Adobe Troubles (longer)

[Jerry Budd]

Hi Bob,

It's easy to say that Scaled would be just as successful if they were 
using PCs instead of Macs, but they're not using PCs.  This is a 
company that can use anything they want, yet their platform of choice 
is a Mac (training wheels and all).

If you know Burt personally, you know he's not bashful about stating 
his opinion.  Burt/Scaled has been pretty open about how their use of 
Macs has saved them a great deal of time and money because of the 
higher productivity gained by using Macs instead of PCs.  But that's 
just their opinion, what would they know about it anyway?

I agree with your comment about will and determination, but your 
comment about the selection of tools is off the mark.  Flight 
test/research by it's very nature is a harsh business.  You make a 
mistake and someone may die.  Picking the right tool can be just as 
important as interpreting the data, use the wrong one and you get 
answers that are wrong, or even no answers at all.  Anything you can 
do to make the job easier helps, even if only to give you more time 
to sit back and think about what you are doing, hopefully before you 
do something dumb.  IMHO, most engineering mistakes are made when one 
is in a hurry and struggling to get answers out.  Having a balky 
computer certainly does not help the situation.

What does this have to do with Macs vs PCs?  Well, more than you'd 
think.  The simple fact is that Macs rarely get in the road of 
getting the work done, something that generally can't be said of PCs. 
Look around, there is a not insignificant percentage of PC users who 
have persistent problems with their PCs.  Macs have some issues too, 
but they pale in scope and magnitude compared to the problems PCs 
have.

Now I really don't care what computer anyone else chooses to use, 
that's their business.  I just think it's interesting that so many 
people with PCs seem to be so anxious to attack the concept that a 
Mac might actually be a viable machine/OS.  The vast majority who 
have tried both prefer the Mac (not all but most).  Go back and read 
Randall Bearden's eMail on this topic, he makes some good points (and 
like I, he's had both platforms).

I think it's time to end this thread.  Anybody want to debate the 
merits of Futaba vs JR?   |-O

Thx, Jerry


>IMHO, it all comes down to the application software.
>Quirks in the OS can be overcome by the application
>developer.
>
>The fact is that there are far more choices in
>application software for the windows platform. Lots of
>bad ones, lots of good ones. At least there are more
>choices.
>
>As far as the remark about Scaled Composites using the
>Mac platform, I don't really think anyone would say
>that Scaled owes any of their successes to the Mac.
>I'm sure they could have found application software
>for the windows platform that would have given them
>the same success they have achieved with the Mac.
>
>Come to think of it, Burt was designing successful
>planes before either the Mac or Windows hit the
>market. And his first sketches of the Voyager was by
>hand on a table napkin.
>
>All of the best technology in the world will never
>guarantee success. Success is about will and
>determination, not about the selection of tools.
>
>Bob R.

-- 
___________
Jerry Budd
Budd Engineering
(661) 722-5669 Voice/Fax
(661) 435-0358 Cell Phone
mailto:jerry at buddengineering.com
http://www.buddengineering.com
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