I was wondering what to write in my inaugural article. Then it hit me like a Steven Gerrard free kick (hard as nails) – I wouldn’t have even thought about creating a blog due to my inexperience on the web-design front if it wasn’t for my recent switch to an iMac after my many, many years of using Windows-based computers. This is a personal experience obviously, but I’m going to try to be as objective as possible – because ‘fanboy’ behaviour isn’t the least bit constructive.

A Smidge of History

Apart from the good old Acorn Computers (running RISC OS!) they used to have in British schools, I’ve been a Windows/MS-DOS user since I first saw a computer. It’s been about 10 years since I got my first computer, running Windows 98. Looking back on it, it had a plethora of problems, but because it was the norm of computer ownership at the time, I didn’t think twice about it. I had to learn to live and work around the problems. Come to think of it – I thank Windows, because so much of what I know about fiddling with the registry and sorting out settings came from constantly having to ‘sort out’ my PC. But as far as I knew, there was no alternative. I’d seen Apple computers of the mid 90s, and came to the conclusion that they were pants. OK, so I was young then, but reading up now on Apple’s fortunes whilst Steve Jobs wasn’t there, I wasn’t so far from the reality of the situation.

My Epiphany

It was only when I used my cousin’s PowerBook G4 running OS X 10.4 Tiger (about 4 years ago) when I was shocked by just how intuitive and enjoyable to use his Mac was. I was still sceptical about the lack of Windows programs, but that all changed with Apple’s switch to Intel processors in 2005, and the subsequent release of Boot Camp. I don’t know the figures, but I’m certain that the ability to run Windows natively (and virtually) on a Mac was the deciding factor in getting many people to switch from using a standard PC. Indeed, it certainly got me thinking seriously about doing so myself.

My Reasons

I got my iMac about 2 months ago, but after about 2 and a half odd years of research. Until then, I was using XP. (To the people screaming “Why didn’t you try Linux?!”, I did manage to install Ubuntu, and dual-booted for a while. Unfortunately, I was getting a lot of problems with getting my wireless network adaptor to work, and some other problems with my display. I wasted about 2 weeks trying to solve issues with no benefit. Linux is becoming more and more user-friendly and I embrace that, but I don’t think it’s ready for the prime-time just yet in terms of the average user.) I’m someone who plans out my major purchases very carefully, but seeing as I spend a lot of time on the computer, I wanted to know everything there was to know before turning away from (probably) the most used software in the world. I came to the following major conclusions:

Ease of use

The whole interface and philosophy of OS X makes it much easier to find your way round and get things done.  My favourite example is the way that Apple embraces multi-tasking. App windows are only as big as they need to be, allowing you to do more things simultaneously. Apple’s iLife software and the bundled applications work well together – it’s very similar to the symbiosis that you get when using MS Office, but this is system wide. For people who are not so computer literate, using OS X over Windows is really a no brainer. I won’t go into this further, as it is well enough documented all over the internet. In short, OS X offers more stability, easier configuration of options and sorts out a lot of the back end stuff for you so that you can get on with using your computer rather than diagnosing it.

Hardware/software integration

A large reason as to why the Mac is so much more stable and responsive as a whole is due to the fact that Apple need only support a limited set of components. As a result, you get none of the conflicts and driver mess that you do with Windows, and even Linux. Plug and Play actually means just that – I spent all of 2 seconds plugging in my printer for it to be automatically recognised and ready for use. Networking is a breath of fresh air, with my Mac recognising my Dad’s Win XP laptop as soon as he turned it on. I’d previously spent days (unsuccessfully) trying to get 2 PCs running Windows to recognise each other. Makes you think doesn’t it?

All-in-one

OK, this was a tough one at first. I’ve always disliked the use of laptops as primary computers, and prefer desktops for configurability. But I realised that apart from RAM, I’ve never really needed to upgrade anything else in my desktops. By the time it becomes necessary, it usually becomes more cost-effective to actually buy a new PC altogether. I think a lot of consumers are taken in by the novelty factor of ‘being able to upgrade’, but never actually use that facility – I was definitely one of them. Once you realise that there’s so much in a tower that you probably don’t need, it almost seems like an all-in-one enclosure should be the standard for consumer desktops. It’s what Apple have said and used as their driving factor for the iMac since it’s inception. For a long time I dismissed that theory, but I’m starting to believe that it’s true. I now have a quiet, space-saving machine on my desk that does all I need it to do.

 

That said, there are some reasons as to why you wouldn’t want a Mac. Hardcore gamers and people relying on Windows extensively (like Win-specific programmers and such) will obviously steer clear. But the majority of people who require Windows will be covered by Boot Camp and/or virtualisation software (I recommend VMWare Fusion).

The other big point is the cost. There are many arguments on the net defending the inflated price of Macs. The fact remains, however, that for your average web-browsing and media viewing, there are much cheaper (albeit less pleasant) alternatives. I’m not going to defend Apple’s pricing. It does form a very sound business model and strategy, but I do think it’s alienating the majority of consumers somewhat (although I doubt they care). They have tried to entice potential switchers with the Mac Mini, but as a serious computer, I think it represents terrible value for money, and I would definitely advise against it. The only situation where it might make sense is if it’s a secondary computer or you’re using it connected to a HDTV; for example as a media server.

Overall, I must emphasise that all the nuances of OS X really make daily computer use enjoyable, and there hasn’t been a moment when I’ve regretted my decision. That said, I do still use Windows XP, and have it installed via Boot Camp. It’s mainly for a few games really, but it comes in handy for the odd program that you can’t get for OS X. Over time though, I find that I’m using Windows less and less.

The problem with the computer market at present is the lack of choice that consumers are faced with. This is slowly changing – Linux is being offered with some new computers, and awareness of the Mac is growing. But if you’re in the market for a new computer, do yourself a favour and try using a Mac. You can thank me later!

For a more detailed point by point discussion, which I used when considering the switch, I highly recommend the site: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/wssenterprises/whynotmacfaq/