My blogging colleague, Joe Bramhall, recently wrote about why he bought Apple’s iMac instead of a PC with the new Windows Vista operating system.
Me, I stayed with The Dark Side.
I recently bought an Inspiron 1501 notebook computer from Dell, loaded with Windows Vista Home Basic. You can add a comment telling me what a tool I am in the space below. Just keep it clean!
The background is that I really needed a new computer. I had been using the same Dell laptop for seven years, and it was literally falling apart (one of the hinges broke last year). I’ll tell you how outdated that computer was – it ran on Windows NT Workstation 4.0, an OS that Microsoft stopped supporting years ago.
We use Windows XP in the newsroom here at Hoover’s, and Windows Vista makes some nifty improvements on that OS. I like the security features. (I use the Firefox browser at home; I’m not completely clueless about alternative technology.) Also, the Start Menu is more comprehensive and easier to navigate, and the Details and Preview panes allow you to see what’s in files without having to open them.
So, why did I stay with the “Wintel” PC model, instead of choosing the technically superior Macintosh (on which you can even run Windows XP)? A big part was the financial consideration. The cheapest MacBook is not quite twice the price of my low-end Inspiron. Then, there’s my modest needs as a computer user.
On my home computer, I mostly check my e-mail and surf the Web. I occasionally create a document, do some online banking, and buy stuff on Amazon.com. That’s about it. With my new notebook, I’ve gotten into watching online videos and playing Flash-based games.
Let me tell you what I’m not doing at home: I’m not downloading music and burning mix CDs. I’m not drawing up spreadsheets. I’m not creating multimedia extravaganzas. I’m not doing online chat or IMs. I’m not editing mashups.
I am very boring at home. I like it that way. I’m 37 years younger than Andy Rooney, but I’m a dinosaur like him when it comes to “these kids today.”
Posting this blog will be the online equivalent of putting a “Kick Me” sign on my back, I’m sure. Go ahead – kick away!
Comments
J. Scott Anderson Says:
March 9th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Everyone should get the tool that does the job for them. BTW…I am curious which Inspiron you got and its configuration.
Daysha Taylor Says:
March 9th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
I am with you, Jeff. As a music producer and wife of a studio engineer, I would love to switch to Mac. With a more intuitive interface and simplified design, who wouldn’t? But switching is not a simple as just buying a new desktop unit. The price problem becomes compounded once you add up the cost of reinvesting in the Mac versions of the software you already own. While software from developers like Propellerheads and Steinberg often include hybrid CD’s (includes the Mac and PC software versions on one disk), you still have to invest in new hardware setups like Protools and M-Audio interfaces. I am sure that computer users in specialized industries suffer from similar concerns when considering a switch.
Jeff Dorsch Says:
March 12th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Hey, Scott, Thanks for your comment! It’s a pretty standard configuration of the Inspiron 1501, no special features or add-ons. It’s got a Mobile AMD Turion 64 processor, 60-gig hard drive, and an 802.11g Wi-Fi Mini Card. Not too fancy, but I’m very happy w/it!
Marcel Kroon Says:
March 19th, 2007 at 2:23 am
Jeff, I am one of those switchers. At home I have 7 windows PC’s and they drive me nuts. They are high maintenance. All I did in my spare time was running around the house tweaking the PC’s so they would run. Then I made a bold move as employee of the largest PC manufacturer and bought an iMac. Man it is like comming to heaven. It is really plug and play unlike windows plug and PRAY. I’m running it now for a year without any maintenance and my wife bought an MacBook Pro. Music is no problem with GarageBand and the black box and keyboard from M-Audio. Plus MS Office is really cheap with OpenOffice. I can do everything I did with the PC at no extra costs and even less, ….. , that is less maintenance.
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