An Open Letter to Scott Kelby

A Task Still Undone for the Salavation of PC Switchers

By Harry {doc} Babad    © 2008

Scott or more formally Mr. Kelby,

As you are surely aware, the world of computing platforms is changing. PC users are either switching to the Macintosh for their home computer or trying to pressure their IT support to allow Intel Macintosh use at their work sites. Indeed, as perhaps implied but not predicted in your book Macintosh: The Naked Truth, the word is getting out. But despite the large number of grrreat books on the Mac OS and Leopard in particular, there is a key element missing. I hesitate to say it; a universal element is missing.

 

Although, for full disclosure reasons - I don’t seem to admit bias - I am a fan of your writing. Indeed I’ve reviewed at least seven of your books for macCompanion. But as I wrote you in a likely “spam killed” eMail on the 22 December 2007, there's a knowledge gap that only you can fill.

 

Forget, at least for a shot time—call it a sabbatical: Photoshop, iPod, momentarily abandon photography and Karate… Reach out and help the poor lost Wintel colleagues or even lost strangers to become better and more enlightened Macintosh users. I know I’m asking a great deal but since the world PC users outnumber Macintosh users by about 20 to 1, think of the size of the potential audience.

 

The world needs a Conversion Kit Book Switching for Windows XP (or if you must and Vista) to /or Tiger /Leopard. Most of the recent books I've reviewed about Leopard (are not really suited for PC switchers. These include Maria Langer's VSG book or Robin Williams Leopard books for Peachpit; Kate Binder's book for QUE Publishing, your “The Mac OS Leopard Book” or the ebook series published by Tanya Engst. PC users keep switching to Macintosh; there should be a market out these for a “conversion” book. And of course there are all those opportunities to make gentle digs about what took them so-so long to see the truth.

 

If this doesn’t feel right Perhaps A PC User Finds a Macintosh — The Naked Truth would do the job.

 

When I grow up (I’m 72 now) I’ll likely switch from writing books and articles about nuclear energy and radiation and get a camera beyond the point and shoot device I now own for taking memorabilia snapshots (think Kodak). So perhaps your books can edicate me on photography, something I’m looking forward to.

 

Be well, don’t let them muzzle you — puns and idioms are the highest for of language, especially if you can use them in more than one Language – say English and Techno Babel.

 

Harry aka doc_Babad