[Grovenet] MACs for Christmas

[Jeff Howden]

Chuck,

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> From: chuck
> 
> I have been telling my customers for years now - if you
> really want a trouble free computer, switch to a 
> Mac [...]
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

A truly trouble-free computer for the average non-technical computer user
does not exist.  All proponents of non-MS operating systems have been
pushing this mantra constantly, but it's a logical fallacy.

As such a thing does not exist yet, non-technical computer users are best
suited to being on the most ubiquitous platform as it more likely to be more
fleshed out, more mature, have more Q&A items available online, and have a
greater pool of slightly more than non-technical users available to ask
questions of/help from.  You put a non-technical user on a system that
represents a tiny percentage of the total market and they'll be instantly
far more frustrated when something goes wrong than had they been on
something that their son/daughter/nephew/niece/neighbor/etc. could have
helped with.

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> [...] or learn a Linux OS.
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

An average non-technical user should not have to "learn an OS".  They should
be able to sit down at the machine and just get it to work.  Like it or not,
but Windows is the closest there is to that right now.  That's part of the
reason why it has the marketshare it has.

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> My Ubuntu Linux machine has been trouble free for going
> on 3 years now.  No Viruses, No Spyware, no Blue Screens
> of Death, and without spending a single penny for any
> kind of bloated software designed to work with
> Microsoft.
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

You are not an average non-technical computer user though.  For anyone else,
using Ubuntu (I speak from experience) is nothing short of frustrating.
It's novel at first.  However, as soon as something breaks, needs updating,
etc., it requires much more work, research, and trial-and-error to fix than
comparable issues on Windows.

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> [...] Vista [...] Apple iTunes and MSN Instant
> Messenger.  [...] I tried to install these 2
> applications for her.  I could not get it to work. 
> Vista errors.  Go figure.
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

This is *surely* an isolated incident.  There are countless others running
those two applications with zero issues both during and post-install.

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> I can not count how many people I have spoken to, or
> stories I have heard, who absolutely despise Windows
> Vista.  So I say, good for Apple. Yes, Macs cost more. 
> But they work.  Just like Linux.  It - just - works.
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

To give another perspective, I cannot count how many people I have spoken
to, or stories I have heard, who absolutely love Windows Vista.

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> My other service call this vacation (its hard being a computer guy) was
> to another relative whom I built a computer for 3 years ago.  Not one
> single Antivirus or Spyware application I had given him had been
> updated.  Not once.  The computer was inundated with Viruses and
> Spyware - big surprise.  [...]
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

User error.

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> PC's can get Viruses.  Macs or Linux computers cannot
> (yet).
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

Seriously?!?  If you look around any of the security notice sites you'll see
lots of notices for viruses, vulnerabilities, etc. for the various *nix OSes
(Mac's FreeBSD included).  There is *no* system currently available that is
100% immune, 100% infallible, 100% perfect.  They are all programmed by
fallible human beings.

The simple truth is that the majority of the attempts are targeted at
Windows because the payoff is greater.  If Mac or one of the *nix systems
had the majority of the market, it'd be the target.  It's just like
business.  If you possess a good head for business you'll focus on the
percentage of the market that's likely to contain the largest audience
possible.  Your business is a perfect example.  You offer service for
Windows machines because they currently represent more than 90% of the
market.  If you eschewed that percentage because of your dislike for
Microsoft, you'd be instantly reducing your potential market to less than
10%.  That'd be a horrible business decision.  The same is true for those
that attempt to compromise systems.  They'll always go where the highest
chance for a payoff is.

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> Want a computer without the hassle of viruses?  Get a
> Mac.
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

Want a computer without the false sense of security (ie, the claims of being
invulnerable)?  Get a PC.

Thanks,

Jeff Howden
support at vosandhowden.com

Vos & Howden, LLC
Internet & Business Consultants
Voice:  (503) 336-4993
Cell:   (503) 734-8181
Fax:    (503) 922-0713

AIM - Active Information Management