I've been a PC man my entire life. I grew up playing games under DOS and doing file management via Norton Commander. I graduated to Windows 3.1 briefly, then on to Windows 95 and 98, (thankfully) mostly skipping ME before upgrading to 2K (due to stability problems from trying to do too much web browsing, no less). Finally, on to XP, which I'm currently using on my personal desktop PC.
But that's not what I'm here to write about. I've been a backup Mac tester since shortly after I started working for Opera Software. I'm not really sure what it was that got me started. At the time, we were working on Opera 7.5, our first Presto-based release of Opera for Mac. I did most of my work on my Windows XP desktop PC and did testing on the Mac as needed. At first, there were things that just drove me nuts. Over time, I got used to some of the Mac idiosyncracies and learned to appreciate many of the OS features.
When I moved back to the US, Opera left the choice of which laptop to get up to me. I shopped around a bit, but really didn't like what I saw. One of the main problems I have with Windows laptops is all the extra software pre-installed that I don't want. And to compound that, you rarely get an actual OS disc, so you can't wipe the drive and install just the OS. That, plus my previous experience with a Mac and the sexiness of the new MacBook Pro made the decision clear: get a Mac.
Sure, I'd used a Mac before, but never as my primary system. Switching OSes is hard. It's not just getting used to the OS conventions, but you have to refind all the software that made up for OS deficiencies. Not to mention most of the software I use every day isn't cross-platform, so I have to find replacements for all that stuff. All the places you used to look for help won't help anymore. All the places you used to look for software don't have anything you can use. And all the years of experience with your previous OS just barely helps you scratch the surface with your new one.
It's worth it. OS X is beautiful. Everything just looks great, especially the fonts. I really enjoy how things work, too. This is how an OS should be. I have a feeling I won't be buying a computer with Windows ever again. And I can't help wanting to show my laptop to everyone I know. It's so curvy and gorgeous.
Don't get me wrong, there are problems. But for some funny reason, I'm so happy with my laptop that I don't really care. Somehow, Apple just does that to you.
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Mmmm, Mac..
I have been working as a tester on Mac for about as long as you Tim, and I have also always used Windows as my main development computer and workstation. In my new job (since monday) I have been "stuck with" a wonderful new G5 with a dual 2.3GHz processor, 2.5GB RAM, and a cute little 23" Cinema Display to go with it. I guess I don't have to tell you how much I love my new computer :)
I have the exact same thoughts as you about OS X, and I'm never switching back to Windows again. Most likely, my next home computer will be a 20" iMac :)
Enjoy, but...
Well, I don't like OS X for it's GUI - I can't customize it as I want. Changing a wallpaper or color scheme is not enough for me. I'm using GNU/Linux now... No flame please, it's just my thought. I only like Mac less than you... But if I had more money, I'd buy MacBook too :P
So enjoy it and post some photos ;)
P.S.: Sorry for my English :sick:
I tried Red Hat and Mandrake
I tried Red Hat and Mandrake a couple of years ago and just couldn't get comfortable enough with them to stick around. Part of the problem was the complexity of troubleshooting and tweaking. But part of the reason I like OS X is that it's based on BSD, which gives it a lot of UNIX's power without all the complexity.
Customize
Have you tried ShapeShifter? It allows you to change looks of OS X significantly.
Do you know you can install X11 and use any window manager + KDE under OS X?
No, I haven't tried any of
No, I haven't tried any of the OS X customization software yet. I have X11 installed, but have no interest in using a *nix window manager to replace the beauty of OS X. ;)
ha!
figures that just as you're like, 'ah... i love mac and am SO over windows' mac is like, 'hey, maybe we should give this windows thing a shot.' check out the bbc's story on it.
and linux is eeeeeeeexcellent unless, say, you're not that geeky (read: helen), and then it's just confusing. but i think they're getting better at making the average joe feel less like a nimrod, and that's good for their future. :D
p.s. did i tell you that my brother is being spoiled at work? he has a four-processor machine now (not that i'm saying that correctly, but i had to wake up way early this morning).
Of course I know about Boot
Of course I know about Boot Camp. ;) My MacBook Pro is dual core....
Humm
Yes, it's a mangled BSD with a confusing interface :D
But seriously - I've been waiting for you to make the jump, _and_ make a "never look back" claim. The latter usually follows pretty quickly :)
Font handling is indeed superior to anything I have seen so far.
M.
p.s. I hope you understand me better now :)
I can certainly sympathize
I can certainly sympathize with you much better now. :)
one more comment
"Switching OSes is hard."
Mostly, it's a psychological, not technical, issue. Some described it humorously as a Stockholm syndrome. There is a small grain of truth to it :)
"Sure, I'd used a Mac before, but never as my primary system."
Same here. Between 1997 and 1999, I used macs in the university computer lab, when all PCs were occupied at the moment. The OS must have been Mac OS 7 in 1997, and maybe 8 later on, I cannot remember. It was a painful, painful experience I never want to repeat again. My impression was that I had a powerful enemy to fight with. I won't even mention the sheer ugliness of those systems... My deep-grounded animosity for Mac solutions dates from that time. Things have changed with OSX as I have seen last year (you know where) - but still, I would gladly feed the Mac keyboard(tm) designer with his keyboard. And then face attempted murder trial with a sense of relief, hehehehe :D :p That keyboard is from Outer Space!!!
The MacBook Pro keyboard is
The MacBook Pro keyboard is decent, but of course I have my own keyboard and mouse: a Kinesis Advantage and a Wacom Graphire tablet, respectively.
Keyboard?
What's so wrong with it?
For me it's not very different than regular PC keyboard. Just instead of few DOS legacy keys I've got brightness/volume/eject.
The only oddity might be placement of command key, but that can be swapped with alt/ctrl/capslock in system prefs (which I did right away).
I've been on the Mac for
I've been on the Mac for five years in May. I had a gut feeling there might be something about OS X, and... the rate it has matured is just amazing. By 10.2 I never needed to boot to OS9 any more.
For the past year I've been on Ubuntu at work. And honestly, it really is rather good. I've got old hardware and it works perfectly and Gnome 2 is giving be a good experience. I really don't miss my Mac at work.
I'm on the market for a new laptop. I think I'll go with the Macbook (sans Pro) due to the fact that Apple hardware is sahhh-weet and eventually I'll have a plethora of OS's I can choose from: OS X, Windows, Linux, BSD...
In addition looks like virtualization is coming to the desktop. strong.
Good luck with your switch... any change is usually good :)
Switched, too
I've been using lots of OSes - AmigaOS and its clones, tried a few linux distros, and ofcourse several Windows versions. I've switched to OS X when Mac Mini came out and I love it.
I've got "hacker" tools like real shell, unixish filesystem with links, and fink that provides apt-get I love from Debian.
And it all is in nice package that "just works". I don't need to RTFM/STFW or "try reinstalling drivers or maybe you have a virus?" to get basics like WiFi, Bluetooth or DVD working.
One disappointing thing for me is crippled version of Opera on OS X. It's lacking small goodies that MDI provides on Windows, like tabs for pop-ups or clicking tab to activate previous one.