Technology musings…

I’ve spent the past six months investigating the Mac platform and have come to an informed decision. The next computer I buy will be a Mac – probably a Macbook unless Apple releases the much rumoured Macbook “thin”. I did not come to this decision lightly, but hopefully some of my thinking can be of use to others who are considering a “switch” from Microsoft Windows to Apple’s Mac/OSX.

About Me
First, a little information about me. I’ve been using computers since I was in grade one. My first exposure was to gaming systems like Colecovision and Atari, but I was fortunate to try out the Commodore64 at school. Luckily for me, my school principal was a bit forward thinking and managed to find money to place a Commodore64 in every classroom (mid 1980s) and also managed to get a special for parents interested in buying them for the home. My parents ended-up buying one and our family used it for several years. Later we bought an IBM clone running Microsoft Windows 3.1 and continued a string of computer purchases – Pentium 166MHz MMX, Pentium2 466MHz, and then a string of AMD CPU machines. I bought my first laptop in 2003, a Sharp ultralight notebook, and used it until it died last year.

I have three computers in my house (two desktops and a notebook), shared between my sister (an engineer), my retired parents, and myself.I would classify myself as a power-user or “pro-sumer”. I try to purchase entry level professional products as I find that products geared for consumers are somewhat lacking in features and don’t last very long. For example, I purchased a laser printer (HP laserjet 6P) in 1997 that works perfectly – it wasn’t cheap at the time, but I expect to be able to use it for at least another 3–4 years. I understand how computers work at the conceptual level and am not afraid to tinker with them. I’ve built and re-built several computers on my own.

When it comes to software, I am comfortable using different packages and can do some basic modifications as I have some very basic computer programming skills (took some classes in high-school and at university). Lately, computer science has advanced far too quickly for me to keep up, but I try to follow trends and keep up, even though I’ve given up on programming.Just so you know, as far as I know, all of the software running on the computers in my house are legally acquired. I’ve either paid for licenses, use open-source software products, or other free products from Google or the like. I realize that the software industry has real costs to pay (i.e., salaries), so I don’t mind paying for software if it’s useful. I just have issues when the prices are way too high. I’ve been able to buy Windows XP Pro and Office Pro for about $150CDN through contacts (see below) and I try to take advantage of any educational discounts I can get.

Disatisfaction with Windows

Because I’ve been comfortable with computers, I’ve been able to trouble-shoot most of the problems I’ve encountered while in the Windows world. Through trial and error, I’ve come to realize that a Windows computer works best right after a “clean” installation with just a few necessary programs installed. After about 6–8 months, I start to notice the machine getting sluggish because of errors to the registry, mal/spyware, and some weird happenings because of device and program installation/uninstallations. As such, I have pared down my software to a small list of programs that I absolutely must use. Every 6 months, I wipe out my OS and all it’s programs and re-install everything. Unfortunately, this is a drastic measure and takes me about 12–24 hours to complete. It’s actually a more extreme measure of “restarting Windows”. Recently, I discovered Norton Ghost and that’s allowed me to speed-up the reinstallation process greatly.

I’ve been fortunate that I have friends who work at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington and I’ve been able to get copies of product at family/friend prices. At the prices I can get either through my contacts or via educational discounts (on average ~$50–$75 per product), software is pretty reasonable to purchase, even multiple copies/licenses. I seem to be doing okay.

So, what is my problem with my current set-up? I guess my disatisfaction with the Windows world is that you get tied into Windows products. Ever since I’ve been exposed to the Open Source Software movement, I’ve come to realize that there is something to be said for using and enforcing open standards. I’ve seen many open source products arise out of nowhere and compete with mainstream commercial products (e.g., Firefox, The Gimp, and Open Office). I think this open source ideology of paying for “valued or convenience services” is a fair one, especially for consumers. I used to argue with a friend of mine, before I was exposed to the open source way of thinking, that it’s impossible to make money on open source. I’ve now come to realize that you can make money – it’s just in a different way, and probably not as much as in the past when you pretty much could charge whatever you wanted.

I’ve also grown tired of the seemingly never ending security updates that are “critical”, patching some sort of flaw. An increasing amount of malware, spyware, and other forms of attacks (especially viruses) make me increasingly frustrated with Windows. Although my computer set-up works, I’ve had to spend more and more time being my own tech-support group. As a result, I decided to try and look for an alternative to see if any were better than Windows.

What about Linux?
I gave Linux some serious consideration. Some of my colleagues are serious Linux “geeks” and open source advocates. Unfortunately, they are all programmers by training. But, I decided to try it out.Some of the software selection available is getting quite good – Open Office (freely available at openoffice.org) is a great alternative to Microsoft’s Office suite. For non-profit groups, I’d highly recommend Linux and open source software as a cost-effective solution. I’m sure they could find some volunteers to handle some of the technology management part – these alternatives definitely make hardware run longer.After a few experiments, I decided not to go with Linux. My main issue was that I couldn’t find products that were as polished or as ready to meet my needs as in the Windows world (yet). Finding an Outlook replacement wasn’t too hard, but trying to get those services to synch with my RIM Blackberry? Forget about it.

My biggest disappointment with Linux was that I had to spend so much time managing the software and hardware, especially at the beginning. I’ll admit that there is a pretty steep learning curve that could be skipped if I went with a distribution like Xandros or Ubuntu (which are both great choices). If it was just a software only issue, I think I could probably stick it out with Linux. But, we’re also talking hardware and that’s probably where the biggest hurdle lies. I couldn’t get drivers for the products that I wanted to use. I didn’t want to spend 1–2 hours per day tinkering with my computer with multiple patches and configurations. I think I’m at a point where I just want my computer to “work” so I can get things done.

Why Apple?
So, I started to investigate Apple. I was fortunate because I worked along side some people who used Apple products. The refreshing thing was that these people weren’t Apple evangelists and weren’t very snobby like the people I’ve met in the past. Over the past while, I’ve been able to address each and every one of the barriers to using Macs:

1. No convenient place to try or learn about Macs – with my co-workers and the recent Apple retail stores, I can try out and ask about Macs as much as I want. I can touch and feel and interact with the devices and try out OSX.
2. Mac snobs – I can’t remember specific names, but some Mac users are just snobs (just like some Linux or Windows users). In the past, I tried to learn more about Macs but was rebuffed because I was using a “PC”. I just wanted to learn more about the Mac platform and had some questions. These people kept insisting that the Mac was the “best computer” and couldn’t understand why I didn’t think so or use one. That just turned me off for the longest time and I just decided it wasn’t worth exploring. Luckily for me, things have changed and I’ve met better Mac users.
3. Price – a big issue in the past was about the perceived price of Mac products. Now that I’ve seen Macs, I’m not so sure there’s much (if any) price difference. You get great value with Mac products. I’ve only been able to learn about this because of point #1.
4. Lack of compatibility – Again, much of this has been dispelled because I’ve been able to get educated about the Mac.

Here are some of my reasons for choosing the Mac:

1. It just works – Just like the ads say, Apple products just work. I don’t need to worry about compatibility with devices (assuming I get Mac compatible peripherals) and I don’t need to worry about the main computer working. Apple controls the software and hardware, and that makes for a seamless and integrated experience. I don’t want to spend time fixing or tinkering with my computer. I want to use my computer to get things done.
2. Unix foundation – This factor appeals to the small “geek” inside of me. I like Unix and the power that it brings. With Windows, it’s a great big black box that I have no control over. While Apple isn’t Linux, it’s pretty darn close. I get the power of Linux on great hardware that I know works. The Unix foundation means OSX has a solid foundation.
3. Pleasing aesthetics – Basically, Apple products look pretty and have great industrial design. Sure some people discount this factor, but I’ve grown to appreciate the value of great design.
4. All the OSes via virtualization – I’m not sure how much practical use I’ll get out of this one, but OSX allows me to try every OS out on the market via virtualization. None of the other operating systems can run Mac OSX (legally).

Even though I’ve decided to go and switch to a make, I still have some lingering issues.

1. Limited hardware options – I’m pretty much limited to whatever Apple offers for sale. If you have a specific need and Apple doesn’t meet it, you’re pretty much out of luck. For example, I want an ultralight/small notebook that is <3lbs. I had intended to get a 12” Powerbook, but the Intel transition kiboshed that. The 12” Powerbook was still a bit heavy for my taste, but I thought I could live with it (I used to have a 2.9lbs laptop so anything over 4lbs feels like a tomb-stone). I’m still not convinced about Apple’s plans for a lower cost desktop computer – the Mini is pretty good, but it’s not really inexpensive. And I’m not sure that Apple is going to continue this product. The iMac, on the other hand, is a great product. But what if I already have an LCD monitor that I want to use…
2. Liminted peripheral options – Unfortunately, not all peripheral devices are available for the Mac platform. This situation, however, is changing, albeit slowly. For the longest time, RIM Blackberry devices weren’t supported (they still aren’t compared with the Windows world), but this too is changing.

The good thing is that there is a growing “ecosystem” of third party developers that are creating more options for Mac users. Hopefully with Apple’s continued success, more and more developers and vendors will make their products available for the Mac platform. The Mac seems to offer the best blend of commercial support for hardware, software, and open source developments – I’m not stuck in either extreme.

An Informed Decision
So, after all of this investigation, I’ve come to the decision that the Mac is for me. It’s not 100% perfect, but it is the best overall solution for me. I’d like more hardware and peripheral device options, but hopefully that will change.I’m just waiting to buy a Mac because I’m a bit strapped for funds right now as I’m still in graduate school. I’d also like to get my parents an iMac to replace their existing computer. They have the most basic of needs, but I think they’ll get more use out of a Mac than a Windows box.I have to admit that Macs aren’t for everyone.

• Some people are only concerned about the price tag and will always look for the “cheapest” computer they can find – I guess you get what you pay for.
• Some people are too ingrained in their habits of using Microsoft Windows and don’t want to switch. My sister absolutely hates iTunes and is frustrated that she has to learn new ways of doing things. She’s fortunate that she has tech support from her company to make sure her notebook works. The strange thing is that she complains about Windows and espouses the virtues of Unix (she develops hardware using products on both platforms).
• And finally, I think that some people just don’t care. They are willing to accept what they’ve got.

I’ve spent 6–10 months researching and investigating Linux and the Mac. I’ve tried out various Macs (iMac, Macbook and Macbook Pro) and can identify what I like and dislike about them. I can do the same for several Windows notebooks, and even Linux distributions too. I’m not a Mac or open source “zealot” in any way. I just want the technology that I use to work. At the end of the day, computers are just a tool to get things done. Based on my analysis, I think the Mac will best suit my needs.

Additional Reading…
If you want to read another account, you should read an article available from CIO.com. One of the technology saavy CIOs did a farily rigorous test of Linux, Windows, and Mac OSX for the enterprise. While many of his experiences matched mine, he had concerns specific to a health care enterprise. The concepts and issues, however, remain the same.