Interesting article via #linux on irc.linux.ie.
No Mark, just because I spent some time in 2 Apple Stores, I’m not going to buy a Mac! I was impressed by the different types of people using the machines though, everybody from a Mac geek wearing a ‘Mac Inside’ tshirt to a musician in a corner to a middle aged couple fiddling with a desktop machine.
I suggested that you buy an iPod.
I know you’re not going to by a Mac, you’re waaaayyyyyyyy to cheap to do something like that. ;-P
John misses the point somewhat, more people don’t own Mac’s becuase they are unwilling to pay for them but they are happy to use the most tasteless, ugly looking boxes they can get their hands on so long as it’s cheap and does the job.
That’s why Mac users are different, design *always* matters.
I don’t honestly have a use for an iPod. I drive everywhere and when I’m walking, it’s usually with someone else.
Besides which, when I’m driving to and from work the radio has programs on that I enjoy.
Err, as for your point about [cheap] ‘tasteless, ugly looking boxes’ – I think it’s economics and need. Why did I buy a Sony camera when I could have bought a cheap 3MP camera with less features? For many Mac owners, the tasteful, sleek looking box is a nice polish on a useful and easy to use package.
And again, for many Linux users they’ve chosen a different path for just as legitimate reasons.
God knows why anyone’d use Windows though! (joking!)
“I don’t honestly have a use for an iPod. I drive everywhere and when I’m walking, it’s usually with someone else.”
Yeah, you’re one of those “up with people” types now aren’t you. The point of personal music players is to screen other people out, why listen to one of the mouth breathing masses when you could be listening to a piece of music, a book or a piece of spoken word. But then I’ve a different view of the world than many other people 😉
”Besides which, when I’m driving to and from work the radio has programs on that I enjoy.”
All the current top 40 DJ’s should all be shot, FM radio plays nothing but generic rock/pop crap & dance music, The Last Word stopped being a discussion program and became Coopers leading question hour and a bit a long time ago. And then there’s Radio 1, with Pat Kenny. DAMN YOU KENNY!
”Err, as for your point about [cheap] ‘tasteless, ugly looking boxes’ – I think it’s economics and need.”
Tasteless and ugly. People will spend money to make themselves, their car, their house, their dog, and so on…look good but will then happily sit down in front of some monstrosity to check their email. Buying a good computer should now be like buying a good TV, but it isn’t. It’s GHz and crap people don’t really need to know about. The Intel Developer Forum is starting soon, expect wood grain laptops with Tangerine speed lines. I’m not kidding remember their concept PC’s? They looked like they were designed by five year olds during arts & crafts hour in school .
“Why did I buy a Sony camera when I could have bought a cheap 3MP camera with less features?”
Because you thought it looked penis with an “extendable” tip. No? 😉 But seriously that’s part of my point you paid money for a camera but I bet you went looking for a bargain basement price when it came to your computer. You spend how many hours a day in front of a computer, and can you tell me it’s more than just a box to you?
“For many Mac owners, the tasteful, sleek looking box is a nice polish on a useful and easy to use package. And again, for many Linux users they’ve chosen a different path for just as legitimate reasons.”
I could be insanely sarcastic, but getting to the point I do agree with you there.
”God knows why anyone’d use Windows though! (joking!)”
You might be, but I’m certainly not. Outside of games there isn’t one exciting aspect to computing on Windows that I can think of. It doesn’t have a community and is a homogenised marketplace devoid of both vigour & imagination. Microsoft sits at the centre like a parasite sucking the life out of the place, how can one company make computing so boring for so many people?
There are generations of people coming up who think computing is the Microsoft experience. This is one of the reasons I refuse to use a Wintel PC at home, the greyness of corporate computing has been stamped all over the consumer market.
When I go looking for a new computer here’s what I look for (apart from a good price/performance ratio): I look at my monitor all day, not at my PC case, I want a good monitor. I type all day on a keyboard, I want a good keyboard. The MS natural keyboard is better than a ‘normal’ keyboard and helps my RSI a lot. If you can point out a better keyboard at a reasonable price I’ll try it out! I’d like to say I put a lot of thought into my physical work environment but I haven’t unfortunately. My PC sits behind my desk, I don’t see it. I see my desktop on my monitor, I make it look the way I like and useful to the way I work.
Mac monitors are pretty sweet. I’m pretty sure I’d be using the 22 or 23 inch LCD whether I had a Mac or not. And the laptop monitors on the PowerBooks are also very good (the iBooks suffer from being too low of a resolution).
As for keyboards, even this long-time Mac user uses a Microsoft keyboard and mouse. MS has bought good technology there.