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Re: Computers

At 6:07 AM on 2/25/97, <phys-l@mailer.uwf.edu> wrote:

Mac vs PC? Pick up the annual reports from Apple and Microsoft. There is
not much question about which way the trend is going. As many have pointed
out the old computer will run the old software and work for years, but
the selection of upgrades, software etc has to be better for the computers
using the more popular operating system. Windows 95 works so much like a
Mac that there seems to be no compelling reason to by Mac.

Warning: Biased response.

I don't think I'd base my choice on who is making the greatest profit.
Pick the one you like the best. This isn't marriage. You get to pick
again in 3 to 5 years so you can always change your mind then.

The bottom line is whether you like to tinker with the machine or not, and
whether you have access to (or are) a computer expert. If the answer to
both is "no" then you are far better off with a Mac. If the answer is yes,
get a PC by all means. They are cheaper and more customizable.

On weekends I work with a bunch of PC experts. Weekends are filled with
tales of problems overcome. This last month one of them erased the EPROM
in his modem. Solution: buy a new one. One of them accidently set the
monitor to all black while adjusting its resolution, but was able to
recover by blindly moving the mouse to where he remembered the control was.
Another inadvertantly erased the BIOS whatever the heck those are. People
come to these guys for help because they are the experts. And I can't
tell you how many friends have PCs but are unable to use (pick one) the
CD-ROM, the modem, the printer, the internet, etc.

I sometimes feel left out with a Mac. There is no challege to using any of
these things. No tales of harrowing trouble-shooting to share. Plug and
play.

Chip
I'm not connected with Apple in any way. But I run a physics Mac lab for
students despite the fact that I know NOTHING about computers. I'm glad I
don't need help because the experts are perpetually over in the business
building sorting out Windows problems!