Mac-like Toolbar Utility for Windows

[Mellanby_equals_grit]

[youtube][/youtube]

Yup, that's pretty much my experience.. The one he kicks is even the same color as the one I got a few years back that collects dusts in my old room at my parent's house.

[TSUCookieMonster]

I currently use a PC, but I'd have to say I had none of those problems when I worked with Mac's in college. In fact, I thought the Mac was vastly superior to any PC I'd worked on. We used those giant screened Mac's with no tower with the camera built in.

Of course, all I used was Adobe Photo Suite CS2 and Firefox... I imagine porn would be a bit of a hassle on Macs.

[Ruutu15]

I'm still using an old 900mhz, 640 RAM, 60G HDD, G3 iBook (dual usb, not the earlier bright-colors kind) running OS X 14. I never have any problems at all, knock on wood.

[stinkdified]

this is how a mac makes me feel:

[deadphish]

Yeah... Macs suck blah blah blah....


JEALOUSY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My iMac G4 1GHZ with 256MB of Ram has crashed maybe twice in it's lifetime. It has done everything I ever wanted it to and is still running strong 5 years later. Never had a virus either. I'm still using my first generation 20gb ipod with it as well. Never had a single problem with that either. I don't think I'll be buying a new computer for a long time.

[kodos]

This may come as a shock to you guys, but I hang out with a bunch of hardcore nerds. In the last decade, I have witnessed all of my windows and linux loving friends one by one fall over to the Mac side of things and they all love Macs now.

I got bored of arguing about things like this about a decade ago also, but I think it's safe to say that Macs don't actually suck. It's just a different way of doing things, and you are just very set in your PC ways. Not that there is anything wrong with that... just don't go around spouting crap about stuff you don't really know about.

Both platforms are so close now that it really comes down to preference.

[deadphish]

Both platforms are so close now that it really comes down to preference.

Nope. PC's blow donkey balls.

[kodos]

You know, it's funny... I used to be able to make statements like that, but I haven't used a Windows machine regularly in about 7 or 8 years. I have never touched Vista in my life. I used to use both quite a bit, but now my entire life is Macs and macs only. The only PC I ever use is the rip attached to our printer and every now and then I use my mom's laptop to check a website or something. that is really it.

[Mark]

Having used both for years, and supported both professionally for years, I have to hand it to Apple.

Main reason why? Flexibility. I can run Windows & OS X natively on one machine with zero hassle. Heck, most users are capable of running either operating system on Apple's hardware. It's just that easy. I've also got the simple ability to throw in Linux and/or Windows running in conjunction with OS X. As far as I'm concerned, that's game.

In terms of hardware, I greatly appreciate what Apple produces. Elegant machines with top notch components for a premium price. Yes, Apple hardware doesn't come cheap but for that exact same reasoning I'd much rather drop $1000 for a Mac versus $500 for whatever Dell/HP/Gateway/Whatever machine that is out there. With Apple hardware, I've got a reasonable expectation of what I'll get from that hardware. With other manufacturers, it's too much of a crapshoot for my liking. And before anyone replies with, "well, I build my own PC!"...well...congratulations but I'd much rather take one out of a box and just plug it in.

Software? As an Apple employee put it to me once, with Apple you've got the developer of the hardware AND the operating system making a majority of the common applications. To me, that's an important distinction AND advantage for Apple's products. I've never been stuck needing an application for OS X, but even if I was...well, I got Windows too...

Operation? I suppose I'm spoiled like most techies out there in that I know what I'm doing setting and maintaining a box with either operating system installed. However, most people aren't inclined enough towards technology to know how their activities (online and offline) have a direct effect on how well their computer operates. I deal with hundreds of people on both platforms, and the OS X support is 10X easier. Heck, my 70-year-old mother can barely work a mouse but she can handle her OS X machine. I won't go on much further with this, but I've never once had an OS X user walk up to me and start telling me a tale about how "my computer and Internet are running so slow"...not once...and in my profession, that's nice.

Servers? I'm personally starting to think I need to look into Linux servers more. Windows servers are a snap to set up and the networking services are great. I can't say that anymore with OS X 10.5 Servers like I could with the previous version. Both platforms frankly suck when it comes to user management, although I've never seen an OS X client blatantly ignore network policies if that counts for anything. I dunno, maybe Linux could offer something more but right now I'm not to fond of either OS X or Windows servers.

One more thing, if you have some time, do some research on the user interface guideline principals for software developers that both Apple & Microsoft develop. I'm waiting for the "Get a Mac" ad from Apple where John Hodgman & Justin Long simply read those aloud.

[deadphish]

Having used both for years, and supported both professionally for years, I have to hand it to Apple.

Main reason why? Flexibility. I can run Windows & OS X natively on one machine with zero hassle. Heck, most users are capable of running either operating system on Apple's hardware. It's just that easy. I've also got the simple ability to throw in Linux and/or Windows running in conjunction with OS X. As far as I'm concerned, that's game.

In terms of hardware, I greatly appreciate what Apple produces. Elegant machines with top notch components for a premium price. Yes, Apple hardware doesn't come cheap but for that exact same reasoning I'd much rather drop $1000 for a Mac versus $500 for whatever Dell/HP/Gateway/Whatever machine that is out there. With Apple hardware, I've got a reasonable expectation of what I'll get from that hardware. With other manufacturers, it's too much of a crapshoot for my liking. And before anyone replies with, "well, I build my own PC!"...well...congratulations but I'd much rather take one out of a box and just plug it in.

Software? As an Apple employee put it to me once, with Apple you've got the developer of the hardware AND the operating system making a majority of the common applications. To me, that's an important distinction AND advantage for Apple's products. I've never been stuck needing an application for OS X, but even if I was...well, I got Windows too...

Operation? I suppose I'm spoiled like most techies out there in that I know what I'm doing setting and maintaining a box with either operating system installed. However, most people aren't inclined enough towards technology to know how their activities (online and offline) have a direct effect on how well their computer operates. I deal with hundreds of people on both platforms, and the OS X support is 10X easier. Heck, my 70-year-old mother can barely work a mouse but she can handle her OS X machine. I won't go on much further with this, but I've never once had an OS X user walk up to me and start telling me a tale about how "my computer and Internet are running so slow"...not once...and in my profession, that's nice.

Servers? I'm personally starting to think I need to look into Linux servers more. Windows servers are a snap to set up and the networking services are great. I can't say that anymore with OS X 10.5 Servers like I could with the previous version. Both platforms frankly suck when it comes to user management, although I've never seen an OS X client blatantly ignore network policies if that counts for anything. I dunno, maybe Linux could offer something more but right now I'm not to fond of either OS X or Windows servers.

One more thing, if you have some time, do some research on the user interface guideline principals for software developers that both Apple & Microsoft develop. I'm waiting for the "Get a Mac" ad from Apple where John Hodgman & Justin Long simply read those aloud.

Well put.

[OS]

I hate Macs. Not because of the computers, but because of the users. When Mac users admit that Macs break from time to time, I'll start hating Macs less. When Mac users admit that they do in fact run into compatibility issues because they have a mac, I'll start hating Macs less. When Mac users admit that they paid twice as much for a pretty box and good advertising, I'll start hating Macs less. Until then, I and many other will continue to hate you and have the urge to punch you in the face for your condescending attitude towards computers that you weren't smart enough to use. That is all. Carry on.

[Kreegz2]

I hate Macs. Not because of the computers, but because of the users. When Mac users admit that Macs break from time to time, I'll start hating Macs less. When Mac users admit that they do in fact run into compatibility issues because they have a mac, I'll start hating Macs less. When Mac users admit that they paid twice as much for a pretty box and good advertising, I'll start hating Macs less. Until then, I and many other will continue to hate you and have the urge to punch you in the face for your condescending attitude towards computers that you weren't smart enough to use. That is all. Carry on.

+ freaking +

not to be cliche, mark, but i have built my own computers since i was 13, so i know a considerable amount about them, and i agree 100% with what OS says. The only people who are die hard advocates of macs are those who don't really understand how computers work in the first place.

[Mark]

not to be cliche, mark, but i have built my own computers since i was 13, so i know a considerable amount about them, and i agree 100% with what OS says. The only people who are die hard advocates of macs are those who don't really understand how computers work in the first place.

I might be irked by people who choose to push their religion on me, but I'm not about to hold that against everyone I know who is religious. I mean no offense to you personally, but such generalizations are simply ignorant.

[OS]

That generalization might not apply to 100% of mac users, but there is a reason why the majority of mac users fall into one of three categories:

1) Writers
2) Artists
3) Teenage girls

Actually, let's combine them into one group....

1) Consumers of overpriced coffee products

The Mac users that I'm closest to couldn't tell you how to change the desktop image on a Windows machine, but fancy themselves as computer experts because they have a Mac. I hear at least once a week from a Mac user about some great thing a Mac can do... and when I tell them that Windows can do it too it's like a pissed in their overpriced coffee.

[kodos]

Sounds like you are hanging out with some ignorant idiots... and hey, you're acting like one too. Hooray!

[cprice12]

That generalization might not apply to 100% of mac users, but there is a reason why the majority of mac users fall into one of three categories:

1) Writers
2) Artists
3) Teenage girls

Actually, let's combine them into one group....

1) Consumers of overpriced coffee products

The Mac users that I'm closest to couldn't tell you how to change the desktop image on a Windows machine, but fancy themselves as computer experts because they have a Mac. I hear at least once a week from a Mac user about some great thing a Mac can do... and when I tell them that Windows can do it too it's like a pissed in their overpriced coffee.

Our "Mac guys" know their stuff...but I work in a technology center...so the computer literacy rate is much higher in my department.

A guy from another department came into our office the other day and was asking our resident Mac expert about what kind of Mac he should get because he was tired of his PC. I could tell by the way he was talking that he wasn't good with computers...so getting a Mac wasn't going to help him at all. But anyway, he started complaining about how often his PC crashes and this and that...and our Mac expert smiled and replied with, "Yeah...Macs don't do that."

I just sat at my desk shaking my head.

[Mellanby_equals_grit]

This may come as a shock to you guys, but I hang out with a bunch of hardcore nerds. In the last decade, I have witnessed all of my windows and linux loving friends one by one fall over to the Mac side of things and they all love Macs now.

I got bored of arguing about things like this about a decade ago also, but I think it's safe to say that Macs don't actually suck. It's just a different way of doing things, and you are just very set in your PC ways. Not that there is anything wrong with that... just don't go around spouting crap about stuff you don't really know about.

Both platforms are so close now that it really comes down to preference.

I hung out with a lot of tech geeks in college.. I can't see a single one ever moving to Mac. Even the one who used Linux and laughed at Windows I couldn't ever see going there. 99% of the people I see using it are as OS described. Where these so-called computer nerds are that are using them I have no idea.

[Mark]

I hung out with a lot of tech geeks in college.. I can't see a single one ever moving to Mac. Even the one who used Linux and laughed at Windows I couldn't ever see going there. 99% of the people I see using it are as OS described. Where these so-called computer nerds are that are using them I have no idea.

I didn't think I'd ever move. And, for the most part, I did. The thing that sealed it for me was the dual booting options w/ Apple's hardware. I and many people that I work with are Windows users coming in, who wind up switching out of preference, not necessity. Apple's got the research to show that the same change happens with the home, educational, corporate and government user.

Somebody is switching. I think the market share increases, and specifically the rapid increases in the $1000-and-up desktop & laptop increases in market share -- in a bad economy -- are quite remarkable.

[deadphish]

That generalization might not apply to 100% of mac users, but there is a reason why the majority of mac users fall into one of three categories:

1) Writers
2) Artists
3) Teenage girls

Actually, let's combine them into one group....

1) Consumers of overpriced coffee products

The Mac users that I'm closest to couldn't tell you how to change the desktop image on a Windows machine, but fancy themselves as computer experts because they have a Mac. I hear at least once a week from a Mac user about some great thing a Mac can do... and when I tell them that Windows can do it too it's like a pissed in their overpriced coffee.

Ignorance. Plain and simple. And arrogance, too. Surely "the mac users you are closest to" are representative of all mac users. Nice try, Eklund.

[OS]

Ignorance. Plain and simple. And arrogance, too. Surely "the mac users you are closest to" are representative of all mac users. Nice try, Eklund.

Ignorance. Plain and simple. And arrogance, too. Actually, I'd say that the mac users I'm closest to actually are smarter than the average mac user... and they still would be lost on a Windows machine.