Apple Computer = Simple Computer
With computers being very much at the forefront of businesses and homes these days, I think it’s essential that things are kept simple in order to keep workflow constant, problems minimal and stress-levels down. The last thing a company wants to do is spend more money on hiring technicians to solve a problem that was caused by a virus or some silly user error that could have been avoided had they been using a system that wasn’t asking silly questions that it didn’t really need to ask in the first place. I’m thinking Windows XP here.
Why on earth should someone have to spend time on a computer system trying to maintain it, rather than actually using it for it’s specific purpose? Why should someone have to surf the Internet and constantly worry about viruses and spyware infecting their computer? And why oh why do we have to put up with constant pop-up windows informing us that our computer is doing something? We don’t care, just shut up and let us do what we gotta do.
Goodbye Windows, hello OSeXy.
Within the past couple of years, I’ve gone from using a Windows PC, to using a Windows PC and Macintosh, to ditching my Windows PC completely and putting my Macintosh at the centre of my desk, where it belongs.
I know the world of Windows like the back of my hand, as I’ve been using Windows-operating PCs since Win 95. I think it’s fair to say that when someone who knows a system that well decides to switch to another system, they have obviously done it for a reason, and I have.
I was constantly fed up with having to contend with maintaining my system, the one thing that bugs me when using a computer. (No pun intended.) By no means am I a lazy person, but why should I have to spend extra time, in an already hectic life, to do things that aren’t actually what I originally sat down at my computer to do?
Roll on OS X. I actually spend less time at my computer now than I did when I was running on Windows. I sit down, do what I’ve got to do, then get off. No pointless maintaining (although clearing out my Internet Cache and Disk Permissions are two very short jobs I do on a regular basis), no having to worry about any serious threat of a virus or spyware, no more tedious system info pop-ups with grammatical errors asking me to do something that I couldn’t give a rats behind about, and more time doing what I actually intend to do.
Everything Apple appears to be incredibly simple and that’s the way I hope it stays.
Now when I say everything, I do mean everything. I’m a regular visitor to the Regent Street, London Apple Store, but my first visit was the one that made me giggle like a little girl. I’m used to seeing computer stores (PC World, Currys etc) with awkward layouts. Sure, they have helpful signs as to where to go, but I know many still couldn’t find their way around—and I do know this because I used to work at PC World and was constantly asked “Where’s the software section?”—but the Apple Store, and I can only talk about Regent Street here, is so simple it’s just too good.
As I entered the store, the iMacs were to my right, the PowerMacs where to my left, the iPod section is to the back left along with accessories, followed by the checkout counter just next to the iPod section, behind the glass stairs. Upstairs is even more beautifully simple with the Studio directly in front, Genius Bar to the left and Software to the right.
What makes this experience even more enjoyable and simple? The staff. Unlike most computer stores, the Staff actually know what they’re talking about. Got a problem? Ask and it will be solved. None of this, “Oh, go down the road and ask this guy,” or “Sorry I don’t know.” Or even, “Your computer is playing up? Have you tried turning it off and on again?” You get straight answers, excellent support and an all-round, blissful shopping experiencing.
Life as a Mac owner doesn’t get much better than this, does it?
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Yeah- Apple store employees are almost always Apple users as well. Not so with _most_ other stores.
No pointless maintaining (although clearing out my Internet Cache and Disk Permissions are two very short jobs I do on a regular basis)
I’m not sure what people do to their computers, especially if they are only interested, as you say, in getting on and doing whatever, then going about the rest of your day. Those two “short jobs” are exactly two more things than I do to maintain my Mac.
And I really don’t know why it is that Apple migrants have so many unusual problems with XP. I use all three of my machines almost constantly (a Mac, an XP laptop, and an XP desktop) and I rarely spend ANY time actually fiddling with the OS. Defragging is a thing of the past. Virus software runs in the background on an automatic schedule. And I don’t download crap that might load spyware.
I definitely think potential switchers should listen to the experience of other switchers, but I’m wary of the value of listening to someone who is a magnet for unnecessary problems.
Disk Cleanup, Cache Clean, Anti-Virus update, Firewall update, Scan Disk are some of the things a Windows user should do on a regular basis, anyone who is interested in keeping their computer in top form at least.
You’ll also notice the headaches with Spyware (for inexperienced users) and constant Virus issues (although most anti-virus products would help, along with a bit of common sense). Applematters readers are intelligent people (nothing like a little patronising), so perhaps this wouldn’t apply to them, but not every computer user out there is clued up with these things. Given the choice of both OS X and Windows XP, I’d say that OS X would be more suited to users who A) Don’t want to spend time doing the things I’ve mentioned above and B) Aren’t aware of the dangers of virus’ and spyware.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike XP so much that I want to slag it off, but compared to OS X, it has nothing on it (other than perhaps a decent way to access programs, but that’s not for here).
My computers run as well now as they did the day I bought them (two and three years ago respectively) without me doing any of those things beyond the Anti-virus updates, which again, run in the background on an automatic schedule.
Ditto my Mac Mini. I’ve repaired permissions MAYBE three or four times after experiencing a few HDD access issues, but it’s not routine maintenence by a long shot.
And these are machines under a heavy, constant load of work. I do video editing and site-building on my Mac as well as store my music, photos, and movie collections. I do animation, video, site-building, e-mail, word-processing, finances, and other things on my PC laptop.
I think if you don’t want to spend time doing the things you’ve mentioned, then just don’t do them until you need to. I could change the oil in my car every day, too. But I don’t because that would be an unecessary burden. I do it when it needs it.
Perhaps that’s where the difference between you and I would lie in how we look after our computers. Where I like to clean mine out regularly to keep it “fresh”, you perhaps do it once in a blue moon but do it all in one hit. That’s fair enough.
I know plenty of users though who have come into PC World in the past and said their computer was incredibly slow. More often than not, it was either a virus/spyware or their computer being clogged up by all the rubbish left on their. Internet cache etc.
I tend to run Disk Permissions on a routine basis. The main reason is that I ran it one time after installing a new app and found out that my HD was failing. Was able to back-up and get a new HD ordered at the same time. The HD did die before the part came in, but Disk Warrior took care of that problem - twice.
After using PCs since the days of DOS I have found that the Mac is a lot more fun and a lot easier for work & play.
Beeblebrox, you’re an extremely lucky XP user. I know another like you, who’s never experienced problems. These people are in the minority. My sister, father, mother, brother, 1 cousin, 2 aunts and 1 uncle have all had me round to fix problems with their PC. When all they’ve used it for is the net and word processing.
I agree with you Aaron, when I got my Mac I was wondering where all this extra spare time came from. Of course that honeymoon phase was long over after I started bookmarking websites like Applematters
Oh btw Aaron - why do you repair disk permissions and clean out your internet cache? Does it free up OS X a little? I know after having Mail open for a few days and reading through a few image-laden emails, it becomes quite slow. Does clearing the internet cache apply to Mail also?
Luke,
I clean out my Internet Cache as a habit more than anything. I always did it when I was using XP. I’ve not noticed any super speed ups with OS X when I free disk cache. Disk permissions I do when I’ve installed a new application, or uninstalled. Adobe Photoshop likes to play with disk permissions and I’ve noticed my system asking me to restart the computer when I wake it from sleep.
I don’t think clearing Internet Cache applies to Mail.
Ah, ok. Thanks.
My anecdotal 2¢ is that whenever I went off to uni, I would leave our XP PC in an excellent state, ie running at its normal speed, but at the end of term I’d always come back and the darn thing would be as slow as anything and I’d pretty much just have to reinstall windows although I tried all the usual “cleansing regime”.
As to why this happens, gaming probably results in quite a lot of fragmentation, although the OS and games on different partitions and defragging never helped much. At the moment I’ve got everything lumped together in a single partition and it seems to be doing OK although it’s clearly slowed down considerably in normal operations.
They’re morally opposed to buying more kit unless it’s strictly necessary, but I secretly look forward to the day I persaude them to buy a Mac!
Beeblebrox, you’re an extremely lucky XP user. I know another like you, who’s never experienced problems.
It’s not luck, Luke, any more than not driving my car into a tree is luck. It’s knowing how to use a computer and not installing unknown crap. I’ve had several XP machines over the years and they’ve all been the same. No virii. No spyware. No BSOD.
^ Yes, but buying a computer doesn’t automatically give the customer a diploma in computer science
Which is exactly my point in the article. Although you’d have to be very careful with your PC, such as Beeblebrox is, not everyone knows how to work a computer effectively and problems occur like the ones I stated above all the time.
My point was that, especially for a new user, OS X is a much more easy to use, hassle free Operating System to use. Of course, the whole article in general is based on how easy Apple Computer is in general.
I’d actually just like to clarify that even a Chimp could use a Mac. Gotta love Chimps.
Check out the TUAW story here.
I think sufficiently savvy would be a more accurate description than extremely lucky.
Seems to me certain Mac users are guilty of over-maintaining their systems, even creating new problems in the process. And some do take a shotgun voodoo approach to resolving problems, attempting a hodgepodge of “suggested fixes” that may not have any relevance at all to the situation at hand (again, risking creating new problems). And, sadly, reinstalling the OS is offered as the magic repair bullet in circumstances when troubleshooting resources are sparse and/or other options have failed. Why does such a drastic measure still have relatively wide acceptance with OS X?
Uhh… I’m too lazy to find a point to those comments, if there is one.