Happy Camper
Written: Mar 20 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to set up and use!
Cons: Misinformation about Mac's make getting answers hard.
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| jeffgagne's Full Review: Apple Power Macintosh G3 (M7104LL/A) Mac Desktop |
I have two G3's. One a 450Mhz and the other a 350Mhz (upgraded to 450) with DVD, both systems are running OS9. I also have a older Dell Optiplex PII 450 as my NT Server that the Mac's share along with my IBM Thinkpad 600X and Powerbook G3.
I am a Systems Engineer for a cross-platform (Mac & Windows) software vendor and feel, therefore, that I am more than qualified to discuss its relative merits.
I’m comparing the G3's to two separate systems – my NT Server and my IBM Thinkpad.
The G3's are far easier to set up and use especially printing! All Mac's come with 10/100 Ethernet and no funky drivers are needed. This can be a real issue on Windows especially when moving from 95 to 98 or 95/98 to NT/2000. I found that out the hard way when my network connection died after installing NT Workstation even though I had the drivers. The vendors said it was a problem with Service Pack 5 for NT and I could download the latest drivers from their site. Umm....hello! My Network/modem card isn't working! :-(
On a Mac this will never happen to you. It just works. In fact my Mac was even easier to set up to connect to my NT Server (also my PDC) than my old Dell Laptop (before the IBM that can't connect to anything) was.
The Mac is far easier and faster, especially when printing as well. Another review (if you can call it that) states that "Apples have to go through AppleTalk" this is not at all true. A Mac can print via TCP/IP. In fact Apple itself at it's corporate office does not pass AppleTalk packets anymore! Printers talk to the OS and are mostly self-configured....I can't remember the last time I needed to configure a printer on a Mac based system manually.
The other review here goes on to say that "Because, if you use a G3 on a network at work, it is virtually impossible that you won’t be using AppleTalk." This is also TOTALLY untrue. There is no need to use AppleTalk in a corporate setting. AppleTalk is MUCH easier for the home user however where the REAL plug-in play of the MAC OS makes connecting a printer or home network a breeze.
This review also says, "Very, very few companies use Apple networks." Yes including Apple!
This other review continues with "Remember, Windows 95 was the target of a lawsuit by Apple, who claimed Microsoft basically copied their Mac OS. If they’re similar enough to warrant a lawsuit, then I think we can infer that the Mac OS is no longer quantifiably different in the ease of use category."
The suit that this person is referring to was for specific elements of the Mac OS and Windows. Specifically the trash can and overlapping windows. It has nothing to do with ease of use. The case was dismissed due to a previous cross licensing contract.
But he goes on..."In fact, the much-heralded ad showing a brainless executive struggling with a c:\ prompt is antiquated and irrelevant now, as most Win95 users will never even see such a thing."
Here the ad is also "antiquated". The ad this person is talking about ran in 1991. Remember the one where the cleaning lady comes by and makes a comment. Apple has not run an ad like this in MANY MANY years.
The simple truth is that in Windows you have just as many crashes as under the Mac, unless you're running NT then you'll have fewer unless you like to tinker like I do. Under Windows you need to deal with DLL's that often conflict or get over written. IRQ's need to be set. reset, some devices will only work on one IRQ etc. It's a legacy nightmare!
Windows has an annoying tendency to not realize something is there. If I put a zip drive in my Mac it appears on my desktop, same with a CD. The OS knows it's there, it's smart. Windows is deaf, dumb and blind. I can even swap out a floppy on Windows and it will have no clue anything has happened. Same with a Zip, Jaz or CD. Even if it's using the disk! It will finally get around to asking for it when it needs to. The Mac will tell you the drive is in use. And if swapped you will see the new Zip name appear so you know what zip you have loaded.
Windows has a propensity to fill up your hard drive full of cryptic files that you fear ever moving or deleting. You can find thousands of files with names like "IXTR_REG.FTR" etc. Like huh? One time, before I went to all my fun Windows schools, I went and organized my Windows laptop like my Mac. I just moved things around, like I'm used to, into nice folders called Applications, Utilities, etc. The result was Windows refused to boot other than in safe mode.
On a Mac you can move things around, the exception of the internals of the System Folder, and your machine will not throw fits as a Windows machine will. In fact I can hide my system Folder deep down some directory and the Mac will find it! Try doing that with your System folder on Windows! Heck I can even rename my System Folder and it will still work....DON'T do this on Windows! ;-)
The latest Mac's support USB, Firewire, AGP and PCI. You can get almost any hardware device for Windows to work on a Mac. I just put a Voodoo3 card in my Mac that said Windows only. The drivers were available and the installation process much much simpler. I have a Farallon Skyline wireless PC card that is for both Mac and Win. The Mac installation is 2 pages. The Windows is 8 pages. Damn..DLL's.
Look, in the end get what ever you feel comfortable with. But base your decision on facts not hyperbole. Windows is the #1 OS. But have you ever heard someone say they "love" windows? Have you ever seen a person walking down the street wearing Windows logo apparel or beach towel.
There's a message there! ;-)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
jeffgagne
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Reviews written: 1
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