I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?

In article <BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net>,
Shuler <shuler@comcast.net> wrote:

> I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?

Define your need and you'll have an answer.
--
Would thou choose to meet a rat eating dragon, or
a dragon, eating rat? The answer of: I am somewhere
in the middle.
\0W
0...0E0?0U
2 0d0n}--vO0h0

In article <BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net>,
Shuler <shuler@comcast.net> wrote:

> I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?

Define your need and you'll have an answer.
--
Would thou choose to meet a rat eating dragon, or
a dragon, eating rat? The answer of: I am somewhere
in the middle.
\0W
0...0E0?0U
2 0d0n}--vO0h0

Shuler wrote
(in article <BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net>):

> I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?

It would probably be a lot easier to convince him to buy one
AFTER the switch to Intel instead of before.

--
Randy Howard (2reply remove FOOBAR)

Shuler wrote
(in article <BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net>):

> I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?

It would probably be a lot easier to convince him to buy one
AFTER the switch to Intel instead of before.

--
Randy Howard (2reply remove FOOBAR)

In article <BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net>, Shuler <shuler@comcast.net>
wrote:

> I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?

Try comp.sys.mac.system

--
Hans Aberg

In article <BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net>, Shuler <shuler@comcast.net>
wrote:

> I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?

Try comp.sys.mac.system

--
Hans Aberg

In article <BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net>, Shuler
<shuler@comcast.net> wrote:

> I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?

1) The main concern for any business is to make money with the tools at
hand, and to buy additional tools that will increase their profits.

2) A computer is a tool, pick the tool best suited for the particular
jobs that are to be done.

3) Learning how to use any computer to best advantage is time consuming
and difficult, whether it is a PC or a Mac. Generally, a "boss" will
try to hire someone already skilled in doing the required computer
tasks.

4) Do not be misled by the initial price of the computer itself. At
times a high priced computer tool is necessary, for the same reasons
that many high priced tools are necessary.
Namely, the high priced tool might have features that are necessary
to do the job at hand, and the lower cost tool does not.



As you can see, there is no _simple_ answer to your question.

You would need to know what your boss expects a computer to do for his
business. If all he needs is simple record keeping, almost any cheap
computer is capable of doing that.

By contrast, if your boss needs to run an active business website, do
research, create computer "movies", create 'slick' brochures,
pamphlets, business cards, posters, charts, diagrams, CAD "blueprints",
create plastic and metal prototype models, TV and radio and magazine
and newspoaper advertisement 'copy', and many other chores too numerous
to list here, then your boss will need computers with vastly more
capabilities.



All that said, Macs _can_ do things that are not feasible on PCs.

....and of course PCs can do things that are not feasible on Macs.


Some software will only run on a Mac, or a PC, but not on both.

Modern Macs are tightly integrated with the Unix operating system,
which effectively means that a Mac user can take advantage of cost and
time savings available by using Unix features in combination with Mac
features, because of the tight integration of both.

There are people who are quite happy using Unix (or Linux) as their
only operating system.

Mac users have the advantages of using the 'features' of both the Mac
and Unix operating systems, and the software available for both

This option increases the overall productivity of Mac users, more bang
for the buck, so to speak.

This integration and combination of features is not available on a PC,
which means it varies from 'difficult' to 'impossible' to combine Unix
and PC 'features'


Bottom line, determine what chores your boss needs done, then choose
the computer best suited to doing those chores.

Of couse, it would be desireable to have _both_ Macs and PCs, that
way the good features of both would be available. This approach would
likely yield the most profit for your boss.

Myself, I run 3 PCs and 3 Macs, but I seldom run the PCs, mainly
because I prefer the Macs.

Never the less, when a job comes up which demands the strong points of
a PC application, I use a PC.

Speech dictation is one such area where the PC is better than the Mac.

Mark-

In article <BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net>, Shuler
<shuler@comcast.net> wrote:

> I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?

1) The main concern for any business is to make money with the tools at
hand, and to buy additional tools that will increase their profits.

2) A computer is a tool, pick the tool best suited for the particular
jobs that are to be done.

3) Learning how to use any computer to best advantage is time consuming
and difficult, whether it is a PC or a Mac. Generally, a "boss" will
try to hire someone already skilled in doing the required computer
tasks.

4) Do not be misled by the initial price of the computer itself. At
times a high priced computer tool is necessary, for the same reasons
that many high priced tools are necessary.
Namely, the high priced tool might have features that are necessary
to do the job at hand, and the lower cost tool does not.



As you can see, there is no _simple_ answer to your question.

You would need to know what your boss expects a computer to do for his
business. If all he needs is simple record keeping, almost any cheap
computer is capable of doing that.

By contrast, if your boss needs to run an active business website, do
research, create computer "movies", create 'slick' brochures,
pamphlets, business cards, posters, charts, diagrams, CAD "blueprints",
create plastic and metal prototype models, TV and radio and magazine
and newspoaper advertisement 'copy', and many other chores too numerous
to list here, then your boss will need computers with vastly more
capabilities.



All that said, Macs _can_ do things that are not feasible on PCs.

....and of course PCs can do things that are not feasible on Macs.


Some software will only run on a Mac, or a PC, but not on both.

Modern Macs are tightly integrated with the Unix operating system,
which effectively means that a Mac user can take advantage of cost and
time savings available by using Unix features in combination with Mac
features, because of the tight integration of both.

There are people who are quite happy using Unix (or Linux) as their
only operating system.

Mac users have the advantages of using the 'features' of both the Mac
and Unix operating systems, and the software available for both

This option increases the overall productivity of Mac users, more bang
for the buck, so to speak.

This integration and combination of features is not available on a PC,
which means it varies from 'difficult' to 'impossible' to combine Unix
and PC 'features'


Bottom line, determine what chores your boss needs done, then choose
the computer best suited to doing those chores.

Of couse, it would be desireable to have _both_ Macs and PCs, that
way the good features of both would be available. This approach would
likely yield the most profit for your boss.

Myself, I run 3 PCs and 3 Macs, but I seldom run the PCs, mainly
because I prefer the Macs.

Never the less, when a job comes up which demands the strong points of
a PC application, I use a PC.

Speech dictation is one such area where the PC is better than the Mac.

Mark-

in article BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net, Shuler at shuler@comcast.net
wrote on 8/13/05 8:53 PM:

> I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?
>

It's hard to answer your question without knowing something about your
situation. But here is one compelling argument. Microsoft has been
promising that their new version of Windows, code-named "Longhorn," will
have many new features of great value. Longhorn's date keeps slipping, and
Microsoft keeps scaling back on its list of features. But Mac OS X, version
10.4, already has all the great search features that Longhorm might have, if
the latter ever gets released without having more capabilities deleted. The
Mac OS is also far less prone to computer viruses than any version of
Windows released so far, so probably the same applies to Longhorn.

in article BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net, Shuler at shuler@comcast.net
wrote on 8/13/05 8:53 PM:

> I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?
>

It's hard to answer your question without knowing something about your
situation. But here is one compelling argument. Microsoft has been
promising that their new version of Windows, code-named "Longhorn," will
have many new features of great value. Longhorn's date keeps slipping, and
Microsoft keeps scaling back on its list of features. But Mac OS X, version
10.4, already has all the great search features that Longhorm might have, if
the latter ever gets released without having more capabilities deleted. The
Mac OS is also far less prone to computer viruses than any version of
Windows released so far, so probably the same applies to Longhorn.

In article <BF263075.AEA2%lybanon@earthlink.net>,
Matthew Lybanon <lybanon@earthlink.net> wrote:

> in article BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net, Shuler at shuler@comcast.net
> wrote on 8/13/05 8:53 PM:
>
> > I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?
> >
>
> It's hard to answer your question without knowing something about your
> situation. But here is one compelling argument. Microsoft has been
> promising that their new version of Windows, code-named "Longhorn," will
> have many new features of great value. Longhorn's date keeps slipping, and
> Microsoft keeps scaling back on its list of features. But Mac OS X, version
> 10.4, already has all the great search features that Longhorm might have, if
> the latter ever gets released without having more capabilities deleted. The
> Mac OS is also far less prone to computer viruses than any version of
> Windows released so far, so probably the same applies to Longhorn.

Wow I am sold :-) Good answer and line of reason!
--
Would thou choose to meet a rat eating dragon, or
a dragon, eating rat? The answer of: I am somewhere
in the middle.

In article <BF263075.AEA2%lybanon@earthlink.net>,
Matthew Lybanon <lybanon@earthlink.net> wrote:

> in article BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net, Shuler at shuler@comcast.net
> wrote on 8/13/05 8:53 PM:
>
> > I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?
> >
>
> It's hard to answer your question without knowing something about your
> situation. But here is one compelling argument. Microsoft has been
> promising that their new version of Windows, code-named "Longhorn," will
> have many new features of great value. Longhorn's date keeps slipping, and
> Microsoft keeps scaling back on its list of features. But Mac OS X, version
> 10.4, already has all the great search features that Longhorm might have, if
> the latter ever gets released without having more capabilities deleted. The
> Mac OS is also far less prone to computer viruses than any version of
> Windows released so far, so probably the same applies to Longhorn.

Wow I am sold :-) Good answer and line of reason!
--
Would thou choose to meet a rat eating dragon, or
a dragon, eating rat? The answer of: I am somewhere
in the middle.

In article
<ShadezofPerceptionvanished-FF251D.22064315082005@news.verizon.net>,
Little Green Eyed Dragon <ShadezofPerceptionvanished@someplace.com>
wrote:

> In article <BF263075.AEA2%lybanon@earthlink.net>,
> Matthew Lybanon <lybanon@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> > in article BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net, Shuler at shuler@comcast.net
> > wrote on 8/13/05 8:53 PM:
> >
> > > I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?
> > >
> >
> > It's hard to answer your question without knowing something about your
> > situation. But here is one compelling argument. Microsoft has been
> > promising that their new version of Windows, code-named "Longhorn," will
> > have many new features of great value. Longhorn's date keeps slipping, and
> > Microsoft keeps scaling back on its list of features. But Mac OS X, version
> > 10.4, already has all the great search features that Longhorm might have, if
> > the latter ever gets released without having more capabilities deleted. The
> > Mac OS is also far less prone to computer viruses than any version of
> > Windows released so far, so probably the same applies to Longhorn.
>
> Wow I am sold :-) Good answer and line of reason!

But, don't ignore the main considerations:

1. Do you need a new computer?
2. What is the most effective type of computer for the applications you
have in mind. Consider cost of the computer, cost of software, cost
of maintaining said software, cost of anti-virus programs,
anti-spamware tools needed (At this time, Macs need none but
that could change tomorrow.) Also remember to count the cost of the
operator's time. Operator's time includes:
a. Task execution time for identical tasks which is not
proportional to MHz. You have to measure it especially
when comparing Macs to PCs. Some apps run a little faster
on high-end PCs. Some run much faster on high-end Macs.
Concentrate on the tasks that take the most of the USER's
time. Stuff that the computer does while you're away from
it is almost free. Many many tasks are limited not by speed of
code exectution but by the speed with which the user can
operate the interface. (e.g. word processing and data entry)
b. Cost of security. Macintoshes have been relatively blessed
with few spyware and virus infections. With good security
software, you can get the risk for Windows down to about 10%
chance of a serious infection per year. Count on at least one
man day of lost time to clean up the mess and an unknowable
expense of lost data. With a Mac, the risk of infection is already
below what good security software can get you on a PC. (But
that could change tomorrow, because Mac only has fewer
attacks, not much better protection.)
c. Cost of downtime. Windows must be updated on a bi-weekly
basis with security patches almost as long as you own your machine.
This is an attended activity requiring a reboot, so it interferes
with productivity. Macs require patches too, but fewer
(Apple is currently 2005-007, or the 7th this year, which tells
me they're going at about one a month, or about half the frequency
of Windows security updates.)

==> ALL COMMENTS IMO <==

In article
<ShadezofPerceptionvanished-FF251D.22064315082005@news.verizon.net>,
Little Green Eyed Dragon <ShadezofPerceptionvanished@someplace.com>
wrote:

> In article <BF263075.AEA2%lybanon@earthlink.net>,
> Matthew Lybanon <lybanon@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> > in article BF241C51.33E9%shuler@comcast.net, Shuler at shuler@comcast.net
> > wrote on 8/13/05 8:53 PM:
> >
> > > I need to convince my boss. Why buy a Mac?
> > >
> >
> > It's hard to answer your question without knowing something about your
> > situation. But here is one compelling argument. Microsoft has been
> > promising that their new version of Windows, code-named "Longhorn," will
> > have many new features of great value. Longhorn's date keeps slipping, and
> > Microsoft keeps scaling back on its list of features. But Mac OS X, version
> > 10.4, already has all the great search features that Longhorm might have, if
> > the latter ever gets released without having more capabilities deleted. The
> > Mac OS is also far less prone to computer viruses than any version of
> > Windows released so far, so probably the same applies to Longhorn.
>
> Wow I am sold :-) Good answer and line of reason!

But, don't ignore the main considerations:

1. Do you need a new computer?
2. What is the most effective type of computer for the applications you
have in mind. Consider cost of the computer, cost of software, cost
of maintaining said software, cost of anti-virus programs,
anti-spamware tools needed (At this time, Macs need none but
that could change tomorrow.) Also remember to count the cost of the
operator's time. Operator's time includes:
a. Task execution time for identical tasks which is not
proportional to MHz. You have to measure it especially
when comparing Macs to PCs. Some apps run a little faster
on high-end PCs. Some run much faster on high-end Macs.
Concentrate on the tasks that take the most of the USER's
time. Stuff that the computer does while you're away from
it is almost free. Many many tasks are limited not by speed of
code exectution but by the speed with which the user can
operate the interface. (e.g. word processing and data entry)
b. Cost of security. Macintoshes have been relatively blessed
with few spyware and virus infections. With good security
software, you can get the risk for Windows down to about 10%
chance of a serious infection per year. Count on at least one
man day of lost time to clean up the mess and an unknowable
expense of lost data. With a Mac, the risk of infection is already
below what good security software can get you on a PC. (But
that could change tomorrow, because Mac only has fewer
attacks, not much better protection.)
c. Cost of downtime. Windows must be updated on a bi-weekly
basis with security patches almost as long as you own your machine.
This is an attended activity requiring a reboot, so it interferes
with productivity. Macs require patches too, but fewer
(Apple is currently 2005-007, or the 7th this year, which tells
me they're going at about one a month, or about half the frequency
of Windows security updates.)

==> ALL COMMENTS IMO <==