7 Tools to Keep Your Mac Healthy

Here's a good overview from Smoking Apples of what's out there to help keep your beloved Mac humming along! Check it out here. Direct link: http://smokingapples.com/software/reviews/7-tools-to-keep-your-mac-healthy/

Mac "Netbook" Rumors Abound

Well, it looks like a "netbook" like product may well be on the way from Apple. However, I agree with most observers Apple's netbook will be radically different from the current fare of low cost -- and admittedly cheaply made -- netbooks.

The device I'm looking for from Apple will have a touch screen, and therefore a "virtual" keyboard like the iPhone, only larger. I suspect unlike the iPhone there will be an option for an external keyboard.We possibly could get a preview of the product then Apple holds its iPhone 3.0 software preview next week. Let's hope.

Here are what others are speculating about Apple's netbook:

Apple May Enlarge IPod Touch Screen to Broaden Appeal (Bloomberg) article link

Apple Netbook Will Fill Newspaper Void (Seeking Alpha) article link

Tricky choices face Apple engineers working on netbook/touch device (Baltimore Sun) article link

State of the Computer in 1984

What did the computer market look like when the Apple Macintosh was introduced in 1984. Here's a great look at the year that ushered in a revolution in computing by Low End Mac. Enjoy! Read article.

iPhone stats confirmed; it runs my world

This is a great article about one consumer uses his iPhone. It's hard to argue that a computing revolution has begun!

By Michael DeAgonia

April 25, 2008 (Computerworld) Recently, I read an interesting report regarding iPhone use. Market research firm iSuppli Corp. found that many people use iPhones in ways that differ markedly from other phones, especially in categories that until recently weren't that important to most users.

We don't use it as often for phone calls as other cell phone owners.

And while we text message about as often as those who own other phones, we're much more likely to be checking e-mail, surfing the Web, watching videos or YouTube clips, or viewing photos.

What surprised me the most out of all of iSuppli's statistics is that iPhone owners spent less than half the time actually making calls -- 46.5% -- compared to 71.7% of the time people use other phones for calls. At first, I had a fleeting moment of defensiveness; I wondered if they were insinuating that the iPhone isn't good for voice calls. I hadn't noticed any problems with either my 8GB phone, or the newer 16GB model I replaced it with earlier this year.

It turns out voice quality isn't the issue. "This usage pattern shows Apple has succeeded in producing a true convergence product that consumers like to use for multiple purposes," said Greg Sheppard, chief development officer at iSuppli. "Apple has come as close as anyone to achieving a balanced convergence in mobile handset features and usage."

My curiosity piqued by the report's findings, so I set out to document how much I use my iPhone.

How it was B.I. (Before iPhone)

Before the iPhone was released, I lived in what I call the "Dark Time." As a former Motorola Razr user, the only time I felt anywhere near comfortable using my phone was when I made calls. That was it. To me, the Razr was just a phone. Because of either bad software design or the limitations inherent to static, button-based hardware -- or a combination of both -- the Razr's functions were poorly implemented.

For example, accessing the Internet felt less like information gathering and more like I had lost a bet. The experience was flat-out unpleasant. First, the software was terribly slow, even though the Razr browser was rendering mostly text. Second, the mobile Web it offered up looked nothing like the Internet. I've seen the Internet and that's not it. WAP browsing may have been a compromise, but its execution in software is slow, cumbersome and inefficient.

Since I had to navigate my way through a maze of vague commands and menus, I avoided the Internet on my Razr. The contacts and calendar applications were useless, too, given the hoops I had to jump through to keep them synced with my Mac. The same was true of e-mail, directions and the other functions the Razr could theoretically offer. No wonder I used it mostly for phone calls; I couldn't do anything else very easily.

I've started paying attention to my iPhone use, and I've found that similar to the findings in the report, I use my iPhone to make calls about half the time. The other half I spend browsing the Web, checking personal and company e-mail, playing games and using most of the available features -- and then some. (Yes, my iPhone is unlocked so I can add unofficial apps, and it will remain so until Apple releases a newer version of iPhone software in June.)

What surprised me even more than how accurately the report reflected my usage is the amount of time I spend on the device itself. After a few days of focusing on how often I use my iPhone, I've realized that not only am I using it more for calls than I did with the Razr, I've found that I also used it much more overall than any other portable device I've ever owned, iPod included. Until this report made me step back and take a good look, I never fully realized how iPhone-dependent I have become.

A day in the life

To illustrate, a typical day goes something like this: When the iPhone alarm wakes me up each morning, a swipe of the screen silences the alarm and brings up the Weather widget. With one gesture, I have enough information to plan my wardrobe and departure time, all before I'm even sitting up. Because the iPhone remembers the last-used application before it locks itself, any app can be used in this way.

Next, I click on the Home button to get to E-mail and the Calendar so I can prepare for the day mentally. Once I'm out of the house, the iPhone is linked into my car stereo, so it's always on as an iPod. And because my iPhone is also how I keep in touch, I never miss an e-mail, a text message or a phone call because of loud music -- the music mutes automatically when a call comes in. Since I commute daily from Orlando to Tampa, Google Maps lets me know what kind of traffic I'm facing, which helps me plan my routes.

Once at work, most of my day is spent staring numbly at progress bars, waiting for software to install. For those idle moments, dynamic content by way of the iPhone's mobile Safari browser and YouTube access is a godsend. The iPhone's media capabilities and its always-on cloud connectivity break the monotony, and since it's also my communications device, it keeps me always accessible. That's a downside, too: I'm always accessible.

Focusing on my iPhone use startled me into realizing that if my iPhone broke, or if Apple suddenly stopped making it and I had to use another brand, I'd be lost. I wouldn't know which device suited me, despite all of the competition in phones out there, because, in one way or the other, they're all wrong for me.

I felt that way before the iPhone's release, but now that I've used Apple's design and have grown accustomed to it, how can I go back? I tried to figure out why that was and realized that Apple made a few key design decisions early on in the iPhone design process that just happened to evolve into exactly what I was looking for.

Compatibility, multitouch nailed it for me

Obviously, based on your own needs and wants, your mileage may vary, but I was always specific about exactly what I wanted in a phone: one that comes with Mac software, easy connectivity and no hassles. So right off the bat, Apple nailed it for me by making the iPhone automatically Mac compatible, seamlessly importing my contact and calendar information. Of course, Apple didn't stop with Mac users; the iPhone works on various flavors of Windows as well, meaning it offers out-of-the-box cross-platform support. Who else does this?

Advantage two for the iPhone is multitouch. Everyone seems to be doing flat screens now. There were a couple of touch-screen devices on the market before the iPhone, but their interfaces were tacked on to existing mobile operating systems, which seem to be programmed to spite users. Plus, rival touch screens were the opposite of responsive, giving those awful bank ATM touch screens a run for their money. Not surprisingly, the design never caught on except with the most forgiving -- or masochistic -- early adopters.

It is because of this experience with touch panels that the mainstream media, consumers and cynics watched with curiosity when Apple first presented the ground-up redesign of OS X and its apps for mobile devices. The fact that the entire interaction lived and died by the intelligence and responsiveness of the touch screen was instant debate material, and every competitor was quick to dismiss the technology. Flash forward a year later and everyone who had dogged the idea now has their own touch-screen "iPhone killers."

But only Apple has multitouch matched to a user interface that's clever, intuitive and slick enough to take advantage of the technology. The lack of intuitive multifinger interaction alone makes any so-called iPhone killers merely iPhone wannabes, relegated to an audience comprising those that who can't or won't buy an Apple product for whatever reason.

With the iPhone, the simplicity introduced in the iPod remains, and the multitouch interface make all functions equally accessible, regardless of what feature they offer access to. From purchasing music to finding the nearest gas station to navigating through songs, iPhone's multitouch capabilities and Mobile OS X make things easy. The iPhone actually feels more like what must have been the original concept for the iPod in the literal sense: my entire life in my hands, with the ability to instantly sync with my computer, though no longer bound to it.

More missed points

Detractors are quick to play up the limitations of the iPhone, which are set by Apple itself. Some limitations, such as third-party application installs and enterprise support, will be taken care of with the June software release. And the long-rumored 3G iPhone is apparently just around the corner.

But there are other limitations that won't be as quickly remedied. Although the iPhone and iPod lines support the most popular music store in the world, the fact that that store just happens to belong to Apple and offers support for only a limited amount of available codecs doesn't sit well with some. But Apple would rather support specific codecs -- and support them well -- than spread itself thin supporting too many options poorly. It's the same philosophy Apple applies to its computers and operating system. What you leave out is as important as what you add in when it comes to ease of use.

As new iPhone features and support for enterprise use become available, the iPhone's reach into dyed-in-the-wool geeks resistant to Apple will expand. For those looking for a multifunction device that is actually useful in everyday life, I can say this: The iPhone remains the most user-friendly device I've ever had. Others agree.

Perhaps the most telling of all statistics comes from a March ChangeWave survey in which four in five iPhone users (79%) said they're very satisfied with their devices. The next highest percentage of happy owners came from BlackBerry users (54% are very satisfied), and LG and Sanyo owners (40% who said they're are very satisfied). The statistics speak for themselves.

Given the dramatic evolution of the iPod since its introduction in 2001, it's easy to see how, over time, the iPhone could spearhead the next major computing platform. Just in the next few months, we have the expected arrival of faster -- and possibly redesigned -- 3G iPhones, along with the release of a software development kit that should result in a slew of new apps.

Given that I couldn't resist moving from the 8GB model to the 16GB model when it came out, I see little chance that I'll be able to hold off from getting the next model when it finally appears. By then, I expect third-party applications for the iPhone to make it the Star Trek device I always thought it could be.

Michael DeAgonia is a computer consultant and technologist who has been using Macintoshes and working on them professionally since 1993. A Neal award-winning writer, his tech-support background includes tenures at Computerworld, colleges, the biopharmaceutical industry, the graphics industry and Apple. Currently, he is working as a Macintosh administrator at a large media company.

Sales pitch: 'We remove Vista'

This is from Todd Bishop's Microsoft Blog:

After reading today's story about Windows Vista's first year, reader Bruce Finlayson of Seattle sent along this photo that he snapped in October outside a computer store in Milford, N.H. ...

I made some calls to computer stores in Milford (pop. 15,000) and confirmed that the sign appeared in the window of A&D Computer, across the street from the town square. Shop manager Aaron Kaplan said they were prompted to put it up because so many people were having problems with Windows Vista, including compatibility issues with older software and trouble adjusting to the interface.

"A lot of people didn't like using Vista, and a lot of the manufacturers forced people to go up to Vista," he said.

What was the demand for the service? "We had a lot of people coming in and asking about it," Kaplan said. "Of all the signs we put up there the last two years, at least, we probably got the most response out of that one. A lot of people coming in."

Kaplan said they've since replaced it with a different message, but they're thinking about putting the Vista removal message back up.

First Macintosh Press Release from 1984

Apple Introduces Macintosh
Advanced Personal Computer

Saturday, January 24, 2004 - 11:44 AM EST

CUPERTINO, Calif., January 24, 1984--Apple Computer today unveiled its much-anticipated Macintosh computer, a sophisticated, affordably priced personal computer designed for business people, professionals and students in a broad range of fields. Macintosh is available in all dealerships now. Based on the advanced, 32-bit architecture developed for Apple's Lisa computer, Macintosh combines extraordinary computing power with exceptional ease of use--in a unit that is smaller and lighter than most transportable computers. The suggested retail price for Macintosh is $2,495, which during the introductory period also includes a word-processing program and graphics package.

Macintosh, along with three powerful new Lisa 2 computers, forms the basis of the Apple 32 SuperMicro family of computers. All systems in the family run Macintosh software.

Like Apple's ground-breaking Lisa computer, Macintosh uses its built-in user-interface software and high-resolution display to simulate the actual desk-top working environment--complete with built-in notepads, file folders, a calculator and other office tools. Every Macintosh computer contains 64 kilobytes of read-only memory (ROM), built-in Lisa Technology and 128 kilobytes of random-access memory (RAM) that support these desk-top tools.

Users tell Macintosh what to do simply by moving a "mouse"--a small pointing device--to select among functions listed in menus and represented by pictorial symbols on the screen. Users are no longer forced to memorize the numerous and confusing keyboard commands of conventional computers. The result is radical ease of use and a significant reduction in learning time. In effect, the Macintosh is a desk-top appliance offering users increased utility and creativity with simplicity.

"We believe that Lisa Technology represents the future direction of all personal computers," said Steven P. Jobs, Chairman of the Board of Apple. "Macintosh makes this technology available for the first time to a broad audience--at a price and size unavailable from any other manufacturer. By virtue of the large amount of software written for them, the Apple II and the IBM PC became the personal-computer industry's first two standards. We expect Macintosh to become the third industry standard."

A wide range of software applications will be supplied by leading independent software companies. Currently, more than 100 companies are developing software and hardware peripheral devices for Macintosh. The popular Lotus 1-2-3 integrated business package will be available in a Macintosh version, and Microsoft's Multiplan financial-planning application is available immediately.

Two Macintosh application programs--one for word processing and one for graphics--also are available from Apple immediately and will be offered at no charge to anyone purchasing Macintosh during the first 100 days after introduction. These software packages will be followed by communications software, business productivity tools and programming languages that will allow Macintosh to gain access to data from large mainframe computers.

Twenty-four of the nation's leading universities, such as Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and Yale, have joined forces with Apple to plan and implement personal-computer applications over the next few years. (See accompanying Apple University Consortium press release.) Under terms of the new Apple University Consortium, each member expects to purchase more than $2 million of Apple products (mostly Macintosh computers) over the next three years for use by faculty and students. Members of the consortium may share courseware (educational software) and application developments with one another in accordance with the agreement.

The prestigious accounting firm of Peat, Marwick Mitchell and Co. has ordered more than 2,000 Macintosh computers to be delivered in 1984.

Based on these commitments, Apple expects demand to exceed supply for several months.

Apple is manufacturing the new computers in a recently opened, highly automated factory in Fremont, California, which is capable of producing one system every 27 seconds and therefore meeting what is expected to be a large demand.

Macintosh Slashes Computer Learning Time
Macintosh is aimed at a broad group of business people, professionals and college students. These people perform tasks that are similar in one important respect: they all involve working at a desk and transforming information and ideas into memos, reports, budgets, plans and analyses.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that while there are 25 million of these "knowledge workers" in the United States alone, only 5 percent currently use desk-top computers. Apple market research indicates that the majority are unable or unwilling to invest the 20 to 40 hours it takes to master conventional computers and the additional three to 10 hours' learning time required for each new application program.

Macintosh, by contrast, typically takes only a few hours to learn. Its operation mirrors the activities that are carried on by people at their desks. Papers can be shuffled on screen, documents revised or discarded, charts drawn--all with a few simple commands executed with the mouse. Several documents can be displayed on screen simultaneously, in "windows" that can be moved, expanded or shrunk. All applications, from financial-planning tools to graphics programs, are based on the same set of intuitive operations. This means that numbers, words and pictures can be easily .. cut" from memos, charts or graphs and "pasted" into other documents--even those created in separate application programs produced by different software companies.

"Macintosh easily fits on a desk, both in terms of its style of operation and its physical design," said Jobs. "It takes up about the same amount of desk space as a piece of paper. With Macintosh, the computer is an aid to spontaneity and originality, not an obstacle. It allows ideas and relationships to be viewed in new ways. Macintosh enhances not just productivity, but also creativity."

Macintosh Sales Outlook
According to industry analyst Jean Yates, of Yates Ventures in Palo Alto, California, worldwide sales of Macintosh could total 350,000 units this year, with 70 percent of sales going to businesses, 20 percent to colleges and universities and 10 percent to home users. Many office users are expected to carry Macintosh computers home for work, and this is expected to fuel home sales as family members and others are exposed to the computer.

Aaron Goldberg, of International Data Corp., (IDC), in Santa Clara, California, said, "There's no doubt Apple has a winner with this product. The market has been waiting for this combination of technology, ease of operation and price."

Support from Leading Software Vendors
Apple expects 90 percent of all Macintosh software to come from independent software vendors. Among the prominent companies working on Macintosh applications are Microsoft Corp., Lotus Development, and Software Publishing Corp. (See list attached to software-support press release.)

Apple is supporting these efforts by providing independent software vendors with Macintosh computers and comprehensive open-architecture programming documentation, classes and other development support from Apple representatives. Apple foresees at least 500 software packages available for Macintosh by the end of 1984, including productivity applications, communications packages, educational tools, specialized applications (such as accounting packages) and games.

Apple is currently providing two application programs for the Macintosh: MacWrite and MacPaint. MacWrite is a versatile word-processing program that features multiple fonts and font sizes, search-and-replace functions and the ability to cut text and pictures from other programs and paste them into memos or reports. MacPaint is a powerful illustration graphics program. Users can choose from an array of tools, such as brushes, pencils and erasers, and a large selection of textures and shapes to create an endless variety of free-form and structured images.

Programs to be released by Apple in 1984 include--for the first quarter--MacTerminal, which allows Macintosh to emulate DEC VT 100, VT 52, TTY and, with AppleLine, IBM 3277 and 3278 terminals for access to a variety of text) and is protected by a tough plastic case. Apple's new Lisa 2 series of computers also use the 3 1/2-inch disk drive, enabling the Lisas to run Macintosh programs.

Macintosh has two RS 232C/RS 422 serial ports for attaching a printer and peripheral communications devices such as a modem; another port for connecting an optional external disk drive; and an audio system that has a range of more than 12 octaves, is capable of producing polyphonic pitches and can replicate human speech. In addition, Apple is developing the AppleBus point-to-point interconnect system for all Apple computers, which will allow Macintosh computers to communicate with each other, peripheral devices and other Apple computers linked together. The hardware interface for AppleBus is built into every Macintosh and Lisa computer system.

Peripherals and Accessories
A number of Macintosh accessories and peripheral devices are available now: The Apple Imagewriter printer for high-quality text and graphics; an accountant-style numeric keypad; the Macintosh carrying case; a disk pack of ten 3 1/2-inch diskettes; and the Apple telephone modem, with data transmission rates of 1,200 or 300 baud. Another peripheral, AppleLine, allows Macintosh to emulate IBM 3277 and 3278 mainframe computers. An external disk drive and a security kit, which locks Macintosh and keyboard to a table or desk will be available in March 1984.

Sales and Service
Apple estimates that initially 85 percent of Macintosh sales will be made through retail channels, with direct sales making up the remainder. The Macintosh will be sold through Apple's 3,000 authorized dealers worldwide.

To aid in its sales support, Apple has initiated an "Own-a-Mac" program. This program offers incentive discounts to sales personnel to encourage their purchasing a Macintosh computer. In this way sales staff will fully understand product features and application programs.

Designed to be marketed internationally, Macintosh uses no English language in or on the machine. Icons depict the functions of the keys, controls, ports and servicing instructions. The Macintosh ROM contains no English code, making it easy for a translator to adapt the software for use in any language. This can be accomplished within a few hours. once the keyboard has been changed, any translator can create a "localized" version of the machine. The translator need not be familiar with programming. Localized versions of the Macintosh will be shipped to the United Kingdom, France, West Germany, Italy and Australia within three months of introduction, and to other countries within a year.

Macintosh was designed from the start to be built in the millions to meet the anticipated high demand. To that end, Apple is manufacturing the product in a specially designed $20-million facility in Fremont, California. This highly automated factory can produce one system every 27 seconds. Under terms of a "zero-defect" agreement, Apple's component suppliers will test parts according to Apple's specifications before delivery to the Macintosh factory.

Service for Macintosh will be coordinated through Apple's conventional channels, which include Apple dealers and the more than 300 RCA service centers nationwide. Macintosh was designed for simple servicing: the system is composed of only four modules, each of which can be easily replaced in the event of failure.

Price
The basic Macintosh package will have a suggested retail price of $2,495 and will include the main unit, keyboard and a mouse. The package also comes with an accessory box that contains the system disk; "A Guided Tour of Macintosh," a learning disk and cassette tape; a blank disk; a power cord; an owner's manual; and a programmer's switch.

A host of peripherals and accessories will be available for the Macintosh computer from Apple and will have suggested retail prices as follows:

Imagewriter printer $595 ($495 if purchased with Macintosh)
Numeric Keypad $129
Modem 300 $225
Modem 1200 $495
Carrying Case $99
3 1/2-inch disk box (10 disks) $49
MacWrite/MacPaint $195 (included free with each Macintosh during the introductory period)
External Drive $495

The Truth About Switching

I agree (for the most part) with this article about switching to the Mac. It seems pretty accurate to me. See what you think.

Here's a sample from the article:

So what’s it actually like to own and use a Mac? Here are 20 thoughts on what it’s like, without all the whining and hysterics:


01 You'll feel like you're in a little club

When other Mac owners find out you have one too, you'll get a little smile of camaraderie, and you’ll likely end up talking about Macs for five or ten minutes - no matter who they are and what the circumstance is. You may or may not find this annoying.

IBM Helps Promote Linux

By Steve Lohr

Linux is a rising star in the geeky back office of computing. Its gains have come as an operating system for the data-serving computers that run corporate networks and serve up Web pages. On the desktop, Microsoft's Windows still reigns supreme.

But I.B.M. and the Open Source Development Lab, whose membership includes Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Intel, are beginning a drive to promote Linux as an alternative to Windows on the desktop.

One indication of their more aggressive approach came yesterday when an I.B.M. executive, Samuel J. Docknevich, delivered a speech at a technology conference outside Boston titled "The Time Is Now for Linux on the Desktop."

The Open Source Development Lab - a nonprofit organization to advance the use of open source software like Linux - is planning a program to encourage corporate adoption of desktop Linux, set to begin in January. "We're going to push a big desktop Linux initiative," Stuart F. Cohen, chief executive of the Open Source Lab, said last week in an interview. "It's clearly something our members want."

Mr. Cohen and others at the organization gave few details, except to say that the lab would try to broaden the base of support for desktop Linux. That, for example, might include helping with technology that could make it easier for Linux users to exchange data and documents created with Windows-based software. It might also include persuading the makers of popular personal computer software, like RealNetworks' media player or Adobe's desktop publishing software, to create Linux versions.

Any inroads Linux makes on the desktop will probably come slowly. More than 300 million people worldwide use the Windows desktop operating system and Microsoft's Office suite, which includes the Word, Excel and PowerPoint programs.

But Linux advocates say that the full complement of Microsoft desktop software has far more features, and is far more costly, than most workers at many companies really need.

And corporate technology officers are concerned about the cost of upgrading tens of thousands of PC's every couple of years to new versions of Microsoft software and about the security flaws in Microsoft products that have been exploited regularly by digital vandals writing viruses and worms.

Linux has gained desktop converts for specialized uses like software development, computer animation and in scientific computing. Abroad, some governments and municipalities have championed the use of Linux. Earlier this year, for example, Munich announced that it would move from Windows to Linux on 14,000 desktop machines used by city workers.

Yet Linux on the desktop has not really made its way into the mainstream corporate market, especially in the United States. And I.B.M., whose entry into the personal computer business in 1981 made the PC a respected business tool, has the influence with corporate customers to give Linux on the desktop real credibility, analysts say.

"There is a lot of interest in Linux on the desktop from customers; this is definitely a trend with traction," said Scott Handy, vice president for Linux strategy and market development at I.B.M. "But we're being very pragmatic."

Long gone are the days of OS/2, I.B.M.'s desktop operating system, when Big Blue tried to confront Windows head on and wrest dominance of the operating system market from Microsoft.

The I.B.M. plan now is to use Linux as the desktop operating system in a simplified computing environment that relies on delivering, updating and maintaining desktop applications over high-speed corporate networks. Faster, low-cost telecommunications and improved Internet software make the transition possible, Mr. Handy said.

Studies have estimated the total cost of ownership of a PC in a corporate setting at $5,000 to $7,000 a year. The hardware and software costs are typically less than 30 percent of the total, with the expense of maintaining, updating and debugging accounting for the rest.

Deploying Linux and having applications centrally distributed and managed on server computers, using Internet technology, can cut the cost of owning a desktop machine in half or more, Mr. Handy said.

"The discussion with customers usually starts with Linux," he said. "But the huge gains come from using this server-based architecture, which is made possible by these Internet technologies. And Linux is one of them."

I.B.M., Mr. Handy said, is conducting dozens of assessments for corporate customers of Linux desktop use as part of a program to reduce costs. The companies, he said, do not want to be named because they have not decided to switch desktop technologies.

The Linux desktops tap into the applications on server computers, using a browser. E-mail, calendar, customer relationship management and word-processing applications are included. Mr. Handy said this kind of computing could be easily adopted by bank branch offices, sales people, insurance agents, auto dealers and others.

I.B.M. is trying it itself. About 15,000 workers use Linux desktops, mostly software developers and researchers. By the end of the first quarter of next year, I.B.M. plans to increase the number of Linux desktops to 30,000 as sales, marketing and administrative workers try it.

Still, Linux on the desktop has a long way to go. Shipments of Linux rose to 2.8 percent of desktop operating systems in 2002, up steadily from 1.7 percent two years earlier, according to IDC, a research firm. Windows accounted for nearly 94 percent of shipments last year.

Mac: The Original 'Windows Experience'

Recently, while digging through some old Macintosh promotional pieces I've managed to hang on all these years, I began to think about the machine, it's makers and the literal revolution in computing the Mac created.

Those of us "old hats" who have been around have a different perspective on the Mac experience than more newer converts to the platform. I'm am constantly amazed by the number of people who marvel at Windows and proclaim what Windows is the "greatest thing since buttered bread." If any connection with the Macintosh is suggested, these same people quickly discredit the original GUI (Graphical User Interface) platform that made it all possible.

When Macintosh hit the market in 1984, it was unlike anything most of us had seen. Yes, some computer junkies knew of the existence of GUI-interfaces; but most of us were still computing happily along with a command line. Steve Jobs and the Macintosh development team changed all that. Many said it couldn't happen, but it did.

Despite the fact that the Mac was somewhat under powered at launch, Jobs and his team made it happen and clearly put Apple ahead of GUI development for the next six years. What made the Mac interface so great in the early days: simplicity of design, drop down windows, a mouse, etc., has been replicated over and over again in millions of Macintosh and Windows computers sold throughout the world. The Mac did bring computing to "the rest of us."

While Apple clearly won the battle to get GUI to a mass market, it also clearly has lost the war. As Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said a few years ago at a college commencement service, "We won. Every computer is a essentially a Mac." This is true to an extent, however, Apple lost mind share and all-important market share through the years. I think Apple and Steve Jobs are happy now being a niche player in the world of computers. As I looked through clippings, brochures and other items from the dawning of the Mac era, I couldn't help but thing how things could have been different if there were more Macs in the world than Windows-based machines.There are some thoughts:

Personality. For one thing, more people would consider their computers more an extension of their personality than just a work tool they must tolerate. That's what has kept me loyal to Macintosh all these years. It's just a better computing platform. There are few headaches using a Mac than Windows. It's that simple.

Ease of Use. More people would be organized. While no computer has ever truly been "easy to use" with no prior instruction, the Macintosh is the best thing we've been able to come up with. I like the way everything on a Mac is consistent in implementation. Everything works the same. All programs work the same. It brings peace to my life.

Innovation. There would more innovation. Apple Computer, with the research and development resources of Microsoft, would be something to behold. Most of the major innovations in personal computing have come from the laboratories of Apple. It's a fact. I could name them, but I will not. If you're the curious sort, check out the following The Most Hugest Page of Mac Facts at http://www.13idol.com/mac/macfacts.html. As you read, you'll smile … a lot!

Obviously, these are just a few of the many things I could mention. I count it a joy to still be a Mac user and free from what I call the "Windows Form Factor." The next time you boot your Mac, count it as a joy as well.

So You Like Running Water?

Raise your hand if you like running water. How about a warm shower? As Americans, we tend to take these modern conveniences for granted. However, if you do much traveling overseas, you know how these simple, every day pleasures can quickly become a commodity in some developing countries.

Admit it. We all like conveniences and -- whether we admit it or not -- aesthetics. Some Macintosh users have a hard time telling you why they love the Mac OS user interface so much. Many say that "it just works" or that it's easier to use.

As a user of the Mac OS and Windows OS for many years now, I can say with confidence that "it's the aesthetics of Macintosh" that really grabs me. From the ground up, the Mac OS has been engineered with the end user in mind. While Windows certainly has gotten much better over the years, it really lacks in operating system aesthetics and usability.

Ask any long-time Mac user who must use Windows at work or who is forced to switch for some reason. The first thing they'll tell you is that "all the programs don't work the same." Perhaps a more accurate statement is that the user "does not access every program the same way." This, in itself, is an important distinguishing characteristic of the top two operating systems in the world.

From the beginning, the Mac OS "toolbox" forced programmers -- like it or not -- to call on certain parts of the operating system the same way. That why for years all one needed to know to shut down a Macintosh application was CRTL Q or to choose Quit from the File menu.

Windows users may read my previous statement and say, "Hey, Windows works the same way, you're not being fair." Well, in recent incarnations Windows programmers have began to standardized on standard menus. However, if you'll notice, this is mainly in more mainstream programs of high professional or consumer distribution. If you don't believe me, download a shareware Windows program sometime and take a close look at it. More times than not the programmer will come up with all sorts of ways to access the program, all to the confusion of the user. In all fairness, this happens sometimes to youthful Mac programmers as well. But I have experienced it to be much more common among the Windows programming crowd.

Now that we've all grown accustom to the Mac OS, Apple is changing everything with OS X. What's promised is a higher level of usability and functionality. With the public beta out on the streets, we'll know soon how well the boys (and girls) in Cupertino have delivered on this one. If OS X lives up to its billing, Apple may set the standard for consumer operating systems once again.

What will be interesting is how Apple ultimately delivers OS X to the masses through its scalability and uses in a various of consumer and professional devices. With core underpinnings from UNIX, I believe Mac OS X is in a good position to capture some of Microsoft's historical market share. Will OS X be a part of your future? The answer is "yes and definitely." Will it be a part of the future of Windows users? The answer is a "yes, but they'll come kicking and screaming."

If Apple is successful with the implementation and marketing of Mac OS X, the company may once again position itself favorably in the physique of corporate America.

Time - and more than a beta release -- will tell.

Why I Recommend Mac

I enjoy travel. Whether it be for business or for pleasure, traveling seems to give me a needed rest from the common every day. Recently, while traveling with my wife who was attending a teacher’s convention, I read an interesting article in USA Today. Since I receive a local and state newspaper at home, I relegate the reading of USA Today only to times when I travel.

The cover story on this day discussed how Macromedia’s Shockwave is exploding in use on the Internet. Shockwave allows common, everyday people to create their own multimedia programming at little or no cost.

What was amazing is that not only common folk are getting involved in Internet multimedia authoriing, but filmmakers and other creative professionals who previously had to work through large corporations to deliver their art form.

Among the names mentioned were film directors David Lynch and Tim Burton. Apparently, it takes a minimum amount of computer equipment needed to produce and deliver Shockwave content to web audiences. The article pointed out that practically any well-equipped new computer is capable of running the multimedia software.

Lynch, who is by no means an unknown director, uses an iMac. Here was a major motion picture director who has had literally hundreds work with him on movies in the past, sitting quietly in front of an iMac authoring his own productions.

It’s not that Shockwave authoring cannot be done on a Windows PC, of course it can. The difference pointed out in the article is the sheer simplicity the iMac provided to facilitate the process. Lynch drew pictures on the iMac, animated them, provided voices and background music -- all without any assistance.

Without meaning to the USA Today article said that neat stuff is just easier to do on an iMac. It’s not that it cannot be done on a Windows PC, it’s just easier on an iMac.

I’ve never really considered myself a "Mac advocate," rather I’m an advocate of easy-to-use computer systems. I have found the Mac is the only computer platform that meets that criteria over and over again.

Some PC users -- many of which have never used a Mac -- are quick to criticize the Mac. I tell them I speak from experience when I recommend Mac because I use both daily at home and at work. While PCs have become the darling of corporations for whatever reason (we won’t get into that here), it’s really hard not to recommend Mac to home users and creative professionals because of its many end-user strengths.

One of messages I hear repeated from missionaries and pastors who use Macs in the United States and overseas is the easy of use, set-up and stability of the Macintosh. Here again, when asked what type of computer I recommend, I usually respond Mac because of the attributes the platform possesses.

On the flip side, I have found it is sometimes unwise to recommend a Mac to users whose friends primarily use. Why? Because not matter what type of computer a person uses, there will be support issues from time to time. I’ve found it best for Mac users to have Mac friends to help and vise versa with PC owners.

However, I must admit that it has become easier to recommend Mac following the revitalization of Apple Computer and the growing acceptance of the platform once again among consumers. As more people use Mac technology, them purchase of a Mac makes more sense even when many more friends and families may use a PC.