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How were you introduced to the Mac?
- Thread starter Sehnsucht
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Need an "another option" in your poll really: I first used Macs with MacOS 7.5 when I wrote a program to interface designs done on the Macs with a water jet cutter. After that, I didn't use them again until the iMac came out and I got a ruby one for my Daughter 8 years ago to introduce her to computers (the single button mouse was actually a big positive because it's easier for a child to push down the whole mouse than click a button). After that, I got a 12" Powerbook and haven't looked back since 
oh god has it been that long, I feel old now. First used a mac when i was 9, now Im 26. first mac i used was a performa 400 with os 6.something, first mac i owned (well I made my dad get for christmass) was a LC475 OS 7.1, then we got a UMAX clone (PPC-603ev 180MHz) then when i got my first job after leaving school i got a graphite iBook DV SE (466MHz G3), then an eMac (800MHz superdrive) then a powerbook G4 17" (1.33 GHz), then i got my current iMac (2.0 CD white) and got the mrs a mini (1.8 C2D Combo drive) and Im trying to save up to get myself a mac pro and 2 halfway descent monitors.
I 'introduced' myself to Mac by buying a first generation iPod - cost an arm and a leg but it was worth it! I had my dad bring it back to me from the states as they were so much cheaper over there.
Used a Mac in preschool. Up to 4th grade, I ask the computer teacher what to get and he said get that iMac coming out in the summer of 98. My brother and me now have 6 macs, iBook, iMac, 2 Powerbooks, Air and Macbook Pro.
I have a little Canon HV10 HD video camera and I had about 20 hours of video that needed editing. I had only ever been a PC user.
This Camera never shipped with drivers or capturing software and none of the programs I used could successfully capture the HD content.
I visit a Video forum and no one had the same problem, they all seemed happy and they all seemed to be Mac users.
One day a mate came to visit and he had a little Macbook with him. I told him of my trouble to capture the content from my DV Camera. He told me to try his Macbook. I laughed at him and told him it would probably catch fire. He just told me to try it.
I plugged in my camera, the little Macbook said 'Hello, we have a Canon HV10 camera here, shall I capture the content?' - i said yes please, with a lump in my throat. Then it said 'I have captured the content, would you like to edit it?'
Within minutes I was making my movies, and ALL native (iMovie). I was elated and amazed how easy it was.
I went out and bought a Macbook Pro and FCE, then I bought a MacPro. I could not be happier.
This Camera never shipped with drivers or capturing software and none of the programs I used could successfully capture the HD content.
I visit a Video forum and no one had the same problem, they all seemed happy and they all seemed to be Mac users.
One day a mate came to visit and he had a little Macbook with him. I told him of my trouble to capture the content from my DV Camera. He told me to try his Macbook. I laughed at him and told him it would probably catch fire. He just told me to try it.
I plugged in my camera, the little Macbook said 'Hello, we have a Canon HV10 camera here, shall I capture the content?' - i said yes please, with a lump in my throat. Then it said 'I have captured the content, would you like to edit it?'
Within minutes I was making my movies, and ALL native (iMovie). I was elated and amazed how easy it was.
I went out and bought a Macbook Pro and FCE, then I bought a MacPro. I could not be happier.
I got my first Macintosh 128K in college in 1984 just after they came out (and shortly thereafter I came out.. what a coincidence!) and have been using Macs at home ever since... so, doing the math that's... over 24 years.
So, who feels old?
So, who feels old?
Just wanted to conduct a little survey here. When and why did you go with your first Mac?
There's no "I became sick and tired of Windows" option!
There's no "I became sick and tired of Windows" option!
Agreed! LOL
My main reasons for trying it are:
1. The switch to Intel - I could always put Windows on it if It didn't work out.
2. It's not Windows - I found out about OS X being BSD based through the press. It changed my outlook on Apple / Mac, but the Intel switch was the big reason.
I grew up using Macs, and so I've always been familiar with Apple. However, I did go over to the dark side for a couple years (I always had a Mac, but I used my PC more during that time). However, once I got Panther and a dual processor PowerMac, I was sold... and things have only improved since then. I've never looked back.
i used a few macs when i was at school back in the early 90s but wasn't entirely sold on em. round 2001 i made friends with a mac owner who kept pimping them at me, but i wasn't interested. "computers for people who don't know how to use computers, and only 1 button on the mouse" thought i.
then i was swept up by the ipod as i got a 30gb 3g model and loved it. then loved it some more. enough for me to go to apple's website and start watching some of the clips they had of what mac osx was like. complete with expose which then, as still now, struck me as about the single best idea that an os designer had ever had.
twas round the same time that the 20" g4 imac came out, so one of em came round my house. i went on to get a 17" powerbook, dual g5 powermac, octo core penryn mac pro, the last model mbp, i've just ebayed a second hand cube + adc monitor and i'm trying to get my folks to buy a mini.
then i was swept up by the ipod as i got a 30gb 3g model and loved it. then loved it some more. enough for me to go to apple's website and start watching some of the clips they had of what mac osx was like. complete with expose which then, as still now, struck me as about the single best idea that an os designer had ever had.
twas round the same time that the 20" g4 imac came out, so one of em came round my house. i went on to get a 17" powerbook, dual g5 powermac, octo core penryn mac pro, the last model mbp, i've just ebayed a second hand cube + adc monitor and i'm trying to get my folks to buy a mini.
Had a Original 1st generation IPOD for a long time, then recently a Classic.
Early 2008, had to go to the apple store to get the Classic repaired, stopped by the MacBook Pro on the way out the door and was impressed Mac OS was running on Intel. I had been shopping for a Lenovo Thinkpad. I did alot of research, decided to wait and ended up with the Late 2008 MBP.
In short I ran into the Macbook Pro by accident or maybe it was fate.
Early 2008, had to go to the apple store to get the Classic repaired, stopped by the MacBook Pro on the way out the door and was impressed Mac OS was running on Intel. I had been shopping for a Lenovo Thinkpad. I did alot of research, decided to wait and ended up with the Late 2008 MBP.
In short I ran into the Macbook Pro by accident or maybe it was fate.
It went a little something like this ...
A friend and his wife asked me to dinner. They sat me on the couch just so there was enough room for another person. I thought it was a set up. Next thing I know there it is, a PowerBook.
Oh wait no. I was never formally introduced to "the" Mac. The Mac came to me. They always come to me.
A friend and his wife asked me to dinner. They sat me on the couch just so there was enough room for another person. I thought it was a set up. Next thing I know there it is, a PowerBook.
Oh wait no. I was never formally introduced to "the" Mac. The Mac came to me. They always come to me.
I had to get one for work in early '93. I absolutely despised them until OS 9 came out a few years later.
I got my first Macintosh 128K in college in 1984 just after they came out (and shortly thereafter I came out.. what a coincidence!) and have been using Macs at home ever since... so, doing the math that's... over 24 years.
So, who feels old?
Ditto, though I have to admit there was a 10 year gap between '97 and '07, when I came back into the fold.
I can still remember unboxing the first 128K in 1984 in my parents' office. Mouse? What's a mouse??
BootCamp allowed me to switch
Three years ago, my brother announced that he had purchased an iMac.
To us PC users, it was as if he had switched religions. I didn't know anything about Macs except that there wasn't much software for it. Wrong again.
While at the mall with his kids, I went into the Apple Store to see the model he had purchased. I was impressed with the store's displays and the friendly people working there.
Within a month, I purchased my first iPod.
When I heard that I could run Bootcamp on a Mac, I was hooked. I need Windows to run my business software.
When the Intel MacBook Pro was announced, I put my name on the waiting list and soon had one of the first 17 inch MBPs. Now I own a 15 inch MBP, iPod Classic, iPod Nano and 16 gB iPhone.
5 neighbors, 1 friend, and 1 relative purchasing Macs at my recommendation or demonstration. I also influenced 3 iPhones and more iPods than I can count.
Three years ago, my brother announced that he had purchased an iMac.
To us PC users, it was as if he had switched religions. I didn't know anything about Macs except that there wasn't much software for it. Wrong again.
While at the mall with his kids, I went into the Apple Store to see the model he had purchased. I was impressed with the store's displays and the friendly people working there.
Within a month, I purchased my first iPod.
When I heard that I could run Bootcamp on a Mac, I was hooked. I need Windows to run my business software.
When the Intel MacBook Pro was announced, I put my name on the waiting list and soon had one of the first 17 inch MBPs. Now I own a 15 inch MBP, iPod Classic, iPod Nano and 16 gB iPhone.
5 neighbors, 1 friend, and 1 relative purchasing Macs at my recommendation or demonstration. I also influenced 3 iPhones and more iPods than I can count.
Family business used to use Macs 15 or such years ago, naturally we had one at home (Performa?) but then dad decided he was sick of Macs and changed ALL computers to PC's some 7-8 years ago.
For some years I was stuck with Compaqs and XP 'till my cousin (lifelong user) gave me his 12" PB for a bargain (half the cost of the broken LCD) and kept that till december 06' (since 2004) when I got my BlackBook.
In a week or so Im going to the states and I'm buying the 2.4Ghz Aluminium MacBook Also, we've got an iMac and another BlackBook at home; needless to say, they all hate Windowze machines now
Victor
For some years I was stuck with Compaqs and XP 'till my cousin (lifelong user) gave me his 12" PB for a bargain (half the cost of the broken LCD) and kept that till december 06' (since 2004) when I got my BlackBook.
In a week or so Im going to the states and I'm buying the 2.4Ghz Aluminium MacBook
Also, we've got an iMac and another BlackBook at home; needless to say, they all hate Windowze machines now Victor
My dad used to work at an architect bureau and they used apples. So as a kid we had a apple III at home. I remember a game where you had to dig holes and enamies fall in to it. Then you had to hurry and fill the hole again. (It was not Dig Dug.) And some pinball game. We made pictures of the screen with highscores. Cause the game was copied, it didn't save highscores or something.
Then i grew older and wanted to play games (Duke Nukem, Commander Keen, stuff like that), so i got a 386 (I loved to tweak the autoexec.bat and config.sys).
Meanwhile my dad owned a Apple LC and later a PowerPC (Don't remember witch one).
Finally my dad turned to Windows (I think it was kind of my fould...)
And i went to a design school, so i got my powerbook
Then i grew older and wanted to play games (Duke Nukem, Commander Keen, stuff like that), so i got a 386 (I loved to tweak the autoexec.bat and config.sys).
Meanwhile my dad owned a Apple LC and later a PowerPC (Don't remember witch one).
Finally my dad turned to Windows (I think it was kind of my fould...
)And i went to a design school, so i got my powerbook
I was one of the iPhone converts. Bought a first gen iPhone became interested in Mac started obsessively researching online, visiting apple stores and yada yada yada i'm on my third mac in less than a year.
I know so many people and have read online about tons of people who switched over after owning an iphone, so the iphone has been a producer for apple in more ways than one.
Funny thing is I owned several ipods before and never became intrigued like i did with the iphone.
I know so many people and have read online about tons of people who switched over after owning an iphone, so the iphone has been a producer for apple in more ways than one.
Funny thing is I owned several ipods before and never became intrigued like i did with the iphone.
Personally, I first used Macs in elementary school...between 1996 and 1998. I think they were mostly Macintosh Classics, and the teacher used a PowerMac G3. However, I completely forgot about them until years later after I bought an iPod.
However, I completely forgot about them until years later after I bought an iPod. 
My first computer was a Mac IIsi, purchased to replace a TI Professional Computer when I was an infant. Learned Windows when Dad bought an Acer, then Dell, but eventually found my way back to current Macs (all the while keeping the IIsi for daily use typing homework) in 6th grade with the 5-flavor iMacs. Made a mistake with a Dell laptop at the end of middle school, but then bought a Sawtooth G4 used a few years later, followed shortly by a brand-spanking-new June 2004 rev. 2x1.8ghz G5...followed by a maxed-out 15in Macbook Pro when I left for college, which dual-boots XP so I can run necessary CAD software.
My dad was in the educational system as a principal for years when I was growing up; I honestly can't remember a time when I wasn't using Apple computers. I would use the ones in his office or the computer lab and he would have them in the house. I can remember the first laptop he got, I think the 100 with the actually scroll ball. I guess it was just in my blood to be an Apple User.
I was introduced by buying my daughter a iPod mini and myself an iPod 5th Gen. Was having some problems with my Windows desktop and decided to try an iMac which I bought in August 2007. I just sold the almost 6 year old Windows desktop on Craigslist for $150.