Free Computer Consultant ………. Daily Insights

Maybe it’s the release of Leopard, Apple Computers new operating system. I have seen a ground swell of questions from people wondering if their new computer should be a Windows PC or a Mac.

The standard response has always been:

What software do you need to run? Is it available on Windows or Mac?

Have you priced a Mac and the associated software (usually higher)?

Do you do graphics? Mac kind of rules here, but the Adobe software is outrageous in price.

Which platform can you get support for?

But now, that may have changed.

New iMAC’s are available with Intel Duo Core technology processors. This means that a new iMac can run either Windows or Leopard.

Bootcamp software, free from Apple, allows you to choose at boot up which OS you want to run. Or, for about US$80, a software named Parallels lets you switch seamlessly between Windows and MAC.

That’s pretty cool.

Blurs the lines of distinction, doesn’t it? And with a new iMAC 24 running about $1800, it is tempting to think about switching to the Mac.

Are you tired of endless security updates, system crashes, poor performance and frustration of Windows? There are other options, just don’t burn any bridges.

Looks like Apple has done it again. The newest version of OS X (originating in 2001) is called Leopard. It replaces Tiger. And boy is it cool.

Revolutionary, no. But evolutionary, yes. One of the coolest features I can see is the Time Machine automatic backup. This really makes backup usable to the ordinary, non-geek user. Perferct, no; but one of the best answers for the common user I have ever seen.

For a great play by play of the new features, check out Walt Mossberg’s All Things Digital column.

Apple’s Guided tour of Leopard is here. If you don’t have QuickTime and don’t want to load QuickTime, use what I use - QuickTime Alternative.

With some hacks, you can maybe even run Leopard on your PC (see DailyApps).

This is one to watch. Windows Vista is pretty cool, but there are a lot of reasons to stick to XP. Linux flavors like Ubuntu are fantastic and essentially free, but more work is involved. Leopard is just one more reason to take a look at a Mac, at least in the non-corporate environment.

In the above referenced column by Walt Mossberg, one key element to note is his boot time comparisons. This has been a real pet peeve of mine for years.

Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, before Windows, a user’s workstation could boot up from a cold, dead start and be at a menu, ready to go, in under 20 seconds. Once Windows came on the scene, however, that number quickly jumped - for many users to almost 5 minutes (some, more!).

And this was despite quantum leaps in computing power and even hard drive speed! What Microsoft and many others in the industry have forgotten is that for-profit businesses buy computers for their employees to get work done, not enhance their work experience.

For a large percentage of the workforce, this means simply typing and printing letters or entering debits and credits in an electronic ledger. And the few reboots necessary, the better.

I can’t count the number of times I have been on the phone with a company like DELL, trying to place an order, and I have to wait because the sales persons computer locked up!

I could go on and on, but I better get back to work too.

Anyway, I bet my wife would love a Leopard under the Christmas tree in the form of a new Apple iBook.