"Review: Mac OS Shines In Comparison With Windows Vista" is hands down the best head-to-head UI comparison I've ever read (Jan. 6).

I converted to Mac OS X about two years ago. I only wish I could articulate as clearly as Mr. Welsh has the benefits I've experienced from a usability perspective.

Brian (bex) Exelbierd
Graduate Student, University of Delaware
Wilmington, Del.

Vista's Overlooked Virtues

The article didn't touch on some of the major features Vista brings to the basic user. A follow-up comparison on the following features would provide a little more meat:

>> Parental controls--I've tested these in Vista and believe they're a must for any parent.

>> Bundled apps--OS X probably cleans up in the area, but some of the newer apps included with Vista make it much easier to use out of the box than previous versions of Windows.

>> Multiple account management.

>> Ease of use--this should also encompass window management, not just the look and feel of the operating system, as well as performance on moderate hardware.

David Aitken
CSR, Teletech
Ontario, Calif.

BI Results Not Surprising

I find it interesting that the metrics so often associated with business intelligence are either anecdotal or suggestive of a trove ("We've Yet To Even Reach The Wonder Years Of BI," Jan. 1/8). The bigger, the better. And I don't recall ever encountering a discussion that engaged a serious analysis of BI ROI. This is not to suggest that the data is useless. But neither do I find the less-favorable details in the Data Warehouse Institute survey results in any way astonishing.

One should hope that business planning in any organization isn't turned over to the zealots of BI. It's certainly OK to let them enter the room, but they should be told to sit quietly in the corner and speak only when asked to compare their historical perspectives against the present discussion of vision and opportunities.

Robin Oliver
Independent Consultant
Mill Valley, Calif.