Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

No question. And the same universality makes Windows machines a target for viruses, worms, and pranksters of every variety.

Horses for courses...I exaggerate my irritation with Windows machines, but you can't get around their omnipresence. And I'm fortunate(?) that my company employs several full-time IT people to continually upgrade security and patch the holes in our Windows.

At my office it's about 60-40 MAC versus Windows, but that's just because I tend to find MACs more "intuitive". I'm self-taught on them, and it's my Old Man stubbornness that keeps me using them for primary computing.

My MAC at home, a hotrodded G3 about seven years old and worth about $75.00, is a real workhorse, runs OS 10.3.8, and has never frozen once since I bought it. My newer Pentium III (Pentium? Who comes up with these Fake Latin names?) has issues, issues, issues. I'm sure some of those issues are my own lack of patience with them.

I'd love to be able to work on the Mac more often...I'm using it now with Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. for graphic work...but most of my work is contract architectural/engineering stuff, for which Autocad on a PC is the 'industry standard'...all government jobs require it, for example. So...computer wise, I'm having to go 'Fender' instead of 'Rick' most of the time...'utility' vs. 'art'...

(Ouch...sorry, Mr. Hall...not a perfect analogy, I know)

This forum might be running on a Linux box.

Mac user here too! Both at home and at work.

I have the pleasure of typing this on a new dual 2.7 G5 running OS X 10.4.3... wish it was mine! (work computer! I'm a graphic artist)

John, don't forget that Mac OS X can run a variety of UNIX and Linux software... most of which is free!

This forum might be running on a Linux box.

Sure is...

Discus Pro 4.00.7
Copyright © 2002, DiscusWare, LLC, all rights reserved
Perl 5.008007/linux

Mac and IBM both got lied to and screwed by Bill Gates ...

Mac and IBM both got lied to and screwed by Bill Gates ...

Yeah, that's why IBM went to Apple with the PowerPC processor. Windows NT was derived from OS/2, VfW had stolen QuickTime code in it, and of course there's the infamous out of court patent infringement settlement where MS paid Apple $150 million...

Bill Gates ex girlfriend wrote a book about him, in which she stated that he uses a Mac at home.

That's damn funny!

IBM has been on a mission to even things up a bit. Their efforts to get Linux running on all IBM platforms has been amazing to say the least. Linux running natively on an S390 is still pretty unbelievable.

Windows user. For convenience. I grew up using Windows (with the exception of our really old DOS-based computer), and I will continue to use Windows until someone gives me a compelling reason not to. My laptop, with XP, never crashes, has never gotten a virus (though I think it's only a matter of time, because it's true that like 99% of viruses are made for Windows), is easy for me to use, and I can do everything I need to on it.

I disagree when people say OSX is a more intuitive system. It's different, not easier. Every school that I have been to has used primarily Macs (which they upgrade all the time), and despite using them at school all the time since 4th grade, I don't find them easier to use than my Windows PC. I love the layout of Windows, and some of the little, minor differences between it and OSX make a world of difference to me. If Apple was to make an operating system that looked and felt EXACTLY like Windows, but wasn't Windows, I'd switch. Until then, no.

Use what suits your needs. Everybody works differently and has different needs and expectations. No one set of tools will suit everyone. Gates would disagree but (non MS) OS and application choices are a good thing. I am a long time (over 11 years) Linux user at work and at home. For what I do, it works. Before that, I used OS/2.

I use my iMac flat panel loads every day for multiple tasks and I can say that in the close to 4 years that I have owned it... ZERO crashes. Zero viruses... and I get heavy use out of this little baby. PLus it looks sweet to boot (If it was a ric it would be deluxe).

My big reason for switching to my Mac (15" Powerbook G4 1.67) was the constant crashes and virus problems with our PC. I know about running virus software and performing standard maintenance but why should I have to bother with that? I found the switch very easy and there is nothing about Windows that I miss....there is also plenty of OSX that I can't see doing without. I can see why people need to use Windows (or want to) because of the sheer quantity of software available vs. what is available for the Mac....for my needs though it isn't an issue. I use Virtual PC for the two PC programs I "need"......one is a fill-in-the-blanks form program I use for work reports and the other lets me recalibrate the fuel injection on my H-D and runs diagnostics.

I use my laptop, an AVERATEC , Windows XP equipped unit weighing in at around 4-1/2 lbs.....I've had it for a little over a year....it's worked fine, up till NOW...it all of a sudden has gotten VERY slow....and shuts off in the middle of composing an e-mail....it takes a long time to move between functions....this has happened virtually overnight....I've just downloaded Avast virus protection, but I'm afraid it may be too late....

I only use this to post here, check e-bay, check my e-mail and scan the usual "bass for sale" sites....just like most of YOU guys. Never had a problem till the other day. I DID find out that my kid, just home from college, had been using it to play internet games....hmmmmmm.....

Ive got Avast Pro,spy sweeper,ad-aware SE and system mechanic 5 pro.

Everynight I run ad-aware and spy sweeper,I leave Avast running in the background,its the only program that starts up with Windows,I don't have any problems.

Chris, you have mail.

Last weekend I replaced my original HD on my 5 year old Dell 4100 (started clicking, making strange noises...), I ghosted over from the old HD to the new HD....sooooooooo many Windows programs had issues that I ended up re-installing about all of them.(Win XP) My conclusion is: If you're using Windows, you need to know how to do a complete format and you WILL at some point need to re-install everything. FWIW: I have a UNIX server at work and it NEVER goes down. Very stable.