So I’m thinking about Switching Back.
I bought an iMac in May, a 17″ model, with a G5 processor, the newly-released Tiger operating system, etc. There are a lot of things I do like about it. OS X is indeed very pretty. There have been very few hardware problems: generally hardware has Just Worked. Some of the included iLife tools, like the Address Book, are great applications. The seamless Bluetooth synchronization has been fun too. I got a new cell phone last month and transferred 200 phone numbers with the push of a button.
But at the same time, I just don’t feel like it’s really doing anything for me. I still don’t feel nearly as productive on the Mac as I did on the PC. There are a lot of things I avoid doing, like balancing my checkbook, or doing Java work with Eclipse, or connecting to the VPN at work. I tend to make some silly mistakes, or just get confused about how to get something done. I probably could learn to be more productive with it, but I just haven’t had the time or energy. It doesn’t help that I’m switching back and forth every day between a PC at work and a Mac at home.
Anyone have any thoughts on this dilemma?
11 comments ↓
I’m beginning to think it’s easier for newbies to switch than power users. Ryan — having watched you fly around the keyboard, windows appearing and disappearing at lightning speed — I know you have some deeply ingrained habits in your computer use. These habits make you one of the most productive dudes I’ve ever seen on a PC, but must drive you bannanas when you’re on a Mac. It’s the little things like switching applications from the keyboard, modifier keys, etc. that probably force you to think about everything you do (yes, the Mac does those things, it just uses different key combinations for some of them). So, I understand you wanting to switch back. You can achieve flow on a PC; you have yet to do that on a Mac.
I just helped my dad get set up with a new eMac. He’s been using Windows for 15 years or so, but is a poet, not a programmer. He’s adjusting quite well, I suspect because it’s all new to him whenever he switches it on anyway!
I wonder if *NIX gurus find it hard or easy to adjust to the Mac way. There’s so much inconsistency in the various windowing packages on *NIX that they probably just see the Mac as one more variation to be added to their expansive workflow hash table.
So, whatcha gonna do with your iMac? I’ll take it if you don’t want it!
Although I, as you know, have drank the Mac kool aid since I bought my first eMac on the day that OS 10.2 Jaguar was launched, I legitimately feel for you. Thats part I guess of why I broke down and bought a Windows tablet to supplement my PowerBook last year — because sometimes, the switch just doesn’t work. I love my Apple, and will likely always have a Mac as my primary computer, but at least in my career that is not yet feasable. Were I a developer such as yourself, the choice would be even more difficult because programming remains so platform-dependent. It took me the better part of a year to feel totally comfortable with my Mac, but I always knew is was the right fit. That may not be the case for you, and if it isn’t then don’t kid yourself. Dump it like a bad date and move on with your life. A perspnal computer should be an extension of yourself. You deserve nothing less.
Suck it up Ryan. Macs are better. I taught myself how to type using a Cyrillic style keyboard over a two day period last week without even having the letters printed on the keys. I think you can handle the slightly less dramatic change of habit involved in learning the Mac shortcuts.
Oh and if your tooth is blue maybe you should see your dental hygenist. Or try brushing with Rembrandt. I hear it works wonders. Or maybe you should cut back on your little “smurfscapades”
Ryan told me to pad his blog replies so here goes…
Get rid of your iMac and get a real computer at VoodooPC - like me!
You really need a PC — otherwise you are going to have really crappy software choices for all that genealogy you waste your time doing.
Well Ryan, here is my thoughts about this dilemma, rather than switching back and forth between the MAC and the PC, try to enjoy it for what it is. If not for what you are doing or not doing with it, at least do it for what it’s capable of doing and if that’s not enough then enjoy it for its look! and if all that still doesn’t work, just give the damn MAC to me and I’ll be more than happy to rid you of this mess!!
Alright…although i know almost nothing of what you speak of i’ll add my comments. First of all…you need to get some rimz for that MAC…spinners if you got the cash. Then you’ll need some ground effects…lights. Give some teeth with a borla cat back, and bigger pipes starting with the headers. Finally, you’ll want to invest in a good dvd system…nothing says PLAYA like a dvd on while you cruise. Well, that should solve all your problems bud. Hope this helps!
-C
Puppy says throw it all outta da window and jump up and down on a blueberry pie with whipped topping.
On second thought, … make that a peach cobbler with powdered sugar.
Yummmmmmmmmmy.
Seriously, though, I hate Macs; however, I realize their efficiency and capacity for good work. If you get used to it, you may, too, drink the same Kool Aid Mistah Heeter enjoys.
You’ll probably be able to do a whole lot more than the rest of us minions once you explore that powerful beast of a G5 … just take it leisurely.
Besides, why switch back?! Apple’s supposedly more stable and reliable. That’d be the breaking point for me. Though, “Dude, I just got a Dell.”
I’ll buy the Mac off you if you decide to get rid of it.
My two cents…
Some things are better on Windows - probably connecting to a VPN is one of them (or integrating with an Exchange server). However most things that *most* users want to do are better on the Mac - hands down. Of course I’m biased, but I’ve also been forced to use XP at my new job for the past 8 months, doing the same things I’d be doing on a Mac. So I can compare the two pretty well. I’m a designer and I’ve been using all the same programs on both platforms: the Adobe, Macromedia and Office suites. I can honestly say that familiarity with a system aside, I can get an hour’s worth of work done extra each week on the Mac.
You are used to Windows - like Andrew, I’ve seen you fly around like an ADD monkey on speed - so maybe you don’t notice the little things that would slow a non-power user down, or maybe you use applications where this doesn’t make a difference. In that case, there’s really no reason not to go back to a PC if you can get the work done faster.
But here are some things that I’ve noticed that have nothing to do with keyboard shortcuts. What’s up with having to press ‘ctrl-alt-delete’ to log in when you turn on your computer, why can’t you just be presented with a log in screen? Or when you go to save a file in a folder from an open application and only seeing the same type of files that you’re currently working in (say you’re working with images and there’s 4 different types of files in the folder - you’ll only see a quarter of those files). True, in the save dialog box I could select ‘all files,’ but I shouldn’t have to. It’s these extra steps that make things less obvious and slow things down for the end user. Or how about each time a warning dialogue box pops up (quite often for me) and that box takes up space in the taskbar?
It’s these little things that piss me off about using Windows, that it actually hinders my work when it really doesn’t have to. I have the same issues with cell phones, Sony Eriksson and Nokia phones makes sense, but have you ever tried to use the phonebook on a Samsung phone?
So this kind of turned into a rant about poor UI design, but having started out on Mac and not doing the type of work that you do Ryan, given the choice I’d stay with a Mac (until something better comes along). If those things don’t drive you crazy (I routinely curse out my computer) switch back.
Sometimes a Mac isn’t for everyone
Well, my friend Ryan wants to can his Mac and go back to the dark side. I guess I can only say this, Ryan — although I, as you know, have drank the Mac kool aid since I bought my
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