Macs rule; PCs drool
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I have a confession to make: I've become hopelessly addicted to theTalkback comments that readers post each week at the end of my column.Each weekend after my latest piece goes up, I can't resist checking in afew times a day to see what ZDNet devotees have appended to it, and Ifind myself gauging the volume and heat of the messages amassed thereagainst the previous week's box score.
I don't think my fixation has much to do with ego gratification, sincewhat I've written generally seems to have very little to do with mostreaders' responses. While a few Talkbacks actually address the topic athand, most posters slip comfortably into the endlessly entertaininggroove of Mac-vs.-Windows platform advocacy, with a streak of Linuxlobbying thrown in for good measure. (Sometimes I think I could type"rutabaga" several hundred times, submit it for posting to the good folksat ZDNet, and let the platform debate go merrily on its way unimpeded byany further commentary by Yours Truly.)
However, since the heat of these battles sometimes prompts readers tosingle me out as either a shill for Apple or a traitor to the Mac cause,I thought this would be an apt time to step back and make sure I'vedefined my terms.
I'm a Mac partisan, to be sure; it's been my platform of choice for mostof my professional life, and I much prefer using Macs to any alternativeI've encountered so far. Moreover, I suppose ZDNN's decision to includeme in its commentary rotation represents a tacit acknowledgement of the platform'sright to exist (a right that seems open to debate in the minds of a fewreaders).
On the other hand, as a journalist, I try to limit my unquestioningloyalty to my wife, my kids and my mom; as far as I can tell, AppleComputer does not fall into any of those categories. Take it fromme: It's entirely possible to approve heartily of a product (e.g., theMac) without wholeheartedly endorsing its maker's policies toward itsusers, dealers, employees or development partners. (Given the number ofadministrations and course corrections Apple whipped through during the'90s, trying to stay in lock step with the company would have forced meinto hip-replacement surgery long ago.)
Finally, what does any of this have to do with Windows?Microsoft's GUI is the predominant desktop platform on the planet, andthat's probably not going to change any time soon. And although I applaudthe Mac's recent gains in market share, I peg the likelihood of the MacOS presenting a real threat to Windows' hegemony up there with DonaldTrump moving into the White House.
I firmly believe that the presence of alternative platforms is healthyfor the creativity of the PC industry as a whole, but I've got noexpectation that Windows enthusiasts will beat their PIIIs intoplowshares. Nor do I want them to; if Windows is the vehicle that getsyou where you want to go, more power to you.
(Special note for those of you who've read this far, and a bondingexercise for careful readers on both sides of the platform divide: Let'sdo an experiment to see just how many posters read the columnfirst before posting talkbacks. Include the word "rutabaga" in your Talkback response, and we'llknow you're in with the In Crowd. Sssssssh.)
That all being said, I figure I'd offer up a quick review of what I,personally, really like about Apple's recent Mac efforts.
I'm thrilled with the current crop of Mac hardware. Round micenotwithstanding, I love the look and the feel of the PowerBook G3, theiMac(s) and the Power Mac G4. When it comes to the G4, I'm invigorated bythe graphics-processing capabilities of the G4 chip, and I'm eager tocheck out what the rumored multiprocessor G4 systems will be able to do.
I also like the iBook on principle; it's not exactly my bag (punintended), but then I don't fall into the consumer-portable categoryApple has carved out. To each his own, I say.
I adore the Mac interface. For my money, it's still the most elegantembodiment of the human-interface principles hammered out all those yearsago at Xerox PARC. I'm excited by the advent of Mac OS X, which will putthat interface atop a rock-solid Unix core that supports suchlong-awaited OS features as symmetrical multiprocessing and protectedmemory. From everything I've seen and heard, the combination of Mac GUIand next-generation capabilities are well-advanced, and the pre-releasesoftware is surprisingly robust and bug-free.
I'm crazy about Apple's marketing efforts. While the shaky grammar of"Think Different" threw me a curve the first few times I heard it, thecompany's recent image overhaul is a true testimonial to iCEO Steve Jobs'undiminished marketing genius.
And while ethics prevents me from benefiting personally, I love Apple'sstock price, which blew past $115 this week.Looks like my job is done here. For those of you who followed along thisfar, keep that password in mind.
For the rest of you: Macs rule; PCs drool. Go nuts.Matthew Rothenberg is director of online content for Mac Publishing LLC,which publishes MacWEEK, MacCentral, Macworld and MacBuy.
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