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Codepoet fails to consider the OS/App licensing costs for large networks. OSX client/server licensing is inexpensive compared to Microsoft's scheme for similar network functionality. So, I could purchase commodity Wintel boxes with OSX installed and save a bundle of cash.

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In reply to comment 1, you're missing the point. Apple's licensing for OS X is cheaper in large networks because they're offsetting the cost by the fact they sold you the hardware as well. Part of the OS development cost has already been rolled into the cost of the hardware.

This essay understands that it's the software/hardware combination that makes the Mac platform so compelling, something which Dvorak failed to take into consideration when he said Apple were going to switch to Windows.

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i read that this morning and had exactly the same thoughts as Damien,
Top-notch stuff from codepoet

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I think it's a good article with well considered points. The MacOS integration is excellent. But to be honest, I haven't had many hardware problems in Windows since W2000. It's not like the W95 and especially the W3.1 days.

It wouldn't just be selling OSX for PC's. To be successful they would need Dell, HP, Gateway, etc to package it no new boxes, which would not be a problem. Be and NeXT never had OEM deals, which are crucial.

My opinion is that if OSX were available for PCs, it would gain market share from Windows, and you'd see more software for it. That said, it would not benefit Apple because it would cannabilize a large part of their hardware sales, which is their bread and butter.
That's why it will never happen.

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Richard (#2)

OSX is cheaper too because the underlying code is BSD Linux. Apple adopted an open source OS and wrapped a exquisite GUI around it; yes I know, I'm being overly simplistic. Add ground breaking hardware design (think boutique) and Apple ends up with a string of successful products but primarily sold in single units (school sales is another issue).

However, people buying, installing or administering cubicle computers really don't give a damn about where the hardware comes from anymore because it's all ToastMaster reliable.

The pressing issue nowadays is computing admin costs. So if I buy cheap XYZ brand $300.00 network slaves (clients) and stuff inexpensive OSX into them with a LINUX/OSX back room serving up whatever I will save a bunch of $$ while Apple & MS overhaul their business plan.

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No hardware problems on Windows? Congratulations - I believe you - but you are probably both very skilled and very lucky. Here's a simple issue my girlfriend had just this weekend: she bought a brand new HP printer at office depot. It came with a CD with Windows drivers, and another with Mac. She plugged in the printer, ran the installer on her Windows machine - and the printer didn't get recognized. Yes, she failed to follow the instructions (she was supposed to install the drivers, then wait until prompted to plug the printer in.) But why was that sequence even neccessary? Why doesn't it just work? I am certain that she's not the only one to do this, and similar warnings are common on many Windows USB products. Even worse, several restarts and attempts to install the software didn't work.

When I came over with my new Macbook Pro, I didn't even have to use the included Mac installer. I just plugged the printer in and it appeared in my print dialogues. And this for a new and radically different piece of Mac hardware!

Most tellingly: the "Quick Start" sheet for the printer includes one full page of troubleshooting info for failed Windows installations (though nothing that helped my friend's problem.) There is no such information for the Mac instructions - because the Mac just works.

- Dan

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oops - I know you said "not many" problems with Windows. Still, I think the point is the same...but sorry for the misread.

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Dan,

With all due respect, I have to comment on your #6.

Mac OS make it easy to plug something in because Apple has only to make drivers for Apple-brand parts, which you have to buy if you want to run Apple software. Circular, doing the bull dance, feeling the flow. Windows works on almost every piece of equipment you could buy (apparently Apple hardware now, too), therefore many drivers exist. That's why you need to install the driver then the printer in the Windows environment. But I don't think that's a big deal, and for me, it's worth it to be able to select from a myriad of hardware options that you can choose to fit your price point and feature needs.

Like Steve, I've also not had any major problems since XP came out. Yeah, you need to have a firewall and anti-virus program running (or at least scheduled to run for the AV), but XP does the firewall for you and very annoyingly but noticeably reminds you to run an AV program. Coming from a T1 line in college, these are just common sense steps to take for a person connected to the internet, and once you turn them on, you never have to deal with them more than once every couple weeks. But that�s it, there�s no other XP maintenance I perform except changing the desktop pic and occasionally re-arranging my icons.

I noticed that my friend's G3 laptop (don't know what kind, but it's an older processor for sure, and it�s white), occasionally has a program which encounters a problem, then quits. XP does that too. Not since '98 have I had to actually restart windows when the occasional (and it happens to me with actually less frequency than my buddy's laptop) program crashes. And for both my comp and my buddy�s laptop, the programs which are crashing are audio recording programs, and I suspect we�re both killing the cpu�s with tracks and effects.

I've used computers since my parent's TI994A, and I needed to know BASIC to make that sucker work. OSX, and yes, XP are much easier to use than that old beast.

I would use OSX, and even buy it for my Athlon 64 4000, 2 gig RAM, ATIx850 PE, 400-GB-of-storage beast that I put together for 800 bucks (I used my old case and old RAM, so didn't have to even buy that when I upgraded gear. Recycle!). Now, stuff is seriously fast... over 90 fps in COD2 (woot). Once I�ve already opened something, closed it down, and opened it again at a later time, it�s seriously almost instantaneous between mouse click and window appearing. I have the comp hibernate instead of shut down, so I can save juice at night and essentially keep XP �up� for months. Again, I would be a buyer of OSX if it were available, and lots of folks would be right there, too I suspect.

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I agree with Codepoet - I am not a technical guru and often just want my computer to work better. I do have a good understanding of marketing and think that the Apple/Microsoft paradigm is similar to Wal-Mart and Target. Why should Apple fix something that has worked for them for decades? You do not see Target going bottom dollar for every single price point, which is Wal-Mart's game. Target is more concerned with quality. Why should Target (or Apple) go after the "bully" on his own turf? Wal-Mart is now stocking higher quality products, partly because they can see Target close in their rear-view mirror. The point is winning, but on your own terms. I can see Microsoft losing ground in the bottom-line, while Apple will only likely continue to increase in their bottom-line, because Apple is doing business on their own terms.

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