“After a two-month experiment, I’ve sold my recently acquired Intel-based iMac. There were a number of reasons for this move, but mostly it was a general frustration with OS X. I’ve actually been using Mac OS X since mid-2001, and I’ve had a number of Macs come and go, including, now, three iMacs. But for the past two months I actually used the iMac as my general purpose PC, for email, Web browsing and research, and some writing. While I believe it’s possible for many people to be quite happy on the Mac, it’s not possible for me at all, and moving back and forth between XP and Vista-based PCs and the Mac throughout the day is just painful. There are just too many small differences,” Paul Thurrott reports for WinInfo.
“For various reasons, I’ll pick up another Intel-based Mac before mid-year, but it will almost certainly be cheaper than the iMac and will likely be a portable. I think the Mac market is vibrant and exciting, and certainly understand why the technology there is so compelling to technical people. And of course, I simply need an up-to-date Mac machine so I can keep up with that market. But the two-month experiment and has really brought home something for me. While it should be pretty obvious that I could never switch to the Mac given my day job, it’s now clear that I could never switch to the Mac even if I was in a completely different line of work, say, mowing lawns. This surprises me. Not as much as the fact that I should be mowing lawns, but you get the idea,” Thurrott reports. “Anyway, I’m not sure this qualifies as irony per se, but on the day I sold my iMac, someone figured out how to get Windows XP booting on that machine (see my blurb below for details). I had, of course, originally purchased the iMac to dual-boot between OS X and Windows. Maybe some day.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Schizo much? Perhaps when Apple releases a Mac OS X-powered lawnmower, Thurrott’s nebulous “general frustration with OS X” will evaporate. It just goes to show, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, even if they’re better. However, this business with Thurrott and Macs does highlight a major barrier that Apple faces to get some people to switch from Windows to Mac: the familiarity factor. Even though familiarity ≠ productivity, you can imagine how someone with over a decade of Windows-only use would feel frustrated with anything else, even the superior Mac OS X.
We’ve seen this before: “I think that if I were new to computers I would go for a Mac, but as a Windows user I get the feeling that I am too far gone: it’s too late for this old dog to learn any new tricks,” Stuart Miles wrote for The London Times way back in November 2003. To paraphrase Nigel Kendall who also contributed to the same article, Windows PCs are designed by people who know a lot about computers and Apple Macs are designed by people who know a lot about people. The Times’ article, “Windows vs Apple” in which a Mac user swaps his Mac for a Windows PC for a week and a Windows user swaps his Windows PC for a Mac, is still a very instructive and interesting read. Full article here.
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Related MacDailyNews articles:
Thurrott: For the past two months, I’ve been using Apple iMac Core Duo as my main desktop – March 15, 2006
Thurrott: no EFI support for Vista! Anyone want to buy a near-new Intel iMac? – March 13, 2006
Thurrott: ‘Nothing on Windows approaches the quality of Apple’s iLife ’06’ – January 31, 2006
Thurrott: ‘I highly recommend Apple’s new Intel-based iMac’ – January 31, 2006
Thurrott: Intel-based Macs are just going to get better and better – January 26, 2006
Thurrott posts pictures of his new Apple iMac Core Duo – January 24, 2006
Thurrott: ‘My wife is switching to Apple Mac’ – December 28, 2005
Thurrott: ‘Mac users have it good’ – Digital photo and video software better on Mac than Windows – December 14, 2005
Thurrott: many of Windows Vista’s upcoming features appeared first in Apple’s Mac OS X – September 26, 2005
Apple.com remakes online ‘Switch’ section (and quotes Windows IT Pro’s Paul Thurrott) – August 08, 2005
The difference between Apple Mac and Microsoft Windows is how they treat their users – July 28, 2005
Thurrott: Apple Macs offer a safer computing experience than Microsoft Windows PCs – July 20, 2005
Thurrott on spyware: ‘we should have paid more attention to those Apple Switcher ads after all’ – July 08, 2005
Windows tech writer Thurrott: ‘In many ways, Mac OS X Tiger is simply better than Windows’ – May 07, 2005
I’m confused, but not nearly as much as Thurrott
It was fun while it lasted. Oh well.
How many times has this guy publicly changed his view of MacOS X and his iMac?
He’s lost so much credibility through his inconsistency that it is inconceivable why he is still allowed to write articles pertaining to this subject.
The guys an Arse!
I don’t get the idea at all. What about Windows is necessary for lawn-mowing? The suction? Ugly, obnoxious machinery that might hurt you?
I’m curious as to exactly what ‘small differences’ mean? Alas, I don’t want to give his site an extra hit… anyway actually read the whole article?
The sad thing is, he is actually happier on Windows.
B O R I N G
I D I O T
how about some real news instead of this Thur Rot
I honestly don’t care what Thurrot has to say. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and if he genuinely prefers windows then he’s welcome to it, but really his opinions on both systems are ridiculous variable that they’ve lost all credibility.
Typical windows user. The mac is different therefore I don’t like it. It’s doesn’t matter that it’s easier to use but that it’s different. I really wonder how he managed the switch from DOS to windows and from windows 3.1 to windows 95. They were totally different but somehow he managed to get through those changes. His disingenuous reasons speaks volumes as to how truly biased he is on computing platforms. Why is time wasted on this guy again? (yes, I do get the irony of me posting about this)
“But for the past two months I actually used the iMac as my general purpose PC, for email, Web browsing and research, and some writing.”
WTF? He used it for email, web browsing, research, and writing and he had issues? He has issues, but I don’t think it has anything to do with OSX.
He likes the break times when he has to reload, reinstall and restart. With OS X he has too much work!
IMHO, of course
Jb
He’s consistent. This article is for his windowsitpro site. The article he did the other praising the iMac was for his connectathome site. Two different audiences. If he ever did an article on his windowsitpro site where he praised Apple, I’d know that the end was near.
To all those who bad-mouthed my previous posts that this guy’s positive statements were to be short-lasting, you owe me a cookie.
He wants to make money off of peoples’ ire and enthusiasm.
That’s me, I wrote that article!
Yes I’m Paul Thurrott, aka MacDude, aka Mary, aka etc.
HAHAHAHA gotcha!!!
I’m the greastest troll that ever lived!!!
DETAILS DETAILS? Notice that he does not give specific reasons why he cannot use OS X. I use both OS X and (sigh) XP every day. I am equally comfortable with both. However, the truth is, I fix my XP box and I USE my mac.
GOOFBALL!
Why is a Windows Live Local Beta Ad on MacDailyNews?
Give me a break – This guy is almost like the switchers that walk into the Apple store and ask why they can’t run their windows programs on the new Intel Core Dual’s – I guess we need some entertainment… from the W-side
I think the problem, like many other Windows users is, that there *are* small differences. Like using the CTRL key instead of the CMD key; different location, similar functionality. There are also keyboard navigation issues with OSX.
Having said that, that’s not to say that either is better. It is far more difficult to change from one similar OS to another similar OS. As “war” pointed out, the transition from DOS to 3.1 to 95 are ‘major’ (debateable)updates. A more appropriate analogy would be from 95 to 98 where 98 would, for example, switch the ALT and CTRL key functionality for using menu items, but not their physical location.
It’s a small difference, yes. But some people are so set in their ways, that they will continue to use an inferior system because they are familiar or comfortable with it. That doesn’t make them idiots or stuipd, it’s just their comfort level… let’s not bash everyone for not drinking the kool-aid!
“I had, of course, originally purchased the iMac to..” please the M$ Windows world ! That’s were he makes his money.
Hands up everyone who is surprised. Anyone? No, thought not.
So, does this mean we won’t be tortured by any more of his articles in MDN?
Maybe one of those </i>”small differences”</i> was that his line of work (c’mon, he writes for WindowsITPro!) relies on keeping snuggled up with M$. If her really touted MAC’s superiority, do you think for a minute he’d get any more freebies? Maybe he’s pissed because he actually had to buy his MAC with his own $.
MW: remember, as in Lorena (Bobbit) forced her husband, John, to remember.