Hi all - this post originally existed as a comment in another discussion, but since my verbosity got the best of me, I decided to publish as an article!
A little background: I was a Windows PC-only computer guy from about 1988-2001. I had tried Macs, but didn't see the appeal during that time. In 2001, Apple took a very risky business decision and completely rewrote the foundation software that their computers run on, which at the time was an operating system called Mac OS 9. They introduced a new operating system called Mac OS X (currently known as "Tiger"), and it turned out to be the best move Apple has ever made. It's the move that has resulted in Apple selling over 1.76 million Macs last quarter - 33% more than they had in the same quarter a year ago! Further, it's a move that Microsoft is unwilling to make, which causes tremendous 'legacy problems' in Windows to this day that have carried over since the earliest copies in the '80s!
Anyway, I tried it and was hooked. Here's why I switched, and why I changed my entire business model from PC Sales and Support to Mac Sales and Training (more on that subtle word change later).
1. It Just Works
Because Apple designs the hardware, the operating system and many of the applications you use (web browser, photo manager, video and dvd authoring, mail, etc) to work together, the whole system is incredibly stable. Additionally, plugging in devices like cameras, music players, scanners, printers, and video cameras does not require the painful steps of Windows driver software.
Microsoft can certainly work to get applications working with Windows, but they could never test the millions of Windows PC-based hardware configurations that exist. Think about all of the manufacturers - Dell, HP, Gateway, Lenovo - and then all of the home-built computers. There are so many configurations, one could never keep track of them all! Apple, on the other hand, keeps a smaller, extremely well-tested and refined product line so Mac users are assured of a seamless experience.
2. Best in class multimedia software is included free with each Mac
Whether you are looking to make a personal website, printed marketing materials, or a professional-quality video burned to DVD for playback on a TV set, the Mac comes free with software priced at hundreds of dollars in the Windows world. Take a shoebox of photos or a digital camera memory card, import into iPhoto, and create beautiful video slideshows, printed calendars or websites with just a handful of mouse clicks. If you have home videos, iMovie will blow your mind by allowing you to plug in your video camera and instantly add music, 3D transitions, and titles. For the techies out there reading this story - the newest iMovie performs these tasks in real time - no waiting for rendering. It's yet another feature that just isn't heard of on "consumer"-level software.
3. The only computer that can run Mac, Windows and Linux side-by-side.
Thanks to Boot Camp, Apple's software that allows rebooting the computer into Windows XP/Vista mode, I am playing all of my favorite Windows games. The one roadblock to the Mac for many Windows gamers has been broken - I'm enjoying Bioshock, WoW, Lord of the Rings Online, Supreme Commander and more - on my Mac. When I am looking to check my custom websites in Internet Explorer or use a Windows-only real estate program, I don't need to reboot. I can use software like VMWare or Parallels Desktop and have all the great Mac programs side by side with the occasional required Windows program! No slow-down, no stuttering. You have to see it to believe it.
4. Freedom from the wretched viruses and spyware that plague Windows
Mac OS X was designed for high security, so it isn’t plagued by constant attacks from viruses and malware like PCs. Likewise, it isn’t plagued by never-ending security dialog boxes like those in Vista.
To quote Apple, "By the end of 2005, there were 114,000 known viruses for PCs. In March 2006 alone, 850 new threats were detected against Windows. Zero for Mac. While no computer connected to the Internet will ever be 100% immune from attack, Mac OS X has helped the Mac keep its clean bill of health with a superior UNIX foundation and security features that go above and beyond the norm for PCs".
UNIX is the Mac OS X's secret weapon. Under the Mac's hood is UNIX technology that most Fortune 500 companies, governments, and universities rely on for their mission-critical applications. It's rock solid, secure, and available as a non-server prescription to Windows woes.
This really is the tip of the iceberg. I could continue for many more pages, but I hope these few tidbits have been helpful. You can probably tell that I love my current job quite a bit more than I did when I worked in the Windows PC arena. I provide far more -training- in creative and productive uses of the Mac, and provide a lot less -support- than I did as a Windows consultant. Since the Mac operating system is so stable, in the sense that it does not crash or freeze, and is not susceptible to viruses and spyware, I help consumers organize their lives, create beautiful DVDs and photo albums, and get themselves on the web with one click. The same reasons allow me to guide small businesses to more productivity, beautiful marketing materials, increased sales and lower total cost of ownership. Since I'm not always fixing things or cleaning out viruses from Windows, I'm helping people create and produce.
On a Mac, you can think about the project at hand - not the computer.
Thanks for reading and if you have any questions at all, please feel free to check out my
business website -
Digital Reality - Mac Sales, Training, Networking and Mac / Windows Integration
I am available for free consultations and purchase advise, and always provide 2 free hours of setup (NYC area) or over-the-phone training with a new Mac purchase.
In addition, please read and vote on my wife's entry in the Gather Romance competition!
A Scandalous Overture
All the best,
Eric
Apple Certified Consultant
Apple Authorized Business Agent
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Comments: 30
Please read and rate my entry:
A Scandalous Overture
The idea of being productive instead of always fidgeting and running programs to maintain and repair my PC is indeed tempting.
Shannon - thanks so much for voting. In the unofficial results, she is at 13, with the last slot being 15!! Fantastic news, as it appears she will be progressing to the next round. Thanks again.
The one caveat to this is the ultra low-end market. Apple admits that it does not compete in that market and really is not looking to. For example, Macs do not really compete in the $499 Dell computer including 17" monitor category, but you do get what you pay for.
Would you mainly be looking at a laptop or desktop? I could get you some more detailed figures if you would like. I also have access to discounts, so feel free to mail me privately through Gather or email, etc. at any point in the future.
Best-
Eric
Digital Reality - Mac Sales and Training
good luck with it
Everyone has their preferences, so I certainly don't begrudge you yours. Like I mention in my article, I was a die-hard Windows guy until 2001. I suffered a lot of heckling from my Windows friends at first, but the Mac platform has made me more productive, more creative, it's made my business image stronger, and I've made more money because of it! Now, most of those same heckler friends have switched too. Sooner or later, the 'joy' of PC tinkering wears thin and we just want to get things done. That's been my Mac story - hope it can help you some day!
The lack of maintenance drama and the ease in plug-and-play peripherals makes it an easy sell for me. Are you sure your not Steve Jobs in disguise?
Now about those iPod's....
The creative stuff (Web, in my case) sucked me into the Mac at first, too. Sounds similar to your audio situation. Once I realized how much more productive my accounting, business and contact management, and marketing could be on a Mac - I was hooked.
We're seeing a lot of this with the iPhone and iPod now - people see how elegant and intuitive the solutions are and they think.. Hmmm... these Apple guys make computers too?
Best,
Eric
Z'
Sorry to hear about the lightning situation - that happens more often than people would think! Belkin and APC both make power strips ($20-50) that are insured up to $10,000. If your equipment gets zapped because their product didn't protect it, they'll cover it. Hopefully helps for the future.
Despite the problems with Windows, in my opinion I rather take the lesser of two evils.
Don't even get me started on the iPods since I know so many people who once again are having major software issues with their computers especially those that are Windows-based.
When I first started using Macs (again) in 2001, I took a few days to learn the entire system inside and out. I'll admit, since we as Windows users are accustomed to things a "certain way", the Mac way of things certainly seems different, or maybe even 'harder', since we are not used to it.
BUT - I promise you, the Mac has been built from the ground up for user friendliness. The incredible drag and drop and plug and play capabilities are amazing right off the bat. Add to that the most intuitive and elegant way to create photo books, movies, DVDs, web sites and other creative projects, and you have a platform that's easy to use, stable, virus-free, and blazing fast (mainly due to not being bogged down by viruses or the weak "trialware" software included with new Windows PCs).
Just a quick example of how my Mac made my workflow easier today. I was working on editing a Word document for a friend with a Windows PC (files are completely compatible cross-platform) and wanted to email it to him. I saved my document, and with it still open, dragged the icon on the document's title bar down to the bottom of the screen where my Mail program icon exists on the Dock. (The dock is something like Windows' start menu and taskbar all-in-one - you get to choose programs you would like to keep there, and programs that are currently running show up there as well). With that one simple dragging motion, and quick entry of his email address, I had attached a file to an email and sent it. Boom - it was done.
Dragging BETWEEN applications is what really impresses me about Mac's drag and drop. No need to "save as" then "attach" from within the mail program, etc. Elegant, and SO easy to use that many of us try to do it the hard way that Windows has taught us! :)
Feel free to comment or message privately with any specific Mac usage issues!
Also, off topic: all Macs have right click! Just for the record, had to put that out there - it's a question I get a lot....
Help my wife become a published author -
please read and rate her Romance entry on Gather!
A Scandalous Overture
First off, I'm sorry to hear about your father-in-law's frustrations. I know how tough it can be to have a great new piece of equipment and be slowed down a little bit at the gate.
The trick is this (and I meant to mention this to Kelly up above too): Any new system is going to seem different and there might be a little bit of an adjustment period.
If you can get past that TINY bit of pain, the pleasurable rewards are absolutely huge. More security, more productivity time, ease of use, reliability over 5-8+ years on average, more creativity, lower total cost of ownership, applications and devices that 'just work', etc. The list goes on and on. But a little bit of diligence is required up front to reap those rewards.
With each of my clients, I always take 2 hours to train them on the basics of their new Mac, knowing they are coming over from Windows. Understand that it's not the Mac that is harder to use, but in fact that time is spent breaking some habits and showing folks how EASY the Mac is to use. Since I made the switch myself, I've been there and have distilled my years of knowledge into a great 2 hour teaching session where we get clients off on the proper foot.
All Apple Stores offer a Getting Started With Your Mac class that I have taught in the past, and I STRONGLY recommend any new Mac user attend one of these classes. If you are in the NYC area and purchase from apple.com using my link, I provide this class one-on-one at no charge in your home or office.
More to your point about tech support. Tech representatives are human - they are all trying their absolute best to visualize a problem that they can't see in front of them. It's an impressive feat. Some are better than others, but the key is to find a company with tech support that is consistently rated best in class.
For example, in PC Magazine's (not exactly biased publication towards Macs, I was careful with my choice => ) 20th Annual Reader Reliabilty and Support Survey, Apple -once again- led the pack for quality of tech support and reliability of the computers.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2184103,00.asp
PC Magazine is merely one source. I'll take some time to compile others, but off hand I know LAPTOP magazine, Consumer Reports and others all agree that Apple, followed by Lenovo (formerly IBM) ALWAYS leads the pack.
I guess it goes without saying that I can't agree with you on the "two evils" thought. A tiny investment spent learning the Mac platform pays so many dividends back.
All the best of luck and -please- do not hesitate to contact me privately though gather, email, my website, etc with any questions or snags you might encounter. I have yet to have a client switch 'back' to Windows after a quick training session addressing whatever question is at hand.
Also - not to ramble, but I have to state one other interesting phenomenon. People have heard SO MUCH about the stability and ease of use of Macs that their expectations are unbelievably high. Impressively, the Mac usually meets or exceeds these expectations, but I often remind people to take a breath and think about where they came from. Most of my former Windows clients are just now using their computers for more than word processing and email - because the Mac makes it so easy!
My $0.02.
Help my wife become a published author -
please read and rate her Romance entry on Gather!
A Scandalous Overture
catch you around... :)
I also left out in my article that I was an Apple II user in the late 80's (thanks Woz!) and switched to Windows PCs in the mid-90s and stayed there. Windows 95, at that time, was superior to the Mac platform for my needs. However, recently with Windows XP's security and stability issues, and Vista unfortunately not living up on its promise (after being delayed roughly 5 years), Mac OS X came out at the perfect time in 2001 and I have not seen anyone go from Mac OS X back to Windows since.
I encourage anyone who is Mac Curious to check out Apple's Get a Mac page for more information. As always, feel free to visit my own site for additional thoughts, too! I'm happy to discuss the appropriateness of the Mac platform on a case-by-case basis with each client, but for 93%+ Mac is the clear winning option.
We share a similar story, and there are many others in our situation. The switch to Mac OS X (UNIX base) and more recently the switch to Intel processors have been huge decisions which I think have sealed the Mac platform's success. Being a former Windows PC tech support person like yourself, I was particularly aware of the huge stability and ease-of-use improvements of the Mac versus Windows. Something funny is that I have a couple of Windows IT friends who are closet Mac users at home! :O
I have a feeling that pretty soon it's going to be a Mac world. I was in the Apple store here after Thanksgiving last year and it had maybe 10 to 15 people waiting for it to open. Then at Christmas time I went with my parent's to get their first Mac and the store was packed! I have been back a few times to get software, etc. and they have hired so many new people and I can see why. It is becoming contagious.