A Bigger Boat

Something struck me the other day that I think most power-users with
experience on both Windows and OS X would agree with. Windows gets better as
you tweak the hell out of it. Power-users on that OS invariably add this
skin, this mod, that hack, etc.

On OS X, however, following that same paradigm does little more than create
a kludgy feel to the system. It’s as if an equilibrium exists with the OS,
and trying to make “improvements” somehow disturbs that balance. The bonsai
tree comes to mind, as does the word shibumi — both focusing on
minimalization and simplicity.

It’s not that I think OS X is perfect — it’s quite not; it’s just that it
feels more like a complete environment than Windows does. Windows feels like
a rickety, modular contraption that needs to be patched up, have holes
filled, and functionality added. OS X feels more like a self-contained
product…it’s hard to describe.

I do still add a couple of things to my OS installs (LaunchBar
for one), but it’s nothing like what I do to a Windows box when I first get
a hold of it. With the latter, there’s like a whole list of tools and mods
that needs to go on the box before it’s even considered usable. That’s not
the case with OS X, and it’s worth noting.