“Over the past year, I have advised readers who are fed up with the plague of viruses and spyware on Windows PCs that one way out of the mess is to switch to Apple Computer’s Macintosh. There has yet to be a report of a successful, real-world virus for the Mac’s current operating system, and there is little or no known spyware for the Mac,” Walter S. Mossberg writes for The Wall Street Journal.
“I stand by that advice, and also by my positive reviews of recent Mac models, especially the impressive iMac G5. But, as I have noted in the past, switching to the Mac has downsides, and it isn’t the best course for some groups of Windows users. So here’s a brief guide to which types of users might find switching inadvisable,” Mossberg writes. “In general, the best candidates for a switch to the Mac are those who use their computers overwhelmingly for common, mainstream consumer tasks. These include e-mail, instant messaging and Web browsing; word processing, spreadsheets and presentations; working with photos, home videos and digital music; and playing and creating CDs and DVDs. The Mac is as good as Windows at these core tasks, and in many cases better.”
MacDailyNews Note: Walt describes approximately 99% of the world’s computing population above.
So, according to Walt, who shouldn’t switch from Windows to Mac? People who are happy enough with Windows (ignorance being blissful, as it were). People who are resistant to learning new ways of doing things (even if it’s more intuitive, more thougtfully-designed, and will make you more productive). If you can’t afford it. If you run specialized, custom Windows programs. If you love Microsoft Outlook (again, ignorance-bliss). If you use your PC mainly for games. If you rely heavily on financial software. If you don’t own an iPod or love Napster and Rhapsody.
“Of course, you can overcome most of these obstacles if you buy a Mac as a companion to, rather than a replacement for, a Windows machine. But then you’d still be battling Windows viruses and spyware, and having to spend money and time to maintain dual platforms. The bottom line is that the Mac is a great alternative for mainstream consumers doing mainstream tasks who are sick and tired of the Windows security crisis. But it isn’t for everybody,” Mossberg writes.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Mossberg’s article shows that switching to the Mac is for just about everybody who isn’t ignorant, set in their ways, cash poor, mostly use their computer to play games, or “love” Outlook, Napster or Rhapsody. Switching from Windows to Mac isn’t the best choice for everybody, just most people. We agree wholeheartedly.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Mossberg: Windows PCs plagued with problems, Apple’s Mac is ‘rock solid, elegant and affordable’ – December 09, 2004
Walt Mossberg’s Fall PC Buyer’s Guide: ‘Apple’s new iMac G5 is an excellent choice’ – September 30, 2004
Mossberg: Apple iMac G5 ‘powerful, affordable, virus-free with better, more modern OS than Windows XP – September 23, 2004
Mossberg: Dump your Windows machine and get an Apple Macintosh to free yourself of spyware – August 25, 2004
Wall Street Journal’s Mossberg on making the switch from Windows to Mac – September 18, 2003