It is official I have completely transitioned myself away from Microsoft (Personally). I think Vista was the final nail in the coffin for me. Back in September before my Vegas trip I purchased a Mac Book Pro, under the assumption I would run both OSX and Windows on the notebook. I found myself more and more using the OSX side until I no longer had the need to run Windows. Believe it or not, everything I needed to do could be done under OSX. As far as my client’s servers, I could manage them all remotely with the Mac version of Remote Desktop. This past weekend I replaced my workstation with a Mac Pro. The only thing left was my Windows server and my wife’s workstation. Moving away from my Windows servers that were handling my network file sharing (running raid for data protection) as well as Exchange and Blackberry services would be the hardest, so I thought. I wound up moving my domains to Google Apps for email and used T-Mobile’s services to connect via IMAP and forward my email to my Blackberry. I am purchasing a Drobo to handle my network file sharing as it runs it’s own version of raid for data protection.
I guess I am at a point in my life where I just want to simplify everything around me. I just got tired of all the hassles I had with operating systems crashing and blue screening all around me. This was not because of something I did or screwed up, it was just inherent to the Microsoft OSes. My Macs just run, they don’t misbehave or crash. I sit down do what I have to do and leave, it doesn’t get much simpler than that. I also wanted to manage the skyrocketing cost of electricity as well. Shutting down all of the servers that were running 24/7 should take care of the electrical cost factor. The only thing I will need running 24/7 will be the Drobo and my firewall which keeps all my IPSEC tunnels open to my clients networks.
The immediate benefit is how much quieter the room I work in is now, without all those system fans running. When I would be on the phone people would actually think I was at an airport or on a plane. I spend more time actually working now as compared to when I had to constantly manage all the systems involved, so that they wouldn’t misbehave.
I have had many Macs in the past, I would purchase them use them for a little and then sold them as I could find no benefit to them in the past. I think the tides are changing and that PC makers and Microsoft should be very worried for their market share and future.