Another Apple Defector

[LeeW]

Apple silicon Macs will most likely not work for my business so for work it will be a move to Windows.

Probably not right off the bat, something I know will be an issue for me to consider returning having moved to Windows a few months ago. I am willing to give it a chance though and see what they come up with. Will be interesting to see what they come out with tomorrow, or later today in my case.

If they bring out a MBA in AS which is reasonably priced I will order it and see what happens. Too much of a geek in me not to

 

[ght56]

Here's my thoughts, I agree so many people here expect to see better performance out of the Ax processor, and that's been backed up by benchmarks and comparing the performance of existing Ax processors against the intel processors. So I think its reasonable to think that we will see better performance.

Also consider that Apple is going to highly tune the OS to fully work with the Ax and they wouldn't be releasing something that's a step back.

There's certainty going to be teething problems and the first gen may be problematic but overall I don't think its going to cause mass disappointment - at least not from the many people here who bend over backwards defending apple

Expectations do sometimes exceed reality with Apple releases, and sometimes these expectations just are not reasonable relative to what current levels of tech or manufacturing capability enables. This can sometimes end in disappointment even when Apple releases what is actually a spectacular product. This expectation for new, different, and redesigned may have not only fueled successes, but also partly fueled Apple with some of their greatest failures, such as the butterfly keyboard, in a quest to simply 'make something new' and not necessarily something 'better'.

Right now we have a few (unconfirmed?) synthetic benchmarks and no real-world tests between the Intel and AS devices using the identical OS and identical Apps, but what we have seen certainly looks promising. I think your take is very accurate - we will see better performance, but how much better is unknown. I think the bigger thing we will see though is massive gains in efficiency and this is where the biggest 'real world' impact could be felt by most users. And I also think there will also be teething problems, complete software support for specialty apps could take quite some time, and there could potentially be hardware issues with these early devices, but that's the reality of first gen devices that make radical shifts. I've learned my lesson with being the first to buy these types of first gen devices.

AS might both disappoint and delight. There will be people that will criticize AS no matter how good it is or how good it becomes or how big of an impact it has on the entire computing industry. There will also be those who will defend it no matter what and potentially blame Apple's design defects on the user. It's crazy how polarizing these inanimate devices can be.

All that said, I think Apple Silicon could usher in an exciting new era of computing, but right now many questions still remain. I'm optimistic and look forward to learning more.

 

[c0ppo]

Right now we have a few (unconfirmed?) synthetic benchmarks and no real-world tests between the Intel and AS devices using the identical OS and identical Apps, but what we have seen certainly looks promising.

I agree that it looks promising. But it's not just about chips performance, it's about software mostly.
Lots of 3rd party stuff won't work at first. Than there is all that x86 compatibility, and Windows only software people do need for work, and can do so now on any mac via bootcamp or virtualization. On AS, that becomes impossible.

I for one won't be affected by it. I will always have an x86 platform, and I tend to use all OS out there. But a lot of people will be affected by transition to AS. Now, I have no doubt in my mind that AS will be great. Maybe not at first, but in 2-3 years it will be great. Apple has proven that they can design great chips, so I have no reason to doubt them at all.

Only thing I do fear is locking Mac OS down even more. Maybe they won't do that, but than again, I have lots of reasons to thinking that they will lock Mac OS down. Not completely at first, but they will try to do so over time. I will see how Apple does in next 2 years. If they give me any evidence of even small locks on Mac OS (like removing SIP disable option), I won't be purchasing any macs from that point.

I already hate iPhones since they are so locked up it makes no sense to use one. At least for me. And I already hate Face ID and Apple pay when compared to FP sensor and Google Pay. So of course I wouldn't purchase any mac that goes that route.

But then again, we can only wait and see what will happen in future. Right now it's just a guessing game.

 

[LeeW]

The Mac Mini announcement was a bit of surprise today so I went for that, upgraded it to 16GB RAM, arrives 23rd Nov or thereabouts. Looking forward to trying it out and seeing how it feels. Clearly going to be bigger developments in the near future but this is all I would ever need anyway in terms of performance.

 

[maflynn]

I liked Marques Brownlee YT on the new macs

Not to get into the nitty gritty of each model, but rather point out the graphs and comparisons that apple used were purposely obtuse. For instance he pointed out where Apple mentioned its 3x performance over the best windows laptop in its class. He astutely pointed out that the best selling laptops are not always the fastest, and also what class are they talking about?

I'm no dumping on Apple's event, but just pointing out that nearly all references to performance were not exactly precise in terms of what they were comparing it too.

I'm sure these machines will be fast, and the battery life if accurate (and I have no reason to disbelieve the claims), is great.

 

[amgff84]

I've decided to get out of the Apple ecosystem once and for all. The move to Apple silicon was the final nail in the coffin for me.

I was always happy to live with Apple's limitations, such as the closed app store, the whole non repairable device thing and even the amount of money I spent on USB-C adapters over the years. Usually, they weren't so bad and using Apple services made everything work together beautifully, in a way that you could never dream on Windows without paying a fortune to various third parties and even then, it'd not be the same..

But in the past year I've been using Windows 10 heavily at work. I've been using Office / OneDrive / SharePoint / OneNote in particular and the flexibility and amount of work I can do on the browser, as well in 'full featured', almost 'messy' but packed to the brim with tools, menu bars and features that can seriously boost productivity / speed of working versus what I personally preferred and enjoyed on the Mac: bare, simple and minimal UI design. I started to feel like I was missing out.

I have some fears for the future of using the Mac and the Apple ecosystem. While I don't mind the closed ecosystem on iPad and iPhone, the same thing held me back when trying to get real work done on my iPad: lack of the good old full featured desktop apps, and in rare cases where a quality iPad centric app existed (e.g. Shapr 3D instead of SketchUp for CAD) it cost an absolute fortune, and felt like wearing oven gloves to do a waterpainting frankly. It crashed too when the going got ... not even that tough. And the annual subscription after the trial is way above what anybody who isn't using it to make a living could afford. This was the case with many, many apps to 'get things done' on iPad. Why is this relevant? Because I fear this is where the Mac is going when it moves to Apple chips. x86 apps will be broken overnight, not all developers will re-write for it, those who do might charge a fortune for a subscription. Maybe they will only be able to do so via the App Store... so it's not certain yet, but my next couple of thousand won't be spent on the current 'DOA' Intel stuff which we think Apple might drop in a matter of years. And I'm just not so sure the Macs future is where I want my computing to go - even Rene Ritchie admitted that now, Mac users will just need to have other devices around to do certain things.

I miss Apple when it's an underdog. When it did everything to add to the experience to grab us from the Windows world. It worked on me. But many of the delights: MagSafe, running Windows ("the only computer you'll ever need") and other things like the glowing Apple logo and startup chime have been ignored mostly - sure they're not important, but those features, even things like the Apple Store's metal walls are all just a memory now. Just to reiterate, these are my personal reasons / thoughts on leaving.

Microsoft on the other hand, and Windows. Well, they're like Apple was back then - they're doing everything they can now with their services (Outlook / Office / OneDrive) to make their apps 'good citizens' on all platforms. Now that I've moved to a cheap PC for the time being, my iPhone still sticks around but the Microsoft apps are working a charm surprisingly. There's feedback buttons everywhere in Windows 10. I last used it in 2017 and it left a bad taste in my mouth but things have improved. They seem to have an excitement update with shiny features twice a year too. And the hardware. Well, the choice is overwhelming initially but having enjoyed an iPad but missed a full computer, I'm starting to see the beauty in the 2-in-1 sort of devices that I once laughed at as a loyal Mac fan. Microsoft seems to not be an underdog by any means, but it's actively pushing to try and... dare I say delight? No, to meet the needs of its users based on what they're saying in feedback. It's evolving - but practically. Windows 10 still pretty much looks the same as 2015, but I can say for sure it's working a lot better year over year. The Mac updates haven't really given me that feeling since Mavericks.

Perhaps this is too long a rant, but I've read a few similar ones on here in this section. Suddenly now I'm getting a tonne of planning and designing done using OneNote. Wherever an idea strikes, be it when I'm working, out and about or on my own PC, I can open the app and it's synced and it's less fussy than any iOS or Mac app I've used for journaling - just drop it in and that's it. No fuss.

It's been a few weeks of Windows now and to be honest I'm not looking back like I was worried I might. I made a decision to stick with this cheap £100 laptop I got from work. It's a big, dumb 15.6" HD screen plastic, but full sized keyboard laptop with W10 Pro, an i3 6th Gen and had 4GB RAM / 500GB spinning drive. I spent another £100 on a Crucial 500GB SSD, 16GB of RAM and you know what? This thing is no workstation but it's fast, responsive, plays Minecraft the odd time, comfortable to use, the battery is shockingly good at lasting for hours on end, and even a few hours of Minecraft running.... I haven't decided whether I'll go for a 2-in-1 or a gaming laptop next year but so long as I can stick out Windows 10 for that amount of time, I think I'm officially back on the Windows side of the fence.

Now if they'd only release the Surface Duo here in the UK that'd be my next purchase.... but until then it's farewell Apple, old friend, it's been a great journey but now it's time to part ways.

If Microsoft made a phone, and I don't mean the stupid Android based surface, I would consider it. Now, the mish-moshing of ecosystems and all the extra apps creates this sort of chaos. You could bridge everything together with Google and other apps, but it wasn't seamless. I just went full on outta Apple for a couple months and it was miserable. I tried a Motorola phone, LG phone, and Windows, along with WearOS for the watch. It was just a mess. I'd rather nurse along dated hardware for what I do, than leave the ecosystem. At least I still have my Hackintosh, which is currently specced at a Mac Pro 6,1 and running the latest OS and is 100% functional.

 

[Spudlicious]

The Mac Mini announcement was a bit of surprise today so I went for that, upgraded it to 16GB RAM, arrives 23rd Nov or thereabouts. Looking forward to trying it out and seeing how it feels. Clearly going to be bigger developments in the near future but this is all I would ever need anyway in terms of performance.

I admire your confidence to be an early adopter. This is a most interesting time for the world of Mac and I look forward to reading how you and others get on with the new hardware platform, what bumps in the road you hit, and what really impresses you.

 

[LeeW]

I admire your confidence to be an early adopter.

It's not confidence in being an early adopter, I fully appreciate these are the 1st gen, entry-level devices. I am just keen to see for myself how these devices perform for my use case rather than relying on the armchair views from non-purchasers that always dominate this site.

 

[c0ppo]

Well, Apple is locking things down in Mac OS world.
And I really have no desire to participate in that sort of ecosystem. I'm not interested in phones, speakers or watches. I want a computer that I can use the way that I see fit. Apple choose the different direction than I desired, but that's ok, that is their right, and I respect that.

Now, I will have to use macs from time to time, since I develop apps/games for mac and iOS. But that will be only on my work hours. I don't really plan on purchasing a mac anymore. I see no reason, since I'm not locked into ecosystem, and even iMessage is dead in my country, everyone is on whatsapp.

Nothing surprised me at the event, except the design of mac mini and MBP. I really expected a redesign for new chips, even though we had no leaks or evidence prior to reveal. It's like Apple really doesn't care

 

[LeeW]

I really expected a redesign for new chips, even though we had no leaks or evidence prior to reveal. It's like Apple really doesn't care

I don't think anyone who was following even loosely expected a redesign at this stage, that was not what this launch was about. This was a simple launch some familiar-looking entry-level devices to showcase what ARM could do. Get them in the hands of people and start the self-marketing drive.

Clearly, they do have redesigned devices coming that will push will push the remaining Intel devices to the side. A 14" MBP, a new 16" and so on but they will have a different CPU, the M1X or whatever it ends up being.

As always on MR, a week ago 'this is going to be amazing, new shiny everything', 5 minutes after the event 'WTF, is that it, I will wait until next year'. But that is expected.

I am still fine with my Windows PC but I am interested, intrigued and a little excited by this change. Early stages of course but there are one or two initial views starting to emerge already as devices get into some hands and the reactions are remarkably positive. I will find out for myself soon enough.

Whilst I decided to give this a go with a Mac Mini (which is now laughably empty inside the chassis) I will probably get myself a MBA if they turn out as good as suggested, once we are out of this lockdown.

 

[maflynn]

I don't think anyone who was following even loosely expected a redesign at this stage,

I wasn't expecting it, but I was hoping, as it made sense - usher in a new platform with a new fresh design

 

[canesalato]

I am very conflicted. On one hand, WOW, these processors are amazing.
This kind of performance will shake the market. I feel sorry for every other company, because it will be hard to compete with Apple. Everyone else will need to get their processor from a third party (intel, AMD, or qualcomm) that has crazy margins for significantly inferior products.

My only hope is that the Windows world will be quick to transition to ARM and that each company starts making their own processors. Only this way they will be competitive, but it will take years (at least five).
I see only Samsung starting to do that and having a chance to be competitive sooner rather than later (they are smart and learn fast).
Microsoft should seriously consider buying Qualcomm, if feasible from an antitrust pov (but please don't destroy it).

That said, I don't like Apple anymore as a company. These new Macs are very promising, but not for me. I am not eager to be trapped again into their ecosystem. But most importantly, they still fail to provide the product I really want: a touch screen computer that runs every software I need, and well, including Windows. And it does not seem they will do that anytime soon. Actually, the Mac ecosystem is about to become even more restrictive.

But If I were Microsoft, I would be VERY worried. If Apple makes a touch screen ARM Macbook, or an iPad that runs MacOS for ARM, the whole Surface line will finally have real competition. And very hard competition.

Microsoft, what are you doing?? Where is Intel 64bit emulation on ARM? Surface Pro X still cannot run Lightroom or Dropbox, for god's sake. 😅 Even hardware wise, with Surface Pro X, Microsoft has decided to take a year off and it was an awful decision. Again, what are they thinking? 🙄

 

[SteveJUAE]

While it seems interesting times are we giving far too much credit to the average user

I don't mean it unkindly but simply how many laptops are picked by price, looks and logo and just a vague understanding of spec's and performance where the most likely probing question will be "can I do my emails" or similar

Sure for us here we can revel in details and benchmarks

I seen how excited many an Apple enthusiast is by these new developments but hardly a whiff that their existing hardware has just devalued greatly.

Perhaps Apple have done some a favor and those that still like Apple hardware that can run W10 can pick up some 2nd hand bargains now

I see this as another 6 courses of bricks added to the walled garden and I would think there is a slim chance of M1's being passed down the line over a new device being slotted in between IPad and Mac's. Apple are well known for not cannibalizing's sales of other devices and want you to own a device in every category and not a one stop solution that full OS tablets offer to some degree

I recently bought my wife a Samsung Book S ARM to replace her MB12 and she is more than happy with similar footprint and functionality with +17 hours endurance.

Like many who can similarly get by with an Ipad my wife is simply unconcerned with specs as long as it does what she needs. Being 2x or 3x faster than something is irrelevant for her and likely many others

 

[c0ppo]

Well, I really hate the touchbar. But this I hate even more. And yes, I do understand that the word 'hate' is a strong term to use, but in this case I find it appropriate.

Now Apple is becoming more and more like MS with their Windows?
I'm rather satisfied with Linux, now more so than ever.

 

[LeeW]

but hardly a whiff that their existing hardware has just devalued greatly.

Does make me glad I sold everything, apart from my broken iPad before now although I did just buy the New Mini.

Many believe it's all sunshine and rainbows for another 7-10 years as far as intel machines are concerned and the second-hand values will hold, I am betting they are wrong. Whilst I don't doubt Apple will continue to support all the existing machines until the numbers are low enough to justify dropping support, I am still betting on them speeding the process up.

How will they speed the process up? By sooner rather than later adding 'features' to macOS that will only find their way into the ARM version of macOS and not the intel version. Upgrade to a new device and get all the extras. The intel version of macOS, assuming ARM is a runaway success (I am sure it will be) Intel macOS will just enter a maintenance program thus forcing existing users to upgrade their now much less valuable kit in the second-hand market.

I see this as another 6 courses of bricks added to the walled garden

As always, the 'walled garden' is a term unknown to the vast majority of Apple users, neither do they care, as long as their device does what they want, they are not interested.

Like many who can similarly get bye with an Ipad my wife is simply unconcerned with specs as long as it does what she needs. Being 2x or 3x faster than something is irrelevant for her and likely many others

My wife is now at the stage where everything revolves around her iPhone and iPad, rarely opens the laptop these days. And the is the way so many are heading. She went out for lunch with friends last week and took her iPad, I was like 'why do you need that?'. Her reply was simply 'just in case I want to show something to the girls, we all carry our iPads'. Oh, ok then!

 

[zakarhino]

Cheers. Sounds like you made the right decision for you personally. None of us really care. Use what you want.

Why did you click on a thread that you don't care about?

Why did you reply to a thread that you don't care about?

 

[SteveJUAE]

Now Apple is becoming more and more like MS with their Windows?
I'm rather satisfied with Linux, now more so than ever.

That was interesting

Whilst I am not a tin foil hat wearer and I always believed that everything leaks but maybe Apple is just a little slower

The reality is a fete accompli as I certainly do not have the time and inclination to try and stop the leaks or slow them down

My miff has always been Apple advertisement of security being smoke and mirrors and the umbrella of their protection was really solely their apps and data stored on their server, they just allowed users to presume it was all in the app store etc

Now this and Big Sur is icing on the cake and really makes a mockery of Apples claims on security and privacy, let alone ownership rights

 

[canesalato]

That was interesting

Whilst I am not a tin foil hat wearer and I always believed that everything leaks but maybe Apple is just a little slower

The reality is a fete accompli as I certainly do not have the time and inclination to try and stop the leaks or slow them down

My miff has always been Apple advertisement of security being smoke and mirrors and the umbrella of their protection was really solely their apps and data stored on their server, they just allowed users to presume it was all in the app store etc

Now this and Big Sur is icing on the cake and really makes a mockery of Apples claims on security and privacy, let alone ownership rights

To me Apple is much creepier than Google. =)

They both spy on us, of course.
But we all know about google, Apple instead demands total devotion from us in believing they really care about our privacy, even when there is increasing evidence their privacy committment is, well...smoke and mirrors.

They had the guts to put out ads saying "what happens on your iPhone stays on your iPhone". Putting aside that this is factually FALSE, it is important to remind them that their iCloud backup (the only possible Cloud backup on iOS, surprise surprise) is not even encrypted end-to-end. Even when they promote and incentivate a "use and throw" culture, they have the guts to sell themselves as "the eco friendly tech company". And even people who are sensitive and intelligent often don't question these statements.
They just accept whatever Apple says, without noticing the numerous instances in which Apple's actions contradict their own statements.

Oh...this wonderful company ran by funny 60-year old dads, who all love each other's and enjoy making unscripted adorably cringy jokes at keynotes. Wonderful humans beings working hard everyday to make the world a better place.

Apple nowadays really, really, really gives me a "war is peace" vibe.

 

[LeeW]

I have always said, trust nobody with your data, always assume whatever you do on any connected device can and will be seen by someone or agency that you may prefer should not see.

The number of times I have been told on these forums that Apple is not like other companies, they are. Not saying they are worse and actually I would say they are still better than Google and others. But I would not choose Apple purely on the basis of their privacy claims.

Just because a company makes claims and you can't see what they are doing, does not make it true they are not doing it.

I remember sitting in the office one day, had an android phone at that time, it was about 15 mins before I usually finished and a message from Google flashed up saying my train was on time, leaving from Platform 11 and I could expect to be home by x time. How did they know all this? Tracking my routine!

None of this will get any better in the future.

 

[c0ppo]

The number of times I have been told on these forums that Apple is not like other companies, they are. Not saying they are worse and actually I would say they are still better than Google and others.

I'm the kind of guy that some would say 'put your tin foil hat on'. I openly admit it. I really dislike google, but at least they are open about their business model. Use their services, they will track what you do, and serve you ads based on your use case scenario. They even left China marker because of their government. As much as I don't like google, I can appreciate that.

Apple on the other hand gives hopes of false privacy. They claim they give a crap about their users privacy, but in reality they don't. Only thing that differentiates them from Google is that Apples services are really bad in comparsion. Every one of Apple services doesn't even come close to Googles services. From browsing, assistant, cloud to maps. Any service Apple has to offer is way worse than Google service. Except maybe iMessage.

None of this will get any better in the future.

I agree completely. I'm not from USA, and never even visited USA. But just looking at past 1-2 years, all these tracking and 'news' services are a complete joke. And as time goes by, things are just gonna get worse and worse.

 

[Sarbun96]

I wasn't expecting it, but I was hoping, as it made sense - usher in a new platform with a new fresh design

I think they are changing one thing at a time - proven designs (i know lol) but now to prove the ability of these processors in 'real computers', rather than an all new hybrid of iPad and Mac that the tech press might disregard as a 'toy'?

 

[glowplug]

and other things like the glowing Apple logo and startup chime have been ignored mostly

So much nostalgia, if only Cook understood that doing just these two things would boost Mac revenue by like 5%.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

Coming to this a bit late, as usual ...

I just find the Windows ecosystem old, out-of-date, complicated and clunky.

1. The OS is basically insecure, so a whole lot of processes are welded on top of it to try to make it more secure. These make installs and updates take a very long time. For example, on the same hardware, a minor update to Windows on an SSD can take 20 minutes or more, while a minor update on Linux on a HDD is less than 5 minutes and less than 10 minutes for MacOS on a Fusion drive. (I have done all three recently.)
2. The User Interface is unnecessarily complicated. On MacOS or Linux I can easily open up the main root volume in one step, while it takes at least 3 steps for Windows.
3. Networking is borked. I can easily scan my home network for shared drives on Mac and Linux, see them come up and connect to them. On Windows I have to know their IP address. On Mac and Linux I can see and connect to drives using SMB or AFP. Windows sees nothing. As said, I have to know the IP address and connect directly.
4. The Registry is a concept that was out-of-date in 2000. Two decades later we still have it.

Other platforms are making improvements in security and performance. Not Microsoft. Apple has introduced a whole new layer of security with its locked System Volume. Ubuntu has improved performance so much that running it from a HDD is quite acceptable, whereas Windows now needs a good SSD to be at least acceptable.

Apple has decided to adopt a new architecture because Intel has reached the limits of what it can do. Debian/Ubuntu have made ARM versions of their OS and many developers have done the same with their apps. Windows has sort of a version for ARM, but haven't really committed to it. Intel is at a dead end, just as 8080/8086, Motorola 68000 and PowerPC RISC chips all came to a dead end.

Microsoft needs to commit to an ARM architecture, running MS Linux with a secure kernel, and with WINE-style support built in while developers transition from Old Windows to New WinLinux. Apple developers have done it when they transitioned from PowerPC/System 9 to Intel/macOS 10 and are doing it now with the transition to ARM/macOS 11. It's about time for Windows developers to be hauled out of the 1990s, where many of them are still stuck, into the second decade of the new century. Even Microsoft. There are still some dialog boxes in Windows 10 2004 that are straight out of 1995, FFS!!!

Honestly, if Microsoft was running the airline industry we would still be flying around in 707s and 727s.

Basically, if you need to run MS Windows, you need to do it, but it's not something you do for pleasure...

 

[maclove2020]

It seems a mixed ecosystem is popular nowadays. People seem to prefer a few devices from Mac but then opt for other devices for key activities. I've especially seen this being the case in gaming. I came across an interesting German article about gaming laptops where they focus on the key aspects of what's needed and no mention of a Mac.

https://www.kaufberater.io/gaming-notebook-test/ The article is in German but you can translate it using Google Translate or DeepL. https://www.deepl.com/en/translator

I use only mac so far. I use it for design purposes. Illustrations transfer well between my phone, tablet, laptop and vice versa. It's all a comfort thing and maybe a bit of I've always used this. I know for instance my sister swears on an Android phone.

 

[maflynn]

just find the Windows ecosystem old, out-of-date, complicated and clunky.

1. The OS is basically insecure, so a whole lot of processes are welded on top of it to try to make it more secure. These make installs and updates take a very long time. For example, on the same hardware, a minor update to Windows on an SSD can take 20 minutes or more, while a minor update on Linux on a HDD is less than 5 minutes and less than 10 minutes for MacOS on a Fusion drive. (I have done all three recently.)
2. The User Interface is unnecessarily complicated. On MacOS or Linux I can easily open up the main root volume in one step, while it takes at least 3 steps for Windows.
3. Networking is borked. I can easily scan my home network for shared drives on Mac and Linux, see them come up and connect to them. On Windows I have to know their IP address. On Mac and Linux I can see and connect to drives using SMB or AFP. Windows sees nothing. As said, I have to know the IP address and connect directly.
4. The Registry is a concept that was out-of-date in 2000. Two decades later we still have it.

1. Its not basically insecure, but you do need to ensure that you have the system configured. Basic tools available also permits an increased level of security.

2. If people want a fisher price interface, then yes use mac os Seriously, what the windows UI/UX has wrong is lack of constancy, what it get's right is configuration and customization. Tools from stardock highlight the flexibility and freedom that macOS lacks.

3. I'd say the ease of scanning your home network, is a lack of knowledge on your part, not an inherent flaw in windows

4. No argument, but in all truthfulness, the need to go into the registry is nearly non-existent and MS has done a lot to minimize any possible registry issues. I maintain desktops and windows servers and the need to make a change in the registry is a rarity.

Basically, if you need to run MS Windows, you need to do it, but it's not something you do for pleasure..

I actually prefer to use windows, I find the amount of control you have in working with the OS superior to that of macOS. while Linux offers greater control, it lacks apps. I think you're confusing preference with objectivity, Is Windows perfect, no far from it. Is macOS, or Linux perfect? Nope they have their own issues, both with bugs and design choices.

Get the best tool that fits your preferences and needs, one platform is not inherently weaker then the other.