I agree that Windows has its merits in some situations, but some of your reasons are a bit confusing. I've used both as long as I've used computers and I definitely prefer OS X. I have several PC's (2 desktops running Windows 2k3 server, and 2 laptops with XP and Ubuntu) and several Macs (iBook G3 - my trusty companion for 5 years, an eMac, and a G4 digital audio)
1) Excel for Windows does have more addins, but for the average user who uses the default configuration, they are more or less the same. I've always found the Mac version of Excel to be just as functional as the Windows version - some features even work a bit better IMO (like copying graphs to Word). And a lot of the OneNote features are built into Word for Mac.
2) Sure you may have to mess with the settings, but the keyboard shortcuts are very powerful in OS X (some have to be enabled in the Keyboard & Mouse Preference Pane). I definitely use keyboard shortcuts much more on my Macs than my PC's. The only keyboard issue I have is the behavior of the delete key (I know, I know, my Mac loving instincts hate to say that, but it's true)
3) Valid point, totally depends on the individual user and their needs.
4) Very true - the only reason I have so many Macs is that I get a lot of discarded computers for free- otherwise this poor med student couldn't afford them.
5) Haha... OS 9... or 8... or 7... haha... cringe... (memories of my Quadra 605 - preemptive multitasking what?)
6) I have yet to see a modern Mac running OS X with a "slow" interface compared to XP (or 2k3 server for that matter, which is designed for speed). Even my 700 MHz iBook with a piddly 16 MB Radion can handle the 10.4 visual effects gracefully, and they positively fly on my eMac. I've tried a Macbook Pro and there is simply no comparison to my PC desktop (P4 2.8 HT, 2 GB RAM, 256 MB video card). My PC bogs down with no visual effects when I have >15 windows open at once.
7) You can definitely tab to text boxes, etc. in any Mac browser. I use Camino myself and both it and Firefox for Mac work just like Firefox for PC in this regard.
8) True at the moment. I hope that more devs will release games compatible with Intel Macs. And I hope that I'll be able to by a Macbook soon. I've had some nightmares trying to get games running on Linux or my older Macs.
BTW - try turning off the pagefile. Some will say that it compromises performance but it doesn't. On 3 of my PC's I have eliminated the pagefile, and saw a 10-15% performance increase, especially with framerates in Guild Wars and WOW. You just have to be careful if you run an extremely memory intensive app like some grid computing programs (BOINC uses nearly a gig at it's peak for some of the climate change workloads).
I use Windows because it's convenient for certain things and necessary for others, not because I like it.
I started on Windows 95, and Windows just never felt right - the first time I sat down at a Mac (OS 8.1), it was must easier to figure out where things were and how they worked.
This is actually a rather widespread problem, however he does need to check his facts. He's trying to assert that this is an Apple-specific problem, which is not the case. I've seen numerous Dell and HP power adapters after shorting, and believe me you wouldn't want to be around when one of those 95W or 120W babies goes. Internal stress in the power cord breaks the insularion, allowing a short. This happens in computer power adapters, irons, vacuum cheaners, and any other appliance with a cord. If treated right, this kind of failure will never happen. The ONLY way it can happen is if there is stress to the cord such that the internal insulation breaks, and ANYTHING with a cord is vulnerable to this mode of failure.
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I agree that Windows has its merits in some situations, but some of your reasons are a bit confusing. I've used both as long as I've used computers and I definitely prefer OS X. I have several PC's (2 desktops running Windows 2k3 server, and 2 laptops with XP and Ubuntu) and several Macs (iBook G3 - my trusty companion for 5 years, an eMac, and a G4 digital audio)
1) Excel for Windows does have more addins, but for the average user who uses the default configuration, they are more or less the same. I've always found the Mac version of Excel to be just as functional as the Windows version - some features even work a bit better IMO (like copying graphs to Word). And a lot of the OneNote features are built into Word for Mac.
2) Sure you may have to mess with the settings, but the keyboard shortcuts are very powerful in OS X (some have to be enabled in the Keyboard & Mouse Preference Pane). I definitely use keyboard shortcuts much more on my Macs than my PC's. The only keyboard issue I have is the behavior of the delete key (I know, I know, my Mac loving instincts hate to say that, but it's true)
3) Valid point, totally depends on the individual user and their needs.
4) Very true - the only reason I have so many Macs is that I get a lot of discarded computers for free- otherwise this poor med student couldn't afford them.
5) Haha... OS 9... or 8... or 7... haha... cringe... (memories of my Quadra 605 - preemptive multitasking what?)
6) I have yet to see a modern Mac running OS X with a "slow" interface compared to XP (or 2k3 server for that matter, which is designed for speed). Even my 700 MHz iBook with a piddly 16 MB Radion can handle the 10.4 visual effects gracefully, and they positively fly on my eMac. I've tried a Macbook Pro and there is simply no comparison to my PC desktop (P4 2.8 HT, 2 GB RAM, 256 MB video card). My PC bogs down with no visual effects when I have >15 windows open at once.
7) You can definitely tab to text boxes, etc. in any Mac browser. I use Camino myself and both it and Firefox for Mac work just like Firefox for PC in this regard.
8) True at the moment. I hope that more devs will release games compatible with Intel Macs. And I hope that I'll be able to by a Macbook soon. I've had some nightmares trying to get games running on Linux or my older Macs.
BTW - try turning off the pagefile. Some will say that it compromises performance but it doesn't. On 3 of my PC's I have eliminated the pagefile, and saw a 10-15% performance increase, especially with framerates in Guild Wars and WOW. You just have to be careful if you run an extremely memory intensive app like some grid computing programs (BOINC uses nearly a gig at it's peak for some of the climate change workloads).
I use Windows because it's convenient for certain things and necessary for others, not because I like it. I started on Windows 95, and Windows just never felt right - the first time I sat down at a Mac (OS 8.1), it was must easier to figure out where things were and how they worked.
This is actually a rather widespread problem, however he does need to check his facts. He's trying to assert that this is an Apple-specific problem, which is not the case. I've seen numerous Dell and HP power adapters after shorting, and believe me you wouldn't want to be around when one of those 95W or 120W babies goes. Internal stress in the power cord breaks the insularion, allowing a short. This happens in computer power adapters, irons, vacuum cheaners, and any other appliance with a cord. If treated right, this kind of failure will never happen. The ONLY way it can happen is if there is stress to the cord such that the internal insulation breaks, and ANYTHING with a cord is vulnerable to this mode of failure.