Why this site....?
( introduction)
Design
Cost
Ease of use
Installation and
troubleshooting
Extending your computer
Reliability and Security
Laptops and Working across
platforms
What schools should do
Where Windows is better than the
Mac
Price watch
References
Contact
Sept 2000 to March 2003
275+ per month
April 2003 to January 2006 12,650 hits
370+ per month
Total Hits: about 24, 000
Broken Links...
It is very hard to guarantee the currency of links on the Internet. If
you get an error that a link could not be found (often a 404 error)
please go to The Internet Archive
http://www.archive.org/index.html
where you may be able to find it. Please report all broken links.
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or
Why the Mac is superior to a PC running Windows
(95/98, NT Me, 2000 and XP
too)
navigation tip: all external links should
open in a new browser window
Breaking News ...
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Gates Unveils Next Version of Windows
" ...most of the features Microsoft demonstrated
last night were pure, unadulterated ripoffs from Mac OS X. I could
hear actual whispers of recognition from the audience around me." (emphasis added)
See how closely Vista copies MacOSX here (Quicktime):
audio is from the CES, held in first week of January 2006.
Windows
Vista Beta 1 vs. Mac OS X "Tiger" (Part 2):
Tiger's better according to Windows advocate Paul Thurrott (Nov
2005)
Mad as Hell - Switching to Mac 1-16
Learning
Lessons from the Mac
by Walaika K. Haskins July 28, 2005
"It's almost like Microsoft is designing [software] for geeks and Apple
is designing for real people," said Joe Wilcox, a senior analyst at Jupiter
Research. "Microsoft's common man approach is centered on the price [of
its software]."
The
100 Best Products of 2005 (PC World)
5 products from Apple rate in the top 100 but there is only one from Microsoft
!
It's
hard to describe the freedom of using a system with no malware
known to have spread. It's liberating. Kelly Martin, SecurityFocus
Published Thursday 21st April 2005 (The Register)
How I Love Thee, Apple by David Harding
March 2004
"Here is the bottom line: if a die hard Microsoft
Windows guy (like me) can be wholeheartedly converted, I wonder
how many others can be as well."
Mac OS X ‘most secure servers’ Feb 20, 2004
London,
UK - 28 January 2004, The MyDoom email virus and Trojan Horse
malware has now spread to over 170 countries across the globe and has
climbed to become the 9th worst malware of all time in less than 48
hours according to the ranking table maintained by the mi2g
Intelligence Unit, the world leader in digital risk. As reports of mass
infections continue to filter through to mi2g, MyDoom is estimated to
have caused nearly $3 billion of economic damage worldwide so
far in terms of loss of business, bandwidth clogging, productivity
erosion, management time reallocation and cost of recovery.
Make
that $US39 billion (Feb 04)
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There are no viruses which affect the Mac
OS.
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The
FBI and the Mounties Use Macs
"I asked him about that, and he told us that many of the computer
security folks back at FBI HQ use Macs running OS X, since those
machines can do just about anything: run software for Mac, Unix, or
Windows, using either a GUI or the command line. And they're secure out
of the box.
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Disclaimers -
About this site...
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Evidence cited here is based on the
author’s personal experience of the two operating systems(OSs); other
references/ sources are given in text or in footnotes.
The information provided here is primarily about two operating systems
available to, and used by ordinary people: Mac and Windows. Where
hardware and non-OS software impact on the operation of the OS
discussion of them is included. The author recognises that there are
other OSs such as Amiga (www.amiga.com), OS/2,
other UNIX, BeOS(www.be.com), Solaris (www.sun.com), Lindows (www.lindows.com) and
various distributions of Linux (eg.www.redhat.com)
but does not discuss them.
Disclaimer 1: The author has no
connection with Apple Computer or any of its authorised resellers. He
will make no financial or material gain if a person acts on this
information contained herein.
Disclaimer 2: The Mac is not perfect. It has its
faults (most outlined here); it will provide occasional problems but
far fewer than PCs.
This author makes a distinction between
the Mac (the computer) and Apple (the company that makes the computer).
He acknowledges that Apple has made more than its fair share of
mistakes including marketing, pricing and most recently, design
flaws with OSX, ( see here
for design flaws in Windows XP) not to mention performance and
usability issues (Feb 2003).
He is not an apologist for Apple computer nor a "Mac zealot". But
he is a zealot for informed choice and diversity and wants common sense
to prevail!
The author has always worked in a cross-platform
environment, except for a year working in a Windows only environment.
His home however is free of Windows and free of hassle.
Small parts of this site are based on
material created originally by Apple computer.
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Filemaker News ...
PC
Magazine Awards FileMaker Pro 7 'Editor's Choice' (July
2005)
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a number of businesses / organisations
in Australia use Macs |
- NSW Cricket Team
- Ausmelt (report)
- Planet Ark (Australia)
- Australian Sports Commission (report)
- NSW Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) - 1200
Apple G4 iMacs across 140 registry offices.
- Swinburne University of Technology’s Centre for Astrophysics
and Supercomputing (report)
- The Brain Research Institute,
Melbourne, Australia
- University of Melbourne (5,000 Macs; they also have PCs)
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne
(500 Macs and 180 PCs)
- Burnett Institute, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne
- Edith Cowan University, Perth WA
(600 G4s, 100 iMacs, 50 Powerbooks)
- SBS
Television (and SBS' Dateline uses Powerbooks,
Final Cut Pro and Final Draft
source: Sydney Morning Herald the guide, p.6, 27 September 2004)
- Designed Blinds
Australia
- University of Queensland, Faculty of Biological and Chemical
Sciences
- Department of Cartography, Government of Tasmania
- Netball Australia
- Faculty of Arts, RMIT University, Melbourne
- Phillips Fox (lawyers) several large practices in Australian
cities
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.... who else uses a Mac |
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Best viewed with |
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Macs are best for these kinds of users: the
ordinary computer user at home, in a school or in a small business (and
many large enterprises as well - see link at bottom of
page): those people who just want their computers to work
efficiently and be reliable.
Summary
Most people should buy a Mac because Macs:
-
are much easier to set up
-
are (still) easier to use
-
are more stable and break down less often
-
are easier to fix when they do break down
-
have plenty of software available
-
are free of viruses and other malware
(though technically
speaking it is possible to create virues for Macs: no one has done
it yet, i.e. since 24th March 2001)
-
are cheaper to buy and maintain in the long
term
- as the saying goes: "you get what you pay for"
- if "time is money", how much time do PC users spend maintaining
their PCs??
- Intel
Head Recommends Apple 25 May 2005 - Slashdot "Pressed
about security ... , Mr. Otellini
had a startling confession: He spends an hour a weekend removing
spyware from his daughter's computer. And when further
pressed about whether a mainstream computer user in search
of immediate safety from security woes ought to buy Apple Computer
Inc.'s Macintosh instead of a Wintel PC, he said, "If
you want to fix it tomorrow, maybe you should buy something
else."
- if it takes a tech savvy person like Paul Otellini an hour a
week how long will it take the average non-technical person?
However if any of the following apply you should get
a PC:
Mac
OS Client and Server Award Winner from InfoWorld
iMac
G5: The Best Gets Better (BusinessWeek,
Nov 2005)
"... the best consumer desktop
around."
Apple
make best wireless routers according to survey (PC Magazine - October
2005)
Apple wireless routers receive this year's highest overall rating score
(8.9). This is especially noteworthy given that, in general, wired routers
outscore wireless. Part of its high ratings may stem from ease of setup:
Apple routers tend to be connected to simpler-to-do-everything Macintoshes.
Learning Lessons from the Mac
by Walaika K. Haskins July 28, 2005
"It's almost like Microsoft is designing [software] for geeks and
Apple is designing for real people," said Joe Wilcox, a senior analyst
at Jupiter Research. "Microsoft's common man approach is centered
on the price [of its software]."
Tiger
burns bright (Info World, June 2 2005)
Apple's Mac OS X 10.4 brings productivity to desktops, turnkey power
to servers
Tiger
Makes Mac's Edge Even Sharper (Business Week)
Unlike search add-ons for PCs, Tiger's Spotlight is always available
Anyone
who isn't dependent on Windows-only programs should consider a Mac. Microsoft
(MSFT ) is promising fast, integrated search and Dashboard-like widgets
in the next version of Windows. But that upgrade is more than a year
away, and we have no idea how good those features will be or even if
they will materialize. For now, Tiger bolsters OS X's edge as
the best personal-computer operating system around." (emphasis
added)
Apple
Takes Major Leap With Tiger - Opinion by Michael
Gartenberg
MAY 02, 2005 (COMPUTERWORLD) - "Want to see
what the future of personal computing looks like? Don't wait for Microsoft
to show you; go out and get yourself a copy of Apple's latest operating
system release, OS X Tiger. It's that good.... Spotlight's search is
integrated directly into the operating system and is therefore much
better at finding things than competing programs on Windows"
First
Look: Tiger Lives Up to the Hype (PC World)
"Excellent new search tool and numerous additions
make Apple's update largely a no-brainer."
Mac Tiger OS reviewed
"So is Tiger any good? Yes, it’s worth
the upgrade from Panther. It does everything that Windows XP does, and
in many cases it does it better, or simpler, or faster."
Apple Releases Its Tiger
"This new operating system, along with the
$499 (and up) Mac Mini that was introduced in January, is yet another
reason why people
should seriously consider Macintosh the next time they shop for a computer." (emphasis
added)
Reviewing
Apple's Tiger Release by Rob Pegoraro Washington
Post
"Flaws and all, Tiger still beats Windows soundly, from
its smooth, nag-free installation ... to its sleek, shimmering
graphical interface." (emphasis added)
Ars reviews Tiger
"Mac OS X started its life as the most ambitious
consumer operating system ever produced. Apple abandoned its existing,
16-year-old code base for something entirely new. Out of the gate, Mac
OS X was a technical curiosity with few applications, and a performance
dog. A scant four years later, Tiger is a powerhouse that combines the best Unix
has to offer with a feature-rich, user-friendly interface. The
increasingly capable bundled applications are just icing on the cake." (emphasis
added)
Mac
OS X 10.4 Tiger: A Review (Note: pro-Mac author)
"Tiger is a great OS update,
precisely because it's focused on a raft of incremental improvements
rather than ambitious, flashy, ultimately useless features. You may not
need to run right out and buy it, but if you do, you won't be disappointed.
...
You just can't be all things to all people, but you can try to build
something with a commitment to excellence, and that's what Apple has
done here. I give it a 9/10, knowing that the day an OS earns 10/10 the
sky will fall."
Powerbook gets highest rating
Stars of screen by Simon Tsang in Icon September 25, 2004
All
the Best by Gary Berline July 16, 2004
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1624254,00.asp
"Once again, Apple demonstrates that it knows how
to please its audience. In both desktops and notebooks, users gave the
company significantly higher overall ratings than the competition." (emphasis
added)
PC
Magazine 17th Annual Reader Satisfaction Survey by Cade Metz July
14, 2004
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1623706,00.asp
Apple scores highest in both laptops and desktops
"Dell, in particular, may want to re-examine its strategy
of outsourcing support. As usual in our survey, the company performs very
well in desktops and servers. Dell again tops the server ratings, and only
Apple's overall numbers are higher for desktops. But Dell's
technical-support numbers have started to drop. They're never
better than average on this year's survey, and with servers, they're
actually worse than average.
No news day: (Bill Gates visit
to Sydney June 2004)
"... consumers expect their technology to behave
like Apple's iPod: sexy and simple to use. Not many people say that
about Microsoft's offerings.
Its Windows XP operating system is widely regarded as being harder than
Apple Mac OS X. And many of the features expected to be included in
XP's successor, codenamed Longhorn, are already in OS X, such as
advanced search features as 3D graphic effects on the desktop.
Does Microsoft have an image problem? Gates wouldn't provide a straight
response when the Herald posed this question. "You 're a Mac user,
aren't you?" he said ... and as the microphone was pulled away before I
could say anything else, no, Bill, I'm not a Mac user."
Dan Kaufman in Icon, Sydney Morning Herald, 3rd July 2004
Panther
Best Operating System 2004 - PC World (June 2 2004)
Panther
"Best Operating System of 2003" APC Award (PDF)
"Microsoft, stop your moaning. Linux fans, count to 10 and
calm down.
Panther is a clear leader in ease of use, technology, system stability
and value. The elegant interface doesn’t equate to the
over-simplification of “computing for dummies”. Far from it: Panther
packs a powerful Unix core, but unlike other *nix distros, it has a
mature and consistent interface. Those same Unix underpinnings make
Panther blissfully unaffected by the endless parade of viruses, worms
and Trojan horses exploiting Windows’ vulnerabilities. Mac OS X 10.3
also gains graphics capabilities that Microsoft is unlikely to match
until Longhorn is released in 2006. ...OpenGL ... equips Panther with
time-saving features such as the Exposé window management
system, which instantly shows all open windows in miniature form. ...
OS X ships with a slick set of applications that are far more useful
than Windows’ freebies."
PC Magazine
Service and Reliability Survey July 2003
Apple desktops, laptops and servers in
top category
Macs rates best in setup experience, never freezing and first year
satisfaction.
"The stability of Linux and Mac OS may have also helped with the rise
of overall user satisfaction. These OSs, our readers say, crash even
less often than Windows XP".
Powerbook rated best small pro laptop
by Sydney Morning Herald (Icon magazine, September 13-14, 2003)
"...by far the most impressive notebook in this lineup. It's stylish,
powerful, has everything you need built in and is the most affordable."
iBook rated best budget laptop
by Sydney Morning Herald (Icon magazine, May 10-11, 2003)
PowerBook rated best desktop
replacement (with Toshiba Tecra)
by Sydney Morning Herald (Icon magazine, May 10-11, 2003)
2002
Technology of the Year: Apple platform With Unix at its core
and OS X
on the upswing, Apple's offerings get tastier InfoWorld January
2003
Apple
Awarded 2002 Technical Grammy for its
outstanding technical contributions to the music industry and recording
field. http://www.apple.com/hotnews/articles/2002/03/grammyaward/
iBook rated best medium
range laptop 2002
(with Toshiba Satellite 1410)
by Sydney Morning Herald (Icon magazine page 6, November 30 - Dec 1,
2002)
ZDNet
rates Apple iBook best budget notebook (February 2002)
Go
straight to the review
iBook rated best laptop of 2001
by Australian Personal Computer magazine (December 2001 p.64) a PC
oriented magazine
iBook rated best budget and
medium range laptop
by Sydney Morning Herald (Icon magazine, June 16-17 and October 27-28,
2001)
CNN rates iBook
best new laptop of 2001
http://money.cnn.com/best/best01/2.html#6
Your feedback please...
this site has been accessed by thousands of different users since it
was first published (September 2000)
Well over 50% of visitors have used Windows PCs, yet there have been very
few unsolicited criticisms or error notifications.No mention is made here of coloured or
"cool-looking" computers (or iPods) which is another reason why you might buy
a Mac!
See which computer Microsoft used to design their
whizz-bang new XBox game system. (not accessible
May 03)
http://www.microsoft.com/jobs/design/workXBox.htm
See and hear what Bill Gates has to say about
choosing the best operating system! (link courtesy of
OSdata.com)
Microsoft's
annual report: Made on Macintosh
This author now has
everyday access to Windows2000 and Windows XP and would be happy to
hear about improvements made to these two OSs so that this site can be
kept up to date. Where possible like is compared to like -eg.XP with
OSX and Win 9x/2000 with OS8/9. However it takes time to compare
all features and they will be
done when time permits.
For
a list of over 18,000 19,000
20,000 21,000 22,000 23,000 products for the Macintosh
go to Products
Guide (Australia)
Did you know....
..... software for the Mac is available to do
the following?
..... a Mac can run the Windows OS(operating
system), a LinuxOS and other OSs - at the same time if you want to - as
well as the Mac OS ??
.... it may even be possible to run up to 11
different operating systems on a Mac at the same time!
see Virtual PC Is Virtually Perfect By Dave Horrigan http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,48964,00.htm
ok here's the world record: 55 OSs on one Powerbook
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