The Emperor's New Computer (rant)...

[itsupikiookami]

http://www.divisiontwo.com/articles/MacMini2.html

Once you've read it, come back for my mini-rant...

[itsupikiookami]

First of all, let me just say that I found your article to be quite amusing. With that said, let's look at some of the details in your article.

1. OS X is hardly a "stripped-down" operating system. OS X runs on a UNIX-type core (BSD to be precise), so I'd hardly call that "stripped-down".
2. What do you really need PS/2 ports for? A mouse? A keyboard? No, because you can plug both of those into a rather fascinating invention called USB or Universal Serial Bus. You might want to check it out!
3. No Serial ports and no way to connect a printer (parallel). Again, check out USB.
4. "...there is no antivirus program shipped with the Mac". Perhaps you aren't aware, but they are no viruses that affect the OS X environment, just as there is no spyware or malware...
5. As OS X does not have a registry (this is a Microsoft only idea, no other OS uses it), a "registry cleaner" would be a rather pointless utility to include on a Mac.
6. "No...helpful web and email enhancers like Hotbar". http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5737453.html
7. "My Office 2003 CD would not install..." maybe because it says for "Windows" on it?
8. "Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware". Let's just go through these one at a time:
A. Disk Defragmenter is actually, to some degree, a part of the operating system. However, should you choose to manually defragment your disk, there are numerous third-party utilities.
B. Scandisk. Boot off of the Mac OS Install discs that came with the mini and open the "Disk Utility". There's your 'scandisk'.
C. Norton AV. While there are third-party virus scanners for the Macintosh platform, they really won't do much of anything as there are no viruses for the Mac.
D. Windows Update. It's called "Software Update" and it's in the System Preferences. Unless directed not to do so, it will also run periodically to check for any important updates.
E. Ad-Aware. Same boat as with viruses. There is no adware or spyware or malware for OS X so ther's no need for a program to scan for them.
9. "Poor standards compliance: Apple's Safari web browser often fails to render MSN properly." Properly as opposed to Internet Explorer? Then open up internet Explorer and quit complaining. There's also Navigator, Firefox, Camino, Opera... Safari does not have to be your default browser, just like Internet Explorer on Windows does not have to be your default (or only) browser. Just like Outlook Express doesn't have to be your only e-mail client. It's a wonderful thing called "choice". Check it out!
10. There is no such place as "C:\Applications". There's no such place as "C:\" period. UNIX underpinning, remember?

Everything else is just nit picks, really, but come on man!

11. "It turns out the Mini uses a weird kind of display connector on the back that requires a special adapter if you want to plug it into a PC monitor." It's called DVI, and along with USB is one of those things you might want to check out...

My point is this: the Macintosh platform is different just like all the variations of Linux are different. Just because things are different doesn't mean that they're bad (ie, your point about "spending a good deal of time" running maintenance utilities), maybe it just means that what you're used to on one operating system doesn't necessarily hold true for all operating systems.
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Well, I just sent this off to the guy (who supposedly has an MCSE)... Was I completely out of line?

[jase]

The article is satire, not a serious review.

Check out the main page of the website, and you'll see the types of articles they write.

It's meant to be a really terrible, unfair, biased, bad review. It's intentional. They were trying to be funny...

[itsupikiookami]

[jase]