Irrelevant Ramblings

Microsoft is slamming Apple with a new web page filled with comparisons. The company believes Windows PCs are better for having fun, simplicity, working hard, sharing, compatibility and choice. In the process of highlighting differences, the Microsoft team delivers some howlers; check out the Compatibility tab, for instance, and see if you can find the slightest mention of the company’s own soon-to-be-revised Office suite for Mac.

Below are corresponding examples of Apple software that fulfill the same purposes as the Windows versions.

1. Apple has stacks. A stack is a Dock item that gives you fast, direct access to folders and files. When you click a stack, the files within spring from the Dock in a fan or a grid, depending on the number of items (or the preference you set).

2. Apple has Expose. With one keystroke, Exposé instantly tiles all your open windows, scales them down, and neatly arranges them in a grid, so you can see what’s in every single one. And you definitely can see every one, because Exposé preserves the visual quality of the window in its reduced size. To see a full-screen preview, just press the Space bar.

3. Apple has Spotlight. Spotlight is the lightning-fast search technology built into Mac OS X that makes it easy to find what you’re looking for, even if you don’t know where to look. Conveniently available in the Mac OS X menu bar, the Spotlight search field gives you instant results as you start typing, encompassing not only files, folders, and documents but also messages in Mail, contacts in Address Book, iCal calendars, items in System Preferences, applications, and even dictionary definitions. Spotlight searches aren’t confined to your computer — you can also search other computers on the network.

4. Apple has Bonjour. Thanks to Bonjour technology, getting computers and smart devices to work together is as easy as connecting them. Computers and devices with Bonjour automatically broadcast their own services and listen for services being offered for the use of others. Your computer might see a printer available for printing, an iTunes playlist available for listening to, an iChat buddy available for video conferencing, or another computer available for file sharing. Even Windows PCs can take advantage of Bonjour — for free. Bonjour works with the popular standard connection technologies, including Ethernet and AirPort (802.11).

5. Apple has Front Row. Dazzle your friends with an elegant full-screen display of your favourite movies and photos using the Front Row interface. When you launch Front Row, your desktop fades out and an elegant interface appears, letting you choose from songs, slideshows, and videos on your Mac or on other computers in the house. With access to both your iTunes and iPhoto libraries and a huge collection of movie trailers, Front Row transforms an evening at home into a blockbuster Hollywood premiere.

6. Apple has iMovie and iDVD. Not to mention Garageband, iPhoto and iWeb all included on new Macs). Use iLife to get the most out of the photos, movies, and music on your Mac with the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb, and iDVD. Organize and search your photos by faces and places. Make a movie in minutes or edit with precision. Learn to play piano and guitar or record your own music. Create a stunning website and publish it anywhere.

7. Apple has Airport. AirPort Utility allows you to view and connect tview and connect to any available wireless network in as few as two clicks.

8. A Mac With Snow Leopard, wakes from sleep up to twice as quickly when you have screen locking enabled. And shutting down is up to 80 percent faster, saving precious moments when you’re trying to head home or to the airport.

9. No native touch screen software.

10. All devices are managed within applicable applications (camera’s within iPhoto etc.) No special installation or specific drivers required for most devices.

Here are a couple more lies that Microsoft is trying to spread:

1. Hassle-free files at work.
Apple’s productivity suite file formats won’t open in Microsoft Office on PCs. This can be a real hassle for Mac users sharing work documents with PC users.

In fact, Apple’s iWork productivity suite can open all Office files as well as export files into Office versions of the files.

2. Programs you already know.
If there’s a Mac version of a program you need, you’ll have to buy it again and relearn how to use it on a Mac.

True in some cases, but major Programs such as Microsoft Office and Adobe products are all available in Mac versions as well and work as well and in some case work better than the PC counterpart.

And don’t forget that your Intel Mac can also run Windows 7, but why would you want to?