MacDailyNews - Where Mac news comes first

Yep, he should have gotten a Superdrive to burn movies.

He has iLife, but he's not a musician so Garageband hasn't been good for him.

Provide the guy with helpful information please, he's interested.

Welcome to the fold.

Welcome aboard Andrew. I've been using computers since DOS and Mac 128s, and would say that since the middle 80's have logged as many hours on non-Mac as on Mac. Needless to say that, when its my responsibility to purchase computers, at home or at work, I always recommend Macs (while letting hard core Windows users stick with that if they choose to), and so far, (knock on wood), have always gotten my way. Fewer viruses, way less crashing, more autonomous use of desktop computers, and in general, increased overall productivity, have always been the outcome, without a single exception.

I always appreciate a good abjective look and Win vs. Mac, and would be very curious to see a followup of your experience in coming weeks or months.

Cheers

Try VectorWorks for CAD

"This is a great example of the real hurdles Windows to Mac switchers face; it's like a baseball bat of common sense repeatedly whacking you in the face" (Quoting MDN, at top of page).

Love it, MDN...Lovvvvve iiiiit!!

The guy actually found some of the non-surfacey stuff in OS X--he dug in a little bit! Good for him.

No need to make fun of him--a bad habit MDN has. Sometimes MDN seems like the last training ground for Mac zealots who turn everyone off of Macs.

MDN aren't making fun of him. Learn how to read, interpret, and comprehend. Clearly, MDN are making fun of Microsoft and Windows, not Andrew Youll.

I have been a Mac user since 1984, but have to use some Windows machines at work. Despite its many disadvantages, Windows does have one feature that I wish were on my Mac: the ability to resize windows from any edge. Some programs (usually Microsoft Excel and Office) open windows that leave the Mac resize handle off the screen (usually because of some errant tool bar that forced the window into the wrong place). On a Mac, fixing that requires zooming or nudging the whole window. It would be so much easier to resize the window from the top, then drag the new, smaller window up.

Is there a Shareware fix for this in OS X?

The MDN take here is way over the top. He wrote about switching, give him a break. I wouldn't want to do anything that was like getting hit in the face with a baseball bat. Also, the system info is in "right-click-my computer-properties" not in the windows control panel. Get your shit straight and stop being so nasty. Take your pamprin and smile once in a while.
I'm a Windows admin by day, mac user the rest of the time. I'll proudly bask in any flames that come my way!
Oh yeah, and screw the MDN word....hahhahaha!!

abqmac -- Resize windows from more than the bottom right?

A quick search on VersionTracker.com shows this:
http://homepage.mac.com/tconkling/windowdragon/

Haven't tried it myself yet, but people seem to like it:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/25134

"I would have liked it to pick address automatically of people that you email"

It does.

"there's no single multimedia application like WMP10 in Mac OS X."

There is. If you don't like audio files playing in iTunes, they will play in QT Player.

"I personally would have prefered a start menu approach"

Put the apps folder in the Dock and click-and-hold or R-click it.

Good read tho and he even mentions Intel.

but I know why people say MDN makes fun of windows switchers. The whole tone is there. They are making fun of windows mostly, but it comes off insulting to the switcher also. Praising and insulting both when just praising would have been fine.

Which is fine, we all know he was an idiot not to be born using windows, and everyone who still uses windows is an idiot. But saying that doesnt impress anyone.

I started using Macs after using Windows 3.1 and other than the odd game, I've never regretted the move. The article was quite relevant as I recently switched my sister from Windows 98 to Tiger installed on an eMac.

For the first couple of months I was getting "technical assistance" calls every few days and as time went on the calls for help eventually stopped. And she hasn't had one life threatening crash. Then again she is using OSX…need I say more.

One piece of advice is that for anyone switching going from Office's Word can be quite a daunting exercise. If dollars are a problem I can recommend NeoOfficeJ (a Java based app) which is quite a good alternative. I installed it on my sister's computer and she's as happy as Larry.

I've tried it as an alternative to providing dollars to Redmond and although it still has a semi-windows' interface, it is quite a good package. The next version promises to be more mac-centric. Just a thought anyway.

You know, sometimes I wonder if MDN's take is provided to just stir up a bee's nest of nasty comments and get everyone to start slugging it out. Kind of like what you did your little sister when you were young - you know?

There is so much of interest to comment on, yet most of the commentary here is just name calling. So little actual discussion or actual exploration of issues. Anyone who doesn't repond in a black or white manner gets hammered for holding an opinion that doesn't confirm complete membership in the Cult of Mac.

The format of the site is great. But if the purpose of the "take" is to just stir up the bees, then that's pretty sad.

Mr. Peabody, could you tell us about the viruses you've had?

You wrote, "have always gotten my way. Fewer viruses, way less crashing,"

The articles are usually interesting up until you get to the part that goes "MacDailyNews Take". It's usually extremely biased garbage after that.



Just trying to "stir up a bee's nest of nasty comments" because the truth hurts.

The problem with articles such as this is that the neo Mac user makes declarative statements about the Mac not doing this or that, when it really does and writer just hasn't yet discovered how. No multimedia player like WMP? Anyone with more than a day's experience should know about QT. Even though he is generally positive about his experience there is a lot of damaging disinformation included in the article which could turn off other potential switchers.

"Windows to Mac switch like repeatedly getting whacked in the face with baseball bat of common sense"

This time even the title was invented by MDN.

I believe if the majority of MDN visitors voice a need for less abrasive "takes" and an emphasis on objectivity, MDN might listen. However, the problem is that the majority of comments on this site are just as biased, brazen, and even more abusive of Windows users than MDN’s takes ever were. Being a zealot is by default a turn off for others. You cannot expect someone to experiment with different perspectives if you can’t accept their right to their own.

I’m just glad some of you are critical of MDN’s approach.

I started out with Commodore in the early '80's and built my first PC clone in 1988. Even then I was looking for alternatives to MS and jumped straight to DR-DOS when my brother told me about it. And even though I've only seen four or five viri in all that time, when my wife started doing on line banking a few years ago I would just cringe, certain we would fall victim to ID theft or have our bank info stolen.

I got my iMac G5 in February this year. I feel much safer on the internet with OS X, and have found it to be much more flexable and intuitive than any other OS I've tried. At this point my Winbox is just another game machine in the back room with the Nintendo and Playstation.

But this is just preaching to the choir. Jobs needs to get off his butt and start doing some real advertising.

MDN doesnt need to be "more sensitive" or "less abrasive" its THEIR WEB SITE. they can say or not say what they like. Those of us who live in the world of sarcasm understand them and their frustration with the un-simple expectations of the Windows horde which has a bad habit of making OS X look like the hard to use OS.

Tigrr, great idea with the Apps folder in the dock, hadnt thought of that.

MDN, I love the take, one of your best yet, but not for the article title.

my 2¢

"This time even the title was invented by MDN. "

Yes, it's sad that the headline is now highlighting the MDN take, rather than the supposed subject of the story.

gman: About "Windragon". The site says "YOU MUST LOG OUT OR RESTART YOUR COMPUTER AFTER HAVING INSTALLED WINDOWDRAGON". Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!

Buffy,

You are most correct - it is MDN's website. They can do what they please.

But consider this - unless you are a complete zealot, would you bother clicking through to anything advertised on this site to earn MDN revenue if you were tired of the "take" and general attitude?

I wonder how this site would survive if the comments required registration? Or how the tone of comments would change if they weren't so anonymous?

About the Windows horde's "bad habit of making OS X look like the hard to use OS" - one can say the same about OS X users having to use Windows, Linux, Solaris or any other user comfortable using one OS and moving on to another. It can be hard because one needs to unlearn the habits from the previous OS to use the new one effectively.

Apple is in the business of attracting Windows users (primarily) to its platform. If a Windows user find something difficult to use, it is because it is - to them from their perspective. Apple needs to address those kinds of concerns if it wants more people to transition over gracefully.

Then again, it doesn't. Just like MDN doesn't have to change it's tone, either.

Some people can't handle reading unvarnished truth. God forbid it's written in headline form.

MDN MW: "world" (The "world" picked the wrong computer platform.)

gman and LordRobin: Windowdragon also requires installation of another program "Application Enhancer" which has mixed reviews and reportedly causes system crashes for some users. I would prefer to have an Apple solution to this rather than a "haxie".

Tigrrr, You are probably the dumbest Machead ive ever seen post here. Get you head out of your butt.

Oh yeah, and someone give the "Pyschologist" a ninety year old dick to suck on.

Contrary to popular belief, UNIX is the worlds number one platform.

Moron.

To Mac and PC guy-


"The articles are usually interesting up until you get to the part that goes "MacDailyNews Take". It's usually extremely biased garbage after that.


Just trying to "stir up a bee's nest of nasty comments" because the truth hurts."

Well, you are pretty good at stating the obvious. This site is call "MacDailyNews", not "Unbiased Representation of Completely Different Companies and their products". Of course their will be bias.
However, it is not garbage. I think the biggest reason you attacked MDN is because, as you put it, the truth hurts.

window dragon is awesome. thanks!

RE; windowdragon

LordRobin:
Requiring a restart is not a strong sign of "DANGER." The experience of users and reputation of the application and it's developer(s) are much more important. I find VersionTracker.com very useful for determining the reputation of applications and developers.

abqmac:
Yes, it uses the Application Enhancer, which a few people seem to make a lot of negative noise about. I've used APE for years and I've never seen a problem caused by it. I've had a lot of support people try to blame AE for problems in their apps, but none of them were fixed by removing AE and most of them later went away with a bug fix from the blamers with no change to AE. I think techs like to blame AE because they can point to it and you go away when you don't really understand crash reports.

I too, would rather have this in the OS and not use a haxie. But it's a question of weighing risks against benefits and taking appropriate precautions. For myself, I see the risk as low and the payoff as high, so I'm going to give it a try. But I am going to do it after my next full system backup (this weekend).

g3m4nn
On this (work) "Windows 2000 Professional" box, the system info is indeed in "right-click-my computer-properties" , but it's also under Start->Settings->Control Panel->System. What version of Windows are *you* using, that doesn't have Control Panel->System?

Here's the thing Fuzzy, I'm not defending Windoze, but they make things available in more places than one. They always have. That's probably one of their problems. Trying to be everything to everyone. Along with satisfying compatibility crap for people who are too cheap to upgrade their ten year old software. They're trying to please too may folks. I've just spent the last 2 hours learning about cocoa programming, so get of my nutz. I'm not defending Windows, but I really doubt the MDN guys looked to see if their facts were straight...completely. That was my point. I just came off the cuff, without any research.

Let me give you a little proverb that will help you understand why Windows is dominant in the marketplace. "As long as Windows is the dominant operating system, I will always have a job." Get it? I tell people that all the time. There are several cottage industries that popped up over time. Spyware removal and virus removal. these industries have generated millions or billions of dollars. I think that Microsoft is loathe to disrupt all the big players in these markets due to the amounts of cash they earn per year. I'm sure those companies put pressure on them and they might not be able to dominate the market without them, while they hold Apple Computer and the other *nix's down.
I'm just a little peon hoping things will change bro'. I also hope that MDN will stop being so cranky in their "MDN take" on stories they report. I dig the site and the fact that MDN takes the whole internet worth of stuff each day and funnels it down to one feed. I really dig that. Keep up the good work of gathering up the stories MDN, just try to make your "take" more favorable to the folks speaking positive accolades to the Mac platform.

I expected more flames....My hair isn't even gone yet.
Oh yeah, and scroo the MDN word!!! =)

MDN:
As stated many, many times throughout the comments section, stop making someone elses story "your" story by copping your own headline.

Zealotry is fine, but keep it in the "take" will ya? This has been happening more and more lately, and I don't appreciate it. People should be encouraged to switch, and when they do they should not be lambasted but welcomed.

I come here for the inciteful articles you find, and appreciate your take many times, but this is getting out of hand.

Cut it out.

Please try to keep the vitriol to a minimum...and certainly stop making the titles you own. It can't be said enough, that in this new day and age where more and more switchers are on their way, "we" need to welcome them, not make them uncomfortable, or worse.
Thanks for the site, please keep yourself under control.