“Why are Microsoft products so endlessly frustrating to use? Even techno-geeks like me get annoyed by Windows. I
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I got my first Mac, iBook 14″, a few months ago and I haven’t really touched my home PC since. It’s unfortunate that I have to use a PC at work. I’m so much more comfortable on the Mac. Powermac G5 is next.
Why do people call OS X Apple’s “new” operating system? Hasn’t it been out longer than XP? New to them maybe?
nice to read that, basically, most people out there want the same things that us supposed ‘zealots’ want..
a great machine to do myriad things with..
but really.. most people have never been so intimate with a machine, because it was always so.. damn… mechanical..
before the Mac
My name is Donny!
Still Pissed,
Deep breaths pal, deep breaths. And remember, no matter what type of computer you use, it’s still only a machine. There are far more important things on which to expend emotional energy.
Still Pissed,
You are dreaming if you think you can achieve 100% security. What companies do is anyalse threats and respond with appropriate measures. In a a world of highly evolving technology (coded by imprefect humans) there will always be holes.
We just happen to be on a platform where the threats are minimal to the Mac.
I agree with Viridian…..relax man…and be happy we are not subjected to spyware, malware, viruses, crashes, downtime, trojans, etc etc etc….
Still Pissed…
One more thing…
All wireless technology is inherintly insecure. What do you expect man? You are broadcasting packets to anyone who will listen. Buck up and buy an Airport Extreme. Enable WPA and quit worrying. Or go back to cables. Your choice.
It is not the Airport AP that is insecure it is the WEP protocol….which in not Apple proprietary.
I drive a big green van.
@Still Pissed: Stop spreading FUD.
All you have to do is 1 and 2
1: Disable “Open safe files upon downloading” in Safari run Software Update.
2: Install RCDefaultApp and disable all URL protocol handlers (except http, https and mail) unless you are going to need them.
Except, I would only recommend disabling disks: disk: and afp: and setting ftp/ftps to some ftp client.
You don’t “need” Little Snitch or Paranoid Android if you did step two and are careful of where you get your software. Stop spreading FUD.
My name is Donny. I have a pretty purple mac. My mommy got it for me for my 30th birthday. I use it to find pictures of pretty girls. Don’t tell my mommy though. She says that if I look at pretty girls that it will make me dizzy.
If anyone’s brave enough, mosey on over to Thurott’s site. He’s got a half-assed rebuttal to the posted article.
My favorite part is where he replies to Reifman’s assertion that a Mac is very easy to use: “Sure. But you’re an experienced, technical user. You know how old-school desktop GUIs work, so Mac OS X is no problem for you. Stick a poor inexperienced user in front of it, however, and … bam! Where do you start? Where do you get help? What do you do when it doesn’t work?”
Grade-A stuff.
The idea that a computer takes ten minutes to boot is silly. If he is really a knowledgable computer guy then he would know how to fix that problem if it truley was happening, which i seriously doubt.
Melanie,
PT is a jackass. I read that garbage he wrote. His head is in the clouds right along with Bill Gates et al.
Every new user I put in front of Mac, learn it, love it and use it. Put that same user in front of XP and they want to throw it out of the window.
And I do not know PT’s background, but I would take the word of a manager who knows the ins and outs of the company that he thinks he knows so much about.
That dude is a joke.
10 minutes to boot is silly, but I’m sure it’s an exageration of the real time windows takes to boot or he’s booting an older platform. I do have a dual P-II Xeon machines running cluster services that takes 5 minutes to get to the desktop, mostly because of 4 scsi chains, but it takes another 5 minutes after the desktop shows up to get all other services started. Most users assume that windows is finished booting when they see the desktop in 45-60 seconds. It actually takes another 2-3 minutes for windows completely startup some necessary services in the background. If you log in immediately after the login screen shows up and try to click on items on the desktop, some of the programs fail to start or take another few minutes to start. Microsoft has tricked the clueless user into believing that windows boots faster than it really does.
” It actually takes another 2-3 minutes for windows completely startup some necessary services in the background. If you log in immediately after the login screen shows up and try to click on items on the desktop, some of the programs fail to start or take another few minutes to start. Microsoft has tricked the clueless user into believing that windows boots faster than it really does.”
Well, I guess my Virtual PC is not so bad on bootup after all!
You are right about how it works though, I have had OSX Process Viewer on, and I can confirm that is how XP “supposedly” boots up. Just because the desktop screen is up means nothing.
good question where is ron?
Jadis,
Usually I don’t like to give Thurott’s site any extra hits and most of his work is pure drivel, but every now and then he’s so far off base that it’s actually quite hilarious.
I did IT work (networking & desktop support) for 4 years when I was in school. Our university had an equal number of Windows and Mac machines. The support staff for the Mac side was 2 full-time and one part-time student while the PC side was 6 full-time staff members and 2 or 3 part-time students. And this was in the days of OS 8 and 9.
I use a Windows box every day at work and it’s wonderful to go home to a G5 running Panther. Heck, it’s better than wonderful.
Richard:
I have to argue with your contention that I am “wrong”. I am relating MY experiences with MY Mac and MY PC. Since you haven’t used MY Mac or MY PC how can you objectively make any comment about either of them?
I am glad that you don’t have this problem with searches with Finder. I do. Go figure.
amz… you’re assuming that the problem is with the os.. not your actual comp which may be f*cked up by your usage
Transputer operating system. The ability to use 17 processers at once. Can U tell me when APPLE will let U ADD AS MANY PROCESSERS as U want, by putting then in the PCI slots? Again BOTH ATARI AND COMMODORE had system’s in the work’s 12 YEAR’S AGO that COULD DO THAT. THAT’s BETTER THAN ANYTHING FROM APPLE OR MICROSOFT!! Now is OSX BETTER THAN THAT? NO!!! RESPONSE please.
CWW:
Who’s Atari and Commodore? I mean, if they were so bloody wonderful why haven’t they achieved 21st century financial success?
“Why is it that a switcher is given more credibility than a long standing Mac user?” – Average Mac Zealot
I think the answer is much simpler than you were looking for. Long standing Mac users are thought to be zealots, Apple loyalists, fanboys, what have you. They are ilogical people, elitists, apologists and don’t conform to the mainstream. As such, people don’t listen to what “long standing Mac users” just as people don’t listen to street corner preachers. Switchers, OTOH, come from the mainstream. They have been there and the reason they switch is because they “know better”.
Generally, people who look at me funny for liking Macs stop snickering when they found out I can use Windows and UNIX & Solaris better than the average users and yet I prefer Macs. They can’t argue with people who know more.
Interesting now that I’ve read it all.
It’s a shame but it proves that having all the money in the world doesn’t necessarily mean you produce the best products.
I can think of another American phenomenon which also has almost limitless money and it too creates a lot of crap… yes, it’s Hollywood.
Nobody: “Generally, people who look at me funny for liking Macs stop snickering when they found out I can use Windows and UNIX & Solaris better than the average users and yet I prefer Macs. They can’t argue with people who know more.”
Totally, can’t agree more with that.