Bill Gates Dug His Own Grave, Now He Has To Lie In It!

by Bradford Renner

I’ve wanted a Mac Computer for the longest time. I perused Apple’s offering for the first time back in 2005 but one thing stopped me: the interface was very unfamiliar territory for me. At the time, the main tools I used were Word Processing (MS Word) and Number Processing (MS Excel). 

As a young intern at an investment bank my basic skills had been bumped up to a professional level. I was very comfortable in the world of Microsoft. I knew almost every option that was available to me not only using the slow-coach mouse method but also using the more rapid keyboard short cuts. 

The drop-down menus offered by Microsoft made exploring very easy. Ultimately, I decided that as pretty as I thought that Macs were, they were a step too far for me.

In 2007, Microsoft released its new versions of Word and Excel. Gone were the drop-down menus with short cut prompts to lead you along. To use shortcuts, you had to have them already committed to memory from previous experience with the programs, the prompts were gone. I didn’t like the new interface and found it a little harder to use.

Come 2010, the upgraded version is even worse than its 2007 cousin. The key issue: usability! 

Microsoft has changed its platform so drastically that it now makes sense to learn an entirely new operating system. The unfamiliarity that I felt with Macs is now also applicable to the key tools that I like to use on Microsoft computers.

Importantly, Mac has now become firmly embedded in people’s minds as the computer of choice for creative types: video and picture editors, music creators and so forth. If you want to be considered serious about your technology you need to have a Mac.

For the nth time today, I explored the idea of buying a Mac. I went to London’s flagship Apple store in Covent Garden and I am officially sold. I like to think of myself as a professional user of technology. Mac offer training very cheaply, Microsoft do not. This makes the prospect of plowing into Planet Mac so much less daunting and is definitely a plus.
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I did enjoy using PCs but like millions of serious techies, I am crossing the bridge to Mac. Microsoft laid the foundation for this decision, they changed their technology without breaking dedicated users in with courses, webinars or any other training.

In Economics, demand is defined as want that must be backed up by the ability (money) and willingness to purchase a good. Want and willingness I have, now I just need to take care of ability: donations are welcome! ​

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