Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Pigs fly - Thurrott recommends buying a Mac!

Applespider

Applespider

macrumors G4
Original poster
Jan 20, 2004
10,939
1
looking through rose-tinted spectacles...
Thurrott seems to have been mellowing lately - several of his recent articles have been actually pretty balanced - save for comparing Tiger to SP2?!?!

Anyhow, today his article on Spyware on Windows IT Pro actually points people towards getting a Mac even in an corporate environment if they don't need specialised Windows apps. The rest of the article is OK too but this is the most interesting part...

Today, Mac laptops--called PowerBooks--are beginning to appear more and more often in the planes, Internet cafes, and press rooms I frequent around the country. Tech enthusiasts--what we might call tech influencers--are turning, increasingly, to the Mac.

For Microsoft and its Windows-using customers, this change could be a problem. Or, if you're interested in a safer computing experience, it could be a solution. Although many business users require Windows-specific applications that won't run on the Mac, a good percentage of Windows users today require only very basic services, including word processing, email, and Web browsing. These needs are well served by a Mac or even by a Linux-based PC, both of which are arguably safer today than Windows machines.

Questions emerge, of course. Is a more heterogeneous environment really safer, or is that just an added layer of complexity? And are Windows alternatives more secure because they're better designed or because so few hackers attempt to infiltrate those machines? These are questions for the ages, I suppose. But in a world where spyware is only the most recent attempt at tearing down the House of Windows, I'm beginning to wonder whether the alternatives don't make some sense.
Click to expand...
 
Mitthrawnuruodo

Mitthrawnuruodo

Moderator emeritus
Mar 10, 2004
14,422
1,063
Bergen, Norway
Another one bites the dust... :D

Love this part:
Many analysts and industry pundits had predicted that a "halo effect" from the iPod would cause customers to consider Apple's other major product, the Macintosh computer, as well. The halo effect, they said, would lead to increased Mac sales and, perhaps, change the dynamics of the computer market.

So far, it's impossible to prove that the halo effect is real. But Mac sales grew 43 percent in the first quarter of 2005 and 35 percent in the second quarter, much higher than the PC industry average of 14 percent during the first half of 2005. Analysts are now wondering aloud whether the spyware problem that bedevils Windows-based PCs--but not Macs or Linux machines--is a contributing factor to Apple's sudden success with the Mac. Some suggest it's the single biggest factor--far more relevant to new users than the iPod halo effect.

The evidence is compelling. For the first time, PC users are simply throwing out computers that are infested with spyware, rather than trying to fix them. The problem is that spyware-infested PCs are often impossible to fix. Instead, you need to wipe out the system and start over again. In managed environments, this isn't a huge problem beyond backing up crucial data, but for individuals, it's a nightmare. With PC prices now starting at less than $300--or about $500 for an entry-level Mac mini--consumers are just starting over. It's simpler.
Click to expand...
 
DavidLeblond

DavidLeblond

macrumors 68020
Jan 6, 2004
2,322
599
Raleigh, NC
Thurrott is a special case. He actually has a bunch of Apple gear, and you can tell he loves Tiger. But thats not what pays his bills.

You can really tell this when you read a review of his on how awesome Internet Explorer 7 is, but if you read ANYWHERE else on his website you see he recommends everyone use Firefox and stay the hell away from IE.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom