Windows v. Mac - it's all in your mind

During the course of any day in my life, the subject of any given discussion at hand, more often than not, affords me an opportunity to get a little insight into the computer usage of the person I'm talking to. Usually, the person has a Dell or a Gateway or some ancient 500MHz box that's been since overtaken by modern technology. All of them are Windows users and I pity the poor bastards.

I've owned a Mac since since 1997 and I'm amazed at its ease of use and why people don't just get a Mac. Why do they struggle with .dlls, service packs, viruses, malware and preventive software? Why don't they just get a Mac?

The die-hard Windows users will always throw the usual Win-facts in your face. "We have more games. Our machines are more upgradable. Windows machines are cheaper. Our OS does just what the Mac OS does." Their reasons are usually flawed.

Why do American corporations supply their employees with Windows boxes and then have to staff their IT departments with armies of techies just to fix all the problems that arise from the software and networking? The cost in wages and training must be astronomical.

I'm a firm believer the problem lies not within the particular OS in question, but rather in the psyche of the average computer user. Because they have a Windows box at work, they have to have one at home. And no matter how hard you try, you just can't get some people to even think about, let alone try a different OS, be it Linux or Mac OS.

Why do the Windows users think we Mac users are arrogant and smug? Because we are, in varying degrees. We know, we just know how great computing can be. There are die-hard Mac users just like their Windows counterparts. We're just like the Hatfields and the McCoys with keyboards.

If you have the time, I urge you to read this explanatory Ars Technica post about "Cognitive Lock-in". The article is neutral, neither Windows nor Mac. It's just about us. Humans.

And since you have the time, read this MacDailyNews article about the "Stockholm Syndrome" and "cognitive dissonance". This article really dissects the human psyche when it comes to the ongoing Win v. Mac differences and rivalries.

The Windows versus Mac conflict will go on for years to come. It will be up to the individual platform companies to design an interface system for all humans of all walks of mind. One mind, one computer.

(Sources: ArsTechnica; MacDailyNews; Wikipedia)