The Big Idea

A quick recap. I first used Microsoft Windows 20 years ago.

• 1989: summer job developing DOS software and poking around with Windows 2.0
• 1991: contract work porting DOS software to Windows 3.0
• 1994: hand-coding Windows Metafile generation in Windows 3.1
• 1997: investment banking IT: the joy of Lotus Notes on Windows NT 3.51
• 1998: different investment banking IT: developing and deploying ASP/DHTML applications on Windows NT 4
• 1999: part of the Internet Explorer early adopter program; attended the IE5 launch in London
• 2000: internet bubble: designing and managing server-side Java on Windows 2000 Server
• 2001: picked up my launch copy of Windows XP at PDC in Los Angeles
• 2004: telco innovation: market-trialing telecoms services deployed on Windows Server 2003
• 2005: shark-jumping: early adopter of the most ridiculous Windows-based server product ever
• Feb 2008: retirement of my home Windows desktop; purchase of a MacBook Pro
• Apr 2008: switched at work from a Windows-running IBM ThinkPad to a MacBook Pro

I started this blog with the idea that I could write about one man's attempt to switch from Windows to Mac after a deep history and familiarity with the former. I could share experiences, gotchas, workarounds, joy, sorrow, rejoicing and cursing. I knew it would be a journey worth documenting, and indeed it was. Moreover, I thoroughly regret not having documented it.

But perhaps instead I could tell the same basic story but with the twist of starting from the year-and-a-bit-in point. At this stage it's less about the perilous leap over the wall and more about a different and deeper experience: learning to be a Mac power-user having been a Windows power-user. To me that's a much more interesting story in any case.

I know it sounds a bit suspect; bear with me. If it doesn't work out I'll maybe just put the switchy.net domain on ebay and forget it.