Switching to Mac OS X - Why switch to OS X?
Andy Clayton writes
The reason, or rather, reasons I decided to make the switch from Windows XP to OS X are summarised below. Although I still have access to Windows by using Parallels Desktop (a virtual Windows system on an Intel Mac) I hardly ever need it and I don't plan to upgrade it to Vista (the new version of Windows). When I said "I'm going", I really meant it. Although in the words of the song "breaking up is hard to do" ;-)
1. Viruses, spyware and all that aggro...
Windows itself has improved with each new version, especially XP which after a dodgy start was the first decent version of the OS to come out (in my opinion). It's pretty stable, memory management isn't too bad and you'll feel fairly safe from the "blue screen of death" although this hasn't gone entirely... The biggest problem with Windows these days is, ironically, nothing to do with Windows at all. It's everything to do with twisted geeks who haven't got anything better to do than ruin your day... I am, if you haven't realised it already, talking about viruses, spyware, trojan horses etc. etc. which are, almost entirely, aimed at crippling Windows. Linux and Apple OS X are (practically) immune from such things. Windows users *must* (as I keep telling anyone who'll listen to me) install virus protection (with constantly updated virus definitions), a firewall (ideally hardware, but software will do) and spyware/adware protection to keep your system clean. These programs, by nature, slow your system down and take valuable time to run and update. Which is a pain.
It's also worth mentioning that in my experience Windows users sometimes need to rebuild their systems after a while as they begin to slow down and become generally unresponsive. A sweeping statement? Perhaps, but there are plenty of people I know who have this problem. On the flipside, I know plenty of Mac users who only have to reboot their systems after certain system updates. Many weeks (even months) can pass between re-boots.
Reason one, then.
2. Eye candy
Windows XP looks horrible. Quite why someone at Redmond got up one morning and decided that a big green button with "start" written on it and huge title bars and window icons would be attractive is beyond me. It looks like it was designed by someone at infant school. Someone who's bottom of the class. And likely to be staying there. If I closed my eyes, picked up a felt tip pen and scribbled random shapes on a piece of card it would look better than the default Windows XP design.
I think I've made my point.
That said, looks are in the eye of the beholder. And I realise that. You may like the look of XP, although if you do may I respectfully suggest that you consider having your eye's tested. Soon.
Vista is better looking, ironically nicking much of its design ethic (as well as its new features) from OS X. At least that's what it looks like to many of us!
Apple's OS X, on the other hand, needs to be experienced to be fully understood. The screen shots on these pages don't do it justice. It's the fluid actions with which boxes elegantly slide open. Screens twist and ripple pleasantly depending on what you're doing. And the colours and shades are subtle and pleasing and... well... grown up! You can press certain keys to have windows wizz off the screen to reveal the desktop, slide gracefully apart to reveal all active applications or zoom out to show (and manage) virtual desktops. It's just so nice to use that you must try it to see. Think this sounds like Vista? Well, Vista does many of these things but OS X has been there already; in spades!
3. Stability
OS X is built on a UNIX core. You may, or may not, know what UNIX is. But take it from me that this is very good news for anyone using an Apple computer. UNIX is stable, UNIX is mature. UNIX works! Linux is also UNIX based although Mac OS X Leopard has official Unix accreditation. Microsoft software has, on the other hand, been developed in a back-to-front way opposite to the open source and Apple methodologies. Windows developers all write their own bits of code and someone then has to stitch all the bits together and hope it works. Even MS themselves have realised that this is a rubbish way to do things and I hear that they are migrating to the way everyone else has been doing it for years. Apparently. If this really is happening it'll be years before Window's users feel the benefits. I had enough, couldn't wait any longer and jumped ship in 2005.
4. System resources
Windows has always liked lots of memory. With every new version, the spec required to run it has increased exponentially! XP, for example, will run in 256MB of RAM provided you don't want to open any applications. You can just about get away with 512MB for a desktop to run XP and some programs but to be really usable you need at least 1GB, a large hard drive and a Pentium 4 2GHz or faster. Vista increases this minimum requirement, especially if you want to use the Aero graphics engine. On the other side of the fence, Apple's Panther operating system (version 10.3 released in October 2003) ran quite happily on a 400MHz computer with 128MB of RAM. Amazingly, it's replacement (Tiger, version 10.4 released in June 2005) actually runs faster than Panther on most Macs and works happily on a 7 year old 700MHz PowerMac. You could never say that about old Windows kit.
5. Advanced features
OS X does things out of the box that Windows doesn't. Automator, Spaces and Time Machine are just three examples, but there are plenty of others. I won't go on about what these functions are. If you don't know you obviously haven't got OS X and you're missing out big time... Check out Apple's Mac OS X web pages to find out more. Vista copied some of these features but it appears that Windows is playing catchup with OS X and Linux.
6. Coolness
Not the top of the list. But having a Mac is cool. Having a Windows PC isn't.
In the interests of balance I'm listing below the reasons NOT to make the switch.
1. Hardware
A Mac's strongest point is also its biggest weakness. Apple make their own kit and make sure that everything works before they sell it. This means that if you have a hardware failure, you have to pay an authorised Apple Service Centre to fix your machine. With a "big boy" tower Mac (like the current Mac Pro range) there is scope to replace RAM or hard drives, but motherboard/processor type problems are a "back to the shop" expense. Windows boxes are easier to fix in that you can buy most of the bits cheaply and do it yourself.
2. Software
Just about all software produced for computers will have a Windows version, not all will have Mac versions although that situation is improving rapidly. Of course this is a rather sweeping statement and very much depends on what you want your computer to do, but you take the point! Intel Macs make this problem go away with Boot Camp, Parallels and VM Ware Fusion.
3. Friends
Most of my friends have Windows PC's. They don't always like them (the PC's that is) and are always going on about rubbish life generally is with their operating system. While I can now sit there smugly and know I have nothing to worry about as I use OS X, there is also a small, tiny element of leaving the club. Still, I'm sure I'll get over it ;-) Since switching in 2005, however, many of my friends have now switched or, at least, have a Mac to run alongside their Windows machines.
Please note that the above opinions are those of the author. When fact-finding you are recommended to check a variety of sources before making an informed decision. Do you disagree with my points? Agree with them? I'd like to hear from you at feedback at claytonfamily dot org dot uk.
To find out more about my switch from XP to OS X please choose one of the links in the panel on the right of this page.