RealTown's RealTalk

John Cleek writes in part:

Ron Gorman has created a group for anyone interested in things Mac.

The purpose of the Mac Group is to provide a forum for those real estate agents who are users of Mac computers and software applications for Mac computers. The group is also aimed at those who are using IPhones and are adapting them to specific real estate needs. Since the real estate industry is finally becoming more platform neutral and more receptive to Apple computers and most software applications are now Mac accessible, it is important that we share experiences and make others aware of these developments.

Whether you are currently a Mac user we welcome you to become a member of this group and share your perspectives.

If you are a Mac user, maybe a new mac user, this group will be a place where you can seek help if you are experiencing a problem, want suggestions about which software applications are most compatible with the mac os, or have a breakthrough you want to share.

Mark Jay comments:

A near identical post has appeared on the rest of the RealTown Discussion groups… Module 4, MLS and e- Pro under the heading "Which Operating System is best for Real Estate?"

"Which Operating System is best for Real Estate?"That discussion is over. In fact that discussion has been over for a number of years now! Essentially these two platforms have merged. If you like you can say Apple won by becoming an Intel Based Windows capable PC.

The simple fact is that Apple computers are now Intel based and with the installation of a choice of a couple of simple inexpensive programs can run Windows-right up to Vista-and therefore just about any Mainstream Windows based program. In other words, an Apple computer IS a PC now. Apple started manufacturing Intel based computers at the end of 2005. In a few days 2009 will be here! The discussion is over…O-V-E-R. The issue is mute. Apple computers run Windows. Anything you can do on an Apple in terms of output you can do on a Windows PC. Apple Machines are more beautiful and more eye pleasing both hardware and software-wise but at a premium price and Windows PCs are commodities and priced accordingly but CAN be more eye pleasing than the typical beige box-thinking of an expensive Sony for example. I'm in regular contact with recent college and professional school graduates who were all born AFTER personal computers-Apple or Intel machines were in wide use- and this discussion has been over seeming forever for them. If you're a "creative type" then there is a preference for Apple-Macs ARE beautiful both in hardware and software presentation but Macs are expensive- at the same time, WinTel machines will do anything a Mac can do but at a lower cost-- especially if you are performing a single or limited purpose activity.

If you've got a non Intel based Apple then you're running an antique that belongs in your local land fill-after being properly recycled, of course. Upgrade to a new Mac and your new Mac WILL be an Intel based PC. You'll have both. It doesn't matter which is better if you have both. If you've got a three or four year old PC then that machine should be tossed to the recycling center as well. There is really nothing special about PCs anymore. PC's are commodities. Most of the young people I know-and yes they are college graduates from prosperous achievement oriented backgrounds-all have a number of computers. A typical recent graduate young professional with an interest in music or design and a day job with a corporate employer would have a company Wintel Laptop, a Wintel Desktop at home, another older Wintel desktop in the living room set up as a sort of "media server" connected to a flat screen TV and a component stereo system…. Or that "media server" could be an older Apple used to listen to streaming music or used like a Tivo..

All across America you can stop by your local corner computer store and pick up a Windows Vista Computer for as little as $300 with speakers, mouse and keyboard, CD Read Write… everything but a Monitor-use your old Monitor until it burns out… Install whatever version of MS Office you have… log onto to MLS with MS Internet Explorer and get to work. NEW PC? ….Around $300!

If you really like the eye candy… the excellence in industrial design of Apple and you don't mind paying a premium for that then go ahead. But when it comes to output either platform can do what the other does. These platforms have merged unless you're in love with your out of date stale obsolete non Intel based Mac.

On the issue of "platform neutral"… just why SHOULD the industry do that now that the Operating Systems have essentially merged in output capability and you can buy the machine the current infrastructure supports for a couple of hundred dollars? And why WOULD anyone need to use some other browser than Internet Explorer. Security is no longer an issue with Vista and IE unless you're really stupid and purposely over ride the built in security protections in each of these programs to download some "free" exe files from the internet?

There are some issues in our business that are permanently resolved. There are some discussions that are OVER… permanently. Let me name a few…. Paper MLS books…. Combination lock boxes…. Replacement of Common Law Agency with Statutory Real Estate Agency…. Web centered marketing over Newspaper centered real estate marketing…. Should you replace that old typewriter in your office-- just in case. Should you have a personal web site…. Or a Blog or your own permanent e-mail address and domain?

So the "breakthrough" I'm sharing is that there really isn't enough difference between a Mac and an Wintel Machine to make much difference.

Malcolm Waring writes"

Mark, OK, forget Mac vs. PC for a moment. As someone else said recently, they love OSX (OS Ten, Leopard). There are real differences. It's faster and it just seems that there are fewer problems. If you take Vista and install it in a VMWare Fusion virtual machine on a Mac, it will actually run faster than natively on machine with similar specs. This was a real embarassment to MS last year. If you do not actually own a Mac (or have any experience using one) then frankly you are not qualified to declare that the discussion is over.

My primary line of work is a database architect and .NET developer. My primary, and favorite, tools are from MS but I'm not a fan of Office or Windows anymore. I'm not alone, more and more people have tried the alternative and like it.

Finally, my 3k Macbook Pro with all the bells and whistles does NOT compare with a $300 PC. It's really close to 3k for the same features.

Mark Jay comments:

Of course 'forget Mac v PC for a moment'. That's my point. A Mac IS a PC now. So let's forget Mac v Wintel forever. Discussion over. And I'M not declaring the discussion over I'm REPORTING that the discussion is over. Nobody but the "old timers" are still active in this particular fetish. A Mac IS a Wintel PC. You buy a "current edition" Mac, you install one of a couple of available Virtual Machine programs, install whatever version of Windows you like and you have a Wintel PC. This Mac v PC thing is an "old timers" discussion. ….Which makes sense because it seems that most of the Real Talk discussion forums are populated by "old timers".

Someone else recently said that they "love" OSX….? Great! But in the final analysis and evaluation your computer is just an appliance. I love my toaster oven too and my component stereo system as well now that I think about it. Actually I'm being a bit sarcastic here. I don't really love any of the tools I use. Business tools are just things that have utility and cost effectiveness. I'm really not that personally attached to them.

OK, there are "real" differences between Windows and Mac OS. So what? The output is the same isn't it? Isn't that what tools are all about… the output? Windows runs faster on a Mac Virtual Machine than on an Intel based machine? Is that what you're saying? But a Mac IS an Intel based machine. So your statement sounds like gibberish to me. And how much faster? I've not noticed the difference on the applications I would use as a simple real estate licensee. And Microsoft is "embarrassed". I really doubt that. Microsoft is a corporation… a thing. And if Windows runs faster on one Intel based machine rather than another who cares? Why would Microsoft care? They're not in the hardware business like Apple is.

Lastly, right you are that a Macbook Pro with all the upgrades Apple offers and a Branded Intel based or beige box PC similarly configured would both cost about the same AND the Apple machine would be undoubtedly better looking. Your Powerbook would certainly be more "powerful" than a 299.00 Intel "Beige Box". But if you wanted to you could build an Asus 64 bit "Beige Box" with 64 GIG of memory and a 300+ Gig raid array of 5 solid state Samsung Hard Drives that I would guess would be more powerful and faster than a Macbook Pro. But again… so what vis a vis a real estate licensee? We should be talking about OUTPUT vis a vis what real estate licensees do. Can I type any faster on a Mac Powerbook compared to a cheap Dell laptop or some $12,000 Starship custom built Intel PC?

Let's recall the fundamental task set of a real estate licensee. The fundamental activity of a real estate salesperson is to PROSPECT FOR SELLERS to attract buyers and to directly PROSPECT FOR BUYERS to sell other licenses listings and doing that as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Here's my "situation"… for lack of a better term. Please post back and tell me what I'm missing. I have a detailed working knowledge of the State Statutes and Administrative Code that governs licensees in my state so I'm sure to follow all the rules in practice and spirit. I have a detailed working knowledge of REALTOR stuff and a detailed knowledge of MLS rules. I always fill out the forms correctly and completely. I use a Laptop Dual Core 1.83 2 Gig Ram with Windows Vista Business, Internet Explorer 7, MS Office Professional 2007…. although I only use Word, Publisher, PowerPoint and occasionally Excel… I don't have a clue as to how to use Access... MS Streets and Trips, MS Encarta… and a program I use in my Virtual Tour Business to Build Tours…all installed on my local drive. I use IE 7 to access Top Producer 8i and Zipforms where my data is on those vendors servers. My website is the FREE Point2 Agent and my Blog is the FREE Real Town Blog. All my domains and e-mail addresses are with Internet Crusade. This is all you need to perform the fundamental activities of a real estate licensee who actually sells real estate. Should I be developing my own Web site from scratch? Buy a self of books on C++ programming or whatever…. Should I be building my own word processing program? …. Or contact manager that's better than TP Act and Respond put together… more powerful with no learning curve?

I wince when I read here that some real estate licensee is going to develop his own CRM-contact manager-when the number one product is use is TP and costs $35.00 a month. I wonder how some other real estate licensee can suggest that $35.00 per month for a contact manager is "outrageously" priced or "too expensive". A carwash with all the "goodies" is $15.00… do you get your car washed twice a month? If you're developing a Contact Management Program then when are you prospecting for Sellers and Buyers? If you're not using a computer based Contact Manager-and they ALL cost around $20 or $30 or so per month over the product life cycle-then what are you doing… carrying around a little grey metal box with 3 by 5 note cards like we all did in the 1970.s and early '80's.

Why would anyone build their own website when you can get one for FREE like an Alamode site or for $10 or $20 a month like a P2 Agent site? When you're building your website from scratch and arranging to syndicate your listings to dozens of sites… when you're doing THAT then who is PROSPECTING FOR SELLERS and BUYERS? When you're developing you own custom Contact Manager who is PROSPECTING FOR SELLERS and Buyers?

I read stuff here and I'm at times entertained and at times horrified and often times both.