SJW Tech Services

“I want a Mac. I hate my PC and an Apple computer just looks so… cool.”

I hear this all the time. Yes, Macs are aesthetically beautiful – both hardware and software. (I’m actually typing this post on an Apple bluetooth keyboard connected to my Windows PC) There’s no denying the elegance and fluidity of the Mac operating system. What people seem to forget, however, is that a Mac is still a computer. It’s software communicating with hardware and vice versa. If you buy a Mac, where do you go for tech support? Yes, there are “Genius Bars” in Apple stores, but if you’re not near a city with an Apple store, you’re kind of up the creek. (I can support Macs, but not many technicians can) And then there’s the arduous task of trying to integrate your Mac into an all-PC world. You have a different Internet Browser, different software, etc. I’m not saying it can’t be done, I’m just saying there’s more to it than just picking up a new Mac at BestBuy.

If you’re willing to completely re-learn an operating system, it’s ok to get a Mac; but be warned – it takes patience. You can’t just snap your fingers and expect everything on the Mac to be perfect. It’s a computer, and there will be hiccups along the way.

I’ve recently come across a few things that make the Windows experience somewhat comparable to the Mac. Mozilla’s new browser – Firefox 3 – has a very nice interface. I recommend Mozilla over Internet Explorer just because I think Mozilla is a bit faster than IE. I’ve also come across an incredible program called PicLens that makes browsing picture and video websites absolutely amazing. You need a fast computer to run this to get the full effect – if you’re on a slower computer, the experience will probably be miserably slow. That’s all for today – keep checking back for more updates!