Put Your Left Foot In

Yes, this is another article about 'switching'. Switching to a Mac computer.
The forward progression on this was not easy. I've been a Windows user since 3.1. And prior to that

I was a DOS user and prior to that a UNIX user. Windows however gave me what I'd say is my future. It paved the way for a successful career in IT . From the moment I got Windows 3.1 I spent all hours of the day and night tearing in to the guts of the operating system to better understand it. From there was Windows 95, Windows 98, 2000 and XP. I also must include Windows NT, 2000 Server, and 2003 Server editions. Needles to say, I liked it. Windows worked. Mostly.

I was (and am) a big gamer. Windows was THE platform for top-of-the-line gaming (still is). If you are a gamer on Windows you are faced with one dilemma - hardware purchasing. Now let me be clear - you can certainly play most games without the latest Intel chipset and/or latest video card. The issue however is that these games were meant to be played with those items. That is the best way to experience the game as the developers intended.

Music entered back into my life several years ago, and my then middle-of -the-road PC was turning into a home studio. The first app to hit was Acid Pro 5. It was fun! Then came Cakewalk Sonar Home Studio, NI Absynth, Kontakt 2, and various hardware.

During this time I felt that on a personal level Windows was just not that exciting anymore. The end-user experience varies from boring to downright frightening (hello viruses, hello malware). Every now and then I would read storied about various Mac applications. They seemed very cool and I would immediately look for the Windows alternative. I would either find something that was close but lacked functionality or in most case not find anything at all. And fighting Windows ( yes in an professional environment you are often fighting it) on a daily basis made me less and less willing to do the same on a personal level (i.e. -at home). Bottom line - Windows was just not cool any more.

I made a decision that I would gently go into the world of Apple by purchasing a Mac Mini. This was the cheapest way in, and if I ended up hating it I could always use if for something else or sell it. The minute I turned the Mini on I was hooked. It wasn't earth shattering. I didn't sing. I am not a fan boy. It's just a bit better. That's really it. For me OSX is Windows bit more polished. It is a better user experience. And after all what do we do with our computers? We use them.