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Very Different Now

Entry 408, on 2006-10-13 at 16:47:16 (Rating 3, Computers)

Why is it relatively straightforward for different types of computers running different software and operating systems to interact until a Microsoft program is involved somewhere? I do tech support (as well as programming, web sites, databases, etc) for Macs and I often have to persuade the Macs I use to interact with the "Windows world".

Modern Macs do this quite well - until a Microsoft program is involved. At least that's the way it seems to me. For example, why can Apple create a media playing system (Quicktime) which works almost as well on a PC as on a Mac, but Microsoft media files give seemingly constant problems? Why can I share files between programs on Mac and PC but as soon as a complex Office file is involved everything breaks? Why can I audio and video chat with PC users using software like Skype but Messenger doesn't work?

There are only two explanations I can think of: either Microsoft is incompetent and they just can't make good software, or they deliberately sabotage Mac products (either directly, or through inadequate resourcing or other indirect methods). Either way they don't come out looking too good.

If you read back through this blog you will find several entries expressing my displeasure and frustration with Microsoft products. Maybe I just let my dislike for them get in the way of making a fair appraisal of their work. But I don't think so. A few years back (well actually more than a few now) I was converting people from Netscape to Internet Explorer, just because Explorer was the best product at the time - how things have changed! And I pushed Microsoft Word before it was virtually compulsory like it is now. So I have supported Microsoft when they did things right... but things are very different now!

Comment 1 (266) by Phil on 2006-10-16 at 13:39:39:

But the majority of computer users in this world use Microsoft products and don't seem to be having too much trouble. Why is it only people like you who are always complaining about them? Maybe you should try a bit harder and you might see how good Microsoft stuff is as well.

Comment 2 (267) by OJB on 2006-10-16 at 13:45:50:

The majority of people in the world use Microsoft products because they don't know any better. At least, that's the circumstantial evidence I have gathered. I work with many Mac and PC users and in almost every case, the people who have used reasonable alternatives to Microsoft products for a reasonable time find them superior. This includes Mac OS X instead of Windows, alternatives to Microsoft Word, etc.

If I ask people why they use these products they almost inevitably answer with something like: "I was told I have to, everyone else does so I do too, I didn't know there was an alternative," etc. Its very rare to hear: "I use it because its the best".

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