Steamd

I recently spoke with a co-worker who has a friend who works for Microsoft. We talked a bit about the problems associated with Windows Vista. The problem, according to my co-worker’s friend, is drivers; manufacturers simply have not written good, solid drivers for Windows Vista. Which brings to mind a quote that the Macalope made on a recent blog post:

Hey, the Macalope doesn’t do it often, but he will give Microsoft credit for one thing: what it does to get Windows running on all those different machines is a pain in the ass. It’s no wonder Apple doesn’t want to get into that.

Indeed, getting Windows to run right on every machine is indeed a pain in the ass. So I wonder…how much access do developers have to the innards of Windows that allow them to make all these device drivers work? Do they get any source code of Windows itself? Microsoft does make a Windows Driver Kit available to developers, but there is no mention of any source code available. My guess is that developers are given all the documentation about hooks, API’s, and such into the OS and are given tools to test the integrity of the code written for a driver but none of the actual source code within Windows that would allow developers an insight into how their drivers will interact with Windows.

Take a video card driver for Vista, for instance. Given the complexity of the new Windows Display Driver Model in Vista, DirectX 10, the requirement for some drivers to be digitally signed, as well as the DRM placed on the video subsystem, a lot can go wrong very quickly. Multiply that complexity out to how many different models of Vista certified video cards there are and you’ll realize very quickly what the problem is.

The debate on whether an open platform is better than a closed platform is a subject that will forever be debated. And it’s not just a Mac vs. PC thing. On the PC front, you have Windows and you have Linux…both very distinct OS’s with different philosophies as well. Your choice of Windows, Linux, or Mac is entirely dependent on your needs and what you want to get out of it. I’ve dabbled in all of them with most of my experience being on Windows. But over the years I’ve learned what the benefits are to each OS.

The difference between Windows and Linux is that Windows is a closed system whereas Linux is an open one. The benefit of Linux here is that you have the opportunity to tweak any part of the OS that is causing you problems by rebuilding and compiling the source code, which in turn leads to more stability. That’s not something you can do so easily with Windows.

The difference in a Mac versus Windows and Linux is that the Mac is a platform, a combination of software and hardware, and one that is semi-open. I say semi-open because the Mac OS does have a lot of open-source components under the hood. It is based on Unix and does have things like Samba, Apache, and other popular open-source software driving part if its functionality. Apple has chosen to retain control of the hardware in an effort to provide the greatest degree of stability for their OS. The downside to this is that you don’t have as much choice in the way of hardware, which for some is a deal breaker.

So depending on what you want to do will depend on what OS you choose…

There are plenty of other reasons to use Windows, both for personal and business use. Windows has captured about 90% of the desktop market and continues to be the most used operating system. Familiarity and availability of software have continued to make it the number one operating system in the world. Because of that most people consider it the default and thus other operating systems are not even considered.

Many people consider Windows the defacto standard for enterprise use. However, the gap is narrowing and the use of other alternative operating systems are being explored. So this particular point could very well be moot in short order.

If you’re a gamer, of course Windows will be your platform of choice. DirectX-based games pretty much rule the roost in the gaming world and thus neither a Mac or a Linux-based PC can supplant this.

Someone who has a really old PC and simply doesn’t want to spend any money on it might try the Ubuntu flavor of Linux. It’s a great way to breath new life into an old PC and at least get basic internet access, e-mail, and office applications. Other PC hobbyists might enjoy the level of customization and freedom that other Linux distributions provide.

By far the greatest use of Linux is for server purposes. Many small businesses who wish to have a server but don’t want to spend a whole lot of money on both hardware and software licenses can choose to buy a cheap server and throw a copy of Linux on it. It’s cheap, stable, and does the job. As a web server, Linux is a great OS to host a PHP/MySQL-based website using Apache.

Apple’s Macintosh platform is as much as a hardware platform as it is an operating system platform. The two really go hand in hand and thus it’s hard to draw on comparisons with PC’s. With new Macs being Intel-based, technically speaking you could say that a Mac is a PC…especially if you consider the fact that you can install Windows on an Intel-based Mac. Right now, the Mac is probably the best alternative solution to a PC and Windows and is most targeted towards the home user. That doesn’t mean that a Mac couldn’t be used for business use though. In fact, Apple’s servers are as robust as their desktops and are great for the small business who wants to adopt Mac’s and doesn’t want to pay for any in-house IT staff.

For the average home user, I think a Mac is the best solution. With all the hassles associated with viruses, spyware, and maintenance on a Windows-based PC, I feel that a lot of home users would benefit greatly from a Mac because virtually none of those hassles exist on a Mac. Plus, most of the software that people typically use is available for the Mac so there is some familiarity there that people can latch on to. With the sheer easy of use and availability of software tools for managing and editing photos, videos, and music, the Mac is a great computer for the average Joe.

I used to be a Windows guy…still am because of my job. But at home I’m more of a Mac guy. I also use Linux quite a bit for web development purposes. The main takeaway from this is that there isn’t a one size fits all solution. As much as I would like to say that the Mac is the perfect solution for everyone and everything, it just ain’t. Same applies to Windows and Linux. But I do recommend that you take a serious look at each solution and weigh your options. The default may no longer be the best option for you. Think about what you do when you buy a car. A little research goes a long way in determining what will work the best for you and, in the long run, allows you to make the best, most educated decision. Why should your computer be any different?

There are people in the world who think they are right and no matter how many times you tell them, no matter how much evidence you put in front of them, they are never wrong. Kind of like the people who think the holocaust never happened. Or that dinosaurs never existed. Or that global warming is a hoax. Even with all evidence pointing to the contrary, some people won’t budge and will point blank tell you that you’re wrong.

Yesterday I posted a rebuttal to a blog post made on Calloftheday.net. His reaction, shall we say, was expected and only proves my point…that no matter how you point out to someone they are wrong, they still insist they are right:

Now, as some of you already know, I screen all comments before they’re posted. This is mainly because about 30% of the comments I get in are just people trying to advertise their own sites. About 69% is dedicated to porn spam. (69, geddit? I’ll get my coat). About 1% are actually comments.

I have no doubt that you get spam and that a lot of the comments you receive are complete shit. However, I have no doubt in my mind that my initial comment was within the 1% you claim are actually comments…which goes back to my initial question on why it wasn’t posted in the first place.

What your original post actually contained was along the lines of “HAI GUISE, WHATS GOIN ON IN THIS THREAD!”?, and then threw a link back to your own website.

No, my original post was along the lines of “GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!!”. I didn’t throw a link to my site until after the fact. I took some time to write a solid, well thought out response to your post and, well, it didn’t get posted. What did you think my response would be? If you were screening posts and saw
my first initial post, why didn’t you go ahead and post it? What was it
about my initial post you didn’t like?

Like I said, your “response”? was simply a direct link back to your own website. If you want to argue, feel free to do it directly. Now, I’m only going to say this once - to all further mac hatemail, please examine the following closely;

Otherwise, your comment wont get posted. And the Almighty Jeff will hate me. And the whole world will come to a fucking standstill.

Umm…right…so stupid is as stupid does, right?

Look, I don’t care whether you agree or disagree with my opinions or anyone else’s for that matter. Whether you’re a Mac user, a PC user, a gamer, you hate Macs, you think Microsoft is the devil, or whatever the
hell you believe…it doesn’t matter one iota! However, what does matter is that you get the facts straight. I’m not a MacIdiot, a Mac fanboy, or any like that. This is not a PC vs. Mac thing. This is a “Get your facts straight”? thing. If you’re going to argue and create a flame war, you better have your facts straight.

So I saw this Digg post yesterday that linked to a blog post of a system comparison between a Mac Pro and a high-end gaming PC. Here’s the specs of the PC he was talking about:

Asus P5E3 Deluxe Socket-775 Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 @ 3GHz
2GB DDR3 Ram @ 1333mhz
2x 1TB Hard Drives @ 7200rpm
EVGA GeForce 8800Ultra (768MB) Graphics Card
Samsung 24″ LCD Syncmaster Display
Creative SB X-Fi Elite Pro sound card
D-Link draft-802.11n Wireless Adapter
Windows Vista Premium
700W Power supply & NorthQ 2500 Chasis
Subtotal: $6019.18

Not bad, right? Looks like a pretty solid configuration for any gaming PC. Now, let’s look at the specs he presented for the Mac Pro:

“Bundled”? iLife software
Dual-Core Intel Xeon Processor @ 3.0ghz
2GB DDR2 Ram
500GB 7200rpm Hard Drive
Nvidia Quatro FX 4500 (512meg) Graphics Card
20″ LCD Display
16x CD/DVD-RW Drive
AirPort Wireless Card
Mac OSX Leopard
Standard Chassis
Subtotal: $6,102.00

The author went on to say this:

There, you still save just over $80, and the Windows PC is now about three times more powerful than the Macintosh. Thus leading back to my original point, iThings cost 300% more than normal things. Or are 300% less powerful than normal things. Take your pick.

Umm…300% Right. Do you see any flaws in the comparison of these two systems? I do! And when I did, I tried to post a very honest, very open counter-point to his argument. One commenter felt that the author’s points are bastardized. So here’s what my response was:

Bastardized? Not just that, but irresponsible as well! Here’s the problem…your comparison is waaaaay off and not fair by a longshot.

Let’s take the processors for example. A dual-care Intel Xeon is a different processor from a Intel Core 2 Extreme, one is designed for servers and workstations and the other for gamers. Yeah, they cost the same…but here’s the catch…Apple gives you two dual-core Xeon processors for the price of your single Core 2 Extreme! In fact, you don’t have a choice…Apple won’t sell you a Mac Pro with just one Xeon processor! How’s that for value?

Next, the video cards. Another one that is waaay off! In no way can an nVidia GeForce 8800 Ultra compare to a Quadro FX 4500! The GeForce is a gaming card and the Quadro is a precision graphics card. Just like the processors, two video cards for two completely different applications. Hell, the Quadro card in and off itself is over $1600! Yeah, they’re expensive…and there’s a reason for it. You don’t want to use a card that is built for gaming and risk it screwing up a very important rendering job on a CAD project.

If you buy a Mac Pro without the Quadro card and stick with the default NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 256MB card, you can get it for about $4400. At that price, I can go out and buy a 8800 Ultra off the shelf and still save over $1000!

Now, go to HP’s website and configure a xw6400 or xw8400 workstation with the same specs as a Mac Pro. Why the workstation? Because you can’t buy a consumer-line computer with a Xeon! What you’ll find is that Apple undercuts the competition a bit. Yeah…believe it or not, they are actually cheaper than the competition! Dell may or may not be more expensive but, even then, it won’t be by much.

The point is this isn’t a fair comparison and you need to get your facts straight. Can a Mac Pro be a good gaming computer? Absolutely…but you may have to customize it a bit to get what you want out of it. But that’s not why people buy Mac Pros. People buy Mac Pros because they want the fastest, most powerful Mac to do high- end stuff like video editing and graphics.

And on that note, the other thing is that with a Mac I can still run Windows. You can talk about the high points of Windows Vista all you want but I will still prefer Mac OS X Leopard over it any day. And the cool thing is that I have my own copy of Windows XP and can boot natively into it any time I want and play a game or two. With a PC, you’re stuck…you have no choice unless you use a Linux distro as your primary OS…which, ironically, isn’t so bad! I use both SuSE and Ubuntu on a few PC’s myself.

I’ve been a Windows user for the better part of 12 years since Windows 95 came out. For me to say I prefer a Mac over a Windows-based PC is saying a lot. I used to be an ASP/ASP.NET developer and got very frustrated with all the problems I was having. Switched to PHP and a Mac and am a lot happier.

To end my comments, just remember this…the Mac is a platform. You can’t compare it to a PC on hardware alone. What makes a Mac a Mac is the combination of the hardware AND the software. That’s a very important distinction and one that will give a much fairer comparison between the two.

Hope these comments are enlightening.

Jeff

My response was not posted at all. In fact, just about any opposing viewpoints were deleted from the comments as well. It seems that the author does not want to hear it which is foolish. The fact that the author does not allow for this proves that he is ignorant and stupid, the two very things I abhor.

The whole point I was trying to make is that before you go and make the kind of claims you are trying to make, do yourself a favor and make sure that you get your facts straight. If you’re going to make a bold statement about something like this, you better have the facts to back it up.

I’ve used every major operating system that is out there: Windows, Linux, and Mac. I’ve built a few of my own gaming PCs and I’m an IT Administrator. I do know a thing or two about hardware and the cost of it. I order workstations all the time for the architectural firm I work for. My opinion is a highly educated opinion based on real-world experience.

The gentleman who made this blog post is a moron. Until he has spent a significant amount of time using a Mac, he and any of the other visitors who have made bogus comments have no right to criticize something they know nothing about. If you are a gamer then great…stick to a gaming PC. But don’t try to make comparisons like this and then dismiss any hardcore facts…you only make yourself look like a f$%ing idiot!