[Grovenet] MACs for Christmas

Thu Jan 3 13:11:53 PST 2008

I'm not surprised Geri! 

That's the marketing tradeoff Apple made: simplicity, stability and more
limited functions from a single supplier at Apple's price vs. IBM's greater
range of options, and capabilities from a great many suppliers in a highly
competitively priced marketplace. 

I remember when Mac users were very upset over Apple's lack of internet
browsers about a decade ago when PC users were exploring the new cyberspace
arena in large numbers. Apple took the criticism and refused to budge until
they were completely ready. 

That's been their approach all along: stability and simplicity first. I'm
not sure why they haven't won more market share over the years: perhaps
because of the lower prices on PCs coming from a range of competitors. 

I've often wondered if Apple didn't "shoot themselves in the foot" fostering
the cult status of their machine as the "Anti-IBM computer". It sure hasn't
worked in the marketplace. The Mac is a good machine without trying to prove
it by claiming the IBM PC is somehow flawed. 

It's significant to me that Apple gave huge numbers of computers to schools
a back in the 80's. It helped launch a computer generation who, presumably,
would grow up to buy Macs, but they didn't. When they pulled out their own
pocketbooks they bought IBM PCs! I suspect they wanted the flexibility and
the "leading edge of technology" of the PC over the simpler, more inherently
stable but more costly Mac. 

After all, how many youngsters spending their own money would opt for a
Lincoln Continental over a Ferrari, even if it's a temperamental Ferrari
after they did a little customization? 

Maybe as they are getting older and are more dependent upon the PC as an
essential tool a few are looking back at the Mac. Perhaps that has something
to do with Apple's growing market share. 

Ron D'Eau Claire 

-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of Geri
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 12:01 PM
To: Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] MACs for Christmas

Chuck, my 2-cents-worth:

I have used both Mac & Windows for twelve years
here at home.  As a non-techie, which is what *most*
folks are, I agree with you that Mac is w-a-y less
trouble!

Geri

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "chuck" <chuck at grovenet.net>
To: <jeff at jeffhowden.com>; "Forest Grove local interests list"
<grovenet at rdrop.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 10:33 AM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] MACs for Christmas

> 
>>
>> 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.
>>
>>   
> In your opinion.
> 
> My Linux machine is trouble free.  My opinion.
> 
> I'm sure David can say the same with his Mac, as could Jane, or any of
> the other Mac users on this board. 
> 
> Trouble free - to me - means turning it on and having it actually come
> on.  Clicking my email icon and actually having it work.  Surfing the 
> Internet with Firefox or Safari - and being able to go to any site 
> without threat of a dangerous popup, trojan horse, or virus.  That's 
> pretty much sums up trouble free to me.  A device that works like it is 
> supposed to.  Like a TV, or radio.
> 
> In my experience, Windows has never been trouble free.  Freezing,
> locking up, driver issues, viruses, spyware, drive-by trojans, blue 
> screens, support calls to foreign countries, activation issues, more 
> software to purchase.  This is my definition of Windows.  Not exactly 
> trouble free.
>> 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.
> I agree 100%.
>>   
>>> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
>>> 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.
>>   
> Absolutely User Error.
> 
> But 'should' it be his fault?  Had he been using something other than
> Windows - would it still have been an issue?  I doubt it as most of his 
> problems were Virus/malware related.
> 
> I still stand by my experience that Macs/Linux has far fewer Virus
> problems than Windows. 
> 
> My Linux machine has been running 3 yrs.  eMail, Internet, Word
> Processing, music/mp3, video/dvd, photo editing/storage, cd/dvd 
> burning,  web site editing.  I have no firewall and no virus 
> protection.  None. 
> 
> Should I worry?  Maybe.  But I don't.  I may have viruses on here 
> right
> now - Windows viruses - and without the proper privileges - they can do 
> absolutely nothing.  
> 
> I have purposely gone to hacking sites, warez sites, torrent sites,
> myspace, etc....sites I know have trojans, and have even had the 
> Winfixer popups - I simply close them.  I purposely open email 
> attachments - even questionable ones - nothing.  I have tried to get a 
> virus.  Sorry.  They cannot do anything on an OS other than Windows. 
> 
> That may indeed change one day - but for now - I feel pretty safe.
> 
>>
>> Want a computer without the false sense of security (ie, the claims 
>> of being invulnerable)?  Get a PC.
>>
>>   
> And when it breaks - I'm in the book.
> 
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