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Are you ever embarrased?

Nope, never self-conscious about that. But then again, I know I probably make less than anyone who might be jealously staring at me, so whether my computer is "too expensive" is most definitely a matter of perspective.

I've never noticed any stares, though. I live in a pretty rich suburb, so a Mac is probably one of the least ostentatious symbols of wealth you might come across, for all the Hummers, BMWs, and diamond rings.
 
I AM PROUD TO OWN A MAC...

though if it comes up in a casual convo.. ill be all like.. "yeah i own an ibook.. good stuff.. what ya got?" so i don't go as far as to say "look at me look at me" and what not... :eek:
 
Deep down inside, we're all a little bit tempted to do the Mac victory dance every time a Windows user has trouble with their computer. But we act nice and help them instead. ;)
 
now I am curious how many of us secretly (or not secretly) look at the PC user and think "poor shmuck!" :D

(I know I do, hey I'm appreciative for what I have... no one has to know that I think their computer sucks)

really though, I agree with the poster who went on the school of thought that focuses more on importance of productivity rather than concern of what people think.

Think Different, remember?
 
mkrishnan said:
Deep down inside, we're all a little bit tempted to do the Mac victory dance every time a Windows user has trouble with their computer. But we act nice and help them instead. ;)
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I always sure to ask them very politely which dumpster they'd like me to pitch it into.
 
iBlue said:
now I am curious how many of us secretly (or not secretly) look at the PC user and think "poor shmuck!" :D




Think Different, remember?
Click to expand...

when i see someone with an alien laptop (i did once, recently) or a sony vaio, i see them as having a portable equal to my mac portable, hardware wise...of course, my os 9 and os x leaves windows 2000 or xp in the dust
 
i actually do feel like i'm trying to show off just by opening up my powerbook in public. i don't know why, but i just do.
i actually come from a lower middle class family, but my sister is a graphic designer. she agreed to pay for half of my powerbook because she needed it whenever she goes on trips for her work or has to do a presentation for her clients and stuff. but she only uses it maybe a day or two out of each month. i'm not used to having such fancy stuff, so i do feel a little weird because people think i am wealthy because i have a powerbook. i used to think like this also because all of my 'rich' friends had Apple's and powerbooks, while the rest of us had e-machines and Dell's.
 
I dont own any apple computers myself, but I have a friend who has a Powerbook and he always likes to go to a Starbucks in the morning and get some work done while sipping coffee...

This being NYC, two things occur, one is that even though there are as many as 3 Starbucks coffee shops on one block, they are always crowded as hell, so he does not get noticed, and at every starbucks in NYC there is at least one other Apple user so there is never any stigma.

Plus New Yorkers (including myself) have a penchant for two things, expensive possessions, and showing off our money.

That said, if you are in NYC and using an Apple, you are just like all the rest, so its ok. The city is filled with elitist jerks, nothing wrong with being part of the crowd.

I hope that was clear, ;)
 
iBlue said:
now I am curious how many of us secretly (or not secretly) look at the PC user and think "poor shmuck!" :D
Click to expand...

i totally do that when i see someone proudly setting up their sony vaio. i dont know anyone who is ever really happy with their vaio laptops. My roommate is always having issues with his. He hates apple/macs, and even though his laptop was about 6mo new he broke down one day and asked to borrow my PISMO so he could get some work done.
 
Alright, I'm not a laptop owner, but I've run into the issue, but in a different context. Recently I found out that two of my "friends" actually were disgusted with me last year because I own a PM G5—one of them owns an iBook, the other had a Toshiba laptop. They actually ridiculed me for having such an expensive computer, and I thought about the elitist problem.

I think some people do see Apple users as the type who just show off because they can afford a better computing experience. They see us as people who buy the computer for style, even if it's "underpowered." As an Apple owner, that really bugs me sometimes.

But in the end, I guess I'm the one who "won"—the Toshiba using friend bought a PB a few months later. :D

It kind of sucks to have such a great product that some people are mad about while others adore.
-Chase
 
on the flip-side some toshiba and fujitsu setups are pretty nice. a friend purchased a fujitsu laptop about a year ago. I forget what model* it was, but it was distinctive enough to generate a lot of interest when she took it to cafes. She/it received many compliments as well. At first impression, it is HUGE and glossy.

*[edit: added specs] It is something like the LifeBook N6010, with a pentium 4 (mobile?), 1gig of ram, 17inch display, had an actual gfx card etc. Pricey, but that glossy screen with the black bezel sure is alluring.
 
Sometime in public I just wish I could show them what a Powerbook is and what they could do with OSX, there's something else than Windows avaible for them. But I retain myself and think "What they don't know, don't really hurt them". I wish more people know about Mac sometime, I have ear strange thing like: "a mac can't even go on the internet" from an IT tech. or "What the use, there's no software for this platform". Somettime I wish I could compare what they do with there machine I can't (ok except AutoCAD and Catia). I found myself lucky to discovered Mac and feel happy with it. I'm still a student right now, but I hope I found a job where I will be able to continue using a Mac.
 
Back 2 or more years ago i think pulling out a powerbook or an iBook would be seen as being an elitist so and so....

But now iBooks and Powerbooks are more common place and due to them being widely used especially iBooks they are not seen as extra-ordinary or pretentious to have out in public...

What i notice more and more though is that idiotic windows user's constantly slag off Mac's with various insults even though they have never used one in there life...

The amount of times i have heard "mac's are crap" or "Mac's are sh*t" is unbelievable especially when it comes from people who are most likely jealous or have no ideas of what a Mac is or does, they just assume they are crap....IT DRIVES me up the wall!!!Also you can't get into an argument over this as there will always be more people supporting windows about who will join in on the Mac bashing....

ShadOW ;)
 
Stinkythe1 said:
Thats the reputation that most apple users get from everyone else.
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Not even remotely true. A TINY fraction of people with egos tied to Microsoft feel that way--or at least pretend to to mask their jealousy and self-doubt. Despite being a micro-fraction of the general population, they sometimes seem common because they are a "squeaky wheel": they are vocal about their prejudice--but almost always only online where they are anonymous. And their opinion matters not in the slightest to me.

So no, I'm proud to use a Mac, and enjoy meeting other Mac users. I get nothing but compliments and interested questions about my PowerBook. And of course, as with any laptop, I rarely use it in public because it's a crime risk.
 
shadowmoses said:
What i notice more and more though is that idiotic windows user's constantly slag off Mac's with various insults even though they have never used one in there life...

The amount of times i have heard "mac's are crap" or "Mac's are sh*t" is unbelievable especially when it comes from people who are most likely jealous or have no ideas of what a Mac is or does, they just assume they are crap....IT DRIVES me up the wall!!!Also you can't get into an argument over this as there will always be more people supporting windows about who will join in on the Mac bashing....

ShadOW ;)
Click to expand...

he he...i used to get angry at pc users and windows but i got my revenge...now i make money fixing the pc/windows stuff and i use the money for...macs

people may say, "it's a toy"...and i answer "yes, and it's fun and you can get everything done, too in half the time"

or they may say, "people who like macs are in a cult"...and i answer "yes, most are and there are non violent ones and violent ones - and the violent ones are not the bank robber types who would use a gun, they are the steve jobs-obsessed, rabid pc haters who eat human flesh when they are not plugged into their beloved mac" (think hannibal lechter or john wayne gacy)

i could say that about some linux people, too ;)
 
I'm never embarassed to use my Powerbook in the local coffee shop, there are plenty of other people there using Macs plus why should I feel embarassed? I might feel embarassed if I had an old clunker of a laptop that I used but not a Powerbook.

I do take immense pleasure though sitting there surfing the web and just generally messing about when just about everyone else there is sitting there studying as most people there are students, I know I'm evil. :D

I do from time to time have people come up to me that are interested on what I'm working on if I'm doing some graphic or web design.
 
iBlue said:
now I am curious how many of us secretly (or not secretly) look at the PC user and think "poor shmuck!"
Click to expand...
That person you're feeling bad for is probably using a lean, mean Linux nightly that could snap the pants off of Tiger -- as long as you can wrangle a command line.

For me, I think that trade-off is 100% worth it. And I bet that other person does too!
 
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