You Chose....Wisely.

We have 6 active computers in our house which go back about 5 years (purchasing just over one new computer per year on average). The oldest gets a clean install and is given to a well-deserving student. We presently have 2 Macbooks, 1 Powerbook, 2 iMacs and a Mac Mini (which is the house DVR). It's all networked through a wireless router that is also a 1GB Apple Time Machine (that also serves as a whole house network backup). They all run OS X. They're all wirelessly connected to a printer and each other. Trouble shooting the network and all computers largely (99.99%) consists of:

1) Making sure someone hasn't turned off the light switch that sends power to the house printer and a second wireless router (so I can work/browse/skype/blog/twit from the front porch)
2) Resetting the power to the cable modem.

There is absolutely no other computer/network/backup hassles. Stuff works.

But I run Windows as well. XP 32 via virtualization (both VMWare and Parallels) as well as Vista 64 Ultimate via Bootcamp.

In a few months, I'll be installing the latest versions of both Windows and OSX.

On the Apple side of things, I'll do the following:



If you run a business - you'll do the same thing. The one magic DVD will upgrade all of your late model (Intel based) computers. Workstations, iBooks, iMacs, Powerbooks. One friggin' DVD. I don't expect to "clean" install the OS or user files. I expect everything will upgrade and once I get past the first screen I'll be done. I'll be free to do other stuff. Nor do I expect to have to reinstall any applications.

On the Windows side of things, I'm going to have to cypher the following wall chart (click for full size):


If you run a business - you'll do the same thing.

• Windows Premium, Professional and Ultimate.
• 32 and 64 bit flavors.
• Maybe upgrade, maybe "custom" install.

FYI - "custom" install is just Microsoft's kinder, gentler way of saying "clean" install. ;)

I'm not a Mac fanboy. I'm a spend-time-with-the-family-have-a-beer-with-some-friends-do something-interesting-not-on-the-computer fanboy.

I'll run Windows because what I really want to do is get to a few applications which depend on a particular operating system. I run Windows because I have to...as an exception...to a rule. What's really interesting is that I run far more computers (personally) in OS X because I enjoy to....want to...prefer to...be able to do other stuff.

Does running a Mac environment cost a bit more? Well maybe. For example, the latest iMac we bought cost $1500. Yet a similarly configured Dell is around $1300 (the base price nearly doubles after you've configured it). So the iMac is 15% more. And that means spreading an extra $200 over three years is about another $0.20 per day per computer. So maybe an extra $1 or so for everything? However, similarly configured laptops are more expensive with Dell - about $300 (10% more) for a configuration close to the 17" MacBook Pro). What does this mean? Well, we're pretty balanced between desktops and laptops - so it's probably about even.

End of the day - it's probably less about the money saved than the time saved. For the future? I wouldn't be surprised if Apple continues to flourish if they stay focused on stability, elegant design and usability - and only exposing complexity when it needs to be seen. What's the difference? Configure a computer at Apple's website (www.apple.com). Then go Dell's website (www.dell.com) and do the same thing. You'll get the idea. :)

End of the day - people just want to get to their stuff. And with that stuff becoming more and more accessible via web browsers and across multiple platforms, I think Microsoft faces an interesting business future. I have one computer for work - but more than that at home. And while having six computers in a single house might not be that common - it's certainly pretty common for households to have more than one (families upgrade and keep the old one...). So I'd propose that personal computing didn't really take off with the personal computer. It only got interesting with the ability to connect them together and do something else via the internet. And if personal computing is really only fifteen years old (1995) then in terms of a horse race, neither Apple or Microsoft has even turned the first corner of the track.

Experienced thoughts / comments welcome.