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Best Software for Mac

Entry 2092, on 2020-12-03 at 14:20:42 (Rating 2, Computers)

Many of the readers of this blog are Mac users. I know this for two reasons: first, many readers are friends and family, and they mainly use Apple technology; and second, the server logs indicate a lot of browsers running on a Mac.

Some people who "just don't get it" ask me why I use Apple computers, phones, etc instead of the much cheaper Windows PCs and Android devices, because they are "just as good" as Apple stuff, and are a lot cheaper. Plus, there are some programs available on Windows which aren't on Mac at all. And don't forget gaming: you really need a PC to do that seriously.

There's quite a lot in that previous paragraph, so let me go through it one point at a time...

First, my claim that they "don't get it" is true in many cases. Most people I know who are enthusiastic about Windows have never or rarely used a Mac, so they really don't have any basis for comparison. On the other hand, many Mac users have used Windows - mainly because of Windows being so much more common - so they do have some justification for saying they know both platforms, and have decided which they prefer.

I do have to be fair here and admit that some PC users are quite knowledgable about other systems and have genuine reasons to use a PC, but they would be in the minority, I strongly suspect.

Second, there is little doubt that Apple products do cost a little bit more. Certainly looking at the average price for Apple and its competitors you will clearly see the initial prices are clearly cheaper for the competitor. But look at more comparable products: the iPhone against premium Android phones, or a MacBook Pro against a top quality PC laptop, and you will see the price differences aren't as much as you might think.

Plus there is the total cost of ownership argument. You get a lot of extra stuff with a Mac which would cost extra on Windows. And maintaining a Mac is much cheaper and easier, especially in relation to viruses and other malware. And Mac hardware does tend to come out near the top in surveys of reliability and longevity. So you could make an argument to say that the TCO of Apple stuff is considerably better than the alternatives, although that is open to some debate.

Third, what about those programs which are only available on Windows? Sure, if there is a specific program which there is no Mac equivalent for then using Windows is a perfectly reasonable solution. But even then a Mac can't be ruled out completely, because virtualisation does make casual use of Windows programs quite easy, while still allowing use of the Mac for the majority of work.

Finally, we come to gaming. There are some games available for Mac and a lot for iPad and iPhone, but these are really only suitable for "casual gamers", like me. So sure, I freely admit: if you are into gaming, get a PC.

So those are my arguments for using Apple technology, but there is one further point relating to this I should mention here. That is, I see a lot of people using the right hardware (a Mac) and operating system (macOS) but using the wrong software. Why would you use a Mac laptop and the best operating system, then spoil the experience by using sub-standard software?

In most cases it is because the person doesn't know any better, or they are forced into using certain programs at work because of various policies. The most common software to fall into these categories is Microsoft Office. Many people genuinely don't know that there are alternatives to Office, and even if they do know about alternatives, they think they are inferior in some way.

OK, to be fair, I will admit that Office is quite comprehensive in what it can do, and that it is so widely used that sometimes using it is the easiest path to take. But it isn't good software when all factors are considered. It is slow, unreliable, unintuitive, and ugly, and I refuse to use it on my Mac.

This particularly applies to Outlook, which has got better in recent years, but is still fairly horrible. And it's not just Microsoft I have issues with; I now refuse to use Adobe software too! This is partly because how bloated and confusing their software has become, but also related to their obnoxious and confusing licensing.

So the best software for your Mac isn't necessarily what you might think. It might not be Word, or PowerPoint, or In Design. It might not even be Excel or Photoshop, although those two do have a better case for being used. I use alternatives for both Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Cloud, and I have never regretted it. All I need to do is use those programs on another person's computer - as I am sometimes forced to do - to remind myself how much better off I am by rejecting them.

So at this point you might be wondering: what are these alternative programs I am speaking of? Well, this post was supposed to be about those programs, but I think I have used too much time pointing out the need for alternatives, so I will leave my list of suggested alternatives until next time!

Comment 2 (5864) by OJB on 2020-12-04 at 16:22:35: (view earlier comments)

I think a significant observation I could make here is that people who use the "standard" products, like Office, rarely do that through choice or as a preference. They usually do it because they have never tried anything else, they were just told to use that software, or their friends and colleagues use it.

On the other hand, people who use "alternative" products usually do it for a good reason, such as they have found features that the mainstream products don't have, the pricing and licensing is better, or they find the experience better in some other way.

Comment 3 (5911) by Anonymous on 2020-12-07 at 10:13:33:

Hmm, interesting. I use Adobe software all the time. They have some great products and some crap products - hard to lump them all together as you have. Also, what is confusing about their licensing? Pay a yearly subscription for access to all of their software products. Seems simple to me. Not idea, but certainly not confusing.

Comment 4 (5913) by OJB on 2020-12-07 at 13:27:57:

I would be interested to know which you think are crap and which good. I must admit, I still kind of like Photoshop, but the rest I find are clunky and unintuitive. Maybe it is the corporate licensing I have to deal with which is confusing. I think many people just don't like paying a subscription for software. Many prefer just a single payment.

Comment 5 (5925) by Anonymous on 2020-12-09 at 22:50:11:

I’m not sure you’re correct to say most people prefer a single payment. There are upsides to a subscription model and the rise of SaaS has shifted people’s thinking when it comes to using software. Good Adobe products: photoshop, audition. Premier, InDesign, Media encoder.

Comment 6 (5928) by OJB on 2020-12-10 at 12:01:48:

Fair enough, I don't have stats on the single payment claim. It's just based on anecdotes, and the general reaction on the 'net when it started. Maybe people are getting used to the idea now, but I know many people still don't like it (another anecdote, unfortunately).

Good products: Photoshop, agree; Audition, no experience; Premier, sort of agree; InDesign, sort of agree (capable but slow and ugly); Media encoder, no experience. I guess a lot of this is subjective anyway. I hold "elegance" and "intuitiveness" in high regard, so I might rate software with those qualities more highly than other users do.

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