Previous podcast guest, blogger, and Louisiana attorney, Jeff Richardson, shared on his blog iPhoneJD that the ABA reported that 80% of attorneys prefer iPhones as their work smartphone.  This has grown nearly four times over the past ten years!  From my observations, people like their iPhones because They Just Work!  But what I’m not finding online (and did not notice in the table of contents of the ABA report [which I am debating about spending $300 on]) is what is the preferred OS for a lawyer’s main computer?

As more and more attorney resources and tools are cloud-based, the practice of law is not chained to just one OS.  Remember when Lexis and Westlaw could only be run on a Windows-based machine?  Now you can run legal research, client & case management, billing, communications, and more through the cloud.  There are some security issues to consider with client information going over the proverbial ether.  But users with secure devices (passwords everybody! Post 1 & Post 2), secure internet (VPNs when you are offsite), and cloud services with high-grade encryption should have little worry.  So then, what is the right OS to get?  The easy answer is one you are comfortable with and can afford.

The Mac OS, IMHO, is a rock-solid operating system.  That does not mean it is perfect (nothing is).  The OS has been stable since its creation.  The newer versions have been enhancements to the old.  The user experience is pretty straightforward with its graphical user interface (“GUI”).  You also get a reliable machine that will last for many years – IMHO four or more years!  However, you will be spending top dollar while missing out on the wide variety of hardware that Windows and Chrome machines offer.  But Mac OS is easy for an entry-level user and still appealing to an advanced user.

The Windows OS, IMHO, is not a rock-solid operating.  I believe that they work but have enough flaws to interrupt my workflow.  Mind you; I consider myself a moderate to heavy user of computers.  I liked Windows 95 (at some point).  It was an attempt to bring Windows DOS to a more consumer-friendly environment similar to the Mac OS.  But it was plagued by software bugs (remember beta and Microsoft Plus?).  This is to be expected when your software is not sandboxed like Apple’s OS, and you have to work on a large variety of machines made by multiple companies.

I had watched from afar over the past two decades as Windows tried to rehabilitate its image.  But its iterations seem to create a new GUI over the same shaky OS. I purchased a Microsoft Surface Pro for the blog.  I was not too fond of Windows 10.  It was IMHO clunky and not intuitive.  I upgraded to Windows 11.  I am having a better user experience, but it is not my Mac.

I have no hands-on experience with a Chromebook.  But I am not comfortable having my client’s PPI in Google’s platform.  Plus, it relies heavily on internet connections.  Granted, a lot of CRMs are cloud-based.  But there are times that anyone can find themselves without internet and Murphy’s Law always hits you at the worst time.  I’m just not that much of a gambler. 

Unless money is truly an issue, I would not start my practice with a Windows or Chrome machine, especially if you are a new user (remember, unless you are in a medium- to a large-size firm, you will likely be the administrator of the device, i.e., the one fixing the software and hardware issues).

MTC