Image via Wikipedia

I think I just figured out this afternoon why I am not warming up to the Macbook Pro that has been issued to me by my school district and keep using my HP Tablet with Win7 for almost everything.  It isn’t just because I have been a long-time Windows user who hadn’t used a Mac before October.

The differences between Win7 and Mac are actually much smaller at this point and time than they ever have been, so if I can use one, I can use the other and do to a certain point.  No it is much deeper than that.  I think what is holding me back from accepting the Mac is something that I said in my first sentence “that has been issued to me”. 

The Mac is not mine…it is a MLTI machine and I can’t do the tweaks, put the software on that I want or set it up the way that I want to.  It belongs to the school/State and they control everything about it.

The other thing is I know that anything that I put on the Mac, has to be backed up somewhere, because I have to turn it in after the school year is over and then be re-issued another one next school year and have to start the whole process over again.  So why on earth would I want to invest all that time and effort into personalizing this Mac to fit my needs, when in 7 months I turn it in and it gets re-imaged.  For some this might be an ideal situation, but for me it doesn’t work very well.

I can’t put Parallels or other similar software on that will allow me to run M/S Office on my issued Mac – Word is the one piece of software that isn’t duplicated on the Mac Don’t say use Pages, NeoOffice or Open Office they are not the same, I have used them and I do not like them.  I do like Office’s Ribbon interface and prefer to use it whenever possible – enough that I purchased Nitro PDF because it has a ribbon interface. 

If I wasn’t a Special Education Teacher I could take a lot closer look at Google Docs now that it has offline synching.  I am finding that for my classroom work I create in Word and upload everything to Docs, so that I can access it cross-platform from any computer.

The answer would be to go out and buy a Mac.  I had thought about it seriously, but financially that is not a consideration at this time.  That way I would have most of the same software my students have to use and be able to help them with it better than I can now. 

If I owned the Mac I would also be able to “personalize” it to my preferences and needs.  As it stands right now, my issued Mac is a backup to my Windows PC – in case something happens, like I forget my power cord or leave my PC at home. 

It is too bad really, because as I see my students use it and begin to use it more myself, I see a great deal of potential for having one.  However, unless I hit the lottery or come into some unexpected cash from something (or find a really cheap deal or a trade on a used one), I guess I will “suffer” with my HP tablet, which isn’t really suffering at all.  I have it setup pretty much the way I want it – finally.  I guess I would also have to get rid of the HP because otherwise I would just keep going back to it.

Anyone out there want to trade 13 inch Mac book for a 12.1 HP tablet?   I would have to really think about it though, still don’t know if I would pull the trigger, but it is something to think about.

So it isn’t about Mac vs PC.  It is really more about the fact that I haven’t given the Mac a good opportunity to show what it is capable of is, because it isn’t mine to personalize.

Now if some of you Mac experts or MLTI gurus out there can steer me in a different direction. Please give me that info so I can delve deeper into my issued Mac.

Who knows maybe someday, we will see?

We issued a new Hunch report today about the differences in personality + aesthetic & media choices among self-described “Mac People” and “PC People”.  The executive summary:

• Mac People are more likely to see the existing world in a light of “sameness” and thus express a need to be perceived as different and unique.  This is consistently reflected in their aesthetic choices such as bold colors, “retro” designs, one-of-a-kind clothing and highly stylized art.
• PC People are more likely to see the world as “different enough already” and appreciate “being in tune with those around them.”  This is reflected in their more subtle, “mainstream modern” (neither retro nor extremely contemporary) design choices and their practical choices in clothing, footwear, and cars that favor getting the job done rather than making an overt design statement.
• Media choices and preferences vary greatly between the two groups, with Mac People trending toward more independent films, specialized comedians and design-centric magazines, and PC People trending toward more mainstream alternatives as well as sports.
• From a personality perspective, Mac People are more likely to describe themselves as “verbal”, “conceptual”, and “risk takers”, with PC People countering that they are “numbers oriented”, “factual” and “steady, hard workers”.

There are a lot of fun details and images in the full 13 page report, which is also available in a downloadable pdf version.  And once again, we had an illustrator distill all this down to make the following 2 pictures roughly worth the report’s 3,000 words.

PC users are down-to-earth team players who enjoy sports, practical design, and mainstream media

Mac users trend towards retro design, bold colors, an appreciation for objects which express their individual identity, and "media with a message"

See the full report here.

The Mac Fix-All

A couple things have happened recently which has made updating my blog increasingly difficult. Behold, the saga of Acacia’s Technological Meltdown.
First, my beloved computer, which I’ve had for over two and a half years, with over 22,000 photographs on its hard disk – died a sudden death in the form of a shattered screen. Yes, I will be able to eventually recover my files, but until Christmas break, I am still a full-time college student without a working laptop. By “working” I do not suggest that I have no computer at all, however: the immense generosity of Adrienne Blaine has bestowed me with a brand new Dell somethingrather, a gigantic beast of a machine functioning in the nostalgic ways of Windows XP. Not only does it weigh what feels like 20 pounds, it refuses to connect to the internet – anywhere- and freezes up in fits of hysteria if I so much as attempt to compose a word document. Oh, Windows. How you nauseate me in your startling incompetence.
This said, I find myself entirely dependent upon the computers in the school computer lab (also ancient Windows machines that can’t accomplish anything with an ounce of efficiency), which is a 20-minute uphill walk from my apartment. The school, for that matter, holds the computer lab open at irregular and inconvenient hours, and when it is open, fails to use any form of ventilation. The school computer lab is therefore reduced to a stuffy, windowless box reeking of sweat and overheated, outdated technology. How I am expected to produce anything worth reading in that environment, I’ll never know.
I am lost at what course of action to take. Should I revive my weary MacBook with an expensive repair, and thus reunite with Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and iStopMotion, even though the lifespan of my computer is potentially rather short thereafter, or should I part with my beloved software in favor of a new laptop that will probably last a lot longer? I’m torn. I feel slightly incomplete without my entire iPhoto library a click away.

Ok guys I’m still trying to get to know my readers so I want all of you guys to comment what kind of funny pictures you like or what videos tickle your funny bone. I want to hear what you guys have to say so speak up and let me know with a comment. So without more talking here are some random pictures:

 

I love Apple, and all of their programs. I also like some Microsoft programs with some consent. Let’s compare:

Apple Keynote – Mac Only – $99 (iWork ‘09)

Microsoft Powerpoint – Mac and PC – $349+ (Microsoft office)

Keynote Points:

•Some great transitions
•Macintosh native 64 bit application
•Compatible with Apple universal remote + iPhone remote app compatibility.
•Template chooser
•Comleately interactive templates with options to create your own template
•Export as QuickTime, PowerPoint, or .jpegs

Microsoft Powerpoint

•Compatible on more computers

•Crashes a lot on slower computers, especially when graphically intense.

•Transitions aren’t very cool, they are more professional and business like.

•Menus can be harder to navigate

This is not an appeal re. Apple’s Mac – although I admit that I am an unabashed Apple man.  It is a simple observation about our lives.  We are overwhelmed with too much stuff.

Anne's taking her stuff back to move it to a Mac

You’ve seen the new Mac commercials.  In one, a woman has her box of stuff, and she is taking the launch of the new Windows version as her opportunity to switch to Mac.  So – she is making the switch, and moving all of her stuff to Mac.

It’s the stuff that grabbed me.  My life is filled with stuff.  There’s stuff in the trunk of my car.  There’s stuff all over my office.  There’s stuff in my closet.  And in my bedroom.  And in my storage space.  And even more stuff in my garage.  Some of this stuff I have not looked at in years.  Some of this stuff I definitely do not need.  And sometimes, there is stuff I do need – but I can’t find it.

At the Take Your Brain to Lunch gathering this week, the second book I presented was David Allen’s Getting Things Done.  I know that I mention his GTD approach frequently on this blog.  (Check out this post:  The Getting Things Done President, and the need to just sit and think…).  And with good reason — this is one of my great challenges.  I have spent a lifetime battling the attack of the killer stuff.  Allen has created quite a following because he points to genuine solutions to the time management/life management challenges of our era.

We don’t get enough done.  We don’t get enough done because we don’t remember, we don’t retrieve our notes to ourselves in a timely manner, we try to remember too much, and we simply let too much fall though the cracks.  His premise is simple – work on only one thing at a time, with great and unflinching focus, and have the next “next action” immediately retrievable in your reminder/to do/next action prompt system.

But it all goes back to “stuff.” And the real stuff problem is not all that stuff stacked and hidden in the nooks and crannies of our physical world.  It is the stuff cluttering our minds, uncategorized, forgotten, and we are unable at key times to remember or retrieve the stuff in our minds, the stuff we need to get done.

Here is Allen’s definition of stuff:
Stuff:  anything you have allowed into your psychological or physical world that doesn’t belong where it is, but for which you haven‘t yet determined the desired outcome and the next action step.  As long as it is still “stuff,” it’s not controllable.  It is “an amorphous blob of undoability!”
The vast majority of people have been trying to get organized by rearranging incomplete lists of unclear things; they haven’t yet realized how much and what they need to organize in order to get the real payoff.

Getting Things Done challenges us to really get our stuff off of our mind, and put it in a spot that enables us to know exactly how to retrieve it.

Here’s his two step process:
Step one: Capture everything that you need to get done, now later, someday, big, little, in-between – into a logical and trusted system outside of your head and off your mind!
Step two: Discipline yourself to make front-end decisions about all the “inputs” you let into your life so that you will always have a plan for “next actions” that you can implement or renegotiate at any moment.

In fact, Allen says that until we implement such a system to handle our stuff, we really won’t get things done as we could and should.

I love these little debates because ultimately you should use whatever you want use. There truely is no better computer operating system than the one that allows you to do whatever it is that you choose to do with a computer. That said these commercials Mac puts out are absolutely hilarious. I just saw one that suggested someone would be willing to spend $1000 on a new computer rather than upgrade the OS for less $100 on completely good computer but this one is the best…

The thought of company who has itself completed 10 versions of its own computer operating system and gone through 3 completely different hardware processor architectures to achieve its current existence insinuating superiority over a company that is only in the 7th version of its OS on the exact same hardware platform it started on is Laughing My Ass Off funny.

Way to go Apple. Point out the obvious to the intelligent amongst us.

Dropular – Media Bookmarking.

Razones para tener una Mac.

Aquí están algunos de los comerciales que sacó Mac evidenciando los defectos de las PC´s

Click on the comic to see how the 4 pane saga ends full size!

With Windows 7 making its debut, some people might be wondering whether they should buy the software to install on their current PC, or shell out some dough for a sweet new box.  The short answer is, ‘You should probably get a new computer that comes with Windows 7 installed already,’ with a few exceptions.

To get the most of Windows 7, you’re going to want a 64-bit processor.  If your current PC has one (and it should if you’ve bought or built a new computer in the last year or two) then you may not need to buy a new computer, provided your motherboard allows you to upgrade to 4GB or more of RAM.  Please note that you may not need a full 4GB of RAM, but one of the huge advantages of having a 64-bit architecture is that it allows you to take full advantage of having 4GB of RAM, and the operating system will run more smoothly.

If, although, your current machine does have a 64 bit processor, and you can or already have upgraded your RAM to 4GB or more of RAM, then by all means, save some money and just buy the software.  There is, however, a third option which I prefer:  Buy a Mac.

I’ve not installed Windows 7 on a PC or upgraded from XP or Vista to Windows 7, so I cannot speak about any difficulties or compatibility issues that may or may not exist.  I have installed Windows 7 using VMWare Fusion on my Mac though, and it was ridiculously easy.  True, Macs may cost more ,  but after using a Mac for almost a year now I can safely say that, in my opinion, they are better built machines and you will have far fewer problems, whether you’re talking about compatibility issues, stability of the operating system,  viruses, or structural integrity of the chassis.

http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/11/01/mac-share-grew-after-windows-7-debut/

Microsoft has not halted Apple’s momentum, according to Net Applications’ October report

If Microsoft (MSFT) was hoping that the launch of Windows 7 would halt the erosion of its operating system market share — and curb further inroads by Apple (AAPL)  — there is no evidence that it’s working yet.

In fact, preliminary data released overnight Sunday by Net Applications show Mac OS X’s Internet share growing by 2.73% in October, from 5.12% to 5.26%.

Windows’ Internet presence, meanwhile, fell from 92.77% to 92.54% — its ninth loss in 12 months. Windows 7’s share, however, was more than 2% even before its Oct. 22 general release, thanks to widespread use of early release versions. By Oct. 30 the Windows 7 portion was 2.85%, largely at the expense of Windows XP, according to a separate Net Applications report.

Net Applications, it must be noted, is not measuring share of market in the sense of sales revenue or unit sales. Rather it tracks the presence of various operating systems on the Internet by sampling browser data from visits to its clients websites — some 160 million hits per month. It’s a methodology that tends to favor devices that make it easy to navigate the Web, which explains the relatively high “market share” of the iPhone in the firm’s monthly surveys.

The above screenshot of the New York Times homepage shows a video banner ad for Apple.  In the ad, PC and Mac observe PC users as they enter Apple stores and make the switch to a Mac.  PC and Mac engage in the usual, light-heartedly competitive banter that is expected of these ads as PC neurotically stresses over its current users deciding to purchase Macs since an upgrade to Windows 7 would involve needing to transfer all their files to the new operating system anyway.  PC mentions Mac ranking first in customer satisfaction and then appears in one of the “PC Switcher” surveillance monitors to physically stop consumers from entering the Apple store.  The banner doesn’t veer away from the iconic and oft parodied style of TBWA’s “Mac vs. PC” campaign, but it does seem to reference the company’s classic 1984 ad in a way that kind of portrays Apple as a hegemonic power.

Like the 1984 ad, a continuous stream of people are seen marching walking towards Apple stores.  The placement of the white, seemingly glowing Apple logo at the top, center of the screens is remarkably similar to the image below, where the drones stare mindlessly at a giant, illuminating screen.  The 1984 drones are nameless and indistinguishable from one another, compared to the silent and faceless, yet diverse (demographically speaking) consumer masses approaching Apple stores.  I mention demographics because I’m pretty sure that showing men and women of various races was strategic. 

Much of PC and Mac’s attention is on the surveillance monitors, which not surprisingly  depict the some-what robotic consumer arrivals to Apple stores in a drab, army green hue.  It’s as if these consumers are relegated to a separate world that is more similar to the cold, lifeless existence portrayed in 1984 than the casual and bright minimalist setting “Mac vs. PC” ads are normally set in.  The most obvious similarity of the banner ad to 1984 is the theme of being watched.  It’s unclear if the viewer is supposed to believe that PC setup the monitors, but that is beside the point because the visual inclusion of the monitors screams “big brother is watching you.”  In addition, both PC and Mac act a voyeurs of computer-buying habits as they both observe commerce in progress.  In attempts of curbing switches to Apple, PC enters the world of the monitored and becomes monitored himself as Mac watches in a non-threatening indifference as if to say, “Go about your business.  Pretend I’m not here,” all the meanwhile paying close attention to the unquestioning devotion that his cool facade created.

When these commercials first came out, I loved them.  I’ve worked in IT for almost ten years, and the lowest moment for me was the release of Windows Vista.

Which is why the Mac Vs. PC commercials always made me smile – they had a point.  In reality, if I had to deal with issues involving Vista any more than I did, I would have switched to Apple’s operating system (and more expensive equipment) in a heartbeat.

But now, with the release of Windows 7, which is getting reviewed way higher than its predecessor, are these commercials going to be obsolete:

Will they be like The Daily Show with John Stewart in a post-Bush era?  (Still funny, but not as biting…)  Or will Windows 7 fail to impress in the long run, thus providing continual fodder for the mocking ads?

I think the jump ship mentality that Vista wrought has come to an end, and I have had limited interaction with 7 so far.  I have another friend that works at a different level of IT than I do, and he claims to love it (out of 700 pc’s he’s worked on at clients, less than 2% used Vista… or at least thereabout).

So is the campaign still ripe with humor?  Or has something that was The Shit become Just Shitty?  I’m inclined to think Apple’s advertising team needs to go back to the drawing board or whatever high-end technology they have, despite how funny I think John Hodgman is, or how funny Justin Long arguably may be.

One question remains though.  How did they count to Windows 7?

By my count:

1. Windows 3.1
2. Windows 95
3. Windows 98
4. Windows Me
5. Windows XP
6. Windows Vista
7. Windows 7

But Windows 3.1 was Version Three-Point-One.  And what about this Windows 2 that’s mentioned in the commercial above?  That’s either Just Shitty writing, or it’s flat-out Just Shitty.

The article entitled: “Microsoft Shocked ‘Family Guy’ Humor Includes Incest, Holocaust Jokes” by Michael Learmonth for AdAge.com caught my eye.

In summary, the show Family Guy was said to be sponsored by Microsoft…UNTIL…Microsoft realized that Seth McFarlane’s humor on: “riffs on deaf people, the Holocaust, feminine hygiene and incest” was not a direction that they wanted the “PC” to go, it was not appreciated by the PC company…so they pulled the plug three days after the excitement and hooplah around the segement.

In my opinion, I find it hard to believe that NO ONE at Microsoft watched Family Guy – a sitcom that has been on television (TBS, FOX, etc.) for quite some time now, widely viewed by MANY and has never hidden its opinions on MANY controversial topics; current and historic!

Ending the AdAge.com article Learmonth states: “Fox is still planning to run the special as part of an ‘all Seth MacFarlane night’ on Nov. 8 with another, as yet unnamed, sponsor. And Microsoft says ‘Family Guy’ remains in its marketing plans for Windows 7 and hopes to work with MacFarlane ‘in other areas’.”

So, fortunately, we can at least look forward to the comedic stylings of Seth McFarlane and Alex Borstein in other areas. Hmmmm…is this a chance for say…Apple…to snatch up the risque sitcom?! We’ll see!

You can go read this article on your own at AdAge.com under the Madison+Vine section.

Another one from Apple…

Here is another one from Apple:

In this day and age, we have lots of things to argue about. Wars in the Middle East, Korea and Iran’s nuclear stashes, Obama’s Nobel, corporate bailouts, global warming, human rights, etc. etc. But hailing from the year 1981, an argument that has yet to be settled ensues, and its animosity and victims range worldwide. I am talking, of course, about the ultimate question: Mac or PC?

“Ha ha ha!” you chuckle, straightening your polo shirt and finishing your 204, 667th line of C# code on your new survey analysis program. “PCs are far superior to the unwelcome menace of Apple computers! Stability is 100%, customization is near infinite, and mechanic control  is unfathomable! Death to the infidel, Windows!”

Or perhaps you’re quiet, with a knowing smirk and a quick glance down at your iPhone, checking the DOW offhandedly. “Apple’s the future, bro. They have the look, the goods, and the graphic speed and accessibility to back it all up. Get in while you can, or it’ll be just too cool for you.”

(I failed to mention you..yes, YOU, off in the corner, popping your third pimple and drooling on your already-dirty keyboard as you yell in an obviously-uncultured voice, “LINUX! You fools!”, because no one’s listening to you. Nerd.)

Actually, for the many years this argument has been in the “ongoing” queue, Apple’s side has been relatively ungrounded, resulting in plenty of fans and not enough power or software. Only recently has its popularity skyrocketed, starting with the release of the iPod, Apple’s version of the MP3 player. Powerful, simple, elegant, and totally not worth the $300, it grew so popular that it is now near impossible to find someone who does not own some form of this music player. Since then, Apple has released a constant stream of original, hip, and expensive products, and is now coming head-to-head with Microsoft after all these years. The long-awaited battle is now set to begin.

O RLY!?! Maybe not. As it turns out, neither is better than the other in the general-use category, because the average home-use user (women who surf the internet, kids who play games, men who do their taxes, etc.) depends on programs, and of course, preference. This is the cause of the big fight…programs that are made only for one of the two systems; price of the whole shebang (computer, monitor, speakers, mouse/keyboard, accessories); familiarity with the operating systems; connections to different products…it should be user preference that guides the purchasing decision. Because if there’s one thing it’s not, it’s the “speed” or “size” of the computers.

Where the two companies need to strive for customer loyalty is in the corporate and hobbyist’s league. It’s true that Windows is the named machine when it comes to spreadsheets, presentations, calculators, corporate programs, and mass purchasing. And it’s also true that Apple is the answer for the graphic designers, film and video producers, and multimedia enthusiasts the world over. (It’s also making an enormous impact on schools and colleges all over the United States. Surprising.) Major programming and sales companies (IBM, Intel, Hitachi, Sun Microsystems, Oracle, etc.) run with Microsoft server technology and operating systems, and Apple has a surprising amount of loyal media companies, none of which will provide me with their names. (Seriously, I couldn’t find one…I just know these things.)

So for all of this, my opinion on the differences between Macs and PCs really comes down to “What do I use my computer for?”

If I’m going into the corporate world, one filled with an endless number of documents for filing, filling out, creating, spreadsheeting, and so on, I will invest my money in very nice Windows-run computers (probably from Dell). But since I’m not, and most of my time on the machine is spent on the interwebs or designing graphic media, I will let the world know that the next computer I get will most likely bear an Apple logo on the front. Here are MY reasons:

• Apple’s recent product releases have me drooling. They are the most beautiful pieces of equipment I’ve ever seen
• I love my iPhone, and want more
• The hardware is reliable, and needs fixing less
• The software I’ll be running (Adobe Master Suite, Firefox, maybe some games) works smoothly and effortlessly. Windows still can’t top that
• The computers all work together seamlessly, and if I change to all-Apple, I’ll be well on my way to a great network

Some of the things I’m not thrilled about:

• The operating system. Mac OS has always bugged the living daylights out of me. I don’t know why.
• If something does break, I can’t just fix it (usually needs specialist, and therefore, loads of money)
• I’m going to be paying a good amount more for the same amount of speed and space as a Windows machine. (Of course, quality costs, but we never like to admit that at the counter.)
• If I DO want to run software, I always need to check if it’s compatible. Windows never required that, because it always was.
• I will be shunned by all of my friends, except that one guy who has a Mac.

Those are my reasons. They are part of me. They DEFINE ME…maybe not, but still, I’ve tried to be fair. I’m a diehard Windows supporter…I believed in Vista, even after it totally screwed my computer over, and now with 7 out, I see Windows redeeming its name, which was thoroughly trashed by Apple’s ad campaigns (which I laughed at). Both sides have valid reasons to be on my computer, but at the moment, with my interests, and money-making skills, and the necessary needs to fulfill my requirements, Apple and its Mac line-up are meeting those needs.

Congratulations, Mr. Jobs. You’ve earned another loyal supporter. Don’t let me down now.

And this is another one of Mac’s simple yet ingenious ads gently slamming Windows into the ground.

Macs are so expensive. I know. But I’m converted and just can’t imagine ever going back.

The commercial: