Pondering Mac, Windows and Linux -- Which to support?

Given recent developments with the iPhone and the past history I've been continually reading about since I got this used dual G4 PowerMac six months ago (having been a C64 then Amiga and finally reluctantly a PC user up until then) and all the news since then and played with this Mac first with Jaguar and then upgraded to the latest Tiger revision and a new 16x/48x DVD-Writer drive, I conclude the following thus far:

1> OSX is VASTLY superior to M$ Windows in most areas (the latter of which I've grown to hate along with the company and its founder).

2> I have concluded that it could be the premier OS of the planet if Apple let it loose instead of insisting you buy their hardware ONLY. This suggests to me that if Apple OSX one day somehow surpassed Windows as the dominant OS on the planet, that they'd be in even MORE trouble than M$ with the DOJ (ok, so maybe that means nothing as the DOJ swings with Bush now and loves big monopolies) since they control the hardware AND the OS. No 3rd party anything. Only the MacPro has any real expansion options at all. This is designed 100% on purpose to keep you buying more Apple hardware. On the plus side it's more stable, but it also means limited choice and selection.

3> Apple doesn't care what its customers WANT. It decides for them what they think they should have based on Steve Jobs ego status as a man-god. If you disagree, you are welcome to go back to Billy Bob and his circus or play with the hackers in Linux Land.

4> Apple isn't about innovation so much as it's about stifling the competition and doing everything it can to ensure everyone but Apple is cut out the loop. OSX is great, but it's still basically their Aqua interface on top of BSD. BSD itself is not actually innovative being hierarchically based on UNIX and its variants (which dates back decades) and I have to wonder if OSX *were* available to all clone makers, whether or not it would be so stable still having to support a lot more hardware. If M$ controlled hardware for Windows, somehow I think it'd suddenly be a LOT more stable. Still, activities like with the iPhone tell me Steve Jobs isn't concerned about ME, but about control and money. I see little difference there than with Microsoft in terms of company philosophy. Yes, they should strive to make money, but not at any cost, especially their own integrity.

Overall, I conclude if Apple ever displaced Microsoft, they would be AS BAD if not WORSE than Microsoft on the paranoid, "lock down everything" front. Their behavior with iPhone has proven this to me beyond a shadow of a doubt. Their line of mostly inexpandable computers also points in that direction. Forget 3rd party upgrades. Some day maybe even forget 3rd party software altogether (look at iPhone). I conclude Apple does not want to play fair. Apple wants ALL YOUR MONEY and will go to great lengths to get it. This reeks of M$ to me all over again.

Basically, capitalism is one thing, but anymore it seems like some companies are playing too much Monopoly. Given Apple's indifference to gaming, I find that a little amusing. What I want to see is integrity, honesty and reasons I should WANT to buy Apple, not reasons I have to buy Apple (or M$ for that matter).

What it comes down to as I debate which NEW computer to buy is what I feel more comfortable with. I had been thinking I cannot do Vista. It's "Big Brother" in a super-bloated OS. I figured what I would do is get a Mac with Leopard and BootCamp and put XP on there to run my old software and games and go from there with Mac all the way. But my inability to find *ANY* Mac hardware that I actually like...either expandable like the MacPro, but not so darn out of this world expensive OR a fully featured hardware setup I wouldn't feel the need to upgrade (since I wouldn't be able to in the case of Mac Mini, Macbook, iMac and MBP, all of which are designed to make you buy a new computer every 1-2 years). The problem is the graphics cards absolutely SUCK on *ALL* the Mac models (all laptop parts, which aren't exactly state of the art) except the MacPro, which sadly is out of date with its card selection and who knows if/when it'll be updated and since no 3rd party solutions exist, you're still screwed.

But now looking at the obvious (that Apple is indeed as bad, if not worse, than Microsoft internally in the 'greed' department and would fully and completely manifest itself as such should it continue to take ground from Microsoft) and the dearth of hardware choices that fit MY NEEDS (not Apple's wishes), I now find myself contemplating the horrible awful truth. I may HAVE to buy a new PC with Vista if I want hardware choices and viable gaming on my computer or put Linux on it if I want freedom plus hardware (but little commercial software). 30fps average on TODAY's games does not cut it for keeping a computer for 2-3 years and expecting it to be useable THEN.

Honestly, all three choices suck. Linux is freedom, but lacks integration, commercial software and a decent user interface. Microsoft is paranoia, greed and underhanded villainy, not to mention buggy, bloated and SLOW. Apple (via SJ) is a control freak and couldn't care less about gaming or hardware options.

I believe that is an honest assessment of home computing options and the drawbacks to all with no particular bias to any of them. I'm not a fanboy. I'm a real user with real needs. I want LogicPro8, but I also want to game. I want freedom from control, endless greed and paranoia, but I want real software. Overall, I'm unhappy with all three choices thus far.

Apple could gain my loyalty if they offered me the choices *I* want instead of dictating to me what I can have. I want a machine that is reasonably priced, easily upgraded (at least for video) and doesn't use non-industry standards (e.g. video cards in the MacPro do not comply with the same bios standards that Windows and Linux generally expect to see on a video card; Intel hardware should mean Intel upgrades). If I buy an iPhone (and I have not so don't tell me I already agreed to ANYTHING), I want the freedom to install 3rd party apps and do what I want with it. Clearly, by not offering me choices as such, Apple is telling me it does NOT want me as a customer.

If people made the same ruckus as they did about Apple lowering the price of their iPhone in regards to getting an expandable standardized Mac and/or an iPhone with 3rd party support, maybe Apple would listen. But being lectured constantly by fanboys that think Apple is ALWAYS RIGHT even when they're wrong tells Apple they can do whatever they want. Their fan base is secured. Sadly, that means they may never reach mainstream because it also keeps a lot of potential NEW users and future fans away from the platform. If they're going to limit choice, then at least cover all your major bases. Apple continually ignores gaming.

The only alternative I see is perhaps get a Mac laptop AND a PC desktop to ensure I can run all the software I want to run. Sadly, on the PC I just want gaming. I don't want Mac AND PC software in the future. If the Mac could deliver on gaming (at a REASONABLE level), I wouldn't need to consider a PC period (and the Mac itself could run Windows if needed).

If you're going to tell me gaming sucks, etc., don't bother replying. Your needs are clearly not aligned with mine I don't want to argue what a good use for a computer is. I am interested in other non-fanboy opinions about the direction of computing in the future and their thoughts on Apple and its future direction.

 

I guess you three missed the part where I specifically asked that clueless fanboys NOT participate in this thread. My assessment of fanboys is similar to my assessment of Steve Jobs himself only without the originality (i.e. parrots for Steve Job's megalomaniac ego).

What do I see here? WRONG! Apple spends billions to figure out what you want so you don't have to! You don't know what you want! Apple knows! Apple is god! Worship Steve or go elsewhere!

That's fanboys. That's the #1 reason to not go Apple, IMO. To have to put up with the arrogant parrots of the earth. I think you're right. Apple is not for me. It's not for the mainstream. It's for the 5% of the population that enjoys worshipping Steve Jobs. It's the NEW Microsoft, only worse.

I thought maybe there were some normal Mac users out there. Now I'm pretty sure there are not.