Daily Reading: Five reasons why Vista is Better than OS X.

Yes, I really am reading this article. And no, not because I really believe that Vista is a better operating system.

I just wanted, you know, to mess it up a little, and you have to read what I am responding to before I can respond.

Finished? Good. Here are the arguments and counter-arguments.

Reason #1: Vista runs more software
But quantity does not equal quality. I'd rather run one piece of software that did what I want than have the option of running 1000 that don't. Yes, many of my favourite apps (Adobe) are cross platform, but the fact that they run on both is not a compelling argument. Sure, they run on vista, but they also run on Mac, and I much prefer the interface over here, thank you very much.

Just don't talk to me about games....

Reason #2: Vista is safer
Um. Okay. You're right. No, really. Just because one mac got hacked in a contest by someone who has made it his life's goal to discredit mac security, suddenly Vista is safer.

Yes, all operating systems are vulnerable. And this one gets kicked around a lot. Okay, so maybe macs are safer simply because they aren't targets. But is it safer to be in a mostly secure tank in the middle of no-man's land getting shot at from all sides, or safer to be back home in the land of the free, surrounded by your white picket fence and nary a rocket propelled virus in sight?

That's not a call to inaction by any means, and the folks at webkit have already patched the exploit (or so we can assume; AFAIK, the details of the exploit aren't public yet). But all the vulnerability reports I've read have been "this could be exploited", but strangely, never are.

Reason #3: It's the money, stupid
Hello? We're talking OSes here, not hardware. And last I checked, here were the prices:

Mac OS X 10.5: $129 (apple.ca)
Vista Home Premium: $299 (cdw.ca)

Yup. Sure looks cheaper to me. Here's the business version:

Leopard: $129 (apple.ca)
Vista Ultimate: $505 (cdw.ca)

Heck. I'm sold. Where do I sign up?

Reason #4: The Mac is closed; Vista is open
Anyone can cobble together a Vista Machine from whatever parts. Sure. And if those parts are crap? I'd rather pay a little more for quality. Sure, you can get a quality Vista Machine, but then your hardware is about the same price as the Mac. So you're saying I can spend less and get crap, or spend the same amount and get...Vista? Again, thanks, but no thanks.

Reason #5: Two words -- Steve Jobs
Two words back at you. Steve Balmer.

Just a note: I didn't read [URL="http://www.tuaw.com/2008/04/09/vista-beats-os-x-really/"]this[/URL] until after I posted. It's much more lucid and well thought out, but basically follows the same arguments as I, including the same punchline. Great minds and all that rot, though I think he set himself up for that one. I bet there are as-yet-undiscovered tribes of pygmies in South America who would say the same thing if they read the article...assuming they could read English...