The Apple of Your Eye: Why More PC Users Are Switching to Macintosh

Cellist Yo-yo Ma and professional skateboarder Tony Hawk use them. You have probably seen their products in classrooms, in offices, or even on the subway. Some abhor them, others love them. What are they? It is Apple Computer's line of products. These include computers and audio players that feature the ubiquitous Apple logo somewhere on the case, giving the obvious visual clue it's a Mac. They are renowned for their simplicity and ease of use, and for being that 'other' alternative out there when looking for a new personal computer. The "Switch" advertising campaign may have not been the most successful advertising conducted by Apple Computer to convert PC users to Mac users, but it is probably the most prominent in recent memory. It did state the point that the Macintosh is superior to any Windows-based computer.

The "Switch" campaign was launched in June 2002 to convince the general public that Macs were better than PCs because they were easy to use and didn't have the wealth of problems that plagued computers running Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Operating System platform. The advertising mainly consisted of testimonials by both regular people and celebrities (like Will Ferrell) appearing in television ads that talked about how Macs changed their computing experience for the better. Some of the regular people in these T.V. spots turned into overnight celebrities, such as Ellen Feiss. The advertising campaign did not work as well as Apple expected, but it did have some success in the way of parody ads in which actors complained about things like not having a right mouse button or the inability to run certain applications after switching to Macintosh. The simplicity of the Apple "Switch" ads is also what makes them memorable.

Are Macs for everyone, and is it a good idea to have one? There is evidence that suggests otherwise. The first deterrent to owning a Macintosh computer is the price. To compare, a PowerMac G5 costs $1,999 while a similarly configured Dell desktop computer can be had for as low as $999.Apple's products have always had a price premium over similar products, but many argue that you are paying for quality, not quantity or value. This is partly true, as the components that most Macs are made from are of a higher quality, such as aircraft-grade aluminum in the Apple laptops for example. You are also paying for having a copy of OSX installed and ready to use when you boot up your Mac for the first time.

Speaking of software, software troubles can be another reason why it may be a good idea not to purchase a Macintosh. Lately security flaws have been found and exploited in Mac OSX (Goodin). Some of the newer Macs can now run Windows, but many older Macs can only run OSX. Although many software applications have now been ported over to OSX (meaning that they are basically the same application regardless to which OS is running), there are still a great deal of programs that are only available for Windows. A good example of this is computer games. Many game developers don't have Mac versions of their titles because they either don't have the resources necessary to port their software to Mac, or feel the experience would not be the same on a Mac. This is why the phrase "Mac gamer" is a bit of an oxymoron. Macs are capable of running the latest games, but they still lag behind their PC counterparts.

A third reason for not owning a Macintosh is the market share Apple possesses. Although Apple is gaining a bigger slice of the PC market, only 5% of the world's computers are Macs (Browning). The remaining 95% are either Windows-based computers or computers running a variant of UNIX. If you don't mind being part of a minority, then there is little to worry about. But if you worry about interoperability between different systems or others' familiarity with your computer, then it could be problematic. The users can be part of the problem or solution here. As the solution, they can encourage others to embrace the Macintosh, or educate people about the benefits of owning a Mac. As the problem, they discourage others from owning a Mac by being arrogant in how Macs are better than other computers, or refusing to be flexible in a multi-system environment. On a related note, Macs are not completely upgradeable like some PCs, or are they hand built like some PCs. A lot of PC power users enjoy having the option to completely build a computer from scratch using off the shelf parts, while it is nearly impossible to accomplish the same with a Mac (in other words you cannot build a Mac from scratch, only Apple can do that).

Apple's website gives 10 specific reasons for switching to a Macintosh computer. The first and most emphasized is that a Mac just works. There are almost no worries of faulty software, OS crashes, or anything of that nature. Mostly this is because OSX is built upon the UNIX operating system, an older extremely stable software platform that has been around many years (Norton). Plug a device into a Mac, and chances are it will work without warnings or alerts. Compare this to a Windows or Linux based PC, which usually requires some configuring in order to get a peripheral device to work. The stability of a Macintosh computer is probably the biggest selling point, and therefore the leading reason to switch.

The second reason listed is ease of use. Here, Apple uses another one of their bestselling products to prove a point: the iPod. Perhaps the most revolutionary portable audio device in history, the iPod's trademark feature is the 'click wheel' that allows the user to access all of the player's functions. Banking on the fact that that many people interested in owning a Mac are familiar with an iPod, Apple claims that Macs are just as user-friendly as iPods. Bundled with their proprietary audio/video software suite, Macs are practically guaranteed to work flawlessly when listening to music or watching video, or with accomplishing nearly any other task as well.

A third reason for switching is the image capabilities of a Macintosh. Apple says this: "Picture this: A computer that detects your digital camera the moment you connect it, imports your photos automatically, creates slideshows complete with music, offers powerful editing tools and even lets you order a hardcover or paperback keepsake album designed exactly how you want it. Meet the Mac, your digital camera's new best friend." (Apple.com/Switch)

With that in mind, Apple boasts that their computers are the best for image manipulation, and this claim can be backed up by the proof of thousands of graphic designers who use Macs for their work (Apple - Pro). Apple also takes care to mention that almost every digital camera with a USB connection will work, and especially without extraneous software necessary for the camera to work.

An interesting fourth reason to switch is the ability to create music on a Mac. GarageBand is software that comes included on every Mac sold today that enables anybody to compose music to their liking. GarageBand has helped aspiring musicians to create professional quality audio tracks; for professionals, Apple offers a series of applications that compete directly with what Window-based programs have to offer. Once again, ease of use plays a vital role and a major selling point. In the "Switch" advertising campaign Apple conducted, the musical group De La Soul and "Scratch" composer DJ Qbert both discussed in separate television ads how their Mac computers simply brought all the different parts of the music together to create exactly what they wanted, without hassle or complexity.

Building on the ability to create music easily, Apple also claims it is easy to create movies also. High definition quality video is effortless to produce through the programs iMovie and iDVD, which are included on every new Mac sold today. Most new Macs also ship with an optical drive capable of writing to blank DVD discs, so it is a very real possible that any Mac user can create their own DVD movies that rival even professionally made DVDs. In fact, Macs are so well liked within the professional audio/video industry that the major motion picture "Cold Mountain" was entirely edited on a series of Mac computers (Cellini). With this example, it would be hard not to convince someone interested in their own entertainment production not to get a Mac.

The sixth reason for buying a Mac is for getting the most out of your experience on the internet. An interesting fact is when the iMac was introduced, the computer name stood for "Internet Macintosh." It's an apt name, as one of the things Macs do best is to surf the internet. Since they run on a completely different operating system, Macs are virtually invulnerable to internet evils such as spyware, malware and computer viruses. Apple also has taken the courtesy to include their own versions of popular web applications like AOL Instant Messenger, Internet Explorer, and Outlook. With the latest rendition of their operating system, Apple has included "mini applications" called "widgets" that fetch information such as stock quotes and weather from the World Wide Web, further enhancing your experience on the internet.

Another good reason to switch is the user base and support for Macintoshes. Many Mac users are devoted to their computers, and are passionate about sharing their feelings on how the world should be more Mac-friendly. Mac users are usually more than happy to share a wealth of information on how to get the most out of your Mac. Apple is also more than happy to help with any issues, and their web site contains help articles, discussion boards, and even live help through internet chat. Apple also has a reputation with AppleCare, their extensive warranty program. Often, if you have any kind of problem Apple will try and fix it, and if that does not succeed, they will replace you Mac free of charge and usually no questions asked. Many PC manufacturers and even Microsoft don't have the support coverage that Apple offers.

The eighth reason for moving to Mac is not so important, unless you do your computing on the road. Focusing on the portable Mac laptops, Apple claims they are offer more than what a PC laptop features. Mac laptops are engineered with portability in mind, with characteristics like long battery life, low profile chassis design (about an inch thick), and are lightweight. Mac portables also happen to be as fully powered as a regular full size Mac, and can do everything at equivalent speeds. Since it's mainly business users that are interested in owning a Mac laptop, these laptops have settings and software geared towards an office environment. When looking at a Mac laptop, it can be considered good things come in small packages.

A ninth (and still business oriented) reason is "It [Macintosh] Does Windows", both figuratively and literally. Macs can communicate flawlessly with computers running on Windows, and access the same resources Windows-running computers can. Macs on a hardware level are also very similar to other computers, and this is where the literal interpretation of doing Windows comes in. Recently, new Macs have begun shipping with an Intel CPU, the same type found in many non-Apple computers worldwide. With this in mind, Apple released software dubbed "Boot Camp" that allows Mac users to install and run Windows, which was previously impossible to do on any Mac. This is revolutionary; many people were prevented from using Macs since they couldn't run Windows applications that some could not do without. Although the software is still in the beta (experimental) stage, it shows promising results that two vastly different operating systems can now run on one computer in harmony.

The final reason for switching is aesthetics. Both the software and the hardware are pleasing to the eye, and are sculptured to look their best. When someone talks about a PC to another person, that other person is typically thinking of an ugly beige box that is more suited sitting in one's office rather than one's home. When Steve Jobs retook the helm of Apple in 1997, he promoted Apple employee Jonathan Ive to Vice President of Industrial Design. Under Ive's eye, Apple has designed some of the most radical and un-computer-like hardware ranging from the original iMac to the latest iMac design and everything in between. As a matter of fact, Apple's design team has won numerous awards such as the Industrial Design Excellence Award. The software interface is no different. Users view rounded display windows, colorful icons, and easy to read text. When comparing Macintosh OSX to Windows (let's take XP for example) one can easily distinguish between the two operating systems. XP looks dull and utilitarian when compared the vividness and simplicity of OSX. In short, don't expect a Mac to look like just another PC.

Lately Apple computer has been giving some powerful reasons why more computers users are switching to Macintosh. Ease of use, stability, and the option to run Windows on some Macs are just some of the grounds in how Macintosh computers are gaining in popularity. With this in mind, some of the reasons not to own a Macintosh are becoming flimsy and weak arguments. Although price and features are definitely a concern to many, owning a Mac can bring peace of mind as they are currently unsusceptible to dangers like computer viruses and spyware. It's been said that its time to make computing fun again. Apple is well on their way to making that possible with the Macintosh line of computers.

G5 is configured as follows: Dual 2 GHz G5 processors, 512MB of RAM memory, 160GB Hard Drive, and 128MB video card. The Dell is configured as follows: XPS 400 model with Pentium Dual Core running at 2.8 GHz, 1GB RAM memory, 160 GB Hard Drive, and 128MB video card. Other differences are negligible. It is also important to note that CPU clock speed (the "GHz") has become irrelevant lately for comparison purposes as each CPU maker has established their own performance ratings. Information taken from Apple and Dell respectively.