In Fortune Magazine’s article “What’s Cool for School?” Peter Lewis asks, “Windows or Mac?”
Lewis writes, “Left-brain students, the kind who major in accounting, business, or engineering, typically gravitate toward Windows, the standard of the corporate world. Right-brain students, who tend to major in English, art history, and philosophy, are likely to wind up working at Starbucks anyway and thus are better suited to Macintoshes. Macs are relatively unaffected by the viruses and other security glitches that plague Windows machines. Also, iPods and Macs were made for each other.”
Of the Apple iBook, Lewis writes, “Apple hasn’t updated the iBook in nearly nine months—which means only that the Windows competitors have almost caught up to it. Apple may refresh the iBook ($1,266 for the 14-inch model, same specs) in the near future, but college students who buy one now under Apple’s Student Union plan get a discount and a free iPod Mini.”
MacDailyNews Note: Apple unveiled a faster, updated iBook line on July 26th. Future Starbucks workers can find more info here.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Macs are not relatively unaffected by the viruses and other security glitches that plague Windows machines. Macs are completely unaffected by viruses and Windows glitches. Now, is Lewis just joking or does he really believe the stereotype that Macs are for “right-brain students who are likely to wind up working at Starbucks anyway?”
Last year, Lewis answered the following to his question “Windows or Mac?”
These days I’d definitely vote for the Mac OS, which is less susceptible to crashes and viruses. Windows is more popular, but seems perpetually to be on orange alert. You don’t want to hear, “A virus ate my term paper.”
It’s difficult to see what’s changed since last year.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Fortune’s Lewis: ‘Apple Computer’s sleek iMac G5 my top choice for a student desktop computer’ – July 28, 2005
Fortune’s Lewis: ‘Windows vs. Mac? These days I’d definitely vote for the Mac’ – July 30, 2004
More on tossing Windows PCs because of incurable spyware, adware, virus infections – July 27, 2005
Apple Mac users have no fear of viruses, worms due to use of superior technology – July 27, 2005
Dvorak: Mac OS X is already better than Windows, Vista may be end of line for Microsoft’s dominance – July 26, 2005
16-percent of computer users are unaffected by viruses, malware because they use Apple Macs – June 15, 2005
Viruses don’t have to be a fact of life; there are no viruses on Apple’s Mac OS X – not a single one – April 21, 2005
Mossberg: ‘consider dumping Windows altogether and switching to Apple’s Macintosh’ – April 18, 2005
Apple touts Mac OS X security advantages over Windows – April 13, 2005
97,467 Microsoft Windows viruses vs. zero for Apple Mac’s OS X – April 05, 2005
Apple’s Mac OS X is virus-free – March 18, 2005
68,736 Microsoft Windows viruses vs. zero for Apple Mac’s OS X – March 12, 2005
Microsoft tries to turn its own security flaw into commercial gain – February 25, 2005
Cybersecurity advisor Clarke questions why anybody would buy from Microsoft – February 18, 2005
Windows’ mounting security problems make some consumers eager to purchase Macs – January 03, 2005
Unlike Windows users, Mac OS X users surf the Internet without a care in the world – December 28, 2004
Windows spyware mess is out of control, get a Mac and surf with impunity – December 21, 2004
Microsoft may charge extra for Windows spyware protection software – December 16, 2004
Detroit Free Press: Windows malware problem getting worse, it’s time to get a Mac instead – December 16, 2004
Sick of spyware, adware headaches? Get a Mac and surf the Internet freely – December 13, 2004
Mossberg: Windows PCs plagued with problems, Apple’s Mac is ‘rock solid, elegant and affordable’ – December 09, 2004
Security expert: Don’t use Microsoft Windows, Office, Outlook, Internet Explorer – December 09, 2004
Security test: Windows XP system easily compromised while Apple’s Mac OS X stands safe and secure – November 30, 2004
Sick of spyware, adware infecting your PC? Don’t fret, just get a Mac – November 01, 2004
Microsoft: The safest way to run Windows is on your Mac – October 08, 2004
Spyware plagues Windows users while Mac users surf Net with impunity – November 01, 2004
Windows users line up to pay for spyware removal; Mac users surf Web with impunity – October 18, 2004
Microsoft: The safest way to run Windows is on your Mac – October 08, 2004
Windows users’ security woes spark interest in Apple’s secure Mac OS X – October 06, 2004
Windows desktop monopoly threatened by secure, safe Apple Mac OS X – October 04, 2004
Even Bill Gates can’t avoid Windows malware; Mac users surf the Web freely – October 03, 2004
Cyber-security adviser uses Apple Macintosh to avoid Windows’ security woes – September 27, 2004
Information Security Investigator says switch from Windows to Mac OS X for security – September 24, 2004
Mossberg: Apple iMac G5 ‘powerful, affordable, virus-free with better, more modern OS than Windows XP’ – September 23, 2004
USA Today: people are switching from Windows to Mac because of security issues – September 21, 2004
Windows XP worm speaks to users as it deletes their files; Macintosh unaffected – September 13, 2004
Security is top priority in Apple’s Mac OS X – September 12, 2004
Millions of Windows PC’s hijacked by hackers, turned into zombies; Macintosh unaffected – September 08, 2004
Mossberg: Dump your Windows machine and get an Apple Macintosh to free yourself of spyware – August 25, 2004
Spyware, adware plague Windows users online; Mac OS X users surf freely – April 19, 2004
SmartMoney: Long-suffering Windows users can only dare to dream of Mac’s ease-of-use – February 12, 2004
Mac OS X has no viruses; what’s wrong with Windows? – February 11, 2004
New York Times: Mac OS X ‘much more secure than Windows XP’ – September 18, 2003
Chicago Sun-Times columnist: Windows ‘many holes in its security’ but ‘none of my Macs have ever been affected – August 26, 2003
Sick of worms and viruses? ‘Move to Mac OS X’ suggests Chicago Tribune columnist – August 25, 2003
He says “relatively virus free”…
I think that having zero viruses would be better described as ABSOLUTELY virus free.
What about all the Macs in the science industry? Small business? Education? I wouldn’t consider those “right brain” industries.
MDN beat me to my point…I will learn to finish the entire article…
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“It’s difficult to see what’s changed since last year”
maybe somebody “asked” him to say that
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I work near a Starbucks and I use a Mac. Does that count?
Hmmm………Starbucks did he say?
Well, i guess in Starbucks they use Windows Systems, therefore having a lot of experience with Macs in the resume won’t do the trick in order to get a job.
Oh well, idiocy at is finest.
In my experience, Macs are used and preferred by nearly 50% of NIH-funded biomedical scientists as well as many biotech companies, despite the paltry IT support most institutions and companies give to Mac users.
One could argue that scientists are “right-brain” types, since they must be creative, or that they are just smart enough to avoid Windows whenever possible and independent enough to do so despite the poor support.
well i am not only a left brained student, i am also lefthanded and i own a mac….
So much for research..
“Right-brain students, who tend to major in English, art history, and philosophy, are likely to wind up working at Starbucks anyway and thus are better suited to Macintoshes.”
What a snobbish thing to say.
Aren’t writers right-brained?
That’s the old “Mac are only good for desktop publishing” argument in disguise.
Look closely and you will see different trends:
‘All the best hackers I know are gradually switching to Macs.’
and
“What Are the Alpha Geeks Telling us Right Now?
1. They are choosing Mac OS X in overwhelming numbers”
http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/03/29/1818256
Fortune Magazine: “Peter Lewis, write an article on computers, and have it on my desk in ten minutes”.
Peter Lewis: “Yes sir”.
No-brained students tend to steer toward working for overrated publications writing opinion articles.
“It’s difficult to see what’s changed since last year.”
Microsoft was on-time with their payola check this year?
it’s just an indication of the “Circle the wagons “mentality that’s starting to take over Windows supporters. They can see the end coming. Microsoft is now the “beleaguered” company. Taking small potshots, insinuating that Microsoft is still the right choice for us “business” leaders, harumph. Expect it to continue as Microsoft supporters see the coming end of their way of life. The fight should start getting ferocious real soon. Expect straight out name calling and slander next spring. Expect the quote. “What’s good for Microsoft is good for America, So don’t go Mac”. to be used in the near future.
On the Windows side nothing has changed except more viruses and spyware. On the Mac side everything has changed. Faster Macs with more standard features and a newer OSX called Tiger. Still NO viruses,NO spyware,NO trojans period.
Well, this would certainly explain the FBI HQ using strictly Mac OS X… or does it? They are just a bunch of philosophers and history students.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/01/28/a_visit_from_the_fbi/
i actually am appalled by Fortune. we have long stopped to measure head sizes and shapes to draw social conclusions, and their deduction from brain activity isn’t too far away.
what is next, that i like to wear birkenstock makes me a friggin tree hugger?
but let me get to you on that, i have to make a double grande latte tacco supreme for this lady…
I’m an engineering student and I use a mac. I’ve found that those who are uncreative and rigid in how they do things are the ones most likely to work at Starbucks after college. If you (pardon the cliche) think outside the box and figure out different ways to do things, whether you’re a scientist, writer, or business leader, will succeed.
Oh how I love stereotypes.
Why isn’t this writer working in Starbucks?
This is from the previous page:
When shopping for a new laptop, which of the following does not belong on a list of important features and specifications?
a) At least 512MB of RAM.
b) At least 40GB of hard drive.
c) DVD/CD-R/RW combo drive.
d) IEEE 802.11 b/g (Wi-Fi).
e) A beer bong.
Correct answer: (e) a beer bong. An aftermarket upgrade, it can always be added by the student later. The rest are all highly recommended.
This guy thinks he is a comedian.
Furthermore…. the beer bong is NOT optional.
Let’s see…
I’ve been a Mac user since ’84. I’ve used a DOS/Windows based machine only when forced to (which is very, very rarely).
I programmed on a Mac in FORTRAN when the first compiler came out for it (Microsoft FORTRAN [actually Absoft’s FORTRAN being marketed by Microsoft as its own — where have we seen that since?] in ’85), developing new analyses methods not available in IMSL, NAG, SPSS or BMDP.
I’ve done work for the Defense Nuclear Agency and the Department of Energy using Macs.
I did the analysis of the data from a series of experiments I did in ’84-’86 on Macs — the first ever non destructive assay of Plutonium and other transuranic elements (didn’t need to see them decay nor did I need to fission the samples off).
I analyzed the effects of nuclear events on the U.S. ICBM systems on Macs. (In the 80s it was 1,000 times easier to get a Mac with a decent TEMPEST rating than a machine running DOS.)
I tested the first real implementation of the U.S. version of the next generation air traffic control systems (ARTS-IIIA) using Macs — and it was NOT done in the U.S. In the U.S. IBM had the U.S. process totally messed up using IBM proprietary OSes and Windows.
I designed satellites (’90-’04) and specifically designed the first two way link through a satellite (to and from an individual’s home) and got the first authorization for that through the FCC in ’95 by using Macs.
I did the initial designs and government regulatory submissions for a nuclear based space tug on a Mac (’95-’04).
And I’ve never worked at Starbucks.
People thinking Macs are for “Right-brain students, who tend to major in English, art history, and philosophy…” is just pure BS.
That guy is quite possibly the biggest jackass ever.
MW few, as in “That guy has very few brain cells left.”
How does this turkey know what type of people work at Starbucks? He probably slurps away at gigante double lattes while pecking at his virus ridden Dell, then waddles out to make his report to Microvista.
I think Peter Lewis’ inbox is going to be rather full this evening.
“It’s difficult to see what’s changed since last year”
Except that OSX has got better while Windows has stayed the same…
MW=hundred, as in a hunded reasons why to switch.
Wow. Articles like this are so useful.
At least now I know what that stupid PhD in biochemistry I got is good for.
I feel so misguided for having picked the academic faculty career path.
The phrase “clueless twit” seems appropriate here.
Apart from generalizing (caused by gross ignorance), this paragraph is an old fashioned writing technique designed to sway the audience. In this case he’s trying to imply that if you use a Mac, you’re not suitable for the business world, you’re artsy fartsy, which is somehow less than important.
Perhaps someone should remind this (total) dick just how many accountants and business people have changed the world over the centuries, compared to say artists and philosophers (and in da Vinci’s case, artist and scientist.)
Considering it’s appearing in “Fortune”, should we expect any less? I mean, perhaps the selfish goal of making money and building pathetic monetary empires is more important to these guys, than say, making the world a better place in which to live through art, painting, writing, and to a certain extent, science as well.
ps oh, and of course, some artists get lucky and rich. Just look at J.K. Rowling and her story – she wrote parts of Harry Potter in a coffee shop. And of course, we Mac people know about Delicious Monster too, who also work out of a coffee shop. So, there’s nothing wrong with working in a coffee shop, nothing at all!!