Transition to something beautiful…
Hi, my name is Jonathan, and I like beautiful things. I used to use PC’s (IBM Compatible, that is) for everything. I’m a self made website designer and audio engineer versed in various software tools and my trusty Fujitsu PC laptop. I’ve been a freelance technical troubleshooter for friends, family and co-workers because of my extensive knowledge of Windows based systems–and the bugs that fill them :-). But something was missing. I didn’t notice it until I was enticed by a new world. Yes, I am now a Mac User. Please, let me explain…
You see, I am not only a geek, but I’m an artistic geek. I’m not only a computer programmer, but a musician and poet. I’m not only bright, but stylish. (Okay, that may be up for debate) While working with Campus Focus as an intern (and going through their correspondence seminary program…fun stuff I might add) I entered into a world of Mac users. There were only three traditional Windows based PC computers in the whole building, and my laptop was one of them. I fit in well for the most part. Windows and Mac computers have been playing well together for some time. But I was intrigued…
I used to think Mac users were all simpletons who didn’t know much about their computers at all, much less a right-mouse button. But low and behold, the picture changed when I wasn’t looking. Apple went and built their newest and coolest operating system (OS X) on top of Unix. So what we have is a well designed, sleek, and pretty darn fun user interface skillfully placed on top of a well-tested, hard core, advanced operating subsystem. Pretty good, eh?
I know there are many that disagree about the user interface (UI), and some may agree that it’s cool but think that the UI is secondary to usefulness, but I disagree. In pure post-modern fashion, the experience when I use my computer is just as important. Fact is, the Mac OS X has the most advanced UI for any Unix brand. It’s fast, too. Did I mention it was fun?
What about the underpinnings? Well, Unix (and all the flavors it comes in) is a pretty sweet operating system. I’ve always wanted to mess around with a Unix distribution. There’s a lot of software out there that can be ported to the Mac with minimal effort, too. My Mac doesn’t feel like a toy. It feels like a workhorse.
And it works hard, too. I’ve been much more productive since switching. I’m selling my Fujitsu laptop on eBay to fund the purchase of my G4 PowerBook. Price was right, too. The PowerBook ended up being a couple hundred $$$ cheaper brand new than my Fujitsu was when I bought it brand new. I’m not completely abandoning the PC platform as my wife still uses a PC, and our home file server is a PC. But Mac’s have definitely found their place in my heart. It’s a serious tool for seriously un-serious people like me. Serious.
Side Note: I don’t want to knock Fujitsu or Microsoft more than necessary, of course. :-) If anyone is looking for a nice, rugged, and portable PC laptop then go for the Fujitsu S Series. It served me very well.