“As a new Microsoft operating system starts making its way to store shelves, it’s incumbent upon us to forecast its expected impact. And after downloading the Windows 7 beta and immersing myself in its environment, I think I can say, both as a Mac user (I’m writing this on my iMac) and what some may call an Apple nut (I own just about every Apple product released over the past five years), Windows 7 will not only stymie Mac OS X’s growth, it will push Apple’s market share back down to pre-Vista levels,” Don Reisinger writes for CNET.
“Even though it’s only in beta testing, and there are still quite a few months left for Microsoft to screw things up, Windows 7 is easily one of the best operating systems I’ve ever used. Driver support is outstanding, and performing basic tasks on a 3-year old, homemade Windows box was delightfully fast. User Account Control was barely seen, and the operating system’s redesign, though obviously taking pointers from Mac OS X, made using Windows much easier than in previous iterations. Simply put, the experience was delightful,” Reisinger writes.
“That ‘satisfaction factor’ will enable Windows 7 to capture some of Mac OS X’s market share. For the first time in recent memory, the new Microsoft OS will appeal to consumers who want a better experience, companies that want reliable software without breaking the bank, and vendors that want their customers to be happy. That didn’t happen with Vista, which forced many to switch to Mac OS X, but I think that it will happen with Windows 7,” Reisinger writes.
“Now, I know some of you are thinking that the damage has already been done that Mac converts will never look at a Windows machine again. I’m sure that a large percentage of Mac users would probably agree with that sentiment right now. But I’m a firm believer that if people use a particular operating system at work and like using it, they’ll bring it into the home,” Reisinger writes.
“It’s the average consumer–the person who doesn’t follow the tech world, doesn’t know why so many people hate Microsoft, doesn’t understand the basic difference between Mac OS X and Windows, and simply doesn’t care about tech, as long as it works–who will consider the alternatives. She will read about Windows 7 on sites like this, examine the price differences between a MacBook Pro and the latest-and-greatest Hewlett-Packard notebook, use Windows 7 at work, and then pick Microsoft’s product over Apple’s up for personal use,” Reisinger writes.
“As a person who performs almost every computing task on a Mac and tells anyone who will listen that at this point, the average consumer should be using a Mac instead of a Windows machine because of security and usability, I’m starting to prep myself for the single moment that I thought would never come: I’ll be using a Windows 7 machine as my main computer and telling anyone who will listen that, believe it or not, using the latest Microsoft operating system really is worth it,” Reisinger writes. “Now excuse me while I go outside to take some pictures of those pigs flying around my house.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We’d wait to see a Snow Leopard before snapping any flying pig photos (or judgments), Don. Especially since we heard much the same type of stuff during Vista’s development, too. Historically, Microsoft has never been particularly adept at copying; they’re always at least a little off and usually much worse. From what we’ve seen from reputable sources, Windows 7 is not much more than a Vista Service Pack with a different name on the box.
That said, competition is good and Apple does not require Microsoft to suck in order to sell Macs. Macs are perfectly capable of selling on their own merits. Plus, the fact that only Apple Macs can run all of the world’s OSes/software natively and/or via fast virtualization while routinely earning the highest satisfaction ratings can only help sales – especially in a time when people are likely to be looking for sound investments in products that will give them the most flexibility and value for their hard-earned dollars.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers "The_Wzrd," "Beowulf," and "BD" for the heads up.]
5 Day Most Commented