“You know, I’ve heard one too many horror stories of people’s Windows PCs falling into what they would describe as a nearly unusable state due to the ad-ware, spy-ware, and mal-ware that had built up in their computer…but I never could have imagined that it was this bad. Of all the dozens of major reasons for Switching to the Mac, I’d really never quite understood why so many potential switchers ranked the security thing so far above seemingly more compelling reasons such as the interface, the consistency, iLife, Safari, all the innovation, and so on. But sitting there Saturday night in front of a one-year-old Windows PC that had been absolutely brought to its knees by security-related issues, I finally ‘got’ it. This really is a huge thing. The Windows platform really is literally being shredded as we speak,’ Bill Palmer writes for billpalmer.net.
“My friend and I both concluded that some kind of deeply buried crap-ware was replicating the infected stuff just as fast as Ad-aware could get rid of it. He asked me what the solution was, and I told him that I honestly wasn’t sure whether he would need to upgrade to the paid version of Ad-aware, or purchase some other, more powerful tool. So naturally, he asked me what I use on my computer to fight off this kind of nonsense. And before I could even manage to figure out how to answer that question, he answered it for me. It was time for him to finally ‘get’ something that I’d been trying to get him to understand for years,” Palmer writes.
“‘This doesn’t happen to Apples, does it?’ he asked out loud, not so much in the form of a question, but more along the lines of a lightbulb going off in his head. ‘No, never,’ I told him, explaining this that kind of crap just doesn’t happen to well-built, well-designed operating systems. And at that point, I pretty much knew what was coming next: ‘That’s it, I’m never buying another PC again,'” Palmer writes. “And there it was.”
Full article here.
… and there it is!
Good article!
Awesome! Another light bulb lighting up the “dark side”.
Another member of the family!
So many things are cresting right now that give Apple advantages it hasn’t enjoyed in years.
The iPod.
Competitive pricing.
Design.
OSX (Microsoft is far away from matching it, if at all)
And of course, the internet situation. Security. Worms. Viruses. Etc.
And all the things we have been enjoying for years. It’s time for the marketshare to start inching up.
And I wish that there could be category that breaks down the sales of computers to be used by actual human beings. Not a Dell that’s used in a gas station in Cambodia.
I think it would be handy, and good for Apple if the stats quoted “4% of total sales, 10% for individual consumers.” Or by industry.
Something that portrays the actual clout of Apple, that it is now wielding, yet every news story depicts Apple sales as tiny.
Really now.
Tiny yes, but much larger if the percentage of end users was explained.
dv
More like driveing all IE users to Firefox. Firefox downloads are through the roof!
I’ve been trying to persuade my brother for many years to change to Macintosh. I’ve been using Mac’s since 1988, but it wasn’t until my Mac 8200 died on me last year that I started regularly using my wife’s Windows XP Pro based laptop until I waited in vain to buy a new Dual 3Ghz machine.
However, by my self-imposed imprisonment, I have been able to demonstrate to my brother all of the frustrating and infuriating aspects of using a Windoze machine. I’m no longer just a Macintosh zealot in his eyes who has never used anything else.
Subsequently, he’s gone for it big-time, I’m glad to say. He’s just about to place an order for Dual 2Ghz, 20″ Apple monitor and a stack of peripherals and software.
HOLY F—ING SH-T.
it’s getting really bright in world right now with all the lights bulbs turning on!
this will be one fun ride! enjoy it.
My mother bought my brother a PC less than a year ago (because it was cheaper) and yesterday she called me up and we ordered him a 14″ iBook with superdrive!! … Less than a year, and it is so fouled up that it is unusable!
I think that must be a record. I have a lot of friends that bought PC’s before starting business school (in January) who have already replaced their machine or reformatted their hard drive!!! some several times.
I think MAc sales will continue to increase espescially when Tiger comes out!!!
Forget “Think Different” there is Apples new tag, And there it is
we mac people have to make sure these new users are well taken care of….granted apple does most of the work with good everything but it can be a little bumpy the first weeks figuring out where everything is…keep and eye on them and help them out.
it’s okay.. Windows isn’t the only thing ‘on it’s knees..’
Enderle, Thurrott and Dvorak.. take your positions..
Spinal Tap.. i totally know what you mean.. part of what I do before I even talk about the Mac is demonstrate that I pretty much know more than most PC users about how their own PC works,and why MS does what they do.. (open architecture, etc.. licensing problems )
then if I talk about “See, look at the Xbox.. that’s a Vertically Integrated Proprietary Machine.. and it works great! Vertical Integration works”.. At least then it’s evident that I ‘chose’ the Mac..
Another thing i like to do is say, ‘oh, i’m a cheapskate.. so i got a Mac’.. this is kind of hard for them to get their heads around… ‘I don’t wanna buy anti-virus software or pay sb to fix my computer..’
hehe.. I bought the AppleCare for peace of mind.. but that’s optional.. I haven’t used it much, mind you..
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It took so long for Weednose users to realize that the shit they were smellin’ wudn’t due to a lack of hygiene. ‘Course, Ballmer’s deodorant being meant for a horse is the reason they still can’t smell it in Redmond.
We have windows and mac computers all hooked to internet – dsl, broadband. Hooked up and running at least 12 hours a day.
No big problems with either.
E-mail with crap attached, but virus software cleans it up.
I love that Bill Palmer!
Here’s my story:
My parents in NJ used to use the PC a lot to surf the web, follow stocks and news, etc. When I visit from MA these days, I find that they barely use it anymore because it is full of pop-up ads, and other junk.
Years ago I asked my tech-phobic parents to get a Mac instead but my 3 older sisters (not Mac fans) who live near my parents, bought them an HP PC, because the PC is all my sisters (and their husbands) know and since they are local, they would help on a daily basis.
But my now-in-law-school niece woke up this summer and told her mom that there was no way she was going to keep using the PC that they had given her. She bought an iBook and iPod during the Cram and Jam promotion.
So the tide is turning…
My neice just had her Dell laptop restaged because of all the spyware and popup. A week later it’s already popping up error messages from broken software.
Teenagers have it the worst in the computing environment right now. They are prolific downloaders and have no fear of following a link from a new friend. It was a bit shocking when I discovered this. I was first angry at her, then I realised it was the same when I was in high school in 1988-92. We had Macs and they were always infected with something, but then it was MS Works virii on floppy disks.
The difference now is that Apple has locked down their OS by having a revolution instead of an evolution in thier system architechure. It was a painful switch, but sometimes you have to dump the ballast.
Sadly I don’t see Microsoft willing to make this step. They have enough resources to create a completely new and safe OS, but all I see them doing is small evolutionary changes on a failed design. Patch and patch.
Apple needs the competition. Competition is good. I hope someone else comes out with viable competition once Apple wins. The industry I am in, which is mega, multinational, is making huge strides to linux. It wouldn’t be nearly as bit a step to replace those systems with X-Serves and Mac desktops.
It would be nice if Apple did more for mega enterprise customers, but again, that might be exactly the kind of customer that creates a Microsoft. Enterprise customers are usually not too happy about continuous Apple-style innovation. Apple is being good about adopting open standards though, and more open standards support make Mac that much less of a risk.
Apple should get there eventually. I think they had this sort of “Too much innovation” concern in mind when they announced the development cycle of OS X will slow down.
a pick up on don’t stop’s post:
as more pc users convert to the Mac platform, we need to make sure to include them in the wonderful community of mac users – and NOT chastise them for being a windows user. most people just don’t know better, and the fact they switched should be praised.
let’s provide a positive example as to why OUR platform of choice is better. it’s not just the technology – BUT the experience as well. that will sell more.
Well I’ve just set up OSXvnc on all our Macs and using Rendezvous & Chicken of the VNC just blew me away – Zero Configuration and total access to help any user from my desk!
Apple Rules, bout time they got some recognition!
let’s provide a positive example as to why OUR platform of choice is better. it’s not just the technology – BUT the experience as well. that will sell more.
You forget the Mac community. There are few bad Mac users, but overall, Mac community is a nice, helpful bunch. Mention that you need some help and undoubtfully people will reply with suggestions if they know how to fix it. Sure we envy those with the latest, most powerful Macs, but we are excited for them and they don’t belittle us for having a 4 year old Mac.
Honest Jim, we have close to the same thing in my office, but most people at home don’t have an IT staff or even a computer literate person watching their system. They pick something up at Best Buy, take it home, plug it in and go. If AV wasn’t included, most wouldn’t even use that. In some cases they can give you all the specs on their computer, but they don’t understand the maintenance (even if its automated) that needs to go into their computer. I’m scared to death that my in-laws are going to get broadband. I won’t have any free time! As for me, I do almost nothing in the area of computer maintenance once I get home.
Yeah, i’ve been a PC kind of dude for some 8 years now. Buddy of mine has an imac800, used to have a powerbook.. but back to the point.. i all but live here at his place, and i love his mac. I can’t wait to see Tiger released.. and 64-bit computing *drools* jeebus.. I mean if those freaks who sit around making games all day of their lives would just see what the Mac has in store for the future.. iw ould be releasing games strictly for the Mac and not PC, no matter what finanial losses i would suffer at the current time.
So.. lets just call me one of those lightbulbs thats been left on outside for a while.. but i’m getting my dual processor g-5 in 3 months *grinz* all good from there.
I was just at a large company meeting and had my iPod and inMotion speakers going all the time (after the work day was done of course). Everybody now wants an iPod and I saw first hand the interest and mind share that the iPod generates as a certain percentage of the people checking out the iPod started asking about Macs. I think two people have decided to get Macs now mainly due to the fact (which almost NONE of the PC Users were aware of) that there are no viruses in the wild for the Mac.
As a side note the prizes at the end of the meeting were ipod mini’s so more people are getting exposure to the halo effect from that too.
To all windows users, do not be affraid, join us. Together we will conquer the earth.
If Steve J had half a brain he would LOWER PRICES. Even if for 12 months only, and then put them up again if he wishes. $950 for the new iPod here in Australia, geeze Steve. I hear you have 5 billion profit down the back of your sofa somewhere. You won’t go broke. Cost is a big factor, lower the prices, not a huge amount even if you only broke even for a year, at least you won’t be sinking. I’m telling you Steve, you’ve planted the seed with the iPod. Now drop the prices and windows users will flock to you.