My problem with Apple

I'm a geek, we all know that. I want the latest greatest machine, overflowing with hard drive space, memory, processing power and the latest GPUs (the more the better). I am also a fan of slick styling, remember looks cool is cool. There are few companies that have accomplished this last objective better than Apple. Their devices look like they were designed by the coolest aliens of all time, and their operating system is a great blend of functionality and fun. Someday Microsoft will start throwing in music editing software with their OS. However it is really hard for me to swallow the crap and what I think is getting really close to lies on their commercials. Every time I hear Justin Long start talking about how Macs don't get viruses, and are unlimitedly stable I want to throw my iPhone at the TV.

I know there is a perception that Windows machines are inherently weak and virus prone, but that is not the case. Let's say for a moment that you are writing a piece of malicious software that you want to use to wreak havoc on the computer community. Are you going to write that virus to attack 10% of the computers or 85%? The simple answer is that you are going to write it to the largest audience available, and that is why there are so many more viruses targeting Microsoft OSs than Macs. Even with their underdog status, there have been plenty of viruses that target Macs. One of the fun ones was called Oompa Loompa, and spread itself via AIM/iChat. The amazing thing is that no one seems to want to talk about this. If Macs were "immune" to viruses, then why do Symantec (and others) make a Mac version of AV software? The fact is that most Mac users are so pathetically incompetent on a computer that they wouldn't know they had a virus until it had almost shut them down.

On to stability, there are people who claim that Macs are more stable. They may be right, but for one very big reason. Mac writes the software, specs and sells the software, writes the drivers, and takes care of compatibility as one unit. On the other hand if you have a Windows machine, your Operating System is made by Microsoft, your chassis (read case) was made by one manufacturer, your video card, sound card, hard drive, hard drive controller, network adapter, and every other device that you have on your computer were made by someone else, and then all the drivers were made by other people too. Sure, HP, Dell, ect. take try and ensure driver compatibility, but three months from now if you update your network adapter driver, you may be hosed. Is that Microsoft's fault?

Well the truth is, maybe. You see it's really hard to tell. Microsoft wrote the kernel, and the GUI, but nVidia, Intel, HP, Dell, and thousands of other manufacturers wrote the drivers, and other software that you have running on that same system. So you have your choice; pay three times as much for a Mac, and you will get a system that is marginally more stable, and has less exposure to viruses, or buy a PC that will cost you a lot less, but may develop issues after software updates (very rarely in my experience), and of course a great AntiVirus will set you back $30/year.

I don't know what laptop I am going to buy my wife this month, but the more Mac commercials I see, the more likely it won't be a Mac.

Mike