Friends and Family hate me because of APPLE!

[7on]

Yeah. My mom needs a new laptop and I'll be going out of my way to buy her a used iBook. Just so she'll have a computer that won't be a headache to her. She always comes up to my room asking me to do stuff on the computer for her because she doesn't know on the PC. Like we were selling something and she wanted to know how I made a website with the pictures. I promptly connected my camera, imported into iPhoto, selected the photos, and then export to Webpage. And since I use Transmit, I just opened that up and told it to sync with my Sites folder. Though it could have gone smoother since my web space was filled up and I had to delete some stuff first. But it was awesome.

Then there was a time when she wanted to take back her camera because she didn't like the software. I told her it was Window's fault and not the camera's, so I just connected her camera up and imported into iPhoto. She asked "Can I get my computer to do that?" I said no, it's only for Macs.

And people complain of the lack of software for Macs. Geez, it should be the other way around. She loves iTunes though. I'll probably get her a 500Mhz Icebook. Unless my dad wants to pitch in some money too, which I doubt it, because a 500Mhz would be all she'd need albeit a little slow.

 

[varmit]

i got the same thing

When i was buying my ibook 3 years ago, everyone was like, "A Mac? Why don't you just get a Dell or something." My parents were very against it because I would need their help to buy it in the first place, they front the money, I pay them back so I don't need to get a load or do a monthy payment thing.

Now, I have a Quicksilver along with my ibook, and my mom is loving what Apple has to offer, and my father likes it too. Friends are now buying macs and throwing out their PCs.

Getting my mom a green mini iPod as soon as they become avaliable again. Hopefully, a new G5 as their main desktop by christmas time. Still need some PC software so the old PC will stay hooked up for my father to use his stock programs. Other than that, they would both move to a mac.

 

[peteMG]

import away!

I just wish that Mail or Entourage had the ability to import PST files.....

I did this a while ago when I wanted to bring my email archives over from work to my Powerbook. You can do it, but it's a two-step process. If I remember correctly, one of the Netscape Communicator versions (4.7? 4.8? You'll need to have Classic up and running for either of them) can open PST files and import their contents into its own mail store. Then you can use Apple Mail to migrate the data from Netscape. The one downside is that if you were on a corporate network and sent mail to other users in the domain, when you finally finish importing, you will only get the real names of recipients and senders - not their email addresses. Let me see if I can dig up the link that described how to do it...

http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=2002100306134721

Ah, I was incorrect. You don't need classic, you need a Windows PC to run Communicator 4.7. You should be able to do the first steps of this whatever machine you use the PST files, and then copy the imported results back to the mac.

Anyway, it's the best. I'm a bit of a pack rat and the fact that I am able to keep all of my mails - sent and received - from roughly september '95, when I started using Eudora on my 7500, through the fall of '96 to '01 when I used and loved Cyberdog, from then on with Mail.app, all of my work email from Outlook on Windows from '99 to the present day.... it thrills me. Sure, my ~/Library/Mail/ is in the multi-gigabyte range... but hard drives are cheap!

 

[Mav451]

Yeah. My mom needs a new laptop and I'll be going out of my way to buy her a used iBook. Just so she'll have a computer that won't be a headache to her. She always comes up to my room asking me to do stuff on the computer for her because she doesn't know on the PC. Like we were selling something and she wanted to know how I made a website with the pictures. I promptly connected my camera, imported into iPhoto, selected the photos, and then export to Webpage. And since I use Transmit, I just opened that up and told it to sync with my Sites folder. Though it could have gone smoother since my web space was filled up and I had to delete some stuff first. But it was awesome.

Then there was a time when she wanted to take back her camera because she didn't like the software. I told her it was Window's fault and not the camera's, so I just connected her camera up and imported into iPhoto. She asked "Can I get my computer to do that?" I said no, it's only for Macs.

And people complain of the lack of software for Macs. Geez, it should be the other way around. She loves iTunes though. I'll probably get her a 500Mhz Icebook. Unless my dad wants to pitch in some money too, which I doubt it, because a 500Mhz would be all she'd need albeit a little slow.

I don't understand why I hear about this problem all the time. Ever since I've gotten XP, transfering photos from the digi cam has been a snap, literally.

All you do is connect it into the USB port--I think ANY computer on the market now has this, provided its no more than 2-3 years old. Wait a few moments while XP installs the necessary software, and then, access the Digicam as a HARD DRIVE.

I have installed 0 drivers myself. 0. XP does it all for me. I used to have a Kodak, old school (and as big as the 5th Harry Potter book)-sized Digi cam from about '99. I just plugged it in, and it brought up the photo transfer wizard.

And just recently, my mother purchased a NEW Sony DSC-T1 (as seen on the commercial with the Aerosmith's Steven Tyler). Again, I haven't installed ANY camera drivers. I plug it in, wait a few moments, and XP automatically detected it and installed it.

So the big mystery is, how are people having problems transfering photos these days? I mean, I can understand if you are still using 98 or Me, but 2000 and XP have greatly improved on USB connectivity and ease of use (98 drove me crazy getting some stuff to work).

-edit-
Ok, I do agree on the bundled camera software--most of the time, it blows (to be blunt). I would strongly advise AGAINST using that software. Its always easier to just copy paste photos from the Digicam (as if it was a hard drive).

 

[hulugu]

I hate the marketshare complaint. It's got to be one of the worst out there. It doesn't even make any sense! Why do you think they don't have a big market share?? Because everyone says they don't have a big market share, so they don't buy one! Ugh. No pun intended, but it should be like Apple Jacks: "we eat what we like." Isn't it really as simple as that?

As soon as someone mentions market-share, you should always retort the famous Roger Ebert line: Apple's market share does provide us with an accurate reading of the percentage of reasonable people in our society.

And then give them a big grin.

 

[stevietheb]

People generally think I'm "weird," because of my Apple. My mom recently commented that my iBook (and my brother's for that matter) disturbs her. "Laptops are'nt supposed to be white," she said.

 

[hulugu]

I don't understand why I hear about this problem all the time. Ever since I've gotten XP, transfering photos from the digi cam has been a snap, literally.

All you do is connect it into the USB port--I think ANY computer on the market now has this, provided its no more than 2-3 years old. Wait a few moments while XP installs the necessary software, and then, access the Digicam as a HARD DRIVE. So the big mystery is, how are people having problems transfering photos these days? I mean, I can understand if you are still using 98 or Me, but 2000 and XP have greatly improved on USB connectivity and ease of use (98 drove me crazy getting some stuff to work).

Windows XP has a tendancy to work oddly with cameras, we deal with several different models (can't get the employees to buy just one thing) and only about half have worked without help. The Mac worked with all of them. Now, this may not mean anything, but when your average computer user runs into a wall with a new device they typically just return it assuming that it won't work. Since the Mac worked with all of them, it becomes hassle free. USB is better on Windows than it used to be, but when I run into a wall it always blows me away.

 

[Mav451]

Windows XP has a tendancy to work oddly with cameras, we deal with several different models (can't get the employees to buy just one thing) and only about half have worked without help. The Mac worked with all of them. Now, this may not mean anything, but when your average computer user runs into a wall with a new device they typically just return it assuming that it won't work. Since the Mac worked with all of them, it becomes hassle free. USB is better on Windows than it used to be, but when I run into a wall it always blows me away.

Well I guess its only my empirical experience against yours, but I can tell you that I've also connected 2 of my friends cameras AS WELL: one of the thin Canon PowerShot models (I'm guessing S500) and the other a fatter PowerShot models (A75).

Again, they worked flawlessly. Heck, both of my friends are nearly clueless about using their computers (hardware sense), yet they can access their photos just fine (these guys are photoshop pros though ). Both, however, do have XP Pro SP1. I'm wondering if that is the underlying factor, but that is HIGHLY doubtable as the differences in Pro and Home should not involve USB operations -_-

 

[Colonel Panik]

Yeah, don't worry about it. Just get on with your work. That's how most of my friends start their interest. Beforehand they're dismissive of the 'cult', but when they see you do so many things, so easily, they become silent for a while, before asking you, "how did you do that?"
And if you access the UNIX core, anyone who knows their stuff will gasp, and by using some AppleScript, you can really impress.
Not to mention that icons are masked and have impecible anti-alias properties on the Mac. Try putting a desktop picture on your PC, and then look at the icons... sheesh!
My PC should out-perform my iMac, but the iMac is always there, ready, responsive. The PC, on the other hand, needs the rolled up newspaper (or a lot of patience) before it's ready to obey. And I just love opening my iBook for people, with UptimeInMenuBar, and having people ask what the 44 days means...

 

[_pb_boi]

I think I'm in the opposite situation,

Atm, I fix all my families computers, if there's a problem - and there are lotsa problems, because the main one I fix is an aging PC, that's ridden with just about every technological disease possible, I reckon.

My family, immediate and extended, are all amazed by how easy my Powerbook is to work, and how it looks. Mainly though, it's the 'it just works' factor that impresses them. They're not really au fait with computers, and so that's an attractive proposition.

And while I was writing that, I was called through to my mum's laptop because Outlook was crashing. Again and again. I give up on Windows... I gave up a long time ago. The laptop is nice, Centrino, tiny, cute, but it's just not Mac OS X, and it's just not an Apple...

And today, I found that my neighbour, two doors away, has broadband, and after getting BT UK to run a full line check, from their head offices on the main land, we're too far outta range... despite our neighbour two doors away having it, presumably from the same exchange as his postcode is the same.

Urgh!

Edit: Regarding UptimeInMenuBar, mentioned above - I cry every time I have to reboot from an Apple security update. My cherished Uptime disappears... and I have to start from zero! I'm at 19 days, current record for 1.5mth old Powerbook 12in, and I don't wanna install the last security update... grar!

andy.

 

[Fukui]

I don't understand why I hear about this problem all the time. Ever since I've gotten XP, transfering photos from the digi cam has been a snap, literally.

I just have 3 words for you. Dell picture studio.
The worst peice of crapware engineering ever.
Pop in a PhotoCD or copy your photos from you camera into
the Picture Studio, disconnect or eject, and all you pictures are gone!!

 

[SiliconAddict]

I don't understand why I hear about this problem all the time. Ever since I've gotten XP, transfering photos from the digi cam has been a snap, literally.

All you do is connect it into the USB port--I think ANY computer on the market now has this, provided its no more than 2-3 years old. Wait a few moments while XP installs the necessary software, and then, access the Digicam as a HARD DRIVE.

Ditto. I have a Sony 505 digicamera and I need no drivers at all. First time I simply plugged in the camera the OS presents you with a prompt as to what you want to do. I select copy picts and it dumps them into the My Pictures directory in My Documents. I've found though that I like using Paint Shop Pro to browse the files directly on the camera and simply delete what I don't want from there. Its not as slick but it give more control over the process.


On a side note does anyone else wish Apple would release iWeb: The web site builder for the rest of us? All the current apps that I know of are kinda intensive in terms of what you can do with it consiquently sometimes I get overloaded with features. Things that I would NEVER use in my site. I really wish Apple would enhance its iApps with such a program. *sighs* Which is pointless for me since I don't have a Mac yet.

 

[musicpyrite]

You DO realize that the PR Rating that AMD devised was specifically made to go against the "clock cycles are everything" mentality that Intel has reinforced the past 5 years?

Why do you think a 1600+ Athlon XP could compete with the 1.6ghz up to the 2.0ghz Williamette? The Athlon XP was running @ only 1.4Ghz.

*by the same token, I honestly HOPE that you don't buy into Apple's "FLOPS are everything" campaign. In that kind of FUD/Distortion field, you would believe a Single 933 G4 can beat a Dual 2.0Ghz Opteron system, basing your comparison on FLOP performance ALONE:

http://forgetcomputers.com/~jdroz/pages/09.html
It still scares me, to this day, that people may read this site and BELIEVE what he is saying.

No, I think I didn't explain myself or you didn't undersand me. What I ment was that AMDs run at a lower clock rate, (than Intels) but the people I talk to think the raw speed of the computer is a direct result of the processor speed. Which is totally worng.

I've never heard of Apple's "FLOPS are everything" campaign, I guess I just missed the whole article about it or I'm too young...

Thanks for the link... It was...intresting...

 

[Mav451]

I just have 3 words for you. Dell picture studio.
The worst peice of crapware engineering ever.
Pop in a PhotoCD or copy your photos from you camera into
the Picture Studio, disconnect or eject, and all you pictures are gone!!

Did you read my post at all? I said to avoid bundled software. I have yet to see a good piece of bundled photo software, so I'm not surprised that the Dell picture studio is not that good.

I said to use the digicam as a hard drive. There is a difference.
(so technically, there is no true iPhoto equivalent, but for my needs, I don't see a need for it, if all I'm going to do is copy/paste my photos into a folder on my Desktop or My Documents).

 

[musicpyrite]

your newbieness shines like a blinding star

I'm going to have to stop metioning 'free' software...
Serously people, if you don't know how to get it, then you don't need to be using the software in the first place...

DO NOT PIRATE SOFTWARE**!!!


**Microsoft software is exempt.

 

[Mav451]

No, I think I didn't explain myself or you didn't undersand me. What I ment was that AMDs run at a lower clock rate, (than Intels) but the people I talk to think the raw speed of the computer is a direct result of the processor speed. Which is totally worng.

I've never heard of Apple's "FLOPS are everything" campaign, I guess I just missed the whole article about it or I'm too young...

Thanks for the link... It was...intresting...

Well, the FLOPS are everything is something many website's use as a "counter-attack" against the Mhz Myth--which personally is like fighting fire with fire. Both are wrong and misleading -_-. Apple does not necessarily say it as much as Apple proponents do.

What is misleading about FLOPS is that PPC's naturally are efficient in floating point operations, but that does not necessarily mean it is a good performer in other applications (which is what the website WANTS you to believe). FLOPS also, ironically, are by which a computer is deemed a "super computer", and some Apple proponents believe that b/c of the high FLOP performance of G4/G5 processors, that means they are automatically super computers by definition (not just in super computing applications, but in everyday applications as well). That is the problem. Just b/c it is by definition a "super computer", does not mean it is necessarily a good performer in OTHER applications.

 

[MacFan26]

As soon as someone mentions market-share, you should always retort the famous Roger Ebert line: Apple's market share does provide us with an accurate reading of the percentage of reasonable people in our society.

And then give them a big grin.

I forgot about that Ebert comment. I generally use the "well, no one doesn't buy a Porsche because of their market share" routine.

 

[Colonel Panik]

Edit: Regarding UptimeInMenuBar, mentioned above - I cry every time I have to reboot from an Apple security update. My cherished Uptime disappears... and I have to start from zero! I'm at 19 days, current record for 1.5mth old Powerbook 12in, and I don't wanna install the last security update... grar!

andy.

Oh tell me about it. These shouldn't count.

 

[Colonel Panik]

On a side note does anyone else wish Apple would release iWeb: The web site builder for the rest of us? All the current apps that I know of are kinda intensive in terms of what you can do with it consiquently sometimes I get overloaded with features. Things that I would NEVER use in my site. I really wish Apple would enhance its iApps with such a program. *sighs* Which is pointless for me since I don't have a Mac yet.

I think that's the point of iTools on dotMac.
You can put together quite a nice site that way, and quickly, and they host it (fast servers). And it's 100MB, so you can put lots of photos up there, etc.

I've got a dotMac account and I use it to host my site (but not using iTools). I have another domain name, and I bounce it to the dotMac name.

I just wish that they'd start supporting php and the like.

 

[Belly-laughs]

And lets face facts there is something that is just aggravating about someone who thinks their system is god's gift to the world when their computing OS is on less then 2-4% of the computers on this planet. That's not to say that there aren't a good number of PC jerks out there its just that Mac users are more vocal and more in your face about it. Or that's how I see it at any rate. *shrugs*

Yes, I agree.

 

[userannon]

Thanks for all your responses...

I just unplugged my PC Desktop and packed it up (moving in two weeks). I figured that it would give me an opportunity to use my 12' PowerBook. I just used the included adaptor to plug in my 19' monitor. Works like a charm.

A friend and I did a little war driving with my Mac, I think that it turned him over a little. We were using Kismac with no external antenna. We were picking up singnals all over the place.

Another friend of mine bought a $1200 Compaq with a 15.4in screen. I brought my PowerBook over to his house. There is no comparison in quality and SIZE...! His notebook is hudge and clunky. He turned.

3 weeks of using my Powerbook has me convinced that Mac is the best option for notebooks. When I went to Fry's Electronics I saw a 12inch Sony Vio for $1700. Once again, no comparison in quality and size.

 

[userannon]

I just found out about the Expose' with OSX, the active corners! I set one active corner to show all windows. So nice.

Once again surprised over here.

 

[Fukui]

Did you read my post at all? I said to avoid bundled software. I have yet to see a good piece of bundled photo software, so I'm not surprised that the Dell picture studio is not that good.

NO, sorry, too many posts to read! And dell picture studio is not even just "that good" its pure cow dung.

I said to use the digicam as a hard drive. There is a difference.
(so technically, there is no true iPhoto equivalent, but for my needs, I don't see a need for it, if all I'm going to do is copy/paste my photos into a folder on my Desktop or My Documents).

I used to do that too (and still do with my originals) since the finder does auto thumbnailing... I think integration with iPhoto and the finder could be better though. I've had people send me a bunch of shortcuts in the mail instread of the actual pictures cause iPhoto's directory management uses shortcuts... something like accessing your iPhoto library from the open/save panels would be nice...

 

[7on]

I don't understand why I hear about this problem all the time. Ever since I've gotten XP, transfering photos from the digi cam has been a snap, literally.

All you do is connect it into the USB port--I think ANY computer on the market now has this, provided its no more than 2-3 years old. Wait a few moments while XP installs the necessary software, and then, access the Digicam as a HARD DRIVE.

I have installed 0 drivers myself. 0. XP does it all for me. I used to have a Kodak, old school (and as big as the 5th Harry Potter book)-sized Digi cam from about '99. I just plugged it in, and it brought up the photo transfer wizard.

And just recently, my mother purchased a NEW Sony DSC-T1 (as seen on the commercial with the Aerosmith's Steven Tyler). Again, I haven't installed ANY camera drivers. I plug it in, wait a few moments, and XP automatically detected it and installed it.

So the big mystery is, how are people having problems transfering photos these days? I mean, I can understand if you are still using 98 or Me, but 2000 and XP have greatly improved on USB connectivity and ease of use (98 drove me crazy getting some stuff to work).

-edit-
Ok, I do agree on the bundled camera software--most of the time, it blows (to be blunt). I would strongly advise AGAINST using that software. Its always easier to just copy paste photos from the Digicam (as if it was a hard drive).

Yeah I can't understand how she doesn't understand it either. She gets by though. I think it's more of a "Where are my pictures at" mentality. Also, I don't think her digi cam shows up as a hard drive. I could be mistaken though, as I haven't used it in a while. I know my Kodak (4900) doesn't. I guess she like iPhoto because of the mentality of it's where to store photos and where to import them. Then again she didn't like Kodak's EasyShare picture program.

On a personal note I just don't like XP having to notify you of everything you plug into a computer. Then it has t search for drivers, even if you've used the device before. XP is just bumfuzzled and Windows will remain so until Microsoft goes a Unix-like kernel (for other reasons, I know that UNIX won't solve the plug-n-play bug in XP in case anyone wanted to bash me on that). I could one day see a MS+Sun partnership.


P.S. my Mom is 50 years old btw.

 

[7on]

NO, sorry, too many posts to read! And dell picture studio is not even just "that good" its pure cow dung.


I used to do that too (and still do with my originals) since the finder does auto thumbnailing... I think integration with iPhoto and the finder could be better though. I've had people send me a bunch of shortcuts in the mail instread of the actual pictures cause iPhoto's directory management uses shortcuts... something like accessing your iPhoto library from the open/save panels would be nice...

The way iPhoto is set up, Apple is trying to hide the Finder from the user. In fact I could see one day that the iPhoto and iTunes libraries being in hidden folders (if user outcry isn't loud enough). If I need to edit a photo in Photoshop for instance, I drag the photo from iPhoto to the Desktop. I edit and save to the desktop and redrag back into iPhoto and delete the original. Of course there is built in emailing in iPhoto with the large and apparent "email" icon at the bottom of the program.

My mom also thinks I'm some sort of technical computer wizard for being able to slideshow photos on my powerbook. Then she goes on about how she couldn't learn a Mac. Then I tell her, I clicked one button. A button labeled Slideshow. Tell me how that makes me smart? I hate when she does this because she does this in front of other people, mainly because those people will find out how easy it is and start to doubt my intelligence. It's happened before. People assuming I'm a computer dunce for using a Mac. Then I continue fixing their PC like they said nothing.


EDIT: double post = me sorry