My case for getting a MACINTOSH

Let me give you my history of various computers by telling you about each of the five I own.

I have a modified Packard Bell running Windows 3.1

I have a Compaq and an HP running XP SP2

I have a Powerbook G4 running Panther

I have a Dell Inspiron dual-booting Knoppix and Windows 98.

My Mac is my most recent computer, I got it about two years ago, and my Packard Bell is my oldest, I've had it for about 15 years.

Why do I go with my Mac versus my other computers?

1. Security
When it comes to internet security, viruses, and spyware, my Windows PCs (that are connected to the 'net) go through a router, have Windows Firewall, and Norton Internet Security. My Mac is connected wirelessly through the router. The computers I've had security problems with? My PCs. There are so few Mac viruses that getting a firewall/antivirus software suite hasn't even crossed my mind - and it wouldn't even if I didn't have my router (which does act as a hardware firewall). On my Windows, I got the Blaster virus those years past as well as a few worms and trojans, and I've been lucky compared to most.

2. Hardware
Most people that complain about switching to a Mac that are experienced users talk about the lack of customization. They can't get the latest graphics card and such and such. However, many people will complain about Windows crashing and not displaying things correctly. These problems are likely a hardware/driver issue. The reason why Macs don't crash as often is because they regulate the hardware more closely. They will have a choice of so many graphics cards or hard drive sizes and will have you choose from that list. They aren't trying to have complete control over your computer, they're trying to make sure one piece of hardware or one driver doesn't conflict with another - a problem Windows has had for years. None of my three Windows computers know what monitor we have, they simply tell me it's "unknown". You won't see this on a Mac.

3. Software
Now, this point gets a bit tricky. You might be thinking - "Is she nuts? Windows has all the software!" - which is quite true. When it comes to programs, Windows has all the good stuff. However, I decided to compare Microsoft Office and iTunes on both my Compaq and my Mac. Since one program is made by each company, I thought it would seem very unbiased and I would find Office worked best on Windows and iTunes on my Mac. Not so. They both were superior in speed and in fuctionality. When I used iTunes on my PC, it took over 20 times longer to load, and when I used Word, it locked up within 15 minutes. I have never had a program on my Mac lock up unless I was performing a function that I didn't have the minimum amount of RAM for (and with a laptop, you can expect that does happen).

4. Memory usage
The people who don't know computers well may not understand this point, but here's basically an overview of memory. When you load a program from the hard drive or wherever, it doesn't always look the same. For example, in a Word Processor, you type letters and other characters. This creates interactivity. By its nature, a hard drive is readable/writable. But what allows it to be? The memory. When you change a file and don't save it yet, where is the new content being stored? It has to be somewhere. This is why the more programs you open, the more memory you use and the slower your computer gets over the time it's been turned on. For some reason, a Mac seems to have a better memory management system than a Windows. I can run (on Mac) Word, Safari, iTunes, AIM and Azureus (torrent program) without getting a major speed slash. But when I have (on PC) Word, Internet Explorer, AIM, iTunes, and uTorrent running, I have problems getting the computer to respond because it's overdone - with the same or more memory installed.

5. Operating System holes
I can't remember the last time I installed an update for my Mac, with a two/three-year-old operating system, but my Windows PC updates every few days with its five/six-year-old operating system. New holes in the software is found daily and must be fixed if you don't want your system to completely crash. Yet, my Mac has never crashed once in the few years I've owned it. That's because of the security holes in the Windows operating system. I'm very glad that Microsoft is building Vista from scratch - maybe they'll be able to fix this point? Hmmm... now that I think about it, knowing Microsoft's record, I doubt it.

6. Will the next Windows (after Vista) be called "INTERNET EXPLORER OPERATING SYSTEM"?
We all fear a complete monopoly of something if it endangers our experience with a product. I'm sure most of you don't know anything about the monopoly Internet Explorer has on the Windows operating system. Do you want me to list all the times you see this program? Alright: DESKTOP - you can set a webpage as your Desktop. WINDOWS EXPLORER - Don't those forward/back buttons look familiar? But what should tip you off the most is the E in the right hand corner. You want me to continue? It's obvious that by the first few seconds of using your machine, Internet Explorer is running. And do you know where most of the security holes in Windows are? In that program alone. Microsoft has tricked us into thinking we can uninstall Internet Explorer in the add/remove Windows Applications (or whatever it is, I'm using my Mac now or I'd look it up), but the size is... 0K? WTF??? No, my friends, all you delete there is the icon. The program cannot be deleted or Windows will crash before it reaches your Desktop. Have a nice day with your viruses, kiddies. The Mac hasn't integrated Safari in Finder, so I don't have to worry about that.


Let's weigh these arguments, presenting the Windows side first:

Viruses vs. No viruses
Hardware failure / incompatibilitiy vs. Working hardware
Buggy software vs. Functional software
Slow system vs. Fast system
Security holes vs. Stable OS
Monopolistic software integration vs. Ability to uninstall

You know what? I'm thinking a Mac sounds good right about now, don't you?