Follow up link

Here's a great article on the history of the personal computer... outlining OS's hardware and their market share


http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/total-share.ars/1

Customer Service, Apple Dell and Craftsman Tools

If you have any close relationship with me you've probably heard my disdain for all things apple including the ipod, the mini, and pretty much anything else they've come up with.

My first major beef was the cost to performance ratio that they kept at a rediculous level. Prior to the introduction of Intel based mac's, Apple utilized two or three generation old video cards and processors that just couldn't compete (I'm talking <=G4, don't even get me starteded on a $10k G5). Also realize that because of their philosophy (below) they maintain about double the profit margin of Dell.

Beef #2 -- Compatibility-- I work in IT, I manage a corporate network for a living. I have worked for lots of small businesses looking for an easy to manage network with flexibility of user control and scalability. It is almost always necessary to have a common platform as well. It's just not possible to survive with these requirements AND maintain an apple based network system. Windows is King for the small business (especially with the release of 2003 Small business server)

And as for those who say "it works better for my creative stuff" i will guarantee that your software will run on a PC for less money. Adobe has even had press releases claiming that their software will run better on a PC. Forgive me for just not being that convinced.

Lets also not forget market share... since 1999 Apple's market share has declined from somewhere around 4% to somewhere raround 2%

Beef #3 --Philosophy-- As an american, i generally believe that capitalism is the most functional economic system (taking into account human factors). The 'PC' market is an excelent example of capitalism. For every piece of hardware/software it is possible to choose from a wide array of vendors. This drives down price (see beef 1) and keeps forward motion on the technology. Until recently Apple maintained a complete closed loop with regard to their technology. Apple systems will be build BY apple and run APPLE operating systems. No more.... No less...

Recently Apple has allowed windows to be installed on their new x86 processor based systems, but you still must purchase their hardware, that will come with their OS. . . . still not quite there.

Beef #4 ---Support--- Let's talk about Craftsman tools. Ask any guy in the know what is the best hand tool to purchase (outside of highly specialized fields) and they will tell you: craftsman. Why?--Simple, craftsman policy with regards to their hand tools has always been, if you break it--- we replace it. If you snap that #00 screw driver in two, they replace it. IF you find a rusted out pair of pliers from 20 years ago--- they will replace it.

Am i willing to pay a little extra for this service? you betcha...... I'm also willing to make the same concession on any Laptop i would purchase.

Thus the final reason i find it impossible to purchase an Apple laptop. As good as apple care is, you ultimately still have to mail it in. With my Inspiron 8600, i can smash the LCD today, and have a tech here tomorrow replacing it for me-- sitting right here...... in ONE DAY. If you really go nutz, you can get 4 hour response on some systems.

The numbers: If you pull the gross numbers for personal computers and compare them to apple's you can find that as an industry it has grown 13% quarter on quarter whereas apple has actually declined 11% quarter on quarter
(Source: http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=14763 )

Where are they getting their Dollars? look in your pocket... they probably used to be there--- and have been replaced by an expensive piece of art that will hold music, pictures and video.... they call it an IPOD.

The article linked above provides more insight into the business models (specifically comparing Apple and Dell)

And lest you think i'm a total dell rep, if dell stopped offering complete care tomorrow-- i would search for the next best thing. Also, if Apple corrected all of my complaints.... Made OSX available for all systems, allowed outside vendors to develop OSX compatible hardware, and offered me at home service on my notebook, then you could probably find me with a shiny new macbook.

[Apple] [Dell] [Craftsman] [Service] [technology]

Header images

I made some new header images -- if you're looking at a feed, be sure to check it out

Best of Bob

Bob Hyatt, over at Bob.blog; who, to be honest i'm not sure how i started reading, has a great post on church planting. One comment really struck a chord with me:

If you do this might you fail? I guess it depends on how you define
failure. They say 80% of church plants fail. I don’t know about that… all I can say is that I think that many church plants that seem to be failures by the standard of “Did they make it?” were probably great adventures for many involved, probably introduced people to Christ and probably made a practical difference in the lives of some people who really needed those small, “failing” churches. I think that the biggest failures in the church planting world aren’t the ones who function as a community for 1, 2 or 5 years and then disband to go do something else. I think the biggest failures in the church planting world are the churches that never even get started, for whatever eason- whether because of fear, because of lack of encouragement or simply because no one asked “Well, why shouldn’t we?”

I can really echo that sentiment, having been apart of a plant that ''failed''; a plant that introduced me to my beautiful bride, a church that brought many back to God. As much as I may see human reasons why we failed, or why others may not succeed, God's timing/plan is not our own, and we just need to trust him---

PMR

So the new thing in hard drives is perpendicular magnetic technology... this essentially means they rotated the magnetic particles to cram more into each platter on a hard drive..... resulting in this:


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148134


thats right, a 750gb hard drive...... did i mention that newegg is also throwing in a 250gb for free....



did i mention that my birthday is coming soon :-) ;-)

Immigration

Just to touch on it--

I did watch a good chunk of last night's presidential address, (missed the last part as a result of putting the kiddies to bed). From what I saw I think George was took a good balanced approach. He gave consideration to both sides of the argument with an even hand that the leader of this country should posess..... He also came up with what appears now to be a fair solution.

He made the distinction between those who are recent immigrants to those that have been here for years and have established life. He spoke of not giving these people a free ride to citizenship. He mentioned a temporary worker program, and better enforcement of the policies already in place.

I would probably prefer a harsher approach, but thats my human vindictive side, and since the issue affects my everyday life very little I don't have any HUGE opinions on it.


I also heard that CNN aired some of the president rehersing for his speach (about 45 seconds before he was supposed to air). It definetly sounds like it didnt make him look that great. . . Isn't the news media supposed to be unbiased???

~~~


one more thing--- Pres Bush talked about 'high tech fences', so i did some google imaging and this is what i came up with

low tech fence:

High tech Fences:

More Header Images

I've added a few more header images... these come courtesy of Steve McCoy over at Reformmissionary. You can check out his other photos over at his photoblog or his Flickr Account.


Thanks Steve!

Funny Street Prank

Wednesday Tech Tip

Okay, I am starting a new recurring (weekly) post. We are going to Call it Wednesday Tech Tip. The wednesday tech tip can be something i find useful or an answer to someone's question. To submit a question for WTT, simply drop me an email (peter@peterwebber.net). Today's tip is a result of a malfunctioning Maxtor External Hard Drive. Tony Morgan's Blog Chronicals his heartache with this drive. The below tip is also available in tony's post under comments
~~
Using a Standard Internal Computer Hard Drive as an External Backup Drive
~~
Any internal Hard drive can be used as an external drive with a simple case that will cost you less than 30$

for example, this 100$ 320gb drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144392

Insert it into this $20 External USB Enclosure:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817155515

and you've built your own external backup drove for $125 plus maybe $10 for shipping.


now what about software you ask? Easy, for a simple backup of your Entire Main Hard Drive (we'll call it C:) to your backup drive (we'll call it E:) the DOS (will work in XP too!!) command is
xcopy C:\*.* E:\*.* /c /h /e /r /k /y
this can be automated by creating a 'batch file' (using notepad.exe, type that text and save as 'backup.bat') once you have your batch file, use windows' built in scheduler to run the batch every day/week/month/year (whenever you want).

your files will appear on the backup drive EXACTLY the SAME as the files on your main drive.

Starbucks Post

There's something very cliche about sitting in starbucks with my laptop open.... i though i'd add to it and post a blog.

CMS has a great post about authenticity as it relates to (you guessed it) church marketing. They nailed my main reason for having a general disdain for sales people.

It's especially important when promoting the kingdom to not leave people feeling like they got a raw deal, they are not being told the whole truth or worse they've been lied to. Church marketing needs to tread that fine line between reaching people where they are and bringing people to the church on hype alone.

Hype will get people in the door--- but if the Holy spirit can't cut through the hype to reach a soul-----it's all worthless.
thus ends my very first post from starbucks

so is this what it feels like to be a church planter?

new headers

I've setup rotating Header pics for the blog. If you RSS feed this, check it out. There are about 9 pics right now and i will add more as time goes on.

blog quote

Scott Adams, writer of the "dilbert" line of comics/etc... has this to say about voting:

Personally, I don't vote. That's partly because I know there isn't enough
information available for me to make an informed decision, and partly because
the rich white guys in power (my peeps) are doing a good job of taking from the
poor and giving to me. I don't have much to gripe about.

NIw, i don't agree with the gist of his post, but the "my peeps" made me laugh out loud at work. . .