Why I Use a Mac

I’ve been preparing for my ABA TechShow presentation on practicing law with a Mac and reading about Microsoft’s most recent advertising blitz explaining Laura is not “cool enough” for a Mac. It got me thinking about why I use Apple computers.

First, My Short History

I’m part of the original computer generation. I got my start programming basic on a Radio Shack (before “Tandy”) Color Computer with a whopping 4k of memory. I didn’t actually own one. I just rode my Schwinn 10-speed to the Radio Shack a few days a week where the sales guys were kind enough to leave me alone so long as I agreed to save my programs (to cassette tape of course) so they could show customers the great stuff you could do with it.

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I eventually got my hands on an Atari 400. I loved it. It had this spectacularly crappy plastic keyboard that made you stop and press each “key” or your code was a mess. It didn’t matter. I had it hooked up to a recycled 13” color TV and was in bliss.

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I was in High School when the Macintosh made its debut and while I certainly lusted after one, there was no way I could afford it. It wasn’t until college that I started spending serious time on Macs and it quickly became my platform of choice. When I got to law school, I was told (very gently) there was no point in using Macs since they were completely absent from the practice of law. So I bought a PC clone and learned to use Windows 3. The first time I opened Windows, I was astonished at how bad it was. It crashed. It fought me every step. I didn’t really have a choice, so I adapted and learned to tiptoe the Windows minefield. Over a period of years, Windows evolved and I grew used to its quirks. In short, the software trained me and I grew accustomed to its limits. I became a Windows power user and was able to get get through that minefield pretty quickly without getting any limbs blown off, very often.
The universe then combined to bring me back to Apple. Looking back, I can identify exactly how this happened:

1. I Watched Al Gore’s Movie.

I do a lot of presentation work and was blown away by Al’s presentation. I was a PowerPoint ninja and had no clue how he was doing those transitions or making those fonts render so nicely. A little research disclosed that he did it on a Mac. That got me thinking.

2. Steve Moved the Mac to Intel.

This really was the watershed event. When Macs started shipping with Intel chips, I *knew* it wouldn’t be long before I could run any necessary Windows applications on them. I was right.

3. Epiphany.

The final straw was my new Dell. It was three months old and I was already having issues with it. The hardware was fine. The trouble was the rubber band and scotch tape hodge podge that is Windows. It occurred to me that even 15 years after the “switch”, the process of using a Windows computer was still more tedious than the Mac 512 I used “back in the day.” I spent more time taking care of the computer than the computer did taking care of me. I had enough. I quit. I sold the relatively new Dell at a small loss and went to the Apple Store.

Why I Use a Mac

I’m sure part of my infatuation with Macs is reverting to the computers I loved growing up but there are also a few practical reasons:

My Mac Saves Time

From the first time I booted up my Intel Mac, I immediately became more productive on my computer. It was like someone finally turned off that white noise that started the first time I booted Windows 3. No longer does the computer require me to adapt to it. The user experience is designed to serve me, not the opposite.
I’m sure there are lots of reasons why this is true. One company, with the Steve Jobs’ “no compromise” mentality part of its culture, controlling every component from the hardware to operating system to software development environment is one reason. A group of dedicated developers (with a sense of taste and style) is another. Perhaps the most underestimated part of the Mac experience is the massively supportive user base. Today I was sitting in an airport working on this post on my MacBook Air when a complete stranger walks up to me and points at my Mac and says, “So did you buy the new MacHeist?” There is no other computer where you get that experience. The only discussions about other computers usually involve some sort of pain. “So, how DID you get all that crapware off your new Dell?”
I’m sure there are more reasons. The bottom line is I got a noticeable bump in productivity when I switched. I also found my self-trained limits on what I could do with my prior PC’s needed to be thrown out. Suddenly I found myself able to make movies (good movies), produce music, manage photography, diagram and manage work projects better, faster, and easier than ever before.

The Mac is My Edge

I’m a strange duck as an attorney. About half of my work is transactional. This is where I make deals for clients, write contracts, wills, trusts and help people purchase, form, and sell companies. This is what I call “win-win” work. If I do my job right, everybody benefits from these transactional matters. The other half of my work is litigation. That is where there are two groups at odds. These matters are usually resolved by a guy in a black robe and nearly always involve a winner and a loser. The rub is, I hate to lose.
A computer does not allow you to magically win lawsuits, but technology is certainly a factor. I have always used technology in my practice. I am in a small firm and often find myself against attorneys from very large firms with many more assets, attorneys, and support staff behind them. The smart use of technology is how I even the playing field. I have been hauling projectors to the courthouse since before anyone even knew what a “Powerpoint” was. Switching to the Mac was my next step in staying ahead of the technology curve. It worked. My Keynote presentations are fantastic. Likewise, everything from planning strategies through generating trial graphics and editing deposition video that I do on my Mac is, frankly, better than anything I’ve ever seen my PC opponents put together. My technology is so much better, that I’ve even been accused of being “slick” at trial because the other guy simply doesn’t know what else to say when the jury looks at my animated Keynote against his random scriblings on a chalkboard.

The Mac is Fun

Using a computer should not be compared to getting teeth drilled. Nonetheless, that was my Windows experience. In contrast, the Mac has been a joy. I had no idea when I switched how much better I would get at photography or that I would rekindle a 20-year dormant hobby of writing music simply by switching computer hardware.
I don’t think owning a Mac has as much to do with being “cool” as it does with demanding that the technology serve you and not the opposite.

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Macworld Moves to February

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Today IDG announced 2010 Macworld moved from January to February 9 – 13, 2010. The location will remain at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. I spoke with several developers, exhibitors, and attendees at this year’s Macworld and the one point everyone agreed to was that having the event the week after New Years and the same time as CES was madness. I think the move to February was a good thing and should make it easier for attendees and exhibitors alike.
Free Expo Hall registration for Macworld 2010 will remain open, for a limited time, so if you are thinking about it, go register. I’ve been to several Macworld expos and for me the experience has always been defined by the community, not the Apple booth, so start making your plans now.

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Today Review

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One of the best features of Microsoft Entourage is My Day, a little window that summarizes your appointments and tasks. While I’m not an Entourage user, I must admit a little envy at that simple little window. Apparently I’m not alone. Developer Second Gear Software wrote their own application, appropriately called “Today” that works with iCal data giving you the benefit of My Day without the overhead of Entourage

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Using Today, in one narrow window I can get all of a particular day’s events and tasks. Today reads works with the Leopard iCal calendar database so you have the same data without using the screen real estate. If you move an event in Today, it is also adjusted in iCal and all of your iCal connected devices. Switching to a different day is as simple as clicking on the date and selecting your new view from the drop down calendar. You can also move incrementally by clicking on obvious little triangles. Today recognizes the different colors of your iCal calendars and recreates them in its view.
Using Today you can do more than just view your calendar. You can also add events. The recent 1.6 update added natural language detectors for adding new events so setting a meeting for tomorrow, you can type the date or just “tomorrow.”

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If you manage your tasks through the iCal and Apple Mail database, you also have full control of them in Today. If you check off a task in Today, it automatically updated in Mail and iCal. I tested this feature and it worked. I didn’t use it extensively however since my task list system is outside the iCal/Apple Mail database.
There are several useful settings allowing Today to be as visible (or subtle) as you please. For instance you can make the Today window always on top of your desktop or hide it in you menu bar.
Once you get comfortable with Today, you will find yourself opening iCal a lot less often. For laptop users, that is a good thing. A Today license is $15. Second Gear has a free trial period.
You can listen to this review on the MacReviewCast Episode #203.

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Curio Review

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I have to admit I’m pretty plugged in when it comes to Mac applications. That is why it is always fun to discover a gem I’ve never heard of. That happened recently with an application from Zengobi software, called Curio.

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Curio really doesn’t fit into any easy categories. I guess you could call it a project organization and data collection tool. I’ve come to think of it as a playground for my brain. It has several modules including outlines, notes, mind maps, “to do” lists, PDF annotation, images, and embedded web pages. I’ve used a lot of data collection applications and this one is truly unique. In a lot of ways it reminds me of a wall in my apartment I used in college. I’d tape on notecards, pictures, and ideas. It was very liberating being able to move things around and make new connections. Using Curio, I can now do this on my Mac. You can add and layout pages with whatever modules fit your needs. For instance on one project I have a page with a mind map, another page has a chronological outline, and a third page has images of relevant web pages. You really are limited only by your imagination.

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My biggest problem with Curio was getting my arms around it. Everytime I thought I had it figured out, I’d push another button and find another useful tool. You can even add voice annotations and draw with a pen tablet. One of the most recent updates ties Curio to your Evernote database. Now I can see my entire Evernote library from inside Curio and drag Evernote assets straight into my Curio projects. This makes both applications much more useful.
Curio gives you the ability to combine nearly unlimited capture with nearly unlimited format. Put simply, you can throw just about anything at it and organize it according to your own personal wiring. It is definitely the most flexible data organization tool in my bag of tricks.

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While Curio has a lot of tools, it does not match the functionality of exclusive use applications. For instance, OmniOutliner is a more powerful outliner than Curio’s. Likewise, the mind map function isn’t as robust as an exclusive mind mapper. I still use my more powerful single use tools for big jobs. However, the Curio tools are usually enough.

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Curio comes in two flavors, a standard edition for $99 and a professional version for $149. The pro version includes a additional tools including a status shelf, pre-built templates, a presentation mode, a dossier feature that helps you start new projects, and encryption. For students, there is a $69 academic license. You can download a free trial from the Zengobi.com. This one that is definitely worth checking out.

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You can listen to the above review on the Mac ReviewCast #202.

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