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Eryn Cangi

Why I Don't Have an Mac
- By Eryn Cangi

I don't particularly mind the Mac itself. It can still do things similar to the capabilities of a PC: it can process documents, edit photos and video, and surf the Internet. My opposition is not primarily toward the Mac itself, but in its proponents. There are a few things I've found within the ads Apple posts on their website� that I just can't stomach.

First, under the heading It just works: "�a Mac offers absolutely flawless integration of hardware and software�.With a Mac, you'll find all of the essentials built right in. USB. FireWire. Ethernet. Every new Mac comes with built-in antennas for wireless networks, so getting on the Internet from anywhere is a mere matter of turning on your Mac." Sounds plausible, but not very convincing. Maybe a Mac comes with a bunch of bundled software, and is therefore easy to use. Well, so does a PC. And if you want any software that isn't included in the OS itself-PC or Mac-you're still going to have to install it yourself using third party software. Sounds daunting, doesn't it? Not if you know what you're doing, which most Mac users apparently don't, given the way Apple denounces "configuring network settings" and other adjustments to the system as way too hard to even think about. I suppose Apple also forgot in writing this ad that PCs also come with things like USB and Ethernet, and wireless for laptops. Anything less than such would be obsolete at this point in time.

Macs also apparently do not require you to "hunt for drivers." Ideally, Apple says, "You shouldn't have to restart your computer simply because you connected a new printer. And you shouldn't have to go off on a scavenger hunt, searching doggedly for device drivers�." Sure, it might be nice to not have to restart after plugging in a new device, but in many cases on a PC it isn't necessary. The only hardware I've connected and had to restart for is my (rather outdated) printer. And the fact of the matter is that restarting is not much of a trial! It takes approximately a minute, and less on a clean install of Windows. If you so desperately need to print those pictures of your Aunt Betty right now that you can't wait for a quick restart, you need to seriously evaluate your patience and priorities. And restarting is a one-time thing. You don't need to restart every time you want to use the printer.

As for drivers, Apple seems to have again forgotten an important detail-many devices these days are Plug'n'Play in Windows NT or XP and higher-because the drivers are already bundled into the OS. And if they're not, chances are your product came with a CD that clearly says, "Install this first!" Doing so is not such a harrowing task as Apple makes it out to be-hopefully, since Apple still admits later in the article: "�on those rare occasions when the Mac doesn't have a driver for a particular device, you should be able to find it quickly simply by visiting the manufacturer's website or by Googling for it." Even then they state that searching for a driver on the web is not very difficult. What kind of argument are they trying to make here? Clearly, drivers and hardware installation are not particularly easier on a Mac-just simplified for its users. It is also important to note that Macs as a whole support less third party hardware and software than PCs, and because less devices are supported, the amount of drivers Mac has to pack into the OS is much less.

Next: "Design that turns heads." In short, the Mac is pretty. The iPod is pretty. I'll admit that. But the Mac is not the only good looking computer out there. Flat screen LCD monitors are becoming cheaper, as low as the low-to-mid hundred-dollar range. Cases, too, can be found for very cheap with a great look-not just the plain beige boxes of the 90s that people seem to associate with the PC. What's your poison? An all red case? How about pink? Transparent? Blue LED lights in a clear side panel and the fans? A case that looks like an alien? You can find all of these desktop items from various PC retailers and computer part retailers. The best part? Your computer won't look the same as everyone else's.

That leads into the last category: "Awesome out of the box." A PC comes with a "cool calculator�and a clock," which will "come in handy when you're ticking off the hours it takes you to uninstall all the software you don't want and buy all the software you do." First, apparently PCs don't come with anything fun, and can't do fun things according to the television ads by Apple (I guess Apple doesn't think the hundreds of Windows-compatible software applications for things like digital art, gaming, video creation, physics simulation, CD authoring, etc., etc. are worth mentioning). Second, could that "software" refer also to the "200 built-in features" that come on a Mac? Unwanted bundled software is not unique to PCs (and it can be avoided by building your own system). If I bought a Mac, I wouldn't have a use for several of its programs, because I don't make amateur movies, cookie-cutter photo albums and Podcasts about my family vacation to post all over the web in my spare time.

I could pay an gigantic amount of money for a Mac-$599 for the smallest and cheapest, and above $1000 for everything else, including desktops-and get a bunch of specialized software I probably won't need, or I could build my own PC (below) for $650-including monitor-that is completely upgradeable, looks good and is compatible with more software applications, games and even the iPod I received as a gift. I even had problems with said iPod: it began to malfunction for no reason. None of Apple's solutions worked-I tried them all. It was clear that from the sounds it emitted that it was unable to access the hard drive. My warranty had only just run out before it began malfunctioning on its own (convenient, isn't it?), and I knew from researching it Apple's site that it would be about as expensive to fix as to just buy a new one (if they could fix it, which I wouldn't know until I paid the $64 inspection fee). I finally took it to a very talented friend of mine who can fix anything without doing anything seemingly special. After merely opening, inspecting and closing the iPod-voila-it was fixed.

Not only do I not feel the desire to learn another operating system that is compatible with far fewer things, I also feel no desire to willingly give monetary support to a company that is clearly catering primarily to a batch of users who do not care nor want to know about anything beyond the outside of the case. The people that Apple target with their ads about ease of use and intuitive and attractive GUIs are not technically savvy and are apparently easily defeated by inserting a CD to install software for their Jump Drive or restarting after installing a printer to allow the registry to update according to the system's needs. They want to push a button and have the computer do what they want without having to actually give it very much input. This is Apple's implication of the kind of person a Mac is right for, and I am not that person. Like so many Mac users, Apple's ads and attitude come off as elitist and "holier-than-thou." That is not the type of company I prefer to support.

Now one might seek to denounce me for otherwise supporting a multi-billion dollar company that many see as greedy and evil that produces an operating system riddled with holes and virus weaknesses. Though many may call Bill Gates the devil, he does do useful things with his money. The Bill & Melinda Gates foundation puts forth millions per year towards scholarships, AIDS/HIV research and third world diseases. It also donates money to many other separate charities. Meanwhile, Apple has recently decided to donate $10 per sold red iPod Nano to AIDS causes.

Currently I use Windows because it is the most widely supported and used operating system; it is the one the average person will most likely use most, unless they manage huge servers for corporations, which often run on Unix or other *nix based systems. Speaking of *nix, that is my next project-I intend to try out the Ubuntu distribution of Linux. Who knows, I might like it even better than Windows.

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