Acadia opened this issue on Apr 30, 2008 · 88 posts
ssgbryan posted Wed, 30 April 2008 at 8:26 PM
I always get asked this question a lot:
Short answer:
I got a bluetooth wireless adapter for an older MAC. It came with a CD & 3 1/2 pages of instructions on how to install the drivers so that it would work under windows.
MAC instructions:
Plug device into a USB port.
That was it.
Long Answer:
I guess it depends on how much time you want to waste on getting your computer to work. I work under the belief that the computer works for me, I do not work for the computer. I use the right tool for the right job. I have much more in the way of options with OS X than I do with whatever crap Microsoft foists upon the computing world.
My time is valuable, so I don't like to waste it with all of the housekeeping chores that are necessary for keeping a Windows PC operational. I have a Windows Partition that I use with Parallels (virtualization software). I just opened up my copy of XP for the first time in 30 days. I had to install 7 security updates & reboot the the virtual machine. I have to do this EVERY TIME I crank that copy of XP up.
I do not have to deal with Registries. I do not have to deal with reinstalling my operating system every few months because of bit-rot, etc.
Viruses:
There are no OS X viruses in the wild. Viruses can be built for OS X, but it is much, much more difficult because of OS X is built on a version on Unix. Unix doesn't allow direct access to Ring 0 for anything but the operating system. Any script kiddie can "build" a windows virus. It takes much much more computer skill to attempt a Unix virus.
I do not have to deal with Active X exploits, VB exploits and all of the other windows vulnerablities.
Fit & Finish:
I like having a bulletproof Operating System that doesn't get in my way. When I went wireless, it took me less than 5 minutes to get all of my Macs connected. Have you ever attempted to build a home wireless network under Windows? The only thing I had to do when I added a network printer was to plug it into the router. All of my macs picked it up, but the PC box I have takes up most of my computer admin. time.
A Microsoft operating system is nothing but spagetti code. The programmers at Microsoft write clever code, not clean code. Clever code breaks much easier than clean code & it is hell to fix.
Did Microsoft ever deliver a journaling filesystem? That was first promised for Windows NT back in 1992, then for Windows 2000, then Windows XP. It is my understanding that it still hasn't arrived in 2007 with Vista but is promised for Windows 7 (in 2010 -2011 timeframe).
I reached the conclusion that all Microsoft Operating Systems were junk when I tried to upgrade from Windows 3 to Windows 3.1. None of my Windows 3.0 programs would run under Windows 3.1 & I was expected to replace all of my programs. This was back in the day when Word perfect cost 495, 1-2-3 cost 495, dBase IV cost 495.
I got to replace "640K is enough for anybody "with "32K GDI is enough for anybody".
I replaced Windows with OS/2 and never looked back. When Apple came out with OS X, I slid over from OS/2.
With each version of OSX, my computers work FASTER, not slower.
APPLECARE:
One of the biggest reasons I own a mac. If the computer breaks, I send it back & they either fix it or I get another computer. A couple of weeks ago, one of my USB ports on my 1st generation MacBook Pro died. When I send it to back to Apple (they overnight EVERYTHING), I will probably get a 3rd generation Macbook Pro (I doubt there are any 1st or 2nd gen logic boards still around). This means that my 2.0 Intel Core Duo with 2 gigs of RAM will be replaced with a 2.2 Intel Core Duo 2 that can take 4 gigs of ram. I suspect that Poser will like 4 gigs of ram better than 2 gigs.
Return on Investment:
I like that I do not have to buy a new computer and new programs every time Microsoft releases an operating system.
How many versions of Vista are there? How much do the cost? The cost of OS X (home edition) is $129; OS X (business edition) is $129. OS X media edition is, you guessed it, $129.
Currently, I am running a 9 year old G3, a 6 year old G4 & a 1 year old MacBook Pro with the latest version of OS X. Try running Vista on a 9 year old computer. Vista will never install on my 3 year old Travelmate 4000.
Limitations:
All computer systems have limitations. For me, it is very, very easy to hit them in Windows. OS X not so much. I can run OS X programs, that just work, I have Unix crunchy goodness with both X11 & the command line if needed & I can run any windows app via parallels if one is needed.
Right now, the only limitations I have for my machine are the #$%^$ing OS9 installers that DAZ uses. DAZ are both too lazy & too arrogant to address the issue. Apple told EVERYONE 6 years ago to move away from OS9, it would no longer be supported, but DAZ pretty much ignored that.
The only reason I have a PC laptop is for some very, very old DOS & windows programs that will not run under vista and are so old that they cannot recognize any file system other than FAT. (Eastern Sun, a varient of Diablo II & Gal 2.4).
Note on Steve Job's Reality Distortion Field:
I use OS X to get my work done. If someone develops a better product, I'll dump OS X like 5th period French. I have 0 loyalty to Apple. I have changed platforms before & have no qualms about doing it again. The computer works for me, I do not work for it.