Is Windows 10 the next great Mac OS?

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#1221552 24-Jan-2015 19:48

I agree mountain lion felt like the peak.
Yosemite is quite buggy, I don't have any beachball issues, but programs that refuse to quit & require force quit etc.. I used to use parallels & bootcamp a lot, but these days I just don't use them anymore OS X is alright on it own. The features of yosemite outweigh the bugs imho...sms relay though the phone is awesome.

What compromises do you mean KiwiNZ? When I used bootcamp it was virtually flawless. Everything worked, included the ambient light sensors, backlit keys, function keys etc.

MikeB4

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#1221563 24-Jan-2015 20:28

Dairyxox: I agree mountain lion felt like the peak.
Yosemite is quite buggy, I don't have any beachball issues, but programs that refuse to quit & require force quit etc.. I used to use parallels & bootcamp a lot, but these days I just don't use them anymore OS X is alright on it own. The features of yosemite outweigh the bugs imho...sms relay though the phone is awesome.

What compromises do you mean KiwiNZ? When I used bootcamp it was virtually flawless. Everything worked, included the ambient light sensors, backlit keys, function keys etc.

It never felt right, hard to put ones finger on it, just seemed like it was #8 wired, tacked together. It worked but glitchy and buggy. Hmmm kinda like Yosemiti.

matisyahu

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#1221591 24-Jan-2015 22:06

I've had a couple of hickups with Yosemite (running Firefox nek minit the fans are going crazy, the GUI is as slow as molasses and the only way to recover was a forced reset by holding down the power button) but with that being said I do like the ability to answer phone calls from my laptop and text messaging from my computer using my mobile phone. All of these came at the price of destabilising the Wifi and Bluetooth stack so I am going to be generous to Apple and hold off making any decisions until the end of this year - by that time it would have given them enough time to push out 2-3 updates, WWDC 2015 would have come an gone which will hopefully give an insight as to what they're going to do next. In parallel to that there is Microsoft which did a big launch of Windows 10 which is looking spectacular especially with the very much un-Microsoft attention to detail (aka making it pretty) that in the past they ignored along with more details emerging with Build 2015 along with the launch mid to late this year then Windows 10 computers arriving by Christmas I'm in no hurry to see where things go. With that being said, though, Apple need to realise that they cannot keep hoping that Microsoft will make a mistake - they did the major under the hood changes in Vista and in Windows 10 they made the major changes when it comes to the subsystem and user interface - I don't think that Microsoft is going to be making any monumental mistakes any time soon so it is best for Apple to get their act together now or risk losing many long time customers.

Btw, with the move by Dell to a private company the quality of their products and services have gone from strength to strength with their 13.3" ultrabook with the 'edge to edge' high resolution display making switching to the Windows/PC world very tempting.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

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#1221596 24-Jan-2015 22:18

they solder the RAM on the new dell XPS 13! *&^% !

matisyahu

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#1221599 24-Jan-2015 22:25

joker97: they solder the RAM on the new dell XPS 13! *&^% !

That happens with all ultrabooks - if you still want upgradeable laptops they still sell them. IMHO, it appears that at least in the Windows world the system requirements have remained pretty much static for 5 releases (if you include Windows 10) which makes me wonder whether we've hit a ceiling of minimum RAM requirements and any extra needed is because of work flow rather than the cost of hauling an OS around.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

Geektastic

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#1221625 24-Jan-2015 23:53

gehenna: I don't mind saying it... I'm not pleased with the direction Mac OS has taken over the last few versions. Yosemite feels like a bit of a backwards step to me. It's as buggy as they come. The iOS integration seems to be more focussed on aesthetics than actual usability. iCloud feels like it has stalled and is a few steps behind the other market players. Basically I'm tired of it and having seen the Windows 10 announcements, and played with the preview a bit, I'm thinking I could be comfortable making the switch back to Windows sometime soon. The only thing that really keeps me in the Mac OS garden is the quality of 3rd party applications, and the quality of Mac hardware - most notably it's tight integration with the OS. One example of this integration that I'm yet to see on a Windows laptop is the multi-touch trackpad. Without a great trackpad that comes close to the usability of that of the Mac I just can't move to a Windows notebook.

So I'm thinking Windows 10 on a MacBook Pro will be an incredible combination. I hope Apple updates Boot Camp to support Windows 10 natively, including support for all the hardware - Thunderbolt, both GPU's, Retina Display, multi-touch, LE Bluetooth, and optimised performance of the already massive battery life etc etc.... I've used a virtualised Windows 10 preview on my MacBook Air quite a bit and it's fantastic, but without dedicated access to the hardware it's a bit hamstrung.

What do you think? Could Windows 10 be the next great Mac operating system?

I have not had any issues with Yosemite really. Plenty with iOS8 though - that has more bugs than a cheap hostel in Bangkok.

Personally I would not switch back to Windows unless I knew that their security, malware etc etc was as tightly defended and Mac OS seems to be. Even then I would find it hard as I just like Mac OS.

alasta

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#1221715 25-Jan-2015 09:36

Over my long history with OS X, including Yosemite, my level of satisfaction has been average but I would never consider a move to Windows as I have used Microsoft products in the workplace for many years and had nothing but trouble. I must admit I've been tempted to try and pick up a Chromebook because they're cheap and I'd be curious to try one out.

Ultimately, though, I'm not a tinkerer. I own a computer because it creates efficiencies in my life, but if and when those efficiencies are offset by the time taken to deal with problems then I will simply go without rather than hopelessly meandering between various under-performing platforms. I predict that in the next few years connected devices will slowly start to displace a lot of what people historically used home computers for anyway.

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macuser

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#1221743 25-Jan-2015 10:31

Windows still is a mish mash of 5 different generations of icons, settings and systems that really make it feel unfinished. It's a hugely capable OS, but it always seems to feel like Microsoft got 80% to a new OS and said, screw it let's just stop here.

I think it's especially obvious because the design language changes so significantly every time, yet the subsystem doesn't.

OSX's problem is that it's too heavy for the bundled hardware, plus a constant dumbing down of the OS.

I think snow leopard was probably my highlight OS for Mac, and I guess Windows 7 was the most complete feeling Windows OS of late.

I wouldn't recommend running Windows on a MacBook due to the fact you loose all of Apple's power saving features, but it may be faster.

khull

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#1221814 25-Jan-2015 13:19

I use windows to the point of having to use it to complete a task (mostly work) and nothing more. When MSFT can manage to release a OS that doesn't bloat over time because of registry entries and DLLs - I'd consider switching back. (Don't get me wrong. Mac has it's own fair share of plist problems but they are far easier to manage and keep tidy)

Although, despite what people say Windows installs always looked better on a beautiful Mac screen.

matisyahu

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#1221939 25-Jan-2015 17:30

macuser: Windows still is a mish mash of 5 different generations of icons, settings and systems that really make it feel unfinished. It's a hugely capable OS, but it always seems to feel like Microsoft got 80% to a new OS and said, screw it let's just stop here.

I think it's especially obvious because the design language changes so significantly every time, yet the subsystem doesn't.

OSX's problem is that it's too heavy for the bundled hardware, plus a constant dumbing down of the OS.

I think snow leopard was probably my highlight OS for Mac, and I guess Windows 7 was the most complete feeling Windows OS of late.

I wouldn't recommend running Windows on a MacBook due to the fact you loose all of Apple's power saving features, but it may be faster.

One of the reasons I'm holding off judgement till the end of the year; Build 2015 followed by WWDC and showing off OS X 10.11 because either one of two things is going to happen, either they complete it and make a good job of Windows 10 or they do what they always do and deliver something that is half baked because, "it works even though it's GUI looks like it fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down then it was attacked by a tribe of ugly people with ugly sticks". You'd think at this point that maybe spending time on fit and finish would be in the cards but alas I wonder what on earth is happening at Microsoft half the time - when Sun Microsystems could put out a more coherent GUI than Microsoft then I really have to wonder.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

Tinshed

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#1221945 25-Jan-2015 17:43

I suppose it all depends on your perspective. I have owned computers since my first System 80 back in the day and have stuck pretty much with Dos/Windows for all of that time, despite brief goes at OS/2 and Linux. Bought an iMac last year and it is by far the best computer experience I have ever had in 35 years. It just works and has an elegance that Windows doesn't come close to. So yes, I have gone over and joined the dark side. I use Windows 8 on my HTPC with Start8 and find that perfectly acceptable - stable and reliable but without the 'zing' of OSX. Windows 7 on my work laptop. Both function perfectly well and other than a utterly painful and long boot up process on my work laptop - a combination of non-SSD drive and a myriad of 'management' software - they are do their job. But when I come home to my iMac - well I just purr!

I haven't had any issue with Yosemite although enough have to make it seem an issue. But not for me. Windows 10 will always be Windows however and with its legacy of a cumbersome UI, variable hardware support and the need to retain backward compatibility, I can't see it coming close to OSx. I know I sound like Apple fanboi - and I am - but you won't find the same passion, enthusiasm and loyalty amongst the Windows user base. It is a very good OS, but not an outstanding one. OSX is.

Tinshed
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tdgeek

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#1221952 25-Jan-2015 17:56

Ive had few issues with Yosemite. Once the rMBP starts to Safari in 11 or 12 seconds, the internet isn't active, that takes maybe another 10 seconds. Annoying but no real issue. iOS8 I've found fine as well. Right clicking some files on my WDTV causes beachball. Yes, some default software is being dumbed down.

Re wifi stacks, wifi has been average on Macs well before Yosemite, mines been fine though. No wifi or BT issues here, apart from above.

Clearly there are issues for some, but not all it seems. I couldn't give up integration, security, Continuity, Handoff, etc, but I do like where Windows 10 is going.

What will be interesting is how close they will be. They run on the same hardware, have a different UI, do most the same stuff. Integration will now be closer, and how a unified OS operates in the real world will be interesting to see, and how Apple will keep OS X/iOS separate, but integrated.

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#1221954 25-Jan-2015 18:03

Tinshed: I suppose it all depends on your perspective. I have owned computers since my first System 80 back in the day and have stuck pretty much with Dos/Windows for all of that time, despite brief goes at OS/2 and Linux. Bought an iMac last year and it is by far the best computer experience I have ever had in 35 years. It just works and has an elegance that Windows doesn't come close to. So yes, I have gone over and joined the dark side. I use Windows 8 on my HTPC with Start8 and find that perfectly acceptable - stable and reliable but without the 'zing' of OSX. Windows 7 on my work laptop. Both function perfectly well and other than a utterly painful and long boot up process on my work laptop - a combination of non-SSD drive and a myriad of 'management' software - they are do their job. But when I come home to my iMac - well I just purr!

I haven't had any issue with Yosemite although enough have to make it seem an issue. But not for me. Windows 10 will always be Windows however and with its legacy of a cumbersome UI, variable hardware support and the need to retain backward compatibility, I can't see it coming close to OSx. I know I sound like Apple fanboi - and I am - but you won't find the same passion, enthusiasm and loyalty amongst the Windows user base. It is a very good OS, but not an outstanding one. OSX is.

I agree in part. OS X is prettier, seems more efficient, nicer to use, probably the cleaner UI. However these days Windows works well, stable, albeit seeming a bit plain.

Windows 10 will change all this, its new, as was 8, but tidied up, and updated. Why I can say that I like the integration, UI, etc of OS X, I can see the Windows users saying the same as well, and fair call. I am wondering if Windows change to a modern UI and integration will see a passive battle between them and Apple adding cooler and more useful features over time? I can see momentum for MS mobile, and Android struggling if the big three become the big two.

gehenna

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#1221989 25-Jan-2015 19:45

Tinshed: It is a very good OS, but not an outstanding one. OSX is.

We can't possibly make that judgement until it's out of beta and release candidate phases and into production.

I guess another part of what keeps me in OS X is the quality of design, both aesthetic and usability, that goes into a lot of the main Mac apps that I use. Windows really needs to enforce a standardised design scheme that all app developers can use to create beautiful apps. I think a lot of developers are getting around that nowadays by creating browser based applications, but it does need to happen on the desktop itself.

If they do that then Microsoft also needs to follow their own design guide...as too many of their own apps are so different to use from each other that it makes things very confusing.

MikeB4

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#1222019 25-Jan-2015 20:09

Tinshed: I suppose it all depends on your perspective. I have owned computers since my first System 80 back in the day and have stuck pretty much with Dos/Windows for all of that time, despite brief goes at OS/2 and Linux. Bought an iMac last year and it is by far the best computer experience I have ever had in 35 years. It just works and has an elegance that Windows doesn't come close to. So yes, I have gone over and joined the dark side. I use Windows 8 on my HTPC with Start8 and find that perfectly acceptable - stable and reliable but without the 'zing' of OSX. Windows 7 on my work laptop. Both function perfectly well and other than a utterly painful and long boot up process on my work laptop - a combination of non-SSD drive and a myriad of 'management' software - they are do their job. But when I come home to my iMac - well I just purr!

I haven't had any issue with Yosemite although enough have to make it seem an issue. But not for me. Windows 10 will always be Windows however and with its legacy of a cumbersome UI, variable hardware support and the need to retain backward compatibility, I can't see it coming close to OSx. I know I sound like Apple fanboi - and I am - but you won't find the same passion, enthusiasm and loyalty amongst the Windows user base. It is a very good OS, but not an outstanding one. OSX is.

I am a long time OSX user I would not say it's an outstanding OS

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