You would earn the respect of your readers if your comparisons were based on facts only and would point out the pros and cons of both platforms. But knowing you, it will be extremely unlikely that objectivity will be maintained, so maybe it's best to not embark on such a journey at all.

David, "without raising hackles" is the operative phrase, I'm afraid. From what I've seen, it would be a bit like trying to present a rational disourse on the pros and cons of health care reform. It's going to push hot buttons, no matter what you say. Probably the best way to handle it is to emphasize that it's a purely personal experience that might not work for everyone. Even that won't put the fire out, but it might contain it. Good luck with it, and I'm looking forward to reading it, even though I have no intention of switching from PC to Mac. Better the devil you know... (See, it's started already!)

Frans,

I am a subject, my perspective is singular so objectivity is to a very large extent alien and irrelevant to what I have to write, which is how I as person have experienced something. Being objective is from this reality often a masquerade, just a cover for other motives. The Nazis tried to be objective about the Jews they murdered by giving them numbers tattooed on their arms to replace their names, their identities as subjects. I don't think individuals can do good by assuming objectivity, they mislead themselves and others by doing so by denying the fact we are subjects and as such necessarily subjective. We do a better job sometimes by just being honest and candid, particularly that what is written is from a basis of personal experience and what we are writing about is not something from which we are detached. Be careful what you wish for.

In the recent hearings about choosing a Supreme Court judge some expressed wanting objectivity in a jurist, but if I were before a judge, I would of course want fairness but also the empathy I am being judged by a complete human being not an unfeeling object. The consequences of judgment applies to real people, not objects.

Bill,

Thanks, but your not making it easier or looking any more likely to succeed. However, I really have my doubts you believe the devil you know is better than one you don't when it may not be a devil at all?

Seems eveyone is looking for truth -- almost as everyone wants to go to heaven; no one wants to leave. And, with the law -- if all got their just deserve -- no one would be alive -- thanjk Goodness many times the spirit of the law is invoked in making the final decision.

One real measure to show PC vs Mac supremecy would be a comparison in a case or cases where one computer rises above the other for the particular operation or operations. Does anyone always need fast, does anyone always need whatever?

Usually, in these instances, not to harm it always ends do you really need this and does the greater expense justify one or the other.

The answer will come quickly by doing an example here in this forum -- then a cdecision can be made to publish?

Good fortune on your endeavout.

I am afraid you are both right and wrong. Ideally reason and fact should prevail. But if the present political debate on healthcare reform is any indicator, neither reason or fact are having any influence but fear of any kind of change is. But I knew that already, and so far no one has shown me a path around that lethal combination of fear and ignorance.

Quote:
Ideally reason and fact should prevail. But if the present political debate on healthcare reform is any indicator, neither reason or fact are having any influence.

You got to be kidding, right? The facts have no influence on the health care "reform" debate? It is touted as a cure for the broken health care system, at no additional cost and better care. Fact is, it's a socialist power grab and the people be damned.

This is no place for a political debate. But Fran, thanks for proving my point. The reform bills in Congress have no provisions or feature that can be properly identified as socialism, unless you don't understand that socialism is a word that describes an economic system where the public owns the means of production. A public insurance option is not a means of production, just a non-profit method of financing healthcare. So tell my why it is better that private, for profit insurance providing the means to finance health care is an advantage to anyone. It is in fact one of the primary reasons why Americans pay over 2X as much for the same healthcare others obtain for less. As for a power grab, it would do just the opposite, taking power away from insurance companies that now dictate health policy and put it in the hands of the public. It still is a government of, by and for the people, right? Or would you rather have your life's medical decisions controlled by a profit making corporation that is answerable to no one?

David,

You said: "...you don't understand that socialism is a word that describes an economic system where the public owns the means of production."
Oh really? Here is my definition in the context of my post: "a society where the government owns and controls major parts of the means of communication, production and distribution, capital, land, etc."

You also said: "So tell my why it is better that private, for profit insurance providing the means to finance health care is an advantage to anyone."
Well, let's see: capitalism provides goods and services of higher quality and lower cost, all the time, every time.

You also said: "It is in fact one of the primary reasons why Americans pay over 2X as much for the same healthcare others obtain..."
Yes, we pay more in direct costs than others, but those others get health care of inferior quality (look it up one of these days, for instance survival rates for serious ailments like cancer) and that care is heavily subsidized with general tax money, resulting in serious underreporting of the true costs involved.

You also said: "As for a power grab, it would do just the opposite, taking power away from insurance companies that now dictate health policy and put it in the hands of the public."
There are two fatal flaws in this argument. 1) insurance companies compete with each other, something that works wonders in a capitalist system to keep costs down and 2) Obamacare wont' put health care in the hands of the people but in the hands of politicians and bureaucrats in Washington.

You also said: "It still is a government of, by and for the people, right?"
Correction: since how long is Washington no longer governing of, by and for the people? The last 6 months, 8.5 years, 16.5 years? You pick the number, but the result is the same.

You also said: "Or would you rather have your life's medical decisions controlled by a profit making corporation that is answerable to no one?"
I'd rather see decisions made by me and my doctor than by a politician/bureaucrat. About 85% of Americans are happy with their current health care.

What a bunch of conuprie juice. Lest we forget CCCP or more known as USSR United socialist soviet republic. Once they got their freedom and signed the accord -- the public went wild and the question is whether they will ever rcover? They went poor fighting and now we are following them into the poor house with Afghanistan now our new agenda. Where their mentality is to pay the workers with Viagra. Maybe this makes stiffer soldiers to srtand upright. Viagra now used in old age homes for men -- it keeps them from rolling ouyt of bed. LOL Guess the Chinese were right that we would eat ourselves from within and Russia telling us they would give us all the rope we needed. Seems no one remembers the past just a lot of boloney that takes up the American mind as it has done here. L o L

Okay, now can we get back to photography?

OK gang let's move this debate back to CNN or wherever. Rather than gab about it why not go out and make some images that show us where health care is at?

Sorry, but I did say this is no place for such a debate. I should have left well enough alone and George would not have had to step in. But things do get a little dull if all there is to talk about is lenses and cameras sadly.