So I don’t know why Apple doesn’t harp on this more in its marketing. If you are an Intel Mac owner (I guess everyone who bought a Mac in the last 6 months qualifies) and you want to run any modern software program: Mac, Windows XP, Windows Vista, etc. all you need is an inexpensive piece of virtualization software that transforms your Mac into what is basically a universal PC.
The Universal PC. Let it roll off your tongue. Only the Mac can do this.
I’ve been using both Parallels Desktop and VMWare Fusion since they both hit the streets. And let me tell you – my MacBook Pro is the envy of the office. Even though my company makes Windows-only software (right now, hint hint) I can still run any and all programs in the office. Our web development team is using Macs and virtualization software to check all the various browsers for compatibility. I can even improve my productivity by using Keynote and outputting into PowerPoint (yuck) and PDF. And these programs are getting better all the time. No need to reboot, just launch the program and pickup where I left off. Much faster – and cheaper – than having two laptops.
I recently purchased a high end Sony Vaio for a demo I was doing for Walter Mossberg. Guess what? The Mac was more reliable and easier to configure. So I gave the demo on the Mac. Running Windows.
The point being that Mac users used to live on a tiny island. Mac software required a Mac and vice versa. Now the Mac runs anything. And it does so beautifully. We don’t live on an island anymore but the view is still breathtaking and the air cleaner. So hold your heads high and breathe deeply. You own a Universal PC.
This just in: now the Mac is finally a gaming system. EA stakes a claim on the Mac.
When my homebuilt PC died of old age I replaced it with MacBook.
I use CrossOver to run my two “must have” Windows programs. CrossOver uses WINE technology to run Windows programs without the need to run Windows.
The best part of a Mac is OS X. Why run Windows on it?
Late Wednesday Night Speed Linking 09/19
We start this weeks Speed Linking with some resources on copywriting. I talked in my last
post about the role of your website copy in convincing your visitors to take action.
I just finished listening to the recording of a great interv…
I absolutely agree. I think we still live on an island but we have nice bridges now to everywhere. In the old days, Mac useres needed to wait for a slow ferry to get thim on the “mainland” of the Windows world.
We used to have make the arguement that using a Mac was easier and therefore more productive so it could justofy the cost difference. Now, the cost issue is mostly gone and it’s just a question of whether you want a great machine that runs EVERYTHING or a cheaper laptop that runs somethings.
I honestly can’t see why the corporate world hasn’t become Apple’s biggest market. The IT guys can save their jobs by still having to manage the Windows world of patches, anti-virus updates, etc while the actual users will now have the benefit of using a great machine all the time. How Apple is not grabbing marketshare here is a mystery to me.
As for me, I use the Mac for 95% of everything I do. Unfortunately, I have to use IE for certain websites which equires me to run Windows. I am finally upgrading my PBG4 and VPC to a MBP soon so the experience will be a lot less painful.
For now, I’m happy we’re still on our island. Who doesn’t like living on an island. We’ll keep the bridges open but maybe raise the tolls if too many people start to come over!!!