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Thomas Whiteley -> PC's and Mac's (Sep. 6 2003 16:01:20)
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For years professional business people (doctors and lawyers) have asked me about computerizing his or her office. I ask them a simple question: “Do you want to be productive or do you want to play computer”? I then explain that a Macintosh can be hooked up very easily and is reliable. They have been standards for the publishing, audio and video professions as well as offices, since 1985. Now an IBM PC or “clone” is an interesting beast! Although they have “improved” over the years with hardware and software releases, they often crash and burn.
Most people own PC’s, as we call them. If you want to create anything for the Mac, you have to work with Apple computer. Software has to be tested by Apple, not far from my home (about two miles), in Cupertino, California. Hardware and software must be compatible before Apple will allow it to be sold.
PC’s are like the American Wild West. Just about anything goes, as long as you watch copyrights. Anyone can build hardware or create software. There are many different machines, motherboards, BIOS, operating system flavors, service packs, software that interacts with each other (not good most of the time), worms, viruses, bugs or anomalies as we like to call them, incompatibilities, Browsers that do not meet their own or W3C specifications, DLL hell (wrong versions of expected DLL files), incorrect or incompatible drivers, and a long list of other variables! Let me catch my breath after that run on sentence.
Marketing for PC’s through such companies as Microsoft, Dell, HP (Compaq), and Gateway (heaven forbid), makeup about 99% of the computer advertisements – similar to market share, as Apple does not advertise much these days.
Well everyone, enjoy your PC. Remember if something does not work, that is too bad. Call the salesperson that you just bought your computer from and tell him you are having problems. He will suggest you buy a new machine! You see, what you just walked out the door with is obsolete, was poorly designed and not reliable. But the next version of hardware, software, or Service Pack (a favorite Microsoft term) will “solve all your problems”!
Thinking of adding a new card or software package? Good luck sports fans! Things may never work again!
Thomas how can you say such things? I have been working with computers since 1962, when I built my first mainframe for the company I worked for, military computers in the Air Force, and in 1975 started with the S-100 Bus. I built several S-100 Bus computers from scratch – motherboard, and all the cards, etc., wrote my own drivers, used CP/M, program in Assembly, and thirteen other languages. I am certified by IBM to train repair technicians, and own IBM Service Centers. Also, I am certified by Apple. I support my family through my skills and knowledge of computers, since I left the world of electronics engineering.
Not long ago I retired my Macintosh Computers, as not one of my customers used them! I decided to “go with the flow”. I still have friends who use Mac’s professionally, in the desktop publishing, audio and video fields. They love Mac’s and so do I. However, love and practicality (bread and butter) has dictated I devote my time and energies to the world of PC’s. More opportunities and money exist for those that work with PC’s.
So enjoy your computer what ever flavor it may be and just remember there is more to life than PC’s or Mac’s. [:)]
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