Okay, so I’m a little biased. Okay, maybe a lot biased. I’ve been a Mac user since buying my first “Fat Mac”(512K) in 1984. I was awed and amazed at the two programs that came with the small grey box displaying a 9 inch screen; MacWrite and MacPaint. I could type and draw in living black and white and print on my trusty dot matrix printer. Over the next few years, I would slowly upgrade as the new models evolved.
Today, I still use a G4 iMac as my main computer, although my wife uses a laptop PC as our backup. She’s a Windows insurgent, I’ve afraid. So not everyone’s perfect. But we still get along great and I can work her computer and do some basic troubleshooting. But I’ve noticed that it is subject to a variety of “glitches,” I’ve been able to avoid on my Mac.
Most seem to stem from software issues due to incompatibility or mystery illnesses. Whenever the next great Windows Operating system is installed, there is a learning curve. Yet, as I’ve upgraded my Mac OS from 7.0 to 8.6 to 10 and now into the “Wild Cat” series (i.e. Panther, Tiger) I have relatively few bugs. Sure, there are problems, but nothing major. For the most part, my Mac runs smoothly. Are there downsides to being a Mac user? You bet. Here are the obvious:
- The system seems to cost more than comparable PC’s
- There are less outlets for purchase and choices of machines
- There are less peripherals and printers that are Mac-compatible available
- There are less software-compatible packages, including games
- Until now, it couldn’t run a Windows formatted discs or software. Not anymore.
- I get put down for my beliefs
The last one demands an explanation. I was working on a new site with a web developer and he couldn’t get a section to work for a Safari browser on a Mac. I said I needed it to function and he said I was being stupid. Why waste time designing a site to work on Safari when only 3.19% of all online users had a Mac? I informed him that of the 170 million US online families, that would be 5.5 million people I couldn’t reach. He said that would be acceptable and I should ignore than entirely. They weren’t important. Really?
So here are some downsides to the PC and Mac upsides:
- There are far more viruses to worry about.
- There are more software problems.
- The Mac interface is easier to use.
- The New Intel-Based Macs run Windows
- The support group at Mac is superior, according to every consumer report
- The newer Macs are much better looking and way cool in design and function
- Mac’s support iPods
- The Mac TV commercials rock.
By the way, I still can run MS Office and most other MS programs on my Mac. Did I mention all the largest design firms and animation studios use Macs? Ever heard of Pixar or Disney? Our company used Macs for it’s advertising production and many school systems exclusively use Mac’s because they are intuitive and easy to teach to elementary students. There are other advantages too numerous to list. If you are a Mac user already, you understand. If not, too bad, you’ll never know the fun of being a MUGM or Mac User Group Member.
I realize it’s hard to convince and convert Window users. I should know, because I have tried over the past two decades. So I’ll continue to enjoy my Mac world and wonder why anyone would continue to use a PC.
Jeffrey Hauser’s latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages,” which can be viewed at http://www.poweradbook.com
He was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master's Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. Currently, he is the Marketing Director for thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.
Source: Jeffrey Hauser