Ivory Tower - June 2006
For Pete’s Sake! Enough Already!!
by Ted Bade
Only one month of “playing” with XP on my Intel Mac and I am already sick of it! Working with Windows is like working with an idiot. Have you ever had a coworker who has a relatively good education and a reasonable amount of experience and who is always annoying you with stupid platitudes, reminding you of things that don’t really pertain to what you are doing, and generally acting like a compete moron? That is a lot like my experience with XP has been. I’ll call my daft coworker Pete.
Pete is always reminding me about trivial things with my computer. Little windows pop up alerting me to the fact that my computer might be at risk, (yeah, I know the Window’s part truly is!), if I unplug the network connection (I just feel unsafe leaving a Windows OS machine plugged into the Internet for long periods of time), it tells me I am disconnected. Well, duh, I wasn’t using the Internet when I unplugged it, so why does it matter? The Mac mini I have also has a wireless card in it. I don’t use that card because there is no wireless network where I live. But ‘Ol Pete keeps reminding me that there is no Wireless network to connect to. Then there was the first time I tried to look at files on my Windows C: partition, I was told that doing this is a naughty thing and I had to give myself permission to do it. If I was an excessive compulsive person, I would get absolutely no work done on this XP machine, since I would spend my entire time clicking closed those little reminder windows! God, it is awful. I wonder if this is why so many people like Windows, it gives them that safe feeling of being in a Kindergarden classroom ;-). Since the computer is so obviously stupid, it is a lot “safer” and less scary ;-)
But the computer runs well and fast. There was only a couple applications I really wanted to run under XP and they all performed as I expected. The best thing about having XP on the Mac is that, when it gets really bad, I can just reboot into the warm and comfortable arms of Mac OS X.
Anti-virus vendors salivate at the chance of a new market - I find it truly amazing how much press Mac OS X is getting lately. A day doesn’t go by when some security “expert” or another issues a press release about the soon to be discovered vulnerabilities of Mac OS X. What we don’t see is anyone reporting and confirming any specific virus, spyware, or malicious attacks. It is all conjecture.
Mac users are sore spots with anti-virus companies. For some reason, (;-)) they don’t buy this type of software. One possible way to get Macintosh users to start buying, is to use scare tactics. You don’t have to lie, just explain that there is this or that potential problem. Say that enough and people will become nervous and buy the software as a security blanket.
There are millions of Windows-based computers out there that either have been infected or are currently infected with some form of malicious software. This is so common that no one bats an eyelash when another Windows virus hits. But if one Mac user thinks he may have had an attack, it is headline news! Lets put this problem in perspective: Compare the numbers: six people out of the ten of millions using Macintosh computers, versus say over 50% of the hundreds of millions of Windows users.
All my Wintel friends send me articles on a daily basis. “This happened to me, don’t let this happen to you. Protect your computer.” They say that in a concerned way. It is frightening the society of fear, dread, and lack of confidence that has been fostered on average people when it comes to computers. Actually, it is sickening.
Using a computer should not be about fear and trepidation. It should be fun and rewarding. What is scary is that the computing world today is so much like Apple’s 1984 commercial. The average user a dull minded clone, drinking in the words of the great leader, never thinking to question or even wondering if there is a better way. They are not worthy of their computers, they must do as the leaders say or else...
As Macintosh users we need to help awaken these clones. We need to show them there IS a better way. Perhaps not a violently as in the commercial, shattering the screen with the words of the leader while being chased by the purveyors of computer fear and trepidation.
What we need to do is to use our Macs and have a great time doing it. Look forward to creating a new project on your Macintosh, you don’t need to worry about a prevalence of crashes or software that crashes the system or simply doesn’t perform as promised. We shouldn’t be flippant about the security of Mac OS X, but we shouldn’t worry about it either. Use all that extra time you get because doing something on the Mac “just works”, to learn to better use your machine. Learn to not be a “stupid user”, learn the basics on keeping your machine up and running and protected, not in a fearful way, but the “take charge” way a Mac user should.
While I was writing this article, Apple released a series of TV commercials about the Mac and the PC. If you haven’t seen them, visit Apple’s web site and watch all of them, they are very well done and quite entertaining.
What amazed me most about these commercials, was that Apple is saying what I have been ranting about, but in a fun and humorous way. More then that, people have actually come to me and asked about the Mac. They can identify with the PC guy in the commercial and would really like to identify with the Mac guy!
As you might imagine, I am a bit annoyed on how the “media” is handling things on these issues. Please share my comments with other Macintosh users. I truly believe that a good positive attitude is very important for successful use of a computer.
Network Neutrality and you - Warning! Big business and possible elements of the US government want to censor parts of the Internet. You might not be aware, but the US government is in the process of reworking the Telecommunication Act and as this is happening, big media companies are using high-powered lobbyists to ensure these companies are given more power over how we use the internet.
Playing on fears associated with the Internet (stalking, dangers for children, fraud, and identity theft to name a few), these companies are trying to get words included in the new laws that would give them the ability to control access. However, it seems obvious to some people that it would be very easy for company's to use these controls to reduce competition or block information in a variety of ways.
If you have a moment, visit the “Save the Internet site [ http://savetheinternet.com/ ]. They have a lot of information about the issues, a petition to sign, and a page where you can send email to your local Congressmen and Senators. Take a moment to do this and read the volumes of information about this crisis.
Is the treat real? The above web site lists several instances where people controlling the Internet limited access to information they didn’t want known. To quote their FAQ page:
In 2004, North Carolina ISP Madison River blocked their DSL customers from using any rival Web-based phone service.
In 2005, Canada's telephone giant Telus blocked customers from visiting a Web site sympathetic to the Telecommunications Workers Union during a labor dispute.
Shaw, a big Canadian cable TV company, is charging an extra $10 a month to subscribers in order to "enhance" competing Internet telephone services.
In April, Time Warner's AOL blocked all emails that mentioned www.dearaol.com — an advocacy campaign opposing the company's pay-to-send e-mail scheme.
Another way they could adversely affect competition is by slowing access to competing company’s sites. For instance, a company that competes with the iTunes Music Store, could slow access to that site, so downloads would be slow. This could easily be applied to other companies that sell goods or services a company would like to block. The SavetheInternet site’s FAQ lists a number of possible situations. Rather than fair competition, we would give companies unfair advantage over other companies.
There is some hope. Some US leaders have introduced bills of their own to ensure what they are calling Network Neutrality.
It is scary to think that these big companies can use the profits they take from us to give them even more power to control how we use the Internet. I urge every reader of this magazine to take a moment and sign the petition, sent an email to your local government officials, and educate yourself on this issue.
As we go to press, the US government passed a bill that provides for Neutrality for US citizens. I don’t expect the problem is over, so you should still take the time to visit the site and add your comments.
