…“You can build your system for a lot less than a real Mac and get the performance of a top-dollar Apple machine. This is fact and a lot of the real Mac users will deny, but it is fact. My machine runs a e4300 Core Duo Processor over-clocked to 3.40 GHZ. Where can you get a 3.4-GHz Mac? It will cost you a fortune. I have 1066-MHz DDR2 memory. Where can you get that on a real Mac???”
“Why run OS X? Well, when you are just used to Windows, it is like living inside a house and not experimenting the whole world out there. Once you get out of it, it is just amazing. Mac is just that: You just feel like glued to the computer. Everything is just beautiful, the interface, the stability. Once you experiment it, you don’t want to go back to windows. Trust me.” Read the full how-to guide on OSx86Scene.com (found on MacUser.Com)
This post has been read by 901 unique visitors since being posted. (as of Nov 16 2007)
…Leopard again raises the question of whether to switch from Windows to a Mac. I’ve found Vista to be a major disappointment that tends to look worse the more I use it. I still use Windows XP for getting serious work done. But OS X is easier to manage and maintain and I vastly prefer OS X to Windows for Web-browsing, mail, and especially for any task that involves graphics, music, or video. Leopard performs all such tasks even better than previous versions did-and Leopard is the only OS on the planet that works effortlessly and intuitively in today’s world of networked computers and peripherals. Leopard is far from perfect, but it’s better than any alternative, and it’s getting harder and harder to find good reasons to use anything else. Read the full review on PCMag.Com
Looking for the fastest laptop for Windows Vista? Is it time to retire your old laptop and get a new laptop that will be able to run Vista? PC World has some advice…
“The fastest Windows Vista notebook we’ve tested this year is a Mac. Try that again: The fastest Windows Vista notebook we’ve tested this year–or for that matter, ever–is a Mac. Not a Dell, not a Toshiba, not even an Alienware. The $2419 (plus the price of a copy of Windows Vista, of course) MacBook Pro’s PC WorldBench 6 Beta 2 score of 88 beats Gateway’s E-265M by a single point, but the MacBook’s score is far more impressive simply because Apple couldn’t care less whether you run Windows.” Read the full story at PC World.
The UK computer agency Becta is advising schools not to sign licensing agreements with Microsoft because of alleged anti-competitive practices.
…a spokesman for Becta said the problem was that Microsoft required schools to have licences for every PC in a school that might use its software, whether they were actually doing so or running something else. Read the full article on BBC News (via Slashdot)
…Well its been only a day since the Mac OSX Leopard was released officially by Apple and the hackers have managed to create a patched DVD that everyone like you and me can use to install Leopard on PC’s without having to buy a Mac. Please note the tutorial that I am going to post is still experimental and things might not work the right way simply because it is still early days in hacking Leopard to work on PC’s. Well if you don’t mind your PC getting screwed then go ahead and try out this tutorial. Read the full article on DailyApps.Net (found via CultOfMac.Com)
…As many of you are aware, I think Windows Vista is a blunder. And with its annoying UAC system, and horrifically slow operation, it won’t take long before the majority of home users agree with me. And if the recent figures showing Mac OS X is already gaining market share is any indication of the future, look for Leopard to outsell Vista by a staggering margin. Read the full article on C|Net.Com
The Unofficial Apple Weblog reports: …with the recent gains Apple passed an important milestone. Apple has a larger market capitalization than IBM, meaning simply that Apple is now the most valuable computer hardware maker in the world. Let me say that again: Apple is, as of this writing, trading above $185 per share giving it a market cap of $161b, compared to IBM at $153b, HP at $133b and Dell at a measly $65b. Read the article on Tuaw.Com
Microsoft’s getting into the advertising business instead of fixing its operating system issues, so why shouldn’t Google put its billions to use developing a free, better OS? Microsoft has been in the news a lot lately, and there are two distinct themes to the coverage. The first is the generally negative press about Vista—that people are complaining about it, and that many are reverting to XP. In this kind of situation, you’d think a corporate effort would be made to fix any and all flaws.
But instead, we hear a lot of denial while Microsoft pushes its new agenda: advertising. And I’m not talking about buying advertising, like any normal company in the software business does, but about selling ads—as Google does. Read the full article at PCMag.Com
…Ever since the Redmond company’s recent download of new support files for Windows Update, users of XP’s repair function have been unable to install the latest 80 patches from Microsoft. Read the full article on WindowsSecrets.Com
…Microsoft had it a little easier with Vista, because everybody knew what Windows needed: better security. Maybe Mac OS X is harder to hack, or maybe the virus writers consider the Mac’s 8 percent market share too piddling to bother with. But in its six years, Mac OS X hasn’t experienced a single virus outbreak or spyware infestation. So Apple’s mission in Leopard was to make us aware of needs we never knew we had — something Apple is usually good at. Read the full article on NYTimes.Com
…This is an important development for Apple; Microsoft’s latest operating system, Vista, got a lukewarm reception following its February launch, and Apple will be hopeful of attracting disappointed Windows users with Leopard. Read the full article on Telegraph.Co.Uk
…Long before Leopard pounced onto the scene, I rated OS X superior to Windows for most consumers. With Leopard, Apple’s operating system widens its lead aesthetically and technologically. Read the full article on USAToday.Com
On Friday evening, Apple will release yet another new version of OS X, called Leopard, to replace the current version, known as Tiger. I’ve been testing Leopard, and while it is an evolutionary, not a revolutionary, release, I believe it builds on Apple’s quality advantage over Windows. In my view, Leopard is better and faster than Vista, with a set of new features that make Macs even easier to use. Read the full article on All Things Digital
…Something seems to have gone horribly wrong in an untold number of IT departments on Wednesday after Microsoft installed a resource-hogging search application on machines company-wide, even though administrators had configured systems not to use the program.
“The admins at my place were in a flap this morning because Windows Desktop Search 3.01 had suddenly started installing itself on desktops throughout the company,” a Reg reader by the name of Rob informs us. “The trouble is that once installed, the indexer kicks in and slows the machines down.” Read the full article on The Register
…What surprised me about Mac OS X that I realized while chatting with Kevin today was something that hit me full in the face when it occurred to me. One of the major reasons I used to justify the purchase of a MacBook Pro early this year was how easily I could run Windows programs on the Mac using Parallels Desktop. One of the first programs I installed on the Mac was Parallels followed by installing Vista Ultimate in a virtual machine. This would make sure I could run my Windows apps, the ones that I had judged essential and that the ability to run under Parallels helped me justify the purchase of the MBP. It runs flawlessly and I was impressed with how well Windows ran on my Mac from day one.
Chatting about this to Kevin today made me realize that I haven’t run Vista on the Mac in well over a month! Read the full article on jkOnTheRun
In a sound-off interview with BusinessWeek, Intel boss Paul Otellini was asked about Apple’s knack for selling top-dollar merchandise. His response?
“My wife and I both have iPhones. My wife came in with a jacket for her phone. She was all excited,” he said. “It’s a flimsy little thing. It cost $39. It probably cost 6¢ to make.”
…If PC home users elect to only upgrade their OS when they buy a new computer, something is seriously wrong with the fundamentals of Windows Vista for the home user. In fact, if Microsoft doesn’t figure out why so few customers are buying Vista off the shelves, running home with excitement, and upgrading their PCs, Vista might be the last desktop OS before PC users are forced to move over to simpler handhelds and tablets with touch screens.
…Microsoft is going down a dangerous path by putting an OS on PCs that terrifies its users and intimidates them from buying it off the shelf to install themselves. The Leopard release next week, with some minor glitches to be sure, will nevertheless punctuate Apple’s superb handling of this whole affair and set the stage for a whole new personal, portable computing experience here in the early part of the 21st century that Microsoft will have extreme difficulty duplicating. Read the full article on The Mac Observer
…Some solution providers say pre-orders of Apple’s forthcoming Leopard operating system are more than double the volume for the same time prior to the last major Mac OS release, and point to new features and dissatisfaction with Microsoft Vista as key drivers. Read the full article on ChannelWeb Network
Mac users have been waiting since 2004 for an update to Microsoft’s ubiquitous office suite, and especially eagerly since Apple switched to Intel processors. Now that the 2008 release is quickly approaching, it’s time to take a look at what Office 2008 for Mac has in store. The new Office is chock full of interface enhancements following in the footsteps of Office 2007 for Windows, including a new ribbon-like toolbar, lots of snazzy animations, and a much snappier performance. Hit the jump for a look at the visual refresh of the Office for Mac suite. Read the full article and see the screenshots at LifeHacker.Com
…You’ve got a household full of PC’s and you’ve stopped yourself from getting a Mac because you don’t want to deal with incompatibility headaches. Eight years ago that would’ve been understandable, but today Mac OS and Windows can work together in harmony on the same home network, sharing files and printers, mounting one another’s drives and using the same equipment, like wireless routers and USB drives. If you’re considering a mixed Mac/PC home or office, here’s a primer on how the two systems inter-operate (and the few instances when they don’t.) Read the full article on LifeHacker.Com
…I wasn’t a big fan of the “Wow” campaign around Windows Vista. But its newest incarnation — “100 Reasons Why Everyone’s So Speechless” — might be even worse. Read the full article at All About Microsoft
…Leopard is a genuine triumph of customer-focused engineering. It’s a pleasure and a relief to see that Apple remembers how to deliver open, affordable, standards-based products. There probably won’t be lines around the block at Apple retail stores for people who can’t wait to get their hands on Leopard. If they had been using Leopard as long as developers have, Apple wouldn’t be able to stamp Leopard DVDs fast enough. Word will get out. Read the full article at Infoworld.com
In yet another blow to the reputation of Windows Vista, the Dutch Consumers’ Association (Consumentenbond) has recommended that customers who purchase new PCs insist on obtaining Windows XP over Vista. In addition, it called on computer shops to provide Windows XP downgrades to customers who have already obtained Vista from said shops. After unsuccessfully trying to persuade Microsoft to provide those free downgrades, the DCA said that consumers would have to take matters into their own hands since Microsoft does not agree with its assessment of the OS, which the organization said appears to have been released before it was truly ready. Read the full article on ArsTechnica.Com
I posted this a while ago but I’ve decided to refresh the post since there are a lot more readers now than when I first posted this.
Look for a copy of ”Pirates of Silicon Valley”. Based upon the book, Fire in the Valley: The Making of The Personal Computer, by Paul Freiberger and Michael Swaine, this film documents the rise of the home computer/personal computer through the rivalry between Apple Computer and Microsoft. Here’s a clip…
…For £700 I could have bought a high-spec laptop that enabled me to play some games, but instead I decided to buy an Apple Macbook. This will no doubt be sacrilege to some PC users, but let me explain my decision. I already have a games capable PC, which is far more easily upgradable, so there seems little point in going for a laptop that would only be able to play games for a year or so, before the hardware demands exceeded the laptop’s specifications. In addition, with Apple’s Boot Camp, you effectively get two laptops for the price of one, because I can and do run Windows on it, alongside OS X. However, the biggest reason for switching to OS X is that I’m sick and tired of dealing with all the security issues that are associated with Windows. Read the full article on PCAnswers.Co.Uk
“I’m one of those early adopters of Vista,” said Yvonne Genovese, an analyst who was interviewing Ballmer along with fellow analyst David Smith on stage at a conference forum. “My daughter comes in one day and says, ‘Hey Mom, my friend has Vista, and it has these neat little things called gadgets — I need those.’”
Said Ballmer: “I love your daughter.”
“You’re not going to like her mom in about two minutes,” said Genovese, while the crowd laughed.
Here’s a big number: 20 percent of Microsoft Office’s U.S retail sales are the Mac version, according to NPD. Here’s another: Mac users account for 10 percent of retail Windows Vista Business and Ultimate sales. Read the full article on Microsoft-Watch.Com
The latest version of CrossOver, Codeweavers’ Mac and Linux application designed to get Windows games and applications working on those systems, has been released. CrossOver 6.2, now available, features a number of different updates both to increase compatibility and to make Windows applications run faster than ever. And first among these updates is the fact that it will now run Team Fortress 2 right out of Valve’s new Orange Box. Read the full article on TUAW.Com
It’s not enough to just buy a new computer with great specs and good looks. You need to know if the manufacturer will stand behind its product, be it your always-powered-up desktop, your travel-abused notebook, or the ink jet printer that delivers something to hang on the refrigerator. For almost 20 years PC Magazine has asked our readers to rank the vendors they use, and this year is no exception. [Spoiler Alert: Apple wins.] Read the full article on PCMag.Com
Apple’s successes with the iPod are finally translating into real momentum for its computer business, if statistics from Net Applications are any indication. The market research firm measured a 40 percent increase year over year in Mac usage on the Internet in September. As of the end of the month, 6.6 percent of Internet users were accessing the Web via Macs, up from 4.7 percent in September 2006.Read the full article on BetaNews.Com [found via SwitchingToMac.Com]
Dell is testing the waters with a Linux-equipped notebook computer, in a challenge to Microsoft and Apple. Dell’s Linux PCs are cheaper than computers with Microsoft’s Vista operating system because Dell does not need to pay a licensing fee. Read the full article on NYTtimes.Com
While Vista was originally touted by Microsoft as the operating system savior we’ve all been waiting for, it has turned out to be one of the biggest blunders in technology. With a host of issues that are inexcusable and features that are taken from the Mac OS X and Linux playbook, Microsoft has once again lost sight of what we really want. Read the full article on C|Net
I have been a die-hard Windows user since I started computing. If you had told me I would switch to Mac at any point in the future, I would have laughed at you. There was nothing that could ever make me switch! Well, that didn’t exactly last forever, but as a recent Mac “switcher,” I have a unique perspective on both worlds. Read the full article on AppleMatters.Com
…“You can build your system for a lot less than a real Mac and get the performance of a top-dollar Apple machine. This is fact and a lot of the real Mac users will deny, but it is fact. My machine runs a e4300 Core Duo Processor over-clocked to 3.40 GHZ. Where can you get a 3.4-GHz Mac? It will cost you a fortune. I have 1066-MHz DDR2 memory. Where can you get that on a real Mac???”
Posted by vistasucks 
…Leopard again raises the question of whether to switch from Windows to a Mac. I’ve found Vista to be a major disappointment that tends to look worse the more I use it. I still use Windows XP for getting serious work done. But OS X is easier to manage and maintain and I vastly prefer OS X to Windows for Web-browsing, mail, and especially for any task that involves graphics, music, or video. Leopard performs all such tasks even better than previous versions did-and Leopard is the only OS on the planet that works effortlessly and intuitively in today’s world of networked computers and peripherals. Leopard is far from perfect, but it’s better than any alternative, and it’s getting harder and harder to find good reasons to use anything else. 
Posted by vistasucks 
Looking for the fastest laptop for Windows Vista? Is it time to retire your old laptop and get a new laptop that will be able to run Vista? PC World has some advice…
Posted by vistasucks 
The UK computer agency Becta is advising schools not to sign licensing agreements with Microsoft because of alleged anti-competitive practices.
…Well its been only a day since the Mac OSX Leopard was released officially by Apple and the hackers have managed to create a patched DVD that everyone like you and me can use to install Leopard on PC’s without having to buy a Mac. Please note the tutorial that I am going to post is still experimental and things might not work the right way simply because it is still early days in hacking Leopard to work on PC’s. Well if you don’t mind your PC getting screwed then go ahead and try out this tutorial. 
…As many of you are aware, I think Windows Vista is a blunder. And with its annoying UAC system, and horrifically slow operation, it won’t take long before the majority of home users agree with me. And if the recent figures showing Mac OS X is already gaining market share is any indication of the future, look for Leopard to outsell Vista by a staggering margin. 
Microsoft’s getting into the advertising business instead of fixing its operating system issues, so why shouldn’t Google put its billions to use developing a free, better OS? Microsoft has been in the news a lot lately, and there are two distinct themes to the coverage. The first is the generally negative press about Vista—that people are complaining about it, and that many are reverting to XP. In this kind of situation, you’d think a corporate effort would be made to fix any and all flaws.
…Ever since the Redmond company’s recent download of new support files for Windows Update, users of XP’s repair function have been unable to install the latest 80 patches from Microsoft. 
…Microsoft had it a little easier with Vista, because everybody knew what Windows needed: better security. Maybe Mac OS X is harder to hack, or maybe the virus writers consider the Mac’s 8 percent market share too piddling to bother with. But in its six years, Mac OS X hasn’t experienced a single virus outbreak or spyware infestation. So Apple’s mission in Leopard was to make us aware of needs we never knew we had — something Apple is usually good at. 
…This is an important development for Apple; Microsoft’s latest operating system, Vista, got a lukewarm reception following its February launch, and Apple will be hopeful of attracting disappointed Windows users with Leopard. 
…Long before Leopard pounced onto the scene, I rated OS X superior to Windows for most consumers. With Leopard, Apple’s operating system widens its lead aesthetically and technologically. 
On Friday evening, Apple will release yet another new version of OS X, called Leopard, to replace the current version, known as Tiger. I’ve been testing Leopard, and while it is an evolutionary, not a revolutionary, release, I believe it builds on Apple’s quality advantage over Windows. In my view, Leopard is better and faster than Vista, with a set of new features that make Macs even easier to use. 
…What surprised me about Mac OS X that I realized while chatting with Kevin today was something that hit me full in the face when it occurred to me. One of the major reasons I used to justify the purchase of a MacBook Pro early this year was how easily I could run Windows programs on the Mac using Parallels Desktop. One of the first programs I installed on the Mac was Parallels followed by installing Vista Ultimate in a virtual machine. This would make sure I could run my Windows apps, the ones that I had judged essential and that the ability to run under Parallels helped me justify the purchase of the MBP. It runs flawlessly and I was impressed with how well Windows ran on my Mac from day one.
In a sound-off interview with BusinessWeek, Intel boss Paul Otellini was asked about Apple’s knack for selling top-dollar merchandise. His response?
…If PC home users elect to only upgrade their OS when they buy a new computer, something is seriously wrong with the fundamentals of Windows Vista for the home user. In fact, if Microsoft doesn’t figure out why so few customers are buying Vista off the shelves, running home with excitement, and upgrading their PCs, Vista might be the last desktop OS before PC users are forced to move over to simpler handhelds and tablets with touch screens.
…Some solution providers say pre-orders of Apple’s forthcoming Leopard operating system are more than double the volume for the same time prior to the last major Mac OS release, and point to new features and dissatisfaction with Microsoft Vista as key drivers. 
Mac users have been waiting since 2004 for an update to Microsoft’s ubiquitous office suite, and especially eagerly since Apple switched to Intel processors. Now that the 2008 release is quickly approaching, it’s time to take a look at what Office 2008 for Mac has in store. The new Office is chock full of interface enhancements following in the footsteps of Office 2007 for Windows, including a new ribbon-like toolbar, lots of snazzy animations, and a much snappier performance. Hit the jump for a look at the visual refresh of the Office for Mac suite. 
…You’ve got a household full of PC’s and you’ve stopped yourself from getting a Mac because you don’t want to deal with incompatibility headaches. Eight years ago that would’ve been understandable, but today Mac OS and Windows can work together in harmony on the same home network, sharing files and printers, mounting one another’s drives and using the same equipment, like wireless routers and USB drives. If you’re considering a mixed Mac/PC home or office, here’s a primer on how the two systems inter-operate (and the few instances when they don’t.) 
…I wasn’t a big fan of the “Wow” campaign around Windows Vista. But its newest incarnation — “100 Reasons Why Everyone’s So Speechless” — might be even worse.
…Leopard is a genuine triumph of customer-focused engineering. It’s a pleasure and a relief to see that Apple remembers how to deliver open, affordable, standards-based products. There probably won’t be lines around the block at Apple retail stores for people who can’t wait to get their hands on Leopard. If they had been using Leopard as long as developers have, Apple wouldn’t be able to stamp Leopard DVDs fast enough. Word will get out. 
…For £700 I could have bought a high-spec laptop that enabled me to play some games, but instead I decided to buy an Apple Macbook. This will no doubt be sacrilege to some PC users, but let me explain my decision. I already have a games capable PC, which is far more easily upgradable, so there seems little point in going for a laptop that would only be able to play games for a year or so, before the hardware demands exceeded the laptop’s specifications. In addition, with Apple’s Boot Camp, you effectively get two laptops for the price of one, because I can and do run Windows on it, alongside OS X. However, the biggest reason for switching to OS X is that I’m sick and tired of dealing with all the security issues that are associated with Windows. Read the full article on 
“I’m one of those early adopters of Vista,” said Yvonne Genovese, an analyst who was interviewing Ballmer along with fellow analyst David Smith on stage at a conference forum. “My daughter comes in one day and says, ‘Hey Mom, my friend has Vista, and it has these neat little things called gadgets — I need those.’”
Here’s a big number: 20 percent of Microsoft Office’s U.S retail sales are the Mac version, according to NPD. Here’s another: Mac users account for 10 percent of retail Windows Vista Business and Ultimate sales. 
It’s not enough to just buy a new computer with great specs and good looks. You need to know if the manufacturer will stand behind its product, be it your always-powered-up desktop, your travel-abused notebook, or the ink jet printer that delivers something to hang on the refrigerator. For almost 20 years PC Magazine has asked our readers to rank the vendors they use, and this year is no exception. [Spoiler Alert: Apple wins.] 
Dell is testing the waters with a Linux-equipped notebook computer, in a challenge to Microsoft and Apple. Dell’s Linux PCs are cheaper than computers with Microsoft’s Vista operating system because Dell does not need to pay a licensing fee. 
I have been a die-hard Windows user since I started computing. If you had told me I would switch to Mac at any point in the future, I would have laughed at you. There was nothing that could ever make me switch! Well, that didn’t exactly last forever, but as a recent Mac “switcher,” I have a unique perspective on both worlds. 
Windows Vista Refunds!
