Computer Interface

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.