For the past several weeks I've been leading a study at church on stress. We're using the videotape series Margin: Prescription for the Pain of Overloaded Lives by Dr. Richard A. Swenson. In one of the sessions, Dr. Swenson talks about how we should schedule for "margin" in our lives and allow time for things to go wrong. After all, he says: "Things that can go wrong will go wrong."
In addition, he talks about doing the things that tend to simplify, rather than complicate our lives. For instance, Dr. Swenson says he only owns two colors of trousers and one sports coat. By owning only two pairs of trousers he never has to make a fashion decision, he says.
You might be thinking what does a series on stress has to do with a column on the Mac? Well, I think a lot.
The use of computers in our personal and work lives can be both a blessing and a curse. As I have mentioned before in this column, some people are better suited to using PCs running Windows and others are more suited to using Macintosh computers. Windows tends to appeal somewhat more to business users and technophiles, whereas the Macintosh has tends to appeal more to graphic arts and publishing professionals.
With all that said, there are aspects to owning a PC running Windows that some embrace, whereas users of the Macintosh tend to really detest. One is the shear number of software titles and hardware options available for the average PC.
In this month's edition of MacAddict magazine, editor Robert Capps writes about his first trip to Comdex, which is considered to be the ultimate trade show by many PC users. As he arrives at the Las Vegas Convention Center where the show is being held, he sees an immediate contrast between PC and Mac users: many people in attendance are wearing suits.
To make a long story shorter, Capps is generally amazed at the number of competing software titles available for PCs. He had thought that he would be jealous of all that is PC and not Mac, but concludes otherwise: "I realized that if I worked for a PC magazine, I'd have to wade through all manner of ridiculous software. I'd be the guy that would have to test 50 different business management apps in order to find out what features would work for which people. Sure, these programs are functional, even necessary but they're no fun and there are 10,000 of them."
And finally: "The longer I strolled the convention floor, the happier I was that I worked for MacAddict. We get to cover just cool stuff.The Mac pond may be way smaller, but thanks to its simplicity and its appeal to creative people, by comparison our pond is filled with champagne."
As I mentioned earlier, there is something to be learned here. Some people purchase a computer that they can constantly tinker with, while others buy a computer to get work done on and have fun on occasionally. That's where I believe the Mac excels and why so many people have found the iMac so appealing.
So the next time you're somewhere where there is an overwhelming number of PC titles over Mac titles, remember Robert Capps' visit to Comdex and go home and enjoy the stress relief of owning a Mac!