1/23/15 8:59 PM

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In general, the market for and choices available for non-mobile software, Windows greatly trumps Apple.

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I can wip-out a Microsoft Windows DVD and install it on their computer in less time that it takes you to travel and return, multiple trips, to the Apple store.

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Or if your OS files become corrupt, become infected or the hard disk or SSD fails?

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Also, how well does Apple support backward compatibility of software.

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1/23/15 9:15 PM

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I have OSX on my thumb drive.

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1/23/15 9:26 PM

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isnt that in violation of apples license?

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1/23/15 9:38 PM

During the tech support trouble shooting of my MBA I asked about making a thumb drive install and was told I absolutely could do that. It is on my to do list. It is totally legal and suggested by the tech support. I stated I wanted it like my Linux boot thumb drive. There was no misunderstanding what I wanted to do.

Time machine is stupid easy to set up and use. I wish I had it for my work M$ machine.

1/24/15 7:17 AM

My neighbor is bitching that his Adobe Photoshop software that costs him big $$$, does not work with his new Mac book pro. Completely incompatible. He is a professional photographer. The Mac serves this niche market well, but not so much when it comes to software compatibility.

However, I still pop in on occasion my EA Sports Madden NFL 2006 DVD to play on my Windows 7 or 8 machines, and it plays flawlessly. By the way, EA (Electronic Sports) never made game software for the Mac. You know why? The user base is just way too small for them to make money.

The same is generally true of virus makers. But Apple is not immune to them. The latest nasty virus is one that takes over an Apple computer's motherboard.

That same theme is true for many other software applications. Why develop for a system like the Mac which has a much smaller customer base than Windows? Or conversely, why are there so fewer Microsoft phone apps compared to Apple iOS?

Software developers follow the money, too. I have been developing cross platform software applications long before Microsoft bailed Apple out of near bankruptcy. The first commercial program I wrote worked on both Unix and DOS/Windows. The program was completely portable; that consideration, even today, is more of a choice of language than operating system.

As far as developers go, the number of Microsoft developers trumps Apple developers. Not-even-close. The reason why: enterprise software. Apple is essentially non existent in such market. What is Apple's equivalent to Microsoft's database server (SQL Server), web server (IIS), commerce sever (BizSpark), email server (Exchange) and the Cloud (Azure)? Answer essentially nothing.

Other companies like Oracle and IBM do provide many of those same software solutions, and like Microsoft and their developers make piles of cash. IBM notably got out of the business of making a desktop operating system years ago.

It is a bit ignorant to state that Windows is bloatware. On my Windows netbook, with 1.5 GB of memory and a 24 GB SSD, I have IIS Web server and a real database (not Filemaker pro) server operating, SQL Server. There is also other software installed that has no Mac equivalent, but this message is getting a bit too long already. The same Windows (essentially) you use for you home computer also is used to run this website, NASDAQ, cash registers, ticket machines, turnstile card readers, ATMs, security systems, HVAC systems, smart home setups, to name a few. Not so with the Mac.

1/24/15 5:02 PM

And the average user has no idea what you are writing about.

All that, I will take as fact. It sounds like your neighbor wanted to run a M$ specific piece of Adobe software and you are right, they are not comparable. I do know that Adobe has plenty of photo software apps that run on Macs. I have Elements on my desktop right now.

1/24/15 8:19 PM

I agree with JS. The number of software developer who writes for Microsoft far exceeds the number for Mac. So, a lot more of the new software are written for Microsoft, then ported to Mac if it proves to be popular.

The "average user" only uses popular softwares that has a large user base. Those software are more likely to be been ported to Mac. So for those users who are not in need of the lastest piece of specialized software, there's little difference.

One very obvious reason for having Windows rather than Mac machine for me, is some of the companies I had worked for did not provide a Mac version of the remote login emulator software. (I can VPN in to get my e-mail, but I can't get my full function office desktop to show on just any machine without the emulation software) So if I want to work from home with 95+% productivity, I need a Wintel machine.

(the software exists for Mac too, but many companies choose not to support it, due to lack of Mac expertie available)

1/25/15 11:42 AM

My neighbor, the professional photographer, replaced his old Mac laptop, because the operating system could not be upgraded, with a new Mac book pro. His Apple version of Adobe Photoshop software no longer worked with his new laptop. He's never owned a PC.

I've heard similar grumblings from long time Mac users, too. I have no direct experience with the Mac, but have personally experience such software compatibility issues with Linux. This is a big and often overlooked selling point with Windows. Common desktop software like Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office and Rosetta Stone, among others, are not cheap.

BTW, I realize what I last wrote was over the head of many. As a (retired) software professional, it was in response to another poster who had no idea of my background. I take that as a compliment - plain speak. Many technical folks, especially in IT, from my experience lack good written communication skills.

1/25/15 2:23 PM

I don't want to get into a pissing contest with an old fogey. But JS must have rose-tinted spectacles. For anyone interested, simply google up the term "DLL hell". Then you'd understand the term "bloat". Yes, I wrote for Windows too... In my old job, I had to... MS makes bug-infested crapware.

As for enterprise stuff, there is considerable inertia and obvious reluctance to shift. IBM did well to milk that market. Apple does not try to play in that market. No rack mount systems. But as for questions about Apple's lack of sql, web server stuff, that talk just show how completely ignorant the poster is about the eco-system outside of MS. Ever heard of Apache? It's built in to every mac sold...

Sandiway

Last edited by sandiway on 1/25/15 2:31 PM; edited 2 times in total

1/25/15 2:30 PM

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His Apple version of Adobe Photoshop software no longer worked with his new laptop.

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1/25/15 5:50 PM

I haven't heard the term"DLL Hell" in well over a decade. And to be specific, the issue was never the DLLs, it was sloppy installer work. Microsoft built everything needed to properly handle DLL installation into the OS.

1/25/15 8:57 PM

Amusing. And predictable.

Mac/Win
iOS/Android
Coke/Pepsi
Shimano/Campy

It truly is like a religous debate.

;-)

1/25/15 9:29 PM

You left out the latest, 'Deflated Balls'

1/25/15 9:40 PM

But enough about Lance.

1/26/15 12:42 AM

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It truly is like a religous debate.

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1/26/15 4:47 AM

Did I mention the H-word?

1/26/15 12:04 PM

You are very correct. An old copy of Adobe, indeed.

And no, I don't think this is an amusing and predictable religious debate. little bit of awareness goes a long way...

As for upgrading, I am not always quick to upgrade myself - even when I already have an updated, newer version of the software. There's an inconspicuous cost with the extra time to learn and debug. Three personal examples are holding off on upgrading to a newer version of software which I have never versions are:

Microsoft Office (2007+) that uses the "ribbon"; Office 97 is sufficiently feature rich for my needs. Newer versions add little utility to me.

iOS 8.x (bugs/stability/performance) and

Windows 8.x (both learning curve and bugs/stability).

However, a new piece of software, i.e. like version 1.0 or 2.0, it is often well worth upgrading more quickly due to more features added and more stability.

1/26/15 7:25 PM

My logic board in my 15" retina macbook pro had to be replaced because of intermittent spontaneous shutdowns. Visited the local Apple store late on Friday afternoon. Passed all diagnostics. But it shutdown while they were poking around it.

They didn't have one in stock so I was using the laptop carefully all weekend. Ordered a board ($567.05 Intel core i7 2.7Ghz 16GB ram + $39 labor = $610 but entirely covered by Applecare). Comes from Kentucky/Tennessee. They called me Monday morning. Brought it in this afternoon. They say I should get it back tomorrow.

A brief survey of acquaintances indicated this failure is not uncommon. Maybe they don't build 'em like they use to. But if I get the machine back tomorrow, I think the service is good.

Sandiway

1/26/15 8:59 PM

sandiway, your experience mirrors mine. Though my logic board ending up being fine, the SSD crapped out.

You are correct they don't make them like they used too. I suspect my MBA will be fine from now on. It did give intermittent warnings that I just ignored.

Long story first, if it seem wonky, get it looked at. Even if it still works, this goes for all IT products.

1/26/15 9:23 PM

The emperor hath no clothes!

Seriously, everyone makes crap anymore.

1/26/15 11:54 PM

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Though my logic board ending up being fine, the SSD crapped out.

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1/27/15 5:25 AM

IDK how they troubleshot it at the shop in Tennessee but I suspect they popped out the memory and tried that first, it is the cheapest part to start with.

The paperwork from AppleCare only shows the SSD as faulty part that was replaced.


Sparky, none of us have posited that Apple products are faultless. We did state they are better than M$ devices. Note that both mine and sandiway' machines were fixed and recovered easily. In fact, much easier than the M$ products that are being used and breaking for you. We also have not had to deal with the daily upkeep and inoculations that M$ machines require. That in itself makes them light years better.

1/27/15 10:15 AM

PCs are much easier now to swap parts in and out with a DIY approach; that was not true years ago when mixing and matching 'compatible' parts was much like a roll of the dice scenario of organ transplant. Back then PCs gave you the allure that they were easily upgradeable/repairable, while Apple (thankfully) did not spin such truth.

Mac & PCs all get their hardware from the same factories. Remember it is "designed" in Cupertino, not "made" there. I don't doubt the quality control is better for Mac.

I realized such a few years ago - with my corporate PC. It was a Dell, Uber/Professional class QUAD CORE PC. After a weekend of intense combinatorial number crunching & simulation calculations (hundreds of millions), I discovered my PC was toast, literally, when I returned to the office Monday morning. The heat generated had warped the hard drive plates. It became a slow, painful death for the machine.

I searched the web and discovered Duke University's computer lab experienced the same. Dell's response was that was not normal use of a computer and would not support their product in that way. WTF?!? Anyway, the solution, after replacing the hard drive, in a notably spacious tower case, was to remove the case cover, and have a desktop sized fan facing near and direct inside the machine.

Years later, I benefited from that experience while using inkjet printers for a political campaign mailings. Without the supplemental fan, the printer rollers would warp and I'd be out of luck. FWIW, Brother subsequently came out with a model line, that is self regulating - it will self-stop to wait for itself to cool off before resuming printing.

1/27/15 2:54 PM

Erik, I think you're psychic. They must have a problem with their SSD supplier.

Story so far: took it into the Apple store yesterday afternoon. Got a call this morning. Guess what? Running the extended diagnostics (overnight?), they suspect the SSD is also flaky.

Still, they replaced the logic board ($610) anyway under Applecare. And they ordered a new SSD and want to keep my laptop one or two days longer. I said NO WAY! I need it to teach Weds and Thurs. So I picked it up this lunchtime and they'll let me know when the SSD gets here (they say maybe tomorrow).

Now the SSD part is super pricey ($1174). So, the total cost will work out to be about $1800. Still, the service has been excellent.

Sandiway

1/27/15 3:00 PM

Jeeze, what capacity are these SSD ?

I think I will go ahead and get that one for 125 space bucks for my Lenovo...