starrygaze
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Who’s Smarter? Mac Users Or Windows Users?
By Jeffrey Mincey - Friday, October 13, 2006
DummiesDon’t you just want to pull out your hair when you explain the benefits of Mac to Windows users. What happens?
They shrug, roll their eyes, and say, ”I don’t get it.” There’s a reason why and it’s not pretty.
In the simplest of terms, many computer users ”don’t get it” and never will. They don’t want to.
We call them Windows users. Ouch. That’s a poke, but you’ll understand in a moment.
Most of us in the tech and support field know that the weakest link in computing use is the user.
So it is with security issues, too. Educating users is pointless, so says Stefan Gorling who researches such things.
CNET is running an insightful article that basically says, ”User Education Is Pointless.” I have to agree.
EasyFrame
While some computer users learn to improve their habits and productivity, most are still stuck in the stone age of usability.
As Gorling says, they don’t understand secure passwords, they write them down, give them out to others, and can’t spell ”phishing.”
Here’s the connection. Most computer users are Windows users; to the tune of some 90-percent of PCs around the world.
Applying the traditional Bell Curve to most users results in a few that ”get it”, quite a few that don’t, and some that never will.
Generally speaking, Mac users have made an educated choice not to deal with the frustrations caused by their computers.
We chose Macs. We did so because Macs work better. Arguable, but not very.
While most surveys indicate that Mac users are better off economically, have more spendable income, and are better educated, what of the unwashed masses of Windows users?
Are Mac users simply smarter than Windows users?
Can Windows users be educated to better use their PCs, thereby gaining sufficient knowledge to understand the need to switch to a Mac?
Gorling doesn’t think education will make much difference in some areas, hence the relatively slow adoption of Macs by Windows switchers.
Why are Windows PCs less secure than Macs?
Two reasons. One is the inherent secure design of Mac OS X vs. the poor design of Windows. The second must be because Mac users are smarter than Windows users.
IBM’s Martin Overton says:
“It really is a nightmare. User education is a complete waste of time. It is about as much use as nailing jelly to a wall… There is no good trying to teach them what phishing is, what rootkits are, what malware is, etc. They are not interested; they just want to do their job.”
Many others would insist that education is necessary for computer users, even Mac users-- and necessary to enhance security, and reduce fraud.
I can’t deny the benefits of education for some. For many, it’s a lost cause, an exercise in futility, the never-ending-job, the last crusade, true job security.
Macs will never reach 15-percent market share ever again. Not because the Mac doesn’t perform better vs. Windows PCs. It does.
The problem is the user. Most of the world of Windows users, those necessary for Mac’s market share to increase, don’t care enough to make the switch because they’re just not…
I could say they’re just not well educated enough. I won’t.
Why not? Because, as the man says, education doesn’t matter, for security or market share. Mac users? We’re just smarter.
By Jeffrey Mincey - Friday, October 13, 2006
DummiesDon’t you just want to pull out your hair when you explain the benefits of Mac to Windows users. What happens?
They shrug, roll their eyes, and say, ”I don’t get it.” There’s a reason why and it’s not pretty.
In the simplest of terms, many computer users ”don’t get it” and never will. They don’t want to.
We call them Windows users. Ouch. That’s a poke, but you’ll understand in a moment.
Most of us in the tech and support field know that the weakest link in computing use is the user.
So it is with security issues, too. Educating users is pointless, so says Stefan Gorling who researches such things.
CNET is running an insightful article that basically says, ”User Education Is Pointless.” I have to agree.
EasyFrame
While some computer users learn to improve their habits and productivity, most are still stuck in the stone age of usability.
As Gorling says, they don’t understand secure passwords, they write them down, give them out to others, and can’t spell ”phishing.”
Here’s the connection. Most computer users are Windows users; to the tune of some 90-percent of PCs around the world.
Applying the traditional Bell Curve to most users results in a few that ”get it”, quite a few that don’t, and some that never will.
Generally speaking, Mac users have made an educated choice not to deal with the frustrations caused by their computers.
We chose Macs. We did so because Macs work better. Arguable, but not very.
While most surveys indicate that Mac users are better off economically, have more spendable income, and are better educated, what of the unwashed masses of Windows users?
Are Mac users simply smarter than Windows users?
Can Windows users be educated to better use their PCs, thereby gaining sufficient knowledge to understand the need to switch to a Mac?
Gorling doesn’t think education will make much difference in some areas, hence the relatively slow adoption of Macs by Windows switchers.
Why are Windows PCs less secure than Macs?
Two reasons. One is the inherent secure design of Mac OS X vs. the poor design of Windows. The second must be because Mac users are smarter than Windows users.
IBM’s Martin Overton says:
“It really is a nightmare. User education is a complete waste of time. It is about as much use as nailing jelly to a wall… There is no good trying to teach them what phishing is, what rootkits are, what malware is, etc. They are not interested; they just want to do their job.”
Many others would insist that education is necessary for computer users, even Mac users-- and necessary to enhance security, and reduce fraud.
I can’t deny the benefits of education for some. For many, it’s a lost cause, an exercise in futility, the never-ending-job, the last crusade, true job security.
Macs will never reach 15-percent market share ever again. Not because the Mac doesn’t perform better vs. Windows PCs. It does.
The problem is the user. Most of the world of Windows users, those necessary for Mac’s market share to increase, don’t care enough to make the switch because they’re just not…
I could say they’re just not well educated enough. I won’t.
Why not? Because, as the man says, education doesn’t matter, for security or market share. Mac users? We’re just smarter.
