Lately, friends and acquaintances have been inquiring on buying a new laptop, and they're asking what model to get. Eventually, I'll suggest a Mac (although I won't make the same recommendation for desktop PCs unless money is no object to them) and honestly, the biggest hurdle in getting people to try out Macs is the Operating System since that's how they interact with the computer. The specs don't matter--hardware is the same for all computers. (And never mind the fact that you can conceivably install Windows on a Mac and OS X on a PC.) So to most people (i.e. the non-techies), the Operating System is a big factor when making a purchase.
This, I think, tells us as lot about designing for humans. Even as we're creatures of change, we resist change. I think that's the reason why people who bought Windows before will buy Windows again when it's time to upgrade their Operating System, just as OS users will upgrade to OS when the time comes. Getting these guys to switch is difficult because they're afraid (sometimes rightly so, sometimes not) of trying out a new interface.
These days, however, I think we're doing better. I mean whether it's Windows or OS X or -gasp- Linux, computer interface is pretty much the same. It's still point, click and drag. And most things have a label that we'll eventually find it if it's readily evident. Switching Operating Systems isn't like switching from a bike to car--it's more like switching from a manual to an automatic: same principles, different applications. (When switching to OS X, I just keep in mind that instead of pressing CTRL for keyboard shortcuts, I'll just use the Apple button instead, which is where the ALT button would be on a regular keyboard.)
Of course if this was happening two decades before, it would be completely different. As stable as DOS is (anyone still remember DOS?), it's not user-friendly. There's no mouse and worse, communicating with the computer seems arcane (how are we supposed to know that CD stands for Change Directory?).
At the end of the day, I have to congratulate Microsoft. Most PC (and I'm using this in a term that includes Mac's, none of that "I'm a PC, I'm a Mac" mudslinging division) users still use Windows as their Operating System. A Mac might be prettier aesthetically speaking, but more often than not, that's not enough motivation for people to convert. Microsoft's biggest ace in the hole is people's fear of change and the results can't be denied.
5 comments:
Fear of change isn't the only reason people have kept to Windows - sometimes it's necessity. I for one have so many applications that I use daily that I have no idea how to go about replacing on a Mac. The same can be said for business and enterprise users who have that last archaic bit of software that only works on Windows that they need for daily production.
I noticed that the disparity is more obvious between casual and "power" Windows users, the former being able to switch easier because their normal activities have already transcended OS dichotomy, the latter more staunch in their ways and like doing things just the way they like it and will be more efficient than they'll ever be on another platform (myself included).
I think the only truly "irreplacable" line of programs that's not readily available for the Mac is programming. Otherwise, the applications are out there, although obviously some will take more time to find than most (especially in our context where "what's readily available" is synonymous with "what's available with the pirates so I can buy them cheaply").
As for "power" Windows users, I think the same efficiency can be achieved with changing OS, it's just that obviously there'll be a learning curve and most people aren't willing to invest time. Existing OS users will probably tout the mentality "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Personally, I find that multitasking is easier in OS X, although it took me quite awhile to get used to the new interface (because windows in Mac behave very different from the windows in Windows).
Programming and gaming. =)
Hardware specs may be the same but quality of hardware? Not so much. If you tell me a Compaq is of the same quality as a Sony, I'm going to laugh at you.
It's more of 1 GB of RAM is 1 GB of RAM, no matter who you buy it from. Of course suppliers will have a variation in terms of actual longevity or how long it takes before it breaks down (or in the case of Sony batteries, explode).
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