Apple Options

[JRoberts]

I just recently bought an Apple laptop for School. I have been a PC user all my life, and since a very early age was taught that Apple was the "other computer" that we didn't buy. However, I have a few friends who have Apples and was also offered a great deal if I bought it. So I did.

What struck me at first (and has for awhile) is the esthetic beauty of Apple. Their love of simplicity and whiteness makes their computers very elegant. It turns out that this idea is the Theme of Apple: Simplicity, Integration, Harmony, and thus...Power. PC's have always seemed cluttered to me. They were like buying a car engine and frame, and then everything else is seperate and must be added. The result? A weird looking, multi-colored, odd-shaped car. But when using my apple, I feel like every single thing was done for a purpose. Every program relies upon and builds upon the other. Thus every program is nicely connected, purposeful, and destinguishably Apple. There is a nice ease-of-mind when using an Apple, one that makes me want to shout, "But of course!"

I am also impressed by Apple's ingenuity. There are many features in both their laptop and Operating System that blow my mind (and I'm still discovering many of them!). Some examples:

-Hot Corners: move your mouse to a corner of the screen, and an action will happen (such as automatically start your Screen Saver)

-Stickies: for all those tiny notes you take (such as a telephone number), stickies are basically virtual post-it notesin multiple colors. Much better than using MSword/Notepad

-Expose: allows you to focus on one application, or multiple. Great program when you have multiple windows/programs open.

-iChat: AOL Instant Messenger with upgrades. It includes an automatic LAN feature that allows you to see/communicate with anybody in your network. CNN has just started using it to conduct interviews via its powerful audio/video chat software.

-Spellcheck: Many programs have spellcheck built in. iChat, for example, spellchecks everything you type. Why hasn't somebody thought of this before?

All in all, I'm converted. It reminds me of what Howard Roark stated about Architecture; and believe me, I feel like I'm using a computer that has integrity.

[Carlos]

Oh, and Windows comes with games like Solitaire.

Apples come with Chess--

enough said.