Why the hatred towards Mac users??

[Village Idiot]

I can understand having a passion for something, but several of the lowlife PC owners cross the line.

-Seann

Hah, this is funny. You point out how biased and judgemental PC owners are, then...

 

[fiveightandten]

I think one small fact that gets missed whenever I see mac vs. PC debates is this...

Most mac users did not have a Mac for their first computer (which makes sense due to the sheer number of PC's out there). We're all converted *from* PC's. If there wasn't some logical reason to switch, why would anyone?

I have a few friends with Mac Laptops. They didn't force the issue on me, it was just kind of like "Hey, check out this cool computer I got...". When you spend any amount of time with one, and you approach it with an open mind, you're sold. I try and take the same approach with people. For instance, i'm giving my Mini to a coworker for a week so he can play around with it and come to his own conclusions. Maybe he won't like it. No big deal, it's either his loss, or it's not for him.

The "I'm a Mac" ads give Macs a bad name IMO. They typecast all Mac users as arrogant know-it-alls.

-Nick

 

[yogi]

Windows can do games, and seems better on the internet.

Yea, cuz them HTML codes get all changed and stuff...

[I'd be embarassed as] someone who seriously uses 1337 & h@x0rz...

Seriously? 1337?

 

[Prise]

Best Thread Ever.

Hahahaha...Awesome thread indeed!

 

[walkerj]

The "I'm a Mac" ads give Macs a bad name IMO. They typecast all Mac users as arrogant know-it-alls.

-Nick

No, no, we're not arrogant know-it-alls. We're arrogant our-computers-know-it-all-for-us..es.

And that's what Macs do for us, is a lot of things that PCs don't for their users. PC users (and I'm still one both Windows/Linux etc.) need to work for the computer, while for the Mac user has the computer work for them. Or us in this case since this is a Mac forum.

In a way it's like we have these sleek, powerful machines that do stuff without question or danger, while PC users have to deal with protecting the machine from the attacks inherent of the internet while at the same time struggling to keep it working. Macs don't exactly 'just work', but they do 'just work precisely for what we need them to do given a little knowledge and we don't have to deal with the spyware, viruses, and things Microsoft thinks the computer should do for you in what ends up being a rather bad way.'

Okay, so that was a long quote to describe a simple function. Which I think my brother-in-law put very succinctly to me shortly after he got his Mac (coming from the PC world): It's like I have a little servant that goes and does things for me and I know now that it will do it, but not get in the way of what I'm trying to accomplish. Whether that be to grab a torrent (and yeah, there's grey areas there but hey we live in a real world environment where 'content providers' want to control how and where we'll use it; and pay for it every time but that's not always going to happen; I'll be watching Doctor Who here in the US soon since my Mac can kind of virtually live in the UK for the brief time it takes for it to 'record' it for me even if *I* don't live there) or to take something that he creates himself on his own (he's a skilled musician) his Mac does it for him without requiring any jumps through hoops to make it happen. In fact he named his Mac iGor†, since it seems to him that when he sets it on the relatively simple tasks it virtually says "yessss, my master" and does it. Difference being that "iGor" looks like the computer equivalent of Gisele Bündchen* and obeys every command with little question.

Windows doesn't do that for the user. Windows tries to helpfully do things for the user that are very complicated but adds a level of complexity of its own. It's kind of the girl (or guy, depending on your preference) who is nerdy, complex, and plays all the cool games but has a lot of baggage. In the Windows case a lot of compatibility issues where it needs to be able to play Duke Nukem' '94, but wants desperately to be your World of Warcraft companion. All the while it 'helpfully' reminds you that you're connected to the super-duper Comcast wireless network, and by the way you need to download MS update EB809436 to address a security hole that will fix WIN/32/baggage-A-B-Opositive-estoniamania/virus-six, and restart three times, but if you're a Windows user you know you have to click 'Allow' so that you don't get that e-disease.

Mac users don't have to do that. Windows users do. And they hate that, they have to live with their $600 discount Walmart PC, and on too many occasions they have to deal with some frustrations. So they have to take out their hate on someone. Linux users are too few (though there are some of us out there) so who is the next to get their ire? Yep, you're reading the typings of one of them. You're one too. We have a Mac so we don't have to worry about that, uh, stuff. You're gonna get some hate sent your way, but that's all you have to worry about. It can be ignored.

<preaching to choir>
We don't have to deal with all that Windows crap. Unless we need/want to because it's a way to make a living. We'll keep going on using our computers the way The Future promised us they would: obedient servants working for us rather than cranky machines that don't do what we want, when we want them. Oh, sure there's the occasional Software Update that keeps our Macs up-to-date with the latest patch here and there, but until 10.4.10 and Leopard we're gonna be working with beautiful to look at software, and fast efficient hardware. It's also upgradeable, sexy, and competitively priced††.

But you knew that.
</preaching to choir>

They have a continuous world of frustration while those that use Macs (of course this is not Universal, pun intended) will live in a world of, well Sunshine and Lollipops because that scroll button on the right of this posting window sure looks like a combination of the two, and at the same time we'll be using our computers to do wonderful, innovative things. Windows users will be busy cleaning up after the latest Romanian Hostage Virus and maybe sending them some ca$h (or ca£h depending on where you are) to rescue their data from what the RHV hijacked from their hard drives.

When you don't have to worry about that kind of crap, you develop a certain "bullet-proofness".

I still stand by my earlier statement that Apple developed a bit of a level of "smug", but today it is rock solid, and the choice of the geek and the novice alike in this new-fangled internet that we have to contend with for this new generation. We have the technology, we have made it better than it was [for those who have chosen to use a Mac in this day and age.]

Yeah, there's still the occasional hardware problem or even software problem you'll see on this forum. That happens to every 'thing' created by humans. Whether that be an automobile, electronic device, or computer. Heck I was on a train recently that developed a problem with its electric motors that caused it to move at 10mph which was a great inconvenience to the passengers. Stuff happens. I don't hate trains as a result of that experience.

*Gisele Bündchen - supermodel shamelessly lifted from a Wikipedia page for the purpose of this post.

† My Mac is called iSaac, paying homage to the bartender Isaac on "The Love Boat", an American television series from back in the '70s played by Teddy Wilson, who always seemed to get you what you needed. Also a bit of a play on words from the producers of the American animated series "Futurama" where they had a robot in one episode who was also homaged (is that a word? iSaac doesn't seem to think so) to the same series which they called iZac, which in turn was an homage to the iMac; a computer which they used to create many of the scenes in the program.

††Price out a comparative Dell or Sony laptop. Search this forum and you'll see what I mean.

Did this post seem a bit smug to you? In any case, this post was probably too long. But it's probably pretty 1337! LOL!!!11!!ONE!

 

[Netty4mac]

Best Thread Ever.

Omg! I could not read past the 1st page of that.

 

[xstep]

The "I'm a Mac" ads give Macs a bad name IMO. They typecast all Mac users as arrogant know-it-alls.

I don't think that at all. In fact the actor playing the Mac is very good at not displaying that characteristic or one of a smug presentation. The adds simply display a point in clever little ways that may lead the intended audience to do further research on their next computer purchase.

If the ads do nothing else but remove some of peoples lack of knowledge about Macs, then they are worth every penny.

 

[gilesjuk]

Some people just like to be in the mainstream and criticise the minorities.

Just like some people support the most successful sports team.

That said, Macs have tried to be over simplistic and still do to a point. The whole one button mouse mentality. It's counter productive to say that users don't want or would be confused by a two button mouse.

That's like saying a car should use one pedal to accelerate or slow the car.

 

[xstep]

You'll find ignorant mud slinging fan boys on both sides.

The link yogi posted clearly shows how silly the argument can get. The original poster there obviously hasn't done any homework and is simply flapping his lips for his own self importance.

My favorite to this day comes from another site where an ignorant Mac user stated that PCs where not as flexible with their hardware setup as Macs and in fact couldn't have their processors upgraded. That person clearly didn't understand the state of the Wintel market. I really wish I had saved the URL for that one.

The important issue for every computer user is productivity. Is he spending many hours fixing problems, or is he getting out of the machine the results he wants. The result could be as simple as browsing this site, or editing the next mega movie.

 

[xstep]

gilesjuk, excepting the one button mouse argument, in what other ways are Macs over simplistic?

Here are three from me.

1. The vertical scroll bar being fixed to the right side of a window. As a user I should be allowed to place it on the left side.

2. The menu bar on the top of the display.

3. The three color window buttons fixed to the left of the window.

Why should this matter to me. Well, the distance the user has to move the cursor when they are at the buttom of the vertical scroll bar is maximized when they wish to use the menu or one of those color buttons.

OK. A multi buttom mouse can help with this issue by allowing for a popup selection.

 

[riley]

Did you ever stop to think that most pc users already have their pc's laptops,etc? Rather than feel stupid or envious after having spent so much money, it is much easier to justify their purchase by badmouthing the Mac. " ignorance is bliss"

 

[Village Idiot]

No, no, we're not arrogant know-it-alls. We're arrogant our-computers-know-it-all-for-us..es.

And that's what Macs do for us, is a lot of things that PCs don't for their users. PC users (and I'm still one both Windows/Linux etc.) need to work for the computer, while for the Mac user has the computer work for them. Or us in this case since this is a Mac forum.

Please tell my mbp this then. I was installing a MOTU 828MKII Saturday evening. I had to go onto the internet and search for drivers for it to even be rocognized by the computer then setting it up to be recognized in Logic was a real pain in the. It took about an hour.

And I was searching through preferences, there's no way to look at what hardware is installed like windows has in the hardware manager.

 

[MacHeadCase]

Really? How about About This Mac -> More Info?

 

[dtravis7]

Really? How about About This Mac -> More Info?

Works for me since 10.1.0.

 

[MacHeadCase]

Exactly. No need for Windoze hardware manager...

 

[Escobar]

Did you ever stop to think that most pc users already have their pc's laptops,etc? Rather than feel stupid or envious after having spent so much money, it is much easier to justify their purchase by badmouthing the Mac. " ignorance is bliss"

Good call, that makes the most sense to me Not only that, but 12 year olds are unable to have constructive conversations if they know they are on the short end of the stick.

 

[Village Idiot]

Really? How about About This Mac -> More Info?

That's why. I was in preferences staring at the hardware section, thinking that it's the most logical place fore it....so why the heck is it not there?

I thought the firewire cable was dead at first because I plugged it in and it didn't do anything. Eventually I figured out that you had to have MOTU's intel drivers and downloaded them. I figured OS X would pick it up as a sound card or some generic device instead of nothing at all.

 

[Prise]

The important issue for every computer user is productivity. Is he spending many hours fixing problems, or is he getting out of the machine the results he wants. The result could be as simple as browsing this site, or editing the next mega movie.

Very salient point.

In the end, given enough time and effort, one can more or less be quite efficient on any kind of operating system. Windows can be quite secure (virus detection, anti-spyware and root detection, and firewall), and run very well if maintained properly.

In my view, the difference is that it would take far longer for a "normal" user to acclimate to using windows than it would to a Mac OS, which is far more intuitive to navigate around.

 

[Willem]

Did you ever stop to think that most pc users already have their pc's laptops,etc?

Right, it's all about comfort zones. PC users have PCs. So do all of their friends. If games are a huge part of what they use their computer for then it makes zero sense for them to switch to a Mac. There's not much can be done about it other than waiting until they get older and/or become console gamers.

 

[baggss]

That's why. I was in preferences staring at the hardware section, thinking that it's the most logical place fore it....so why the heck is it not there?

I thought the firewire cable was dead at first because I plugged it in and it didn't do anything. Eventually I figured out that you had to have MOTU's intel drivers and downloaded them. I figured OS X would pick it up as a sound card or some generic device instead of nothing at all.

I've had that happen for a few things. but only a few. It happened when I installed my SATAII PCI-e expansion card.