Aligning Yourself with Technology

Too many people out there are too stubborn and arrogant about operating systems. We basically have 3 groups here. We have the Mac worshippers that will stop at nothing to yak about how great Apple computers are. Then we have the Windows people who consist of average-Joe's or dumber that think they know everything about computers. And finally we've got the underground Linux freaks that live in their parents basements and spend their time proving to the Windows guys just how funny their operating system is. So where do I stand? You'll figure that out eventually (hopefully) once you read a little more.

What gets on my nerves are the extremists that only side with one and only one OS. WHY? Why would you limit yourself like that? The bottom line is that every operating system has its strong points and weak points. People seriously need to ask themselves: "What do I normally do with a computer?" That question seems to be asked less and less these days. So? Where do you start?

Gamers. I play computer games. I'm not talking about Solitare here either...I'm talking about full screen 3D, Direct X (or OpenGL) powered hardcore games. So since I play games, there's no way in hell a Mac would suffice. Why you say? Well unless you use dollar bills as toilet paper, you probably can't afford a $3,000 MacPro that has a good graphics card capable of playing these types of games. The other major consideration about Macs is that most games aren't made for Mac. Only the ULTRA popular (and ironically Microsoft) games are on Mac. Now you Mac worshippers are probably throwing a fit that I didn't mention applications that can aid a Mac to playing Windows based games. I've tried Fusion, Parallels, Wine, and Crossover, and sure they can play 10 year old games like Age of Empires II or maybe StarCraft, but they can't play games like BioShock or Call of Duty 4. Heavy gamers want to be able to adapt to new games, not get stuck in the era of just a few titles. Linux is in the same boat as Mac on this issue (if not worse). Gaming is what pushes the need for faster and more efficient hardware, so if you don't play these types of games, your PC from 3 or 4 years ago is probably still fine.

Day-to-Day usage. Most of you fall in this category. This involves people that just mainly use email, watch a YouTube video, do a little homework, read an article online or go on MySpace. For day to day use, I would recommend a Mac. The main reason for this is not only ease of use, but also because of its security. I know a handful of people that would actually click on the popups that claim that their PC is being invaded--many of them now actually begin to install their software on your PC without your knowledge. Leaving your PC exposed is a huge danger to the users of the PC.

Downsides of a Mac - Price and inconvenience are probably my top two. Macintosh computers are premium priced but are they worth it? If you're willing to pay for the cost it took to style the machine, then probably, but the actual hardware that goes in a Mac are pretty mediocre at best. There are pet peeves that are bundled in a Mac like not having a hotkey or button to disable your wireless, the one button mouse on Mac laptops (although you could get used to the multitap if you have the new ones), no PCMCIA/PCI Express expansion and no built-in broadband card support. The only real juicy piece of a Mac is its operating system.

What about Linux? Well if you use Linux and you're reading this, then I must ask you...why are you still reading? Linux folks know why they use it and why in their eyes it's the best. But for those of you who don't know, it's the most complicated, user unfriendly, most incompatible, most secure, and most efficient operating system. There are many flavors of linux, also called distributions or distros, most are free and some you may pay only if you are commercial or want support. Overall however, linux is free which makes it the ideal operating system for the nerdy but broke. Linux isn't compatible with most hardware and devices out there but most likely, there are others out there that have figured out workarounds and methods, or created homebrew drivers to get things working. The linux community is very large and for the most part very helpful.

Sooooo where do you stand? I'm sure you can figure it out by now.