I want to welcome Steve Johnson to the billpalmer.net internship program, as his first article for billpalmer.net is published below. You can read Steve's bio on the "about" page. - Bill Palmer

Yes...I am a switcher!

In the past 12 years or so, I have had five computers that have run different flavors of Windows from 3.1 to XP. I would always get annoyed with the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who has used Microsoft Windows at some point is probably familiar with the Blue Screen of Death (as it is known in the PC world). It is simply a blue screen with white lettering displaying some error message that only about 1% of the world population can interpret. At that point, you either hit the glorious 3-key combination (control-alt-delete) to restart or you hit Enter and pray that Windows will work itself out and come back to life (which it never does so you might as well reboot anyways). It would never fail. I would be doing some thing and BOOM, the blue screen. After restarting I would go back to doing whatever I was doing and BOOM, an illegal operation (which is another form of Microsoft hieroglyphics, only .01% can decipher this garbage). I used to think that if I had problems with Windows, then it was the manufacturer's fault. How naive I was. Only years later would I realize that is was in fact Microsoft Windows that had the problems, not the machines.

I have always been power hungry when it came to computers because my sole purpose was to play games. I know what you are thinking, "why didn't you just buy a video game console?" Well, The games I wanted to play were on the PC, and video game consoles didn't thrill me all that much. I could talk more about this, but that is an entirely different story. Let’s just say that I was happy with playing computer games.

Anyway, back to my story. Growing up, I do not remember hearing about Apple. I vaguely remember using an Apple computer when I was in 6th grade Home Economics (I think that was the class, but I have slept since then). My first true knowledge of Apple was when the Power Mac G4 Cube came out. I saw the commercial and I was amazed at the computer. I also started hearing a little more about Apple at the time, but what I heard was the same old myths that have plagued them for so long. I remember seeing one at a Circuit City and drooling over it. I wanted a new computer, but the G4 Cube was definitely too pricey for me. I needed something a little cheaper.

And so I definitely bought cheaper…when I bought a Dell. Obviously I did not buy that G4 Cube that I was salivating over. This was my first Dell and was also going to be my last. With Windows XP, I had the same problems that I had with previous versions. This was supposed to be Microsoft’s attempt at a better OS, with its Fisher Price GUI. And why have I heard so many times that a Mac was a toy? Windows XP makes me think of a toy PC more than a Mac does. I still don’t know why PC nerds say that about Macs. With the same problems over and over, I decided that I was tired of Microsoft and would never use their products again. From that moment on, I did everything I could to figure out how to get out of the Microsoft hold.

I was also working for my Bachelors Degree in Computer Information Technology. My school is mainly Microsoft driven PCs, with very few Macintosh computers. Interesting to note that the Macintosh computers are usually empty while the PCs are all being used. Just recently the school has just started a deal with Dell, which is making Apple lose more market. Because of my degree I thought I was forced to use Microsoft and work with it. It wasn't until the not-so-popular Switch Ads that I started to become interested in Apple Computer again (so the ads worked, but not to the effect that everyone was hoping). Only this time my interest went beyond just getting a new computer. I wanted to work with Macintosh computers. I didn't matter what I was doing, I just wanted to work with them on the job, even if it meant changing fields. My first thought was that if I was going to learn about Apple and Macintosh, then I need to start using one. So my interest in Apple changed dramatically for a couple reasons. First, I knew that a Macintosh computer would rid me of the Microsoft hold, and also this could possibly lead to jobs that use Macintosh computers. My interest in my degree also sparked again.

I started reading forums, rumors, and other news about Apple. I even read Apple’s own switch site and all the stories. This was close to Macworld Expo so I was reading lots of interesting things. After Macworld Expo 2003 I was convinced I was going to buy a Mac and soon. I just had to get the funds in order to purchase one. In May 2003 I finally bought an iBook. I didn't quite have the funds for this, but I was tired of waiting. For this reason, I went ahead and got the Apple Loan. I am still paying for that mistake, but I have to say that this is the best computer I have ever had. No more Microsoft problems. I even connected my wife’s old printer that had problems running under Windows. Plugged a USB cable in and before you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious I was connected. My wife was impressed.

Now the true reason I bought an iBook was because I was planning on giving this to my wife when I had money to get what I truly wanted…a PowerBook (and also to keep the cost down since I was in fact buying this with a loan). Although, after using it for a little over 8 months now, I really enjoy my iBook and cannot see me giving it to someone else. I am getting sad just thinking about it. Of course if and when I get a PowerBook, I will gladly give it to my wife. At least I will still have it, but I will just not be using it.

Something I have learned by switching to the Mac platform is that it truly is different from the Windows world. I have learned to work differently on my computer and also gained new interest in things like music with iTunes and digital photography with iPhoto. I am still interested in some games, but only to kill some free time.

It still amazes how elegant my iBook is compared to other PC laptops. There is no comparison and I no longer feel the need for speed. I now understand why so many Apple users are so sensitive when it comes to their Macs. I have switched and I will never look back. I am a huge Apple fan now and I get excited about everything that deals with Apple and Macintosh, although this drives my wife crazy. I have since bought a third-generation iPod and plan on buying much more. Thank you Apple for making my switch such a pleasure.

Feel free to give Steve a shout, or share your thoughts over on the billpalmer.net discussion boards. And if you haven't joined the online MUG yet, then you're not among the 336 coolest Mac users on earth.

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