A neighbor of mine came over and introduced himself of course it leads into the Internet and computers. I tell him I'm looking for a new laptop oh he says what kind I told him a Mac laptop. Oh he says Are you going into graphics since I told him I'm going to the university I said no Computer Science. He looks at me all baffled. Why don't people understand that graphics is pretty much the end result on a lot of different computers. By the way I'm looking into getting the new Macbook Pro.
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Oh! The misconceptions about Macs. It irritates me
- Thread starter jc0481
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My most recent one happened last Tuesday.
Helping speakers set up their laptops and presentations for a conference in our conference suite. Guy turns up with a PowerBook with VGA adapter, wants to connect it to the inbuilt projection system so the conference suite manager emphatically says:
'Our projection system won't work with Macs'.
20 seconds later after mutual eyerolling, the VGA cable is hooked up and he's running through his Keynote presentation.
Why do people insist on making absurd statements when they obviously have no clue what they are talking about?
Helping speakers set up their laptops and presentations for a conference in our conference suite. Guy turns up with a PowerBook with VGA adapter, wants to connect it to the inbuilt projection system so the conference suite manager emphatically says:
'Our projection system won't work with Macs'.
20 seconds later after mutual eyerolling, the VGA cable is hooked up and he's running through his Keynote presentation.
Why do people insist on making absurd statements when they obviously have no clue what they are talking about?
people think they know it all.
its part of the problem with the Information age we are in. people believe the lies they hear, and accept them. so much for information.
people would rather get fed misconceptions than go find the facts for themselves.
its part of the problem with the Information age we are in. people believe the lies they hear, and accept them. so much for information.
people would rather get fed misconceptions than go find the facts for themselves.
PlaceofDis said:
RIGHT! My "usual" response to a stupid statement like that is:
"Don't know much about computers, eh?"
OR
"You really believe that or do you make stuff up as you go along?"
OR
"Uh, Apple kind of INVENTED that."
OR
"Step aside and run and get a tech person for me, will you?"
nice ones, Les.
i especially like your second one there. i'll have to remember that for my own snide remarks.
i especially like your second one there. i'll have to remember that for my own snide remarks.
i just dont say a word but show them that macs can do the same stuff and how much better they do it.
i recently did a presentation for a group project in my economics class. the teacher tried to tell me i wouldnt be able to plug my PB into the projector and i just plugged it in, fired it up, and did the presentation, controlled with my cell phone, showing the next slide on the cell phone screen. later he asked me what the software was (keynote and salling clicker) and i just told him he wouldnt be able to put it on his computer.
i recently did a presentation for a group project in my economics class. the teacher tried to tell me i wouldnt be able to plug my PB into the projector and i just plugged it in, fired it up, and did the presentation, controlled with my cell phone, showing the next slide on the cell phone screen. later he asked me what the software was (keynote and salling clicker) and i just told him he wouldnt be able to put it on his computer.
PlaceofDis said:nice ones, Les.
i especially like you're second one there. i'll have to remember that for my own snide remarks.
I thought the third was the whittiest of the four.
I was talking to someone in school when they commented on my iBook. They were like "Macs are cool and all, but nothing beats a computer." I told him Macs are computers. He said "No, there are two types, computers and Macs. I got up and walked away.
Was talk to my friend about Computer and she said "i don't have a computer, i have a laptop." my other friends and I broke down laugh, she now knows that a laptop IS a computer
Though obviously not true in general, what I wouldn't give for the same depth of CAD programs as the PC side and/or the option of Graphics cards for such dedicated uses - such as a Fire GL card.Deepdale said:
oh well...can't please everyone all the time
I was in an Apple store last weekend.. playing with a PM when a guy and girl stepped up next to me.
I heard:
Guy: "Macs are so stupid.. look at this.. it costs like twice what my Dell does.. my Dell does the same thing. Macs are so stupid!"
Girl" Yeh.. they're supposed to be really good for graphics and stuff.."
The guy then continued with the "Macs are so stupid" discussion.
I didn't say anything.. but I had to wonder to myself, "So why did you come into this store?"
I heard:
Guy: "Macs are so stupid.. look at this.. it costs like twice what my Dell does.. my Dell does the same thing. Macs are so stupid!"
Girl" Yeh.. they're supposed to be really good for graphics and stuff.."
The guy then continued with the "Macs are so stupid" discussion.
I didn't say anything.. but I had to wonder to myself, "So why did you come into this store?"
Heres a conversation I had with a kid in my chemistry class.
Me "I'll send you a copy of the lab write up, you have word right?"
Him "Yea but my computer never works right I think I got another virus"
Me "Ive never had any of those problems before"
Him "Even after upgrading to XP my computer still sucks, do you have XP"
Me "no I have a mac"
Him "You to graphics design?"
Me "No, why"
Him "You dont need a mac if you dont do graphics stuff, you should sell it and buy a dell"
After trying not to laugh and yell at him because it was friday last period I just said "Yea, Ok".
Also is it just me or does every time someone beaks their computer or has a problem with it they say its a virus. "My computer wont turn on, Its got a virus!". "Um, it isint plugged in".
Me "I'll send you a copy of the lab write up, you have word right?"
Him "Yea but my computer never works right I think I got another virus"
Me "Ive never had any of those problems before"
Him "Even after upgrading to XP my computer still sucks, do you have XP"
Me "no I have a mac"
Him "You to graphics design?"
Me "No, why"
Him "You dont need a mac if you dont do graphics stuff, you should sell it and buy a dell"
After trying not to laugh and yell at him because it was friday last period I just said "Yea, Ok".
Also is it just me or does every time someone beaks their computer or has a problem with it they say its a virus. "My computer wont turn on, Its got a virus!". "Um, it isint plugged in".
Laser47 said:
I guess it's like their version of repairing permissions.
But I know exactly what you mean. People blame the strangest things on the supposed presence of "spyware" on their computers.
"I thought about getting a Mac but none of my stuff would work"
"What stuff?"
"Well, I don't want to lose all my photos"
Many people don't seem to get the difference between programs/apps and files...
The other one that always makes me literally is the "Yeah, but there's not so much free (read cracked) software for the Mac so I'd have to buy Office etc"
"What stuff?"
"Well, I don't want to lose all my photos"
Many people don't seem to get the difference between programs/apps and files...
The other one that always makes me
literally is the "Yeah, but there's not so much free (read cracked) software for the Mac so I'd have to buy Office etc"
Remember that website that trashed Macs because Macs "can't read JPEGs" (among other supposed "defects"? The site drew a lot of ire from some gullible Mac fans before the rest of us pointed out that the whole page was a joke.Applespider said:
Wish I could find that site, but I'm not having any luck in a Google search.
Thomas Veil said:
That's because Google doesn't work on Macs. Only on computers.
*ducks for cover*
Reminds me of that Google/Amazon/EPIC thing - "for the lucky few, it is a deep, vast sea of information, ever growing. For the majority, however, it is shallow, poor and often incorrect, but it is what the people want"PlaceofDis said:
A common misconception is that you can't upgrade it. When I told a friend that my PB had a whopping 1.5GB RAM now (wheee!
), he said he thought Macs couldn't be upgraded, and that you just had to chuck it and buy a new oneOn the subject of the public and their lack of anything, ever noticed how many people think that the internet is their computer (eg, my mother complaining how Word is so slow even though we have a 3MB connection), or how they have no concept of what goes on inside (eg, someone I know claimed to be running on a 2.8Ghz Windows XP, and whenever I asked him what kind of processor, he just said it's a Windows XP)
On that note I'll chip in with this gem – I think I've already mentioned this in another thread, but indulge me please...Thomas Veil said:
A few weeks ago a CD arrived in the post, full of images that I needed for a catalogue I was putting together. Unfortunately, it was a duff CD – I tried it on a couple of the Macs at work and on our studio PC, all with no joy. So I called up the firm who sent me the CD to organise getting a new one sent.
"Are you on Macs?" they asked. I said that we were.
"That's your problem then. The files on the CD are JPEGs and Macs can't read them."
Imagine me, a designer, not knowing that! You can imagine how stupid I felt...
Macs don't work on this web site
I've said it before, but this happens to me on a weekly basis, so I'll say it again.
Every time our state comes up with more online paperwork for our schools, I'll get someone in my office griping that a school using Macs can't fill out the forms properly or even access the site because "the Macs are having trouble with it".
Despite the fact that this happens all the time, it always comes to me as "the Macs are having trouble with it."
And my response is the same each time. "What browser are they using?" And their response is the same each time. "Internet Explorer." And my response is the same each time. "They're using a program that hasn't been updated in 6 years to try to access a web site written in modern code. Tell the losers to move on and use Safari or Firefox. They'll have no problem."
"And stop blaming the Macs!"
Morons.
I've said it before, but this happens to me on a weekly basis, so I'll say it again.
Every time our state comes up with more online paperwork for our schools, I'll get someone in my office griping that a school using Macs can't fill out the forms properly or even access the site because "the Macs are having trouble with it".
Despite the fact that this happens all the time, it always comes to me as "the Macs are having trouble with it."
And my response is the same each time. "What browser are they using?" And their response is the same each time. "Internet Explorer." And my response is the same each time. "They're using a program that hasn't been updated in 6 years to try to access a web site written in modern code. Tell the losers to move on and use Safari or Firefox. They'll have no problem."
"And stop blaming the Macs!"
Morons.
Nope
Actually, my preference would be to say "Safari" and leave it at that. The last thing I'd want to do is to tell people to open up Explorer to download FireFox and use that to fill out the forms, when they already have Safari installed. These are, after all, people who are still using IE, many of whom don't even know their own e-mail addresses (Les knows what I'm talking about.)
But, if you tell Windows folks to tell the Mac folks to use Safari, it reinforces their "Macs only use Apple software - they're so proprietary" attitude.
They respect Firefox (because our web guy uses it) on the Windows side, so it's good to reinforce that Macs do have Firefox.
But, yes, as the only Mac person, I would certainly use Camino - if Safari weren't so dern nice.
stridey said:*cough* or Camino! *cough*
Actually, my preference would be to say "Safari" and leave it at that. The last thing I'd want to do is to tell people to open up Explorer to download FireFox and use that to fill out the forms, when they already have Safari installed. These are, after all, people who are still using IE, many of whom don't even know their own e-mail addresses (Les knows what I'm talking about.)
But, if you tell Windows folks to tell the Mac folks to use Safari, it reinforces their "Macs only use Apple software - they're so proprietary" attitude.
They respect Firefox (because our web guy uses it) on the Windows side, so it's good to reinforce that Macs do have Firefox.
But, yes, as the only Mac person, I would certainly use Camino - if Safari weren't so dern nice.
jsalzer said:Actually, my preference would be to say "Safari" and leave it at that. The last thing I'd want to do is to tell people to open up Explorer to download FireFox and use that to fill out the forms, when they already have Safari installed. These are, after all, people who are still using IE, many of whom don't even know their own e-mail addresses (Les knows what I'm talking about.)
But, if you tell Windows folks to tell the Mac folks to use Safari, it reinforces their "Macs only use Apple software - they're so proprietary" attitude.
They respect Firefox (because our web guy uses it) on the Windows side, so it's good to reinforce that Macs do have Firefox.
But, yes, as the only Mac person, I would certainly use Camino - if Safari weren't so dern nice.
Hmm... yeah, good points. Never thought about all the politics involved in getting people off of IE!