Ignorant Beliefs about Macs

[macsrus]

Oh my God, I forgot about that one! Cause they're so used to just closing the window, and not actually quiting the app. Yeah, I get frustrated having to Tab through all the apps to quit them all. But its also helpful because I can see just what they were doing on my computer, possibly opening an app that they didn't need to open.

Actually I find that as the most annoying thing about a MAC...
I personally believe that Windows and everyone else has this one right and Macs have it wrong....

Otherwise im a happy Mac user

 

[switchedanhappy]

I think a great ad would be just showing screen-capture movies of how to do things on mac and pc side by side. people I talk too don't seem to understand that macs are a whole different machine than windows. the think they're just showy wintel machines. also, a slogan I've been toying with and just thought I'd share-- "apple: be happy with your computer. it's a good thing."

 

[cloud 9]

the most things i hear about mac is

'they aren't compatible'
but most people i know haven't even seen a mac, unless on tv or so...and compatible with what? what files do you share? docs, mp3's...i just say 'you don't know what you're talking about' and then i roll my eyes


'they are expensive' (but is that really an ignorant belief? )

 

[Nermal]

Actually I find that as the most annoying thing about a MAC...
I personally believe that Windows and everyone else has this one right and Macs have it wrong....

Otherwise im a happy Mac user

On the other hand, I think it's great. You can leave large apps running 'invisibly,' and they'll open immediately when you want them again.

 

[tech4all]

Actually I find that as the most annoying thing about a MAC...
I personally believe that Windows and everyone else has this one right and Macs have it wrong....

Otherwise im a happy Mac user

I respectivelly disagree. I think it's much more convienent to close windows on Mac and still have the program open; quite handy.With Windows, in order to keep an app running, you have to keep it in the taskbar; not so handy. IMO.

 

[echeck]

On the other hand, I think it's great. You can leave large apps running 'invisibly,' and they'll open immediately when you want them again.

Exactly. I think Mac has it right and everyone has it wrong. It's not like it's hard to quit an app, I wish I at least had the option in windows.

 

[jhu]

Exactly. I think Mac has it right and everyone has it wrong. It's not like it's hard to quit an app, I wish I at least had the option in windows.

one other thing that's not quite right with osx is that the 'alt-tab' (or 'apple-tab', whatever that button is) switches between applications, but not necessarily the other windows of that application.

 

[OldManJimbo]

Take a deep breath

Two observations -

1) Why are there constant threads through these forums that demand Apple do something to improve their image or convince the "rest of the world" that we - the Apple users - are not a bunch of losers? Sheesh - since when does the opinion of others make my Mac run any better? I use Apple products because they do what I want them to do without all the crap associated with PCs.

2) With 30+ years of marketing work under my belt, I can say that one major reason people have so many misconceptions is that they believe what they CHOOSE to believe. There is enough technical information available for anyone who actually wants to engage their brain and compare PC and Mac functionality. Apple has no control over people who have chosen to live in a cave.

Finally - The suggestion that many of us chose Mac because Apple's marketing focused on "looks" and not on "function" is frankly quite demeaning. I feel superior to the guy sitting next to me in an airplane not because my PowerBook "looks cool" but because my battery is still cranking about two hours after his has crapped out.

 

[Blue Velvet]

Two observations -

1) Why are there constant threads through these forums that demand Apple do something to improve their image or convince the "rest of the world" that we - the Apple users - are not a bunch of losers? Sheesh - since when does the opinion of others make my Mac run any better? I use Apple products because they do what I want them to do without all the crap associated with PCs.

2) With 30+ years of marketing work under my belt, I can say that one major reason people have so many misconceptions is that they believe what they CHOOSE to believe. There is enough technical information available for anyone who actually wants to engage their brain and compare PC and Mac functionality. Apple has no control over people who have chosen to live in a cave.

Finally - The suggestion that many of us chose Mac because Apple's marketing focused on "looks" and not on "function" is frankly quite demeaning. I feel superior to the guy sitting next to me in an airplane not because my PowerBook "looks cool" but because my battery is still cranking about two hours after his has crapped out.

Hold on. The original topic of this thread was about the ignorance that some self-styled experts display, and was meant to be a bit of humourous, yet smug self-reassuring nonsense... something we could all have a laugh at.

And so with your marketing experience, do you honestly believe that Apple has got it right with their pitch?

It's OK for you as you know something about computers, but when my mother sees a huge poster with Charlie Chaplin on it and it says 'Think Different'... Is that the kind of reassurance she needs before spending a heap of money on a computer?

 

[Nermal]

one other thing that's not quite right with osx is that the 'alt-tab' (or 'apple-tab', whatever that button is) switches between applications, but not necessarily the other windows of that application.

That key is called Command. Press Command-Tab to switch between apps, and Command-` (the key above Tab) to switch between windows.

 

[Jalexster]

That key is called Command. Press Command-Tab to switch between apps, and Command-` (the key above Tab) to switch between windows.

I didn't know that Command-` switched windows! I'm a new Mac OS X user, but not a new Mac user. My Year 1-6 school had Macs, but they were all running OS9 or lower. I don't know everything about OSX, but I'm learning.

 

[Brother Michael]

one other thing that's not quite right with osx is that the 'alt-tab' (or 'apple-tab', whatever that button is) switches between applications, but not necessarily the other windows of that application.

Didn't know that one. Thanks.

However, if you want to swtich between windows, just use expose.

Mike

 

[sgwigle3]

2) With 30+ years of marketing work under my belt, I can say that one major reason people have so many misconceptions is that they believe what they CHOOSE to believe. There is enough technical information available for anyone who actually wants to engage their brain and compare PC and Mac functionality. Apple has no control over people who have chosen to live in a cave.

I am frankly surprised that you think the average Joe wants to, or even cares about researching to find out that sort of information. Sure its there... but why bother looking? when quite frankly your analogy of people living in caves could easily be turned around to Apple themselves living in caves. For god sake people look into it with a flash light! But of course they wont. Why should they? there's a party outside to do with a Service Pack 2 release?

And furthering that, you say they can CHOOSE? well that implies they have a choice of two or more options... the point of this thread is that these people who make the choice don't even KNOW about what choices they have. AKA another Winblows user. And it sucks.

 

[macsrus]

Exactly. I think Mac has it right and everyone has it wrong. It's not like it's hard to quit an app, I wish I at least had the option in windows.

The other side of this argument is I wish I had the option of having the whole app close when I closed the active window

My pbook is low enuff on memory so I wish the dang apps would just close...
But so we differ in likes and dislike.... so what
You cant please everyone

 

[macsrus]

I am frankly surprised that you think the average Joe wants to, or even cares about researching to find out that sort of information. Sure its there... but why bother looking? when quite frankly your analogy of people living in caves could easily be turned around to Apple themselves living in caves. For god sake people look into it with a flash light! But of course they wont. Why should they? there's a party outside to do with a Service Pack 2 release?

And furthering that, you say they can CHOOSE? well that implies they have a choice of two or more options... the point of this thread is that these people who make the choice don't even KNOW about what choices they have. AKA another Winblows user. And it sucks.

But people do choose everyday....
They just choose Windows and PC's over Macs by a margin of 19 to 1.
And that is just the reality of it...

 

[fuzzwud]

Heaven forbid, indeed.

I'm the only Mac user in my family, and I have to correct them all the time about this stuff. Apple really needs to work towards correcting all these misconceptions. I wonder where people get all these wrong ideas from anyway.

I think personal testimony is much more convincing than advertising. TV advertising is expensive and costly and quite probably less convinving than word of mouth from a friend or someone you know or trust. Apple is a small company compared to Intel or Microsoft or Dell. I would rather Apple spend its money in R&D than use it all for advertising misconceptions. Aren't we the ones who can show other ppl what macs truly are?

 

[jhu]

I think personal testimony is much more convincing than advertising. TV advertising is expensive and costly and quite probably less convinving than word of mouth from a friend or someone you know or trust. Apple is a small company compared to Intel or Microsoft or Dell. I would rather Apple spend its money in R&D than use it all for advertising misconceptions. Aren't we the ones who can show other ppl what macs truly are?

you know, that's basically what the amd crowd has been trying to do with limited success. apple, at least, has a certain image that they can work with. macs are 'cool', and if you don't have an ipod you're not with the 'in' crowd.

 

[echeck]

*while no one's looking, evilgEEk goes back on topic*

Here's one that I forgot about, but find rather humerous.

"You can't even buy anti-virus software for a mac-n-trash!"

heh heh

 

[OldManJimbo]

And so with your marketing experience, do you honestly believe that Apple has got it right with their pitch?

Yes - I think they are DEAD ON. The average consumer doesn't buy a computer for HOW it works, they buy for WHAT it will do for them.

Apple is not trying to provide an all-things-to-all-people computer solution. They are focused on a certain segment of the population and - from my persepctive - serve that segment quite well.

My original beef with this thread was related to all the people who whine that Apple isn't doing enough to validate their own decision to buy a Mac. My advice for them is be propud they've made the right decision and quit stressing that the whole world doesn't agree.

 

[OldManJimbo]

the average Joe

I'm not sure I could care much less about the opinions or purchase behavior of the "average Joe."

 

[echeck]

Ugh...so much for trying to get back on topic...

 

[jhu]

I'm not sure I could care much less about the opinions or purchase behavior of the "average Joe."

i'm sure apple does though. they'd love nothing more than to sell more things. and that's what they've been doing, be it computers or other 'stuff'.

 

[mvc]

Always remember this...

When some truly misguided and uninformed PC zealot comes at you spouting ignorant drivel about your Mac, remember that's probably why he bought the PC in the first place, because, usually, these kind of people don't really understand anything about computers, and prefer to follow the opinions of those around them regardless of whether they are correct because they can't tell good from bad or think for themselves.

He should have your pity, not your anger. He's now suffering for his decision every day and so feels the need to justify his purchase by berating yours.

Its a darwinian process you see, computer users really do find the platform that suits them

Be grateful.

 

[puckhead193]

These lies were furthered by this movie. "On the Mac, when it's time to upgrade, just pick it up, throw it away, and go buy another one."
Yeah, you've probably seen it. But it's a personal favorite.

God that makes me wanna cry.... there isn't one thing that i can't do with my mac then i could do with a pc..... if not more... I had my new powerbook for about 2 weeks now and i haven't had one problem... o wait there was one, when the internet stoped working...then i relized that the power wire for my wire came out because i was leaning on it.... i want my airpot express to ship already...

 

[starcrossed]

.... i want my airpot express to ship already...

I figured this may go a little off-topic but this post is a good lead in for my little story, and i don't want to make a seperate thread for it. Well I ordered an Airport Express in July with education discount, but Apple was saying online it wouldn't ship till mid-August, so I decided to check the local CompUSA at the end of July to see if they recieved any. Well they had a bunch in hand, so I figured I couldn't wait anymore and I would just cancel my Apple order. So I bought it, and since I was having so much time playing with it, I figured I would call Apple the next day since there was still time before they would fill the order. The next day I got the email that it had shipped, so there was no way to stop the shipment once it is out Apple's door I figured I would just let it arrive then send it back. But then I thought rather than go through that hassle, I will just take the Apple sent Airport Express, and my reciept from the one I bought a CompUSA and return it. CompUSA accepted the return and credit back my card, and I overall got my AE at the educational price. Sorry I've just telling that story to people because of how cool it turned out for me.