“One of the oddest facts about the Wintel versus Unix (including Linux and the Mac) debate is that the Wintel proponent practically brag about never having actually used Unix while the most committed Mac/Unix advocates have generally used both If in reality the Unix products really are better, faster and cheaper, why is it that we’re always on the defensive, having to justif our choices against a Wintel default,” Paul Murphy reports for LinuxInsider.
“Review, for example, the information collected under the Macintosh Justification heading by Macintouch.com. There are seven subsections, each containing a number of success stories, purchase and use rationales, and more or less personal analyses of the costs and consequences that go with a Mac decision,” Murphy writes. “Read this stuff quickly and you’ll see that most of the contributers obviously have experience with both Wintel and the Mac but prefer the latter because Wintel consistently costs more and achieves less.”
Murphy writes, “Look more carefully, however, and you’ll see that the underlying reason in almost every case where the Mac lost out to Wintel doesn’t have anything to do with rational arguments based on cost, performance or functionality. Instead, Wintel proponents are shown as consistently fudging such arguments as rationales for decisions already made and getting non-IT executives to justify signing off on those decisions mainly by overweighting the argument that Apple’s market share has long since entered the insignificance of single digits.”
“In effect, Wingots seem to shout ‘We’re winning’ loud enough to convince the people around them that it’s true, and indeed you could fill a good-size book shelf simply by quoting analysts and commentators who’ve publicly written Apple off over the years,” Murphy writes. “It’s true, of course, that Apple’s share of new desktop sales runs only a bit over 3 percent right now, but the conclusion these commentators draw from this is wrong because the 3 percent is a measure of revenue dollars to PC sellers, not hours of usage by customers… In other words, it’s Wintel’s rapid upgrade cycle that’s been getting progressively more and more out of line with norms for industrial or retail electronics products, and therefore not falling interest in the Mac, that’s behind the numbers. Think about this for a minute: If PCs remained usable as long as Macs do, industrywide total revenues (aka customer costs) would be nearly two-thirds lower.”
Full article with much more here.
MacDailyNews Take: Amen, Brother Murphy.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Apple shows strong Mac shipment growth, market share gains in fourth quarter 2004 – January 19, 2005
Can Mac mini help Apple win back double-digit market share in the personal computer market? – January 16, 2005
Report: Apple gained significant market share of computer industry during past quarter – January 12, 2005
Analyst: With growing Mac market share, Apple has to start acting like a grown-up company – December 27, 2004
Is Apple’s market share really that important? – October 18, 2004
>Sol wrote: I am familiar enough with Windows to know that editing movies on it is far more complicated than it should be.
I have the exact opposite experience. When I edit videos (not movies) on WinXP, it’s quite easy. I’ve used Premiere/PremPro/AE, Avid XPressDV, Canopus Rex/Edius, Vegas Video, Ulead MediaStudio Pro. With the exception of Avid and AE, they are all pretty straightforward. The lesser programs are even easier for the average person.
That being said, I do just about all of my editing on a Mac using Media100 for simple cutting and FCP/Motion/AE for the more fun stuff.
– – –
Sol… out of curiousity, what Windows apps have you tried that are “far more complicated than it should be”?
NoMacForYou says “…The fact is that PC’s and Macs last about the same time …”
Depends what you mean by last! Usability is another question. Windows is more demanding of hardware platforms for decent performance and typically is slower with each incarnation, resulting in expensive upgrades. This is less true of Unix/Linux/Mac OS X where a very usable experience can be had on quite non-leading edge hardware.
My PowerBook G3/Pismo is more than four years old and has no trouble running the latest incarnation of OS X (10.3.7) even though it
originally began with OS 9.0. It also has no trouble running PPC and Yellow Dog Linux. I haven’t found this level of versatility and performance during an extended lifetime (over four years) with any other computer I have used (And I’ve used a lot, since 1975!).
PC hardware is (fairly) OK, but it is let down by the software … Windows is still a poor choice of operating system for many tasks (especially when doing serious computing such as in science and engineering fields). As a games console or for trivial tasks it is OK.
I thought IT depts were cost centers, not revenue generators. Or, do you mean, that IT supports revenue generators, and since you kept the revenue generators going, they were able to do what they were meant to do and that is generate revenue. As far as I’m concerned, keeping the company running is a given, and you don’t get plaudits for something that is a given. Your mentality that you did something great for what should be taken as a given is exactly what the original story is about. You guys have drunken too much of the Wintel koolaid.
So Mac & PC Guy, you have used every video editing application out there for Mac & Windows. Wow, I do not have that kind of experience. I have only used Media 100, Avid Xpress, Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, iMovie and Final Cut Pro (and Express), all on the Mac. I can only recommend the solutions that I am familiar with, so when somebody asks for video editing advice on Windows I can’t help them.
By the way, Adobe Photoshop on Windows is rubbish. I tried using it on a PC with dual displays and thought that it was stupid for the whole application to exist in a self-contained window. On the Mac every element, from the tools to the open files is in its own window and can be dragged to any display. Like I said before, far more complicated than it should be.
Article Title: Wintel proponents consistently fudge facts to stifle consideration of Apple Mac alternative
—
Sol first wrote: I am familiar enough with Windows to know that editing movies on it is far more complicated than it should be.
Sol wrote my response: I can only recommend the solutions that I am familiar with, so when somebody asks for video editing advice on Windows I can’t help them.
Which is it? Maybe MDN should revisit the title of this article. It goes both ways as you have shown so glaringly.
BTW: Photoshop on Windows works just fine for me. It looks and works the same as Photoshop on Mac. Does everything really stay within one self-contained Window on your dual-monitor Windows box? Strange indeed.
Article Title: Wintel proponents consistently fudge facts to stifle consideration of Apple Mac alternative
—
Sol first wrote: I am familiar enough with Windows to know that editing movies on it is far more complicated than it should be.
Sol wrote my response: I can only recommend the solutions that I am familiar with, so when somebody asks for video editing advice on Windows I can’t help them.
Which is it? Maybe MDN should revisit the title of this article. It goes both ways as you have shown so glaringly.
BTW: Photoshop on Windows works just fine for me. It looks and works the same as Photoshop on Mac. Does everything really stay within one self-contained Window on your dual-monitor Windows box? Strange indeed.
Ooops… typo… should’ve read:
Sol first wrote: I am familiar enough with Windows to know that editing movies on it is far more complicated than it should be.
Sol later responded: I can only recommend the solutions that I am familiar with, so when somebody asks for video editing advice on Windows I can’t help them.
—
Just thought I’d add… The NLE I prefer working on is FCP. It’s a joy to use: fast, deep, stable, powerful, with detailed manual control!
Ooops… typo… should’ve read:
Sol first wrote: I am familiar enough with Windows to know that editing movies on it is far more complicated than it should be.
Sol later responded: I can only recommend the solutions that I am familiar with, so when somebody asks for video editing advice on Windows I can’t help them.
—
Just thought I’d add… The NLE I prefer working on is FCP. It’s a joy to use: fast, deep, stable, powerful, with detailed manual control!
Thorpedo wrote: My PowerBook G3/Pismo is more than four years old and has no trouble running the latest incarnation of OS X (10.3.7) even though it
originally began with OS 9.0.
I have a Gateway PII-350 that I’ve had for maybe 8-9 years (forgot when I bought it exactly, but it was around the time that proc came out).
I have swapped out a couple of components due to normal wear (hard drive, CD writer upgraded, modem replaced). We use it for surfing the net and general duties like word processing. It runs XP just fine and does everyday tasks perfectly.
Not bad for a on a computer that’s way older than your PowerBook G3/Pismo.
Thorpedo wrote: My PowerBook G3/Pismo is more than four years old and has no trouble running the latest incarnation of OS X (10.3.7) even though it
originally began with OS 9.0.
I have a Gateway PII-350 that I’ve had for maybe 8-9 years (forgot when I bought it exactly, but it was around the time that proc came out).
I have swapped out a couple of components due to normal wear (hard drive, CD writer upgraded, modem replaced). We use it for surfing the net and general duties like word processing. It runs XP just fine and does everyday tasks perfectly.
Not bad for a on a computer that’s way older than your PowerBook G3/Pismo.
Give it up Mac & PC Guy. You can’t seem to accept that I find Mac solutions far simpler compared to anything on Windows. Good for you that you had the time to try every Windows video application but most casual editors will only ever use one or two programs.
If you think you can get a non-editor editing video on a PC in as little time, the same budget and with the same slick results as you could on a Mac then go ahead and try.
Good for you that you still use your upgraded PC for net surfing. It still does not change the fact that PCs get replaced more often than Macs. Let me just add that Macs always have better resale value than any comparable PC.
Sol Sol Sol,
Sounds like you just don’t like being called out on your own arguments. Here’s a repeat in case you forgot your own words:
>Sol first wrote: I am familiar enough with Windows to know that editing movies on it is far more complicated than it should be.
>Sol later responded: I can only recommend the solutions that I am familiar with, so when somebody asks for video editing advice on Windows I can’t help them.
As for having time to test out alternatives, well… I have just as much time as the next guy. We all do. I just like improving my skills, that’s all. Trying out alternatives doesn’t hurt your skill; it helps.
Being open-minded, for the most part, isn’t a harmful trait. Closemindedness is often more damaging.
Anyway, enough with that. Some things we agree on:
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
We both enjoy FCP. We both use Photoshop. We both work on Macs.
Have a nice day, Sol.
—
One more thing, maybe you can help me. I haven’t used Photoshop on a dual-monitor XP box. Does it really keep everything in one self-contained window? I run PS on XP with one large monitor and it works exactly as it does on a Mac.
Sol Sol Sol,
Sounds like you just don’t like being called out on your own arguments. Here’s a repeat in case you forgot your own words:
>Sol first wrote: I am familiar enough with Windows to know that editing movies on it is far more complicated than it should be.
>Sol later responded: I can only recommend the solutions that I am familiar with, so when somebody asks for video editing advice on Windows I can’t help them.
As for having time to test out alternatives, well… I have just as much time as the next guy. We all do. I just like improving my skills, that’s all. Trying out alternatives doesn’t hurt your skill; it helps.
Being open-minded, for the most part, isn’t a harmful trait. Closemindedness is often more damaging.
Anyway, enough with that. Some things we agree on:
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
We both enjoy FCP. We both use Photoshop. We both work on Macs.
Have a nice day, Sol.
—
One more thing, maybe you can help me. I haven’t used Photoshop on a dual-monitor XP box. Does it really keep everything in one self-contained window? I run PS on XP with one large monitor and it works exactly as it does on a Mac.
BIG MACX : Yes indeed I use Photoshop CS on a G3 (700 mhz) and X.3, and it still smokes my co-workers Dull 1.8 Ghz Pentium.
—YEAH RIGHT, NOW YOUR FULL OF SHIT AND YOUR BRAIN IS STARTING TO LIE TO ITSELF—-Bring it, Id love to see it happen…
I guess you don’t have a damn clue about what you are talking about.
—You’re Right, 10 Yrs in a multi-OS IT dept and I dont know shit-ZERO-NOTHING-NODDA ….
Let me tell ya, I still RUN PS albeit on OS9 on a 1998 Beige G3 300 mhz overclocked to 400, and still is used for minor video editing and minor graphic and web design. I guess I can still squeez two more years out of it, befor goes as a full file server!
You suck!
You just proved my point you idiot. I can run PS 7 for win on a system built back in 98 and could still be using if I WANTED TO…??? Keyword in your post was MINOR.
Please, OS 9? PS7, 400 MHZ..You’re pathetic. Go buy something new. Or better yet, put something more up-to-date on it like OS X and CS and tell me how long your waiting for a 250 mb image to load. You’d have an easier time picking up pixie sticks with your butt cheeks. While your squeezing your ass to hold in that load of shit G3, the rest of the world will be moving on to something newer.
Mac & PC Guy, As far as PS spanning across multiple Monitors, I’ve seen it spanned on up to 4..
The only difference in PS that I am aware of is the background window of PS. Thats because of the differences in the Finder and Windows opening up in a seperate window…IE: The file menu is on top in OSX. As far as everything else…Its identical.
This post brought to everyone by the magic word “Load” as in BIGMACX dumped his “Load” on himself this morning.
NoMacForYou: Thanks for the info. I didn’t have any experience with that particular setup, thus didn’t want to open my mouth and comment on it (unlike many fellow MDNers).
—
Revisiting the title: Wintel proponents consistently fudge facts to stifle consideration of Apple Mac alternative
It’s pretty obvious the same thing happens on the Mac side. Mac proponents tend to fudge facts in a grand way!!! Pretty much every Mac user is like that.
NoMacForYou: Thanks for the info. I didn’t have any experience with that particular setup, thus didn’t want to open my mouth and comment on it (unlike many fellow MDNers).
—
Revisiting the title: Wintel proponents consistently fudge facts to stifle consideration of Apple Mac alternative
It’s pretty obvious the same thing happens on the Mac side. Mac proponents tend to fudge facts in a grand way!!! Pretty much every Mac user is like that.