Party Pooper

"New Computer"

ThePCguy said...

Good luck with your "all Mac" household. I hope you don't enjoy using any of the most popular software, since it's only available on PCs. Macs are great computeres--if you enjoy paying double for machines that aren't compatible with the leading software.

(See the comment on my last post.)

This is the kind of crap people dump on Mac users all the time. What the guy doesn't realize is that I've used Windows PC's for years, have sold them for some time, and up until this weekend owned one. I used them day by day, side by side for years. What I found is that the more time that went by, the more I wanted to use my Mac laptop instead of my Windows desktop. That's not the way it should be.

And it's not for the reasons many people might suspect. I had a very nice computer, as far as Windows machines go. I understand how to keep it free of viruses and spyware, unlike the vast majority of Windows users. I built it myself, as I have probably a dozen or more others. I definitely know my way around a computer. This was an informed decision, made after a great deal of thought and side by side comparison. Let's take the comments one by one.

"Good luck with your "all Mac" household."
-OK, nothing too bad so far, although I do detect some sarcasm.

"I hope you don't enjoy using any of the most popular software, since it's only available on PCs."

-OK, now it comes out. To tell the truth, I DON'T like using software, listening to music, or doing anything else simply because it's "popular". If I did, I'd probably would have spent high school listening to N'SYNC and college listening to Britney Spears. Simply because something's popular doesn't make it better. Just ask the people who bought tickets to the 3 back-to-back-sold-out New Kids on the Block shows in Wichita when I was a kid.

Further, no software is available "only" on PCs. I can run ANY software his computer can. Yes, even Windows. And yes, even Linux. But his computer can't run OS X. Or iLife. Or Final Cut. Or NetNewsWire. Yadda, yadda, etc. I do plan on installing Windows, in order to run a few applications that don't have Universal Binaries yet, such as Nikon Capture, but I'm switching to the Mac entirely so that my desktop experience will be as productive as my laptop experience. I have yet to find a Windows based RSS reader that I like nearly as much as NetNewsWire Lite, which is free. And it's not for lack of trying. I've installed several. I also enjoy the intangible "feel" of the OS navigation much better in OS X. It's just easier to get things done.

I can also run Photoshop, MS Office, (better yet, OpenOffice), Firefox, etc. All of which were "popular" programs last I checked. Further, I can run Half Life 2, Doom 3, or whatever other video games I decide to play, as if I have time.

"Macs are great computeres--if you enjoy paying double for machines that aren't compatible with the leading software."
-Well, as tempting as it is, I won't bag on the guy for his spelling. I will bag on him for being wrong yet again. I paid under $1200 for a brand new iMac, a 30GB iPod (MSRP $299), and a multifunction printer/scanner/copier (MSRP $129).

This compatibility thing has got to go. I can run ANYTHING he can. ANYTHING. Period. Further, I don't want to run his "leading" software. I've done that. For years. And I'm switching for a reason. And where in the hell does he get the double part? Granted, I'm kind of a deal savant, but still. Subtract out the price of the iPod and printer and I'm under $800.
They were a good deal before today, and now they're more powerful and cheaper at the same time.

Further, there is NO Windows manufacturer that makes a computer with an equivalent design, for ANY price. The specs aren't too shabby either. It has a Core 2 Duo CPU, 1GB RAM, a decent video card, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a high resolution 17" LCD, all in one tiny form factor. If I did some coupon code stacking, I could probably get an equivalent Dell for about the same. But I'd still be stuck in Windows Land (yes, this IS a negative), and have a PC loaded with bloatware that would require me to spend the first hour uninstalling the garbage that comes on it. And I couldn't get a 17" LCD with that resolution outside of a laptop. I'd also have a big, ugly box, which would never be able to run iLife.

And that's a BIG thing. With iLife, my mom can make a great DVD presentation. My frigging mom. She's done it. I don't think there is any software available for Windows that is equivalent to iMovie, at any price, let alone "free". Sure, there are more professional options, but first, they have a more "professional" price, and second, my mom would never be able to work them, much less figure them out on her own like she did iMovie. And iMovie is just one part of iLife.

You know one piece of software I don't need with my iMac? "Fill-in-the-blank" Antivirus 2005/6/7/8, etc. I'm sure someday viruses will be a threat on Macs, but that day has not come yet. I've been running a Mac for 4 years with no viruses. I used to get bi-weekly calls from my mother, needing me to walk her through the reformatting process due to her inability to keep viruses off her PC. I never had that problem personally, because I know better, but still. I don't get those calls anymore, because she now has a Mac.

All of these are standard responses to standard complaints. But I'm telling you, I've used both systems for years, and for many reasons, I'm anxiously awaiting Friday when my new iMac arrives. There won't be any "gotcha" surprises due to me leaving Windows. I'm leaving it behind gladly, and made the decision with my eyes wide open.