“For many years there have been several operating systems to choose from, but the newest ones – those based on a Linux kernel – have usually been hard to use, at least for the average user. Times have definitely changed. Get your hands on a recent version of, say, Xandros Desktop and you’d almost swear you’d been working with it forever,” Michael Desmond writes for PC World. “None of this means you’ll automatically dump Windows (unless you’ve simply grown tired of Microsoft, as some vocal computer users have). It does, however, mean you have choices. Do a little shopping around and you may find an operating system that works better for you.”
“Apple recently rolled out an update of Mac OS X, code-named Tiger, that offers some refinements to the already polished system. Its new integrated desktop search tool, Spotlight, adds instant system search, while the Safari 2.0 web browser now has support for RSS and Atom feeds, used by many blogs. There are also the somewhat bemusing Dashboard features, which should invite a surge of useful desktop modules for doing everything from telling the time to connecting to internet-based data sources,” Desmond writes. “Of course, anyone who buys a new Apple computer also gets the iLife package, including iTunes, iMovies, iPhoto and iDVD. This refined and tightly integrated software makes Apple the best overall platform for consumer-based media editing and management.”
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
MLB Baseball’s Barry Bonds uses Apple PowerBook, iPhoto, iDVD to mark daughter’s graduation – June 14, 2005
PC World names Apple’s Mac OS X Tiger ‘Best Operating System” – June 01, 2005
Mossberg: Apple’s iPhoto bests Google’s Picasa – March 30, 2005
Apple Announces iLife ’05, features new versions of iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD & GarageBand – January 11, 2005
ComputerWorld: Apple’s 17-inch PowerBook ‘the creme de la creme’ laptop – June 17, 2004
Sorry Windows users – to get iLife you’ll have to get a Mac – February 09, 2004
Baltimore Sun: iLife devoid of ‘hassles and conflicts common to the PC world’ – February 13, 2003
Wall Street Journal’s Mossberg says iDVD output ‘by far the best’ compared to PC rivals – December 18, 2002
Knight Ridder Newspapers: Apple’s iDVD best choice for DVD creation – October 20, 2002
Of course it does.
Everyone in the real IT world knows that only Microsoft offers the market true media choices, unlike Apple which locks you into a proprietary format. IT professionals relish these choices.
Apple may be flashier, but Redmond is the true hub of innovation that will take us into the next century and beyond.
©
Windows XP is so awesome. It is beautiful, intuitive, and rock solid.
You can get more software for Windows, like viruses. Mac OS X sucks, since there are zero viruses for it. There isn’t even any spyware available for Mac OS X! What kind of OS doesn’t even have spyware? Such crap.
I hate iTunes, since it gives you the choice of either Mac or Windows. Windows Media Audio is far better, since it locks you into the proprietary Windows platform.
IT professionals know that Windows XP is far more stable and virus-free than silly stuff like Linux and Mac OS X, and it is obviously better since it costs three times more than Mac OS X.
your slipping, Sput- that’s at least 3 posts where you have failed to mention .NET.
BTW, isn’t .NET proprietary?
It’s the end of the world!
Seriously, I think they’re going to change they’re name to PC & Mac Magazine or something, with all the positive reveiws of Macs and such they’re giving.
“Of course, anyone who buys a new Apple computer also gets the iLife package, including iTunes, iMovies, iPhoto and iDVD. This refined and tightly integrated software makes Apple the best overall platform for consumer-based media editing and management.”
Me love.
This is the market Apple is building on. The corporate landscape is saturated and flat. M$ and PC hardware builders have had their way. Let them eat cake. But today, entrepreneurs and the consumer will drive the direction of personal computing. And Apple will provide the solutions for their needs.
Whazzat! one of these Spuntiks aint real, yo.
After 20 years of childish remarks on which OS is better…who really gives a flying fuck. Name me one thing I cant do with my pc that i can do with a mac and Visa Versa…I use them both, I enjoy them both..Get the hell over it bitches..
Get a life people…
g$, Proprietary software will always be better than open source (unfortunately) So go “Sell” you non-proprietary for “free” and live on peanuts the rest of your life…The arguement software being prop. is dead. You cant make money giving shit away. Apple is Proprietary, MS is Proprietary..Get over it retards….
Where has stantheidiot been? Sputnik is getting lonely
“Name me one thing I cant do with my pc that i can do with a mac and Visa Versa”
Being screwed by malware, keyloggers, adware, spyware and viruses. You can’t on a Mac.
Run natively Unix and Linux applications. You can’t on Windows.
To Butt Pirate:
I know one thing you can do on your PC that I can’t do on my Mac– get a virus infection! With a name like butt pirate, I’d imagine you’re all about the viral infections anyway, ya lobotomized in-bred dim-witted freak!
Proprietary software always better than open source? From which planet are you coming from?
UHUHIEHOHOEHUHOHHEHOAEHAHAHAHAHAUHAHAHAHAHAH
What a troll.
The monkeys are seriously flinging poo today! WWHHAAAHHH!! WHHAAAHHH! *splat* Oooo! Ooo! WHHHAAHHH!!!!!
you know those new fancy window’s commercials that microsoft is paying millions of dollars for? they where made on macs!!!! microsoft can’t even get the creatives to use their own products for their own adds. put that in your “real it world” cup and swish it around for a while.
Google for Open Software Foundation and for Richard Stallman.
You might learn something.
sheeess Some ignorant people…
How’s Garage Band working out on that PC of yours? And iMovie HD?
Guess you’ll have to settle for second best on those, because you won’t find that much power AND that much ease in one place without a Mac.
You’ll also have to pay, but I got iLife free
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form article: “…best overall platform for consumer-based media editing and management.”
Not professional-based media editing and management, but
consumer-based media editing and management.
Great for mom and grandma, but you want to do serious stuff, Windows is the better way to go.
You know, I used to think that Sputnik was just a troll in a gasoline suit playing with a butane lighter, but his tongue-in-cheek “opinion” is just his (her?) way of conveying the simplistic mentality of the vast numbers of Windows users, as well as the knee-jerk reactions of Windows sysadmins who feel threatened by other operating systems. Sputnik’s opinion is well worth reading, if only just to understand exactly how difficult the uphill battle Apple faces to gain acceptance in the “real IT world”. I used to be exasperated that anyone could be that closed-minded, but his posts are valuable reminders that it ain’t gonna be easy.
That being said, I think it’s in extremely poor taste for folks angered by his posts to submit comments under his (or anyone else’s) name. If someone deserves to be flamed, flame away, but flame them for what they said, not for what someone pretending to be them says.
Wiser than Janice,
See Apple’s Final Cut Pro.
The company I’m currently contracting with uses Final Cut Pro studios for production on multi-million dollar accounts.
See also Apple’s Soundtrack Pro, Motion 2, and DVD Studio Pro 4 — all PRO apps making huge gains in creative markets.
iPodder, You are dumber than your name would suggest…
How about you Google “Making a life giving away software.”
Oh and Its not my problem OSS is where it is today, I enjoy making software for any platform, the problem isnt open source, the problem is the Zero balance in your bank account after working on a project for a year or two.
If I had a need for making music, I could easily aquire Protools, which blows GB out of the water.
Oh, and what are these viruses, malware, spyware [bs] you all speak of, I havent had one since 95…?
Oboviously all of your emotions got in the way here. I own a mac and a pc..and as I said before, “I use them both, I enjoy them both”…
God you peeps are A.N.A.L.
(MW?) I’m an avid Mac user, but that doesnt keep me out of the “HOT” seat from those who are closed minded on anything else. I think you all eat, sleep, and shit apple…thats sad, sick, but mostly just sad.
Sputnik,
You said, “Everyone in the real IT world knows that only Microsoft offers the market true media choices…”
Well there’s media and there’s media. The following is a news item from The Australian newspaper June 14, 2005.
No freedom online
Beijing: Users of Microsoft’s new China-based internet portal were blocked yesterday from using the words “democracy”, “freedom” and “human rights” in an apparent move by the US software giant to appease Beijing. Other words that could not be used on Microsoft’s free online blog service MSN Spaces include “Taiwan independence” and “demonstration”. Microsoft refused to comment.
Ok so Microsoft refused to comment how about you Sputnik? You’re always singing the praise about Microsoft. Do you support this blatant attack on free speech and human rights? C’mon Sput me mate let ‘er rip. We all await your support for free speech, or Microsoft.
indeed Wiser, consumer-based media like the entire trilogy of Star Wars,
Lord of the Rings, Pixar titles, etc. Nothing professional. NOTHING.
Hey Viridian..How about practicing what YOU preach
“but flame them for what they said, not for what someone pretending to be them says.”
You’ve flamed my ass for what someone else said at least one hundred times…
Butt: UHUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHUHAHUHUAHAHAHAHAHHAHAUHAUH
ahhh, Apple could go Intel but something will never change. Idiots will still be idiots. Ahh, reassuring.
As the true idiots you are proving, you confound Open Source SW and Free Software Foundation as in *free beer*. Also Linux is Open Source, idiot.
bikersrule
Have you ever been to china? I suggest you ride your bicycle over there and yell FREE china from Communism and bring in “Democracy”…See the reaction from the local government, If you not dead in 24 hrs, or locked up, let me know..
2c
iPodder..Are you getting excited? Geez man, get a grip.
How about you actually build OSS software before you speak, Duh, linux is oss, duh, Apple’s darwin is too, but it doesnt make money now does it? Free beer, Geez, There for a minute I thought you could have a decent opinion, but instead, you resort to your weak post above…Com’on man speak with an opinion not with your butthole.
I actually (mw) *respect* you opinion, you obviously dont respect anyone, not even yourself.
Photoshop Elements 3.0 creams iPhoto, and runs faster on a comparatively less expensive PC. Alternatively, there’s Picasa, for free. Apple does not have any type of advantage on photo management. iPhoto is slow and limited compared to Photoshop Elements.
OK, Tom You win. iPhoto sucks. Macs suck. Apple sucks. They should fold.
by the way…i’m a loser because i like .NET
©
Yeah, Sputnik, I agree, I am a .Net freak too. So therefor, we are all idiots…Just because MS actually made something (incredibly) useful we must be idiots…LOL!!!
Butt, it seems you are not even able to Google.
Does not make money like over $80,000 a year for maintenance and updates and this from one single institution is not real money?
LOL
Corporations patrons support FSF year after year.
…and concerning “free beer” it is in the FSF manifesto to explain tools that free software does NOT mean ‘for free’. You would have recognized it immediately if you had the faintest idea about FSF and OSS.
You truly are that ignorant but at least you honor your nickname, butt-hole.
From which planet are you coming from?
hehe.. something wrong with this sentence…
but seriously.. you need to pay your programmers.. there are some amazing open source projects like AdiumX which I happily endorse.. but for an OS.. you can’t keep up with the profitable companies with open source ‘efforts’
furthermore.. you can’t have access to something if it’s patented because you’re the last one to implement it..
Lads and lassies, could we cool off a bit?
Concerning Open Source code and such not being of any quality, please all consider that OSS runs in nuclear reactor plants, run experiments costing billion $ in research labs world wide, is the back bone of everything leading edge in research.
The whole concept of GRID is being built on Open Source code and billions $ and € are filling the pockets of research institutions and professionals.
There is TONS of money around Open Source code.
The folks who claim to use both XP and OSX and say they “love” using them both can’t be the brightest lights in the channel. Switching between XP and OSX exposes XP to be what it is: complex, bloated, unfriendly, ugly and insecure. Conversely OSX demonstrates its elegance, reliability and friendliness. Read any switchers account and they’ll tell you the same.
To say they are equal says you have an agenda, an ulterior motive, and probably an income from fixing XP.
..and Sputnik, I for one am finding your input a touch boring..PLEASE try giving us something more creative.
mike, I think the original issue was quality as in “Proprietary software will always be better than open source”
Like anyone right in his/her mind would consider Windows a better OS than – say – Linux
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I thought all Mac people were now excited about how they could now have windows on their new Mactel????
Tom,
Regarding iPhoto vs. Photoshop Elements, it’s not a line-for-line, app-to-app comparison. See below.
Wiser than Janice,
I’ve made and viewed some great presentations FOR PROFESSIONAL USE using iPhoto. You can talk down Apple’s creative tools, but I know better. As a creative professional in L.A., I see a great deal of PROFESSIONAL work being executed on Macs, with iPhoto, iMovie, and other Apple made tools. Some of these projects are only preliminary “sketches,” but are still integral to the final output. And some of these projects ARE the final output. Not all PROFESSIONAL creative projects are intended to reach the consumer directly. But, by definition, if the project generates millions of dollars, that classifies it as professional.
Because of these tools, non-technical professionals can execute their creative ideas, moving those ideas that much closer to your consumer experience.
Apple offers a Pro line as well (Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro, Motion 2, and DVD Studio Pro 4, as mentioned above). Mom and Grandma are NOT using these tools. But some of your favorite musicians and movie makers are.
Photoshop Elements 3.0 creams iPhoto, and runs faster on a comparatively less expensive PC. Alternatively, there’s Picasa, for free. Apple does not have any type of advantage on photo management. iPhoto is slow and limited compared to Photoshop Elements
hmm. I didn’t really this PSE and iPhoto were the same program.. iPhoto is photo management/organization with the most rudamentary editing techniques.. while PSE is.. basically.. photo editing.
Queeezie: (I thought all Mac people were now excited about how they could now have windows on their new Mactel????).
NO we are not excited about running XP on OUR Macs. We are happy that it will encourage XP users to switch knowing they can start off running them side by side i.e. there is no downside for them if OSX doesn’t work for them (fat chance of that of course). All will have deleted XP within 3 months naturally.
Quezzies: you got it wrong. Mac users cannot give a shit about having Windows on their Macs. Have you lost your mind?
The only side effect that is positive is that there will be a direct answer to the “Cannot get a Mac because BLAHBLAH does not run” for consumers and business. Just run it if you need it and shut the fsck up.
There is still VirtualPC that runs most sw programs just fine but can’t really cope with GAMES. So the Windows users retort that it is not a real solution for professional use of a computer in that it cannot run games.
Pro Tools is as easy to use as GarageBand? Really?
Where’s that “open mind” now, Pirate? Seems like you can’t back down and find a middle ground–you must cling to your extreme and PRETEND it’s a middle ground. Windows can do EVERYTHING Macs can?
You can get Pro Tools for Mac and for Windows both–true. You can get lots of power apps.
But if you want good power combined with GREAT ease of use, Pro Tools is not going to be equal to GB2.
Seriously.
Anyone can sit down and create with GB2. Find a Windows app that can TRULY say that to the same degree (if you can–then try sitting grandma in front of it to test your theory) and it won’t have GB’s power. It also won’t come free with your computer, and it won’t be integrated into a while suite of media apps like iTunes and iMovie.
So what compromise will you make in this case? Give up some ease of use, or give up some features? Either way, you’ve been forced to compromise, because the world of Windows is actually NOT the same.
The truth is, there really are SOME THINGS–some very useful and fun things–that a Mac CAN do better. You think not? You think Windows is ALWAYS as good as Mac?
If you claim you have an open mind, then why take the extreme?
Nobody here says Macs are better at everything for every person. But we do say Macs have some things you can’t match with Windows. GB is one example, Expose is another, and yes, virus safety IS better on Mac too–simply the truth. Whatever your personal luck has been, Windows XP gets viruses. Macs have none–by design. And we’ll never catch up to the thousands on Windows.
Your “level headed person in a sea of zealots” pose doesn’t make sense. It is you who is the extremist and we–on a MAC SITE–who are pointing out real benefits of the Mac.
Windows has benefits for some people at some times too–they’re just not likely to become discussion topics items on a Mac site. And some Mac users post things that make as little sense as you sometimes do–while some of things you say DO make sense.
None of that changes the fact the Macs CAN be a better–not equal choice.
Now don’t come on here and START OUT with name calling like “butt pirates,” “retards,” “bitches” and the F word and then claim to “respect” other viewpoints, calling the rest of US “childish.”
That’s not just trolling, that’s laughable trolling. There’s a way to show real respect and dialog, and you simply haven’t been doing that. Nobody is fooled, and we’ll call you on it.
Now… I suggest you do what comes natural: ignore the things here that aren’t convenient for you–including things YOU have said–and respond by slinging insults and FUD without addressing the real point that Macs are often better than Windows. But don’t try to save face, because your first post above makes that impossible.
Oh, man, that was fun. Sides a-splittin’!
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(Monkey enters chat room, grabs poo with hand, flings at other chatters)
*splat*
WWWHHHAAAHH!!! Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! WHHAAAHHHHHH!
I LUV DA MONKEY POO! YYYAAA!!! munch munch munch NNNUMMMYYYY!!!
ipodder: “There is still VirtualPC that runs most sw programs just fine but can’t really cope with GAMES. “
But VirtualPC comes with a copy of the Windows os – the VirtualPC software is not needed.
“Windows XP is so awesome. It is beautiful, intuitive, and rock solid.” (Sputnik)
Thanks sputdip! LOL
I was feeling kind of bummed out; but your zingers sure cheered me up! You really need medication though.
Okay your right, macs rule, Im thowing away my POS Windows box as we speak…
Its pathetic you even have the time to wite your column.
Who said anything about easy of use between GB and PT?
I didnt, and I wouldn’t compair the two…
“The truth is, there really are SOME THINGS–some very useful and fun things–that a Mac CAN do better. You think not? You think Windows is ALWAYS as good as Mac?”
When did I say that?
By the way people are on this site, it makes me want to just throw my mac away all together, because I would rather be labeled a Windows Whore than an Apple Elitist…
Ill be the first to admit that at this point, im sorry I even bought a Mac.
If this is all I can expect from the faithful..then man, its no wonder apple isnt going anywhere…
Butt: just lame.
You came here, calling names from the very first post, got flamed and now:
“bwaaahhahha If this is all I can expect from the faithful..then man, its no wonder apple isnt going anywhere…”
Go back to Windows. You deserve it. Do us all a favor: ditch that Mac already.
Don’t feel too bad, Butt Pirate. For years, these goons trashed everything with the word Intel on it. PPC was superior, etc. etc. Now, all the kool-aid’s gone and Intel is suddenly the superior platform. It’s fun listening to all the backpedaling.
Since you asked, here’s the quote–you started out with a bunch of foul language and:
“Name me one thing I cant do with my pc that i can do with a mac”
And then in response to GarageBand (“you won’t find that much power AND that much ease in one place without a Mac”) you said:
“could easily aquire Protools, which blows GB out of the water”
You didn’t say you responding to half the statement and ignoring ease of use. Maybe you were.
If you’re sorry you bought a Mac, and you know that “Apple isn’t going anywhere” then you will be very happy on Windows. Enjoy.
And if you don’t like “the way people are on this site” then a) get your news someplace else, or b) don’t jump in calling names and swearing, because you really don’t come off any better than anyone else that way. You come off as a troll, and a fun one to put in his place, at that.
Boy, I sure wish more people were as mature and logical as you, “butt pirate”
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Nice trolling Tom, but I’ve seen no backpedaling.
Power PC WAS SUPERIOR. Next year it won’t be. Hard to grasp that?
These changes happen in technology–one company pulls ahead and another fails to deliver despite doing great things in the past.
And that’s OK as long as you make the jump when you have to. Just like Apple is doing.
So to sum up:
1. PowerPC was better, and Macs used them.
2. Intel is better now–for laptops–and will be better for desktops soon.
3. Apple is smart and flexible. They’re going Intel now that IBM let them down.
4. Only trolls get erections from saying “kool aid.”
5. Kool Aid didn’t drug or fool people at Jonestown, it murdered them. What’s the connection, then? Explain? It’s almost as though you’re repeating a phrase you heard without even understanding it.
Re: Intel isn’t suddenly superior
Yeah, I’ve been saying this for ages.. everyone loves to point and scream “HYPOCRITE” but really, you can watch the stream on the web of the Keynote..
Jobs liked what IBM had.. now he’s lookin at the next ten years and what IBM is offering is inferior to what Intel’s offering..
Good thing too.. cuz if Apple was paranoid about the ‘HYPOCRITE’ chants they would just stick with IBM… and their 2.7ghz….
noname and Sputnik,
Mate this piece was to have a go at those singing the praise of M ‘soft. I can’t see anywhere where I was supporting China rather, I think it is appalling that any company from a democratic country should attack democracy like we’ve just seen from M’soft just to make a buck.
Are you supporting the Chinise government’s attack on free speech? Don’t you support democracy? Are you a mouthpiece for M’soft’s narrow view of the world?
SPUTNIK, I’m still waiting for your reply on this attack on freedom of speech?
Comparing iPhoto to Photoshop is ridiculous. One is a basic, introductory, editing and management app; the other is made specifically for photo editing.
It would be like comparing Microsoft Works to MS Office.
Either way, Windows PC’s offer nothing like the iLife Suite.
Wiser than Janice:
The Lord of the Rings trilogy was composited with Apple Shake, rendered with Pixar Renderman on G5s, and edited on Macs. And of course, Macs were used in the sound editing suite, as well. This was a massive undertaking with a brutal deadline and release schedule.
Windows boxes weren’t even considered without laughing. It is true that Intel boxes are sometimes used in render farms, but the production work is on Mac or Silicon Graphics all the way.
I challenge you to name even a remotely comparable movie or project where Windows boxes were used extensively in production.
Please, make my day.
P.S.: Any/all comparisons between Garage Band and ProTools are silly. They are completely different programs for completely different purposes (e.g.: Garage Band can’t slave to timecode, Garage Band lacks precision waveform editing, etc.).
I LOVE MACS!
My next pc will definately be a Mac.
I CAN’T WAIT!!
Forgot to say – my XP pc has crashed 12 times today.
Great to here u have come over from the darkside sputnik!
idiots again. just because jobs said intel is superior now doesn’t mean it it. it was already superior. since the pentium m came out it has been kicking the g4’s butt. the xeons STILL kick the g5’s butt.
does that matter? NO.
i still love my mac.
now people should go and learn more about intel and less from steve’s bullshit keynotes.
btw, although mac os x is great, we still don’t have a video management app like itunes for videos where as windows have windows media player. at least it does something.
Yeah, but Windows Media Player is lousy. So, that’s not really saying much.
What, exactly, would an iVideo application be used for? What are you storing and filing?
“Hey Viridian..How about practicing what YOU preach
“but flame them for what they said, not for what someone pretending to be them says.”
You’ve flamed my ass for what someone else said at least one hundred times…”
“Viridian”,
This is the point I’m trying to make. If someone posts something flameworthy, I reply to the person in whose name the comment was posted. How could I possibly know if the authentic poster made the comment or not unless they post a comment denying it?
Last week, I flamed “stantheman” for something he purportedly said, only to have the real “stantheman” deny making any such comment. I immediately posted an apology, but to my astonishment it didn’t appear in the forum. That’s the third time I’ve apologized to someone in this forum and it didn’t appear. If I was the paranoid, suspicious type, I’d swear that the MDN editors were deliberately removing anything that smacked of civility so as to foment and prolong conflict among users. Has anyone else here posted a comment that didn’t appear?