“A couple years ago, the notion of replacing a PC with one of Apple’s stylish Macintosh computers was fraught with risk, uncertainty, and incompatibility. Today, the computing landscape isn’t so black and white. Thanks to Apple’s conversion to the same Intel-based computing platform that mainstream Windows-based PCs use, as well as a host of software tools that make it easier than ever to interoperate between the Mac OS X and Windows worlds, buying a Mac is easier and smarter than ever. Sure, there are some hurdles to overcome. But for many people, choosing between a Mac and a PC doesn’t have to be an either-or proposition anymore,” Paul Thurrott writes for Connected Home.
Thurrott writes, “Apple and various third parties have also released software solutions that make it easy to run Windows on these new Intel-based Macs. (Although the reverse isn’t true: You can’t legally run Intel-based versions of Mac OS X on PCs made by other companies.) There are two basic types of solutions. First, you can use software such as Apple’s Boot Camp beta to dual-boot between Windows and Mac OS X on the same Mac hardware. Second, you can utilize a number of virtualization environments, such as Parallels Desktop, to run Windows ‘under’ Mac OS X on a software-based virtualized PC. Both methods involve some trade-offs, but either should satisfy any users’ particular needs.”
“Of course, before you can decide whether to use one of the interoperability solutions, you should determine if a Mac is the way to go. Historically, Macs have been more expensive than comparable PCs, but prices have come down in recent years and Apple’s machines are now much more competitive. Here’s the difference today: Because Apple offers only very specific Mac configurations with few customization options, you don’t get the wide range of price points in the Mac world as you do with PCs. So, you’ll generally be able to find much less expensive and—go figure—much more expensive PCs than Macs. But if a particular Mac model does meet your needs, you’ll generally find that it’s comparable in price to similar PCs,” Thurrott writes.
Thurrott writes, “All Macs share certain characteristics. They’re incredibly well made, beautiful to look at, and generally devoid of any extraneous ports and other doo-dads… for those who appreciate design, Macs are top-notch. All Macs come with Mac OS X and Apple’s highly valued iLife suite of digital media applications. In some ways, iLife is reason enough to own a Mac: There’s nothing like iLife on the PC side. Mac OS X isn’t as full-featured as Vista, but it’s also a lot less busy looking and serene in nature. Aimed more at technical users than consumers, Mac OS X isn’t so much friendly as it is austere and Spartan. But once you master its quirks, you’ll find you can be as productive as you are in Windows.”
MacDailyNews Note: Invest a bit of time and you’ll find that you’ll be more productive with a Mac than you would be with Windows. We also have no idea how Thurrott defines “full-featured,” but the statement “Mac OS X isn’t as full-featured as Vista” certainly doesn’t ring true with us. Perhaps he meant “derivative, bloated, unintuitive, and woefully insecure” instead? Mac OS X is clean and well-thought-out, more than it is “austere and Spartan,” and it can be as “friendly” as you want it to be, plus there’s always that Unix power underneath for those who wish to utilize it.
Thurrott continues, “With less than 3 percent of the market for computers worldwide, Mac OS X and the hardware it runs on might not seem a viable alternative to the Windows hegemony that most of us simply take for granted. Nothing could be further from the truth: Macs offer the best of both worlds, giving you the ability to run both Windows—with its huge software and games libraries—and Mac OS X—with its better security and iLife solutions—side by side on the same hardware. You might argue that a Mac is, in fact, the ultimate PC, simply because it can do so much more than other PCs. I believe this to be the case for many users.”
Oh, yes, there’s more in the full article, mostly all of it extremely positive about Apple’s Mac platform, here.
MacDailyNews Take: Wow! The fog has — at least temporarily — lifted for Thurrottt.
Related articles:
Windows to Mac switcher finds comfort in ability to run Windows, then leaves Windows behind – April 16, 2007
Longtime Windows sufferer switches to Apple Mac: ‘I’ll never buy another PC’ – April 09, 2007
Smart business owners migrate to Apple’s OS-unlimited Macs – April 09, 2007
IT manager for Fortune 500 company seriously considering OS-unlimited Apple Macs – April 06, 2007
WSJ: Apple makes inroads with Macs that can run Mac OS X, Linux, Windows – March 20, 2007
Network World: Need a new PC for Vista? Switching to Mac may cost less and give you more – March 16, 2007
Windows expert dumps Windows, switches to Apple’s Mac OS X, finds software plentiful – March 12, 2007
InfoWorld: 9,000 people switch to Apple Mac every day (plus testing ‘Embrace and Extinguish’) – February 28, 2007
Netscape founder Marc Andreessen switches to Apple Mac – February 28, 2007
Computerworld: Windows expert dumps Windows, switches to Apple’s Mac OS X – February 08, 2007
Microsoft’s Windows Vista: Five years for a chrome-plated turd – January 30, 2007
Those unfamiliar with Apple’s Mac OS X may be impressed with Windows Vista – January 29, 2007
A Windows expert opts for a Mac life, finds the experience ‘superb’ – December 07, 2006
15-year Windows vet tries Apple Mac: ‘My God! This is amazing!’ – December 04, 2006
A Windows expert opts for a Mac life – November 06, 2006
Apple Macs can run more software than Windows PCs – October 30, 2006
Embrace and Extinguish in action: TechIQ’s ‘The VAR Guy’ dumps Windows, switches to Mac OS X – September 25, 2006
Top Windows developer dumps Microsoft’s ‘pile of crap’ for Apple’s Mac OS X – September 12, 2006
Dude, you got a Dell? What are you, stupid? Only Apple Macs run both Mac OS X and Windows! – April 05, 2006
Apple Boot Camp’s ‘Windows Insecurity Blanket’ helps buyers decide to switch to Macs – May 19, 2006
Apple Macintosh simply does more and costs less than Windows PCs – February 14, 2006
Intel-based Macs running both Mac OS X and Windows will be good for Apple – June 10, 2005
It’s like catch-22 all over again…
And next week he’ll write an article that completely contradicts everything he just got through saying. That’s classic Turdrott for you, he loves to play both sides of everything.
thurott is taking his meds again. good for him.
I’m starting to think that MDN is run by Thurrott.
Ya’ hear that ‘Lizabeth? I’m comin’ to join ya’ honey!
(Fred Sanford faking a heart attack due to unbelievable news).
A-hole
I smell somethin’ stewin’ . . . and I think it’s a trap.
Hell just froze over.
Praise from Thurrott–yech!!!
I guess he’s not as cynical as Dvorak…
“Mac OS X isn’t as full-featured as Vista, but it’s also a lot less busy looking and serene in nature. Aimed more at technical users than consumers, Mac OS X isn’t so much friendly as it is austere and Spartan.”
He needs to learn “bash”, or any one of shells OSX offers. Then he will learn what a “full-featured” shell should look like.
The fog has lifted? Not when he continues the recite the hoary and inaccurate 3% market statistic. If PT were honest, he’d be citing numbers for installed base rather than the number of CPUs sold.
He’s pining for hits…… don’t click.
Of course Mac OS X isn’t as full-featured as Vista, it can’t run all the most popular viruses, can’t be turned into a zombie farm, and is missing all the failure inherent with a Microsoft product.
IMG if Thurrot is saying this, Apple is doomed.
Don’t believe this dumb asses crap, this is how this dork works, one day he’s all buddy buddy about Apple the next, BAM, knife in the back and his head back up Microsoft’s ass.
MDN please stop promoting this shit heads articles, it’s a fricking trick to get clicks.
Mark my words– this is a set-up strategy for him. He “befriends” Mac users only to slap them in the face soon after to get more hits on his website. Don’t fall for it MDN. He’s setting you up for a fall.
I would still Think Before You Click®.
Three percent? Thurrott is still brain dead. Nurse, pull the life-support plug.
And not even a mention of Leopard being late…wow
There is either a rat here, or a true conversion in process. I’d like to be a fly on the wall next to his computer at this guys house…er…then again…maybe not.
Many of the Mac users on MDN are disgusting.
You are a discredit to people who have switched from Windows to OS X. These people don’t have the blind hatred you have for anything not pro-mac, but froth at the though that arguments needn’t be one-sided.
You’re all like rabid llamas. spitting your garbage at anyone who passes.
I think he finally woke up and recognized that the emperor has no clithes and is trying to suck up to the senate. He should stop trying. Handing out left handed compliments (I know, but I’m left handed so it’s OK.
He’s going to have to be A LOT more positive before he’s accepted by this forum.
MW=Stay, as in stay away from his blog!!
I unbelievable this nor ‘easter is hanging around a long time but this article is even MORE unbelievable.
I had to read it 3 times.
I guess all it takes is seeing Windows on a Mac for these Windows Zealots, and they fall in love.
What’s worse? Thurrott’s opinions or MDN “slamming” then promoting Thurrott’s opinions. I think that Thurrott and MDN have the same daddy – the family resemblance is uncanny.
clithes should be clothes.
@ sic
I didn’t realize Llamas could get rabies. From the comments made in his article ThurROTt is still thinking like a winblows user. He should give up his current system and use a Mac for 1 week. My guess is that if he ever did so he wouldn’t go back!
“Aimed more at technical users than consumers, Mac OS X isn’t so much friendly as it is austere”
I can’t believe the ultimate “thecnichal user” geek would see OS X as aimed at techies and not consumers. Does he think that Windows with its techno geek UI and configuration/installation programs is aimed at consumers ?
Perhaps, it is Wicrosoft’s “aimed” at target but they sure are no marksmen. Apple hits that target much better and has both a software and hardware clearly aiming for it.
Anyhow, Thurdott couldn’t recognize consumer needs even if his life depended on it.