Just about had it with Microsoft... thinking about converting to Apple!!!

by Elsewhere 18 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Elsewhere

  [BEGIN RANT]

  I'm your classic Die Hard Microsoft Guy. I have never owned an Apple product in my life. I even develop software specifically for Microsoft platforms for a living, but lately I've just about had it with MS.

  For years I have been waiting for MS to make Windows Mobil (for cell phones) into a system that actually works and is easy to use. For years I have been waiting for MS to make a sync system that allowed me to reliably sync my cell phone with my computer. For years I have been waiting for MS to make an OS that is easy to use, stable and reliable.

  Today was the last draw. It's been almost a YEAR since I have been able to sync my cell phone contacts and calendar with my Vista system. (The Windows Mobile Device Center rolls over and dies every time I hook up my cell phone)

  I'm sick of the flakey and buggy Vista that dies if my cat farts too close to the computer.

  One thing I know for sure: When the iPhone 3G (aka, iPhone v2.0) is released in the next month or two I'm buying one. I want a cell phone that actually WORKS and does what I paid for. I want a cell phone that can actually be used to look at the Internet. I want a cell phone that I don't have to fight with to get a simple thing done. I want a cell phone that does not require a PhD in "Hermit Geek With No Life And Stays At Home Tinkering All Day To Figure Out Sh-t" I want a cell phone that is easy to use, powerful, flexible and sophisticated.

  Also, when it comes time to replace my current PC, I'm also seriously thinking about buying a Mac. For a long time I have resisted this because of the simple fact that there is hardly any software support for Mac. However, recently I have found that Mac's have virtualization technology that will allow me to run Windows in a Virtual PC. This simple fact means that I will be able to switch over to a virtual PC when I need to use software that is not available for the Mac.

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  Come on Microsoft!!! I've been a loyal customer for over a decade and this is the CRAP you want to sell me???? You better get your sh*t together before you loose your customers en masse. We will stand by you for only so long before we go!
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  [END RANT]
• 

  wifekeepsmeinit

  i actually like vista, i think its a little better then XP, but then again i have 4 gigs of ram on my laptop, along with Intel Centrino technology. If i had anything less it would be extremely slow. Thats the problem, everyone says Vista sucks, not true - one of the best Operating Systems they have come up with, you just need at least 2 gigs of ram to run it properly.

  Apple computers are a whole other ball of wax, they have all kinds of problems, only the problems arent as advertised as MS because hardly anyone has their computers. One of the biggest problems they have with their operating systems is that many programs do not work properly or at all.
• 

  Simon

  As a fellow Microsoftie devotee, I must say I've been completely disillusioned with some of their latest offerings and just keep saying "why, why, why???"

  They make some great dev tools but some recent releases such as Vista and Office 2007 are just steps backward in some ways.

  For example, in when you install Office it copies the source onto your machine in a hidden folder called MSOCache (so it effectively has everything twice). Now in Office 2003 you could move this folder elsewhere and put it where you want to put it. Office 2007 doesn't give you that option and it will chew up nearly 800Mb of your system partition.

  Same with Vista and some of it's cache / backup folder - you cannot move / delete / compress them. Why Microsoft? Why the hell can't you record ISO images with the core OS? What were they thinking with that bloody Office Ribbon Bar? Bring back Clippy, all is forgiven ...

  Too much emphasis on farty features like photo libraries and crap like that and not enough focus on core OS functionality IMO.

  Remember when Windows 95 came out and OS/2 was still around? It was a competition to see who could do pre-emptive multi-tasking the best. I'm benginning to think they based the multi-tasking in Vista on Win 3.11 or something ...

  I think MS do make the best dev tools and I love the new ASP.NET MVC platform but somethings are just too much trouble when they shouldn't be.

  I bought a Mac Mini a couple of years ago and dual boot between OS X and Vista and OS X seems more cohesive. I also have an iPod touch and a Windows Smartphone and the iPod touch seems like it had way more than 10 minutes of thought put into the design.

  MS do have some bright people and can come up with smart products but from what I read of the development processes they are starting to become a behemoth where innovation is stiffled by too many layers of management, conflicting product groups and ill-thought out decisions.

  Rogers are supposed to be releasing the iPhone in Canada soon and if it is the 2nd generation model then I'll definitely get one - I wouldn't even consider a Windows Smartphone which is a terrible indictment when a Microsoft-devotee bypasses the product.
• 

  Poztate

  Bring back Clippy, all is forgiven ...

  God.... That is desperate......... Did you finally get spring in Calgary ??
• 

  Midget-Sasquatch

  Elsewhere,

  If you decide to go with an iPhone and a Mac, then make sure you run Time Machine to ensure your contacts. Its not uncommon to have entire addrssbook deleted after a sync....or multiple entries in the calendar. Oh yeah, I'd definitely stay clear of syncing your info with DotMac.

  As for hardware, the mac mini is underpowered but one of the more reliable apple computers. The portables are having battery issues like you wouldn't believe as well as an issue lately with the screen not waking from sleep andyou'd have to restart.

  Rather than virutalization, I'd consider running bootcamp which partitions the drive and allows you to run windows directly on the hardware.
• 

  GoingGoingGone

  My son is leaving for college soon and I've promised him my laptop, which means that I was in the market for a new one. I've never touched an Apple product (well, except for my iPod), and after weeks of Google-ing "PC vs. Mac", I decided to go for the Mac.

  I'm still learning to use it, but so far, so good.

  One thing I was certian of was that I did NOT want MS Vista!! Anyone I know with Vista has had nothing but grief. I'm sure Vista is just lovely if it works properly, but that's a big if....

  GGG
• 

  kurtbethel

  Apple is a good choice.

  I put Ubuntu linux on all of my machines as a dual boot setup so that when windoze craps, and it will crap, I can boot into Ubuntu and keep going while I sort things out.
• 

  jaydoe1

  I am a software engineer. I write code that runs on servers using MS operating systems. About a year ago I decided to make the switch and have never looked back. The only windoze computer I own is sitting in the basement missing hard drives which I ripped out and put in my power mac.
  
  I run parallels so I have access to Windows development tools etc. After a year of doing this, I have to say the best way to run windows is as a virtual machine on a mac. You install XP or 2003 server or heck even linux with a complete set of programs etc. Then you make a backup of it (a 30GB file in my case). Any time windows gets messed up for whatever reason you copy anything you need to a safe place, delete the virtual machine file and get a fresh copy and your up and running again in 10 minutes.
  
  My circle of friends (friends of friends etc) have bought at least 20 apple computers in the last 6 months and every one is now a raving apple fan boy.
  
  Yes apple stuff costs more, but 1) it just works, and 2) when you sell it it holds a lot more of its value (check ebay).
  
  good luck
• 

  brinjen

  After getting a couple of old cheapo macs to try (PowerMac G4 350Mhz & eMac G4 800Mhz) I've decided my next new PC will be a Mac also. I'd like it to be a PowerMac but I gotta earn some serious dollars first, hopefully sometime this year even if it's a second hand G5.

  I've had it with Windows and I'm working on getting into the field of graphc design anyway so, Macs make more sense for me.

  My Vista system has a 4.8Ghz processor with 3GB of RAM, yet the 800Mhz Mac with 512Mb of RAM running 10.4.11 boots up in half the time. The 350Mhz Mac can play a DVD full screen, without dropping a singe frame. My PII 350Mhz system with Win98 plays the same DVDs at 18 fps, despite having a much superior graphics card.

  Vista? Don't get me started on Vista. I've had more problems with that piece of crap than all the other versions of Windows put together.
• 

  Simon

  It amazes me that some of the most trivial things are done wrong.

  For instance, if you use the Vista Sidebar you can drag and drop the widgets and put them in the order you want. Great. (oh, and BTW I think the sidebar is vastly more useful than the OS X equivalent - you can see both your app windows and widgets at the same time!). But ...

  ... for some reason, every now and then it forgets the order you put them in.

  I'm supposed to trust you with all my data and files and you can't even remember the order I wanted the widgets in?! Argh ...

  Apple and OS X have their own share of annoyances (just different ones) so it's no panacea being on OS X but I think they lost the plot slightly with Vista and Office 2007. Amazing given that they are their biggest franchises / money spinners.

  Windows 7 looks like it will be better ...