Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: Computers

At 2:49 PM -0800 2/28/97, Lowell Herr wrote:
What I have, for example, is a significant number of investment programs
that are not available for the Mac.

I agree that the PC is probably the better choice for someone heavily into
business and finance.


A few years ago MacMotion and ULI timer were key programs in my
physics program. ULI timer is still important but I do have a
replacement on the PC side. Vernier came out with MPLI for Windows so
MacMotion is not quite so important. The Millikan Experiment
simulation-experiment is not available for the Mac and here in Oregon the
experiment was almost impossible to do and that is the reason for
Vernier's software solution.

I admit that there are a few unique programs on each platform (we use the
PC for Millikan's Oil Drop as well). I haven't yet seen a PC version of
MacBreadboard (but there certainly may be one, or maybe three similar to
it). I just claim there are aren't a vast number of unique programs that
are one platform only.
For example, Interactive Physics came out first on Mac, and a couple of
years later was ported to the PC. I think the majority of functionality
is available for both platforms now.



And apart from the platform debate:

Software drives hardware. A major
reason I purchased my first Apple was the "killer app" of Visa Calc.
I am able to find software for 'Wintel' machines that I cannot find for
my Mac.
My point is that it is software and what you want to do with the computer
that should determine your purchase.

I know that is the conventional wisdom, and it may be right for many (or
most) people, but that isn't how I buy computers. I bought my first Apple
][+ in college not knowing what I wanted to do with it other than learn. I
bought the machine that was the most versatile available at the time and
then collected software as I went along. Maybe most people buy a computer
with a particular software application in mind, but I don't; I just want a
machine that can do lots of fun stuff, is cool, easy to learn, and can take
me into the future. I have faith that I'll find the software I'll need
(when I determine what my needs are). I can't possibly predict all the
things I'll use a new computer for--web surfing and html coding were
unknown when I got my first Mac, but a versatile machine can handle new
things that come along.

Larry