...to say the 'I'

Nose spray. Many people seem afraid of it, like they'll get addicted or something, but don't be. It brings unfathomable relief. Especially when you're trying to sleep. And don't get worried, as I did at first, if you need to use it for a few weeks, either. You're not addicted, colds just last a long time.

That said, I'm sorry you're sick! Get well soon.

Noooo! Don't succomb to the allure of cheap, crappy, virus-infected PCs. Stick with Macs. They're better.

Ben, I would agree with you, but I can't keep spending money to update my computer with entirely new software each time I upgrade my OS. Windows seems to be much better at running old software, and more software seems to be designed to be able to run on any newer version of Windows (e.g., Windows 2000 can run Word 98). Not to mention that PC software tends to be much cheaper.

Here's what happened. I couldn't find a webcam that would run on OS 9 (except, perhaps, for Mac's $150 version). So I upgraded to OS X Panther. I bought my ($80) Logitech webcam, and it turns out that Panther is too *new* to run the Logitech software. In addition, if I want to run Office 2001 or Photoshop 5.0 (old, I know), I have to go back to Classic--yep, OS X is too new.

What's up with that?

What you're saying is that you bought a webcam without checking to see if it would run on your version of the OS. Further, you're complaining that you need to run software designed for a previous version of the OS on the current version. I don't know that this is necessarily an indictment of the Macintosh.

Two points: Logitech *will* upgrade their drivers and Office 2001 *will* run under Mac OS X via Classic. It's not like you can't run it at all; you just need to use the compatibility software built in to the OS.

The reason why Windows can run Word across all OS versions is because the underlying code of Windows hasn't changed since Windows 95. Mac OS 9 to Mac OS X was a complete architectural change.

Also, remember that switching to Windows will require you to buy your software again and you'll definitely have to start protecting yourself against viruses, worms, and spyware.

Bill, I fear that you caught me on a bad day. I just hope that you won't take this entry as representative of...well, my personality in general. Anyway, to address what you said:

I bought a webcam that said it was compatible with OS X (on the outside of the box). I opened it up to find that it worked up to 10.2.6, whereas my OS is 10.3. It seems a little strange to me (though I am pretty handicapped when it comes to computers) that something could run on 10.2.6 but not on 10.3, but fine. Best Buy took the webcam back. Of course Logitech will update their drivers--but I needed the webcam back in June, not in September or October, when they get around to releasing the drivers (that's the estimate they gave me). I wanted my boyfriend, who's a Marine serving in Iraq, to be able to see me online. Oh well. The point is, if I had a PC, I could have bought a $40 webcam that would have worked.

Unfortunately, OS X is already a strain on my computer (a 4 year-old iMac)--running programs in Classic is possible, but quite slow and unwieldy. And, I bought OS X so I could run OS X--not so that I could play around on the internet in OS X while I do real work in Classic. I suppose I didn't do enough research on what the changeover would entail.

I didn't realize that 9 to X was a "complete architectural change," so thanks for that info. I suppose that if I was caught on the cusp of such a change in the Windows OS, I would find myself having the same problems with a PC. It just seems to me that Microsoft does a much better of job of ensuring backwards compatibility. There are plenty of other issues, too. In general, I just find it harder (being your average, non-techie computer user) to have a Mac in a Windows-dominated world.

If I want my computer to function efficiently--i.e., to be able to get right into Word without waiting 20 minutes for Classic to start up--I'll have to buy all new software anyway, and buying software (not to mention hardware and accessories) is much more expensive for Mac than for PCs, as I'm sure you know.

On the other hand, the new iMac sure is a beaut! But, I won't be in a position to buy a new computer for a while anyway, and when I do, it will most likely be a laptop.

Thanks for the visit and the information.

Fair enough. I had an iMac from 1998 (which is basically a slower version of the computer you have) and I couldn't imagine running OS X on that computer!

What was your purpose in moving from OS 9 to OS X? I think you may have made the transition erroneously. If you have any questions or need any assistance with Mac issues, please feel free to email me.

I can assure you that Mac OS X is a pleasure if you've got a new computer. Mac software may be marginally more expensive but they're usually quite a bit better. You may be thinking of Microsoft Office, which costs several hundred dollars for the Mac but is generally bundled with PCs.