
"I was stuck in a prison of Microsoft Operating Systems, and I have been released." - spking
http://seekingalpha.com/article/55112-why-i-m-all-about-apple?source=yahoo
======
henning
PCs punt and leave you with all the choices to make, both hardware and
software-wise. Windows doesn't come with anything for hackers out of the box.
If you don't want to go through that, PCs will be very depressing. If you're
willing to sit down and spend 1-8 hours tweaking and installing things the way
you like it, you can have a very productive development machine on your hands,
it just won't be a Unix-like one.

On the other hand, getting Xcode requires you to be involved with a stupid
Apple Developer Connection program, and you don't get automatic package
management like in Linux.

I just built a new PC dual booting Windows and Linux and I'm loving the hell
out of it, personally; I can get performance and screen real estate that's a
significant fraction of a $4500 Mac Pro system at a fraction of the price;
$1500 will get you dual 22" monitors, a quad-core Intel Core 2 processor, 2 GB
of fast RAM, a 320 GB SATA hard drive, and a very nice video card that's
adequate for semi-serious gaming. I can be highly productive as a developer,
reboot, play games for a little while to blow off steam, and then go back to
my distraction-free development environment. Linux for productivity, Windows
for timesinks.

~~~
abstractbill
_getting Xcode requires you to be involved with a stupid Apple Developer
Connection program_

Xcode was on the install CD that was in the box my macbook came in. I hadn't
heard of this Apple Developer Connection program until now.

 _you don't get automatic package management like in Linux_

<http://www.macports.org/>

------
lsb
This is why, this is why, this is why it's hot:

For photo enthusiasts: I plugged my camera in, iPhoto opened, I pushed one
button, and imported all of my pictures.

For hackers: system("say all done") if you want to hear when something's done,
or system("say #{i}") if you want to hear each i in a loop.

------
mhb
I recently bought an iMac as an nth house machine. The software experience is
very pleasant; the mouse and keyboard are terrible, but very pretty.

I was thinking it might be nice to switch to a Mac as my main computer. I
already have a nice dual monitor setup and a nice keyboard, so I would want a
standalone Mac box. I checked out the price of the only Mac which makes sense
to use with external monitors - $2500 for the Mac Pro!! I was surprised -
especially since the iMac seemed somewhat reasonably priced.

------
neil_cauldwell
I operate at a lower dB level when I use a Mac. Windows brings out my best
impersonation of an extra from 28 Days Later.

------
damien
So true. Even though I use Linux myself (since I prefer it's flexibility and
openness), I usually recommend a Mac to non-hackers who ask me for a
recommendation on a new computer.

------
mynameishere
_Disclosure: Author has a long position in AAPL_

The whole thing read as if he was also on Apple's payroll.

------
mmp
This `Microsoft experience = viruses + popups + hardware problems` complaint
may have been true as little as 5 years ago, but it certainly is no longer the
case with XP SP2 and Vista, the author is being a bit dishonest here.

Doesn't invalidate his claim that Apple makes nice machines, though.

~~~
Goladus
Viruses still overwhelmingly target windows, and though this is not related to
the technical design of the OS, every manufacturer had their own crudded-up
installation helped give windows a bad rep (re: popups).

------
kirse
"Oh and where is the tower that comes with desktops? That's right. The Mac
contains the whole computer in the monitor. You mean no wires? No pop-ups? No
viruses? No freezing? I am pleased to say, No Sir, none of that. Life is
great!!!!"

I laughed for a couple minutes. I'm sure this guy is probably middle-aged,
still doesn't really have a clue how to use a computer (depsite thinking
changing a few settings in the almighty Control Panel is serious hacking) and
found the retardedly simple Mac interface a breath of fresh air.

edit: I have owned both a Powerbook and currently a Dell XPS-M1330. Both had
their pros/cons, but neither really stood above the other. (Note: Have not
tried Leopard yet)

~~~
boucher
"retardedly simple Mac interface"

Bold statement. But let's not start a mac/pc flame war. I think if we took a
poll, you'd be surprised how many people on this board are using a mac (and
would disagree).

~~~
jamongkad
How about us Ubuntu users? don't we count for anything these days? :-)

------
Tichy
Released out of prison, straight into hell.

