“Many of the great pop-culture debates of our time involve intense rivalries — Yankees versus Red Sox, Britney versus Christina, Ford versus Chevy. Among these great discussions stands one that has shaped the technological world: Macs versus PCs,” Daniel Holevoet writes for Yale Daily News. “Ten years ago, the computer world was different than today, and it seemed like Microsoft had bested its rivals. Beleaguered was a popular phrase used to describe Apple, and Linux was less than a year old and unknown outside small circles of avid coders.”
“But today, the decision is not so clear-cut, and Apple has made a much larger comeback in Yale student and faculty computing than its 10 to 12 percent national market share would indicate. According to Yale Information Technology Services’ registration records, nearly 20 percent of University students and 33 percent of faculty choose Macs over Windows PCs,” Holevoet writes. “With a reinvented, cutting-edge operating system and a cool, sleek design, Apple is clawing its way to technological equality on campus. Products like iPod and iTunes have transformed the Apple brand into a status symbol as much as a technological tool, and alternative platforms such as Linux have moved out of the shady realm of hackers and into the public eye. The debate is renewed.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: This is a fun article to read, with one Mac user quoted as saying, “I have an Apple bumper sticker on my car, a patch on my hat and a poster in my room. You don’t find that kind of loyalty with Windows users, and there is a reason why.” After reading the article, we’re not sure if the writer and/or people quoted in the article understand that Apple’s Mac OS X is UNIX-based. Let us know what you think. There’s even one student who said insists that “his Windows system was adequate for his needs and purchasing a Mac was not worth it” and that he is “more comfortable using Microsoft programs and prefers Windows Media Player to Apple’s iTunes,” as if to offer proof that one can be “booksmart” enough to get into Yale and still display a certain lack of other smarts, not to mention taste. Meaning: if you haven’t used both Mac OS X and Windows XP, how much is your opinion as to which OS you prefer really worth? The comfort of familiarity, self-imposed ignorance, and some people’s resistance to change would seem to be some of Microsoft’s last best weapons against the superior Mac solution.
In a world without fences and walls, who needs Gates and Windows?
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Survey shows Apple Macs owned by nearly 10 percent of US small and medium-sized businesses – February 17, 2005
More people use Apple Macs than you think; 8-12 percent of homes use Macs – March 31, 2004
10 percent of computer users use a Mac; 3 percent is Mac’s approximate quarterly market share – February 10, 2004
Syracuse Post-Standard: 3 percent is a false stat; Mac holds ’10 to 12 percent of the market for PCs – August 27, 2003
Someone wrote:
“How about gamers? Those who want a complete computer solution under $600? And those who just god darn it like the OS?”
**********
That last sentence made me bust a gut laughing. Well, not that it’s impossible that someone would like Windows. I’ve heard of people that like taking urine showers or having unprotected sex with crack whores, but still, it’s a pretty wild thought to think of someone liking Windows.
And as far as “gamers” are concerned; I don’t think we need to take too seriously the preferences of 14 year old boys who spend all their free time playing with their “joy stick” while they make Lara Croft do super terrifc neato things at a frame rate supported only by their AlienWare glob of PC horseshit. (I’m talking about you Ron.)
A number of people here are taking issue with the MDN response to this article. Let me just add my name to the list of those outraged that a pro mac site would actually offer a pro mac opinion. Of all the gall! I think MDN should only espouse opinions that make useless Windows trolls sleep well at night. And while they’re at it, maybe the name of the site should be changed from MDN to WDSSDBJ (Windows Doesn’t Suck So Don’t Be Jealous).
Ron, I’m a Mac user and I’m not gay. Just ask you mother. (Why do you think she can’t wipe that grin off of her face?) But you were right about the sodomy. I HAVE committed numerous acts of rear entry over the years. Again, just ask your mother.
Oops – Well said. Well said!
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Your third post, Oops, your third post…
I should learn to type faster. Dang.
Windows XP drove me to get a Mac. It sound like a good OS, until you try to use it features, which sometimes work, and sometimes don’t. The wizards are more trouble than good. The interface could be more screwed up, the networking alone is a disaster. Window, after window, after window, I swear it goes on for ever and you never can find what your looking for.
Put it this was Mac OSX may be OK but XP is horrible if you try to do anything other than run one program at a time, and just stick to the real basic stuff. Try to use any power user features and it becomes, to quote Forest Gump, “….a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”
Apple did nothing to attract me as a customer, Windows did everything to cause to look for an alternative.
Okay, homos, I am a homo, too. and i only do men who do windows.
ron
Don’t underestimate the comfort zone factor. Most people just want to learn enough to do what they want to get done and thats it. It usually takes a lot of pain to break people out of their routines. The fact that we are seeing an increase in switchers when this involves people having to leave their comfort zone and learn how to do something a new way speaks volumes about the amount of pain windows is causing.
Geeze it’s only a bloody computer. Is there are forum out there somewhere where PlayStation owners can hang sh1t on Xbox owners ? What’s next ? Mysterious looking delivery trucks laden with dynamite crashing into Apple stores driven by kamikazes ? Sheesh.
It’s almost possible to own both platforms nowdays, forget Pear PC and Virtual PC. Get a PC made up without a cd drive. Get a mac mini and stick it on top of the PC. Get 1 monitor/keyboard/mouse and one of those switcher things so you can alternate between the two of them. There are some things the Mac can do way better than PC. And naturally in a PC dominated world the PC can be far superior to the Mac in many ways simply because it’s more compatable as more people have PCs.
“Don’t underestimate the comfort zone factor. Most people just want to learn enough to do what they want to get done and thats it. It usually takes a lot of pain to break people out of their routines. The fact that we are seeing an increase in switchers when this involves people having to leave their comfort zone and learn how to do something a new way speaks volumes about the amount of pain windows is causing.”
Yep, it’s hard to give up reinstalling your system folder and ridding the system of viruses. Those PC users would end up with too much time on their hands if they switched to a mac.
Ron,
Get out of your Mom’s basement and go outside for once.
Oops, you were swapped as a child. You and ron are brothers.
A clueless person wrote: “Since when does Apple have 10 to 12 percent national market share? Get a life and a good article.”
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Since when does it not? It’s called installed user-base.
Since you are clueless, I’ll explain by example:
My girlfirend is FORCED to use a pile of horseshit at work and is FORCED to have a corresponding pile of horseshit at home as part of her work. (For those keeping score, both piles of horseshit have the word “Dell” on them, whatever that means.) Anyway, the company she works for pays for both piles of horseshit, but my friend hates the stink and wishes her company had a clue about computers, for there is not a single thing she is required to do on either pile of horseshit that she could not do much better, quicker, and with less fuss, stress, and frustration, on Mac OS X. Her company mistakenly believes that piles of horseshit with the word “Dell” on them are cheaper than those strange gadgets that look like something from a sleek science fiction movie running something called Mac OS X, but her company is not counting all of her wasted time wrestling with both piles of horseshit, or IT expenses, or the down-time they’ve had from malware in their shortsighted calculations, things that would be non-issues with that “other OS” some affectionately refer to as Panther.
In another room of her house, in a nice room, she has a beautiful G5, with a beautiful matching 23 inch Apple display running Mac OS X. This is where she does her own personal computing (along with healthy amount of f****** my brains out using the Aquarium screensaver as our only light).
So, it’s one user, using both operating systems, one forcibly, one eagerly, and three computers. The ratio of PC to Mac market share for unit sales in this microcosm would be 2 to 1. But the installed user-base would be 1 to 1. Understand? Does that fit on your task bar? And that’s not even counting the fact that again, one OS is used FORCIBLY, and one is used as an actual PREFERENCE.
I hope this clears up for the difference between “units sold” and “installed user-base”. It’s meaningful. Accept it. You don’t need the permission of the PC press to use the meaningful numbers instead of the conveniently misleading ones. Really, you don’t.
Sincerely,
Oops
P.S. My pretend and insincere apologies go out to those who are offended at having read my pro-Mac opinions at a pro-Mac site. Additionally, if pro-Mac opinions upset your delicate insecurities and bring on fits of uncontrollable jealousy manifested in various form of denial and/or ad hominem attacks, I can heartily recommend not visiting anymore pro-Mac sites in the future, because we’re probably not going to change our opinions on the Mac vs. PC debate that shouldn’t even be a debate because it’s no contest even if that would suit you. If, on the other hand, you find yourself overcome by certain troll-like tendencies, then I suppose you’re going to do whatever it is you need to do to help you sleep well at night.
well the yankees suck, thats not much of a debate
Hey, guess what, your website has pop-ups, or pop-unders as the case may be. You’re dedicated to a computer platform that touts being one of the first to offer a pop-up blocker for its web browser, and you’ve found a way around it. I think that’s dirty, and under handed.
I’ve posted an entry in my blog, and on Spymac.com, it may be useless, but if enough people know not to visit your site because of pop-unders, that has to affect your pop-under advertising budget, right?
“Ron” you mind if you change your nick.I have a window pc and never used a mac before. I plan on buying a mac when tiger comes out. Really looking forward to it.I like to post here but with the other Ron here I don’t know about that.
If he exists at all, I imagine ‘ron’ to be a small, mousey, timid little man who is completely dominated by his oversized, nagging wife and is ignored or laughed about at work.
He tries to sooth and compensate his many psychological wounds and particulary his lack of self-worth, by means of these tirades.
Or in the immortal and comforting words of Diana Ross and The Supremes:
“Da do ron ron ron, da do ron ron.”
Oops: You’ve got class, write more often..
What’s a Group IV subject?
When talking about market share…does anyone know the percent market share that Apple has of the education market?
At one time, maybe 5 to 8 years ago, Apple had more than 50% market share of the educational market. After that, it dipped down to the low 40% or so, for a couple years. In the last few years, I think the Apple total educational market share has slipped well below 40%.
The education market share should still be much higher than the 4% to 10% of total computer usage (business, educational, and home markets combined). Does anyone have the most recent educational market share stats?
bsantoro
Hey Ron,
Thanks for the most imaginitive use of cussing I’ve read in a long time – laughed my “hairy-man-ass” off!
You must make your mother and your sister very proud; though I imagine there both one and the same person…
Mooo!
” he plays one song over and over, and still hasn’t figured out how to do playlists on there..” – Mike
Dude, Your roommate must be the biggest idiot on the planet. My girlfreind must be a ton smarter than him, and she doesn’t know jack.
I know its crazy that WMP doesnt do this automatically. But there are these things called settings. And well, they let you change settings!
Tools / Library / Checkbox = Check on Rename music files using rip music settings…Geez. Now does that seem difficult?
I use both OS X and XP. Both work awesome, Both do the job.
Both have been stable and secure for us. Both cost about the same.
We dont buy dells, we build instead. There is a huge difference between a Mac and a Dull (a mac wins hands down). I’ve used them both for awhile now. Some things are better done on one platform, others are done better on the other..Who Cares? As long as it gets the job done. And so far its been good.
At the end of the day, It doesnt matter.
There are two types of Computers out there. those that have crashed and those who will.
Folks, this is seriously stupid debate that needs to end – NOW!!
BOTH platforms are grea. Windows XP is a fine operating system. It is rock solid, just like OSX. THe only problem with it is that IE is integrated into the OS and that is the main reason it is so vunerable to attacks.
If you use XP offline, then you will most likely NEVER have a problem with it. In fact, you would probably enjoy it as much as OSX.
Overall, OSX IS a much more elegant OS. Personally, I favor the GUI over XP. But, that doesn’t mean it is “better” than XP.