Here we are, only two weeks into the new year, and already we have a major industry announcement sending shockwaves throughout countless Windows enthusiast communities. The kicker? It’s not a usual PC suspect - it’s Apple. Your next computer may very well come from Apple, largely based on my first reason you’ll be compelled to “think different.”

• Duality. Windows Vista won’t be blocked on Intel-based Apple hardware. This means you will (in theory) be able to purchase a Mac computer and run Windows on it, just as you would a regular ol’ PC. At least, Apple won’t stop folks from doing so. However, current AND future “Windows” machines will not be able to run OS X. That’s a big win for Apple. It’s upon this first point that the rest of my list is built.
• Style. Yes, you can trick out your PC with all sorts of neon cables and fancy case accoutrements - but there’s something to be said about Apple’s simplicity. No other PC manufacturer has come close to mass producing an elegant design that was equally as functional. It’s the hardware, man.
• Fun. When was the last time you downloaded something new. And I don’t mean a new registry cleaner. I mean something completely and utterly new - out of the box new. Something that you just hadn’t seen before (either freeware or shareware). The old “there’s no software for the Mac” argument hasn’t held water for a couple of years now, overturning itself with the advent of OS X. You’ll now have a safety net underneath you.
• Knowledge. Don’t let platform bigotry get in the way of understanding and appreciating good technology. We all are better for knowing more, and that’s something you should look forward to doing - not avoiding at all costs. Bury the hatchet if you think that this still is the Mac you first saw in 1984.
• Equality. Pretty much anything and everything you can do in Windows, you can now do on OS X. Not everything, mind you - but in knowing that a new Apple machine (with proper software, I’d assume) will allow you to boot into Windows, any kind of OS driver issues will be further minimized. There’s always Microsoft’s Virtual PC, too.

• Support. Think about it for a second: just how many millions (if not billions) of Windows PC hardware configurations are out there? Now, how many Apple hardware configurations are there? Believe me, thousands of Windows problems are rooted in the very hardware the OS itself is running atop. When there are a limited amount of possibilities that exist, you should find a solution quicker - or possibly know that no solution exists.

• Malaise. This market is full of it - PC manufacturers who knowingly make crappy systems, larger-than-life brands who can’t deliver on their “help desk” promises, etc. To put it to you another way, I’m still struggling to find a computer builder who isn’t gonna give me a raw deal for a system. I know what kind of hardware I want, but I also appreciate having a single warranty (four years, minimum). Forget about all the names you think are great - because they’re not. They *ALL* suck, and it may be time that we consumers start telling ‘em to get their act together and give us an amazing experience. Not to say that Apple would be any better, but it’s no worse than any existing PC alternative!
• iPod. Yes, it’s overpriced. Yes, the ala carte pricing stinks compared to existing (and future) subscription models like Napster. However, it’s also holding over 80% of the portable media player market! Car manufacturers, accessory crafters, and countless other services are springing up around a single device - and there’s no such thing as an iPod killer, so get over it. If something isn’t iPod compatible, it likely doesn’t have longevity or enough market share to be worthwhile. You can use your iPod on Windows, but… it’s sincerely not the same.
• Malware. Viruses, Spyware, et al - they’re bad, and they’re all over Windows. Even when Vista ships, it will still be vulnerable to the same software that has plagued previous and existing versions of the OS. If you don’t want your parents to accidentally send a trojan out to everybody in their address book, don’t buy ‘em software that might or might NOT work - have them run on OS X. It really sucks to say that, but Windows is still the tallest nail (and it will continue to get pounded as such). When you absolutely NEED your Windows software, it should only be a click away on the same machine.
• Change. When was the last time you were excited about using your computer? Something different is something good - and a new Microsoft operating system (the first one in half a decade) is not likely to do the trick. Are you bored with the way things work? Do you want your computing lifestyle to be interesting again? Consider something new, something completely new… and now for something completely different.

I know I’m insane. Of course, if it happens that Windows and OS X don’t get along well on the same machine - then this entire list will be rendered null and void (almost). You gotta admit: even if it’s a bit more expensive, it would be quite wonderful to have these two OSes sitting on the same machine without killing each other! BTW, I’m keynoting Macworld on Friday at 10am; if you’re there, please stop by and say hello.

Tags: windows, computers, os x, apple, ipod, microsoft, pc, hardware, software, computing