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My own "Get a Mac" rant...from personal experience
- Thread starter Sehnsucht
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No, it wasn't.
The OP said that he meant the original post to be 'somewhat humerous', but the point behind it still stands. I don't particularly care either way about the content of the original post, but it wasn't a joke.
Think you're looking into it a little too far there.
Oh, and depending where your interests lie, spending $2000 on a laptop is entirely feasible, as long as you have a job. I worked in a department store on Saturdays for a year, while living at home, and bought a powerbook. I just didn't piss it up against the wall at weekends.
A Mini for $599, keyboard and mouse $75, monitor $200. For that much, you can get a Dell with a Core 2 Duo, DVD burner, 19" wide screen monitor and have money left over.
I have owned Macs for years, but also a recent Compaq and a new Dell laptop.
People new to computing do not have a monitor, keyboard and mouse laying around to use with a Mini. Price is often a factor in the purchase decision.
Whoever in the world started the nasty rumor that computers ship with Malware? That is just insane!
it's like those total waste of flesh and bones people that say 'the only reason you don't have a iphone is because you can't afford one' grrrr 
I find the Mac 'experience' to be the other way round, i and my family have used mac's for basic web/e-mail/IM/music then all the heavy weight stuff to be on PC's.....
I work with Oracle / SAP / SAS / BIG Unix environments from HP Superdomes to Sun Enterprise machines daily and i'm sorry but i cannot use a Mac for this, it's too niche ....
And there's nothing wrong with windows, i've seen some VERY stable windows environments it's about the hardware and the upkeep.
These £300 or whatever machines do have their place, not everyone can afford a mac and to be honest 99% of corporations/school's/businesses use PC's so surely these are great for people.
I find the Mac 'experience' to be the other way round, i and my family have used mac's for basic web/e-mail/IM/music then all the heavy weight stuff to be on PC's.....
I work with Oracle / SAP / SAS / BIG Unix environments from HP Superdomes to Sun Enterprise machines daily and i'm sorry but i cannot use a Mac for this, it's too niche ....
And there's nothing wrong with windows, i've seen some VERY stable windows environments it's about the hardware and the upkeep.
These £300 or whatever machines do have their place, not everyone can afford a mac and to be honest 99% of corporations/school's/businesses use PC's so surely these are great for people.
Your facts are way off when you say 99%. I am a Windows fanboi but also a Mac fanboi. When you make quotes like "99%", you are ruining any credibilty you may have had.
Hey now...There is a difference between body odor from manual labor and body odor from poor hygiene. I mean, after working every single Friday and Saturday night at the place for a year, it becomes relatively easy to detect those subtle nuances.
And by the way, to all the other people telling me to get off my high horse, please note that my original post was meant to be at least somewhat humorous and thought-provoking. And please note, I haven't even bothered recommending a Mac to customers because I already know it's useless to try. Apart from family members and friends, there's actually very little Mac-plugging from me.
And come on, you must show me SOME sympathy, even though I work for a giant evil corporation...being asked if one can pay for their digital camera with their food stamp card* eventually ceases to amuse me at all.
* Absolutely positively honest this actually happened, cross my heart hope to die, swear to God, not kidding, no joke.
Dude, really. You don't get any sympathy from me. Get over yourself. If you don't like being there don't spend a few $k on a computer. Move out of your parent's house. Why don't you get a job smelling people, seems you're pretty good at it. Why not the airport sniffing luggage?
Alrighty, well seeing the slightly nasty turn this thread has taken, I feel the need to clarify further.
I did not intend my OP to be offensive to people who use PCs (I do too, for the love of God) or who find Stetson cologne a dandy substitute for bathing.
OK, I'll admit it...I work at the wrong place!
Picture the following simplified scenario: Imagine a world totally devoid of computers. Absolutely no computers exist, of any quality, from any manufacturer. The public has absolutely no idea what a computer is because they currently do not exist. Then let's say two separate camps of mad scientists compete and each roll out their own two computers for sale to anyone who wants one. Now, the awestruck public has two choices: "How about this one from behind Curtain #1...it has very few problems, runs smoothly and quickly, is extremely secure and takes years to depreciate. Or how about this one from behind Curtain #2: It's prone to malicious programs called viruses, worms and Trojan horses that can wipe your hard drive clean, and to get protection from this annoyance, you have to pay extra for this 'anti-virus' subscription. Also, the OS is slower and tends to crash and display this lovely blue screen you're seeing now...although you can play games if you like. Think of it as a large game console for your desk! How about it, folks?!" Now, which one are these amazed people going to line up for in droves? Who'd want the one behind Curtain #2? I'd imagine almost nobody.
But in the real world, those people I deal with who are frustrated by their PC's problems are, at the same time, actually used to viruses and the like...as annoyed as they are by the BSOD, missing drivers, and random "illegal operations", to them it's still "normal"; just part of owning a computer. I am here to tell them the glorious news...it doesn't have to be this way!!
It's the "willful ignorance" of many people that pisses me off. Nobody wants to maintain an open mind. I know one guy in particular who is rabidly anti-Mac and if anyone dares utter the word "Mac" in his presence, he goes off on a long rant about how "retarded" and "a pointless waste of time" they are. He pledges allegiance solely to Compaq, and will refuse a computer from any other brand. His parents discussed getting him a MacBook for college (my advice) and he literally said, "F**k Macs! I want a Compaq! I don't have the time for that shiny-ass Apple bullsh*t!" I asked him what he likes about Compaq, and he said, "Cause Compaq rocks! My first computer was a Compaq! I've had like 7 of them, they rule!" Well, come to find out, he'd gone through so many because....guess what....he'd have one for a couple years and then it would take a colossal sh*t on him and he'd have to get another one! Never realizing the truth or even stopping to think about why he was having to go through one PC after another, like a tin of Altoids. When I pointed this out, the jerk accused me of having been kidnapped, anally/orally raped and brainwashed by Steve Jobs. It was really quite pathetic to watch.
So, please realize that my "Get a Mac" rants are not intended to sound arrogant. My views are NOT "I'm better than you because I have a Mac," they're "I have a Mac, I love it, and you should get one because you'll love it too!" I just want everyone to share the experience.
And, guess what: Time to come clean: I GREW UP ON WINDOWS. I used PCs from Windows 3.1 all the way up to Windows Vista. And, you know what? I'm never going back. 2 years ago, I bought an iPod, was suddenly reminded of the Mac...used one...wanted one...longed for one...and finally GOT ONE. I now know both OS's pretty much inside and out, and I know the pros and cons of each. I'm not one of those annoying fanboys who goes around flaunting the Apple logo like they're paying me.
It's not "ideology", it's true.
P.S. For reasons that do not concern you, I put my two-week notice in at Wal-Mart yesterday. SO relieved.
I did not intend my OP to be offensive to people who use PCs (I do too, for the love of God) or who find Stetson cologne a dandy substitute for bathing.
OK, I'll admit it...I work at the wrong place!
Picture the following simplified scenario: Imagine a world totally devoid of computers. Absolutely no computers exist, of any quality, from any manufacturer. The public has absolutely no idea what a computer is because they currently do not exist. Then let's say two separate camps of mad scientists compete and each roll out their own two computers for sale to anyone who wants one. Now, the awestruck public has two choices: "How about this one from behind Curtain #1...it has very few problems, runs smoothly and quickly, is extremely secure and takes years to depreciate. Or how about this one from behind Curtain #2: It's prone to malicious programs called viruses, worms and Trojan horses that can wipe your hard drive clean, and to get protection from this annoyance, you have to pay extra for this 'anti-virus' subscription. Also, the OS is slower and tends to crash and display this lovely blue screen you're seeing now...although you can play games if you like. Think of it as a large game console for your desk! How about it, folks?!" Now, which one are these amazed people going to line up for in droves? Who'd want the one behind Curtain #2? I'd imagine almost nobody.
But in the real world, those people I deal with who are frustrated by their PC's problems are, at the same time, actually used to viruses and the like...as annoyed as they are by the BSOD, missing drivers, and random "illegal operations", to them it's still "normal"; just part of owning a computer. I am here to tell them the glorious news...it doesn't have to be this way!!
It's the "willful ignorance" of many people that pisses me off. Nobody wants to maintain an open mind. I know one guy in particular who is rabidly anti-Mac and if anyone dares utter the word "Mac" in his presence, he goes off on a long rant about how "retarded" and "a pointless waste of time" they are. He pledges allegiance solely to Compaq, and will refuse a computer from any other brand. His parents discussed getting him a MacBook for college (my advice) and he literally said, "F**k Macs! I want a Compaq! I don't have the time for that shiny-ass Apple bullsh*t!" I asked him what he likes about Compaq, and he said, "Cause Compaq rocks! My first computer was a Compaq! I've had like 7 of them, they rule!" Well, come to find out, he'd gone through so many because....guess what....he'd have one for a couple years and then it would take a colossal sh*t on him and he'd have to get another one! Never realizing the truth or even stopping to think about why he was having to go through one PC after another, like a tin of Altoids. When I pointed this out, the jerk accused me of having been kidnapped, anally/orally raped and brainwashed by Steve Jobs. It was really quite pathetic to watch.
So, please realize that my "Get a Mac" rants are not intended to sound arrogant. My views are NOT "I'm better than you because I have a Mac," they're "I have a Mac, I love it, and you should get one because you'll love it too!" I just want everyone to share the experience.
And, guess what: Time to come clean: I GREW UP ON WINDOWS. I used PCs from Windows 3.1 all the way up to Windows Vista. And, you know what? I'm never going back. 2 years ago, I bought an iPod, was suddenly reminded of the Mac...used one...wanted one...longed for one...and finally GOT ONE. I now know both OS's pretty much inside and out, and I know the pros and cons of each. I'm not one of those annoying fanboys who goes around flaunting the Apple logo like they're paying me.
It's not "ideology", it's true.
P.S. For reasons that do not concern you, I put my two-week notice in at Wal-Mart yesterday. SO relieved.
I worked at a big box electronic store,and most customers really don't care at all about what they're getting. They care about one thing: price. The cheaper the better. It sells. Check this out:
USB stick, 8 GB; $29.99
USB stick, 1 GB, 24.99
Same brand. Customer decides to go with the 1 GB...
Besides not caring about their computer, many customers don't appreciate computers like many of us do. Moreover, many customers can't afford anything better. If you make $15./hr at your job, you probably won't be buying a MacBook Pro when you have to pay for car, gas, etc.
USB stick, 8 GB; $29.99
USB stick, 1 GB, 24.99
Same brand. Customer decides to go with the 1 GB...
Besides not caring about their computer, many customers don't appreciate computers like many of us do. Moreover, many customers can't afford anything better. If you make $15./hr at your job, you probably won't be buying a MacBook Pro when you have to pay for car, gas, etc.
I can top that...A guy comes in looking for a replacement 7 ft. ethernet cable that he's running from his modem to a ethernet router. The original cable shorted out. We just so happened to be sold out of the 7 ft. cables, so I apologized to the guy and showed him the 14 ft. cables that cost $2 more than the 7 ft., which are $7.98. But instead of going ahead and paying an extra $2 for twice the length, he shakes his head and insists on the 7 ft., "because it's all I need". Then, even more ridiculously, he says he'll "keep checking back every few days" to see if we've got them in yet. SO IN THE MEANTIME, HIS COMPUTERS DON'T FREAKING HAVE INTERNET!
Now I know 14 feet is probably a little longer than necessary, but who the hell cares. Why not just roll up the extra slack and wrap it with a rubber band or something...God!!
I can top that...A guy comes in looking for a replacement 7 ft. ethernet cable that he's running from his modem to a ethernet router. The original cable shorted out. We just so happened to be sold out of the 7 ft. cables, so I apologized to the guy and showed him the 14 ft. cables that cost $2 more than the 7 ft., which are $7.98. But instead of going ahead and paying an extra $2 for twice the length, he shakes his head and insists on the 7 ft., "because it's all I need". Then, even more ridiculously, he says he'll "keep checking back every few days" to see if we've got them in yet. SO IN THE MEANTIME, HIS COMPUTERS DON'T FREAKING HAVE INTERNET!
Haha, I love these stories. I have a few others...
(these happened in 2007-2008)
1) I don't want to go with the MacBook because I hear that the white apple logo shines through the screen and you will be able to see the logo when looking at the screen from head on.
2) Customer buying new computer set up...spending $300 for "antivirus + MS office installation" and around $150 on a warranty...must choose between 17" LCD (149$) vs. 20" ($189). Customer buys 17"....
3) Another customer...tower #1: $399, 1 GB ram, 80 gb hard drive, AMD sempron; tower #2: $449, 2GB ram, 250 gb HD, intel c2D (Compaq). Customer buys tower #1.
4) Do you have any laptops with VHS players?
5) Toshiba satellite...does it pick up a satellite signal?
6) Customer accepts warranty thinking it is $1.49 and not $149, gets very angry at the register.
7) Black laser printer...option #1: $69.99, comes with "50% capacity starter toner", option #2: $89.99, comes with "full" toner, customer chooses option #2.
All of these are true stories.
OP - I hope you're making a distinction between people who have the money for a Mac but choose to buy a POS, and people who can only afford a bottom-end computer. Chances are if someone is making a lot of their electronics purchases at Wal*Mart they can't afford most of what's in the Apple Store. And that's not their fault. A cheap computer doesn't have to be terrible, you just have to expect to get what you pay for, and most the average consumer is probably more concerned about appearance and pretty stickers than why they should pay $100 more to bump up their RAM. I have a well-functioning (and hilarious) Gateway 2000 in the basement, and a friend just bought a $1200 HP notebook which crapped out in under 2 hours thanks to Vista.
Yes, his little brother was dancing around him in circles and telling him he should have bought a Mac.
Yes, his little brother was dancing around him in circles and telling him he should have bought a Mac.
Hmm, all else being equal, I probably would have gone for option 2 as well. Toners are $50-100 apiece, so wouldn't spending the extra $20 make sense?
I can top that...A guy comes in looking for a replacement 7 ft. ethernet cable that he's running from his modem to a ethernet router. The original cable shorted out. We just so happened to be sold out of the 7 ft. cables, so I apologized to the guy and showed him the 14 ft. cables that cost $2 more than the 7 ft., which are $7.98. But instead of going ahead and paying an extra $2 for twice the length, he shakes his head and insists on the 7 ft., "because it's all I need". Then, even more ridiculously, he says he'll "keep checking back every few days" to see if we've got them in yet. SO IN THE MEANTIME, HIS COMPUTERS DON'T FREAKING HAVE INTERNET!
Nice story, I have one very similar... While working at Circuit City, we had the same exact thing, out of the 7ft but had the 14ft in stock. Not sure about the price difference as I haven't worked there for awhile... But, the customer asked to speak to my manager. After listening to the customer complain for probably 5-10 minutes, my manager said he'd split the cost to go to the 14ft cable. (probably a dollar or 2 more, like I said not too sure on the price at that time) The customer was so pissed off that he couldn't get it for the same price as the 7ft that he said that he'd never shop at our store again and was going to Best Buy... Yeah we all had a good laugh, it's times like that I miss working in retail (ok nevermind...)
LOL it's like the favorite line of many angry Wal-Mart customers, "Well, I'm just going to Best Buy!" As if that's supposed to scare us.
I buy stuff from Best Buy all the time...big deal. Yes, I hope I am.
I know one husband and wife (friend's parents) who spent $95,000 on a couple of new cars, $650,000 on a new house, $80,000 on an RV, and $30,000 on a boat. But guess what? I tell them about my iMac and how cool it is, so they get interested and ask me more, but then, "How much?" Their jaws actually dropped and they said, "Oh, we're not paying $3,000 for a computer...Why didn't you go to Office Depot and buy one of their desktop bundles for $699?!" GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! Oh well. Whatever.
HAHAHAHA...now THAT is pants-s!@ttin' funny.
I would have replied with something like, "No, but if you go to the Apple store, the new MacBooks have Betamax players!"
I should have mentioned that at this store the replacement toners were around $100 (hence the stupidly cheap price of the printer!). Not the same printer at all...the cheaper one looked....really, really cheap, lol.
Oh...and another classic story....buy any computer and get a printer that's normally $99.99 for only $19.99....all in one printer that comes with a full tank of ink....customer turns it down because the printer was "HP" and he heard that HP printers weren't good.
Well, I guess not everyone needs to have a Mac.
Me - I have a Mac because I do a lot of things on it. It's my life in this thing. I can't use a POS Dell that runs Vista.
My dad - Checks email once a day, occasionally checks the news. Doesn't download any files so doesn't worry about viruses. He bought an HP about 5 years ago for $400 and it's still chugging along.
Some like you and I need a computer that "just works" for us, while others opt for the cheaper alternative because it does "work" for them.
Me - I have a Mac because I do a lot of things on it. It's my life in this thing. I can't use a POS Dell that runs Vista.
My dad - Checks email once a day, occasionally checks the news. Doesn't download any files so doesn't worry about viruses. He bought an HP about 5 years ago for $400 and it's still chugging along.
Some like you and I need a computer that "just works" for us, while others opt for the cheaper alternative because it does "work" for them.
LOL .. now I know why I can't work at stores - I wouldn't be able to hold my laughter and make fun of such ppl.
LOL .. now I know why I can't work at stores - I wouldn't be able to hold my laughter and make fun of such ppl.
True, true. But it is my firm belief that everyone should work in big-box retail for at least 1 year...it will give you a whole new perspective on life and make you see things as you never saw them before. LOL. You always supersize your meals, buy the biggest popcorn and soda at the theater and pay for Premium instead of regular gas, right?
Because it's sensible for people to always spend a few bucks more and buy a more than they really need?
Hard to see where to start on this one..
First - sorry, Sensucht (and everyone who agrees with him above), but you're coming across as quite the elitist snob(s). Not everyone can afford a laptop computer for $1000 and up. Take the OLPC for exaple: Apple could never have pulled something like that off, not only because their costs of their proprietary soft/hardware are so high but because, on a more basic level, they lack a commitment to the well-being of society. Only free software can really make this kind of change, provide computers at reasonable prices to the masses.
Second - Choosing a computer is a personal choice. If I'm a cheese snob, I shouldn't call you an idiot because you choose to buy Kraft Velveeta instead of aged Brie (for the record, I'm not) and I shouldn't laugh at you for buying cheese A rather than cheese B although the latter is a better deal. I'm knowledgeable about computers, but I respect those who aren't and who may not make the best decisions. Clearly, Sehnsucht (and lackeys thereof), you do not respect them. You would like to make these choices for people. You have no respect for their right to live their lives as they please.
Third - Like you, Sehnsucht, I was once a dedicated Windows user. I used windows 95 all the way through XP. But I started to be disgusted. Bugs, crashes, viruses... it was all just too much. For a time, I pined for my own Apple computer, even a mac mini, as an escape from Micro$oft's tyranny. But fortunately for me I did not go that route. Instead, I took the road less traveled by, the path to freedom.
I installed Fedora Linux (later Gentoo after I got some experience) and I have never been happier when using a computer. I installed these on existing PCs, no need from expensive locked-down Apple hardware. Speed and stability improved dramatically. Hardware support was not nearly as bad as the Apple drones would have you believe. And none of it cost me a penny.
Oh, and my *emachines* has been running fine on Fedora. Since '03. Without a hitch. I use it as a web server in fact. So there you have it.
Let me make my own personal appeal here: Get Linux, not a mac. It will save you money, it will save you time, it will save you disillusionment later down the road when you realize you're locked in Apple's proprietary cage with no way out.
First - sorry, Sensucht (and everyone who agrees with him above), but you're coming across as quite the elitist snob(s). Not everyone can afford a laptop computer for $1000 and up. Take the OLPC for exaple: Apple could never have pulled something like that off, not only because their costs of their proprietary soft/hardware are so high but because, on a more basic level, they lack a commitment to the well-being of society. Only free software can really make this kind of change, provide computers at reasonable prices to the masses.
Second - Choosing a computer is a personal choice. If I'm a cheese snob, I shouldn't call you an idiot because you choose to buy Kraft Velveeta instead of aged Brie (for the record, I'm not) and I shouldn't laugh at you for buying cheese A rather than cheese B although the latter is a better deal. I'm knowledgeable about computers, but I respect those who aren't and who may not make the best decisions. Clearly, Sehnsucht (and lackeys thereof), you do not respect them. You would like to make these choices for people. You have no respect for their right to live their lives as they please.
Third - Like you, Sehnsucht, I was once a dedicated Windows user. I used windows 95 all the way through XP. But I started to be disgusted. Bugs, crashes, viruses... it was all just too much. For a time, I pined for my own Apple computer, even a mac mini, as an escape from Micro$oft's tyranny. But fortunately for me I did not go that route. Instead, I took the road less traveled by, the path to freedom.
I installed Fedora Linux (later Gentoo after I got some experience) and I have never been happier when using a computer. I installed these on existing PCs, no need from expensive locked-down Apple hardware. Speed and stability improved dramatically. Hardware support was not nearly as bad as the Apple drones would have you believe. And none of it cost me a penny.
Oh, and my *emachines* has been running fine on Fedora. Since '03. Without a hitch. I use it as a web server in fact. So there you have it.
Let me make my own personal appeal here: Get Linux, not a mac. It will save you money, it will save you time, it will save you disillusionment later down the road when you realize you're locked in Apple's proprietary cage with no way out.