Feelings of Apple Disillusionment

Well, I think Macs are great and I have blogged mine I was so happy to get it! You can read it here if you want. www.dotswotnots.blogspot.com

fleurya said:

..Any other new users feeling this way??

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I know when my MacBooks Hard Drive died after about 7 months I felt a little disillusioned with Apple - this was my first Mac but def. not my first laptop yet it was the only one to have a piece of hardware fail on me.

At the time I was quite dissapointed and kind of felt a little cheated to be honest. I think most of that was as a result of the terrible service I received from the 'approved service partner' thats in Bristol. They tried to tell me that it not turning on at the first press of the power button was normal... ok, I'm going off topic I think

As soon as I got the MacBook back and Time Machine proved how great it was at setting my new HDD to the same as the last backup of my previous HDD - I realised I am still in love with my MacBook and all was forgiven.

As another said; experiences differ from user to user.

Have you ever noticed how once you get Car X in Colour Y which maybe you hadn't so too many of before owning one yourself - suddenly you see them every-where. Maybe you just notice more Apple posts than you did as a Windows user?

People do tend to complain more than they praise. If you are unhappy with something - you want everyone that will listen to know about it. If you are happy you are probably a little less vocal.

I got a new MacBook this weekend, overall is a great machine, better than i expected. Still, i got a pair of surprises...

MacBooks no longer include a RGB adapter. It used to be standard and my Mac Mini still came with such adapter. I know that LCD screens are becoming more popular, but if that is the case i would expect that adapter, yet it wasn't included. The adapter sales for $20, why can't Apple include it?

It took 4 updates to have Leopard updated, including one specific for Mobil Me. One of the things i loved about my first iBook was that it took me only one update to get everything perfect. It is still not close to the pain of updating Windows, but is not what i expect from Apple.

I still have plenty of confidence in Apple as a company, one of the things i love is the attention you get at the stores, but it seems (to me) like the growth is starting to drag some little details. Yes, little details, but i always thought Apple was about all those little details.

Ya know, reviving a long dead thread is not always a good thing...

fleurya said:

Since getting my Macbook Pro and visiting this site, I'm having some serious feelings of buyers remorse.

All the hype I always heard from Apple fans about how great Macs are; the software is the best, the systems work perfect out of the box, and the software/OS doesn't have problems or need patches or "updates".

These are the things Mac fans always harp on when they talk bad about Windows PCs. I personally rarely had any problems with Windows PCs, but decided to make the change for several reasons. After getting my MBP and checkin out this forum, I'm seeing all kinds of messages about OS problems, hardware problems such as isight and disk drive not functioning properly, and Apple sending out "updates" which I consider patches to take care of these problems!!

What's the deal?? I swaer, from all the hype I heard about Apple being so great, I half-expected my MBP to be glowing when I pulled it out of the box, but instead find out about all these issues that never seems to be mentioned in Windows vs. Apple discussions.

Any other new users feeling this way??

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The same here. I do not love windows, maybe I hate them. I got an iMac 24 just for the S-IPS panel.

The monitor is by far, far out of other 1000 euro monitors. My thought was just like that. I need a S-IPS monitor, they cost 1500 euro and more, let's get an iMac which is not only a monitor...

I totaly forgot windows shortcut and ways to manage your computer. But even so, I found out some totaly lame ways of managing the computer with mac os.

Finally I have to say that there are no viruses for mac os and it seems to be true, I just smiled to see the terminal working, WOW BSD!!! and it is a f... beauty this alouminioum style...

To equalise my critic fearther more, i close adding that the mouse is just the most unergonomic and nerve streching mouse I 've ever touched... I just toss it to the cat...

Alot of users feel this way. It is largely Apple's fault. They have so vigorously marketed their products as being perfect, peoples' expectations have jumped rapidly, and they expect that their computer will NEVER have problems.

But it is still a computer, and has bugs. Mostly, these bugs are 3rd party applications, not ones made by Apple.

But the NUMBER of people having problems is much less than windows, it's just that when a mac user DOES have a problem, they whine about it sOO much more. Why? Because Windows users just get used to having an operating system that is slow, buggy, crashy, unresponsive-y,bloaty, etc. so they complain less.

Seriously, though, I switched and haven't looked back.

I understand where you are coming from Fleurya. I am a new switcher. But I must say I am very happy with the switch. My Macbook Pro is so much simpler and pleasing than my former PC's. I still can have the best of both worlds with Vm Fusion and not have to repurchase some expensive pc programs. Yet I still get all the fun my Mac brings me. I have to agree though with the fact these are forums where people seek help with problems so it always seems a more problematic than it is.

musicvortex said:

Alot of users feel this way. It is largely Apple's fault. They have so vigorously marketed their products as being perfect, peoples' expectations have jumped rapidly, and they expect that their computer will NEVER have problems.

But it is still a computer, and has bugs. Mostly, these bugs are 3rd party applications, not ones made by Apple.

But the NUMBER of people having problems is much less than windows, it's just that when a mac user DOES have a problem, they whine about it sOO much more. Why? Because Windows users just get used to having an operating system that is slow, buggy, crashy, unresponsive-y,bloaty, etc. so they complain less.

Seriously, though, I switched and haven't looked back.

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You are defenting Mac vs PC. I think whatever we say here is not a comparison. I am not a programmer but I know that the heart of the operating system is much better than windows. From that point and then, there is no comparison because we must not put a mac and a pc next to eachother.


As a photographer i spent 20% of my time to keep my pc healthy working and 80% to post productionmy photos. I already feel that is not happening with the iMac. Now it is 1% managing the computer, 9% use of the operating system to find files, move them, rename, organise, etc. and 90% real work.

But i 'd like the mac os to have:

1. current folder view left of the finder.

2. change every window size NOT only from the bottom right corner.

3. safari is closing the tabs if you press the 3rd button on them.

4."expose" all the opened windows and not only the ones from the current "space".

5. NOT having mac os to control mouse speed. I NEED it to be totally straight to my movements.


Maybe i missed something and maybe i can do this things. But I did'n find them still.

5) My MS Trackball mouse software does this for me. There are 3rd party apps to do do this.

As a photographer i spent 20% of my time to keep my pc healthy working and 80% to post productionmy photos. I already feel that is not happening with the iMac. Now it is 1% managing the computer, 9% use of the operating system to find files, move them, rename, organise, etc. and 90% real work.

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As only an amateur photographer, this is exactly how I feel. I just got my MBP and came across this thread linked in the Switchers FAQ (therefore I think it will always be revived ;D ) and am excited to say 'No Buyers Remorse Here'.

I'm on my work PC now, and whenever I am, I am itching to get back to the Mac. I bought it for a multitude of reasons, but I gravitate to it now because its just so clean and manages everything the way I like it to (contacts, email, photos, etc).

mr g5 said:

thats because this is a forum. more people post problems than great experiences.

Apple's patchs only happen after the release of something new or every 1-2 months not once a week with windows.

Hardware is Hardware, there will be some problems. However I would bet that mac users experience less hardware problems than pc users because with mac there is only one company deciding what goes in these computers resulting in less compatibility issues and apple generally uses higher quality components than the pc giants (dell, hp)

Just go to a major pc forum and tell me what kind of problems you read about there.

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+ 1000

i was a PC user, i also work at IBM
i had a little adjusting to do when i got my Mac, and yes i too read alot of people and thier problems, but i have not had one single problem with mine since i got it Dec 07. and the more i use it and figure it out ... the more i LOVE it.
and i hate going to work and having to use a PC ;D

Yeah, thread necromancy can be a bit annoying to read through and then one post throws you off and makes you check the date of the previous ones and go ***...that being said, there ARE some still valid points of discussion here and it's not just a random off topic flamefest.

I've used nothing but PCs since ohhhh about 3rd grade. Kind of got used to the "facts of life" with windows, IE constant upgrade patches, virus sweeps, etc. Most recently, had a custom built desktop (my 3rd windows computer) that caught a virus from of all things some military software (I'm in the Army) that I was trying to load onto it for working at home. Anyone familiar with the military, that software was PureEdge. Apparently, it had some sort of Trojan in it that slipped through both McAfee and Symantec (full corporate versions of both, downloaded off of AKO - Army Knowledge Online). This virus created a new "user" account every time I started up windows, resetting EVERYTHING. My settings, resolution, desktop, icons, etc. On top of that, I'm pretty sure it was spamming or something else because I had a 3.0ghz duo core, 4gb OCZ ram, 750gb HD, etc, etc, yet it was running slow. It overloaded symantec when I tried to quarentine/wipe the virus, where I had to cntrl+alt+delete shut down symantec, and did the same with mcafee. That was the worst one I've ever had, and got it from about the last place I expected to. It's what pushed me over the edge and made me think "let's go check out those new macbooks, because I'm really sick of this."

Walked into Best Buy first, looking at the macbook air, pro, etc. Mainly focusing on laptops because I'm about to deploy back to Iraq and can't exactly throw a desktop G5 into my rucksack. My other laptop is an Alienware, which ran well but very hot, prone to overheating in Iraq due to dust getting in through the multiple fan vents and everything in the case....but I digress. Anyway I really liked the look and feel of the MacBooks, except for the lack of things like a CD/DVD drive on the Air, which made me focus on Pros. I loved the touchpad having multiple finger swipe uses, as I have had an iPhone for a little over a year now as well. Made my way over to the apple store for some more apple-specific questions, found out about parrallels, and what programs mac has to rival everything basic in windows, and was sold. Bought a 15" MBP.

Since buying it, I've transferred 200gb of music over to iTunes from my desktop, all my old pictures, videos, etc. I no longer really play any PC games, so that wasn't much of an issue, and I've managed to find almost everything I need in Mac versions IE Office 2008, Photoshop, etc. No viruses so far, no freezing, no random slowdowns, battery life is awesome, it's LIGHT and PORTABLE like a laptop should be (compared to the alienware 15 pound brick I had before, with a power source bigger than the xbox 360's). Didn't have any problems whatsoever with my iPhone/iPod connecting and updating through iTunes, learned how to make ringtones through garageband (awesome!!!), it starts up fast and shuts down fast, no closing multiple "ninja" processes in the backround while waiting to shut down. Leave it on for days at a time downloading movies, and it doesn't burn my lap when I pick it up again heh. The built in webcam is awesome with Skype, quality of picture and smooth video is amazing compared to the $80 Logitech cam I used with my desktop before. I'd say the only thing I don't like so far is....um....uh....well, I was trying to find a Mac version of Steam so I could play Counterstrike once in a while, but apparently Steam is only for windows. Only other game I'm hoping they make for Mac is Starcraft 2...which they should since there was a Mac version of the original if I'm not mistaken. Got my PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii in the meantime.

To those who switched, those who are switchers, and those who will switch - *salutes*

***edit*** One gripe I have - where is the Mac version of Windowblinds for skinning the interface? I've found dock skins, widget skins, but no overall interface customizing programs.