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RE[2]: OSX
by snowbender on Thu 4th May 2006 08:20 UTC in reply to "RE: OSX"
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Did you ever check the price of Microsoft Windows Xp Professional? Even an OEM version? That is a lot higher than the 100 dollar (even though I believe it's more like 125 dollar) for OSX. I don't like to compare with Windows Xp Home version, since that's a purposely cut down version of the professional version.

I believe that OSX is "objectively" better than its alternatives, keeping in mind a certain user group of course. Have you ever actually used OSX? Tiger has several features that are not available in Windows Xp (at least not without installing extra third-party applications), even though several are features that Microsoft intends to provide in Vista. But still, look at the time between the release of Tiger and the release of Vista.

I also believe that "objectively" (even though one could argue about this), OSX is much better from a user friendliness point of view. With this, I always keep in mind a not computer savvy person who needs to do something. For example, installing an application: in OSX, drag your application into the "Applications" folder and that's it. Uninstalling? Drag your application into the trashcan. Now, compare that to Windows. This may seem something stupid, but for some users this is not so evident. And it's not just installing applications, it's all of little things. For example, there's a firewall, but you can also activate an ftp-server or an ssh-server easily and when you activate those, Tiger will make sure that the firewall let's them go through. Also for example the fact that starting an ftp-server to transfer files is so very easy to do (only check a check box), is something I like about it. Sharing files over windows networks? Just check a check box in a clear control panel.

For example, I also like their printer management. You can store a certain set of printer settings (say, high quality settings for printing photos) in a profile, so that it's easily accessible when you print certain content. I don't know whether one can do this in Windows Xp, since I didn't actually use Xp a whole lot, I've used it for a limited time, but later got back to Windows 2000, since I like that one more.

I think you can say that Windows Xp is better than OSX Tiger for one thing, and that's memory usage. Tiger eats ram, it really needs a lot of memory to run good (it runs with 512mb ram, but not comfortable, it begs for more). I think Windows Xp is happy with a lot less.

I've used OSX for several months and I believe it's a very good operating system for users who are not that handy with computers, but it is definitely also interesting for more advanced users (who can come to like it). Personally, I like linux a lot more than OSX (both because of environments like Gnome and E17, and the "easier" availability of programs like emacs, latex, and probably also because Linux has been my main platform for years and I'm used to it), but I still think it's a very good operating system and I definitely prefer OSX above Windows. OSX is just more advanced.

You'll probably shoot me down as another "fanboy", but I suspect you haven't even seen OSX in action, let alone spend a considerable amount of time working with it.

Also.. I can't believe that people _still_ come with their "the Apple price tag". Check the Apple prices... really go check them. Then compare them with the prices of similar hardware from another high-quality brand which gives you similar quality of customer service, then come back and tell me how much "the Apple tax" really is.

Instead of always calling Apple users "fan boys", give some real arguments. The price difference might be there, but for some people the price difference is nothing compared to the added value that the whole Apple "package" gives them. I know that is subjective and maybe for you, you see no added value. That does not mean that an Apple user is a fan boy.

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