Macs are computers… PC’s are typewriters…

Nice video worth  checking out!

http://www.thestreet.com/video/index.html?bcpid=1078966384&bclid=1137812485&bctid=1517472316

If the whole world used Macs, what would happen to the IT business?

Well, I just got my hands on a Sony Vaio VGN-TZ31VN, straight from one of the top execs of a company I come to, every now and then. He asked me to get it up and running for him. The list of tasks he gave me is pretty short:

Install Office 2007, Adobe Acrobat Pro 8, add the PC to the domain and install Microsoft Project 2007.

It has now been 2h15m since I’ve been working on this machine, and guess what I’m doing? That’s right, I’m still uninstalling the crappy pre-installed software… after 2 HOURS!
Got rid of the typical Norton product, the Office 2007 trials, and SQL Server, even Google Desktop, Google Toolbars, and lots of other small tiny crapware.

It’s so sad to know that there is something much better out there and yet, people and big companies still rely on MS Windows and their buggy OS to base and trust their professional lives on.

I’ve been and IT guy for quite some time, and I am even a MS Certified Systems Engineer and Admin (MCSE, MCSA) and each new day, I dislike Microsoft more and more.
Lets face it. I work in IT and I have a Mac . There’s only one, out of all the companies I work for, that actually owns a couple of Macs, and guess what. They never needed any tech support, more than creating a couple of aliases on the desktop

If the whole world used Macs, what would happen to the IT business?

My guess would be:

- Helpdesk IT centers would cut off 60% to 70% of their spending.
- User satisfaction would increase exponentially. Users would now be able to use their computers in the way computers were designed to do. Make our lives easier and improve our productivity.
- Users would gladly pay for software. Lets face it: people hate to pay for software because most of the times it’s buggy and eternal beta software. Why would anyone want to pay 500 euros for a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate? To get their PC’s filled with spyware, viruses and need a 200 euro upgrade so that their PC can run Windows, and even after that they’d have to consider reinstalling every 6 months in order to keep their computer in nice shape?

Just check the comparison below…

Do yourself a favor and check out an Apple Store or authorized reseller and travel to the future without the need for a Time Machine. Oh wait… you’ll get a Time Machine with Mac OSX!

PS: I’m just a MCSE and MCSA who fell in love with Apple and their Think Different and Just Works philosophy. Would love to work for Apple and leave everything Microsoft related behind!

(Not so)TechDays 2008. Why Microsoft is slowly losing their game.

Ok. So I went to TechDays 2008 in Lisbon.Nice and all. Nice reception, average lunch, but kind of crappy on what concerns the actual reason to go there.I went to 3 presentations:

- System Center Remote Operations Manager 2007

- MS Exchange 2007’s Service Pack 1 features.

- Modelling and Composing Software for today and the future.

The first one was ok I guess. Nice explaining and all, but the software was just not user friendly. Typical Microsoft MMC based application, with dozens of tiny small items all over the screen, menus and sub menus. Nothing is clear and easy to use. All in all the only advantage I saw was the fact that it doesn’t need VPN connections in order to monitor a clients system. Other than that it seems Microsoft is trying to play catch up with all the other different software makers, only that they should be the ones leading software development in the world. Besides the OS’ there’s nothing great about Microsoft nowadays except maybe for the XBOX 360.

On the second presentation about the SP1 for Exchange 2007, things were worse. The lady giving the presentation was supposedly one of the top Exchange 2007 experts at Microsoft. Well, her presentation sure didn’t impress anyone. The Demos didn’t work, she kept losing herself in her speech, and people were rather confused by the time they ended it. Round of questions and everyone had one… obviously. As I saw her effort to answer the questions, I realized she was nervous, or maybe she wasn’t as good as they had put it.

As for the 3rd presentation, it sure was the most professionally presented, but the topic of discussion, “Modelling and Composing Software for today and the future”, wasn’t so apparent. The german presenters were very professional, but I was hoping the discussion would be less focused on technical aspects, but hey, maybe it was just me and the other guys leaving halfway through the presentation.

Anyway, this was a clear proof that Microsoft is way behind their game right now. They’ve lost all the WOW factor for the past years and it’s no surprise people are turning to Mac OSX and Linux as their saviors.
Computers are supposed to be a tool for a greater good, but users are tired of blue screens of death, viruses, complicated to use Operating Systems and constantly solving problems, instead of enjyoing that experience.

It’s sad but hey… at least they made me get a Mac!! Thanks Microsoft.

If I had to end this with a personal note would be: Get a Mac. You’ll love it, won’t get enough of it, and actually start doing something useful and productive.