How web apps and OSS can help you kick the habit too
So last weekend I bought a new laptop on sale at CompUSA. It was a really great deal - powerful or so I thought until I took a look at Vista installed on it. It can't go back to Windows XP / 2000 as there are no OEM drivers for those OSs.
But, I thought, what the heck it's just for some basic "around the house" work - web and document editing.
But after a weekend of playing with it I've realized - finally - after 12 years (since Windows 95) that the Windows OS is not just failing to get better it's getting worse - "Do you wish to open this application" - "Of course I do I clicked the freakin' button didn't I".
It takes forever to shut-down and start-up - despite uninstalling the bloat-ware. Windows Media Player is almost useless for playing DVDs (missing codecs etc.)
Anyway I've been using Google Docs, Google reader etc. for some time so I'm not installing MS Office despite having access to an MSDN license and I'm ditching IE for Firefox (so many great tools for it).
I'll stick with Vista cos the Laptop is jointly being used by "civilians" who understandably don't want to be learning a new OS when Windows took them a decade to figure out. Anyway there's something to be said for knowing how to work around Window's quirks (or are they features?)
I've configured Vista to look more like Windows "Classic" as the Vista look-and-feel is just too busy - flashy - looks great - but I just want to find a file dammit!
And where has the "Open with . . . " right click option gone?!?!?!
AAAAGGGHHHHH
So it was fortunate timing that Lifehack had a recent blog entry citing a great Mashable.com resource
Replacing Microsoft Apps with Web Apps
(Here's the direct Mashable link)
a nice follow-on to another blog entry they had entitled
Top 10 Microsoft Alternatives
Now if only I could get a desktop widget to remind me of my Google Calendar entries I'd be all set.
Oh and BTW if you are not subscribed to Lifehack.org's RSS - do so now - it's got an incredibly wide array of productivity tips and advice every day - certainly the most useful blog I subscribe to and the one I read first (if pressed for time) and last (if I have lots of time and want to savor the anticipation of what they will teach me next).
Some people I'm sure are way ahead of me on this (switching to Mac OS/X and Ubuntu and totally have kicked the M$ habit) but I tend to one of the early majority when it comes to adoption of new technologies (sometimes I'm an early adopter if I can quickly see the benefit - typically via a good blog review from someone I respect).
7 comments:
I find lifehacker.com to be a better resource of "life-hacks".
Agree with our comments but the issue is that not all apps I need are available on other platforms.
Something you might want to point out to those "civilians" who won't switch to Linux or Mac because they don't know it: "You don't know Vista, either!"
Anyway, what kept you? Clear back with Windows 95 I was screaming "Yes, I'm sure!!! That's why I pressed the button!!!" at the screen. Then I turned to Linux.
Really, I read up on it and thought "Well, dozens of other people have used it and they don't sound like geniuses. I can do what they do." I did.
The turning point will have to be, either (a) learn something besides Windows, or (b) become so frustrated with Windows that they'd rather not use a computer at all.
and where is the invert selection? i found it hard to use it right now, but it certainly is helpful, but now? where tha heck is it? dammit. besides there is so much trial software that you do not need
Let me start by saying I don't DISlike Windows XP. Service Pack 2 did more for Windows than anything before and for the most part, I've been able to run a clean/fast machine for some time. Sure, there are a bunch of annoyances- but I'm a reasonably smart guy and have figured out ways around these or at least ways to minimize the annoyances.
Then came Vista. Without going into detail, I'm just simply amazed at this product. Amazed at how much money has been spent, how much time, and how much (in my opinion,) they got it wrong.
So finally, I reluctantly gave in to Mac. Reluctantly because I just didn't like the Apple fanboy culture all around me. Reluctantly because I kinda HATE Steve Jobs. Reluctantly because I was just too nervous that iPods and brushed aluminum are sexy, but might not cut it when it comes to my high demands for software, network compatibility, and other more "business" concerns.
But those are not REASONS or ARGUMENTS for avoiding the Apple OS, I realized. So I took the plunge last month. My attitude towards the purchase of this MacBook Pro was mixed- I was excited to have some new hardware, but tentative about OSX.
All I can say is... do it. It's not all eye-candy and smokes and mirrors. Parallels can run Windows no problem, so let that be your safety net if you need to run some random program or open some windows-only file type. But if your experience is anything like mine, you'll find that you won't need that safety net NEARLY as much as you thought you would. In fact, software developed for the mac, I have found is awesome. Maybe it's Cocoa (or whatever), maybe there's a different development culture out there when it comes to Mac... but whatever the reason, I'm loving some of these wonderful mac apps. And connecting to networked printers and computers- awesome. I truly can't think one a single part of Windows that I miss. Oh and my computer actually comes out of standby mode now- every time. And if I install and the uninstall some software, I don't feel like I've come one step closer to having to reinstall my OS. Got 800 pictures in a folder and want to view thumbnails? OSX whips large files and huge directories around like nothing. And the taskbar/expose combo is a LOT more useful than flipping through 3D windows on Vista or squinting down at your taskbar on XP.
Those are some of my thoughts as a guy that's loving this operating system but not necessarily a sell-my-soul-to-apple kinda guy.
If you use FF I find this extension useful: http://extensions.npike.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=2
It shows Google Calendar entries pretty well, with a lot of customization available.
~ ~ Dave
http://nepherim.lifehaiku.com/
I've been same situation when my first Vista notebook arrives. It is flashy, slow (although my hardware is quite good) and personally I just don't like it ! I've been working with MS Windows since 3.0 and finally I switch to Mac. I bought a MacBook Pro and for the first time in my life I'm working WITH a computer and not ON a computer.
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