From: mmunson@animal.es.com (Mark Munson)
Subject: Re: Trepidations of a potential mac-user
Reply-To: jhhardy@silver.ucs.indiana.edu
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp., Salt Lake City, UT
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1992 02:24:57 GMT


Jim:

Having used both Macs and DOS machines for many years I feel confident when I say that you
won't be disappointed by purchasing and using a Mac.  Why you ask?  Well, consider this:


1)  Sofware Consistency - A large amount of frustration with PC programs lies in the large 
    variation in command structures.  For example, printing a file under WordPerfect requires
    a different command than under Word.  Try saving a file on a DOS machine.  In fact, go 
    to any major PC application and compare it with others of the same type.  You'll find very
    little consistency within programs.  Memorizing commands requires time and effort, and 
    that translates to lost money.  The problem is so bad that most PC applications come with
    "handy" little templates to remind you how to do "simple" things.

    Now look at nearly any Mac application.  All of them use the standard Menu structure that
    was presented in the Apple Human Interface guidelines.  Once you learn one program (a
    word processor for example), then you are well on your way to learning how to use other
    Macintosh programs (like spreadsheets, graphics, or database programs).  This consistency
    leaves you with more time to investigate and learn an applications more powerfull features,
    instead of relearning how to do simple things.

    I read a study where PC users tended to use fewer applications and stuck with them longer
    because they didn't want to undergo the long learning process of a new application.  Mac
    users tend to use several programs, and can use the specific program that provides the
    best features that they want.

    You could choose only Windows applications to try and get a consistent interface, but then
    you would have to severely limit the number of programs that you can choose from.  


2)  Simpler Configuration - Get your PC configured for printing to a DeskJet printer, then
    try and switch to another printer.  You'll have to go back to all of your applications
    and reinstall the driver sofware for each one.  Heaven forbid you have a program that
    does have a new driver release for the latest add-on.  You'll be out of luck.

    On the Mac, a new peripheral comes with a SINGLE driver file.  Add this to your system, and
    all of your applications can instantly use it.  In fact, you can even take advantage of
    devices that the application programmer might not have though of.  As an example, I can
    'print' to my FAX/Modem driver from any program on my mac.  This allows me to fax anything
    from a drawing to a spreadsheet without leaving my current program.
 
    Additionally, the Mac has a convenient "Chooser" control that allows everything from
    printers, networks, modems, etc. to be reconfigures on the fly without restarting the 
    machine.

    Want to add some new fonts?  Just drag them into your system file, and ALL of your Mac
    applications can use them.


3)  Better use of Memory - Need some extra memory?  ON the PC, you'll have to deal with
    expanded vs. extended memory.  Then get a memory manager that can work with all of your
    programs.  Finally, you'll need to insure that all of the drivers can co-exist within 
    the available memory.  You may even have to reinstall/reconfigure your applications to
    take advantage of it (if possible).  You'll probably want to purchase a program like
    QuarterDeck's QEMM to handle this for you.  BTW:  you'll need to be an expert to fix
    memory collision problems when they occur (and they will occur eventually).


    On the Mac, just plug in additional (or denser) SIMMs.  All of your applications can
    instantly use the extra memory.  No 640K limit here.  No memory manager to install and
    configure.  


I could go on and on....  (aren't you all bored already?)


Bottom line is that the Mac operating environment and interface will SAVE YOU TIME.  You'll 
get more productive work done faster, and less time wondering if your PC document got spooled
to the network printer.

[MGM]