12 comments

Ignorance is an expensive commodity. All that needs to be said.

Jon, on November 18th, 2008 at 3:48 pm

BBC UK is in the M$ pocket.
One reason, MAJOR one NOT to put Apple at the same “level” as M$, everything M$ does bad or good is meet with LESS resistance.

Finally you SEE the light!

Apple IS/STILL SMALL, even with ALL its good revenues.

ochyming, on November 19th, 2008 at 6:58 am

Yeah the arguments don’t hold up anymore, I’m just saving up some money to buy a macbook.

Nadia, on November 19th, 2008 at 8:12 am

Dude! Macs are expensive! Come on. The design is superior, we can all agree on that, but compared to any other PC equipped with a real operating system like Linux (not the MS crap) Macs cost more.

Anonymous coward, on November 19th, 2008 at 10:51 am

I’m on the fence in many respects.

I’ve been a “PC” for most of my life. I’ve worked in both sales and technical within the IT industry for the majority of my working life, recently taking up photography with a view to professional work as my priorities have changed.

Like many of my peers, MS products have both delighted and frustrated on various levels. I’ve experienced the same highs/lows with Linux too btw (Superior in so many ways, and flexible… but until recently having to faff around with xorg.conf etc to get things working).

More recently, I’ve *seriously* looking into Mac as my next system. I love the interface, and they appear to be only slightly less powerfull than a similarly specd PC running Linux.

Only two things have lept me from moving immediately:
1. The cost. I just built a Core 2 E8400, 2GB 1066MHz RAM, 9500GT system… for only $NZ 800.00 (Not including a display). It works at blistering speeds, reliably, for every task I throw at it. Windows and Linux both… So the cost justification is blown. The usual arguement about value vs. price, quality workmanship etc etc simply matters not… $5 in your pocket is still $5 regardless how you spend it.

2. The software thing… I do, from time to time, play games. I also have some favourite apps that work best running natively rather than via some from of virtualisation. The avaialbility of so many choices is a big plus. Everyone prefers one over another for thier own personal reasons, so having choices is important.

So… I want to, but it’s hard. If I had a choice of hardware, I’d purchase an OSX license yesterday, and most likely dual boot as I do now with Win/Linux.

Oh… one last thing… The Apple “fanboys” lose more hearts than they win. they often come across less like passionate believers, and more like fanatical tele-vangelists. The Us vs. Them vs. Those other guys thing is just tiresome.

James Hancox, on November 19th, 2008 at 9:47 pm

@James Hancox

You wrote:
“Oh… one last thing… The Apple “fanboys” lose more hearts than they win. they often come across less like passionate believers, and more like fanatical tele-vangelists. The Us vs. Them vs. Those other guys thing is just tiresome.”

That is ONE myth already!
Go and read posts on Macrumors.com you’ll LEARN that mac users ARE not fanatical tele-vangelists.
Actually PC users ARE, if Macs OS were plagued as much as M$ OS, Apple would have CLOSED its door.

Mac users ARE just MORE colorful, that is!

Mac OS is NOT only interface.

ochyming, on November 20th, 2008 at 8:41 am

@ochyming

Err… I’ll assume here you prefer the following definitions of Myth:

3. A fiction or half-truth, especially one that forms part of an ideology.
4. A fictitious story, person, or thing
— TheFreeDictionary.com

In which case, I’m sorry but you are incorrect there. My comment comes from my personal experience with these so-called “fanboys”, so this can not be myth as defined above.

Specifically, I recently spoke with a number of self proclaim Mac experts regarding my “situation”. All bar one rolled out the usual anti-PC, anti-Windows, sentiments. An identical situation as is described from the opposing view in this article.

Things like “More viruses”, “Poorly designed, and breaks all the time” etc. etc. Each such list item the same form one person to the next, and not one of them experienced by me… just as Mac operators proudly proclaim to be free from the shackles of Anti-viral applications, and also virii (?), I too have neither virus trouble nor virus combatant software installed on my Windows based PC.

Yet… most, if not all, of my PC using peers will gladly tell you they have looked into owning a Mac, or have at least drooled over the interface. They too have mentioned the same to sentiments I shared as reasons for not switching.

So with real world, first hand experience of this phenom, I can confidently stand by my words - and be proud that my previous post with both balanced and free of bias… unlike the CAPS abusing fanatic that followed

(It’s ok… I’m less than serious… You can unclench now)

James Hancox, on November 20th, 2008 at 8:38 pm

@James Hancox

Generalization in your response renders you AN (undercover) Windows Fanboy.
Being a Windows fanboy is NOT to be ashamed of!
It is JUST a preference!
Preference DOES not mean BETTER!

Reading the majority technology article I observe the same attitude from Mac OSX ignorant people (BBC UK technology page is a example), that makes them WHAT?

Remember HOW industry connoisseurs REACTED when iPhone come out?
Would have they react the same way IF it were a M$ [because they are FULL of money!, and that is not a bad thing!] hardware?

Most windows users despise, yes despise Mac hardware design, they find it ugly, BOXY, that is why they do NOT buy it, they prefer the Uber beveled PC design. Unlike most Mac users windows users know nothing about Mac OSX.

So who is a fanBoy?

ochyming, on November 21st, 2008 at 8:28 am

@ochyming

At the risk of hoaving you take what I’ve said completely wrong yet again…

I am not a fanboy of anything.

I own three laptops and two desktop PC’s. One laptop is Vista (My wife’s machine), One has dual boot Vista and Ubuntu Linux (Mine), The third laptop is an older machine I use primarily for portability which has Ubuntu Linux (For my photography). One desktop is Windows XP (Server), and the other is a Media Centre machine.

I also own an iPod Touch, and use iTunes as my primary audio player (VLC as my video player if thats important). I want an iPhone, but the plans in New Zealand are rediculous so I’m waiting.

The only thing missing is a Macbook Pro, or some form of Mac desktop. I clearly stated in my first post that I do in fact wish to own one. I also stated love the Mac OSX interface. As for hardware, I really like the Mac hardware too… but as I mentioned, I find I can not justify the expense.

So… is THAT more CLEAR for YOU??

Let me put it in an even shorter sentance for you… I LOVE anything that lets ME do what *I* want to do. If I’m to be labelled “Fanboy” of anything, it would be of FORM and FUNCTION.

Are non-fanatics a target now too? Are you trying to force me to choose a side? Hell, I tell you my MS/PC using friends like Mac too, but you’re still not happy? Sounds to me that my case/point is made regarding Mac Fanatics… so blinkered and single minded that newcomers can’t get in to your exclusive club.

Incidentally, given MS produced a Mobile platform a long time ago that can be found on many handsets… I’m sure you will easily find many articles both for and against it, just as you do for iPhone. THis is because no two humans are alike in thier thinking (Not 100%), so there will always be personal and healthy debate on ANY peice of technology.

And with that… I think best I discontinue. I type too much as it is, and I’m sure the readers have better things to do.

James Hancox, on November 22nd, 2008 at 10:44 pm

You just said nothing.

I just threw your own assumption at you.
Just to prove you are wrong in calling Mac users cultists!

It is just NOT clever to call people names thru generalization, I see guitarists like Jimmy Page using only Gibson, does he hate other guitars?
I love my wife, does it makes me hate other women?

Deocliciano Okssipin Vieira, on November 23rd, 2008 at 7:10 pm

*sigh* You are not “listening”.

I did not call Mac users cultists. I did not call anyone anything, thus the use of “” around the word fanboy in the first place.

You’re thinking is confused, and you are living into the very stereotype I mentioned put me off.

A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject. - Winston Churchill

James, on November 24th, 2008 at 5:57 am

@James

Well, sorry if I get it wrong.
To me fanboy is not pejorative.

That Churchill phrase is NOT feasible by the way.
A victim can be described like that.

Deocliciano Okssipin Vieira, on November 24th, 2008 at 2:49 pm