PC vs. Mac in Security: Experts Share Opinions

[hanselthecaretaker]

Really though, how the hell does anyone really end up having that many problems with Windows? I know there are problems out there but damn. You'd think Apple would have all the market share by now the way some people talk. Maybe I should get a Mac and see how much more awesomer it is compared to my Win XP PC that hasn't given me any more of a problem than a failed OC reboot running Crysis +g_godmode 1 with all effects turned up.

 

[mrplunkey]

Really though, how the hell does anyone really end up having that many problems with Windows? I know there are problems out there but damn. You'd think Apple would have all the market share by now the way some people talk. Maybe I should get a Mac and see how much more awesomer it is compared to my Win XP PC that hasn't given me any more of a problem than a failed OC reboot running Crysis +g_godmode 1 with all effects turned up.

The fundamental argument is Windows controls such a large market share that it is benefiting from a network (network in the economic sense, not in the computing sense) effect and no longer needs to compete on traditional software attributes (i.e. cost, quality, features). To a certain extent they are right -- but the amount of benefit is debatable.

And as much as we complain about the evils of de facto monopolies, it's always a possibility in a capitalist system and you have to take the good with the bad. If Microsoft gets caught being predatory (i.e. "DOS isn't done till Lotus won't run"), they need to be busted. Short of that, we've got to let the markets run their course. Adam Smith figured this stuff out before the American colonies even revolted and everyone who has tried to out-think it since then has crashed and burned miserably.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

The fundamental argument is Windows controls such a large market share that it is benefiting from a network (network in the economic sense, not in the computing sense) effect and no longer needs to compete on traditional software attributes (i.e. cost, quality, features). To a certain extent they are right -- but the amount of benefit is debatable.

And as much as we complain about the evils of de facto monopolies, it's always a possibility in a capitalist system and you have to take the good with the bad. If Microsoft gets caught being predatory (i.e. "DOS isn't done till Lotus won't run"), they need to be busted. Short of that, we've got to let the markets run their course. Adam Smith figured this stuff out before the American colonies even revolted and everyone who has tried to out-think it since then has crashed and burned miserably.

I figured that had something to do with it. But no matter how big a company is in a capitalist market the consumer still ultimately dictates their next move. See Vista/Win 7. Although Vista's main flaw was just MS jumping the gun on 64 bit uptake.

 

[mrplunkey]

I figured that had something to do with it. But no matter how big a company is in a capitalist market the consumer still ultimately dictates their next move. See Vista/Win 7. Although Vista's main flaw was just MS jumping the gun on 64 bit uptake.

I totally agree. Sometimes it takes longer than we'd like for markets to settle-out, but eventually they will. Even if a company conspired to fix prices or otherwise collude, you can only hide something like that for so long.

People are always trying to out-think capitalism and what they don't realize is that millions or billions of people making dozens of small economic decisions every day creates an unstoppable force. It's hard for some people to grasp, but it's the only way to discover how someone values an orange versus a cigarette versus an iTunes song versus a subway token.