Repost - Cars vs OSes

***ORIGINALLY POSTED 21MAR08***
Author's note - I realize this is dated and since this post I've since started using Linux and this description is less accurate now.


So I got to thinking tonight. Computers and their users are similar to cars and their drivers. Now please keep in mind that these comments are extreme in their generalizations and there is not really any reason to message me and tell me about it because I likely already know. But here goes.

I’ve recently come into possession of a shiny new Macbook Pro as most of you that pay attention already know. Having been forever a Windows user, I jumped at the chance to add Apple experience to my repertoire and résumé, so here we are. I’m noticing a lot of things that make me understand why they call Mac users "snobs". In Windows most of you know that every time you open up a folder you get a smattering of icons on a nice white background. There are ways to hack this, I’m sure, but the average user does not have the know-how or the desire to do this. Hell I am sure even most of your Windows geeks don’t even think about this possibility. On the Mac I can change the background to any image or color I could possibly want. And I can do something different for EACH folder. I mean that is just at the very basic level. There are so many little things that you can do that make this OS far and away more simple and creative to use. I could spend days lauding them and not be done. Does this mean I am no longer a Windows user? Far from it. There are still things I can do on Windows that I can’t do on my Mac. But that will soon change when I use Boot Camp to install a dual boot with XP. But on with my comparison.

OS X is like a Lexus and XP is like a Ford. Ford drivers are staunchly against anything else. Probably because they don’t know any better. Sure they know the comparisons but they have likely never driven a Lexus. Lexus drivers know better and try to point things out, but most of the time they just drive along with their heated seats and voice guided navigation systems installed standard, and let the Fordies preach what they will. Sure the Ford can have a navigation system and heated seats, but they know that they didn’t come up with it and now all they are doing is playing catch-up.

And then there’s Linux. Linux is like a Ferrari that has no backseat, no trunk, a 25 speed gear shift and the engine has to be rebuilt every time they get gas. But it looks damn sexy and purrs like a kitten. As long as you can figure out how to rebuild the engine and learn to shift while holding in the clutch and tapping the gas and brake alternately while honking the horn and rolling up the window.