I’d pretty much completely written off Windows after the Vista debacle. I’ve spent the past year+ trying to become a Mac user. I have for the most part. I’m writing this post from the train on my Macbook.
Mac OS is a aesthetically pleasing. But it’s not without its faults. Programs hang. Gmail has killed Safari on multiple occasions. Finger gymnastics are required to perform simple tasks such as cycling through windows in an open application (Cmd + Shift + ~). For switching tabs in Safari you need to use Cmd + Shift + Arrow right or Left.
Spotlight is pretty spot on. I’ve tried numerous imitators (Launchy, SlickRun, etc.) on Windows. Most are good, but all fall short of the original. The lack of an Apply button is a nice subtlety on properties windows. But still in other areas, the Mac lacks. Renaming a folder requires a double click on the folder. A right click option is missed.
Mac hardware is shiny and polished. But its quality is at odds with the premium one pays to own one. My MacBook has developed an odd striping on the screen. The DVD drive sticks. I’ve known plenty of other people who swear by Apple’s Apple Care. I’m of the opinion the quality of a product shouldn’t be so in question that people are fans of an extended warranty.
I’ve also come to question the quality of my iPhone and will probably consider the Pre when my contract is up. The button on my iPhone lags. It often takes several presses to get the phone to wake or close email. It’s my second iPhone in just over a year. I know other people who have had iBricks.
MobileMe is also a terrible product, but a great idea. The web applications are sub-par. Email cannot be searched except for subject and sender (no body?!). MobileMe is slow and has iCal sharing – even on a family plan. But iDisk is really handy and the push email is more reliable than Yahoo!’s.
Perhaps it’s my frustration with AT&T that’s leading me to reconsider Windows. After all it was the iPhone that sold me on the MacBook. Not it’s the iPhone that’s making me consider the PC again. OK, it’s also the fact that I work with .NET – a platform that I still believe is the best of breed.
After two days on Windows 7 at work, I’m nearly sold. I think Microsoft finally got it. They’re beating Mac at the usability game by finding that sweet spot between power user and novice. A Mac is a great machine for the newbie who just wants to get pictures off of his or her camera. It’s a great machine for the Unix geek who eschews all things GUI. But for the user who is in between?
Windows 7 seems to let me be all three. The new keyboard shortcuts are great, especially when you have dual monitors. Jump lists and the new task bar are a fantastic way to manage your desktop. It’s fast. It’s clean. It’s Windows? The user access features have been paired down to just right. Search is drastically better than its unusable cousin on Vista.
If my experiences going forward are as they have been so far, my next laptop will probably be an HP again. If you have been considering a Mac, still do. But not unless you also try out Windows 7 first…