About a year ago I made the switch from PC to Mac. I long ago gave up gaming on a PC because I don’t have the kind of budget required for it, and frankly my XBox 360 is one of the most fun gaming machines I’ve had since the Genesis. I use a computer now for my writing, graphics, and some video. I like having a good machine, but I don’t need a top shelf machine.
I was always interested by the Mac but I didn’t use one or entertain the idea of one for a day to day machine. Now, there’s really no way I would go back. I’ve used Vista and see nothing special about it, it feels mostly like Windows XP wrapped up in glossier clothes. From what I’ve read about it it’s essentially a flop who’s only saving grace is that its installed on every new PC by default.
The Mac, out of the box, does everything I want to. Apps like AbiWord do word processing for free, and the built in iMovie is all I need for quick web video – if I needed to do more I’d spring for Final Cut (which is what we use at Media Matters, which is all Mac in the web production dept. nowadays).
So it’s kind of amazing that the big thing Microsoft showed off about Windows 7 was freaking multitouch. Seriously. I like multitouch on my iPhone, and the application they have that uses it at the Newseum is neat, but it ain’t exactly what I would want to see if I were a Microsoft shareholder or someone who wants to see the company do better. This is Microsoft getting into the sluggish phase of a mature company. They have these tools and applications (like IE) that sort of work, and sort of is good enough for them. In a strange way I’ve always kind of rooted for Microsoft (I was against the antitrust action). I liked when they would get something wrong then Bill Gates would rock like a madman in his chair and get stuff done – like when IE became a legit alternative to Netscape Navigator. They are never going to be Apple and Apple is never going to be Microsoft, but with Apple’s products you get the sense that they are trying. They don’t always knock it out of the park, but when they do the user gets something for the investment.
Right now the only thing Microsoft makes that’s kind of interesting is XBox 360 and besides the giant glaring error that is the red ring of death (I’ve had to send mine back twice), its a good machine with great software, and that’s because Microsoft knows that Sony and Nintendo are nipping at them. In the article linked, Ballmer essentially sees no need to compete because Apple is so much smaller than them. But that’s not the point. Microsoft shouldn’t accept suck.
If you really want to go all the way, try BSD or Linux. MacOS is based on FreeBSD so you already know how to use a Unix system. All the software is free and open source
Macs are a favorite of some BSD/Linux guys to run BSD or Linux on.
Nice to see that you are a Mac guy. I bought my first Apple product this year, the iPhone. I really like it.
I wouldn’t recommend Linux for people who don’t want to play with their machines. Don’t get me wrong. I recently bought an eeePC with the included Linux Xandros and it is fine, but there are still a lot of drivers that don’t exist in that environment and a lot of manual tweaking is necessary to get some stuff to work.
Mac. I am on number two. First solo Mac Mini and now Dual Processor Imac. There is no way I would go back to Windows at this point. It takes a couple weeks to figure out (at most) what programs replace your favorite Windoz and from there on out there is no looking back.
I got tired of playing system administrator and home PC support tech with my Windoz machine and I have more than a clue about how the dam things operate, having a dash of PC tech support on my resume.
I also own an Xbox though I’m not really a gamer. If you can believe it, I have a brand new copy of the latest GTA Liberty City game (for two weeks now) that I haven’t even opened yet!! (Never played any of the prequels). My Xbox has been used more for watching movies (jack a USB hard drive in and watch MP4 or AVI movies off it). I got an early Xbox and my hard drive is only like 10gig on the machine. The game I have played the ‘most’ is Tiger Woods golf.
The main reason I haven’t opened up GTA yet is that I have my Xbox tied into my front projection DLP system and I am in a partial state of discombobulation with the wiring right now while my wife finishes repainting the room it is currently in.
Enjoy.
Linux? I want to use a computer, not cry over hard it is to use.
It’s a great idea until somebody’s 6 year-old decides to touch the screen with his or her freshly made pb&j instead of his or her fingers. After that it’s time for a field trip to Home Depot for a putty knife.
Xbox 360? What’s your gamertag? Mine is my name.
I recommend Open Office (esp. the 3.0 RC1 for Aqua) over AbiWord.
Oliver,
I’m a Linux noob, and I love my Ubuntu. I scrapped the XP OS on my dinosaur over a year ago, and I’ve never looked back. It’s really not as hard as it sounds, especially since the Ubuntu folks keep a really nice wiki and forum to help noobs out with their questions.
Wow. That totally sounded like a commercial. But I really like my Ubuntu.