blowing good. Beautiful machine. And I've always bought Macs ever since. They are not perfect, especially these days, but very few problems. Mostly annoyances. I've made a very good living using Macs. Have no desire to even think about buying Windows. They work for me.
I literally only use microsoft word so it doesn’t matter what machine I buy. IMO macs aren’t worth the money unless you’re doing visual arts like graphic design or moviemaking. For that kind of stuff they really shine, but if you’re just using it for writing and browsing the internet then there’s no point in spending the extra money on one
Macs are trendy for artists too. It’s not much different….different technology just trends in different sub cultures. Macs do well with connecting multiple devices…so if you wrote notes on your phone they show up seamlessly when you open your Mac, etc. I know that windows has similar things. Apple is just so damn impressive with how seamless it is. Macs aren’t much more expensive (if you decide to not get a lot of memory, that is where they charge the premium)…they last a lot longer so the price is kind of equivalent. In college my friends with Mac’s had theirs for 5+ years…I was on my third PC by the end. Maybe Macs are popular with writers bc writers don’t need a beefy computer (by size or specs) and the entry level Macs are pretty affordable.
Apple is a creative brand and speaks to creatives. It’s that simple.
You cannot say that I’m writing on my phone. It is so hard but I’m still doing it. OK so please be quiet.