So, I switched to a Mac….

and the commercials don’t lie. They’re better. Period.

My wife got a Windows Vista laptop a few months ago. I could not believe the amount of complicated nonsense she had to go through to get the thing to just work. Her machine sometimes can’t find our home wireless network, frequently needs encouragement to connect to it, and drops it more often than it should. My Mac just connects.

Bootup time isn’t even comparable. The Windows machine isn’t even in the same league.

Safari is pretty good, but I still had to switch to Firefox so that I could keep using Zotero. iChat owns. Keynote blows Power Point out of the water. Apple Mail + Gmail = email awesomeness.

I spoke with my mother-in-law this weekend about her need to make the switch, as her Windows XP machine tends to be a constant source of frustration. Her comment was that she didn’t want to learn anything new…. but when she gets a new computer, it’ll be something new anyway (Vista). She might as well get something better.

Published in: on February 4, 2008 at 12:47 pm

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39 Comments Leave a comment.

  1. On February 5, 2008 at 7:37 am Marmotte Said:

    The “problem” I found after switching is that it can be frustrating being able to switch at home, and still having to endure Windows in the office…

  2. On February 5, 2008 at 10:27 am Don Said:

    Good choice. So happy that your one of the millions of people who are discovering the difference a Mac makes. Even Window users such as Scott Finnie have made the switch.

    Chris Pricillo, another Windows expert explains why he finally switched to a Mac here:

    http://chris.pirillo.com/2008/02/04/buying-a-mac-pro/

  3. On February 5, 2008 at 11:12 am jack Said:

    Hey guys, you are just another one of hundreds of thousands of these stories, the switch is on, and guess what, you can get Apple stock at a bargain price now cause Wallstreet dumped it last week! With only a small fraction of the computer market in its pocket now, just think where Apple can go from here!

  4. On February 5, 2008 at 11:28 am Tom B Said:

    Some people have had wireless issues with OS X Leopard. But, I overall, I agree. OS X and Windows aren’t even in the same league; Mac is is MUCH better.

  5. On February 5, 2008 at 1:04 pm Jed Said:

    Congratulations! Hope you enjoy your Mac!

  6. On February 5, 2008 at 4:08 pm Tom Whilby Said:

    After spending most of Sunday afternoon cleaning a friend’s non-functioning PC of a multitude of spyware and virii, I was reminded again of how great it is to be a Mac user.

  7. On February 5, 2008 at 4:13 pm Marcos Said:

    Here is a post on a few common things that confuse windows user who switch; I agree Macs are better but there are some things to get used to:

    Six things that confuse Windows Users who Switch to Mac

  8. On February 5, 2008 at 4:45 pm Lantz Said:

    Welcome aboard! I’ve been professionally using Macs since 1986. I’m amazed at how many newcomers there are since Apple went to Intel chips. I was happy to see this. Everyone seems to be jumping on board and many of the switchers I’ve helped are now helping others to switch. A number of them are on to their 2 or 3rd Mac now. My Mac mailing list is growing bigger every few months. It won’t be long before the last of the PC software programmers who don’t offer Mac native software will be forced to take notice. Things just keep getting better and better.

  9. On February 5, 2008 at 5:52 pm Larry Crockett Said:

    After a number of years of using Windows desktops and portables, and lots of service calls and long periods of not hearing from her because this or that was not working, I talked my mother into purchasing a refurbished iMac directly from Apple. The machine arrived, she took it out of the box by herself, plugged in the power supply, attached the cable for Internet, turned it on, double-clicked the Safari icon, and–it worked first try. “I did it myself! I did it myself!” she exclaimed. Enough said.

  10. On February 5, 2008 at 6:58 pm Top Posts « WordPress.com Said:

    [...] So, I switched to a Mac…. and the commercials don’t lie. They’re better. Period. My wife got a Windows Vista laptop a few months ago. […] [...]

  11. On February 5, 2008 at 9:35 pm fallenshades Said:

    I switched over last year and I haven’t regretted it. my only problem with the Mac line is the cost. It’s expensive switching over and because of that, I still have a vista desktop. So I haven’t made a complete switcheroo yet.

    And let me just say that some of my fav apps (dreamweaver, photoshop) work like a dream on a Mac.

    Mac’s the way to go (f***, i sound like a salesman)

  12. On February 5, 2008 at 9:50 pm Jay Koenig Said:

    Well, apparently blogging about your new Mac is the way to drive traffic to your blog…. :D

    To answer some of the comments above: this is a work issued MacBook Pro, so there is no switching back and forth for me. I have one machine for work and home. I have basically quit Windows cold turkey. I still use Microsoft Office, though, so Bill’s still getting his.

    Second… regarding the higher cost of a Mac, I am also considering a purchase of a MacMini for our home… those are very affordable, and we can use our existing peripherals (monitor, mouse, external hard drive, etc.).

    Thanks everyone for stopping by…. lol.

  13. On February 5, 2008 at 10:23 pm elliston Said:

    I’ve been living in a house with 3 Imacs and 3 Windows PCs for 7 years. We’ve even set up a couple of Linux boxes over the same time period. They all crash, they all break. They all have issues with the wireless network and, even Bluetooth. There is no real best. Just get what’s best for you and the way you want to do things.

  14. On February 5, 2008 at 10:33 pm tanyaross Said:

    “Well, apparently blogging about your new Mac is the way to drive traffic to your blog…. :D ”

    yes, it is! ;) LOL I clicked on this post b/c I just switched to a new iMac myself (Christmas present from DH :D ); we gave the kids my old PC, and every time I have to get on that thing for any reason, it makes me wonder how I managed to put up w/it for so long…! ;-\ LOL I was a die-hard pc user for YEARS, too, but I guess it’s true what they say: once you go Mac, you never go back! ;) welcome to the club, and enjoy your new ‘puter!!

  15. On February 5, 2008 at 10:49 pm Robert Said:

    Welcome to computing sweetness! I switched six months ago and love it.

  16. On February 6, 2008 at 12:21 am what4dinner Said:

    Congratulations! As for the comment about the cost - is it cheaper to buy a new computer every 2 years, and have to keep up with all the anti-virus downloads and everything else you constantly have to buy? Or put it this way - would you rather have cheaper or value? We now have 4 Macs in the family, from 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005, and we are one happy family! I really waste a lot of time at work on my PC, waiting for it to start up, update the security patches, and connect to the network! At home on my Mac, it’s smooth sailing!!! :-)

  17. On February 6, 2008 at 1:36 am orchidellia Said:

    Welcome to the dark side :) I’ve used a Mac all my life, and they just get progressively better with time. Enjoy :)

  18. On February 6, 2008 at 1:49 am Damyanti Said:

    I made the switch as well a few months ago, but after the initial hiccups of change I am so happy I did:).
    http://amloki.blogspot.com

  19. On February 6, 2008 at 1:50 am eyeingtenure Said:

    Previous commenter:
    “My only problem with the Mac line is the cost.”

    Not my only problem, but my biggest problem. I’m a student who spends money responsibly — I’m fine with my Dell.

    Not that I want to crash the party and all. Just a note of pragmatism.

  20. On February 6, 2008 at 1:51 am paperseed Said:

    Ha ha! Another successful convert!

  21. On February 6, 2008 at 2:08 am bohc Said:

    Amen. Amen. Amen. I am happy for you. I have loved the Mac since I first touched in when I got my first job. Yes, it is pretty pricey. But does price matter if you are spared all the trouble what4dinner mentioned, and if you can do your job with less computer stress?

  22. On February 6, 2008 at 2:12 am zeph1 Said:

    I know i’m ready to switch too a Mac after being a Windows user since Windows 95. That is, when i get enough money for a MacBook Pro :)

  23. On February 6, 2008 at 2:18 am pleasantforgeries Said:

    Congrats on the switching to Mac! I will never, ever, EVER go back haha

  24. On February 6, 2008 at 2:34 am nixonb4 Said:

    I switched 6 years ago with a 1.25GHz PowerBook. It is definitely something you’ll really enjoy. I definitely encourage you to check out the free workshops at The Apple Store on Getting Started, Mac OS X, … I wish I knew about them when I made my switch (unlearning the PC habits and learning the Mac habits).

  25. On February 6, 2008 at 2:41 am parsasoft Said:

    congratulation!!!!
    your life best convertaion!!! :D

  26. On February 6, 2008 at 2:45 am jabayani Said:

    well macs may nice but for security reasons, you are putting yourself at a great risk, i recomend you dont buy anything online using ur mac or put any valuable information on it, because using a mac for stuff like that is leaving an open door with a sign saying come here and steal my stuff. Thats why windows takes long to boot up and always get viruses cause hackers need those viruses to weaken the computer, macs simply dont have alot to stop a hacker really

  27. On February 6, 2008 at 2:46 am rabenaas Said:

    Congrats to your switch! I work at an advertisment agency, so “naturally” my computer at work is a Mac. Over the years, I have become increasingly dissatisfied with my Windows PC at home (and my Windows laptop), so the next computer I’ll buy will DEFINETLY be a Mac, no matter the cost.

  28. On February 6, 2008 at 2:47 am Mitch Said:

    I’m actually saving up for a MAC. Hopefully, I can buy one in March. Cross fingers with me! Haha! :)

  29. On February 6, 2008 at 2:53 am nixonb4 Said:

    Oh, and a great service your mother-in-law should definitely get is Apple’s One-to-One membership for personal training. With a new Mac she won’t be learning how to use it alone, the staff at her local Apple store can help her make the switch, start having video conferences with friends and family, and do more with a computer than she ever thought possible. Plus with iChat in Leopard you can show her how to do something on her machine even if you guys are at separate locations.

    http://www.tuaw.com/2007/10/26/24-hours-of-leopard-ichat-screen-sharing/

  30. On February 6, 2008 at 3:10 am oxysmoron Said:

    Mac’s Rule!!

    You know around my house we joke… when our macs are up and running… Vista takes off in another direction, because IT IS DOESN’T LIKE THE COMPETITION. H@H!

    I have two new Dell’s with window’s Vista… one works just fine, the other GEEZE! Bought them at the same time.

    Also purchased, two laptops; one Professional POWERBOOK MAC AND A MACBOOK OS X… FANTASTIC, FANTASTIC !!!!!!

    Then, we purchased a MAC DESKTOP… FANTASTIC, FANTASTIC !!!!!

    DO YOU SEE THE PATTERN?

    My daughter’s computer w/ WINDOWS is covered and stored in the basement now… hoping she will sell it; for she now has found favor with MY LAPTOP MAC… She loves it!

    Our compaq with windows is now collecting dust… thought of giving it to my mother… then, I thought ” why give her something that would only aggravate her?”… therefore we are going to buy her a MAC laptop.

    Oh, try switching the channel on your internet… I have three wireless in the house, and due to complications I switched the channel and it is better; NOT good, but better.

    Customer service with APPLE is Excellent! Of course I have only had to call them twice. And the problem was me; not the product… so what does that tell ya.

  31. On February 6, 2008 at 3:13 am sexywhispers Said:

    Wait until your email does not work. I have three friends who have, in the last 6 months, switched over to MACs only to find unexplained problems with their email. After hours on the phone with tech support (that they had to pay for to get), there was no resolution. One is still without MACmail…switched to a gmail account instead. Seems like lots of trouble…my Vista might take a few minutes to start, but it runs and I get my mail.

  32. On February 6, 2008 at 3:26 am paulm84 Said:

    i wish i could afford a mac or i would buy one

  33. On February 6, 2008 at 3:52 am ITmosphere Said:

    Why I won’t switch to mac

    Switching to Mac’s is the latest buzz word in the blogosphere, so I decided to write why I won’t switch.

    First of all there’s the price: why should I pay more for something that’s ugly white and feels plastic? Usually when cons…

  34. On February 6, 2008 at 6:41 am buildabearvilleblog Said:

    Welcome to Mac World!! I love my mac and will never go back! It’s the ultimate user friendly machine, I spend time at the Genius Bar. It’s amazing all the tech support you get for free and in person, I go there often just to learn new things.

  35. On February 6, 2008 at 8:04 am colaboy29 Said:

    The Macs I deal with at work have unexplained problems just like the PC’s do. I’m sticking with my home PC which works just fine.

    What has really turned me off from switching to a Mac is the rabid fan-boys out there who think Apple is the end-all of the computing world…It isn’t. Some of them start to sound like the sci-fi geeks who battle over which is better: Star Trek or Star Wars. There’s just no arguing with them because you can’t have a logical conversation with them.

    My mom and step-dad bought a Mac to replace their PC. He bought an airport last year, and it stopped working. It took him several months to get replaced because the Apple store never had them in stock. He says the store at the mall is now always packed when he goes in there and has to wait for service. So even though Apple is growing in popularity their stores don’t seem to be ready for that growth (not to mention the store is just plain ugly).

    And as the Mac grows in popularity more hackers and virus writers will begin targeting it. It’s inevitable.

    And the main reason I balk at switching? I like to know I can open up my PC and upgrade it at any time I want with whatever hardware I want. I find Apple’s idea of “Here’s your computer, now use it the way it is, and if you want more power you have to buy our newest machine” very totalitarian.

  36. On February 6, 2008 at 2:30 pm Marie D. Said:

    Amen to that! And indeed, being stuck with Windsows at work is such a pain…

  37. On February 6, 2008 at 3:40 pm mjroberts55 Said:

    Congrats on making the switch. I’ve been a Mac user since October 2004 and it’s pure bliss.

  38. On February 7, 2008 at 10:39 am switchtoamac Said:

    Congrats on the switch. Your statement about hit the nail on the head “They’re better. Period.”

  39. On March 24, 2008 at 9:03 am Maudox Said:

    thanks much, guy

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