So the Dell Mini came in today. It is small, under 4 pounds, and I love it. Not the fastest machine I've used, and will take some getting used to, but a wonderful experience so far.

So here are the negatives:

The keyboard is small. Yes, it is easy to type letters and numbers, but some keys are awkwardly placed in order to keep the machines size down. And I have yet to find the damned F11 key! But I'm getting used to it. I was never your standard typist anyway. I am faster with one hand then I am with two.

Although I knew the screen size was 8.9 inches, it is so strange that the it is surrounded by such a large frame. Even the 19 inch LCD screen for my desktop has a smaller framing. So that is a downer.

It came with XP. I would much rather have Vista, but I know it would absolutely kill the performance of this machine. At least I'm not stuck with OSX anymore. And since it did come stock with windows, there was some tweaking that needed to be done befor I could get started. I did the update thing, but it already had service pack 3. So not much there. I had to remove Google Desktop. Although a nice addition, I can't afford to use the resources. I also removed McAfee, as it came with it. Why they would load such a bloated AV software is beyond me. Why not license AVG Free? Would it kill you guys to think smart? Probably getting some kickbacks somewhere in that equation.

I had to disable the webcam software to improve performance, as it was running in the background, and harshing my vibe. I need to find something more lightweight to record video. Perhaps a webcam on a netbook is not such a great idea?

The Good:

The size is just right. Less than 4 pounds. I can hold it in one hand while typing with the other. Makes it a perfect solution for a portable blogging device. On the bed, the sofa, the, ahem, toilet. You name it, I can do it. Can't wait to take it around with me.

It has everything I need. A webcam, a TWO button mousepad, card slot for memory, three usb ports, and a standard VGA connection for a monitor. It even has 3G built in, but Dell has yet to announce what good this feature will do for me.

It runs everything I want it to. Now granted, I was careful to only use software that was cross platform, but I only did that so I could go back and forth between computers in a mixed platform world. Now I don't have to worry about that. I have access to a large variety of paid and free software the world has to offer. One of the benefits of using Windows, is the large community it fosters, and all the developers that create for this platform. A big plus in my book.

I can now properly communicate with all the equipment in my house. I had big issues with the network in my house when I used the Mac. Now I can link this machine with the press of a few buttons. If I decide to install Live One Care, it will do it for me.

Now let me make this clear again. I am not putting down Apple in anyway. I am stating my requirements, and how Apple, as a company, does not suit me, nor my families computing needs. To me, it is a walled garden. Too closed and constricted. I felt powerless as a user. On a PC, I have full control over what my computers does, and I can go beyond. Not so much on a laptop, but on a desktop, there is no comparison.

I wanted to do a head to head comparison against the machine I was leaving, but that would be unfair, as it is over 4 years old. The problem is, there is no Mac to compare this machine to. Which again brings me to a big reason I chose a PC. Choice. I have a wealth of choices in the PC world. On the Mac side, well, I really have zero. I have yet to find a brand new Apple laptop for a little over $500. If you find one, that would be great. But since I am not made of money, I cannot afford to dish out $1100 for a new laptop. And although I feel that the machine is probably correctly priced based on the content and quality, I cannot afford one.

Windows, not walls.

So I'm moving from my Mac in the near future, as soon as I get my Dell Mini. A big issue when changing platforms, is migrating in a fashion that will minimize any risks. Ironically, I am moving from a platform that knows about simplifying processes. It is that very simplification that irks me, and one of the reasons I am making this move.

I didn't take this decision lightly, as a lot of us know that the Mac experience for most is a pleasant one, and this is by no means an assault on the good name the OS holds for itself. But I just don't see myself as a Mac user.

So, as I prepare for the move, I am diligently looking for resources that can assist me with the process. No geniuses to take migrate my stuff to a PC. So I am confined to the web for my search. Luckily, the web is a big choice. In walks Paul Thurrott. Paul does the Windows Weekly Podcast with every one's favorite, Leo Laporte. He also writes several blogs that are Windows centric, and is a writer for Windows IT Pro.

Paul has decided to take the challenge of writing articles that help people move from the Mac to the PC. One such article focuses on iTunes. Now, I am not going to regurgitate what he posts, as I think he is a much better writer than I am, and I would much rather you go to his site and read the process. The link will be down below. What I want to write about is my experience with this move, and the rationalization behind it.

I have tried to like the Mac experience, I really have. But there are just too many idiosyncrasies that just compel me to go back to Windows. Let me first get this out of the way. My name is Paul Puri, and I like Wndows Vista. There, I said it. Some of you will want to scratch your head in disbelief, wondering if my parents dropped me when I was young, or if the fumes from the local chemical plant have done severe damage to my synapses, and they are misfiring. That is not the case. There is nothing wrong with Vista, and it is the closest thing to XP that exists. That is what I am looking for. My comfort zone.

I have been a Windows user for most of my computing life. I did not start with it, as my first computer was an Apple 2E, but I ended up with Windows. I had a brief stint with a Mac G3, the beige one. You know the one. I still have it. It was a great user experience, and one that has become a big part of my professional history. I owned a commercial recording facility, and the Mac was running Pro Tools. A thing of beauty, I could record up to 64 tracks, and use 30 plug ins at the same time. Don't get too excited. This was possible only due to the hardware that Digidesign provided with their software. But they were exclusive to the Mac. Probably due to the stability of the OS at the time. It did crash several times a week, but for what I needed to get done, it was better choice at the time.

But that has changed. My quad core Vista machine rarely crashes, and my Mac does crash occasionally, but this is usually due to me trying to push the machines beyond their limits. Neither platform is bulletproof. The days of the Mac being a superior experience are over. It is merely different. The only thing keeping the Mac slightly more secure, is market share. But that is changing. As Windows can now be used on a Mac, more people will be using one, as it gives the benefit of having both platforms in one place. That is really convenient.

I think the biggest issue I have with the Mac is barrier to entry. If you want to get into the experience, and you want portability, you will have to spend over $1000. Now I am not getting into an argument as to whether the Mac is worth the money you pay. It is. I just prefer the choices I have with the Windows world. If I want a 10 inch netbook, there is one available. If I want a 17 inch gaming machine in purple, no problem. The Windows OS experience that is rich with choice. Sometimes to it's detriment, but the choice is there.

That choice just pulls me back in. I know I could get a mac mini for a decent price, but I want portability with a screen. I want choice. I don't want over simplification of my computer world. I am not that type of person. I want to be able to mod, enhance, change, and even break my experience. I want this even if I know many problems are caused by these actions. That is the beauty of the Windows experience. It has so much to offer besides an OS. It is an astronomically large world of choice. The Mac cannot offer that. But that is ok. There are people who just want to hit the power button and go. I am not one of those people.

This whole Mac V. PC effort is a joke. It is all marketing, and people should not be fooled. No offense to Justin Long and John Hodgman, but it is a big crock of steaming pigeon dung when people spout out how the Mac experience is a superior one. It is different, for a different set of people. I am not a Mac person. I am not a Mac person. I...am...not...a...Mac...person. There, I said it.

So, with that out of the way, stay tuned for the chronicles of my journey. There will be several milestones that will sprout articles regarding this. My Dell Mini arriving. Selling my iBook. Buying my wife's computer. Moving back to my quad core Vista machine. Will you join me in my journey?

Links:

Paul Thurrott mac2win iTunes