Vista Getting Some Un-Due Flack
--posted by Pete Arnold on 1/30/2007
You know, the more of these articles "critiquing" Windows Vista I read, the more comical they become. Julio Ojeda-Zapata of the Pioneer Press has done a critique that I don't agree with. Much like some of these critiquers, they are comming out and saying "oh, Vista isn't special, its just Mac OSX"
Instead of re-writing a blog post, I will just show you my responce to Julio's article in the paper:
JULIO,
I thought your critique of Vista was a little off. You left out the important part about lack of business functionality with Mac OSX. I don't buy software because its "different," I buy software because it works... and Windows has 95% of the market share, not because they pointed a gun to our heads, but because over the years, their product has been the better product for just about everyone for just about every kind of use... so everyone uses their choice and their money to purchase what works best for them. Does Microsoft charge you 100 bucks per service pack like Apple has done with OSX 10.1 10.2 10.3 (service pack 1, 2 and 3?) No they do not.
So, in respect to "Ripping the other guy off" I would argue that every time Apple tries to increase their market share or cater to businesses or gamers, or anyone besides the Photoshop user, they are copying what Microsoft has already done. But let me ask you this. What would you rather have: An Operating system that you can use with a wider variety of software, and you can install on any computer you wish (including computers you make yourself)? Or an OS that is not only less compatible, but that forcibly restricts their user as to which computer they can put it on?
Also, when you look at safety and security... you have to account for the the users as well. For example:lets pretend you are a very safety orientated person. You want the safest car you can get so you can be as safe as possible. So you buy a Volvo. you drive your Volvo like any safety orientated person would... safely. You have the car for 3 years and never get into an accident. What is it, the car or the driver that is safe? I would argue that like a Gun, it’s not the machine that does the killing or the saving, but it is the user of the machine.
Now, enter Mac users. They are arguably cultist. They will admit to this. you would be hard pressed to find as many anti-mac clubs as you would anti-windows clubs. Is this because of their software being a failure? Not with 95% of the market share. People vote with their money remember. The anti-windows clubs exist because there are people who find the need to push and rebel against the system. Any system. If the same base of cultist windows users existed, I would be willing to bet, much like Apple OSX, it would be virus free. What about Right Clicking? For the longest time, Apple users couldn't right click. That was a Windows Only thing. Now you can Right-Click on a Mac. I didn't hear anyone complaining that Apple stole right clicking from Microsoft Windows, do you?
Some Fun Facts and Links about Apple:
Apple 'falsified' share documents
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/12/28/appel_share_fakes/
Apple takes $84 million charge
http://news.com.com/2100-1047_3-6146295.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-5&subj=news
Apple options review claims Anderson's scalp
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10/04/apple_stock_options_review/
Apple may need to restate last 15 quarters
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/04/apple_results_restatement_likely/
Apple, CA investigate share option grants
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/30/ca_apple_option_trouble/
Unpatched bug bites Apple Mac OS X
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/22/mac_zero_day_bug/
Month of Apple bugs planned for January
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/12/20/month_of_apple_bugs/
Apple to delay quarterly results filing
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/11/apple_to_miss_sec_filing_date/
Apple's Extreme Arrogance:
http://news.com.com/2100-1047-6149285.html?tag=yt
Apple partnering with Microsoft in 97
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxOp5mBY9IY&mode=related&search
in 2006 Net Profit Margins:
Apple Computer: 10.34%
Exxon: 10.15%
ConocoPhillips: 8.10
So Apple has a higher profit margin then “Big Oil.” Where are the calls to look into price gouging? So, perhaps you should compare things like this. Compare who has chosen what OS. When you ask people to make the switch (like I have from Apple to Windows) you should ask them to weigh in more to their decision then how pretty it is... like how they can use it for their business, how it will make them more productive, how they can use it for entertainment (Mac isn't exactly known for their game selection either) or how it has helped the world. Apple us used for movies. Great. Go Arts. Windows is used to run the world economic system. But Apple fanboys will never admit to this. I would expect a "reporter" such as your self, Julio, to be more objective.Thanks,
Pete
********** Update 1/30/07 4:15pm **********
Apple has also copied certain innovations from other companies: tabbed dialogs on Macintosh appeared after IBM used them in OS/2. Since the original settlement of the lawsuit, many features of the Macintosh and Windows GUIs have been incorporated into the windowing environments of unrelated third-parties, such as OpenWindows, X11, and Solaris.
The Mac OS dock is derived from the NeXTSTEP dock (Mac OS X itself originating from NeXTSTEP). The dock as seen in Mac OS X and NEXTSTEP is very similar to the dock that is a major design feature of RISC OS, which already featured
its so-called iconbar as early as 1987.
Julio's blog can be viewed here. When it comes to a tech blog, it is far from what anyone would call "fair and balanced." I also enjoy how the Comments section of it is broken, thus not allowing users to post information to correct his swill that included a reasonable length. so instead I will e-mail him a link to this blog.
Let he who is without copyness of innovations cast the first raid card.Labels: Misc
4 Comments:
Competition is great. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Microsoft shouldn’t have competition. Competition in a free market breads better products. I may not buy foreign cars, but if they weren’t competing with American machines ever, we’d have entirely different vehicles today. But…
When it comes to operating systems for the computer, much like religion or politics for some reason, you have too many people who don’t look at the big picture.
Its too bad that the crazies with the loudest voice is what people are most likely to listen to.
Oh, and there are compairisons to the release of Vista not being as big as the release of Windows 95. What was before Windows 95? DOS? thats a pretty big jump up. And while Vista is another jump, you would be a Microsoft fanboy to claim that its a bigger jump then DOS-to-95 was.
Nice to find out you can now right-click with a Mac.
Apple calles it:
"The Mighty Mouse"
You've been able to right-click on a Mac for years.
Here are the features that improve workflow dramatically on the Mac that Windows lacks.
1. Expose. Microsoft tried to adobt this in Vista, but really all they did was improve the visuals for the current alt+tab function.
2. Pop-up windows. Makes moving files painless. Been on the Mac for years.
3. Dock. The Dock did originate with NEXT, but you neglect to mention that Steve Jobs owned NEXT and it came to Apple with him in the late 90s. The flexibility of the Dock (icons shrink as you add items, unlike Windows you do not get a fly-out arrow if you have too many) and the ability to store any items within it allows for a completely customizable functionality.
4. Finder. The basic Finder window introduced in OS X makes navigating a maze of folders and files much, much easier. Windows has a similar view option, but I've found it often forgets and reverts to the default.
5. Coming soon: Spaces, Time Machine
A few other points:
1. Integration. I view it as a positive that Apple makes its whole machine. This allows them to have hardware and software that co-exist, like I think it should.
2. Service Packs. Apple has upgraded OS X every 18 months or so and it does cost money. However, when you look at the OS X upgrades, they differ radically from the Windows Service Packs. The jumps from 10.1 to 10.2 to 10.3 to 10.4 were all MAJOR upgrades. I've been through all of them. The added features and performance don't compare to a Service Pack at all.
4. Who did what first. No side wins this argument. Each takes from the other or buys up smaller companies to roll that product into their systems. Just like every other business. What matters more is innovation. Which one takes something and turns it into something better? Something new?
5. Business. Mac and Windows are completely inter-operable when the same software is used on both systems. When a program is Windows only, a lot of times it's possible to use it in a Mac program that performs a similar function. Plus, now that you can run Windows on an Intel Mac, it's a complete non-issue.
6. Universe. Apple's hardware-software integration is allowing it to branch out into other areas (music, phone, television) in the easiest possible way for users. If I buy an Apple TV there's no configuration, same for iPod or iPhone. It all works together. It's like having one remote instead of three.
7. Finally, Apple just finds a way to do things better. I've got friends and co-workers with "smart" phones and PDAs that are a pain in the ass. Five years ago I said I'd get one when Apple made it, because they'll do it right. Sure enough, they have and it will be on the market soon. This is because the company is led by an arrogant egomaniac who insists on perfection from his designers and engineers. He struck down two versions of the iPhone before his people finally came up with something that met his standards. That reminds me, I haven't even mentioned Multi-Touch, which will have an impact far beyond Apple's phone.
I've not used Vista. But I have used enough Microsoft programs to know to temper expectations. I use Mac at home and Windows at work. If someone wants to use Windows that's fine. But for something as integral to modern life, I want a computer that is a step ahead of me, not walking at my side.
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