how to convince parents macs are different

[gnasher729]

well, if your parents think that "computers are computers" (whatever that means) and if that's the main reason for not buying you one... maybe they just don't want you to own a computer, and that's what macs are.

If they think "computers are computers", show your mother an iMac or the white MacBook. Not the black one. Not the MacBook Pro or the MacPro. That might do the trick. Show her the iMac and say what a nice looking monitor it is. Then ask her to look for the computer. When she can't find it, point to the iMac - THAT's the computer!

(MacPro and MacBook Pro usually work better with dads, but you know your parents better than I do).

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

Might I suggest using real spellings of words such as "school" as opposed to skool and using proper capitilization and punctuation to show your parents you are acting like an adult where as they may listen to you a little closer.

I second the motion.

 

[dominicansrul93]

i still want to know about the revamp thing

wat did u mean wen u said most vendors are going to revamp the computers?
an good idea gnasher but its still gonna be hard to convince them cause a lot of my family member have macs and they still dont know much about them. even my grandma has one! she has a macbook and its the first computer in her whole life!

 

[apfhex]

computers are computers

In much the same way Fords are Lexus'.

 

[TraceyS/FL]

wat did u mean wen u said most vendors are going to revamp the computers?
an good idea gnasher but its still gonna be hard to convince them cause a lot of my family member have macs and they still dont know much about them. even my grandma has one! she has a macbook and its the first computer in her whole life!

I really worry about the "youth" of today and the inability to use all the letters in words when typing - and punctuation.

I am so NOT the grammar police - and I can't spell. But it drives me insane - i'm not on my phone, you aren't on yours......

BUT, take some advice from above - don't type "text speak" here in the the forums when you are wanting advice on how to get an expensive piece of equipment.

Ye gads, makes me glad I homeschool and the kids can't IM.

Tracey

 

[dominicansrul93]

Sorry about my spelling.

I really worry about the "youth" of today and the inability to use all the letters in words when typing - and punctuation.

I am so NOT the grammar police - and I can't spell. But it drives me insane - i'm not on my phone, you aren't on yours......

BUT, take some advice from above - don't type "text speak" here in the the forums when you are wanting advice on how to get an expensive piece of equipment.

Ye gads, makes me glad I homeschool and the kids can't IM.

Tracey

It is just that I (like all middle schoolers) go on aim and myspace a lot
and get kind of lazy while typing. Next time I will use better grammar and spelling since I know I am talking to more educated people than my classmates.

 

[gothiquegirrl]

Might I suggest using real spellings of words such as "school" as opposed to skool and using proper capitilization and punctuation to show your parents you are acting like an adult where as they may listen to you a little closer.

Don't you think that's a little harsh?

While we are on the topic of "acting like an adult", Why are you picking on a kid? Yeah, that seems adult of you.

Thanks, Ben for gracing us with all your "adultness".

BTW- Ben, dear, you spelled capitalization wrong.

 

[clevin]

my parents think that besides their high price they are hard to use. they are not very good with computers and barely know how to use them.so the switch could be kinda hard since they have to re-learn the little they know.

so exactly who will be using the new computer? if ur parents will be using it, bring them to apple store and let them try for themselves, if they like it, they will buy it.

 

[iMacZealot]

Tell them that a mac generally lasts longer. We bought an iMac in 2000 and a Gateway Profile 3 for about the same price about a year later. The Gateway died about a year ago whereas the iMac is still going strong running 10.3.9.

Tell them that a PC bought about 18 months ago will need Vista whereas a mac from 8 years ago is capable of running Tiger.

Tell them what a bargain the Mac Mini for $600 or the iMac for $1000 is.

Tell them about how compatability isn't a problem anymore. Microsoft Office on the Mac will certainly earn points, as will Boot Camp.

Tell them about the little things a Mac can do for them that their PC can't. What won my mom over was the speed of Safari, the Bookmarks bar, Mail, and how I could take the kitchen calendar and put it all in on iCal with reminders so she'll never forget anything.

It's all about showing them how it will be useful to them. Sure, the fact that OS X doesn't get viruses is great and all, but are your parents really downloading things from sketchy sites? Show them that Mac OS X is really easy to use, and will make a computer much simpler. Show them that compatability isn't an issue at all. Show them what they can do in OS X that they can't do on Vista or XP or whatever you have now. Show them that a computer is more than just a computer. What also is killer is a very visual presentation that truly gets the points across.

Good luck.

 

[AVID]

i dont mean to be unsupportive, but some things (such as a mac) is about quality, and not quantity (in terms of what you get out of it).

Sometimes it would help to think on the parents' behalf, while money is hard to get by, they dont simply buy things just because it gives them a better experience while using it, otherwise they'll all spend all their savings on the best car they could get, rather than getting something that just "gets by". because they have to think on your behalf about what they have to get you as well..., they know that they cant simply just think about themselves

The fact that you need our help in convincing your parents seems like an indication that it is hard to get a mac purely besides self-satisfactory reasons - no accusations intended, and may be being up front about it with your parents, may give them some indication that you can be considerate and articulate about yourself and on their behalf. I think if i were your parents, i would be glad and pleased that my children is honest and mature enough to understand the difference between what they want and what they need.

apologies if i sound like a very very old person...

who knows, maybe that's the thing that'll let you cross over the line...

 

[dominicansrul93]

Tell them that a mac generally lasts longer. We bought an iMac in 2000 and a Gateway Profile 3 for about the same price about a year later. The Gateway died about a year ago whereas the iMac is still going strong running 10.3.9.

Tell them that a PC bought about 18 months ago will need Vista whereas a mac from 8 years ago is capable of running Tiger.

Tell them what a bargain the Mac Mini for $600 or the iMac for $1000 is.

Tell them about how compatability isn't a problem anymore. Microsoft Office on the Mac will certainly earn points, as will Boot Camp.

Tell them about the little things a Mac can do for them that their PC can't. What won my mom over was the speed of Safari, the Bookmarks bar, Mail, and how I could take the kitchen calendar and put it all in on iCal with reminders so she'll never forget anything.

It's all about showing them how it will be useful to them. Sure, the fact that OS X doesn't get viruses is great and all, but are your parents really downloading things from sketchy sites? Show them that Mac OS X is really easy to use, and will make a computer much simpler. Show them that compatability isn't an issue at all. Show them what they can do in OS X that they can't do on Vista or XP or whatever you have now. Show them that a computer is more than just a computer. What also is killer is a very visual presentation that truly gets the points across.

Good luck.

thx! some advice from someone who did same thing!

 

[dominicansrul93]

i dont mean to be unsupportive, but some things (such as a mac) is about quality, and not quantity (in terms of what you get out of it).

Sometimes it would help to think on the parents' behalf, while money is hard to get by, they dont simply buy things just because it gives them a better experience while using it, otherwise they'll all spend all their savings on the best car they could get, rather than getting something that just "gets by". because they have to think on your behalf about what they have to get you as well..., they know that they cant simply just think about themselves

The fact that you need our help in convincing your parents seems like an indication that it is hard to get a mac purely besides self-satisfactory reasons - no accusations intended, and may be being up front about it with your parents, may give them some indication that you can be considerate and articulate about yourself and on their behalf. I think if i were your parents, i would be glad and pleased that my children is honest and mature enough to understand the difference between what they want and what they need.

apologies if i sound like a very very old person...

who knows, maybe that's the thing that'll let you cross over the line...

by the way... i dont think money is a huge obstacle because I dont mean to brag but my dad is a doctor so he makes enough money to buy any mac if he felt like it(and liked computers). But i do have to agree with you!

 

[Erasmus]

Hmmm...

The question still stands, what do we mean by "revamp"...?

What we mean is that Intel, the new maker of the bits for our beloved Macs, is about to release a new product in May. This product is codenamed "Santa Rosa", and I strongly advise you to search the forums for it. Otherwise it will be known as "Centrino Pro". It will mean that Macbooks, Macbook Pros, probably Mac Minis, and almost certainly iMacs will be updated very soon. Fastert processors, better graphics cards, faster RAM, etc.

Note LED backlit screens and internal Flash memory, that you will no doubt encounter if you do a forum search on "Santa Rosa".

In terms of kids "expecting" a computer, consider this. My parents bought me my Cube for christmas/birthday halfway through my first year at High School. Yes, it was expensive, but guess what I'm still using 6.5 years later? Lay off the kid. If his parents want to get a new computer, why should he not suggest that they buy something that will last them for years?

 

[thegord]

All I hear about is getting the latest model. Some people have mentioned refubished macs, and I highly agree with this. Save money, last for years, what everyone else said(paising macs). you definitely dont need the fastest model, unless your working with massive amounts of rendering video(finalcut), complex 3d and such. which being in middle school wont be for a little while. I took a advertising art class in high school and it converted me(before osx) you said you already have a desktop, the cheapest mac alternative would be the mac mini. already have the monitor and mouse(recomend mac keyboard) and your set for in most cases under 300(refurb)
most of my macs have been bought this way and still work the same(powerpc still) everyone is jumping on the mac bandwagon which is awesome, but a computer is a computer, its what you do with it that stands out. for email,internet and chatting, I dont see the difference getting the info is the important part. be lucky you have a computer. dont take that for granted

 

[motulist]

i dont mean to be unsupportive, but some things (such as a mac) is about quality, and not quantity (in terms of what you get out of it).

Sometimes it would help to think on the parents' behalf, while money is hard to get by, they dont simply buy things just because it gives them a better experience while using it, otherwise they'll all spend all their savings on the best car they could get, rather than getting something that just "gets by". because they have to think on your behalf about what they have to get you as well..., they know that they cant simply just think about themselves

The fact that you need our help in convincing your parents seems like an indication that it is hard to get a mac purely besides self-satisfactory reasons - no accusations intended, and may be being up front about it with your parents, may give them some indication that you can be considerate and articulate about yourself and on their behalf. I think if i were your parents, i would be glad and pleased that my children is honest and mature enough to understand the difference between what they want and what they need.

apologies if i sound like a very very old person...

who knows, maybe that's the thing that'll let you cross over the line...

But in some cases, quality IS quantity. If his parents are going to buy a new computer and they buy another windows machine, then they're gonna continue to use it very infrequently like they've always done (as he seems to imply). But if they get a Mac they would probably find themselves using it much more than they've ever done before, like using iPhoto to fix their pictures, etc., so they'd get much more computer usage for their money. Plus, Macs tend to have a longer life between needing to be replaced, so even if there is a slightly higher initial cost (which is debatable) it still costs much less to own a Mac over the life of a computer ("total cost of ownership").

 

[dominicansrul93]

Thanks guys all of this advice is good. I researched Santa Rosa and Leopard I will wait for June. I might have to use bootcamp because my little brother plays some windows games that barely run on the hp. Also the monitor is kind of broken so i don't know if the mini is a good option unless that in the revamp they get better ram and video card. So should I get look for a mini or an iMac since it has more power.

 

[Abstract]

how to convince parents macs are different

Next time their computer is having a crashing fit, say "Hmmm, that's weird. Macs don't do that."

 

[tuartboy]

Might I suggest using real spellings of words such as "school" as opposed to skool and using proper capitilization and punctuation to show your parents you are acting like an adult where as they may listen to you a little closer.

Would you believe that people spell like that on their (there ) job applications? The recruiters I know toss them straight in the trash.

Learn to speak and spell properly in your everyday communications while you are young and it will stick with you forever.

 

[chaosbunny]

Best argument ever!

Tell them that there are almost no games available for the Mac, which means less temptation and more time for your homework/studies!

 

[TraceyS/FL]

It is just that I (like all middle schoolers) go on aim and myspace a lot
and get kind of lazy while typing. Next time I will use better grammar and spelling since I know I am talking to more educated people than my classmates.

Would you believe that people spell like that on their (there ) job applications? The recruiters I know toss them straight in the trash.

Learn to speak and spell properly in your everyday communications while you are young and it will stick with you forever.

Take this as the gentle "nudge" in the right direction - ALWAYS know your audience and speak/talk at them appropriately. It will serve you well in life.

What you practice now - becomes second nature. I'm guessing the people using it on the Job Apps don't even realize they DID it, which is sad. I actually saw a news segment a week ago or so that indicated kids are not YET using "text-speak" for school work. I was surprised to hear that - but maybe they think/work at it.

Best of luck in getting the Mac - I think the pointing out that there are less games is good. Also the parental controls for restricting access to places/apps/online time

If you want your Dad to see the benefits of a "paper-less" medical office I could hook him up with a great Doctor!

 

[iMacZealot]

If you want your Dad to see the benefits of a "paper-less" medical office I could hook him up with a great Doctor!

My dad, who is a doctor, has a paperless office, actually. He started this company where his patients' charts are online. Pretty cool, except for that it doesn't work in Safari.

 

[zap2]

i dont mean to be unsupportive, but some things (such as a mac) is about quality, and not quantity (in terms of what you get out of it).

Sometimes it would help to think on the parents' behalf, while money is hard to get by, they dont simply buy things just because it gives them a better experience while using it, otherwise they'll all spend all their savings on the best car they could get, rather than getting something that just "gets by". because they have to think on your behalf about what they have to get you as well..., they know that they cant simply just think about themselves

The fact that you need our help in convincing your parents seems like an indication that it is hard to get a mac purely besides self-satisfactory reasons - no accusations intended, and may be being up front about it with your parents, may give them some indication that you can be considerate and articulate about yourself and on their behalf. I think if i were your parents, i would be glad and pleased that my children is honest and mature enough to understand the difference between what they want and what they need.

apologies if i sound like a very very old person...

who knows, maybe that's the thing that'll let you cross over the line...

But its not like a Mac is that much more money upfront, and over all it can be cheaper. Yeck I know people who are real rich, but they won't buy their kids a Mac, even though they want one!


That is assuming the OP is in the market for a new computer. If you not paying for it one your own, you can't demand things. If you paying for it on your own, tell your parnets YOU want it, and have the money. You'll need to still convice them its worth it, but it will be easier. If their buying and using it take them to an Apple Store, if they don't like it, there isn't much you can do, other then save your $$ for your own Mac.

 

[dominicansrul93]

He will NOT trust computers.

My dad, who is a doctor, has a paperless office, actually. He started this company where his patients' charts are online. Pretty cool, except for that it doesn't work in Safari.

I would love for that to happen because he is always complaining about paperwork but he just does not trust computers.

 

[TraceyS/FL]

I would love for that to happen because he is always complaining about paperwork but he just does not trust computers.

Bummer... my doctor stands there and types our conversation in shorthand. It's nice to get their notes and stuff all printed out before i leave the room. Each one has a laptop and laser printer in it! (ya, so they are Dell's - but i'll deal with that because i can read his writing!).

My in-laws are like that - luckily my dad was launching rockets in the 70's - writing all the code he could fit into his "upper 4k" he had

Oh and, glad to see you really can spell Hang in there - maybe you can bargain/save your way to it.

 

[CRAZYBUBBA]

I agree.. my father has the same philosophy as your parents, but its because he doesn't have the $$ irregardless of the utility that he'll get out of a mac.

i dont mean to be unsupportive, but some things (such as a mac) is about quality, and not quantity (in terms of what you get out of it).

Sometimes it would help to think on the parents' behalf, while money is hard to get by, they dont simply buy things just because it gives them a better experience while using it, otherwise they'll all spend all their savings on the best car they could get, rather than getting something that just "gets by". because they have to think on your behalf about what they have to get you as well..., they know that they cant simply just think about themselves

The fact that you need our help in convincing your parents seems like an indication that it is hard to get a mac purely besides self-satisfactory reasons - no accusations intended, and may be being up front about it with your parents, may give them some indication that you can be considerate and articulate about yourself and on their behalf. I think if i were your parents, i would be glad and pleased that my children is honest and mature enough to understand the difference between what they want and what they need.

apologies if i sound like a very very old person...

who knows, maybe that's the thing that'll let you cross over the line...