21. Copious Amount of Freeware While it is true that Download.com lists less freeware for the Mac, I highly doubt that you will find yourself using or even having installed all of these 50,000 pieces of freeware. Since MacOSX is mostly POSIX compatible, it can easily run most open source software. And the mac developer community is vibrant and the quality of software for the Mac is generally higher.
22. What is it With Steve Jobs? They trust Ballmer more than Jobs? What can I say?
    
    Dance, Monkeyboy, Dance?
23. The Menu is Where? Where it has always been. The Mac interface predates the Windows one and the menu bar adheres far better to Fitts law than the Windows one. Just imagine an MDI that fills the whole screen (and lacks the fugly background), that’s more the Mac idea.
24. Full Selection of Peripherals. The Mac would really benefit
25. Build Your Own Computer. Point 6, the third time. Besides, personal taste is generally subjective, but it isn’t beige.
26. The Apps Don’t Crash!Far more common (to crash) than a PC! I laugh. Sh*t shovelling the registry to increase MTBBSOD was amongst the reason I switched. If Mac Apps crash- I ask you to name them. It may take a reboot for you, but with my mac I can ‘killall’ the app before it takes the kernal down.
27. Tablets and Touchscreens. I want a tablet macbook. So do many mac users. I hope Apple make one. These guys do however.
28. You don’t need as much RAM. The Mac implementation of VM may leave lot’s to be desired. However, lower system overheads mean you don’t need as much RAM on a MAC as a PC. 512mb is powering my mini quite happily on the latest OSX and software. My friend just put another 2gb in his Vista box to make it run. Sheeowsh.
29. A Mac’s Delete Key Doesn’t Delete. Yes it does, it just deleted what I was about to call you for mistaking the UI for the file browser. Besides, it’s actually a forwards backspace key. Although, I have to admit that this quirk annoyed me for a while. Also command-delete works.
30. Apple Doesn’t Like Meddling. No, they don’t. Getting into an EMI shell means that you can easily brick a system. If you’re really hellbent on doing it: there’s a program called rEFIt to do the job.
31. PCs are greener. Who’d of thought? Greenpeace bashing a popular company? The lower power requirements and the non presence of an identifyable Vista Upgrade layer in our tips.
32. Best for Begginers. PCPRO beleive that PCs are best for begginers. The real world doesn’t. After switching my grandparents to use Macs, they get far more out of their computers. There was no problem with having to perform a solid day of maintenance on their computer 6 months later running complex updates etc. on their machine. And I remote controll it through VNC.

Well, to be brutally frank this was the worst PCPRO that I have ever read. Ever. Over the time I have read it, it has changed. It’s also a lot smaller nowadays. The articles comparing PCs to Mac are incredibly bigoted. Now the only reason that I’ll pick up a copy is to read the Real World Computing and it’s Open Source section. (Page 184.) Interestingly, there is more MacOSX in their Real World Computing than their feature piece.

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11. Sensible Support Costs
    PCPRO have made a valid point here; the support plans available for Macs is far less than a PC. However, Apple products have almost always placed in the top 5 for fewest product returns. Also, where they state that most computer shops only service PC’s- they are only counting the PC worlds anti-mac bias. It’s possible to find a shop to service your apple gear.
12. Microsoft’s on your team. No they’re not. With activation and Windows Genuine Are You A Thief? Microsoft are clearly not on your team.
13. Black’s still the new black
    In making this point, PCPRO are implying that Macs are quick to go out of fashion. Then how come older macs can still sell for very respectable prices (far more than equally old PCs).
14. The CD-ROM has an eject button.
    I suppose it does, but then again which is best is entirely a matter of preference. And it’s notable to say that most Macs nowadays use slot-loading drives, which are naturally more convenient to eject via software.
15. No Confusing Version Numbers.
    Apple only sell one version of OSX, and for PCPROs claim that updating it breaks that; well, that’s ridiculous. For those confused: here it is. 10.x.y x= the version of OSX, there’s a new version every 1-3 years. y= “service pack” there are 10 of these between two versions and usually bring new features to OSX.
16. What the hell was that?/The Apple start up tone irritates the PCPRO editor?
    Then hold mute as you boot. Apple have used sampled sounds since the Apple II- and the current start up sound is about 16 years old. Also, Windows has an equally jarring sound to a mac user.
17. Cheap OEM Versions
    This is covered in point 6. Because you cannot build a mac from scratch, then you do not qualify for OEM. The closest you’ll see to an OEM copy is pre-installed on every new macintosh. There’s no arbitrary be a geek and buy a mouse discount.
18. Far Better Media Capability
    Currently MCE is superior to Front Row at acting like a £1000 video recorder. For one, I’m happy that my dedicated DVR unit does this without making toast and catching virii. Also when you buy a Mac TV-Tuner it is likely to be from Elgato who offer very good software to do just that. (Apart from the virii.)
19. IT Support Expertise
    For a magazine which has always seemed to be for professionals in the IT industry, the idea of becoming the ‘gold dust’ of support professionals must be enthralling. Same goes for programmers, you also need less support on the mac.
20. Not So Insecure.
    PCPRO argues that a PC with latest service packs and antivirus is unlikely to get a virus. This may be true, but Windows insistence on patching is very annoying to a power user like myself. I want the only update traffic to be the update list and update files, not the entire UI. Also, the antivirus software is not infallible and requires constant updates to be this secure. Also, MAC OSX is more secure by design- not additional measures.

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This post will be furnished with appropriate links and pictures when available as this is from the currently on sale June edition (152).

1. Service Packs Really Don’t cost £90.
   Although 10.1 was released in 2001, OS9.2 was still in service until 2002 and an upgrade from 10.0 was given for free. 10.2 however can not be considered a service pack, and neither can 10.3. With each incorporating major performance leaps on the last, and graphical user interface overhauls. In fact, 10.2 bought Quartz Extreme- speeding up the UI considerably, and 10.3 carried the idea of Exposé which has just been poorly copied in Vistas Super Alt Tab. Tiger bought more stability and fine tuning, if any could be compared to a service pack, but I challenge you to find one with as many new features. Also, Apple release the 10.x.x releases for free- and these are the truer companion to the windows service pack. I’d also like to note speeds ups in each version, and far greater support for older machines.
2. No Price Premiums for Flashy Designs
   Apple are not trying to undercut the PC market to gain dominance. That’s not their plan, if you want to compare Apple to a PC manufacturer then pick a high end one. Also, they live longer than PCs and although you may have to splash out more for a Mac- you’ll replace it less often than a comparible PC.
3. Thousands of Decent Games
   Yes, Windows has the stranglehold on the PC gaming market. But with the new intel chipsets, more and more developers are making mac games now. Yes, you can run windows on a mac too. And if you’re dead set on upgrading your graphics hardware: then don’t be scared.
4. Two Mouse Buttons
   Welcome to 2007, as suprising as it seems MacOSX has full right mouse button support. The mighty mouse as they say may not by default use it, but it’s there for anyone who wants it. I’ve got used to the control-right click for the ibook and it no longer bothers me- I do hope they put some sort of way of determining which side of the button was pushed on their newer laptops though.
5. Broadband just works here too.
   With the advent of wireless broadband, USB modems are dying out and configuration is web based. And the wireless management for Macs is miles simpler than for windows.
6. Tailor made systems
   As far as I’m aware- most desktop macs are upgradeable and use ZIF. There are many valid claims that having only a few hardware configurations is a bad thing, but this adds to OS stability immeasurably.
7. Macs are months behind
   So be it. What it can do is what matters, when a machine will last 4 years then being up to the minute isn’t so important. Although, I’ve yet to see an 8-core desktop windows machine (without a server liscence).
8. Life beyond 1st January
   How important a factor is the date of the yearly trade show? If you want to get the latest, then ask for the macbook to be saved until after mac world. It’s an annoying business practice, but then again- it is legal.
9. Superior Search Abilities
   Why PCPRO threw in “I hate the Finder, the Zoom button and window resising is different” under this title bemuses me.
10. Saftey in Numbers
    Apple isn’t small. They have an $80 billion market cap. Sony are apparently more prone to experiment with a much larger cap of $50 billion. (That’s leaving the PS3 = sinking ship thing out). No. Apple aren’t going to drop OSX any time soon.

11-22 will be posted on Thurday the 20th of April.

In the mid nineties a product between Apple and BT sprung up, the Apple Interactive Television Box [wikipedia] this was to fufill BTs desire for a set top box that was connected to and received content from the internet. Or more specifically; certain BT servers. This would work over ADSL and serve the user with television and games etc.

Apart from its obvious similarities with the yet unreleased iTV from Apple. Being another set top box which uses content from the internet on television, however this is buffered on a macintosh computer. This I beleive is more similar to the BT HOME HUB[homehub webpage].

The home hub is a device which acts as an ADSL router with wireless VOIP handset, and also sets out to fufill many of the aims they had for the ITVB- albeit without the all in one aspect. But most importantly it has in its future plans an online television distribution system.

So, in conclusion; to say that the iTV is an updated ITVB is short sighted. The Apple Interactive Television Box (to give it its’ full name) has led to Apple and their parter in the matter BT to re attempt this internet linked video box just over 12 years later, is not a re-hash but merely re attempting when the market is right.

No Image:
With big image:

What can I say about Microsoft?
They make the best Office suite.

When I used Linux, there was only one thing that drew me back to using Windows; Microsoft Office. It always pulled me kicking and screaming back to Windows. But when I switched to mac I also installed Office 2004. Unfortuneatly iWork only had a limited trial and although keynote showed immense promise. Seriously, I think a fairc comparison is a peashooter (powerpoint) versus and ICBM (keynote), it was really that pronounced. For essays and the like I like to use Lyx because of its’ output and the formatting niceness of LaTeX. 00

1. Network Capacity.
2. Consumer Reception.
3. The growing size of video-games.

Lets’ start with network capacity, since the advent of certain high bandwidth technologies such as easy video streaming, more prevalent VOIP, and other technologies- the internet supplying companies have re-assessed their abilities and in countries such as the UK they have capped the previously unlimited internet access of many whereas the USA has taken the far less subtle path of trying to bill the content providers twice for bandwidth. Lets say that if the price was right the average gamer would buy 3 games a month at 10gb each, that would add up to 30gb- 10gb more than a fairly reasonable fair usage policy of 20gb.

Secondly it has to be considered that consumers see video games as more than a game, they prescribe value to the box and packaging- and most importantly the rights entitled by that: they can play the game on any console of the type/model and they can sell it. Rights which many consumers hold dear, although now it must be stressed the total irrelevance of the Music downloads industry where users are granted the liberty of multiple physical copies.

And thirdly when HD becomes completely ubiquitous, perhaps in the next generation or one after the storage requirements of each game will be quite a lot larger than current generation games 50-60gb/game- placing the already antiquated data cabling to premises under new and exiting strain.

Small footnote: I am not talking about small games which would be inappropriate for online distribution such as Virtual console games for the Wii.

Oh no are you attempting to execute a possibly untrustworthy executible which may or equally may not be mallicious!
The need for security is great in times like these. But asking the user repeatedly is confusing for newer users and pointless, those at danger will click yes, and there will eventually be a bypass mechanism- ruling the feature useless.

But first- count the dialouge boxes:

That’s not to say that they should all go, 4 is just clearly over-zealous. Asking the user for confirmation all the time will tire soon and alienate people new to computers, and irritate those that already have experience.

The big three. [CMD, Notepad, and Paint]

The command prompt is something that must look amazing on Aero Glass, it better- it’s horrendous without it.

Notepad, and indeed it’s slightly larger brother wordpad have received little love from Vista, also paint has nothing new to offer.

Conclusions:
Vista beta 2 has a lot of new innovations but does have some gross UI inconsistancies with parts that are entirely new and others which are directly from XP. Also it offers the sincerest form of flattery to Apple- It would be unwise to compare it to OSX as the latest version has yet to be released even any official news. There’s also far too much in the UI that is to be found by accident, such as the alt key showing the menus. Although on the other hand Office 2007 is very nice, with a user inteface that is more consistant with the Vista look and feel than most of Vista.

-Update:
Lifehacker has a nice set of screenshots which nicely summarizes the UI changes for those unable to install it.