To Mac, or Not to Mac?
Sep 18 '00
After a 12 year affair with Macintosh computers, I'm trying to decide if it's time we broke up. That's a tough decision for a former MacAddict like myself.
A Beautiful Love Affair
My first computer was a sweet little Mac SE that I wanted so much I willingly paid $2,000+ for it. I learned word processing on that machine and eventually worked my way up to desktop publishing, design layout, and newsletters. Not bad for a one-piece box with something like a 7-inch monitor and only 4 mg of Ram.
When the time came, I moved up to an LC II, which was much more economical (only about $1500!) Eventually I was ready for a PowerMac 7500. That boy was a lot more money than its predecessors, but I also had more speed, more power, more...Mac -- and I loved it. Apple isn't lying in those commercials that sing the praise of "ease of use." This is the computer that smiles at you. It did everything I wanted. I never had to do something weird like "install a mouse" because Macintoshes are seriously into "plug and play." As time went by, I added lots more memory, a second hard drive, and even an accelerator card. I was flying! I have a good machine that should serve me well for a few more years.
Serious Misgivings
Why am I thinking about getting a PC? Very simply, I am tired of being a computer stepchild. (No, I am not denigrating certain familial relations. "Stepchild" is just being used here as a figure of speech, kind of the way Cinderella was treated.)
Everybody knows the importance of "location, location, location." Go to any CompUSA. If you want to find the Macs, they're near the back of the store, somewhere near the employee lounge and the supply room. In a PC world, buying a Mac is a dirty practice best hidden from children and all decent people.
You've Let Me Down Too Many Times
Software? Sure, they're developing a version for the Mac -- but you'll have to wait until versions 4, 5 and 6 for the PC have been out for a long, long time. Cool downloads from the web? Uh-uh. What you'll find is a pale version of all the stuff PC people take for granted.
Programmers and developers just don't see the same profits in producing software for the Mac as they do for the PC. As the PC world continues to grow, so does its customer base. Macs have their own quirky system unrelated to the other platform. Not only that - there are so many versions of the Mac OS out there, that programming with them all in mind can be ticklish. So we Macsters are stuck on the outside looking in, just like Cinderella, wishing we could go to the software ball.
Most offending is the delicate balance between software and the Macintosh system. When a program crashes, the whole machine goes with it. Netscape is the worst for that; but Explorer does it too. I have been told that this occurs when the memory buffer gets too full (excuse me if I'm not explaining this right, but we Mac users don't know much about technical aspects.) The remedy for this is to increase the program's memory allocation and clear the Netscape/Explorer cache from time to time. To be really safe, you can try shutting down then restarting your computer if it starts acting sluggish.
Isn't it good to know there's a cure? Of course, that's cold comfort when you're in the middle of a download or writing your best epinions review ever when the machine suddenly, abruptly and without warning locks up and refuses to do another thing.
PC users calmly click "Control, Alternate, Delete" and they're back in business. Not on a Mac! Occasionally, you'll be shown an error message that gives you a number to look up in a lost reference book that never existed. It doesn't matter now, though, because your document is gone, your download is aborted, and you have to wait the requisite 4 minutes or more for your computer to load a gazillion extensions before it's ready to go.
The Magic's Gone
It's no secret that Apple's iMacs have saved the company. They come in delicious colors like Raspberry, Lime, and Snow and have really cool style. But I never bought a Mac for its style, or because it was the cool thing to do. I bought it because it was a great computer that let me do things I never knew I could do.
Things have changed since then. Sure the G4 is fast; but you know what? there are plenty of PCs that are a lot faster, at a lower price. iMacs look good, but they can't seduce me into forgetting that Apple computers cost a lot more than PCs, crash far more than they should, and don't provide the range of software that the PC has.
I'll always have a sentimental attachment for Apple, but there's only so much a girl can take. Call me fickle, but this ends a beautiful relationship. But don't worry, Apple: I'll stay in touch.
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Epinions.com ID:
Chriss1977
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Location: New Jersey
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