E very so often Apple will post a Switcher tale on its Web site about ex-PC using folks who drop-kicked their Windows machines for Macs running OS X. These stories are always interesting because they illustrate the thought processes Switchers go through during the iconversion processi. The only thing better than stories from your average Joe or Jill is a piece penned by an ex-PC using IT guru whose Switch story appears in a major IT industry magazine. That story has now been published in ComputerWorld.
Douglas Schweitzer is an Internet security specialist and author of several books on Net Security; he is also a Switcher. Whatis even more interesting about his story, especially in light of recent security problems that are plaguing OSes from Microsoft, is the reason for Mr. Schweitzeris defection from the Redmond fold: He says it got too buggy in the Windows world. Hereis an excerpt:
But after graduation, I lost touch with the Mac OS, having taken a job with a consulting firm that used IBM-compatible PCs exclusively. Fast forward 20 years, plus an endless stream of service packs and patches later, and I eventually became disenchanted with Microsoft and its "buggy" operating system software. Donit get me wrong, Windows XP is a great operating system with excellent features and a plethora of applications available for it. Nevertheless, and most unfortunately, patches, packs and security updates seem to have become a way of life with the guys in Redmond, Wash.
As a result, I began my search for an easy-to-use and secure operating system, one that wouldnit become an exploitable target for the abundance of worms that have plagued the computing community. Having dabbled with several incarnations of Linux, I was somewhat comfortable with Unix-based systems. Unfortunately, Iive found that Linux has a somewhat steep learning curve and it can be quirky at times, sometimes requiring hours of tinkering to get it to work the way I want it to.
Ultimately, my search led me back to Apple and its new Unix-based system called Mac OS X. After toying with the computer in the store and talking with the outletis in-house Apple representative, I decided to give the Apple eMac a try. (The eMac is Appleis basic all-in-one model, sporting a 17-in. screen and a G4 processor.) A major factor that helped in my decision is that my Internet service provider now supports the Mac.
Read the full article at ComputerWorldis Web site.