The Return of the Prodigal Son
For years, I had been skeptical about hearing Apples plans to convince PC users to the Mac, when in reality I had witnessed the exact oppositelegions of Mac users, tired of living with incompatibility with the PC world, throwing in the towel and taking home another beige box. However, I am finally beginning to believe that Steve Jobs strategy of making the Mac a digital hub in a bid to attract PC users is working after meeting such a convertme.
The original iMac and Apples boast of a better user-friendly interface didnt exactly wow me. But the recent introduction of the iPoda gorgeous piece of machinery by any standardforced me to give Apple a second look. And thats when I discovered the innovations and strides Apple has made to pull itself away from Windows: OS X, the digital hub, and finally, the TiBook, which I ordered on Monday. The more I examined OS Xs stability and architecture, the more I became convinced that blue screens of death, hardware incompatibility, and Microsofts aggressive marketing muscle to make a PC user use its all of its crappy software need not be a natural state of life when using a PC.
I had entitled this statement as The Return of the Prodigal Son, because I, too, was a former Mac user who still fondly remembers his fathers Mac Plus and IIsi. I am very excited about returning to the community that I had abandoned when I received my Gateway P133 as a graduation gift back in 96. I am also excited about, well, feeling excitedusing a machine that really is worth caring about is truly heartwarming.
Here are some thoughts concerning different types of users who may or may not follow my lead and switch to the Mac. Please note that some users may overlap:
Price-sensitive causal user: These are users who only want the bare minimum for surfing, e-mailing, word processing, and perhaps some games. They are not technically savvy enough to appreciate or care about the advance state of OS X and Mac hardwarethe only thing that they care for is price and price alone. Apple will probably never capture this market, but it is perhaps better that way since the company cant achieve its margins catering to price-conscious users.
Hard-core and technically savvy PC users: This is a mixed bag. For one, these users are intimately familiar with their PCs and may be hard-pressed to switch. However, they are technically savvy enough to understand that benefits and technical superiority of OS X.
UNIX and LINUX power users: Great potential here. OS Xs UNIX kernel could be a great attraction. Apple should also focus their efforts here.
For years, I had been skeptical about hearing Apples plans to convince PC users to the Mac, when in reality I had witnessed the exact oppositelegions of Mac users, tired of living with incompatibility with the PC world, throwing in the towel and taking home another beige box. However, I am finally beginning to believe that Steve Jobs strategy of making the Mac a digital hub in a bid to attract PC users is working after meeting such a convertme.
The original iMac and Apples boast of a better user-friendly interface didnt exactly wow me. But the recent introduction of the iPoda gorgeous piece of machinery by any standardforced me to give Apple a second look. And thats when I discovered the innovations and strides Apple has made to pull itself away from Windows: OS X, the digital hub, and finally, the TiBook, which I ordered on Monday. The more I examined OS Xs stability and architecture, the more I became convinced that blue screens of death, hardware incompatibility, and Microsofts aggressive marketing muscle to make a PC user use its all of its crappy software need not be a natural state of life when using a PC.
I had entitled this statement as The Return of the Prodigal Son, because I, too, was a former Mac user who still fondly remembers his fathers Mac Plus and IIsi. I am very excited about returning to the community that I had abandoned when I received my Gateway P133 as a graduation gift back in 96. I am also excited about, well, feeling excitedusing a machine that really is worth caring about is truly heartwarming.
Here are some thoughts concerning different types of users who may or may not follow my lead and switch to the Mac. Please note that some users may overlap:
Price-sensitive causal user: These are users who only want the bare minimum for surfing, e-mailing, word processing, and perhaps some games. They are not technically savvy enough to appreciate or care about the advance state of OS X and Mac hardwarethe only thing that they care for is price and price alone. Apple will probably never capture this market, but it is perhaps better that way since the company cant achieve its margins catering to price-conscious users.
Hard-core and technically savvy PC users: This is a mixed bag. For one, these users are intimately familiar with their PCs and may be hard-pressed to switch. However, they are technically savvy enough to understand that benefits and technical superiority of OS X.
UNIX and LINUX power users: Great potential here. OS Xs UNIX kernel could be a great attraction. Apple should also focus their efforts here.