iSwitchd

Here is my story with computers and how I ended up with a mac.

Like many people of my generation, I started using computers at school. We learned how to manage files, how to use software like Word, Excel and Powerpoint, as well as how to build a PC. During this period, my mom bought a computer, a very old one (8086, running at 16MHz, 4 colors screen, with Windows 2), that’s the machine I started with. I quickly got very interested in computers, trying stuff, tweaking, digging… At this time, computers were mostly used by geeks.

Then came Windows 95. Even though it had flaws, this operating system was easier to use than its predecessors, and it led to price drops in the computer market. PCs were more affordable so it started to spread into every home. Computers were no longer used exclusively by geeks. I got a new PC, on which I was still trying stuff, tweaking, digging… and learning new kind of software like 3D modeling, graphic and video editing.

Followed Windows 98, which made me start using the Internet, with a new PC. I started making web pages, and also music composing and recording as I was playing in a band. And still trying stuff, tweaking, digging… I also worked for Microsoft as a hotliner. There, I learned A LOT about computers. This was a time when Microsoft was hardly criticized for the poor quality of its products. Even though it’s still the case now, it was worse during the 1998-2000 period. It was trendy to criticize Microsoft, for any reason, and I learned that most of the problems on PCs don’t come directly from Windows, but from third-party software.

In 2000, I successfully ended 2 years of programming studies with a 20/20 at the final exam. My passion for music and media had grown up and I started sound engineering studies. There I used Macs for the first time, but the experience was average. Even though some people praised Apple’s computers, it didn’t convince me to buy one. Windows XP was released, and I instantly thought it was a great operating system. Time tells I was quite right as it’s still very popular 7 years later.

Since the beginning of this story, I always had custom-made computers I built and upgraded by myself. But as time went by, I tried less, tweaked less and dug less… Tired of noisy towers, I got 2 laptops successively, but I wasn’t thrilled, and I went back to a desktop solution.

In 2006, Apple announced they switched to Intel processors. That caught my attention as it was then possible to run Windows on Macs. I was still using a PC, but I started to look more and more about Apple’s computers. Then, early 2007, the IT manager of the company I worked for told me he bought a Macbook and he was sold. As I read that more and more tech guys got Macs, I started thinking: “if guys who know about computers are buying Macs, that means something”.

In April 2007, I had to do something for work that needed a Mac. So I bought the cheapest one, a Mac Mini. From the box opening to the week later, I was thrilled about almost anything on that machine. It was like I was rediscovering computers. The machine is amazingly fast regarding its specs, and the software incredibly easy to use.

In July 2007, the Mac Mini experience being so convincing, I decided to buy a Macbook. 6 months later, that laptop totally replaced my still-powerful PC…