Microsoft Demos Free Windows 10 Update, Debuts New 'Project Spartan' Web Browser

[petvas]

Better how? I'm not saying there aren't better ones in some ways, I'm just wondering about your rationale.

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I'll let you know all about it in a couple of weeks, since it should be in the preview that comes out next week. #

At home Apple is the better choice for people looking for a quality experience.
You have to consider the whole experience. From buying a computer, to using it. The PC market is so fragmented and unstructured, that it's difficult to understand and find what you really want. I tried finding something for a friend of mine (not everybody wants a Mac - mainly because of the cost), and there is so many products on the market, that it was really difficult to find something. Just have a look at the websites of Dell, Acer and Lenovo. There are so many product lines, nobody can really understand why.
After purchasing the computer, consider the experience of turning it on for the first time and using it.
Last, you have to deal with Windows. If you are used to that and have apps for everything you need, then fine. If you want a better experience you should check OS X and the way it works..
On mobile Apple and Google. Especially on mobile Microsoft has become irrelevant.

 

[Michael Goff]

At home Apple is the better choice for people looking for a quality experience.
You have to consider the whole experience. From buying a computer, to using it. The PC market is so fragmented and unstructured, that it's difficult to understand and find what you really want. I tried finding something for a friend of mine (not everybody wants a Mac - mainly because of the cost), and there is so many products on the market, that it was really difficult to find something. Just have a look at the websites of Dell, Acer and Lenovo. There are so many product lines, nobody can really understand why.
After purchasing the computer, consider the experience of turning it on for the first time and using it.
Last, you have to deal with Windows. If you are used to that and have apps for everything you need, then fine. If you want a better experience you should check OS X and the way it works..
On mobile Apple and Google. Especially on mobile Microsoft has become irrelevant.

I am considering the first experience when turning it on. Neither first time startup is difficult. I'm also wondering how less choice makes the Mac better. Seriously, you're grasping at straws.

 

[petvas]

I don't think so. There are so many things we take for granted on the Mac, that cannot be found anywhere else:

• The Mac AppStore provides a very nice experience for buying apps. The Windows Store is not as rich.
• The Dock, Mission Control and Spaces: Managing open apps and windows is so much better than in Windows. Mac desktops look much more clean than Windows desktops.
• Macs do not get slower with time. The Windows registry might have come a long way, but it still suffers from fragmentation.
• The migration assistant makes transferring everything between computers very easy. Windows doesn't even have such a capability.
• Apps cannot make a Mac system slow or interfere with other apps. In Windows the possibility is much higher.
• Apps on the Mac are very isolated from others. Installing and uninstalling doesn't bother other apps on the system.
• Time Machine is very nice integrated into the OS, much better than Windows backup (which is also good though, but more of a power user feature)
• The Apple Trackpad and gestures: We forget very fast how cool it is to use these gestures and how the trackpad makes the experience better. In Windows there is no equivalent.
• Finder Tags: A very nice way to organize my files. Very cool.
• Integrated PDF and ISO support into the OS. PDF support is coming now to WIndows 10..
• No reason to bother with drive letters for your drives. Unix gets the job much better done.
• 1st party apps: Mail, iCal and Addressbook are really nice on the Mac. We will see how Outlook on Windows can change that. For the moment (Windows 8.1) the Mac has an advantage there.
• FaceTime support.
• Great integration with iOS devices (Handoff). Of course this is Apple's homefield, but people with iPhones appreciate the great integration.
• Safari with bookmark sync, reading list, reader mode, share sheets...Spartan will get those features with Windows 10 first..

People do forget what they have or take it for granted. Windows 10 does nothing to change all the above and that is my biggest problem with it. I don't care about having a stupid hybrid device, that is neither a good laptop or a good tablet, but something in between. I want the best tools for the job, depending on the usage scenario. Microsoft's philosophy is compromise, Apple is saying use the best tools for the job...

I am considering the first experience when turning it on. Neither first time startup is difficult. I'm also wondering how less choice makes the Mac better. Seriously, you're grasping at straws.

 

[sracer]

I'll let you know all about it in a couple of weeks, since it should be in the preview that comes out next week. #

Thanks! I'm looking forward to it.

I know it is probably too much to ask for in an initial release, but it would be terrific of Continuum also scaled the app's UI elements automatically between "desktop" and "tablet" modes.

 

[Michael Goff]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to it.

I know it is probably too much to ask for in an initial release, but it would be terrific of Continuum also scaled the app's UI elements automatically between "desktop" and "tablet" modes.

I agree that it probably won't do that. I expect it to be mostly system UI changes. But I'm fully prepared to be wrong.

 

[Elvergun]

I don't think so. There are so many things we take for granted on the Mac, that cannot be found anywhere else:

• The Mac AppStore provides a very nice experience for buying apps. The Windows Store is not as rich.
  But Windows has more software
• The Dock, Mission Control and Spaces: Managing open apps and windows is so much better than in Windows. Mac desktops look much more clean than Windows desktops.
  My Windows desktop (at work) looks just as clean as my Mac desktop (at home)
• Macs do not get slower with time. The Windows registry might have come a long way, but it still suffers from fragmentation.
  Macs can also get slower with time.
• The migration assistant makes transferring everything between computers very easy. Windows doesn't even have such a capability.
  LOL
• Apps cannot make a Mac system slow or interfere with other apps. In Windows the possibility is much higher.
  LOL...again
• Apps on the Mac are very isolated from others. Installing and uninstalling doesn't bother other apps on the system.
  LOL X 3
• Time Machine is very nice integrated into the OS, much better than Windows backup (which is also good though, but more of a power user feature)
  Time machine is better than Windows backup...hardly a reason to chose an OS.
• The Apple Trackpad and gestures: We forget very fast how cool it is to use these gestures and how the trackpad makes the experience better. In Windows there is no equivalent.
  Finally, a real advantage for the Mac...and one valid reason why I would chose a Mac over a windows machine. But with the touch screen and pen input of Windows 10, this is not such a great advantage anymore
• Finder Tags: A very nice way to organize my files. Very cool.
  I don't use them
• Integrated PDF and ISO support into the OS. PDF support is coming now to WIndows 10..
• No reason to bother with drive letters for your drives. Unix gets the job much better done.
  
• 1st party apps: Mail, iCal and Addressbook are really nice on the Mac. We will see how Outlook on Windows can change that. For the moment (Windows 8.1) the Mac has an advantage there.
• FaceTime support.
  I seldom use it...but its nice that it is there
• Great integration with iOS devices (Handoff). Of course this is Apple's homefield, but people with iPhones appreciate the great integration.
  Another (valid) advantage for the mac (if you have an iPhone and\or an iPad)
• Safari with bookmark sync, reading list, reader mode, share sheets...Spartan will get those features with Windows 10 first..
  I use Firefox
  
  
• And you forgot to mention that a Mac is a more secure OS than Windows...another valid reason to chose a Mac (but supposedly Windows 10 will be more secure)

People do forget what they have or take it for granted. Windows 10 does nothing to change all the above and that is my biggest problem with it. I don't care about having a stupid hybrid device, that is neither a good laptop or a good tablet, but something in between. I want the best tools for the job, depending on the usage scenario. Microsoft's philosophy is compromise, Apple is saying use the best tools for the job...

Everything you stated above are reasons why YOU like a Mac better than a Windows machine. Great, you like Macs...I do too, but it is nice to know that there are other options out there. When my iMac bytes the dust I'm not just going to automatically replace it with another Apple product without giving Windows 10 a try. If my machine had broken down a year ago, with Windows 8 as the only option, then I would have automatically replaced it with another Mac.

I don't care about having a stupid hybrid device, that is neither a good laptop or a good tablet, but something in between.

You have not used Windows 10, so how can you be certain of this? Many reviewers love the SP3 (running the incredibly crappy Windows 8)...I can only imagine how much better those machines will be with Windows 10.

 

[LordVic]

You are so totally mistaken, I don't know where to start.
Who wants a desktop UI on a phone? People see Microsoft as a necessity, mostly because of their job where they must use Microsoft software. At home there are so many and better alternatives that people don't even consider Microsoft.

you didnt watch/read what microsoft is doing in Win10 did you?

You're right, nobody wants a desktop UI on a phone.
Nobody wants a tablet UI on a desktop.

This was Windows 8's failing and Microsoft has announced project continuim coming in Windows 10.

What that is, is smart UI changes depending on usage. Windows will detect usage mode, screen size, and setup, and change it's UI based on that. No more "One UI for all"

For example: You have your phone running Windows 10. The ONLY windows 10 thats out. That means all your programs and Apps that are Windows 10 (or can run on it) can in fact run on your phone,tablet or Desktop

But say now you dock that phone into a keyboard, mouse and big screen display. Windows will now change the UI to that of a classic desktop. Same core hardware powering it. Same files, same system, same data, notifications and everything. Same very hardware. But different UI for it's usage.

 

[petvas]

Everything you stated above are reasons why YOU like a Mac better than a Windows machine. Great, you like Macs...I do too, but it is nice to know that there are other options out there. When my iMac bytes the dust I'm not just going to automatically replace it with another Apple product without giving Windows 10 a try. If my machine had broken down a year ago, with Windows 8 as the only option, then I would have automatically replaced it with another Mac.



You have not used Windows 10, so how can you be certain of this? Many reviewers love the SP3 (running the incredibly crappy Windows 8)...I can only imagine how much better those machines will be with Windows 10.

I am a Windows insider and work with Microsoft products...

Choice is always good, but Windows is like Android. More is not better...

I don't know why you laugh, I guess you will have your reasons, but the above arguments are actually a fact. The question is how each one values these things..

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you didnt watch/read what microsoft is doing in Win10 did you?

You're right, nobody wants a desktop UI on a phone.
Nobody wants a tablet UI on a desktop.

This was Windows 8's failing and Microsoft has announced project continuim coming in Windows 10.

What that is, is smart UI changes depending on usage. Windows will detect usage mode, screen size, and setup, and change it's UI based on that. No more "One UI for all"

For example: You have your phone running Windows 10. The ONLY windows 10 thats out. That means all your programs and Apps that are Windows 10 (or can run on it) can in fact run on your phone,tablet or Desktop

But say now you dock that phone into a keyboard, mouse and big screen display. Windows will now change the UI to that of a classic desktop. Same core hardware powering it. Same files, same system, same data, notifications and everything. Same very hardware. But different UI for it's usage.

I guess you haven't seen the tablet UI in Windows 10 for tablets smaller than 8"... It looks like a desktop based computer
#fail

 

[LordVic]

At home Apple is the better choice for people looking for a quality experience.
You have to consider the whole experience. From buying a computer, to using it. The PC market is so fragmented and unstructured, that it's difficult to understand and find what you really want. I tried finding something for a friend of mine (not everybody wants a Mac - mainly because of the cost), and there is so many products on the market, that it was really difficult to find something. Just have a look at the websites of Dell, Acer and Lenovo. There are so many product lines, nobody can really understand why.
After purchasing the computer, consider the experience of turning it on for the first time and using it.
Last, you have to deal with Windows. If you are used to that and have apps for everything you need, then fine. If you want a better experience you should check OS X and the way it works..
On mobile Apple and Google. Especially on mobile Microsoft has become irrelevant.

so your problem with the PC world is... there's too much choice?

many don't see that as a problem but a benefit.

not everyone will want the same things. Don't get me wrong, The Apple purchasing experience is actually fairly easy and a pleasure.

And I do use OSx. And windows. And Linux. And QNX. and AIX. and guess what, the fundamental user experience between OSx and Windows aren't dramatically different. Both offer a great launchpad for your programs and apps. Things are just in difference places.

Ultimately though, Right now, OSx isn't in it's best place. We have seen too many revisions to it where it's not exactly all that efficient or fast like it used to be. Windows 8.1, despite the crappy UI, is actually functionally a much faster Operating system, with a much lower requirement footprint.

on the same hardware in my testing. Windows 8.x loads faster. runs programs better, and if you're a gamer, is really the only choice, since the OSx drivers aren't nearly kept as up to date, and many of the games are requiring ports rather than native coding.

The choice between OSx and Windows ultimately comes down to a users choice and what they're attempting to accomplish with their computer.

 

[petvas]

so your problem with the PC world is... there's too much choice?

many don't see that as a problem but a benefit.

not everyone will want the same things. Don't get me wrong, The Apple purchasing experience is actually fairly easy and a pleasure.

And I do use OSx. And windows. And Linux. And QNX. and AIX. and guess what, the fundamental user experience between OSx and Windows aren't dramatically different. Both offer a great launchpad for your programs and apps. Things are just in difference places.

Ultimately though, Right now, OSx isn't in it's best place. We have seen too many revisions to it where it's not exactly all that efficient or fast like it used to be. Windows 8.1, despite the crappy UI, is actually functionally a much faster Operating system, with a much lower requirement footprint.

on the same hardware in my testing. Windows 8.x loads faster. runs programs better, and if you're a gamer, is really the only choice, since the OSx drivers aren't nearly kept as up to date, and many of the games are requiring ports rather than native coding.

The choice between OSx and Windows ultimately comes down to a users choice and what they're attempting to accomplish with their computer.

Choice is good, but not when companies have 10 different product lines that do exactly the same. This is not normal.

Windows 8.1 has a great kernel, but the UI is an abomination and I cannot use it. The last Windows OS I like is Windows 7.

 

[Elvergun]

I am a Windows insider and work with Microsoft products...

And I'm a database administrator working with SQL Server and Microsoft products...nice to meet you.

but the above arguments are actually a fact.

Nope...they are not facts. Really, they are not. The above "arguments" are a list of your preferences. Thanks for sharing -- I feel like I know you better now.

The question is how each one values these things..

Exactly, which is why these things are not facts.

 

[LordVic]

I don't think so. There are so many things we take for granted on the Mac, that cannot be found anywhere else:

• The Mac AppStore provides a very nice experience for buying apps. The Windows Store is not as rich.
  While true about the Appstores, Windows 10 will support the existing windows program environment, allowing for nearly 20 years of Windows based programs to be usable. In the millions, and growing everyday. There is no comparison to what is available in the Windows platform to OSx
• The Dock, Mission Control and Spaces: Managing open apps and windows is so much better than in Windows. Mac desktops look much more clean than Windows desktops.
  The Dock is woefully inadequate without addons and such. A simple icon with a light below it representing that a program is running is not entirely useful. The Windows Taskbar, provides the exact same feedback (in the form of a graphical affect, but also allows for such additional functionality such as mouse over previews of each open application and it's windows. Windows also has Snap desktop gridding. You can with mouse or keyboard shortcuts snap windows to any edge of windows, giving easy ability to manage your active windows on display. Something OSx does not have. OSx though does win out on it's task switcher though, Having spaces is great and expose overview is nice as well
• Macs do not get slower with time. The Windows registry might have come a long way, but it still suffers from fragmentation.
  Fragmentation is not the word you're looking for. And if it is you have no understanding on how the windows registry works. Windows Registry only gets bogged down in Windows 8 currently if you are like any bad computer user and constantly install malware, toolbars and other items that get loaded at startup. They have some way to go, but this complaint is moot. My windows installation which I bought on launch of Windows 8, has never been re-installed and I still have fantastic 7 second boot to desktop with zero slowdown.
• The migration assistant makes transferring everything between computers very easy. Windows doesn't even have such a capability.
  Yes it does. and has had it since XP (maybe earlier). It was available in the start menu, I just cant remember the name of it right now
• Apps cannot make a Mac system slow or interfere with other apps. In Windows the possibility is much higher.
  yes they can. any application that can be installed that is memory resident can impact your system performance.
• Apps on the Mac are very isolated from others. Installing and uninstalling doesn't bother other apps on the system.
  again: not true. Installing flash for example in OSx will impact your Browsers. The same interoperability between applications that windows has exists today in OSx.
• Time Machine is very nice integrated into the OS, much better than Windows backup (which is also good though, but more of a power user feature)
  Time machine is the most uncustomizable piece of junk ive ever had the displeasure of trying to use. Personal experience, but having to do hourly backups, with no built in way of changing it is ridiculous. It treats every user like they're going to break their machine, instead of actually giving preventative measures to avoid breaking the machine. The amount of overhead, system usage and network usage that it uses is not good.
• The Apple Trackpad and gestures: We forget very fast how cool it is to use these gestures and how the trackpad makes the experience better. In Windows there is no equivalent.
  This is absolutely .. True. I have never found a similar experience in any other operating system. One I really hope Microsoft and others can get on with fixing their trackpad issues. Even using Mac hardware, it just can't compare.
• Finder Tags: A very nice way to organize my files. Very cool.
• Integrated PDF and ISO support into the OS. PDF support is coming now to WIndows 10..
  Windows 7 had ISO support, and Windows 8 brought in native PDF reading.
• No reason to bother with drive letters for your drives. Unix gets the job much better done.
  Yes it does. I agree wholeheartedly on this. it's a legacy filesystem issue. Microsoft has tried in the past to introduce new Filesystem type and each time the backlash though has stopped them. We're long long overdue for a replacement to NTFS
• 1st party apps: Mail, iCal and Addressbook are really nice on the Mac. We will see how Outlook on Windows can change that. For the moment (Windows 8.1) the Mac has an advantage there.
  The First party apps are much better in the Windows platform. The office platform for example is far far superior to those from Apple in scope and ability. They're just not free
• FaceTime support.
  Skype? lol just kidding. Facetime > Skype for sure.
• Great integration with iOS devices (Handoff). Of course this is Apple's homefield, but people with iPhones appreciate the great integration.
  Rendered Moot if Microsoft's unified hardware ideology,m you wont need seperate hardware for everything, we'll see.
• Safari with bookmark sync, reading list, reader mode, share sheets...Spartan will get those features with Windows 10 first..
  available from Chrome which IMHO is a far greater and more stable Browser than my experience in Safari, this really isn't an OS level thing but a browser/software thing. It's available currently in all major Browsers.

People do forget what they have or take it for granted. Windows 10 does nothing to change all the above and that is my biggest problem with it. I don't care about having a stupid hybrid device, that is neither a good laptop or a good tablet, but something in between. I want the best tools for the job, depending on the usage scenario. Microsoft's philosophy is compromise, Apple is saying use the best tools for the job...

the problem is a lot of your points are not actually true, which might be influencing your opinion. many of those things you listed are antiquated.

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Choice is good, but not when companies have 10 different product lines that do exactly the same. This is not normal.

Windows 8.1 has a great kernel, but the UI is an abomination and I cannot use it. The last Windows OS I like is Windows 7.

I will agree on those points for sure.

Windows 8 was a UI nightmare. changing settings in Metro didnt' change its behaviour in desktop and vice versa. Basically forcing you two seperate sets of configurations... who ever thought that idea should be flogged. Windows 7 UI for desktops is still my favourite.

And yes, chocie is good, but system builders don't seem to get that your primary setup should be easy to get to. And then After the fact if you want to customize let them do so. Goign to dell.ca and being presented with like 15 different "inspiron" laptops, with little description between them all is confusing for a user. The apple purchase experience is better.

 

[petvas]

the problem is a lot of your points are not actually true, which might be influencing your opinion. many of those things you listed are antiquated.

many of the above arguments are at least ten years old. Do you know why? Because they are still valid.
Windows hasn't changed in the way it works. I still prefer the OS X internals.

 

[maflynn]

the problem is a lot of your points are not actually true, which might be influencing your opinion. many of those things you listed are antiquated.

Agreed, you cannot compare OSX apps and windows apps, if you do windows is going to win hands down. True modern apps and the app store in windows are meager compared to OSX's app store but windows apps out number OSX apps by a huge factor.

The same goes for the dock vs. the task menu - that's really a matter of personal preference.

 

[LordVic]

many of the above arguments are at least ten years old. Do you know why? Because they are still valid.
Windows hasn't changed in the way it works. I still prefer the OS X internals.

you're telling me that factual arguments that you say "doesn't exist in windows', which is factually, and technically untrue, doesn't change the argument?

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

The Windows 8.0 numbers are actually passable, though its mostly from new PC sales. Not surprising that people without touchscreens would give it a wide berth, given how Microsoft baked that into the OS.

Still too much of a "Sybil" experience IMO: Q. Is it Windows 7 or Windows Tiles? A. Depends entirely on what you select...



I wonder where they got that idea. Hmmm... LOL

Windows 7 and 8 were heavily discounted for a short time after release. IIRC, in the $20 - $40 range. I picked up a couple copies of 7 this way but elected to skip 8 since my primary computer is MAC and the 8 changes seem more tempting if running natively.

 

[petvas]

you're telling me that factual arguments that you say "doesn't exist in windows', which is factually, and technically untrue, doesn't change the argument?

There is no migration assistant in Windows that transfers apps too. It doesn't exist.

That is what I said. The migration assistant in Windows transfers user settings, but cannot move apps.

 

[LordVic]

There is no migration assistant in Windows that transfers apps too. It doesn't exist.

That is what I said. The migration assistant in Windows transfers user settings, but cannot move apps.

thats not what you said

The migration assistant makes transferring everything between computers very easy. Windows doesn't even have such a capability.

you've changed your goalposts.

if you're talking about moving apps, as a forme sysadmin, installation expert and from personal experience, this is a bad, bad,bad bad, bad, bad thing.

I hate that Android does it. I hate that iOS does it. I don't want OSx to do, and I never want windows to do it. can it make it easier for some consumer users to switch computers? Yes, but it has the potential of turning your very new thousand dollar device into the exact same problem you had with your your old slow device. Bogged down with applications, full drives and terrible wastes of bandwith.

I have probably 600GB worth of installed programs, games and applications in Windows. If i were to change computers, can you imagine the overhead of that being forced over?

As for the rest? Microsoft has provided tools to do system settings, personal files, and the rest since XP.

 

[petvas]

the problem is a lot of your points are not actually true, which might be influencing your opinion. many of those things you listed are antiquated.

----------



I will agree on those points for sure.

Windows 8 was a UI nightmare. changing settings in Metro didnt' change its behaviour in desktop and vice versa. Basically forcing you two seperate sets of configurations... who ever thought that idea should be flogged. Windows 7 UI for desktops is still my favourite.

And yes, chocie is good, but system builders don't seem to get that your primary setup should be easy to get to. And then After the fact if you want to customize let them do so. Goign to dell.ca and being presented with like 15 different "inspiron" laptops, with little description between them all is confusing for a user. The apple purchase experience is better.

There are ways to change the Time Machine backup schedule, but it works for me as it is.
Registry fragmentation means that the registry becomes bloated with thousand of different settings that control app behaviour, like for example OLE Servers and DLL that register and if things go wrong might cause issues with specific applications. Try for example messing up with IIS on Windows Server or even client...
I don't like Chrome. I prefer to use the native browser of the OS since it offers the best integration.
I enjoy integrated experiences, where things are meant to work together well. This is how I can get the most benefit from a computer. If I start using technology that was not meant to be integrated, then a disconnect occurs that might affect user experience.

----------

thats not what you said



you've changed your goalposts.

if you're talking about moving apps, as a forme sysadmin, installation expert and from personal experience, this is a bad, bad,bad bad, bad, bad thing.

I hate that Android does it. I hate that iOS does it. I don't want OSx to do, and I never want windows to do it. can it make it easier for some consumer users to switch computers? Yes, but it has the potential of turning your very new thousand dollar device into the exact same problem you had with your your old slow device. Bogged down with applications, full drives and terrible wastes of bandwith.

I have probably 600GB worth of installed programs, games and applications in Windows. If i were to change computers, can you imagine the overhead of that being forced over?

As for the rest? Microsoft has provided tools to do system settings, personal files, and the rest since XP.

"everything": user settings, computer settings and applications

It might be a bad thing to do, but why does it work always on my Macs? On Windows I wouldn't dare to try that.

 

[LordVic]

There are ways to change the Time Machine backup schedule, but it works for me as it is.
Registry fragmentation means that the registry becomes bloated with thousand of different settings that control app behaviour, like for example OLE Servers and DLL that register and if things go wrong might cause issues with specific applications. Try for example messing up with IIS on Windows Server or even client...
I don't like Chrome. I prefer to use the native browser of the OS since it offers the best integration.
I enjoy integrated experiences, where things are meant to work together well. This is how I can get the most benefit from a computer. If I start using technology that was not meant to be integrated, then a disconnect occurs that might affect user experience.

----------



"everything": user settings, computer settings and applications

It might be a bad thing to do, but why does it work always on my Macs? On Windows I wouldn't dare to try that.

Well, it doesn't always work in OSx. I believe it's tied to your App store purchases and not actually an OS level thing.

if you install 3rd party applications outside of the App store, it will not migrate them over (in my experience).

This points more to the failing of options in Windows App store. one that I will completely agree with you on. it's basically useless.

The Appstore in this case is a content delivery system that doesn't care what hardware you're on as long as it runs appstore.

This sort of thing can work in some app'stores' on windows. For example, if you game and use Origin or Steam, they will pull your purchases accross and retain your settings and save games from one machine to the next. Apple has just done a tighter integration job of their App store to the OS.

not something I personally am a fan of.

 

[Renzatic]

I'm gonna follow Elvergun's example, cuz you did get some wrong things wrong that he didn't address.

The Mac AppStore provides a very nice experience for buying apps. The Windows Store is not as rich.

This is true, actually. Windows Store doesn't directly install Win32 apps the same way it does WinRT, and isn't nearly so homogeneous as the Mac App Store

The Dock, Mission Control and Spaces: Managing open apps and windows is so much better than in Windows. Mac desktops look much more clean than Windows desktops.

The Dock has a tendency to get a little overcrowded after a bit, while the Task Bar stays pretty clean and organized. I do agree with you about Spaces and Mission Control, though. I'm glad Windows is finally getting something similar in 10.

Macs do not get slower with time. The Windows registry might have come a long way, but it still suffers from fragmentation.

No. The registry does absolutely nothing to affect the speed of the computer over time. It rarely ever gets larger than 200 meg as a whole, is split into multiple hives, and is indexed by the OS. Windows only parses through the registry when it needs to, and when it does, it's able to find what it needs near instantly.

The migration assistant makes transferring everything between computers very easy. Windows doesn't even have such a capability

Yeah, it does. Easy Transfer.

Apps cannot make a Mac system slow or interfere with other apps. In Windows the possibility is much higher.

Not sure what you're saying here. I've never installed some random program that ended up bogging down my entire system by the simple sake of being there.

Apps on the Mac are very isolated from others. Installing and uninstalling doesn't bother other apps on the system.

Ditto. I've never uninstalled something that ended up breaking anything, either.

Time Machine is very nice integrated into the OS, much better than Windows backup (which is also good though, but more of a power user feature)

Time Machine is really, really nice, but Windows does have a nice equivalent with Windows 8. It's called File History.

The Apple Trackpad and gestures: We forget very fast how cool it is to use these gestures and how the trackpad makes the experience better. In Windows there is no equivalent.

This is very true.

Finder Tags: A very nice way to organize my files. Very cool.

True also. You have the Libraries, which I like, but it's not quite the same.

Integrated PDF and ISO support into the OS. PDF support is coming now to WIndows 10..

Built in PDF and ISO support came with Windows 8. Though PDF files open up in a WinRT application, so I only half count it.

No reason to bother with drive letters for your drives. Unix gets the job much better done.

Yeah, it might be time for MS to get rid of the old drive letters. It doesn't actually effect anything, and Windows does support mount points, same as 'nix OSes, but they're still used as the default. It doesn't make any difference or give anyone any issues unless you're a network admin, though.

...and if you are, you already know about the mount points.

1st party apps: Mail, iCal and Addressbook are really nice on the Mac. We will see how Outlook on Windows can change that. For the moment (Windows 8.1) the Mac has an advantage there.

Kinda subjective. Some of Apple's first party apps are great, but I know a lot of people who prefer the later versions of Outlook for doing this exact same thing.

FaceTime support.

FaceTime is nice only if everyone you know has an Apple device. This is one of Apple's biggest weaknesses in my opinion. Their things work excellently, so long as they're playing in the Apple home field. The moment you need to jump across platforms, they're useless.

Great integration with iOS devices (Handoff). Of course this is Apple's homefield, but people with iPhones appreciate the great integration.

Handoff is nice, but a very recent thing. If it works well, MS will be one-uping it with Continuum, which does the Handoff thing, and considerably more.

Time will tell on this one.

Safari with bookmark sync, reading list, reader mode, share sheets...Spartan will get those features with Windows 10 first..

I'll give you this one, too. IE is pretty solid as a basic browser these days, but it's still very feature poor compared to everything else. We'll see if Spartan fixes that.

 

[petvas]

Well, it doesn't always work in OSx. I believe it's tied to your App store purchases and not actually an OS level thing.

if you install 3rd party applications outside of the App store, it will not migrate them over (in my experience).

This points more to the failing of options in Windows App store. one that I will completely agree with you on. it's basically useless.

The Appstore in this case is a content delivery system that doesn't care what hardware you're on as long as it runs appstore.

This sort of thing can work in some app'stores' on windows. For example, if you game and use Origin or Steam, they will pull your purchases accross and retain your settings and save games from one machine to the next. Apple has just done a tighter integration job of their App store to the OS.

not something I personally am a fan of.

The OS X Migration assistant migrates all apps, no matter where they come from.

 

[mclld]

Opinions and personal preference, how do they work?!?!

 

[Renzatic]

The OS X Migration assistant migrates all apps, no matter where they come from.

Yeah, I'll give you that one, too. App installation is dead stupid simple in OSX, and it's so much easier to move things around in comparison.

The sad fact is, MS tells developers they don't even need the registry anymore, and they can make the installation drag 'n drop, same as in OSX. But...they still keep doing things the old way.

 

[petvas]

Yeah, I'll give you that one, too. App installation is dead stupid simple in OSX, and it's so much easier to move things around in comparison.

The sad fact is, MS tells developers they don't even need the registry anymore, and they can make the installation drag 'n drop, same as in OSX. But...they still keep doing things the old way.

Do you see my point now? Yes, Microsoft has been very active lately and they have been changing a lot of things, but some very basic stuff that control the very basic user experience haven't changed and they will probably never change in the next ten years.
I want a better basic user experience before I move to more advanced things. I cannot trust Microsoft for anything. Today they have this specific philosophy, but who knows what happens next year if things don't go as Microsoft planned?
Look at Windows RT, Windows Phone 7. People that invested in these eco-systems got burned. Microsoft needs continuity in their philosophy and a vision. Maybe Satya will bring all that.
I am a former MS employee and do care about it. I just saw a better way of doing things and that comes from Apple.
Is Apple perfect? No way.
Try using their mail, calendar and contact apps with Exchange. A nightmare.
Microsoft can create better quality software than Apple. I really believe that. The problem is that they get dictated from their marketing and sales organizations when to ship these products. If Microsoft had the Apple leadership it would be a much better company.