My on-again, off-again Apple relationship

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As someone who is totally blind and switched from windows, let me take you through my own thinking:
1. I started on Windows, loved it because the screen reader manufacturers did a lot to support us.
2. The trouble comes when we as a conglomerate are expected to pay 125 pounds upwards for screen reader updates on a regular basis.
3. Add up all that cost for 2 indibvidual screen readers over the use of the machine. The blind are robbed with Windows in short.
4. I bought a macbook in 07, complete with built-in support for the visually impaired. I update that machine from Tiger to Leopard, even better accessibility support. Leopard to snow, better again. Total cost, roughly 110 pounds for 3 versions of a screen reader that is ever improving.

My point really is that MS rely on third-parties because they realise that the OS is buggy, unstable when used with assistive technology and such.

One more thing, if I need to install OS X for whatever reason again, it talks me through the installation process. Try installing windows with you're eyes shut. Yes, automated attended installation scrips, but they're only good if the install runs smoothly. Apple's VoiceOver is running at all times during the instalation procedures, so i'm able to check the status progress bar, read how long's left etc. Things like that add to the mac experience.

Finally, this one's OT but related to the keyboard shortcuts article. Control +F8 will take you to the righthand part of the menubar, the section with the bluetooth and clock in. It's handy that one.

I've been a tech for over 15 years professionally. I work in a Windows world in corporate. I've yet to look into a Mac Server but I have to admit, my first Macbook Pro I do love dearly. I'm now using my iphone(hate ATT though) and will likely get an iPad as I intend to develop some applications for it's larger screen.

I do run Win7 in a VM (Parellels) but I use it mainly for apps such as ADUC/Administration. I've had far less trouble Mod'ing my Mac, can run linux apps if need be and Windows.. Seems to me a perfect crossroads as a techncians tool where I can dip into all thats PC (Mac, Linux and Windows) as needed.

@Jordon
The debate as to what’s better, pashh.. it's a BS argument. A computer is a tool. Get what fits your needs. Your statements are just baseless hate mongering. /shrug

Come back when you’ve grown up and actually have something to contribute.

I swear Microsoft must pay some of these people to come and post this crap about Windows 7 having surpassed OS X.

Windows 7 is still susceptible to 70% of all known Windows malware.

Windows 7 still has a global registry that if corrupted will prevent the OS from booting- anyone who supports Windows knows that even with things like System Recovery (which wastes hundreds of MBs of disk space keeping months and months of registry backups- this was the case with XP, so I assume it is still in Vista & 7) there are still times when the registry goes belly up and can't be fixed without wiping the drive and starting from scratch.

Windows 7 still has a flawed security model in which the default account that is setup during install is simply presented a Yes/No dialog for privilege escalation- no password is required. This is seriously broken- favoring convenience over security. It means that if you let anyone use your account on your machine, and they are asked to install something or change a setting, they do not need your password in order to approve the action without your consent. How, in 2010, Microsoft can feel that this is an appropriate or secure default configuration is seriously baffling.

Windows 7 still does not come with anything near the level of functionality of OS X Mail (you have to get Outlook, which doesn't really compare), Address Book, iCal (I think Vista had an iCal clone and then MS killed it, I think there's a way for Windows 7 users to download it), iMovie (don't even try to compare Windows MovieMaker), iDVD, iPhoto,TextEdit, Network Utility, Disk Utility, Terminal, Dictionary, iWeb, Dashboard (the meta desktop is such a better way to do widgets), Expose (Windows 7's little previews from the taskbar are okay, but do not compare to the 'All Windows' & 'App Windows' feature of Expose- especially when configured for hot corners), Spotlight (again, Windows 7 search box in the Start menu is another, half-arsed, 'me too' attempt to copy the Mac, it cannot do math and doesn't define words).

Windows 7, as was Vista, is just the 'same old same old'- slightly gussied up to be a bit more Mac-like. Different lipstick on (mostly) the same old pig. This isn't to say that you can't get by with a Windows PC and that there aren't reasons for owning and using one. There are and if you exercise some wisdom and common sense you can even keep a Windows PC free from viruses and spyware. However, just because a Windows PC can be made bearable, does NOT mean that it approaches the level of elegance, sophistication, attention to detail, and superiority that the Mac OS has achieved.

There're a reasons that even after the dark years of the Mac that the fans have stuck with it and that millions more are now discovering it and switching. There're also reasons why the iPod and the iPhone have garnered as much interest as they have. For all of Apple's faults (and they do have them), they make excellent products. Whereas Microsoft's mantra seems to be 'good enough'. This is just as true of Windows 7 vs. OS X as it is of anything else that either of these companies make. To claim otherwise is simply trolling- and the trolls must either be seriously confused and/or not able to discern the difference between the products from these companies, or emotionally insecure that they have chosen Microsoft's mediocrity for themselves without actually investigating the alternatives, -OR- they must be on the payroll of the company that makes the craptacular products. I'm beginning to think that some of these trolls are on MS's payroll.

Kernel panics?

I own three macs (blackbook, imac, air). The blackbook is now a server--my own personal "cloud."

Anyway here's my point: I've had only one crash. It happened when an external disk on the blackbook mechanically failed during a Time Machine backup.

That's one crash in years, on three computers. After using Windows previously, that was a groundbreaking improvement for me.

Windows 7 may be good, or even very good. But to persuade me to switch back, it would have to be groundbreaking. Switching is expensive in time and money. I will avoid doing it again unless there's a clear advantage to me.

There's a challenge to Apple in this, though. If the gap between the two OS's is narrowing, it might be tougher for Mac to gain new switchers primarily on the strength of the OS.

@Jordan
I have 3 Macs and i work on them too. never see a kernel panic in years. I work on WIndows too and i always have many problems. OSX is much more stable, anyway you can have a machine or OS installation with problems. Maybe try a fresh installation, check what you are installing (es old codec, no so friendly hacks/app). Snow Leopard, assuming you are using update software is very fast, stable and usable. Windows 7 has really nothing we need imho, i just love exposè, dashboard and many other things since i switched... i will never look back again :-)

Ah yes, I too remember using those Apple's. I was in Ras Tanura, before moving to Dhahran in 1995, and they were IIGS's. "Graduated" 9th grade the next year.

Unfortunately those links broke when we moved to threaded comments, and a fix will have to wait until we can get the 'new age' comment system being piloted by Engadget.

Iv'e been on and NEVER gotten off the Apple train!

I hate the f*cking trolls! Go get a f*cking life!!