It's a Matter of Choice, Not Superiority

But I'll cut to the chase...I told Blake that if he was interested at any point he was quite welcome to write an article from a mac user's perspective about his system. It takes some balls to be candid especially on a website devoted to hating macs. So give the guy a break if you disagree, This is his opinion and I think it's very level headed. You make up your own mind but I don't want to hear any bitching in the comments section. Kapish?

-Dave

I have grown up in a Windows PC world for most of my life.  My schools had PC's; my jobs had PC's; my friends had PC's; my home had PC's; I played games on PC's.  I had no idea there was even another OS.  I had one brief experience with Macs at a summer camp on a college campus but I had no idea what I was using.

My ignorance changed when I started dating my first serious girlfriend.  I was nearing the end of high school and I had been in the hunt for a laptop for college.  I really wanted a Dell XPS for gaming.  Then I borrowed her computer for a weekend to do a paper.  She had a Mac because her father thought it would be easier for her to use but mostly due to the fact that she was a budding photographer. It was a PreUnibody MacBook Pro 15" loaded with OS 10.4 Tiger.  Once I figured out how to use it, I was in love.  The ease with which I could do things and the simplicity of design were a joy after what I felt like was a very illogical system in Windows.  I really liked the ease of access and the iLife apps.  I am an extremely organized person and they really had me hooked.

I was determined to get a Mac from that moment on.  I went on to use my graduation money and some savings to purchase a brand new MacBook Pro 15.4" loaded with 4 GB of RAM and 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor.  I was so thrilled to turn it on and hear that chime.  The only immediate regret I felt was not waiting until September for the first release of the new unibody design.  However, that was soon to be lived down by the great many uses I would get out of my new machine.

I will not bore you with the details of the past 2 years since purchasing my computer but during that time, I became interested in graphic design, web design, computer programming, videography, photography, networking, and basic IT work.  I know very well that I could have done any and all of these things on a Windows PC but it is my personal opinion that being on a Mac made it easier for me to learn.

Would I ever use a Windows PC?  Absolutely! Preferably with Windows 7 though because I really like what Microsoft has done with it.  In fact, I use Windows PC's everyday at school and work (when I forget my laptop), and I fell in love with the Windows 7 Aerosnap feature and immediately downloaded an app to accomplish that on my Mac.  I feel equally at home using either a Mac or a PC.  Would I recommend my friends, family, and strangers to "get a mac?"  Absolutely, however, when asked for computer advice I always ask the person what they will be doing.  I tell them that they can accomplish whatever they want to do using either system, however, each OS will be better certain things.  Macs have historically been better at graphical and media stuff, while PC's have dominated the business and numerical data fields.

Less than six months ago, I was introduced to yet another OS.  I was given a remote Linux account to code in C++.  I really enjoyed that foray into the unknown.  It was very interesting to use an operating system that was neither OS X nor Windows, yet at the same time it was a mix of both, in my opinion.

For me personally, I really like the way Apple's OS X is structured and presented.  I find it easier to accomplish my tasks in this environment.  However, I am an avid gamer and web designer so I will eventually be purchasing a PC for my hardcore gaming spirit and for web site testing.  I also have some old computers on hand and I am looking to revive them with a fresh install of Linux.

I have never been one to totally bash on PC's and I have never been one to try to convert everyone I know to the "almighty glowing Apple."  I am not naive.  I know that Macs are not as bullet proof as "fanboys" would have you believe.  I know the market share is the only thing that protects me and I am fine with being in the minority.  If you ask me "should I get a Mac?" I will probably say yes but at the same time I will not bullshit you with cult propaganda.

I believe that everyone has the right to their opinion but that they should do their own research and know the strengths and weaknesses of every system out their.  Each has their uses and benefits.  Apple wouldn't have survived had Microsoft not saved it in 1997.  The music industry would be a different place if it weren't for Apple's iPod and iTunes.  Neither OS would be as cutting edge and revolutionary without the other to compete with and, let's be honest, steal ideas from each other.

Is a Mac for everyone? No.  Is a Windows PC the worst computer out there? No.  Each OS shines in its own right and each has its own dark moments.  I am pro-choice: pick the computer that you want for your needs.  Anything a Mac can do, a Windows PC can do, and vice versa.

My name is Blake and I choose to be a Mac.