31 August 2004

There's a Better Way

Spyware injection, unrequested popups, trojans and viruses have transformed computing from a joyous engagement into an irksome and irritating chore for many Windows users. Even though I've eschewed the platform in favor of Mac OS X, I still spend countless hours mending the contaminated machines of family and friends. Others have simply ceased their online experience because of the fear and hysteria that have resulted from the unsecure nature of running the Windows operating system and connecting to a global network.

There is a better way. For some, who have specialized software needs that only will run on the Windows platform, it may not be a viable solution. But for a majority of computer users, who mainly use their computing machine to browse the internet, organize photos, send and receive email, listen to audio, write documents, or any other typical computing task, switching to a Mac machine will definitely make your computing experience a much more pleasant one.

Writing from firsthand experience, I can proclaim that my Powerbook is the best computer I've ever owned (*knocks on wood!*) - no fretting over viruses and script kiddie attacks, no need for extensive maintenance and depositing funds into the accounts of PC doctors to rescue my hard drive and no need to endure running an inferior operating system. And it comes bundled with nifty programs and utilities right out of the box, unlike most Windows machines.

A claim repeated incessantly in the PC press is how expensive Macs are, but they really arn't if a suitable comparison is made on the total cost of ownership. Also, resale values for Mac machines remain high, years after initial purchase. I discovered this when I decided to try using a Mac, and first ventured onto online auctions to see if I could pick up a used machine at a discounted price before buying new. Surprisingly, I found that such machines were still selling at a rather high price, whereas comparable PCs were selling at a fraction of that.

So, bottom line, are PCs cheaper than Macs? No, despite what you read in the PC press, it's the other way around. Compare Apples to apples, and Macs are cheaper than PCs.


Comments

Macs are not only a better value, they're sexier. Have you seen the new G5 Powerbook? If not, take a look <a href=http://www.apple.com/imac/>at the Apple site.</a>
<p>I bought my first Mac in February 1984 and have invested in just about every major technological evolution. I just replaced my venerable and bullet proof G3 Powerbook with a G4 version. Yes, I use my Mac's for graphics, sound, video production, image manipulation and other creative applications. I also use it for wordprocessing, spreadsheet, relational databases, time and contact management and more. It's interesting that the two most important components of the number one office suite in the world (MS Office) were first developed FOR THE MAC before Windows.
<p>I once had the service manager of our company gripe to me about te Mac's that my group was using to design DOS (later Windows) based interactive applications. His principal gripe to me was, "If everyone had a Mac, I wouldn't have a job." He was right.
<p>Sure there have been some bumps in the road for the Mac (mostly when Jobs wasn't at Apple- like System 7) but over the years Macs have delivered greater performance for the dollar than any other machine on the market. With OS X they're even better.
<p>I guess it's a matter of how you value your time. If you like to spend time configuring a system that is still buggy and will be obsolete before you complete your set-up-- Windows may be for you. If you want a machine that works out of the box that comes with a pile of powerful software tools, IMHO the Mac is the answer.
<p>In the final analysis, dollar for dollar, Macs deliver more for less and when you factor in your time, it's no contest.