I’m sure it’s not an issue anymore, but some of the older Mac OS dialers lacked the ability to add an initialization string. This came up sometimes when I did support for an ISP a few years ago.
At my current job and the one before it I have had to provide tech support for both Macs and PCs, though I of course have a lot more experience with PCs. In some ways Macs can be easy to t/s - you can easily tell when there is a HW failure, though sometimes it can be harder to tell what component has failed. With Macs it seems that you sacrifice a certain level of control for increased ease of use. I think it’s OK that both kinds of computers are available.
Aside from being able to more easily tweak my system, I find the Mac OS interface backwards - it reminds me a lot of Windows 3.1, or Win3.1 if it was made a lot more user friendly but kept it’s original clunkiness. That may be why a lot of the long-term PC users don’t like them - we have some bad memories associated with 3.1 and anything that feels like that gives us the willies.
Actually, if it was a Mac, it would matter, as it’d be Mac-supported hardware. The reason Macs run “better” than PCs is their closed hardware specs, in that fewer devices are built for them, and thus the software can be tested better on them. Only one supplier of motherboards and chips, means fewer different things to go wrong. This does not mean his call-waiting would work, though. Just means the OS would be relevant.
Also means fewer choices. Six of one, half dozen of the other. Macs tend to just work. Unless they don’t. And then you can’t fix it without bringing it in. PCs work, and if they don’t, you can bash them until functional.
Personally, I want a Mac for futzing with, but well, complete lack of useful software, and the former stars of Mac software are now replicated on Linux or working on PCs. We’ll see what happens if the OS X GUI shell becomes platform independent.
On my desk is a Dell PC and a Mac G4. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Neither is incredibly reliable. OSX is a gorgeous operating system, but I get on with W2000 too. Whatever. All the partisanship is stoopid.
Having said that, you need a fucking degree to use Linux. I know it’s great and all, but fuck it.
Bless you, jjimm—you are expressing my feelings too! I have Mac and PC side-by-side, sharing monitor and keyboard via a KVM switch.
Though I will say—I have OS 10.2 on the G4 and XP Pro on the PC, and so far, OS 10.2 is more stable. I’ve had a few times where the PC did some weird “blue screen” shit on me for some incomprehensible reason. And it was wonking out all the time before I had it upgraded. (It had a crappy motherboard which I had replaced.) But, I actually like XP well enough, except for the weird blue screen shit. (And it wasn’t the Blue Screen of Death, this was some scrolling text on the blue screen and very odd.)
But OS X is still the bomb. Love, love, love OS X. But, when talking to those on the PC side, I don’t hesitate to admit that I really don’t mind XP at all and in fact like certain things about it.
[hijack] That’s a setup I’d love - I have two keyboards and mice - which keyboard and do you use - Mac or PC? Is it USB compatible, and what do you do about the differing key configuration? Also, when I’m using Classic applications via 10.2, I have problems with fonts and printing - do you get similar problems?
I just spilled water on my rather pricey Logitech wireless ergonomic keyboard. (USB, of course.) It apparently is hosed, but I am waiting to see if it will recover when it is completely dried out.
Anyway, since I need an ergonomic keyboard, I grabbed a cheaper PS/2 Microsoft ergonimic keyboard I had attached to another PC (I have too many damned computers in here) and stuck it to the KVM switch. Guess what? It works on the Mac! (I’m using it right now.) The “Windows” key becomes the “Apple” key on the Mac, and the placement is a little different than on a real Mac keyboard, but I’m coping. I stuck a little piece of tape with an Apple symbol on the proper key so I’ll remember.
As far as problems with fonts on Classic apps in OS X, well, I barely use any Classic apps these days, so I haven’t noticed anything.
Some day I may add a Mac to my desk… at the moment it’s a Windows XP and a Windows ME with a KVM switch and a Linux (Red Hat) that I access through SecureCRT. We use 3 flavors of Windows plus Linux and Solaris in our house. Throwing a Mac into the mix would be cool.
I’m pretty sure (and the TV ads back me up on this) there’s never been a documented instance of a Mac crashing.
If you’re having a problem, it’s got to be operator head space and timing. And nothing subtle either (the UI prevents this). It’s bound to be something along the lines of forgetting to turn it on, you lost it, it was stolen, something like that.
Did I say anything about crashing? :goes back and checks her post:
I meant stuff like hooking my new laptop up to our printers in the office, or connecting it to a VPN so I can work from home. Yeah, so sorry if you thought I was asking about crashing, but I wasn’t.
My problem is with IT who refuses to support Macs, and can’t help me when I want to set up a VPN or figure out why my StuffIt expander isn’t opening. We have one guy (not IT-affiliated) who sometimes helps me and the designers with stuff of that ilk, but he’s been out for the last six weeks.
So yeah, if I can get InDesign for my PC, you bet I’m going to.
And what the heck did you mean by this:
Believe me, I would know if I forgot to turn it on. I’m really not that stupid. :rolleyes:
Well - I sit here using my Powerbook, next to me ingesting some media as we speak is my Vaio. Neither machine crashes hardly at all, systemwise.
The only major problem I’ve had is when the Vaio caught that recent nasty virus thing, that kept popping up strange warnings and freezing it up. The Powerbook has yet to catch anything.
If I’ve ever hijacked a PC thread, apologies. I know I’ve pushed Macs in Mac threads, and in Mac v PC threads. But I work on both equally, and I know how they compare (these are machines of roughly equal power specs).
The only thing that pisses me off is people who have had no acquaintance with System X slagging it off and pushing System Y, and vice versa. I know both systems, so when I say System X is a fuck load better than System Y for applications a, b, c etc - I do have some experience of what I’m saying.
Just to interject: it’s not actually Betamax that is used in broadcasting/media, but BetaSP. That’s now being edged out for digital tapes such as DigiBeta and DVCam, and - please please please hurry up! - one day there will be no freaking tape at all, just HD cameras.
can’t wait No more damn real-time ingesting/capturing/digitising/logging.
See, this is something that’s always confused and bothered me about this point.
Who cares about games? I mean, no, really? Why is it a requirement that every single OS support the same number of gee-whiz games, 95% of which are crap, and the remaining 5% are so popular that they get ported anyway, never mind the ones like Myst that started Mac-only in the first place?
I’ve found exactly two game-related programs that made me wish, however slightly, that I had Virtual PC (see, not necessarily a PC, per se, but the emulator). Other than that, I couldn’t care less…
