50 Reasons to Switch from Microsoft Windows to Apple’s Mac OS X

Chris Pirillo Dot Com ^ | Feb. 14, 2008 | Chris Pirillo

[jdm]

I love my Xbox 360s, I think Popfly rocks (Silverlight will bring much needed competition to Flash). Plus, I can’t live without Exchange and its server-side rules. I love my Microsoft mouse more than any other mouse in the world. Surface looks totally awesome, too.

Microsoft does some amazing things - very amazing things. My choice, however, for a primary desktop operating system is no longer Windows - it’s Mac OS X. Duh. It’s rather difficult to admit that officially, if only because well, I think Microsoft does amazing things. They’ve also been quite supportive of my own efforts over the years, if only because they understand the value of one user. I’m still openly willing to give feedback to Microsoft’s product teams - Windows included. If you’re also looking to Switch, let me tell you that VMware Fusion signed on as a Video Show sponsor - and would be more than happy to help you with the transition. Realizing that many of you are hooked on Parallels, I’m guessing that VMware would do just about anything to win your attention. I also have great sponsors like Plasq.com (who make Skitch.com and ComicLife.com) and Shinywhitebox.com, who makes iShowU, Stomp, and Chatter. These are independent Mac OS X software developers with widely-accepted products. While I don’t need to justify my actions to anybody, I feel I have 50 strong reasons to finally make the move. This is after posting a list of my favorite Mac apps a few months ago, and inspiring Brian to create Appster (so that you could blog your favorite Mac apps with ease, too). Anybody in my chat room who watches the live video feed with any regularity knows that I’m a platform neutral geek. Keep that in mind as you read the following list:

1. Seems that the future of Windows development is happening largely for corporate environments and customers. I don’t take issue with this other than being someone who doesn’t live or work inside a corporate environment at home.
2. Excellent power management in OS X. When I close the lid to my MacBook Pro, it falls asleep. When I open the lid to my MacBook Pro, it wakes up. Imagine that! Seems to be the case 99% of the time, and it happens quickly.
3. I’m ready to experience different frustrations. OS X isn’t perfect, certainly - but I already see its noticeably more stable than Windows Vista has been. Kernel Panics at least look prettier than BSODs. :) Seriously, I just find OS X’s update schedule to be more to my liking - instead of waiting for gigantic service packs, I get minor point releases along the way to major revisions to the OS. Bugs are going to happen, but knowing that showstopping / security bugs are likely to be squished quicker gives me amazing peace of mind.
4. There’s more interesting, useful, beautiful, and affordable software being developed for OS X. If you still believe that there’s no software for “the Mac,” you’re simply a fool who hasn’t done his or her research.
5. VMware Fusion makes it possible to have every operating system at my fingertips (as well as every app that runs on ‘em, FTW). Performance and stability is a reality, not a dream. More importantly, with USB 2.0 support in VMware Fusion, I have near complete compatibility with any external hardware. Parallels is also there, which should keep competition lively.
6. I believe that the future of Windows (or any OS software layer) will be experienced in a virtual machine of some sort. People have been dual booting for years - now I can triple-task cross-platform in seconds flat.
7. Not to say that Microsoft or Linux haven’t made great strides in recent years, but at least Leopard feels like only one team was developing the UI. It’s not quite perfect, but closer to what perfect should be. I’m not a huge fan of iTunes or every other Apple utility - but at least with Leopard, they’re trying to make them look and work the same way.
8. I love the fact that most programs and their associated libraries are self-contained (apps). There’s no stress in installing / uninstalling most programs, and for true cleanup jobs there’s always AppZapper.
9. I’m not a huge fan of the Dock for task management, but Quicksilver has virtually no Windows equivalent (in terms of elegance and scriptability, although it’s still completely overwhelming to me right now). The dock isn’t a shining example of where OS X is “better,” but I do appreciate the context menu options for each of the Dock’s icons for “Open at Login” management.
10. Spotlight is to Windows Desktop Search as a BMW Z4 is to a Ford Pinto (in terms of performance, usability, and UI). No contest. I’m sure some would argue the opposite, but they’re also probably the extreme developer “but it works if you just learn how to use it right” types. Feh.
11. The Apple community has been infiltrated by enough people who aren’t smug. You’re not better than me just because you run another OS or support another vendor, nor are you any less of a geek. Not every Windows user is a neanderthal, although some of their dated arguments would make them out to be. I think that most consumers are caught up in the idea that you NEED Windows for everything at home. You don’t.
12. My iPhone is not going away anytime soon. Would I switch for better compatibility with a communications device? Not necessarily, but if the future of OS X is in the present of the iPhone they’re going to gain consumer market share at blinding speed. Remember, I wanted to hate this device - after years of being a dyed-in-the-wool Windows Mobile advocate.
13. The spyware / malware / virus threat is diminished by an extreme degree. Not to say that one should avoid running protective layers of software or hardware, but I’m just not as nervous when I try a new app on OS X.
14. Many of my friends are considering making the switch as well. This dovetails nicely with my first point. I can tell you that just by showing off the fun features of CamTwist and Colloquy with my live stream, a few of those community members have already purchased MacBooks - or are strongly considering doing so in the not-too-distant future. Interestingly enough, those are two FREE apps that work amazingly better than most overpriced Windows shareware titles.
15. Microsoft Windows completely abandoned its power users, period. Where are the Windows Vista “Ultimate” add-ons? Where are the new Power Toys? Why doesn’t Windows Media Player have podcast support yet (despite me telling them to integrate RSS back when WMP9 was in beta, years before podcasting was a buzzword)? I’m not saying that Windows is dead - not by any stretch of the imagination.
16. Boot Camp, if all else fails.
17. A single SKU of Leopard is both 32-bit and 64-bit compatible. This, alone, is a fantastic reason to embrace the platform. It’s seamless. Why should a consumer have to come to a decision on which code to run - or understand the differences between them in the first place? Remember, I’m to be considered a “home” user.
18. Time Machine. Wow. Can it really be this simple? “Simply select your AirPort Disk as the backup disk for each computer and the whole family can enjoy the benefits of Time Machine.” Do you understand what that means? And no, Windows Volume Shadow Copy is not the SAME thing.
19. Leopard’s Finder will allegedly search networked computers seamlessly, as well as allow you to access those results remotely (through a paid .Mac account, which would totally be worth purchasing at that point).
20. Java app performance is decent on OS X, and the same code looks infinitely better when it’s not running on Windows. In fact, most third-party apps are very well designed so as to integrate seamlessly with the entire OS. That’s beyond refreshing.
21. You never need to defrag a Mac’s hard disk.
22. Adium is there - an Instant Messaging client that allows you to use AIM, Yahoo, Google Talk, and other accounts through a single client. It’d be my replacement for Miranda IM. Skype also works on the Mac. I expect to see even more universal IM apps reveal themselves over the coming months.
23. Bonjour is proving to be quite useful on my home network. Computers with Bonjour-enabled services are automatically discovered with virtually no fuss - even my networked Windows machines have been playing along.
24. Joining wireless networks in OS X is easier and more refined, easily accessible. The tools for networking don’t seem overly complex, either.
25. Setting up services such as Windows File Sharing, FTP, and even Web sharing can be done on OS X with just a few clicks. If you’re telling me that I could set up FTP just as easily in Windows, then it obviously can’t be done as easily.
26. Almost all of the audio and video formats out there can be played on the Mac with Video LAN Player (VLC). One less barrier to entry.
27. Great Web browsers that work in Windows also work on the Mac (Firefox, Opera, SeaMonkey, Flock). The only exception here is Internet Explorer, or any third-party overlay to IE (such as Maxthon, which has been taking a slight turn for the worse with 2.0). Of course, there’s always the “invisible” virtual machine possibility (read: VMware Fusion’s Unity mode). Moreover, Safari / WebKit is gaining speed on all platforms.
28. Erasing deleted files placed in your trash (also known as a Recycle Bin in Windows) can be securely erased in OS X. No need to mess with third-party software.
29. You can still right-click in OS X - and the way Apple decided to implement it is far more convenient than you’d think. In fact, I find double-tapping the mouse pad far more intuitive than using a second mouse button. Didn’t take long to get used to it at all.
30. Wanna set up a VNC server on your Mac? No problem, its already apart of the operating system! Moreover, the feature isn’t buried three levels deep. It’s sitting right there in the Finder. Moreover, unlike Windows Remote Desktop, a Screen Sharing session doesn’t lock the remote user out of his / her session - one reason I’ve always loathed RDC.
31. Microsoft doesn’t have an iLife. Not even close. It has a set of multimedia applications, but they don’t seem to be cohesive in the slightest. Maybe things will get better as Live continues to evolve?
32. You really don’t get to play the blame game with Apple. They make the hardware AND the operating system, so they really know what’s going on, and they really know if the problem is widespread.
33. A Mac costs about the same as a comparable Windows PC - for hardware and (for argument’s sake for those who don’t believe me) bundled software. And for those who still claim that Macs are still more expensive, they obviously have never seen or priced a gaming rig. Price / cost is relative. If you want a cheap machine, that’s your prerogative. The resell value on Macs has always been higher than that of an equivalent “Windows” machine.
34. You can record audio and video conversations from iChat 4.0 (natively). That’s pretty amazing, as it takes the idea of “video chat” and puts it into a time-shifted space. This isn’t just useful for those of us who conduct guest interviews regularly, but for home users who want to save calls for posterity.
35. Dashcode appears to take the geekery out of widget-building. Moreover, the new “Web Clippings” widget appears to work better than anything I’ve seen come from Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, et al. This is putting the user first
36. With a .Mac subscription, you can save common local settings as global ones. You only have to configure your Dock or System Preferences on one machine to have those same changes appear on all machines connected to your .Mac account. Unbelievable.
37. Unlike Windows font management, you can activate fonts as you need them within Leopard. This translates to less wasted overhead by fonts that remain largely unused in memory. I can only imagine this results in far less resource-intensive sessions. Genius.
38. Automator now supports UI Recording and Playback, which means you can create “macros” without understanding a lick of logic. The last time I saw a native macro recorder in Windows was v3.0? You don’t have to be a geek to gain access to geeky-cool features.
39. Can’t tell you how much I love Spring Loaded folders. Love ‘em.
40. Wikipedia information, while not always accurate, certainly stands to be updated a lot more frequently than documentation that ships with (or from) the operating system designer. That Apple has taken the step to integrate access directly from within the Dictionary tool ? It’s just kinda nice to have there. They’re placing trust in the idea of community rather than trying to hide it from us.
41. Mail comes with “Data Detectors” which will highlight phone numbers, addresses, etc. You can then choose to do something with that information, like map it or store it as an appointment, contact, etc. This is a feature I had not seen outside of a pricey plugin for Microsoft Outlook. I may not use Mail.app, but at least they’re continuing to improve its functionality - ugly capsule toolbar icons notwithstanding.
42. The Preview tool ain’t no joke - with annotations, basic image editing, Core Animation zooming and scrolling, GPS Metadata support, batch operations, etc. It’s all at your fingertips.
43. Expose works. ‘Nuff said. The only thing that surpasses OS X’s open window management is Compiz Fusion. None of this Flip3D nonsense.
44. Help. No, seriously - Help is the way Help should have always been all along. I related my “Help” experience a few weeks ago, with the system not just finding what I was looking for help on, but taking me directly to the spot where I needed to be. I’m pretty sure the Help system isn’t 100% accurate, but it hasn’t disappointed me yet.
45. Guest accounts are purged after every session in Leopard. Wow. Guest privileges, on the other hand, seem to be lacking somewhat on the security front (but most of my Guests are computer clueless).
46. I love the Universal Access zoom feature - and have used it so many times for countless reasons. Really comes in handy when you’re trying to show something to someone from across the room. Never found anything close to its simplicity anywhere else.
47. Call me crazy, but I love the fact that in OS X, the keyboard shortcut for opening Preferences is always the same (Command + Comma). Convenient. Dependable. Quick.
48. Device compatibility doesn’t seem to be as much of an issue as it used to be with the Mac. While I couldn’t get my brand new HP LaserJet to work inside of Vista, it works flawlessly inside of OS X 10.4 (despite having to use HP’s scanning software). Still, with any USB hardware hiccups in Leopard, compatibility issues are erased with VMware Fusion until newer software is unleashed.
49. Thanks to another one of our sponsors, GoToMeeting, I’ve had the opportunity to see quite a few of my friends’ desktops. Quite a few have gone to great lengths to make their installation of Windows look and feel like Mac OS X. At that point, what’s the point of sticking with Windows? Just about the only thing Mac users might want from Windows is the Explorer (FTFF) - and even then, there’s ‘Path Finder.’
50. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Windows users need Apple’s software more than Mac users need Microsoft’s. That’s just a cold, hard fact. And given my severe disappointment with just about everything in Mac Office 2008, I’m even further driven away from Microsoft’s desktop software.

Please don’t take this post as an all-out lovefest for Apple (and it’s definitely not a hatefest for Microsoft, either). The two can co-exist peacefully if you let them, and if your routine supports it. I wasn’t ready to switch before now for a lot of reasons. This has been a long time coming. I think it’s lousy that Apple charges for QuickTime Pro and Remote Desktop, I believe iTunes and iPhoto are inelegant management tools (Picasa for OS X would rule). At least Aperture 2.0 looks promising for me. And, for whatever it’s worth, I’ve yet to hear from anybody at Apple in respect to marketing, sponsorship, endorsement, support - or otherwise. I’d imagine they’d be interested in knowing my background, and why this leap is relatively monumental for me - and a sign of things to come for the greater part of our community. So, let’s say that the next version of Windows is amazing - for argument’s sake. Would I switch back to the “PC” for my primary computing needs? Doubtful, because I’m guessing that virtual machine support will continue to improve in leaps and bounds (with greater hardware support to boot). Microsoft Windows isn’t in trouble, necessarily - but I do believe that it’s better (read: somewhat safer, more affordable) to run Windows in a virtual machine with USB 2.0 hardware support than it is to run it directly on the desktop. If you’re a gamer, all bets are off - you’re a different kind of user. Gamers are likely the reason Windows is still alive and well at home today. If the gaming industry shifted gears and started to develop OpenGL-based entertainment titles for Linux, you’d see Ubuntu adoption skyrocket. I’m a console player - still in love with my 360, as noted before. I’m a casual gamer, and I can casual game anywhere. I’ll still have traditional PC hardware around the house - especially since Ponzi may or may not be making this switch with me. We’re still living inside of Outlook, with no other usable PIM in reach (on any platform). I’ve been showing her a few cool things that you can only do with “the Mac,” and she’s certainly seen me try Outlook 2007 in VMware Fusion. I’m also looking forward to tinkering with new systems as they’re released from a variety of OEMs. I couldn’t abandon my beloved HP All-in-One LaserJet!

Point is: I’m not going ‘all’ Apple. In time, this will all become easier to manage - but there’s no time like the present to shelve the last ten years of Windows enthusiasm and switch. I’m fine with being a Microsoft enthusiast in other areas, mind you - very much so. They’re doing too many good things for me to ignore, and their community involvement puts Apple to shame. My choice for an operating system is just that - my choice for an OS. And before anybody jumps in and claims that you can achieve the same level of “happiness” after installing 50+ third-party add-ons, plugins, extensions, and utilities to Windows you simply don’t get it, and you probably never will. I can’t be alone, and I’m predicting that by the end of next year, even more people will choose (and use) Mac OS X over Windows Vista. I can’t open up the phone lines anymore without being inundated with calls that suggest such a tipping point. Everybody is curious

…and curiosity is what keeps me going.

As a power user, Mac OS X has far more to offer me in terms of tweak-ability and modularity. I learned that by trying it, not by guessing that it wasn’t possible.

I heart MacOSXHints.com. I heart TUAW.com. I heart DaringFireball.net. I heart TidBits.com. I heart so many Mac software developers (like Steve Green and Wil Shipley and Randy Green and Brian Skrab and others). I heart watching for news of some new application, though I’m not quite on any review lists yet - it seems like a simpler nut to crack than it was in the world of Windows shareware.

It’s fun again.

To end this with a bit of humor, my live stream chatters (largely Windows and PC enthusiasts) gave me other title suggestions for this post:

• C:\DIE.EXE
• 50 Reasons Why I Left Bill for Steve
• Losing My OS Religion
• Windows Broke My Heart
• Obama Says It’s Time to Change to the Mac
• /Volume/chris/switched
• How to Switch to a Mac
• The Wow Stops Now
• Got Mac?
• Once You Go Mac, You Never Go Back?

And now, I’d like to challenge any Windows enthusiast to publish 50 Reasons to switch from Mac OS X to Microsoft Windows. ;)

[diverteach]

reason Number one

[BunnySlippers]

Some great links in that article. Thanks!

[shuckmaster]

High quality windows machines are way more expensive than an equal quality Mac. Apple doesn't make junk in the low quality category that your cheapest Windows machines are often poorly running on.

The so called Apple cult is an illusion Windows users imagine because they frequently have to run ask for help when their machine is acting up and anyone regularly using a Mac is naturally going to be baffled by the huge assortment of problems they've never had to encounter. This is because..., well, just because the Mac OSX is by far superior and if that sounds snobbish or cultish it's your problem. You don't have to join a cult to realize there's something on the market that puts Windows in the dark ages.

[pdunkin]

bookmark for later reading

[bmwcyle]

I only need one, UNIX. I have been working with UNIX for years. It is more stable and easier to recover.

[Richard Kimball]

You can, but it’s clunky. There’s a default back to 2003 compatibility also. It’s just a little annoyance. You get warnings that some of the features won’t work every time you save, and it’s another string of popup menus you have to click through to get your work done.

[webschooner]

I have no dog in this hunt. In fact, I don't particularly like some of M-soft's practices, nor do I rave about their products. I'm just a pragmatist when it comes to computers. I have considered switching to Apple over the years, but never very seriously, mainly because of cost. We have a coupla Win XP machines which never ever crash, never give us BSOD's or any such problems. We use free anti-spyware and anti-virus, so we spend no money and no extra time with that issue. However, as I said, I am always open to "the switch" the next time I upgrade a machine, particularly given the problems with Vista. However, I may buy a new machine with XP -- more about that below.

Having said all that, the author lost all credibility with me with his statement:
A Mac costs about the same as a comparable Windows PC

That, is a lie. In fact just last week, I'm not a gamer, but I priced out a the most loaded out gamer-type equipped Inspiron machine available at Dell.com. It has a Quad core processor, the fastest they offer, 4 gig of 800 mHz Ram, and every option offered. With the current $300 rebate (they are always running various of these rebates), the machine, an upgraded multimedia keyboard and upgraded optical mouse came to about $900 with free shipping. I just bought a gorgeous new Sammy 24" monitor for $400. So I could be in a maxed out machine with 24" monitor (still available with XP, I might add), for about $1300. There is no comparable maxed out Apple desktop for anywhere near that price. You have to spend twice that or close to it for a comparable Apple desktop. The author is either stoopid or a liar.

And what is this, a typo, or?
And given my severe disappointment with just about everything in Mac Office 2008, I’m even further driven away from Microsoft’s desktop software.

He's severely disappointed with Mac Office 08, and that drives him away from M-soft? Sorry, but I don't get what he's saying here.

And one more thing -- I hate that all the Apple machines seem to be white, with the exception of one Apple laptop I saw available in black (but with about a $300 premium for the black over the white). I don't care for white computers. They would show dirt and smudges, and to me, it's a cheap look compared to black. I would never buy one -- just a personal preference. Why aren't they available in black?

If Apple would bring all their prices down, and offer desktops in black, and laptops without a premium over white in black, I would probably make the switch. Otherwise, no thanx.

/End rant. Flame away, apple fanboys. The price thing is factual.

[The South Texan]

I’ve joined the “cult”. My I-mac will be delievred next week.

It’s going to drive the Liberals nuts that Conservatives are starting to use MACs more and more by the day. It will be like them moving to red states and messing with the politics in those states to make them look like the socialist meccas they left.

[CurlyDave]

1. Less expensive

2. Not a cult...

Please keep on thinking that way.

Running Macs gives our small business a serious competitive advantage. I want to keep it.

[antiRepublicrat]

I just hope they release an updated version by the time I choose to get one, probably in April or May of this year.

Apple releases its products with a longer cycle than other OEMs, thus the value will be extremely high on release and go down towards the next release. Thus,

The best Mac buying advice

Is to watch here and follow the recommendations.

[antiRepublicrat]

And finally, would Access databases I write VB code for while using a Mac, be able to function when transferred to a Windows PC?

I code C# for .NET in an XP virtual machine on my iMac. When I get the time maybe I'll learn Objective C and the Cocoa API and make my apps cross-platform.

BTW, try to wean yourself from VB to C#, you'll be a lot happier and more productive.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I think Vista has a nice GUI look and seems fairly stable.

This is so true.

When I was in the "looking" phase, I stopped in to BestBuy to get a feel for what retail prices and offerings were like. What a crappy line of desktop PCs they have. (Why are they called 'Desktop PCs' if everybody puts the box under the desk? But I digress)

What kept me in bestBuy for laonger than was comfortable was Vista. What magnificent Eye Candy! I was like a moth to a flame. I wanted it. It was soooo beauuutiful.....

But then I came to my senses and had to tear myself away....
"Must...turn...away...from the....monitor. Focus on...the wireless...router display....UNNNGH!"
And I was free....headed for the door.

It really is a great looking OS but...well, you know the rest. I will never own Vista. I may have to support it for my job (G-d willing) but I will never own a license for it.
It's XP for me for now.

Since Intel Macs run Windows and its apps so well, I will likely make the switch when my wife and I retire and need to have a good system to be mobile with as we plan on travelling a fair amount. For these days, I'll go for the desktop beef. It's what's for dinner.

[Vermonter]

Thanks for that link. Hadn’t seen it before and have been burned several times in the past with Mac updates.

[antiRepublicrat]

The new X300 Thinkpad smokes the MacBook Air in ever category. Fanboys are funny.

Except maybe for the fact that it's not even on the market yet. And as far as ultra-portables go, it'll be relatively much thicker, it'll still be flimsy plastic, and it'll only be available at a very high price point due to SSD as the only storage option.

[antiRepublicrat]

I’m looking for a new machine that saves a couple pounds. Lenovo seems to have figured out the formula. Why can’t Apple?”

Metal weighs more, but it's the reason for the incredibly solid feel that reviewers have been fawning over. Oh, and you can actually buy a MacBook Air right now.

[ThomasThomas]

“Are you high? The new X300 Thinkpad smokes the MacBook Air in ever category. Fanboys are funny.”

I fix laptops and smoke is a bad sign.

[antiRepublicrat]

Microsoft does do some things very well. They make some of the best hardware available

That's why the 360 being a piece of junk really surprised me. Microsoft is known to blow it on the software, but until that the hardware has always been very good quality, and even innovative like with the first ergonomic mouse.

[SwankyC]

I’m ready to experience different frustrations. OS X isn’t perfect, certainly - but I already see its noticeably more stable than Windows Vista has been.

Nice! I love the way he compares an operating system that's been out for some time against a brand new operating system. Hey Miss article writer, care to compare OS X to, say, Windows XP? Nah, that would be an equal comparison.

[antiRepublicrat]

Thinkpad X300 has a 2Ghz processor, so it’s faster than an MBA.

And it'll shorten battery life.

X300 is lighter! 2.5 lbs vs 3.0 lbs

True, metal weighs more.

X300 has better screen resolution.

I consider that a disadvantage. LCD displays look good only in their native resolution, and when readability suffers when that resolution is too high, making screen elements too small. Dell laptops are notorious for this.

You can add memory to the X300, not to the MBA.

True, and it goes to 4 GB, which is the sweet spot for Vista. The MBA comes with 2 GB, the sweet spot for OS X.

You can swap out the battery, not on an MBA.

True, also a function of size, and the lighter weight will include not having your optical drive or extra battery installed.

X300 has all the usual ports, then MBA does not.

It's much smaller than an X300, no room to put those ports.

X300’s battery life is longer than the MBA’s.

It isn't even out yet, so that has not been confirmed. Do not expect more battery time with that faster processor compared to an SSD MBA, which does hit five hours.

[dennisw]

Having said all that, the author lost all credibility with me with his statement:
A Mac costs about the same as a comparable Windows PC
________________________

The usual cultist chant is that Apple only competes in the high end. Very cute but.....

I have posted I bought a perfectly good Compaq Intel dual core laptop computer for $349 last Christmas. It does what I need it to do. It is quite modular with easy to replace DVD writer, removable hard drive and upgradeable memory. 

15.4" wide screen. My guess is I would have to pay at least $1000 to get an Apple laptop with 15.4"screen

In fact---->>>  http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore has laptops starting at $1099 with a pathetic 13" screen. Lame boring laughable

(I assemble/build my own Windows desktop computers)