“RickGeek,” writing for Geek.com tries “to get a pulse on what people honestly think about Windows and the x86-based PC systems now that we’ve had a few years of Windows 95-like operating systems to work with, and to look back honestly on all of the problems that go with them, and to find out your thoughts on a possible escape route to jettison the Windows baggage once and for all.”
“Users of Windows XP know how much time they spend each week on Microsoft’s Windows Update website. And I doubt there are many of us not running some type of anti-virus program and/or pop-up/ad-blocker software, all of which take time away from our productivity,” RickGeek writes. “I’ve read about a few Mac viruses, but they’re nothing compared to Windows-based PCs where you have to perform updates on your anti-virus software every few hours every single day because there’s some new threat out there that’s been discovered–never mind the ones that haven’t been discovered yet, many of which are incredibly damaging before they’re fixed.”
MacDailyNews Note: There are no (0) Mac OS X viruses.
RickGeek continues, “Microsoft Windows-based operating systems have so many security holes in them that the time for a switch is now. I can’t imagine Windows Vista–Microsoft’s follow-up to Windows XP–solving any of these problems. The reason? Because Bill Gates is still the CSA (Chief Software Architect). And he already has a track record dating back 10 years (since Windows 95) showing that he doesn’t know how to write or buy systems that are secure. Buffer overruns going unchecked on incoming streams of data … what kind of programmer writing something as important as an operating system doesn’t think of such things?! It makes me angry to think about it. It’s inexcusable. Period.”
“In my opinion, Steve Jobs made a huge, HUGE mistake by not simply releasing OS X to operate on any PC-based architecture. He could’ve taken over the operating system world before Windows Vista even had a chance. He could’ve already had legions of crossover users following him holding little apples in their hands, myself included. Had he released a full version of Mac OS X to run on any x86-based system, his revenue streams would be through the roof today, let alone next year,” RickGeek writes. “Steve, are you listening? Are you even remotely in tune with the needs of PC users? Are you listening to what I and many others are saying? We need your product. We need its stability, features, and ease of use. Release OS X for everybody to use on any x86-based PC. The legions that will crossover, probably overnight, will put money in your pocket beyond your wildest dreams… Windows’ days are over. The time for a switch to a reliable, user-friendly operating system is now. Bye bye, Bill.”
Much more in the full article (with a must-read reader comments section that illustrates just how much work Apple has to do to overcome Joe Windows Sufferer’s massive Apple, Mac, Mac OS X ignorance) here.
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Related MacDailyNews articles:
Switching from Microsoft Windows to Apple Macintosh – December 04, 2005
Apple’s Mac OS X, Safari web browser show market share gains – December 03, 2005
Want to switch to Mac? Mossberg answers common questions – November 10, 2005
Why people are switching from Microsoft’s Windows to Apple’s Mac OS X – November 09, 2005
Windows PC retailers face tough holiday season, meanwhile Apple stores are packed as Mac sales surge – November 09, 2005
Analyst estimates over a million Windows to Mac switchers during 2005’s first three quarters – November 07, 2005
Windows sufferers: It’s not your fault, but it is your problem – switch to Mac – November 07, 2005
Tech writer: Windows PCs highly vulnerable to zombie hijacking; get an Apple Mac instead – November 06, 2005
Windows switchers, now’s your chance: Apple Mac mini with Mac OS X Tiger for $379 – November 03, 2005
Computer columnist: anti-virus software purely optional for Apple Macs, not so for Windows – November 01, 2005
Microsoft apologists and why Apple’s Mac OS X has zero viruses – October 24, 2005
Mossberg: Switching from Windows to Mac – software not an expensive proposition – September 30, 2005
Windows to Mac switchers: recommendations and Total Cost of Ownership analysis – September 29, 2005
Switching from Windows to Mac is easy and liberating – September 14, 2005
Mossberg offers resources for Windows users interested in switching to Apple Mac – August 18, 2005
Windows users’ questions and concerns answered about Windows to Mac switch – July 27, 2005
Defending Windows over Mac a sign of mental illness – December 20, 2003
Apologies for my increasingly poor grammar. I blme txt msgng.
Wow… Some of those comments to the article on the full article’s site… Just wow.
This was one of my favorites:
“The Mac and OS architecture are solid, I will admit that. But they are in no way as user-friendly as a PC and a good old install of Windows XP.”
Just… Wow. lol
*shakes head*
“Steve, are you listening? Are you even remotely in tune with the needs of PC users?”
Yes. That’s why he and his teams work to make Macs and make them continuously improve them.
“Are you listening to what I and many others are saying?”
Yes, but the solution already exists.
“We need your product. We need its stability, features, and ease of use.”
Here, I’ll help you out. Just go to http://www.applestore.com. If you live in a non-US country, just change the country at the bottom of the page.
“Release OS X for everybody to use on any x86-based PC.”
No.
“[The legions that will crossover, probably overnight,] will put money in your pocket beyond your wildest dreams..”
Too bad my number one priority is making insanely great hardware that runs insanely great software. That’s why my salary is only $1.
“Windows’ days are over.”
That’s why we’ve been working so hard on Mac OS X.
“The time for a switch to a reliable, user-friendly operating system is now.”
Actually, the time was 1984. But, hey, glad you’re joining the party.
“Steve, are you listening? Are you even remotely in tune with the needs of PC users?”
Yes. That’s why he and his teams work to make Macs and make them continuously improve them.
“Are you listening to what I and many others are saying?”
Yes, but the solution already exists.
“We need your product. We need its stability, features, and ease of use.”
Here, I’ll help you out. Just go to http://www.applestore.com. If you live in a non-US country, just change the country at the bottom of the page.
“Release OS X for everybody to use on any x86-based PC.”
No.
“[The legions that will crossover, probably overnight,] will put money in your pocket beyond your wildest dreams..”
Too bad my number one priority is making insanely great hardware that runs insanely great software. That’s why my salary is only $1.
“Windows’ days are over.”
That’s why we’ve been working so hard on Mac OS X.
“The time for a switch to a reliable, user-friendly operating system is now.”
Actually, the time was 1984. But, hey, glad you’re joining the party.
“Steve, are you listening? Are you even remotely in tune with the needs of PC users?”
Yes. That’s why he and his teams work to make Macs and make them continuously improve them.
“Are you listening to what I and many others are saying?”
Yes, but the solution already exists.
“We need your product. We need its stability, features, and ease of use.”
Here, I’ll help you out. Just go to http://www.applestore.com. If you live in a non-US country, just change the country at the bottom of the page.
“Release OS X for everybody to use on any x86-based PC.”
No.
“[The legions that will crossover, probably overnight,] will put money in your pocket beyond your wildest dreams..”
Too bad my number one priority is making insanely great hardware that runs insanely great software. That’s why my salary is only $1.
“Windows’ days are over.”
That’s why we’ve been working so hard on Mac OS X.
“The time for a switch to a reliable, user-friendly operating system is now.”
Actually, the time was 1984. But, hey, glad you’re joining the party.
“Steve, are you listening? Are you even remotely in tune with the needs of PC users?”
Yes. That’s why he and his teams work to make Macs and make them continuously improve them.
“Are you listening to what I and many others are saying?”
Yes, but the solution already exists.
“We need your product. We need its stability, features, and ease of use.”
Here, I’ll help you out. Just go to http://www.applestore.com. If you live in a non-US country, just change the country at the bottom of the page.
“Release OS X for everybody to use on any x86-based PC.”
No.
“[The legions that will crossover, probably overnight,] will put money in your pocket beyond your wildest dreams..”
Too bad my number one priority is making insanely great hardware that runs insanely great software. That’s why my salary is only $1.
“Windows’ days are over.”
That’s why we’ve been working so hard on Mac OS X.
“The time for a switch to a reliable, user-friendly operating system is now.”
Actually, the time was 1984. But, hey, glad you’re joining the party.
“”The Mac and OS architecture are solid, I will admit that. But they are in no way as user-friendly as a PC and a good old install of Windows XP.”
Just… Wow. lol
*shakes head*”
The thing he doesn’t tell you is that the last time he used a Mac was when he bumped into (literally) a Power Mac 7600.
“”The Mac and OS architecture are solid, I will admit that. But they are in no way as user-friendly as a PC and a good old install of Windows XP.”
Just… Wow. lol
*shakes head*”
The thing he doesn’t tell you is that the last time he used a Mac was when he bumped into (literally) a Power Mac 7600.
“”The Mac and OS architecture are solid, I will admit that. But they are in no way as user-friendly as a PC and a good old install of Windows XP.”
Just… Wow. lol
*shakes head*”
The thing he doesn’t tell you is that the last time he used a Mac was when he bumped into (literally) a Power Mac 7600.
“”The Mac and OS architecture are solid, I will admit that. But they are in no way as user-friendly as a PC and a good old install of Windows XP.”
Just… Wow. lol
*shakes head*”
The thing he doesn’t tell you is that the last time he used a Mac was when he bumped into (literally) a Power Mac 7600.
A grain of salt here, please.
Let’s get an understanding underfoot first thing.
Fifty percent of the people in this world are below average.
Steve Jobs’ products appeal to the upper fifty percent mostly.
Steve Jobs doesn’t need the headaches caused by the lower fifty percent. They belong elsewhere. Sorry about that but sometimes, people just don’t fit in, like those who choose to get by with whatever is just adequate for the moment. Life is too short to be held back by such excuses.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Steve’s not on that road, I don’t think, not according to the judging from my little experience with his images.
Anyone wishing to get involved with Steve Job’s ongoings is free to do so. All that’s required is the gumption to do it, the sort of gumption naturally arises from those in the upper fifty percent.
Happy holidays to all, to even those who continue to choose to belong elsewhere.
C’mon Dude, STFU and buy a Macintosh!
The reason why the Mac is so great on so MANY different levels, is that Apple controls the entire experience from concept to drawing board to start up sound and beyond.
Microsoft and Windows can’t possibly keep up with the infinite possible varies of hardware configurations to be able to create a decent OS. I’m not even going to mention their horrific idea of what an interface should be.
I love “reporters” inability to conceive a computing experience with ZERO viruses, ZERO adware and ZERO spyware. I’ve been using Macs since I bought a Mac 512K in January 1985. I saw a a virus ONCE, in 1991 or ’92, that a friend’s kid inadvertently brought home from school on a floppy disk. I quickly killed it and have NEVER seen another!
So, duuuuuuude, sell the Dell and buy a Mac!
MDN Magic Word: THINK… as in…
If he’s too cheap to buy a Mac, then why doesn’t he try LINUX??? Geez….
Doubletrouble’s take on Apple’s focus on the upper 50% of the market may be a bit conservative. Apple focuses on providing the best vertically integrated human/machine interface experience that they can. My feeling is that perhaps the top 20% of the market is in a position to appreciate that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle
At this point less than half of that 20% have experienced the goodness on an up close and personal basis, and of those who have not all are in a position to act on their findings due to external factors (narrow-minded IT policy etc.)
Anything beyond that target 20% that comes along for the ride is gravy.
like OSX? Buy a Mac. Simple, easy.
In Italy we say: “fanculo” (f**K you), you ‘ve got a PC. Enjoy its bugs and viruses.
We enjoy our Macs and its OS.
Dear Dr. Jobs,
Please save us from all these virusus’ we are infected, dying a slow death and you are the new messiah and must protect us. PLeeeeeeaaaaseeee
Dear Infected,
My MAC hospital has been sitting here for decades waiting for the sick to come, you did not open your eyes and see!
You and all your infected friends are most welcome to visit and stay as long as you like but must come to my hospital as my instruments of cure only work here.
Please come you will receive better care and feel much safer and healthier when I have cured you.
Dr. Jobs
Let me first say that I do like OS X very much, but that there are some features in my Thinkpad T42 (currently running Linux, NOT Windoze) that I wish I had in my powerbook:
Swappable media bay optical drives — makes upgrades easier.
Higher resolution display, the 14″ display on the T42 is 1400×1050. Yes, they just upped the resolution on the 15″ & 17″ Powerbooks, but I’m a little disappointed. Most of the PC manufactures have 15.4″ displays availble with 1680×1050, and even 1920×1200 resolution, where Apple went to a mediocre 1400×960. I have a Dell D800 at work (not my choice, I wanted a Thinkpad), it has an excellent 1680×1050 15.4″ display.
I am anxious for the x86 Powerbooks. The 1.7 GHz Pentium M with it’s 2mb cache runs rings around my 1ghz G4 Powerbook (and by more than the clock rate difference).
All that said, while as a technical person, Linux is good enough for me, OSX is stil the best all-around OS for most users, and it is what I recomend to everyone.
And for the record, I have the following computers at home:
Dual 1 GHz G4 (quicksilver) w/ 1.5gb RAM + ACard RAID
1 GHz Al-Powerbook (2gb RAM, upgraded to 4X superdrive)
2.16 GHz Athlon XP 3000+ homebuilt (ASUS motherboard) running Redhad Linux 9, 2gb RAM
Thinkpad T42 1.7GHz Pentium M, 2gb RAM, running Fedora Core 4 (linux).
Yeah, this guy should just buy a Mac and be done with it. He wants to brag about having a $399 computer AND OS X too.
Get a Mac, get a life.
Well, unfortunately, he just doesn’t get it. If apple were to do what he suggests, they would just supplant microsoft. Part of the beauty of the system is the hardware. Apple totally integrates the operation system to the hardware, leaving very little to chance. If they were to release OS X for any intel box, they would have the same compatibility problems as M$. There are hundreds of thousands of possible hardware configurations out there and to try to write an operation system that will work flawlessly on all of them would be impossible. I don’t think Steve Jobs has a desire to supplant the Dark Lord.
Ken
You have *GOT* to read the ‘feedback’ to the column on that site!!!!!
Enough ignorance there to write thousands of MDN posts!!!
When Apple releases the dual boot intel macs in 2006 watch Dell and all ther other ‘junk’ box pc manufacturers crap themselves!
Apple have been quoted in saying that they will not stop windows being installed on their hardware.
The important thing is that, to access windows you will have to do it through OS X!
Excellent – windows users will HAVE to use OS X anyway and Dell or any other maker out their will never be able to do that with their boxes because Apple will not licience the OS to them.
Brillant move Steve!
I wish I had bought Apple shares!!!
You want OSX? Buy a Mac.
It’s sad that the author of the article fails to realize that nothing prevents him or anyone else from switching to the OSX operating system. It has been proven time and time again that the financial investment in the maintenance of windows more than compensates for the difference in cost of the Mac hardware. He sounds like the investor that bought into a dog of a stock but keeps waiting for a rebound that never comes. He alone has the power to cut his losses but blames everyone but himself for his predicament.
MasterMacNikon
Dec 08, 05 – 01:32 am
Recommended read. Well considered. MasterMacNikon offers an inside the channel insight. Thank you.
My Unbiased Opinion (re-posted)
I switched to Mac about 4 years ago and I’m soon about to switch back to PC (for my desktop system at least…I plan on having a PowerBook as my laptop for the foreseeable future). Don’t get me wrong, OS X is an excellent OS, far better than Windows XP in many respects. I think Apple’s huge mistake is the switch to x86. When I bought my Dual 2.5 GHz G5 a year and a half ago nothing in the PC world could really compare to the specs. Dual processing at that time was basically non-existant for desktop PCs. Most unbiased benchmarkers agree that the Dual G5 system is pretty much up there with the current dual core Athlons, so the G5’s obviously packed a mighty punch back then. Now, I can’t see spending so much for a Mac when I could build a far better system for much cheaper. OS X just isn’t worth THAT much money plus a sacrifice in performance. I love the Mac platform, but I don’t see people buying a $3000 Intel system when they could get a similarly configured PC for half price.