I hate Macs

ComputerWorld blogs ^ | Tue, 10/16/2007 - 12:09pm | By David Ramel

[Ben Hecks]

But, if you must have a work-alike, go download the free OpenOffice suite.

I'm currently using NeoOffice - use it for projects where I need to send files to a Windows user. IBM is apparently releasing a Mac version of Lotus Symphony (document and spreadsheet capability only) early next year which may also be an option. The screenshots of the Windows version look pretty good.

[isthisnickcool]

I saw the 24 inch iMac this week. Stunning display. I've never used a Mac and have no use for one but that is one cool machine.

I'm fiddling with Sabayon Linux tonight. It easily runs beryl. It's the coolest and most beautiful user interface I've ever seen.

[antiRepublicrat]

I am use to those Byzantine menu structures.

One problem with bad design is that people get used to it and lose their volition to push for better design.

[Aliska]

I don’t know for sure what you mean, but with IE7, if I want to get rid of the top tool bar (and task bar) so I can have a bigger viewing area, I toggle on and off with F11.

[glorgau]

Rather we argue whether Emacs or vi is better

Some of you are 0's (emacs) and some of us are 1's (vi).

[unixfox]

There’s no place like 127.0.0.1

[Swordmaker]

. . . but I hate all those infernal updates and upgrades. . .

Even with a Mac, you still get to install upgrades and updates. But you don't have to worry about things going wrong... too much. OSX.4 Tiger has so far had 10 updates (its now at OSX.4.10) and you get about 5 or 6 security updates a year which may include up to 30 or 40 fixes for everything in the shipped distribution including all the open-source UNIX stuff. Updating is pretty much transparent and you can continue working while it is downloading and updating... and you do not have to restart the computer until you want to.

The problem is that there are more programs for Windows platform than Mac.

Actually, there aren't. There are more programs for the Mac in any field than there are for Windows because the Mac can run all Windows software as well as its own Mac software. In addition, while there may be more Windows solutions, how many do you need? Usually, the Mac has better solutions than the Windows solutions.

[RachelFaith]

I despise MS Office 7. I tried to use that at a friends house one time... she couldn’t find any of her old stuff to make it work and even I had HUGE trouble and I’m a total GEEK with stuff... it’s like MS said “How can we really screw them up so they have to buy Office 8”.

[Aliska]

Well, maybe Mac tests out their updates and upgrades better. I swear Windows throws out a new product or change out there and expects the user to find all the bugs for them, then they run a fix if you are lucky. That is SOP for virus software people; the tail wags the dog so to speak, but the way new viruses and worms crop up, I don't see any way around that. Every time I run an update or upgrade, I get nervous that something is going to go wrong, and sys restore does not always work either. And I love their disclaimers, proceed at your own risk in essence.

That is good you can be running other programs while you are installing upgrades and not have to reboot immediately. Actually, I don't have to reboot, only for changes to take effect, but they seem to prefer you do, so to be on the safe side, I usually do.

One positive thing Win people did was a team wrote a program enhancing Windows Explorer to view thumbnails of RAW (.CR2) files, and that is so handy. But if won't always show my exif any more. I also downloaded a freebie where if people use a graphic editor and save in a manner that retains the exif, I can read it with IE my browser, no other ones. With IE6, the exif window would pop up and stay on my screen (it is on the menu when you right click once you install and configure it) until I was done with it and closed it. Now it flashes on my screen and minimizes, I have to hit the task bar to get it back. Go figure.

So you are telling me that I could install, for example, my Win Photoshop CS2 on a Mac without buying the Mac version (unthinkable as expensive as that was)?

People really have positive things usually to say about Mac's so maybe I will look into it when I need a new computer.

Now I know I should dl and install Firefox, but I use Netscape for my email, IE for about everything else. I had a dickens of a time configuring it because NAV makes you choose IE as your default browser, or it won't work. I am afraid if I dl and install Firefox (and I am now fighting for hd space on my two hd's), it will mess up my mail program. But Netscape has its quirks, too, won't go into those.

Thanks for the info.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Just another guy who thinks Cindy Crawford is ugly.

[Swordmaker]

So you are telling me that I could install, for example, my Win Photoshop CS2 on a Mac without buying the Mac version (unthinkable as expensive as that was)?

Yes. You will have to have a legit copy of Windows XPsp2 or Vista... and either Parallels or VMWare Fusion.

[Aliska]

I have legit everything, not looking forward if I have to change to Vista. It's late, and those last words are gobbledygook to me, I don't know what parallels and fusion mean.

Thanks much for answering my question because I thought otherwise.

[BlazingArizona]

I challenge this writer to read this article:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/19/return_of_trojan_bayrob/

and not want to switch to Mac right away.

[thecabal]

Mac fanatics...the only group of people who make Paulistinians look sane in comparison.

[Yossarian]

Updating is pretty much transparent and you can continue working while it is downloading and updating... and you do not have to restart the computer until you want to.

Ah, while Mac OS will let you work while the update is running, problems have been known to crop up. I remember reading up on this a year ago or so on Macintouch, darned if I can't find the article anymore....

[Swordmaker]

Ah, while Mac OS will let you work while the update is running, problems have been known to crop up. I remember reading up on this a year ago or so on Macintouch, darned if I can't find the article anymore....

I have never had an issue on any of the twenty or so Macs I am responsible for at various clients or on the four I have here at home. At the clients offices I start the update procedure and then I tell the operators to just keep working and to restart the machine when they are finished or before the go home... then I leave. Several of them are doing heavy database work or network use... no problems.

[Spktyr]

Psst: Rush is a Mac fanatic.

Are you saying he’s insane?

[Terpfen]

One problem with bad design is that people get used to it and lose their volition to push for better design.

You have perfectly encapsulated in that sentence the primary problem with Linux.

[DesScorp]

Stab me if you want, but he had a couple valid points and was funny.

[shekkian]

So how about them Red Sox?