Mac vs. PC – Put Your Pitchforks Away
I’ve been to the future. What I saw wasn’t pretty. All these years, I was sure Skynet was going to bring about the death of the human race. But who knew it’d be civil war caused by an age-old conflict: Mac vs. PC?
Citizens of the Internet, you see it every day – Mac and PC users blindly firing shots at each other, back and forth, without end. What’s sad is that many of these people (on both sides – don’t kid yourself) do so without any idea as to the facts behind their own statements. They operate on hearsay, rather than formulating opinions for themselves.
I like to think I have a well-rounded perspective on the issue. As an IT guy who supports and uses both platforms, I know that both have their pros and cons. And my personal preference for Microsoft Windows doesn’t mean I’m going to criticize someone for choosing a Mac. That said, for the sake of educating the naive on both sides, here are my thoughts on Mac vs. PC:
“Macs are so over-priced.”
Yes, I’m starting this off by defending Apple. Ignorant PC users often complain that Macs are over-priced. Really? It’s true that you’ll probably shell out more for a Mac at your local Best Buy than you will for a PC. But have you looked at the hardware you get for that price?
Apple designs their hardware to be beautiful. It appeals to the senses. Smooth curves, aluminium unibody construction, sleek form factors… My sister’s iMac looks and feels awesome as part of the decor in her living room. I pick up a Macbook Pro, and it’s clear to me that it’s built well. I have an iPad, and I can tell you that it is solid. I toss it around all the time without ever worrying about it snapping or cracking. That’s more than what I can say about my notebook.
If these are things you place value on, then you aren’t wasting your money. Most PC manufacturers don’t pay that much attention to those details, and that’s why you pay them less. An exception: You’ll usually pay more for a Sony Vaio; But, well, look at them. They’re beautiful, and they’re built with high-quality materials. You get what you pay for.
“Macs never get viruses.”
People who insist that Macs simply do not get viruses – These are the people who make me laugh. Your Mac not getting a virus is not the result of good security. Here’s the truth of the matter:
For years, PCs have held the vast majority of market share in the computing world. If you’re writing malicious software, and you want to hit as many computers as possible, are you going to write it for a platform that only 1% of computers run on? Of course not.
Here’s a scary thought: With Mac popularity (and with it, market share) skyrocketing, virus programmers are seeing a much tastier target in Apple products. And because, up to now, OS X was left relatively untouched, Apple is facing the enormous task of plugging security holes that were largely ignored for years.
The fact is that Macs can and do fall victim to malware, with more and more viruses being written for them.
I use a PC, yet I never get hit by malware. Your best defense on the internet is, as always, common sense. (See: Discount Pharmaceuticals – Get ‘em While They’re Hot!)
“Everything on my Mac just works.”
Come on, people. Your Macs crash all the time. I see it happen all the time. Some of the most unstable computers I’ve worked with were made by Apple. But you know what? PC users don’t have it any better.
Software is written by imperfect developers who miss things and make mistakes. Windows and OS X are both full of bugs, but they’re getting better. Mac OS X is, for the most part, very stable. Guess what? So is Windows 7.
Some Mac users claim that PC users constantly have to deal with installing drivers. I’ve used Windows 7 since it was released, and I can’t remember the last time a peripheral didn’t just work on its own. Granted, you do run into problems with some devices on Windows, but there are simply so many more available. Mac peripherals are fewer in number, so quality control is easier.
Both platforms have some truly amazing and innovative products. Case in point: Time Machine is a superb backup product. Well done, Apple.
“PCs are real computers. You can’t do real work on a Mac.”
Someone said those words to me last week, verbatim. It’s funny, if you consider that the PC is definitely the dominant platform in the gaming community.
You can be just as productive on a Mac as you can be on a PC. You may do it with different software at times, but there isn’t much you can do on Windows that you can’t on OS X, anymore.
Chill Out
There are things I like about Macs and PCs alike. There are also aspects of both that frustrate me immensely.
To PC users: The next time you’re about to blindly criticize someone for using a Macbook instead of a Dell, think first. Consider that calling them a “fanboy” actually makes you seem strangely obsessive, yourself. So just be cool. To each his/her own.
To Mac users: I understand the appeal of the platform you choose to use. Just remember that your computer is not immune to the viruses you tease PC users about, and no computer is 100% stable, all the time. Still, I have to say that Macbook Pros are sexy. I’d love to buy one and put Windows on it 
Kudos to Apple for those funny commercials, but unless you work for their marketing department, this isn’t a war. So if Skynet wants us dead, let’s not make it any easier for it by killing each other over our choice of computers.
This crunchy poast was inspired by a series of tweets by Jeff Broderick. I don’t know him, but he seems like an interesting dude. And he definitely isn’t ignorant or naive. Thanks for the inspiration to write, Mr. Broderick.
What do you think? Leave a comment!Configuring your Smartphone for MMS on the Rogers Network
If there’s one thing I love doing, it’s playing around with smartphones. I have an HTC HD2, and I fear I’m addicted to upgrading its software and running bleeding edge operating systems on it. So when I bricked it (messed it up so badly that it effectively turned into little more than a brick) the other day for the 62,498th time, I decided it was time to abandon Windows Mobile 6.5 and install Google Android 2.3.
If you’ve ever used an unlocked phone on a network that doesn’t support it (like an HD2 on the Rogers network in Canada), you may be familiar with issues such as your data connection failing to work, or MMS (picture) messages failing to send. This is because your phone needs to know where on the internet to look to get a connection. Phones sold directly by service providers come with these settings already configured, unlike unlocked phones that they don’t support.
If you’ve ever dealt with Rogers’ tech support department, you know that getting help with such issues can be as fun as trying to pry a banana from the thick, leathery hands of an angry gorilla that doesn’t like to share.
This post is for anyone on the Rogers network in Canada who happens to be seeking this information for a quick fix to their MMS woes. I found that the settings in my new Android Cyanogen ROM were entered incorrectly, and these are the settings I used to regain the ability to send pictures of my ugly mug to anyone I want to scare the crap out of an a given day.
Configuring Your Smartphone to Use MMS on the Rogers Network
Find your phone’s network connection settings. On Android, they’re located under Settings > Wireless & Networks > Mobile networks > Access Point Names. You should find an entry dedicated to Rogers MMS. Open it, and fill in the following settings:
- Name: Rogers MMS
- APN: media.com
- Username: media
- Password: mda01
- Server: 172.25.0.107
- MMSC: http://mms.gprs.rogers.com (make sure “gprs” is spelled correctly; on mine, it was misspelled as “grps”)
- MMS Proxy: 10.128.1.69
- MMS Port: 80
- MCC: 302
- MNC: 720
- APN Type: mms
An example of what your Rogers MMS settings should look like
Check the entry for your normal data connection, and under APN Type, ensure that “mms” is NOT in the list. This will ensure your phone looks to the Rogers MMS profile when you’re sending and receiving pictures messages, and not the normal data connection.
If your normal data connection isn’t working either…
If your normal data connection isn’t working either, check the settings in the other connection profile against the following:
- Name: Rogers
- APN: internet.com
- Username: wapuser1
- Password: wap
- MCC: 302
- MNC: 720
You should be able to leave all other fields blank, as long as you have the above details entered.
You’re Welcome
A simple fix that I’m sure will only be useful to a handful of people looking for very specific information, but I thought I’d share. Questions? Feel free to leave them in a comment or email me. Don’t thank me; Just give me that banana the next time we run into each other.
3 people have commented. What do you think?Browse the Web Like a Ninja with These Google Chrome Extensions
You just don’t understand how terrible a web browser Internet Explorer 8 is (sorry, Microsoft) until you get around to trying one of the other popular browsers out there right now.
I faithfully stuck to Internet Explorer for years (from version two; no joke). I dismissed other browsers, such as Netscape (didn’t like the annoying bevel on its toolbar buttons, so sue me), Firefox (felt like the hipster of web browsers), Opera (it was just terrible up to version 9.5) and Safari (far too unstable in my tests). But when it took me twelve seconds to open a new tab in Internet Explorer and I felt like stabbing myself in the eye with an unripe banana, I knew it was time for a change.
I installed Google Chrome, tried it out for half an hour, and then never looked back. I could go on about how stable, fast and awesome it is, but this isn’t a browser review. Instead, I’d like to tell you about some extensions (add-ons, if you will) for Chrome that make browsing the web a faster, more efficient and enjoyable experience for me. So, without further ado… My top ten Google Chrome extensions that let me surf like a ninja, in no particular order.
1. Facebook for Google Chrome (download)
This extension installs a little Facebook icon next to your address bar that shows a number when you have unread notifications. You can then click the icon to post a status update, or get quick access to your news feed, wall, notifications and inbox. If you’re an avid Facebook user and you use Chrome, then you need this extension.
2. Google Mail Checker (download)
This extension is similar to the Facebook extension, except that it tells you how many unread messages you have in your Gmail inbox. Clicking its icon next to your address bar will open your Gmail account. Like a boss (don’t ask; I just wanted to put that phrase somewhere in this blog post).
3. Google Translator (download)
I have multi-lingual friends who sometimes post status updates in other languages. After weeks of tabbing between Facebook and Google Translate, I discovered this extension. Click the button beside your address bar, and use Google Translate inside a convenient popup without having to open the web site. Holy useful, Batman.
4. SearchPreview for Google (download)
This extension adds a preview thumbnail beside each result when you do a Google search. Even if you don’t consider this particularly useful, it does make your search results look rad. And after using this extension for a while, seeing a Google search results page in someone else’s browser without the thumbnails looks extremely weird.
5. Google Quick Scroll (download)
Have you ever clicked a Google search result, only to have to scroll through pages of text looking for the information relevant to your search terms? You need this extension. When you do a Google search and open one of the pages from the results, a small popup spawns in the lower-right corner of your browser with direct links to the content on the page that has to do with what you searched for. This saves me precious minutes every single day.
6. Wikipedia Companion – Mini Wiki Browser (download)
I love this extension. It makes my inner Wikipedia whore very, very happy. I read an average of 4,238 Wiki articles per day, and most of the time it’s for quick information on something I’ve just heard or read about. With this extension, I don’t even have to open the Wikipedia web site or do a Google search. I just open the popup from my address bar, type my search terms, and read the Wiki. It even collapses the subheadings to reduce initial clutter, making it easy to find specific information (like artist discographies!).
7. Fast Youtube Search (download)
This is a very simple extension that places a Youtube button next to your address bar. Click the button, type your search terms, and it opens your Youtube search results in a new tab. Another useful function to have if you constantly find yourself looking for specific videos on Youtube throughout the day.
8. Dionysus (download)
If you’ve ever visited a web site that had embedded music that you really wanted to download, and aren’t comfortable looking in your browser’s cache for it, this extension may help. When it detects MP3 or OGG music embedded in a page, it displays a little icon inside your address bar that lists all such files, and gives you links to download them.
9. Chrome Link Checker (download) and RapidShare Link Validator (download)
If you ever download files from file sharing services such as RapidShare, MegaUpload or DepositFiles, you’ve no doubt shared my pain when you clicked on a download link, only to find that it was broken, or had been removed by the service. Chrome Link Checker will automatically highlight any such download links on a page, making them easy to pick out. It’ll highlight broken links in red, and good links in green, so that you know which ones not to bother with. Brilliant.
RapidShare Link Validator goes a step further and gives you an icon inside your address bar whenever a page contains RapidShare links. The icon will be red if none of the links work, yellow if some of them work, and green if all of them are valid. This extension works only for RapidShare links, but is still quite useful, especially when paired with Chrome Link Checker.
10. Mini Google Maps (download)
The Mini Google Maps extension isn’t as functional as opening Google Maps in a full browser tab, but having a map in a little popup window that loads instantly is cool, nonetheless. And it does serve a purpose if you need to check a map really quickly without the need for fancy stuff like driving directions. Either way, it makes my list.
Questions? Comments? I’m always glad to find new useful extensions, so if you have any that you enjoy using, I’ll trade pink coconuts for them.
5 people have commented. What do you think?Net Neutrality, Coconut Metaphors, and You
Finally, another tech post. Yeah, for a blog called “Talk Tech. And Other Stuff,” I haven’t exactly been talking a whole lot of tech lately. But stay with me here.
In the last few weeks, I’ve had a few people approach me and ask, “Tristan, what is best in life? Also, what’s this ‘net neutrality’ thing I’ve been hearing about?” Allow me to get the first question out of the way, quickly and plainly:
Net Neutrality – What the Deuce?
The concept is simple. Internet service providers (the companies that deliver the magic of the interwebs to you, the user, their customer) want to be able to prioritize certain traffic over others, and charge more to customers who use more. These may be customers who host certain web sites (anything from a simple blog to a large online store), or even search engines such as Google.
And why not, right? These ISPs are running businesses. They’re in it to make money. So why wouldn’t they want to be able to make more?
The argument for net neutrality states that this shouldn’t be allowed. ISPs should treat all data as equal. No traffic should receive any special priority, making the magic of the interwebs available and accessible to all. Equal opportunity, and all that.
So Why Should I Give a Crap?
Image courtesy of Anthony Hook. Click for an article on internet capping.
Think about it for a second. You really love coconuts. You decide you want to create a blog about coconuts, and eventually expand into selling coconuts and coconut-related merchandise online. Right now, all things being neutral, you can do that, and you’ll have just as much chance at success as even the biggest online web site. Best of all, you can do so at relatively little up-front cost. Bonus.
Suddenly, the net stops being neutral. Your ISP starts charging you extra for running your coconut blog. Your startup costs have just gone up. Worse yet, there are thousands of other sites that will likely get traffic to and from them prioritized over yours. And what if your ISP decides it doesn’t like coconuts anymore? Do the math. The online playing field is no longer level.
What makes this scenario particularly frightening is that if this happens, all those little independent web sites you love, your favourite blogs, the small independent merchants you frequent… They all become much harder for their operators to keep up.
Eventually, the internet becomes nothing more than a gigantic field of billboards controlled by the corporations and businesses who have the most money. The little guy steps onto the field to play, but gets crushed by a bunch of 746lb behemoths. And then he gets kicked in the testicles.
Who’s On Our Team?
Thankfully, there are some pretty big players that are all for net neutrality. Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, eBay, just to name a few. And it makes sense. After all, they stand to lose a lot of profit, should the net lose its neutrality. They have huge online presences, generating a lot of traffic, and would feel the underboot of the ISP the hardest.
Selfish corporations? Of course. But in this case, it serves the little guy well. So there it is. Comments are more than welcome, especially if you have anything to add, or corrections to point out. Because I don’t claim to be perfect. I just think coconuts are cool.
7 people have commented. What do you think?$16,000?! All I Wanted Was a Damn Coconut…
You just had the most amazing idea. All the details are coming together in your mind. You need to create a web site, and you have the perfect name in mind. But much to your chagrin, ilovecoconuts.com is already taken. And what’s worse is that nobody’s even bothered to make it into a real site. It’s nothing more than a lame, generic page that’s stopping you from living your dream of imparting coconut-related facts and info-graphics to your hungry visitors.
What do delicious coconuts even have to do with sexy Latin and Japanese women, anyway?
We want a new domain name, but half the time, the ones that we want are already reserved by douchebag companies that don’t plan on doing anything with them except reselling them for profit, or generating advertising revenue from people who stumble upon them, expecting actual content. The people that do this are called “domain squatters,” and they really piss me off.
I was recently involved in a short email exchange with Jacob, who works for one such company:
Jacob to Tristan:
Hello Tristan, you contacted us in the past regarding ilovecoconuts.com. The domain is still available, and I wanted to reach back out to you to see if you were interested in submitting another offer on the name, or finding out the asking price. I look forward to your reply.Tristan to Jacob:
Hi Jacob, just curious – what’s the “asking price” we’re talking about here? Thanks.Jacob to Tristan:
Hello, the seller is asking $16,000USD for ilovecoconuts.com. Let me know how you’d like to move forward.Tristan to Jacob:
Hi Jacob, that is absolutely ridiculous. I don’t appreciate being lied to. Have a great day.Jacob to Tristan:
Who lied to you?Tristan to Jacob:
$16,000? The domain isn’t worth that much, especially considering I already saw it for auction, starting at $60, with no bids.Jacbo to Tristan (At this point, I’m so annoyed, I can’t even be bothered to correct my mis-spelling of Jacbo’s name):
Where did you see it for auction?Tristan to Jacbo:
I really don’t feel like playing this game with you. I appreciate you taking the time to get back to me, but I’m no longer interested. I’m sure ilovecoconuts.com is just one of many domains your organization is squatting on, and you and I both know that you are never going to get such a price for it. Feel free to contact me if you decide on a reasonable number.
Not the first time I’ve dealt with a domain squatter. I remember talking to one who wanted $500 for a domain. Not even 24 hours later, he was offering it to me for $25. The reason? They have to pick their battles. Squatting on hundreds of domains can be expensive, as you still have to pay to hold each one. At some point, a domain loses its potential for profit, and it becomes more prudent to cut your losses and let it go. That’s one of my theories, anyway.
So here’s where I’m going with this. If you see that rad domain name you want being squatted on, don’t give up. Even if you don’t enter into negotiations with the squatter to acquire ilovecoconuts.com, keep an eye on it! Squatters pick up and drop domains all the time. You could very well get lucky and find that your squatter hasn’t renewed when it comes up for renewal.
Don’t let evil Jacbo come between you and your dream of dropping a coconutty knowledge bomb on the web!
7 people have commented. What do you think?
