“The highlight of opening night–OK, the only light–was the annual keynote presentation by Bill Gates and his team,” David Pogue writes for The New York Times. “The best part was a demonstration of Windows Vista, the next version of Windows, which Microsoft still says it will ship before the end of 2006. The audience in the standing-room-only auditorium was treated to a show of some features that hadn’t been previously demonstrated.”
Here’s an annotated blow-by-blow by Pogue:
• Transparent window edges. They’re cool, sure; but exactly how many times, in your work life, have you muttered, “Darn! If only I could see just the part of the background window that’s currently obscured by the 1/3-inch margin of the foreground window”?
• Widgets. It’s a lot like the Dashboard in Mac OS X (or the shareware Konfabulator that came before it), except that apparently, you can’t put the widgets anywhere on the screen you like.
• 3-D application switcher. It’s a lot like the Exposé feature in Mac OS X, except that you don’t get to see all of the windows simultaneously; you have to walk through them one at a time with the mouse or keyboard.
• Global, fast search. Vista can now find words in any of your files, quickly and easily, just like the Spotlight feature of Mac OS X.
• Photo organization. Vista’s couldn’t look more like Apple’s iPhoto program if you ran it through a copying machine.
“If I seem to be laying on the ‘stolen from Apple’ language a bit thick, you’re darned right. Ordinarily, I’m careful about making accusations like this, because I know I’ll get hammered by Apple bashers. But in this case, there’s not a shred of doubt: most of the features Microsoft demonstrated last night were pure, unadulterated ripoffs from Mac OS X. I could hear actual whispers of recognition from the audience around me,” Pogue writes. “Anyway, all of this will be nice to have, if it works and doesn’t require us all to buy new computers to run it. But I think that what most people want from the next Windows isn’t more stuff added, but rather stuff to be taken away–like crashes, lockups, viruses, error messages and security holes.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews reader “Whit” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Take: The fact — which is plainly obvious to anyone who’s used a Mac and Windows at any time in history (Classic Mac OS and now with Mac OS X) — is that Bill Gates and Microsoft are frauds, of course. And more and more people are finding it out with each passing day. People who only use Windows are as happy as pigs in you-know-what, which is a perfectly appropriate analogy; and, no, we’re not calling Windows-only sufferers outside of RealNetworks’ corner office “pigs,” we’re referring to the what-Windows-is portion of the analogy. Windows-only users will swoon for Vista, unless Apple finally decides to properly educate them first. Everyone else will continue to disdain Gates and Microsoft for being such rampant charlatans.
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Bill…have you no shame? No self-respect? Oh, that’s right, we knew you didn’t have these attributes way back when the Dead Sea was still only sick.
OH MY GOD, peoples eyes are finally opening……
MDN word Police
CAll the the police, a theif is in the house.
An addition to John’s post.
Windows VISTA
W hy
I ‘ll
N ever
D ileberatly
O wn
W indows
S ystems
V irus
I nfections
S pyware
T rojans
A dware
—————————————————————–
MAC OS X
M any
A pple
C omputers
O perating
S uccessfully
X traordinarily!
One of the PC’s here at the bank I work at is currently being hijacked by a virus and I can’t seem to figure it out. But, that’s another topic all together. But the person that uses that computer is obviously beyond frustration and is ready to throw it out into the street. I politely informed her that she should come upstairs and use my Mac if she wanted to get any serious work done because there were Zero viruses or spyware or any of that other crap on the MacOS. She had no idea and thought I was just pulling her leg. So, I had to reassure her that I was serious and she then proceeded to ask me a million questions about Macs. This is of course for her was after she had spent about 15 hours last weekend debugging her computer at home too! She may be a potential switcher.
And to top it off, her brother-in-law is a manager of an IT consulting firm in the town over from us, and he couldn’t figure out what was completely wrong with her computer at home.
Oh yeah. I believe it.
Many, many Windows people think that all there is is Windows, and it’s the best. Period.
And if Apple doesn’t get off it’s duff and advertise OS X, when Vista does come out, these Windows Weenies will think that Microsoft invented all these features and Apple copied them
Can’t say that I care for the NYT, but this writer is right on the money.
Glad to see Apple get some good press!
So say we all!
Hey, Mr. Pogue, I am not a crook, oh, that’s right, that’s what Nixon said, man, I can’t even come up with original fight back words…
Rip Off or Knock Off
Average Windoze users will still want
MORE of
Steve Jobs knew it when he introduced Tiger as a preview of LONGHORN VISTA…
It’s not just Windows. People used to think that Microsoft was all there is. I got some web developers at one of my clients to download and try Firefox. They were really pro-Microsoft, but did it to humour me. Now they can’t stop raving about it, and regularly slag Microsoft products off. Google, Apple and Mozilla are between them hammering away at all the spin M$ has pushed over the majority of computer users’ eyes.
Those cracks in Redmond are appearing on all sides. Their best developers are leaving, and their customers aren’t just searching alternatives, but finding them.
Sell MSFT. Microsoft will half in value if Vista doesn’t take off.
Microsoft has some great ads. Their product may not be the best but you can’t tell that from the ads. Apple, on the other hand, has great products but NO ads. What is the guy on the street going to do?
Ads work, so he’s going to buy MS. Pity.
MW-waiting–as in waiting for some Apple ads.
That’s the point MacDoctor… people don’t think Windows is ‘the best’, they just think everything else must be just as bad as Windows…
Time for Apple to advertise, quoting Pogue if necessary.. no crashes, no viruses, minimal maintenance, maximum usefulness.
Time for Windows and Mycrowsoft to be consigned to the dustbin of history.
Frauds they are indeed.
Pogue mentions Stacking as an example of something original from MS, but although I haven’t seen any images of it, wasn’t that something they dreamt up at Sun with their 3D-project for a new GUI to their OS? Project Looking Glass – you can read more about it here:
http://www.sun.com/software/looking_glass/
So, what they haven’t copied from Apple, they may have found elsewhere…
Did Bill wear a white t-shirt, black vest and a pair of jeans, too?
rstrb8r
Did the applications freeze up during the presentation? Was it attacked by a trojan before it ended? Sadly enough, you know most people will ooh and ahh over these ‘new’ features and not care where they came from…
Microsoft…when you care enough to steal the very best.
Patience my friends, you think Steve hasn’t got the next year planned, squillions to promote the mac, just buy the shares now, I feel a split will happen in February. The better mousetrap is only a few days away.
Thanks to Mr Pogue, we need a lot more honest words like his.
Get ready, it’s gonna be a great ride.
OS X had those YEARS ago and Apple removed them… because they sucked!
Here M$, you can have this feature!
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I’ll wait to see what MS actually ships before passing judgment.
Steve does keynotes on what Apple has today. Bill does keynotes on what MS hopes to have a year from now. BIG difference.
“Time for Windows and Mycrowsoft to be consigned to the dustbin of history.”
One great way to the dustbin is to promise the Holy Grail, then utterly fail to deliver. MS is consigning itself.
Enjoy Vista now, windows fans, ’cause that’s all you’re gonna get for a loooooooong time!
Pogue just pwned Gates.
“Steve does keynotes on what Apple has today. Bill does keynotes on what MS hopes to have a year from now. BIG difference.”
Except for the 2000 keynote, when he previewed OS X a year early!
Byte magazine said it best well over a decade ago, “If you want to see what a PC will be like a decade from now look at a Macintosh today.” (or something extremely close to that)
I don’t have the copy in front of me. Anyone have an exact copy of the quote?
MACDUDE……good one!!!
Bill Gates can go to hell
And they called them innovative?
Innovation by copying?
Through out the computers history, we can clearly see that there is alwasys the one who innovate, and the rest are just simply following.
Proud to say that, Apple is always innovate, and the rest is just copying.
MISCROSOFT, SIMPLY COPIED
The sad thing is that all those Windows users out there are going to believe that Microsoft actually invented these things… They won’t even know that Apple was there years ahead.
When was it that Apple had the banners that said “Redmond, Start Your Photocopiers.” ? Was it this time last year?
Shadowself …
over 10 years ago when they wrote
“To see tomorrow’s PC, look at today’s Macintosh”
http://www.byte.com/art/9510/sec6/art1.htm
Oh, Come On!
Steve (Apple) did say, at the previous WWDC:
“Redmond, Start Your Photocopiers!”
And you’re griping because Bill listened? It’s flattery. Who was the author who said, “Good artists borrow. Great artists steal!” By stealing, he meant to make the idea their own – i.e. build on it or use it in a unique way. From these reports, and using this quote as a guide, it seems that Bill & co. are borrowing from Apple, not stealing.
“OH MY GOD, peoples eyes are finally opening……”
Whose eyes are those? The author of the article? David Pogue? Only one of the most knowledgeable Mac columnists on the face of the Earth? Like he didn’t know already ?!?? If I wasn’t a dedicated Mac user, I’d accuse the NYT of extremely biased reporting by assigning him to write that column, he is too biased in favor of the Mac.
Taking any bets how long until the first Vista Virus is released?
hmm– good point. Gates is envisioning 2010, while Stevo is showing what Apple is ready to ship. I think Bill has gone this route because every time he tries to demo a shipping Windblows product it crashes. Just look back a year ago…
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/business/2005/jan/06/518090516.html
I’d actually like to watch Bill introduce these blatant OS X ripoffs and see how bad they suck, but, of course, Microsucks can’t get their stream up, so I can’t watch.
Has anyone been able to get the stream to work?
VISTA = Vastly Inferior System To Apple
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”LOL” style=”border:0;” />
¡Hasta la vista!
It amazes me that MacFanatics (MDN editors and certain readers) are such a**holes when talking about Windows and Windows-users. It’s common that posters and MDN editors resort to name-calling.
C’mon! What gives? What’s with the emotional baggage? Why be so bitter and hateful?
It amazes me that MacFanatics (MDN editors and certain readers) are such a**holes when talking about Windows and Windows-users. It’s common that posters and MDN editors resort to name-calling.
C’mon! What gives? What’s with the emotional baggage? Why be so bitter and hateful?
It amazes me that MacFanatics (MDN editors and certain readers) are such a**holes when talking about Windows and Windows-users. It’s common that posters and MDN editors resort to name-calling.
C’mon! What gives? What’s with the emotional baggage? Why be so bitter and hateful?
It amazes me that MacFanatics (MDN editors and certain readers) are such a**holes when talking about Windows and Windows-users. It’s common that posters and MDN editors resort to name-calling.
C’mon! What gives? What’s with the emotional baggage? Why be so bitter and hateful?
Sing with me, “Yesterday…”
mac and pc guy
Let me tell you my difference.
My wife bought a box computer running windows as my kids use windows at school and she thought that it would help with file and program transfers etc.
All my kids have come back to my old imac (my son still uses it for games) yet my wife is still happy to pay £60 a time for an expert to come to our house to de-bug this machine. Three times in 2005, £180 a year, I’ll say it again, £180 a year . . . for what exactly?
Mac 14years . . . call outs 0
Days 4
Apparently the best ideas do come from Apple.
My questions for Bill gates et al are:
1. How much RAM and disc space are needed to run Vista?
2. Is it compatible with Macs on the same network?
3. What security features does Vista use?
4. Is Vista backward compatible with Win 32 devices and software?
5. Does Vista search metadata similar to Spotlight?
6. Is Vista UNIX-based?
i love his bit about transparent windows…
Paul Thurrott will squak about the ‘cool’ factor of these annoying transparent windows, but i hate them.
Besides tricking Windows users into thinking this is a ‘new’ look and a ‘futuristic’ new OS.. it’s pure eye candy and actually makes the OS harder to use…
You will tire of it in 5 minutes..
Vista is smoke and mirrors. Some people will fall for it. The others that are actually thinking about it and studying whether or not to upgrade will ask the real question.
What about security? Will virus, spy ware and the various problems go away for another $150.00 bucks (or whatever it will cost)?
If not then the obvious answer is Apple and OS X. See ya Microsoft. Or should we say MACrosoft?
MW – Death. As in slow… for MS
Mac & PC Guy,
I think it’s because Mac users are often forced to use an inferior system (at work etc) not because of that systems merits, but because of monopolistic practices and marketing. Especially frustrating is that we are often confronted with ignorance by non-mac users about the Mac OS and Apple’s computers. This is for many reasons, and Apple is partly at fault, but it still remains an injustice or unfairness. People react to percieved unjustice or unfairness emotionally.
Also, it’s a matter of how SO much of our digital lives are either directly the result of, or copy of, the innovation / courage coming from Apple. Were Apple to not exist (something that may sound unlikely today but not too long ago seemed inevitable) then it would leave an affect on all of us who use computers. Microsfot time and time again, despite being the largest and most powerful technology company adds little to nothing to the field. If they disappeared tomorrow not only would innovation not be hurt, it might actually be helped!
The issues involved in the Apple vs Microsoft ‘debate’ are about much bigger then either of them. It’s about the idea of capitalism and the idea that the best overall product either should win in this system.
I’m not making excuses for the emotional reaction to these things, I am just explaining that it’s not as ridiculous as some make it seem that Apple has ‘religious zealots’ who can act ‘fanatical’.
You can put lipstick and earrings on a pig, but its still just pig.
Microsoft still has long way to go from pork to prime rib.
I suppose these “advances” will divert people’s attention from the fact that Vista is a shadow of what Microsoft promised Longhorn to be many years ago.
perhaps Apple has agreement with M$ not to publicise Mac OS X in return for them investing in apple during the crisis years? just a speculation…
“But in the Vista browser, you can also view all your tabbed Web pages as window miniatures, so that you can jump to one according to what it looks like (rather than just its name). A great idea.”
OmniWeb has had that for years. Great idea OmniGuys!
You can put a white shell on shit and call it a Mac. Mac Users think they have a great advantage because they have sexy hardware and fancy little skins.
WINDOWS IS !SUPERIOR! TO MAC IN EVERY WAY
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Awe, isn’t that ugly little pumpkin the cutest Troll you’ve ever seen.
Nice try, now stop pumping your kin and give Endearle the fellatio he demands from you!
MacDude – I think there’s already a Vista virus out there – they didn’t waste any time at all…
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Dear Pumpkin:
Could you be more specific how it is that Microsoft’s OS Vista is superior to Apple’s OS X?
Also, please compare similar Windows features with those of OS X and describe how Windows functionality is better than OS X.
C’mon! What gives? What’s with the emotional baggage? Why be so bitter and hateful?
Mac & PC Guy,
You gotta look at it from the other side. Microsoft carries such a huge chip on its shoulders that it’s arrogance waves this BIG sign pretty much saying that “anything not Windows is irrelevant”. Microsoft carries this weird attitude that everyone is a Windows user (and if you’re not; then you’re somehow weird), when in fact, there are millions upon millions of non-Windows users out there today computing happily along. But Microsoft seems to think that people surely can’t compute without Windows. That attitude alone makes me despise Microsoft.
When I left the Windows platform back in 1999, it was because I was fed up with Windows and all its nasties, so I switched. After stepping outside the MS bubble (even more powerful than RDF), then I saw what all the fuss was about in regards to Microsoft and how is abused the computer industry with its Windows monopoly (and still does). Before that, I was blind to it because I was your typical Windows user that didn’t pay much attention to the computing world beyond Windows. And from what history has shown; Microsoft is the same company it was ten years ago and I doubt it’s going to change anytime soon unless Microsoft loses about 40% of its marketshare in the desktop (hence Windows) computer market and people wake up the the idea of computer platform choice and then exercise that choice wisely instead of going by what their neighbor joe user has — it’s like the blind leading the blind!
perhaps Apple has agreement with M$ not to publicise Mac OS X in return for them investing in apple during the crisis years? just a speculation…
I certainly doubt that; Microsoft invested (Bill Gates’ own idea) about $150 million into Apple who had just purchased NeXT (the company Steve Jobs started after he left Apple) for about $420 million and had about $2 billion in the bank to blow. On top of that, Microsoft paid Apple an undisclosed amount in a settlement for IP related infringements, which dwarfed the amount they invested above. YES, Apple was bleeding red at the time, but they certainly weren’t broke by any means. I mean, Gateway has been bleeding red for about 4 years now and they’re still around.
“You can put a white shell on shit and call it a Mac. Mac Users think they have a great advantage because they have sexy hardware and fancy little skins. “
And thus you have the reason that windows dolts don’t actually try a Mac. They think the beauty is just skin deep. I laugh at them.
Let this guy continue to bite daily from the crap sandwich known as Windows.
CNET: With previous releases, the (OS) upgrades were mostly new computers sold with the latest version, correct?
Ballmer: Numerically, that will be the dominant factor this time, too.
CNET: Would you like to expound?
Ballmer: Sure. We anticipate that running Vista Professional version will require 20GB disc space and 8 MB of RAM, 12 MG for full functionality. We think most users will be willing to fork out the cash to upgrade. If you want the best, you better be ready to pay for it.
Gates: We compete extremely effectively by having reliability, innovation and the software that you want to use every day for hours a day. Of course, all computers will have NAND flash, otherwise booting from hard disc will take about 4 minutes.
CNET: You must be joking!
Gates: No, really. We have also transparent windows, Expose, I mean, Switcher, and other blinky things and stuff. Real cool stuff. I’m serious.
CNET: OK. Let’s move on. One of the things you are talking about at CES is music, and obviously you guys for a long time have said choice, big ecosystem will win out eventually. For the time being, Apple has got one family of players and one music store, but they seem to be cranking out stuff pretty fast, and consumers still seem to be going there. What do you think you guys and your partners have to do to change that?
Gates: Oh, we’ve got to get music in cars, music on phones, music throughout the house. In fact, we are going to sell the bPod, an implantable music box in your head wired to your nervous system. You are going to hear music 24 hours a day. It’ll drive you insane. Hey, Steve, show ‘em yours! And with our remote I can make Steve lipsync Britney Spears.
Steve: I used to think I had the answers to everything, mmm.
Why are we so hard on Windows users?
I have thought of this and the best answer I can come up with (besides listening to crap like Pumpkins) is that many of us were Windows users too.
I switched 2 years ago and was so glad I did, that I wanted to switch my friends and family. I just couldn’t stand the thought of them wasting their time, money and emotional energy any longer.
I too was once under the impression that Windows must be better or the majority of people would use a Mac. Later I reflected on how stupid the majority of people can be.
Like a cleaned-up junkie, or a sober alcoholic, we are very tough on those who refuse to change their ways and make their life better. We have been there and we have made all of the excuses. Now that we have seen the light, we have zero tolerance for those who refuse enlightenment and outright contempt for those who bask in (and brag about) their misguided ways.
More and more I am of the opinion that I am ready to stop my Mac Evangelism and just worry about my family and close friends. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t help them.
However, I am growing more comfortable with the idea of letting the Pumpkins of the world have Windows and enjoy their misery, because I am firmly convinced that some people just like life hard.
We all know people like that. They continually make bad choices and wonder why things don’t work out the way they hoped.
I am (thisclose) to saying screw it. I’ll have my Mac, my family and friends (who are already switching) will be ok and people like Pumpkins and Enderle can wallow in Windows.
Ignorance can be remedied, stupid is forever. If one is stupid enough to brag about their ignorance, it might prove difficult to help them.
And it might just make some of us lose our patience (seeming bitter and hateful).
~M
Very true Mozfan.
Many of us Mac supporters are former or even current Windows users (at work) who have sufficient knowledge about both systems to invite comparison and naturally, we want our friends and loved ones to have the best experience.
Much as I agree with these accusations of plagiarism, the fact remains that Vista is going to offer an experience very similar to Mac OS, running on identical hardware (now that Apple has switched to Intel). Given that Microsoft have focused the majority of their develop efforts in Vista on security, it is quite possible that MacOS may lose this advantage too. Then, underhand or not, what then is the overwhelming reason for Windows users to switch to Mac OS? Stability? No – Windows XP is already as stable as MacOS (if not more so). Price? No. Gaming? Definitely not.
There is no room for complacency here. Microsoft may well be about to claw back the small market share it’s lost over the past 18 months.
It all depends on whether Apple can leap ahead with Mac OS 10.5 to offer an experience so compelling that it is worth Windows Vista users making the leap. It may be tough.
Reality Check said: “Then, underhand or not, what then is the overwhelming reason for Windows users to switch to Mac OS?”
Erm, what about the option of running Windoze Vista & OS X on one machine (a Mac with Intel Inside).
So you can run Vista (if you really want to) then when it freaks out and you end up on the BSOD you can simply reboot into the glorious OS X Leopard 10.5 and be in digital nirvana. Pretty soon you’ll realise that Vista is consuming 35GB of drive space and you don’t need it, so wipe it off and put more music (from iTMS) on your Mac!
Finally watched the whole webcast from CES with MS… DULL !
And that geezer demonstrating HD-DVD and dell cabel stuff – Constantly calling HD-DVD “high-def HD-DVD” ??? High definition High Definition Digital Versatile Disk…. Reminds me of people talking about IT-technology .. = (
Jamie Kelly said:
>Erm, what about the option of running Windoze Vista & OS X on one machine (a Mac with Intel Inside).
Well, this has two problems:
a) You need to buy a Mac in the first place to do this. OS X won’t run on non-Apple hardware. If Vista is as similar to MacOS as some report, why would a current Windows user decide to pay a premium price for a Mac in order to dual-boot with an OS that offers perhaps marginal differences.
b) Windows Vista includes support for trusted computing. This would allow Microsoft to prevent Vista running on Intel Mac’s if they choose – just as Apple can use their implementation of trusted computing to prevent MacOS running on non Apple hardware.
As an aside, the BSOD under Windows XP is largely a thing of the past, except when you install non-accredited drivers or have faulty hardware. Vista will no doubt be the same. FWIW, I’ve had more spontaneous reboots with my iMac G5 than with my Windows XP machine. I’d say Apple, if anyone, are the company that need to focus on improved robustness. Although it is a close call for both systems. Basically a non-issue for both.
As some of the posts point out:- Windows users think that that is all there is or, as Mozfan writes, he used to think Windows must be the best as everybody uses it.
Or as Dr Pangloss, the philosopher in Candide (and Voltaire held him up as a figure of fun) is famous for saying:-
“All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.”
Reality Check wrote:
“You need to buy a Mac in the first place to do this. OS X won’t run on non-Apple hardware. If Vista is as similar to MacOS as some report, why would a current Windows user decide to pay a premium price for a Mac in order to dual-boot with an OS that offers perhaps marginal differences.”
Well you’ll need to buy a new PC to run Vista, looking at Micro$ofts MINIMUM specs it won’t run well on todays hardware. So, you can either buy a Dull and save $50 or buy an award winning Mac with the choice of OS X or Vista (not a choice in my book, but each to their own).
A no-brainer really, locked into M$ & Dull or a Mac running OS X & Vista.
You only have to read these forums to see that ‘Mac & PC Guy’ and ‘Reality Check’ simply do not understand what is going on.
For their benefit I would like to explain – simply. Windows users are in the environment where they have never tried anything else, they believe it’s all just ‘like that’ and that’s what they must live with. Because the majority use it, a view enhanced by Mycrowsoft and people like you dismissing any alternative, they think they have no real choice.
What you now need to take on board is the momentum which is beginning to build, stated here often enough, of people who are saying ‘why didn’t I leave Windows behind earlier?’. The Mac is a whole new world waiting to be enjoyed by EVERY Windows user, but they just need to be shown, and to be shown they need to be taken out of the environment where people like you, INCORRECTLY, talk them out of it by dismissing the Mac. You are in the majority out there and you will do everything you can to stop it happening. As you will have determined for yourselves, it’s too late, the GENIE is already out of the bottle, Macs are in the ascendence, and Vista is going to be a poor, probably still insecure, troublesome and mega-demanding BEAST of an operating system. All the same problems, plus eye-candy.
I suggest your attempts to devalue Mac in favour Windows, has failed, will continue to fail, and there is simply nothing you can do about it.
So stick that in your pipe and smoke it. Emotional rants reign.
Anyone else not believe this “Reality Check” statement:
“I’ve had more spontaneous reboots with my iMac G5 than with my Windows XP machine”
I have been running OSX since 5 months of its launch in 2001 (Powerbooks, iMac G4 or G5, iBook etc) and I have had to reboot unwillingly less than a dozen times, and I can’t remember the last time it happened, certainly NEVER in 2005…
Re: Browser Thumbnailed Windows….
Can’t you just open up Safari pages in different windows (the old non-tabbed way) and simply use Exposé to get a similar function?
Besides, if you are using tabs in Safari, is it too difficult click on a tab or….
“⌘ + Shift + ]” = view next tab on right
“⌘ + Shift + [” = view next tab on left
…to quickly view your numerous browser windows?
Microsoft’s use of Exposé in a browser is a nice idea, but making it available for the whole OS on the computer, across any or all applications, is a much more brilliant idea. Thanks, Apple!
Just to mince words, I think they are adulterated ripoffs.
Re: “lipstick and earrings on a pig”
Yeah, I lived through that. Until I wised up and got a divorce.
Much as I agree with these accusations of plagiarism, the fact remains that Vista is going to offer an experience very similar to Mac OS, running on identical hardware (now that Apple has switched to Intel). Given that Microsoft have focused the majority of their develop efforts in Vista on security, it is quite possible that MacOS may lose this advantage too. Then, underhand or not, what then is the overwhelming reason for Windows users to switch to Mac OS? Stability? No – Windows XP is already as stable as MacOS (if not more so). Price? No. Gaming? Definitely not.
Apple has actually been doing this eye candy thing for nearly 6 years now, so the identical hardware comment (comparing Vista to Tiger) is laughable at best! Four points that Mac does well that Windows doesn’t is;
1- ease of use
2- ease of maintenance
3- reliability
4- security
Windows could delivers on the same points, but since security seems to be the biggest problem, it puts a question mark on the other three points. I mean, if security is in question; then reliability is in question; if reliability is in question; then ease of maintenance is in question; which really puts a damper on ease of use.
Gaming?… I personally don’t like gaming on the desktop versus the console and I think the market shares that same attitude. PC gaming is becoming more a nostalgia these days. Look at what the Xbox 360, (and coming soon) PS3 and the Nintendo Revolution are bringing to gaming. Why would I spend thousands of dollars to upgrade my machine just to play a few games (I won’t be able to afford because all my money went to hardware) like Doom 3 and Quake 4 while keeping up with the Jones’?!
Windows XP will never be as stable as Mac OS X Tiger. You can’t even configure your network settings from a dynamic to a static IP address without XP going into freeze mode forcing a reboot (which happens most of the time from my experience). The only thing going for Windows is the amount of applications available, and then that’s even eclipsed by the amount of malware available, so why even brag on that front?!! If you look in Tiger Direct’s catalog, the most software they advertise, is for dealing with viruses, spyware and adware. And every time you call Tiger Direct to place an order, they always offer to sell you that unnecessary junk with whatever you’re ordering. Windows is definitely not an experience I want to repeat again for own computing needs!
For Reality Check and others of that view…
I can not for the life of me figure out why you would be re-booting your Mac.
My wife uses our Mac for heavy-duty graphics and news layouts. I really just surf and do mail (and spend some time with AoE II and X-Plane). Our uptime is the amount of time between updates (at least the ones that require re-starts) or lightning storms (fairly common around Houston).
I use a brand new Dell with XP at work and the thing hangs often. We had been on NT and we thought it sucked, but the new computers with XP are even worse (with new Dells and twice the RAM).
I took my flash drive to work to use some documents I had worked on at home and I had to call MIS to get the computer to recognize it. They had to reassign drive letters (including (now) Z since all of the others are taken up with network drives and the flash could only occupy E:drive, or something like that).
I asked the guy on the phone why I couldn’t just insert the drive and have it come up on my desktop with the name I gave it? He said, “because windows is inferior!” His word and emphasis, not mine.
I have found that many IT guys at my company spend all day trying (sometimes in vain) to make Windows work right, only to go home to a Mac. I knew they were smart.
In fact, my coworkers sometimes give me a hard time about my evangelizing, but when I call MIS for something 7 out of 10 times I’m preaching to the choir and they already agree that Macs are superior (and it is their computer of choice).
Anyone who has inserted the same flash drive into a Mac and PC will be able to tell you all you need to know about the difference between a PC and a real computer.
You cannot underestimate the effect of emotional investment in the Windows using community. It goes like this…
We suffer, we lose, we endure, we put up with so much horrible crap that it must be worth it.
Break the cycle of abuse, get a Mac.
~M
MW: window (what are the odds?)
>DCchesterUK, Wintermute, & Macaday:
Fellas… I happen to agree prefer using Apple and Macs just as you. BUT, I can’t understand why fellow Mac users (a large minority at least) are so negative in their chatter.
For saying I happen to like XP – even though I spend 95% of my computing time on Macs – I was called a imbecile. Since in my post I stated that I view computers as tools, a wanna-be comedian chimed in and said I was the tool.
I’ve been on this board for a while now, and I’ve noticed the general trend is to bash anything an anyone who isn’t completely devoted to Apple.
I’m sure the common defense would be… “well whaddya expect? you’re on a mac board”. But is that really enough justification to be an as-h-le?
Your thoughts on that?
>DCchesterUK, Wintermute, & Macaday:
Fellas… I happen to agree prefer using Apple and Macs just as you. BUT, I can’t understand why fellow Mac users (a large minority at least) are so negative in their chatter.
For saying I happen to like XP – even though I spend 95% of my computing time on Macs – I was called a imbecile. Since in my post I stated that I view computers as tools, a wanna-be comedian chimed in and said I was the tool.
I’ve been on this board for a while now, and I’ve noticed the general trend is to bash anything an anyone who isn’t completely devoted to Apple.
I’m sure the common defense would be… “well whaddya expect? you’re on a mac board”. But is that really enough justification to be an as-h-le?
Your thoughts on that?
>DCchesterUK, Wintermute, & Macaday:
Fellas… I happen to agree prefer using Apple and Macs just as you. BUT, I can’t understand why fellow Mac users (a large minority at least) are so negative in their chatter.
For saying I happen to like XP – even though I spend 95% of my computing time on Macs – I was called a imbecile. Since in my post I stated that I view computers as tools, a wanna-be comedian chimed in and said I was the tool.
I’ve been on this board for a while now, and I’ve noticed the general trend is to bash anything an anyone who isn’t completely devoted to Apple.
I’m sure the common defense would be… “well whaddya expect? you’re on a mac board”. But is that really enough justification to be an as-h-le?
Your thoughts on that?
>DCchesterUK, Wintermute, & Macaday:
Fellas… I happen to agree prefer using Apple and Macs just as you. BUT, I can’t understand why fellow Mac users (a large minority at least) are so negative in their chatter.
For saying I happen to like XP – even though I spend 95% of my computing time on Macs – I was called a imbecile. Since in my post I stated that I view computers as tools, a wanna-be comedian chimed in and said I was the tool.
I’ve been on this board for a while now, and I’ve noticed the general trend is to bash anything an anyone who isn’t completely devoted to Apple.
I’m sure the common defense would be… “well whaddya expect? you’re on a mac board”. But is that really enough justification to be an as-h-le?
Your thoughts on that?
mac & pc guy –
i kinda get what you’re saying. mac is my choice by far, and honestly i don’t really care for windows xp anymore after it became all bugged down with spy/adware and viruses, but it does have a few merits, UI speed being one of them.
what happens is that the normal, average computer users NEVER get involved in these conversations. you get only the elitists from both sides. the PC elitists chime in saying “macs are the suxx0rz, u can’t sc0r ne fragz 0n th3m” (basically, macs have fewer games and the hardware generally isn’t as fast for gaming or as customizable) and the mac elitists (admit it, some of you guys ARE elitists) say “you $wine with your window$ boxe$ de$erve what you get when you u$e an M$ box” (windows, by design, is insecure and difficult, if not just annoying, to keep clean of various problems). elitists from both sides will be bashing one another until the end of time. mean names will be flung. flames and trolls will follow.
and, in the mac’s defense, while it doesn’t have as many games, it does have or will get the IMPORTANT games (doom 3, the sims, quake 4, UT2004, etc)
i don’t do any windows bashing when i talk to people about macs, i just give them the facts – windows computers are somewhat of a pain to upkeep if they’re on the internet, but if it’s going to be solely a gaming machine then it’s a better choice. for everything else, there’s a mac, and 99 out of 100 times the mac does whatever windows does better. =)
O.K. Mac & PC Guy. You’re not a tool. It was a cheap, easy dig. My apologies. But since you called me a wanna-be comedian – Hey! I’m offended! (kidding, kidding, kidding) I think Windows is great for testing new viruses! (again, kidding)
(P.S. But if you wanted to be a tool, which brand? There’s some more brand loyalty for you.)
You might want to check out this remix of Gate’s demonstration of Vista from his CES Keynote. Pretty funny!
I just met with a guy today to discuss some marketing and promotional ideas for some things. He’s not really a computer geek, just uses it as a tool, and of course had a Windows laptop. He was asking me questions about my PowerBook and was amazed, and I mean AMAZED, when I told him there were no viruses for Mac OS X. He asked about spyware. Nah. Then said well I hear the Apple’s are so expensive so I talked to him about that. By the end of our meeting, he was seriously considering a Mac when he upgrades.
More and more people are learning the truth.