Steven Garrity, graphics designer at ActsofVolition writes: “I’ve been conducting a user interface experiment with myself as the subject. A long-time Windows user and armchair graphical user interface critic, I have spent a week working in Mac OS X. What follows is my review of the experience.“
A Windows User Spends a Week with a Mac
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
In evaluating the “OS”, he doesn’t even touch on this. Oh, but that’s OK, you say because this is about the OS. Except that whenever I say windows is sucky, people say, but you need to take this in context, it’s all the software, the games, the flexibilty, etc.
OK, this guy totally missed the key thing apple is offering ON TOP OF A fantastic, stable, easy to use OS – purpose built, top of class software for new things (video, photo, music) that are just awesome.
Another false “test” of Apple. I wonder how different these “tests” would go if you could run OS X and iApps etc on a Dell. That’s what’s really going on here. People don’t want to admit the Mac is as fantastic as it is because they don’t want to give up on open commodity hardware.
…just some boring weblog entry. Christ, he’s using an old iMac. Finally, I’ve never heard of any designer that’s a window’s user.
Since Mac people are constantly saying that a Mac liftime is twice the one of PC, I don’t see how using an old iMac would be the problem.
I’m as Mac-psycho as the first poster here, but I have to admit his article was even-handed and bang on. So he tried the Mac, good for him. He saw some things that were missing about OS X, and he’s right, I miss those things too…like accessing dialogue buttons with the keyboard! But on the whole this guy appreciated OS X. Everyone goes home happy. 🙂
Cheers,
Aaron.
Enter = Save (Since its highlighted)
Cmd-D = Don’t Save
Cmd-Esc = Cancel
All present since the System 7 days, I think even further than that. I know I have used it since 7.5 personally.
No need for Cmd for cancel. It’s just Esc.
anonymous writes: Finally, I’ve never heard of any designer that’s a window’s user.
Why is that so hard to believe?
I’ve done work on both PCs and Macs, and like them both. Years ago, a lot of work I was doing involved transferring files with some local sign shops that were using PC based CAD systems to manufacture the designs I supplied.
This was back in the early 90’s so it was much easier to just do my own work on the PC. At the time, PC design software was years behind the Mac. Illustrator was stuck at version 4, even though the Mac version was at 6 or 7 and other apps had similar stories.
Over time, the PC apps matured to the point where they are on par with their Mac counterparts. Illustrator, Photoshop, Freehand, etc. all behave the same on both platforms and swapping files across platforms is a non-issue.
I don’t know if I really care what my operating system is as long as it stays out of my way. Most of my time is spent inside my frequently used apps (like Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Flash, etc.) I really doubt there’s much benefit to me switching platforms. Though, at this point, switching would be a huge investment, simply because of the cost of paying the “cross platform upgrade” fee to switch my applications.
I’m convinced that people who sit and rag about operating systems are the people who actually don’t do any work. Otherwise, I don’t have much time to think about my OS. As long as it’s there, and works, that’s all I ask it to do.
Honestly, that was one of the best UI related articles I have read in awhile. Very user focused.
I liked the fact that the author did not get caught up on critiquing every little tiny aspect but related the experience to his own experience very well making the whole thing very readable.
Very even handed with the list of things he will miss when he goes back to XP and such.
Liked it.
Funny thing…: I know loads of designers, only six out of which use Mac.
Oops. My bad… Thanks for the correction there, AB.
Look in the Full Keyboard Access tab of the Keyboard control panel.
? Text boxes and lists only
? Any control
Funny thing…: I know loads of designers, only six out of which use Mac.
My experience has been the opposite. Out of all the designers I know only about 5 of them use XP. I guess its where you work and live and how the designers in your area work.
Having NO mac experience myself, how would you rate a system like this to a PC equivalent?
I used to have a k6-2 450 with 256 MB RAM and Win XP. I thought it was slow, but acceptable. Would this iMac mentioned have about the same responsiveness?
I really am wondering becasue I wouldn’t mind picking up a used one.
Well, quite not being exactly a Windows user (after 2 weeks with Windows – it was 95 – I began experimenting desperately some Linux distros, then FreeBSD, as desktops), I had a Mac with OS X for one week, then two, then one month, then six months.
This year I’ll buy my own.
I’d say that the 400 Mhz G3 in that iMac would be a little bit faster than your K6 450 in processor terms, but running OSX, the iMac probably feels and responds slower than WinXP on your machine. OSX has the distinct problem of feeling slow on all but the newer, faster hardware. Really, you need about a 500 MHz G4 or faster with at least 384 Megs of ram to run OSX without feeling sloggy. A video card that supports “Quartz extreme” UI acceleration won’t hurt either. All in all, using OSX on a machine like that would probably be deemed “slow but acceptable” by most people.
DingoFish,
The reviewer’s specs: 400MHz G3 processor, 192 MB of RAM
My specs: 450mhz G3, 768MB Ram
I can honestly say that my iMac is faster than a friends old 450mhz IBM running 98/2000. I’m running OS X 10.2.5, generally have at least 5-10 apps running constantly, never retart or turn it off, and it just keeps plugging away. It’s not as snappy fast as would be in os9 for instance (or most windows boxes), but it’s perfectly adequate until i start running Photoshop+listening to music+surfing web+checking mail+downloading….
The most important thing if you are considering buy a second hand mac is to beef up the RAM as much as possible (to use os x). If it’s a G3 then 500-600mhz is a great starting point, but if you can get a G4 then 450 will be perfectly fine.
L.
Thanks for the replies, it helps to put it in perspective.
Even on new hardware, I found OS X to be sluggish in many areas. In a lab with both PCs and Macs, we copied very large files on a regular basis. The Macs were always significantly slower, even the dual G4s.
Why does OSnews continue to post such stupid and meaningless reviews done by indivduals that do not know the first thing about analyzing operating systems.
I am about 10 seconds from NEVER coming back to this useless site.
“Why does OSnews continue to post such stupid and meaningless reviews done by indivduals that do not know the first thing about analyzing operating systems.
I am about 10 seconds from NEVER coming back to this useless site.
This has been a long standing problem for me. While I occationally still visit (very rarely now), I found a new site that offers more balanced coverage. Everone here should check it out.
http://www.oscast.com
First of all ..thank you “anonymous (IP: 165.125.1.—)”
for your opinion. We don’t really need you here. I can tell, you didn’t understand the review. IMO I thought it was a pretty good review, honest and true.
As I stated in another discussion 2-3 days ago I just bought an old imac and I was positive surprised of the responsiveness of the OS.I didn’t have any problems with setting up my internet, installing some application, configuring my scanner etc.. During the Easter weekend I browsed through different websites to read about the OS, hardware and user opinions etc.. and it seems every PC user who actually bought a MAC is happy and doesn’t mind the speed difference compared to the Intel crowd.
I have a Pentium 4 2-GHZ, 1gig Mem, 19″ monitor and I’m pretty happy right now, but I am considering switching to a G4 with a 20.1″ Formac LCD in the next couple of months.
Just my 2 Canadian cents.
/I have a Pentium 4 2-GHZ, 1gig Mem, 19″ monitor and I’m pretty happy right now, but I am considering switching to a G4 with a 20.1″ Formac LCD in the next couple of months.
Just my 2 Canadian cents//
Yipe! You’ve got a 2+ Ghz Wintel box, and you’re gonna pick up a G4 in the near future? With a 20″ LCD yet!??!
With that kind of disposable income, your Canadian 2 cents must be on a different exchange rate …
I’m jealous. 🙂
“First of all ..thank you “anonymous (IP: 165.125.1.—)” for your opinion. We don’t really need you here. I can tell, you didn’t understand the review. IMO I thought it was a pretty good review, honest and true.”
Thank you YoMama, but we don’t really need you here. I can tell, you didn’t understand the review. IMO I thought it was a pretty ininformed, biased and false.
The reviewer’s specs: 400MHz G3 processor, 192 MB of RAM
My specs: 450mhz G3, 768MB Ram
I can honestly say that my iMac is faster than a friends old 450mhz IBM running 98/2000.
Might I ask how much memory your friends old computer has? Probably nowhere near the 768MB that you have I would imagine. BTW – How much did you spend on adding memory to get it up to 768?
“This has been a long standing problem for me. While I occationally still visit (very rarely now), I found a new site that offers more balanced coverage. Everone here should check it out.
http://www.oscast.com ”
Nice, thanks.
I am glad I am not the only one who feels this way about OSNEWS.
MM I thought you would be gone long time ago.
” I am about 10 seconds from NEVER coming back to this useless site.”
Anyway, in your opinion whats the problem with the review?
I had the same experience using a MAC for the first time.
I’m sorry to say, but it is not all good, but In the end I’m thinking of switching. Doesn’t it indicate I like the MAC better than a PC?
@rockwell
I have to sell my PC first
and finish of some contracts in order to afford it. One day.
SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GO BACK TO SUCKING BILL GATES SWEATY NUT SACK
To everyone bitching about this article:
What the hell is wrong with you? I’m a die-hard Mac user (hell, I service them for a living), and this was a GOOD article.
So he missed one or two points here and there. He didn’t spend two or three months with the OS.
He’s also not evaluating the entire OS, you dorks. Don’t cut him on that one. He didn’t talk about the extra apps, the hardcore Unix base (mentioned it, but didn’t go into it at all), or the other underlying technologies.
But he didn’t do that with Windows, either. This was, if you look at it, a GUI comparison article.
And a damn nice one at that. Not stupid-geeky, and not obtuse.
Don’t fault the guy because he’s not going to run out and dump $1600+ on a new setup. He liked what he saw, and it shows in how fair the article was.
-/-
Mikey-San
Karma be damned!
The reviewer had stumbled on an old iMac that is soon not even sold any more, and criticized its hardware. That made very little point. Do we yet need a review how bad the original iMac mouse was?
His user interface findings were proper, but in general he was just clicking here, clicking there, noticing this and omitting that. Where was he getting to?
The whole review sounded more like that one day this guy had too much spare time.
“Another false “test” of Apple. I wonder how different these “tests” would go if you could run OS X and iApps etc on a Dell. That’s what’s really going on here. People don’t want to admit the Mac is as fantastic as it is because they don’t want to give up on open commodity hardware.”
No, that’s not what’s going on here…OSX is just a clumsy OS, often taking 2 or 3 more steps to do the same thing you could do in WindowsXP.
The best way to figure out whether OS X is fast enough for you (if you’re considering a Mac) is just to go to your nearby Apple Store or Apple-authorized dealer (CompUSA, etc.) and try one out.
It’s a pretty subjective thing; every one has a different tolerance and benchmark for the dread quality “snappy”.
I’ve found, for instance, that even the current $1000 iBooks, with G3 processors, handle OS X surprisingly well — no doubt due to the better video card and Quarz Extreme. But it all depends what you’re using it for. YMMV.
This was a decent article, but there was way too much complaining about hardware. When you buy a pc, you pick your hardware. I am sure if you go to apple’s web site, you can do the same there. The “dork factor” isn’t a problem as long as you pick something that suits you.
However, I do love the comment about the Segway, and he’s absolutly right. What does a Segway do that a bike doesn’t (besides suck)?
Note the following words people….
“I have spent a week working in Mac OS X. What follows is my review of the experience”
It’s basically a report on what struck him about the Mac interface during a week of working with it. There were bits he liked, bits he didn’t, generally he thought it was a good system and he had a pleasant experience, but somehow this isn’t good enough for the Macheads.
This wasn’t an indepth review of all the operating system, is was also not a review of any application (whether bundled or not), it wasn’t even a “Which is better, PC or Mac?” review… and IT WAS NEVER CLAIMED TO BE, it was exactly what he sais it was, just a guy spending a week using a Mac and making some comments on what he found with the user interface in comparison to what he was used to.
If he missed things then cut him some slack, he only had a week, if you disagree with his personal preferences then fine, but why are you getting so upset over it all? And why do some of you have to insult the guy’s intelligence or question his integrity? Are you really that insecure?
Thanks for the feedback on the article. To address some of the criticism, this wasn’t a technical article nor was it intended to be a comprehensive overview of the pros and cons of OS X vs. Windows.
Rather, it was simply my thoughts as a somewhat average user who is interested in user interface design.
Glad some of you enjoyed it. Feedback is welcome.
“If he missed things then cut him some slack, he only had a week, if you disagree with his personal preferences then fine, but why are you getting so upset over it all? And why do some of you have to insult the guy’s intelligence or question his integrity? Are you really that insecure?”
i’m sick of half-ass reviews by incompetent ass-wipes.
is this the kind of shit that passes as journalism these days?
some idiot bitching ineptly about things NOBODY cares about?
this has to be the gwbush phenomenon: there’s an idiot in the whitehouse why not let all the dumb mutherfuckers out and let these retards have a turn at writing?
this dick ought to hang his stupid fucking head in shame for even THINKING of writing such an article, and he deserves a beating for actually publishing it. (if you can call osnews.com actually “publishing”)
FUCK THIS SITE
I said: “”Another false “test” of Apple. I wonder how different these “tests” would go if you could run OS X and iApps etc on a Dell. That’s what’s really going on here. People don’t want to admit the Mac is as fantastic as it is because they don’t want to give up on open commodity hardware”
says: ” No, that’s not what’s going on here…OSX is just a clumsy OS, often taking 2 or 3 more steps to do the same thing you could do in WindowsXP.”
Why is it then that Wired magazine gave the OS X team a big award this year for software? There’s been lots and lots of positive press beyond that too. Guess all these independent observers are just dumber and less knowledgeable than you.
Also, which part of XP involves fewer steps? The parts that require you to go through a multi-step “Wizard” when in OS X you just do it without needing one? Or the multiple layered buttons and tabs and dialogs in the XP control panels that haven’t changed since windows 98 (maybe 95) versus the control panel cleanup apple did in 10 versus 9?
I open a new window that is larger than all the other windows, completely hiding all other windows. I have now have no way to get to the other applications without first moving or minimizing my current window. Pain in the ass. I can imagine this being a significant long term annoyance with OS X.
OSX has to have an alt-tab type keyboard shortcut, right? I am hoping that this guy is just key-tarded as opposed OSX really having such a large defficiency.
The author says above: “nor was it intended to be a comprehensive overview of the pros and cons of OS X vs. Windows.”
Fine, but that’s how people will read it. Is OS X better than windows, should I switch? And so on.
The article leaves an implied statement on that, and it’s the usual one we see from Windows guys that — for reasons other than the merits of OS X and the other apple software — don’t want to switch. So the merits are minimized. It’s an exercise in saying, “Gee this is real nice, but it’s not so super nice I made a wrong choice, or there’s a cost to my choice (wintel or linux).
re dwilson’s comments, You can alt-tab between Applications, but not beween individual windows. By the way, “key-tarded” is GOLD! I’m /so/ gonna use that.
You can alt-tab between Applications, but not beween individual windows. By the way, “key-tarded” is GOLD! I’m /so/ gonna use that.
Heh, glad you like it. Maybe I just coined a new internet catch phrase? If so, everyone remember, you heard it here first
.
As to the fact that you can’t alt-tab between windows… this sounds like a major pain. I would really like a chance to use OSX and check it all out, but I’m too poor to afford an apple.
I like the article, its pretty faithful to most Switcher experiences. They generally like Mac OS X overall but find a few things different but none really a show stopper if they are considering switching. MHZ and speed are generally not a priority over productivity.
MM commented on oscast.com being a better site. Maybe so if you like less articles and the articles are biased towards Apple. Kind of odd since MM hates Macs.
BTW, Segway can move faster than most people can bike and you sweat not from exertion but from fear of hitting a tree.
@appleforever
What do you want from the article? It was just that, a Windows user spending a week on MacOSX. It was not about switching or being an SJ/Apple cheerleader like fookin Gene Steinberg. It was an honest effort of a PC user using MacOSX and opinions on the differences. To expect endorsement is wrong unless you would be willing to buy them the hardware.
I never got the impression that it was a “gee this is nice but” article. Read Apple’s switcher articles if you want stories like that. The effect of this article is that people who have never even tried using a Mac since they considered it so different, may consider trying one to see what all the fuss is all about. We can yack how great the Mac is but eventually people are going to have to try it and make up their own minds. Biased and “setup” articles are not credible like they ones I read about from mac journalist and writer like Steinberg. I would rather read honest assesments, love-hate and all from real people. I am sure the Switchers on the Apple website are real but they feel “hollywood” to me. Was this what you were expecting?
You CAN keyboard swap between windows in the frontmost application by typing Command-` (the key to the left of the 1 and underneath Escape).
On a Mac, switching between windows and switching between open apps are fundamentally different actions, so they have different key-commands. But both are still possible.
My printer uses Macs to design and PCs as servers and also to work on files from PC designers. My take (and this is NYC, one of the biggest service bureaus in town) is that almost all design shops create their files on Quark for Mac. Almost all of the corporate design department guys are on PCs. I won’t bother commenting on which platform gives them the biggest headaches by far.
The author says above: “nor was it intended to be a comprehensive overview of the pros and cons of OS X vs. Windows.”
Exactly why it should not have been posted. There are enough geeks here to draw these conclusions in about a minute. Enough said.
German pussy-boy. We’ll kick your a$$ again. Bring it on.
Hey, wow! OS Cast.com. A website that loves Apple and hates Windows!
If I want biased crap I’ll go watch Fox news. Or visit the Microsoft website. Or Apple’s.
I thought it was a good article, myself, mirroring the 2 weeks I spent with an iBook this summer. I could do everything with it that I could do with this Windows laptop. About the same price, too. No one will be happy with this next statement of mine, but here goes: not much difference between the Mac and PC these days. Get over it.
Why does OSnews continue to post such stupid and meaningless reviews done by indivduals that do not know the first thing about analyzing operating systems.
I am about 10 seconds from NEVER coming back to this useless site.
I Won’t get into a flame war… so, I won’t continue this discussion, but i need to make a note here…
These reviews are very important. Why? There’s something called “usabillity” that designers around all the word are trying to improve. Opinions of different people, with different needs, costumes. So opinions are very important for everyone… Imagine with we just care about the opinions of hardcore hackers, or just of people who use computers to write text documents, maybe just gamers? We won’t have the usability that we’ve right now in most of systems…
Opinions are very important, as articles like that, to interface designers, web designers and others… May you couldn’t think it important for you, but as they may be to other people, don’t just flame it… think about first…
Yes you concluded very nicely what my aim with the submission of this one is.
But what I’m seeing here in this thread is the total lack of reasonable and out of the sandbox comments, my goal did fail.
and to the rest of the peeps in this thread:
I think Eugenia should start a site dedicated to usability reviews and discussions with registered users only (pretty please?)
So that these discussions don’t come down to…useless flameing alá “my os has a faster cpu than yours”
and people who the f**** do you think you are saying that he is a utter and total “idiot” i can tell you that those remarks speak more about yourselves than him.
The problem with these people is that they identify themselves with what OS they choose to use, be that linux windows or macos** .
These people are also very easily lead by the nose.
I think you people who talk so much trash need to own up and tell the guy that you’re sorry for the way you’ve behaved.
This forum seems to have a mix of very insighful, good observations along with some blatent trolling. Perhaps a little modding down would be a good idea?
says: “not much difference between the Mac and PC these days. Get over it.”
I would say, stop the denial dude. Maybe there’s not much difference if you know a lot about computers and the less than user friendly aspects of windows are no big deal for you. Maybe there’s not much difference if you don’t want to do consumer level photo organizing, sharing and editing and video editing and DVD burning. Because nothing on the PC remotely compares to the integrated package of iDVD, iMovie, iPhoto and numerous press reviewers have said just that. Even on iTunes, Ars Technica said the best experience for music is on the mac with the iPod integration and they specifically said that Apple’s new music download service will likely AGAIN provide a level of experience unmatched on the PC.
Things that seem very minor to the computer geeks on this site are actually a big deal to non-computer geeks. Ever spend time with a complete newbie? You get the picture how totally clueless they can be really quickly. Apple is way better for them, and much better (unless maybe all they want to do is browse the web and email and word process, then I would suggest Linux, not windows).
what about the unix underpinnings in OS X. Seems like a pretty big difference to me for people that like unix or linux
whatever:
i’m sick of half-ass reviews by incompetent ass-wipes.
I agree completely! We should implement a two-asses-per-sentence minimum, to weed out all this sophomoric garbage.
PS, you probably meant “half-assed”. And the “i” in “i’m” should be capitalised, as it starts a sentence. You’re welcome.
anonymous:
The author says above: “nor was it intended to be a comprehensive overview of the pros and cons of OS X vs. Windows.”
Exactly why it should not have been posted. There are enough geeks here to draw these conclusions in about a minute. Enough said.
How do you know why it shouldn’t have been posted? Are you the Editor-in-Chief of Acts of Volition?
To all the people thought the article was a contemptible piece of crap[1]: Are you all so stupid as to spend your valuable (heh) time reading something you revile? Do you spend your spare time sifting through the fridge eating slices of green baloney, and watching test patterns on TV with your v-hold and tone cranked all the way down?
[1] You’re unequivocally and factually wrong, btw. This was quite a good article wrt its intended purpose.
Bought the Formac Gallery 20,1″ LCD screen.
Apple I’m coming. heheheh