Why I Hate Apple.
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I have already mentioned before what I love about Apple – their hardware design is phenomenal.
Now I would like to point out what I truly loathe about Apple.
I usually call it "look-it-has-wheels" syndrome.
This comes from my allegory that Apple acts like a car company advertising things like "Our cars have wheels!".
The stereotypical computer-inept Mac disciple, will then misunderstand this and think that everyone elses cars have no wheels. Or that they do, but that Apple Cars innovated The Wheel.
Fortunately, the unix based Mac OS X have attracted a good deal of real computer nerds, diluting the stupid-pool a bit, but there are still more of them than I would care for (I would care for none at all). This is one of the reasons why I took the plunge and bought a PowerBook.
As an example, take a look at either the iPod product page, or even worse: the
product page for ipod shuffle in danish.
They spend 20 lines on their fucking shuffle function! 20 lines with utter crap like this (actual quotes from iPod product page):
Right there on the main menu — where it’s very easy to find — you’ll spot the Shuffle Songs option.
Come on! Other people have it as a hardware button, which is more user friendly.
You’ll never guess what’s coming up next, so you’re always surprised by startling juxtapositions — like a melodic Coldplay song hot on the heels of a Caballé aria.
This makes my blood boil. I want to hurt their marketing department with high voltage electric devices so very, very much.
The worst thing is this: The iPod has some really cool features like being able to control the playback speed of audiobooks or play guessing games with your music. Those are actual unique selling points. They have those with all their products, because they really do innovate cool things.
I hate that they make products worthy of praise, and then choose to alienate halfway intelligent people by trying to convince them that some completely standard feature is some kind of fantastic Apple Lifestyle Revolution that they are now starting.
They make it really, really difficult for me to like them. It's a testament to their engineering and design departments that they can make products so cool that I actually face the gagging and retching feeling their marketing gives me.
They probably call their marketing department their lifestyle department or some similar unforgivably stupid name, and their whole "lifestyle" approach to marketing is what I have such a hard time coping with – they make it very difficult for me to buy their superior design and hardware without being affiliated with their inane lifestyle crap. Identified by others as an Apple Lifestyler. Which to me is like identifying me with someone with vastly inferior mental facilities.
The iPod is not a lifestyle accessory, it's a fucking music player! It plays music and looks nice! It doesn't change you to a hip urbanite. It doesn't make you sexy. If you were a fat pimply loser before you bought the iPod, guess what? You are still a fat pimply loser, except now you are a fat pimply loser with an iPod.
The problem sounds like it should be a trivial one, since everyone tries to make products that supposedly are things that have to do with lifestyle, rather than just being what they are. But Apple has managed to create a huge bunch of people that buy into their bullshit, and I am pissed off that people think I am like them, just because I own a PowerBook or an iPod.
Hype usually doesn't work like that; When Sony's hype says that their next console will be a million, zillion times faster than the fastest computer, and it will enable it's user to fly to the moon, owning one does not subsequently give people the impression that you own it because you were dumb enough to believe that bullshit. They know you probably bought it because it was a good gaming console, even if it doesn't take you to the moon.
Their opinion will be something along the lines of "yeah, we all knew it was bullshit, but the hardware is still nice".
With Mac, people might either see how furiously stupid Apples hype is and think I am dumb enough to fall for it, or they might be dumb enough to fall for it themselves and think I am like them. I don't know which worries me more.
The bad thing about this is, that I am not alone. I know several people who would like a PowerBook but who are so repulsed by the signal of "Apple Lifestyle Acceptance" that it sends, that they would probably paint it matte black and call it a thinkpad if they finally caved.
Maybe someone should just make a sticker that says "but I run linux on it" that would fit on Apple PowerBooks.
Update 2008-05-14: Seeing this blog entry again, I realize how much Apple products have spread into the "regular" population – pretty much everyone I know wants an apple laptop, and "mac user" no longer carries connotations of "zealous idiot", but rather "college student".
I was indeed thinking about painting Mac stuff black. Sexy machines, but I'm not a twentysomething designer with black rimmed, female-boss glasses and waxed hair, and I'll do a lot to stay away from any such association – including no buying Apple products.
There is another very good example :)
Apple Macs are fucking wank and they should all be smashed into little pieces! They are sooooooo crap! Kill the Macs! Chris
Some times you REALLY sound like a switcher trying to convince us all you're not :)
With that said, I do agree. And your article is perfectly timed – I have one of my own explaining why I haven't switched, and probably won't either.
Remind me to stab you in the face with a pitchfork next time we hang out :)
I will! I'll bring my girlfriend and her new Powerbook, then you can talk about Apple design, and why the default 1-button apple mouse is cooler than a 2 button scroll mouse :)
I found this article because i was frustrated w/ my apple mighty mouse and see if anyone have similar opinion. It turns out that I found a lot more.
I totally agree w/ you in terms of Apple over hyped some basic features and almost insult intelligent people who still would like to use their products.
The latest one would be the power chord of macbook pro magnetic power chord
"The new power adapter with MagSafe connector is designed to magnetically guide your cord into place and disconnect smoothly if someone (else) trips over it."
My wife was joking about if the chord would automatically crawl back up to my computer and plug it in for myself …
I am speechless.
Back to the mouse thing …
most mac applications (example: operating system) requires two button for many functions. Otherwise you wil need two hands.
Now Apple gave use the 'might mouse' and the invisible hidden second button is so annoying and hard to click.. the small little round nipple on the top of the mouse is very hard to scroll, sometime scroll up works fine and scroll down does not work, left and right scrolling is only useful for a few aplpications .. I am about to spend a few bucks on a functional microsoft mouse.
Must… restrain… myself…
Brian, I love you!
As always, the feeling is mutual :)
May I understand this as an agreement with the views I put forth?
Me too
This reminds me of the discussion over at BinaryBonsai and Morten Brunbjerg about seeing the "don't pirate movies" shown to the people who actually went as far as paying for the product they are being told not to copy.
Again… people who spend alot of time turning every Apple idea in their head, finding strengths and weaknesses. Then there are some, who are so used to one way of thinking, that the Apple Think Different way, requires a few more lines to fully grasp and get convinced by.
My brain reads markething bullshit faster than the speed of light and do my own thinking. I'm sure you guys can do the same!
While it sucks… I don't think it's really directed at you.
I(we) already think different, I like the idea of getting more to think different.
I am not really sure what you are saying here.
I understand it – sort of, but not fully – as if you also buy into the apple "Think Different" mantra, which I basically read as: if you don't agree that every thing apple does is pure genius (like putting "shuffle" in an mp3 player, but not a display), it's because you don't "get" it. You just don't "think different" enough.
Which – to me – is the Emperors New Clothes all over again.
But then, it doesn't seem like you entirely agree with this view either?
Explain yourself! :)
I never use the shuffle function on my shuffles :)
But I dont use the screen either, running or biking or driving – i never really need a screen so for me its a cost/weight/size saving feature.
Not every apple product will be designed and marketed with you in mind… (or who you think it should be designed for) was it better when apple was treading water and we got to watch the dell "dude" all the time?
Its seems most of the marketing apple does has a less is more style. But you found a danish site with 20 whole lines of copy for the shuffe, and thats you tipping point. Relax
Disclaimer: I too hate the association with some sort of weird hipster lifestyle just because I have a machine that doesn't break down on me now.
That said, I had to explain shuffle to my mother about 5 years ago, when she got her first CD player. I'm sure that I have other relatives that are just too embarassed to ask. I'd like to see a button on the Apple site to choose between the "total information awareness for newbs" version and the "yeah, we get it" version.
Yes, I follow that desire – I always felt it was more important than different language versions to have different expertise versions. Geeks should have a little flag with nuts and bolts on it, which would change the website into bullshit-less, terse english.
What I truly loathe is people who make statements like this:
Sorry, but I think you are a pompous ass. What are you, 19?
Fortunately, truly intelligent people, such as yourself, can see marketing for what is, and do not trouble themselves with the conceited stereotypes of the "halfway intelligent."
Ah, yes. X11 and the monolithic kernel—the pinnacle of modern software design.
I'll do this in reverse.
X11 and the monolithic kernel is not the pinnacle of modern software design, but that's completely beside the point I am making.
Again, it's easy to see past marketing bullshit, and that's not the point I am making. I am annoyed at the people regurgitating apples marketing as gospel, which makes people identify mac users as people dumb enough to believe marketing.
And finally, I'll be as pompous as I damn well please on my own blog.
Read the byline of my blog and circle in on "buffoonery and opinionated rants".
If you take ranting literally and have no sense of humor, I think you're in the wrong place. And stay clear of something awful as well.
They'll probably piss you off something awful.
Let's be serious MSFT hasn't even made the upgrade to UNIX yet. I'm not convinced they will by Windows 8—if there ever IS a Windows 8.
heh, you actually got me in doubt if I was actually saying, that everything Apple does is pure genius… which it is not, just impressive. Then, "if you don't get it"... you aren't thinking different enough, which probably closer to what I'm saying. Like I just wrote, you got me in doubt!
But to add to that, what I mean is, if you go as far as going to Apple's site or store, you were probably looking for something different. And if you then see a product like Shuffle or anything else that might at first appear a bit different… then you might a bit of convincing. Like with the original iPod, originally, I remember many people coming to me not entirely put off by having 1000+ of songs on you, but still, they couldn't see why. Now all of them, enjoy having 10,000+ of songs at hand. They needed a bit of convincing to think a bit different, in that instead of only bringing one CD/album, you are actually having all of them with you.
The same with the Shuffle perhaps. Not everybody agrees on letting some random algorithm choose what you should hear, but then again, some might not be entirely put off by it. Because it's a bit similar to listening to the radio, that, someone else is choosing the music for you.
And for this… I believe, it sometimes takes a bit of repeating to awaken your interest to "think different" and not preaching to MAKE you think different.
Basically, I just think that the people these texts where written for where people where already thinking a bit different and just needed to… what, was it the red pill? :)
And the other people I mentioned who spin these ideas in their heads. Are people, who likes to think about what could be done differently to make this work better, not just for themselves but everybody.
A subtle difference… yes? Did I do a better job at explaining what I meant this time?
Yes, I think you made it clearer that what you are saying is, that you are actually buying into their marketing.
In my eyes, the iPod shuffle is this: It's a cheap mp3 player with nice design, which is keeping costs down by leaving off the display.
That's fine by me. There are other such mp3 players, and I have owned one before.
What apple wants you to believe is that there is some kind of revolutionary new idea about this, and that it is designed to have no display because it's better that way. Not cheaper to produce, but better in a clever new way.
Now, I don't really think it's a big deal whether an mp3 player has a display. It's not really needed most of the time.
It doesn't even bother me that Apple makes advertising that claims these silly things, because we are used to such inane bullshit from advertising.
But is bothers the piss out of me that apple actually manages to make otherwise intelligent people believe that either you're supposed to understand that an mp3 player without a display and a shuffle function is a Radical New Apple Revolution, or you just haven't "gotten it" yet.
Okay, now you made it very clear! I still did like to disagree a bit :)
I have always been a big fan of random/shuffle when listening to music. When I had my iPod filled up with a thousand songs, I would 90% of the time listen to it by setting it to shuffle and go through all the songs. I would rarely stop it, I would just pause/continue until it had been through all the songs and then I would start it over again(that could sometimes take a week!). I rarely needed the display, it was only if I started to like one song I hadn't noticed before and I needed to see what the name of the song was. Because you see, the way the music was put on the iPod, was random to begin with.
So… basically, I have been listening to my music the way that Apple market their Shuffle – for a long time.
And yes, they present it as revolution… it's not. Yet still a slightly different way of listening to your music, even if it's actually a coverup for the unit being sold so cheaply that Apple's profit margin doesn't even allow for a single line display.
Even though I like Apple alot(I grew up with them) and love their markething, watch all their ads. I do think that I still do have a bit of sense left :)
Hey there, great post! Very funny too. I get quite worked sometimes when I read some marketing technobabble myself. However, IMHO, people shouldn't really care for that marketing or the image it purveys. If the hardware and software is good, then BUY IT! I wouldn't refrain from buying something just because the marketing is dumb. I mean, nobody should give a shit or read that marketing anyway! Just read the specs and try the product out. At least you will put off those white hairs a little longer :)
Yup, and bought it I did. I am just tired of being identified with the mac cult :)
This is still the funniest entry ever. Now I cant see an iPod shuffle without laughing. Just came across their (new?) product page today, full of NEW nonsense:
– "Enjoy Uncertainty", the new slogan – "Random is the new order – Welcome to a life less orderly. As official soundtrack to the random revolution, the iPod Shuffle Songs setting takes you on a unique journey through your music collection — you never know what’s around the next tune. Meet your new ride. More roadster than Rolls, iPod shuffle rejects routine by serving up your favorite songs in a different order every time."
Barf!
http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/
Haha :) I appreciate it, and I am glad you hate stupid shit like "random is the new order".
random is the new order is a great slogan!
is your self importance so grand you think its a commentary on societal differences between those who get it and those who dont…
its a friggen mp3 player, they need to sell the few features is has as THE selling point.
Holy crap – your crazy!
Have to agree, Brian. I'm a switcher from nov 04. Loved the hardware and made up my mind the first time I saw that 'think different' crap to go on thinking exactly the same. Just enjoy the hardware and software. Ignore the hype.
i truely hate apple.
i thought living in a remote area i could use their itunes service to BUY music that is hard to find in stores.
now i m stuck with a shit of file format i can not convert without burning it to a disc first.
i dont own an ipod so what do i do ??
right i ll go back to bittorent thank you very much.
i wish artists would put up donation options so i could acctually pay them for their work.
screw you apple. the first and last time i bought from you.
was close to acctually getting an ipod for its decent features and looks.
is it asking too much to get a usuable file format when you pay for something you could have download for free (albeit illegally) ?
Brian, I think you've merely discovered marketing … and not just Apple Marketing. Swap BMW with Apple in your critique and it would still ring true (though perhaps not the bit about inventing the wheel … or shuffle).
Marketers fancy themselves not as selling a product, but as defining a brand and its human/emotional connections. Sure, it's mumbo jumbo, mostly, but then, as you note, it's not really FOR you. It's for people for whom feeling like a hipster is just as important (maybe more so) than having hardware that works.
Maybe the marketers are right, though. I mean, doesn't everybody want hardware that works? And, so, if Apple decided to drop the lifestyle crap and give you the stripped down "marketing" the first thing that would knock them flat on their asses is when they have to recall the next MacBook battery … that would be the hardware NOT working.
So, you see, marketing the lifestyle instead of the product makes it nearly impossible for their claims and statements to be shown to be blatantly untrue. Not that I like their marketing either. Just wanted to point out that most award-winning marketing works along these lines – whether it's Apple, BMW, JetBlue, GoDaddy, or whatever.
BTW, I like your geek-toggle-button idea. Could be very easy to do with CSS and some good writers.
Oh no no no. I love Apple
You've managed to sum things up quite well here :) very, very cool.
I love my iMac but Apple really irritates me with their hip too. It's like Microsoft trying to convince you that you will be a 'cool gamer' if you buy one of their Xbox360s.
haha :) yeah – that reminds me of a quote I heard somewhere:
Watching microsoft trying to be cool is like watching your dad dancing at a wedding.
There is NOTHING wrong with apple computers. I bought the cheapest laptop they had which was $1,ooo.(iBook G4) I have had it for 6 months and it still runs faster then my olddesktop did which was pentium 4. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
I have exactly the same sentiments concerning being lumped into the "hip" urbanite crowd that Apple products represent. I've got to fight my "that's so cool" impulse and remind myself that Apple is all hype, all marketing. There are hundreds of other great products out there that perform so much better than Apple products, but they just don't have white earbuds and turn your body into a black sillhouette. Apple products also make you a great dancer.
Don't believe the marketing. And remember: you're paying for hype.
here are hundreds of other great products out there that perform so much better than Apple products,
And CHEAPER too!
Are you freaks?, Bill Gates Ass Kisser's. Is quite simple; Windows inside an idiot outside!
Have you learn the lesson?. Apple built the best computers, has the best OS. That is the fact of life. Windows users has a lower IQ!.
Yeah, I can really tell from your impeccable spelling and mastery of the english language that you are so much smarter than me. You make such a convincing argument, I am afraid I'll start questioning my own intelligence.
HA! Look here for an example of Apple's crap. Windows and Linux are preffered OS's for businesspeople, and if you are a hardcore gamer you can forget using a Mac unless you get BootCamp, which would put you what you call the "Gates Ass Kisser's" club. Oh, and I bet any Linux user can beat your *ss down with a pungee stick in the IQ category. Go back and stick your head in Apple's butt.
This extreme Apple marketting hype goes way back to "Apple II forever" which was an attempt to sucker the people who made Apple a successful company (by buying Apple IIs back in the late 1970s and 1980s) into buying more Apple IIs (a then old 8 bit piece of crap) instead of Macs or PCs. This annoyed me so much that I went to PCs (because Macs were made by Apple) and the continuing marketting BS from Apple ensure I will stay with PCs.
Dumb apple
the one button mouse…
Why cant they just admit they're wrong, and evolve like everyone else?
Apple will never admit when they're wrong. Example: When the shipped some of their video iPods with a Windows virus. They blamed Windows.
I had my own Apple rant here: http://whoelsebutdalieu.wordpress.com/2006/10/24/why-i-say-no-to-apple/
Beautiful! Simply beautiful! I now have an easy way to tell my apple-friends why i loathe apple!
"Jon, why do you hate apple?"
"Well, that's an easy one. In your spare time please go to HTTP collon slash slash meidell dot dk slash archives slash two two thousand and five slash zero four slash zero seven slash why hyphen i hyphen hate hyphen apple."
JK. love the site!
i think the main point ur missing, is that apple dont make any cool features OR innovate. the ipods so called cool features you mentioned, i.e. controling play back speed were stolen from creative, who by the way made better and cheaper hard drive mp3 players before apple copied them.
the only reason apple ipods are so popular is because they come in pretty colours, and 99% of the worlds population are so stupid that this is the most important factor to them. "looking cool". the fact that ipods are inferior to almost every other player on the market for playing music doesnt cross their mind. anyone i see with an ipod i laugh at. and i will continue to do so, until an ipod is released which is actually worth buying. i.e. never.
another point is apples amazing tendency to invent new file formats for no reason. such as m4a files. why do they bother. it seems to be the opinion of some people that this is a superior format. well it aint. for two reasons. one only apple crap software can use it, and two, its not better than WMA bit for bit. because WMA is a superior format. then theres MOV files. the quicktime format. which have less quality than an mpeg file of equvalent file size. theres a reason that mpeg is the mainstream format for compressed video. its better.
moving on to apple macs. why anyone spends money on a pc with a "g4" processor escapes me. why did apple decide to make their own processor type, when a pentium 2 could beat it hands down. and costs less, because it doesnt come in a pretty colour. aside from that, what else is there to say. you sacrifice compatibilty with existing programs so you can experience the wonders of mac os X. which to be fair, isnt bad. but why does an apple mac cost 2 times as much as a pc if not more, and have inferior hardware? does mac os X cost £400? no. so where is that money going? pretty colours.
so in conclusion, if you like pretty colours buy an apple. but if you prefer not being ripped off, and having decent stuff, dont bother.
So creative invented changing the playback speed of music? Wow, I thought that was done in like the 20s. And its such a shame that apple decided to add a good feature.
Hmm, colors are what sell ipods? Is that becuase when they first came out there was only one color? or was that just apple giving us more choices, and then thats when they got the big market share of music players?
Yah, I laugh at ipod users all the time too. Im going to have to see a doctor about that.
If only a company would make a music player that used file formats that only you wanted, it would be a shame to use something that worked and made the music companies happy. Yah I guess wma is so great that even microsoft is dropping the format.
Well if you want to compare a stripped down palm with nothing on it with a basic mac that has jsut about everything you need out of the box, then yes apples are more expensive – Im saving up 2 grand right now to get one of those pretty looking alienware machines you need to run solitare with.
So – In closing – dont take computer advice from pc losers who dont use the machines side by side and have some sort of axe to grind with apple.
Get your self an ipod and fire up itunes on your mac or pc and laugh back at that guy sitting at the bus stop holding his burned out mother board and talking strangly about dot bat files.
ltr
Apple is a marketing company – just like Nike and many others. It has no commitment to customer service, as countless thousands have found out.
Its music player is cynically designed to have a non-user-replacable battery – can you imagine if your phone or PDA were similar? Or only being able to play a CD published by Sony Records on a Sony CD player? These are the kind of stunts that Apple pull – not on the gullible, but on honest consumers who deserve better.
The most ridiculous idea is that Apple are the good guys, whereas MS are the evil empire. Word to the wise: good guys design user-friendly products, back it up with decent customer service, and don't try to deceive their customers left, right and centre.
Apple are a large corporation headed by a vicious egomaniac who runs it in his image. They are extremely vile.
Sorry James, You are completely wrong (almost) :)
Apple is not a marketing company; they are a company that knows how to market. Chiat/Day has always done a great job of creating the apple look and feel with a great sense of innovation and humor.
Apple is among the top 20 firms in ANY industry for customer service according to business week 2006 studies. It would be higher, but the ipod battery issue has kept them from getting a higher ranking.
I agree that the battery issues should be solved.
Vicious egomaniac? Extremely vile? You are a nut job! or have something to gain by spreading this kind of outlandish statement.
James – get real, apple is gaining back market share hand over fist, they make better products and better software.
Anyone that knows any computer history understands the strong-arm tactics that YOUR "evil empire" used to gain and hold hostage the computer industry.
MS’s ironfisted control of the industry is beginning to unravel and real innovators are rising to the top, (apple,google,linux)
You cant stand it.
Its ok, it will be better. Take your meds and get away from that spreadsheet for a while. You will feel better.
;)
if you think about it, the only reason iPods, or any Apple product for that matter, sells is because they are 'shiny.'
And of course shiny=evil
If they could only make them less attractive, maybe brown with a dull finish, then you would have something.
ARE YOU KIDDING?
?
the iPod has NO major features. All you can do is listen to music that was put on your iPod. Sure, they've got a few crappy games, but you can't even rename playlists, you can't rate any song that you aren't currently listening to, and you can't even listen to the radio. Furthermore, there are many inconsistencies in the iPod. I'm sure every iPod user has noticed this, if you look in the artist menus, you can't see all of their songs, depending on whether they specified an album. And what does it say about Apple that many of the 5gen iPods came with viruses? The click wheel was also a horrid contribution to music players. It wastes lots of time just trying to select a song or menu item. The format still decreases the value. AAC, the standard format for iPods is nearly three times worse quality than mp3. Back to iTunes, its store sells songs at 99 cents per song with crappy quality; Windows Media Player sells songs at 88 cents a song with MUCH BETTER QUALITY! The iPod is also an extremely crappy video player. Low quality, iTunes doesn't even come with a software to rip videos onto your computer. just sad. I don't have time to add more, but if anybody would like to reply to this comment, i'd be glad to add anything.
PWN'D, "lincoln."
OK if the apple sucks so bad, dont buy one.
That sucky aac format sounds soooo horrible. Maybe its just me but I can hear that big a difference. And there are reasons for using a format that can protect the artist, (even if there is ways arround it)
Dont use itunes. Ohhh thats right, itunes outsells everyone else… why becuase is costs more? Wow, its amazing people would pay a dime more for quality
Best selling player
More songs sold then anyone
yah everyone has been dupped by slick marketing.
Go away, find something real to get upset about.
It saddens me how dumb some people are. lincoln, I'm very sorry to say this, but you are the epitome of stupid Apple customer that was mentioned in this blog entry. I could start pointing out all of the inconsistencies and contradictions in your last post, but I'm planning on getting some sleep tonight. I just really, really need to say this: just because something is popular does NOT mean it is the best of its kind, or even necessarily a good product. Think about that for a while. Also, I believe that you attempted to refute…two of Senor McFancypants's points (out of twelve?), and you were only marginally successful in one of your rebuttals – the other failed miserably. In any case, experience has taught me that arguing with an Apple lover is like debating with a religious zealot (i.e., akin to talking to a rock: it gives no indication that it has absorbed anything you've said), so I'm not even going to try. Sadly, I don't even care that much about this topic – your post just provoked me into replying.
I’m glad I stuck a nerve "nuge" unfortunately your are a fool and have no vision or sense or reality.
Let me guess? You don’t have an apple sitting on you desk at work. Is this true. Do you have an ipod? I can guess that one. Have you done computer related work for 20 years or more? Probably not.
I can see apples faults. Nowhere have I stated they are perfect.
But, I will not let completely false statements and near slander go unanswered.
My opinion counts more then yours! Why, because I have to use a vast array of computers and software… not one supplied by one company. I have sitting on my desk a PC, I have an Apple, I have had other mp3 players and I have an ipod.
Because I actually use both products I can respond with a sense of understanding.
Fools like your self like to squawk like birds, ignorant of the truth.
IF you don’t use Apple products, that’s fine.
I’m ok with that, Apple products are not for everyone, and they certainly don’t fit in every household. But don’t act like you know what your talking about.
Your right about popularity not being an absolute indicator of quality, Microsoft is a great example of that! But others do gain there market share by selling good products (although they may have some flaws) and they do without blackmail and collusion.
Go ahead and find another topic that you care about.
Oh, perhaps I have seriously misjudged your character. After all, having 20 years of computer related work in your background obviously makes your opinion "count more than" mine," especially since I found fault with your arguing techniques and didn't actually mention almost anything about computers. Let me use an earlier example from one of your posts: "Bill" said "i.e. controling play back speed were stolen from creative, who by the way made better and cheaper hard drive MP3 players before apple copied them." Then you said "So creative invented changing the playback speed of music? Wow, I thought that was done in like the 20s." Here, you refuted an argument that was close to what Bill said, but not exactly the same. The main point of Bill's argument was that Apple did not innovate changing playback speed, and he included that Creative had done it earlier as evidence. You said that Creative hadn't innovated it either, but that it was actually innovated back in the 20's. You undermined Bill's evidence but not his argument, as you added your own evidence to support his argument. However, it seemed as though you had countered Bill's argument. When replying to Senor McFancypants, you answered 2 of his 12 points of contention, as I said before. Whereas I realize that you may not aiming to perfectly defend yourself from any attack anyone throws at you on a random blog, you'd definitely want to try to refute more arguments if you want your opinion to be taken seriously. Beyond that, I have owned five Apple computers, all of which I operated very often, and I own three at this moment – yes, one of them is sitting on my desk, and no, I am not typing this from it. While this may not compare to "more than 20 years" of computer related work, I feel that it is more than enough to establish my credentials. Just a random thought: you called me a "fool and have no vision or sense or reality," later saying IN THE SAME POST that I had nearly slandered you. While what I said may not have been nice or even deserved (and I'm sorry if this is the case), you were pretty hypocritical right there. If you'd like to read about better alternatives to the iPod, I suggest that you check the CNET reviews for the Creative Zen Touch. Last I checked, there were pages upon pages of comments from customers, about 90% of them saying that they loved their Zen Touch, and at least 70% of those people said how much better the Touch was than their iPod. I probably won't reply again, but great blog entry, and good (although short-lived) debate, lincoln. I'd like to see your answers to Senor McFancypants's claims.
Is it experience you're trying to tell us that you have? because you're failing miserably at it. Are you required to use a computer for your job? because the only thing I can gather from your nonsensical contributions to this web page is that all you do is post senseless replies on very decent, informative blogs. What does anyone care whether you prefer posting in Safari to Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer? I for one have become quite savvy with Apple products—I, regrettably, own an iPod and I have hosted both my dad's company's web site AND my church's youth group's web site for the last four years. My work was done on both Macs and PC's. With no other option, last year I designed my school's entire year book in iPhoto. iPhoto was a very immutable software that left no room for creativity. The only changes that could be made to make the book appear more impressive is using their preset themes which, by the way, have MASSIVE formatting errors.
I also would like to note that Apple has so far been unable to produce a text editing program close to Microsoft Word's standards. It is also fair to point out that Apple supplies no sort of paint program which can be very valuable for web design.
While reading your arguments i realize i completely agree with Ted Nugent. I do not see a valid point you have made supporting your thesis, and when the argument seems to be not so auspicious you just say, "So don't use an Apple." I do not see any helpful information this gives.
If you've got any problems with what I've said, I'll call out my main man Bush.
With the most respect,
Senor McFancypants
Hi Nuge,
Remember this statement "epitome of stupid Apple customer"
Ok, not to harsh – but you stepped up to name calling before I did, so dont get your panties in a wad when I call you a fool. Rulz clear? Also, the slander comment was directed at a diff post, not everything is centered around you. So, I wasnt really hypocritical .. how many other things are you going to get wrong. I get the impression you don’t know what your reading or talking about. Ok so let me get this straight Creative has a cool feature. Ok, so what? That makes apple bad for using it. Apple is vile because, they added that feature? What are you trying to say? Do you really have anything to offer about why an Ipod doesn’tsuck, or is your life all about what I post now? Im glad you have some apples, great – so your opinion now counts – a little :)
The zen is problably a great product. How does that make the ipod suck?
Hello Rose,
You used a free application for home photos to do a yearbook?
Ok, well – I dont think that would work very well.
"a large corporation headed by a vicious egomaniac who runs it in his image. They are extremely vile." yah – that was contructive.
Did i mention anything about which browser I was using, are you ok?
Im not failing at anything except trying to make sense of why you think im working on a thesis? You know the apple never really needed to have THAT good of a text editor because, Word has always been available for the Mac. So if I need word, uhh I use word. OK app, over priced… but ok for a typewriter. Although, I would say that appleworks and iwork are fine programs. I prefered pagemaker. Which would work great for your yearbook. And I have a copy for sale if your interested.
Your man bush is a shrub.
People, people, The most important point is ITS A COMPUTER AND AN MP3 player, regardless of what you want to call them! Yes, I have an Ipod and enjoy it very much, except you can let it take over your life, with all the downloading, podcasting, etc. The PC/MAC debate is infuriating! I have a PC laptop which is fine for what it does, which is allows me to do my work in different locations as opposed to a regular PC. Because my husband, who can barely type, is an intense (is there any other kind?) MAC Head, I go through this constantly. PC vs. MAC - Ugh! Apple is so much about eliteism, slickness, etc. I never have seen anything like it before, going into an Apple store, with what amounts to eye candy, I don't care if it is superior to Microsoft, the price is so out of whack, plus the employees are almost cultish! One of them actually turned and walked away from me when she found out I had a PC! Oh, you're one of them I guess is the mindset. That really made me want to buy an Apple Having the slick, hip equipment doesn't elevate your lot in life. You've got to hand it to Steve Jobs, what a salesman! They are peddling a really superficial image. What is wrong with these shallow consumers who waited in line for days for the privilege to buy a $600 phone with features they probably don't need? Are you that much of a powerhouse that you need to check email on the road? Or watch videos? Nuts! No wonder this new generation of kids (I have an 11 year old)have virtually no communication skills, why interact with people when you can watch videos on a phone,or walk around with those magical white earbuds and tune everything else out? As I said, its still just a computer or phone or MP3 player. While I can appreciate the technology, I hate this company for their attitude and the "I'm better than you, because I have the hip stuff". Get over yourselves!
For those of us that have been using a mac for awhile, we have lived through years of mac bashing at the hands of 95% of the computer using public. Microsofts spent enormous resources trying to push the mac community out of the nest so it could have all the users for themselves. I will enjoy every single minute of Apple glory that is coming to me, Yes I will enjoy going into an apple store and feeling welcomed, yes I will enjoy there stylistic touch they add to every product. NO I will not feel bad for one single PC user…
Go to Gateway store, or walmart or wherever you buy your microsoft products – that is where you belong. I will enjoy using my mac. If you dont feel like its worth spending more for something that you feel is better, you dont have to, but why does that make me wrong? Get over yourself!
"Shiny" is the reason people buy Mac? Sorry, but fhuck shiny.. I couldn't give two shhits otherwise about shiny.
Sorry, but from a usability and ease-of-use standpoint, Macs are much better than PC's. I guess that will change over time as Macs gain more market share (sorry MS, you are fhucking that one up all by yourself)... but for the time being, they are many times moreso cleaner and more stable than any crappy PC out there. Doing audio for a living, I wouldn't think of switching back. The stability, the reliability, the pro apps, timing, etc. – they are superior. Sorry guys… but I am not all up apple's ass here, they are the better product for the time being. Period. MS corp dropped the ball, big time. Best of luck Bill Gates.
Love it or not Apple computer sales are up 33% (as evidenced in most of the posts here by geeks who now buy Macs) and shares rose $6 yesterday.
The marketing must be on target which is a sad commentary on the intellecutal level of the mass of consumers. Or people buy them because they work in spite of the sappy 'voice' used in marketing them.
Apple computer sales are up 33% this quarter as evidenced by the geeks on this blog who are switching to Macs.
It has been along time since things were this good, maybe never? Strong apple sales have lead to a huge increase in available software and awareness for apple/mac products including a huge selection of great freeware and shareware. With google taking a huge "bite out of crime" and becoming a player that can go toe to toe with microcrap, the industry and the users finally have more choices and the best selection of products ever. Microcrap is being reeled back into earths orbit. Even if you don’t like apple products, you are benefiting from increased competition – microcrap would have never built the zune or xbox if other companies didn’t show them the way… enjoy your second rate, non original, not any cheaper crap and thank Apple and Google and Sony along the way.
Lincoln said: "enjoy your second rate, non original, not any cheaper crap and thank Apple and Google and Sony along the way."
Why are we thanking Sony again? What does Sony have to do with any of this? They took a big hit for making millions of detective batteries, and now their PS3 is almost considered a flop.
I read most of your (Lincoln) comments and I agree with most of the others. You avoid actual points and usually end up saying, "If you don't like Apple don't use them."
If Windows was so much crap, why would Apple users want Bootcamp? I thought Apple was so much more superior that it could do everything you need.
Apple recently released Safari to the rest of the world, and within a week, at least half a dozen bugs were found. You'll probably tell me it's still in Beta, blah, blah… But if it was true a Beta they wouldn't have released it to the whole world. Their term "beta" is used like Gmail's term "beta." After about 2 years, my Gmail account is still in beta… O_o?
PC users aren't limited to Windows, more and more PC users have been converting to Linux. You may have heard of Linux, it's where Apple "borrows" their next "innovations" from.
I found this article because i was frustrated w/ my apple mighty mouse and see if anyone have similar opinion. It turns out that I found a lot more.
I totally agree w/ you in terms of Apple over hyped some basic features and almost insult intelligent people who still would like to use their products.
Not sure what is being over hyped? examples?
At first I loved my might mouse then had problems with it..
Found a nice fix for the ball sticking problem and its been great since…. a cheap fix is the ms optical scroll mouse, although i have wore out those as well…
What are you frustrated with concerning your mighty mouse?
Looks like my responses are now getting deleted, ohh well its been fun…
Sorry about that Lincoln, but the volume of your posts and the URL to your site made you look like a spam robot – I had already deleted many of your responses before I realized that they were too specialized to be a bot.
First, I want to say that I like the concept of the Apple products and I love the look and feel of them. My problem is with the company and their policies…
They seem to farm out the cheapest labour and products and charge a ridiculous premium for poor quality hardware (you can find dozens of horror stories of broken Apple products after just a few weeks of use with a quick search). I was also concerned about the price differential between Canada and the US even when the Canadian dollar was worth $1.10 US. When I bought my macbook I found out why. They ship from Shanghai China (seems odd not to have at least a few North American warehouses). The plane lands in Alaska? Then to Kentucky and finally to me up in Canada. All in all taking 10 to 15 days instead of 3 – 5 days for most products purchased online.
Now any other company that tried to pull that on me (poor quality and overpriced hardware, slow delivery and charging an unwarranted price premium simply because they don't actually have a Canadian or N.American warehouse and distribution network) would be instantly banned forever on my list of companies to deal with. Unfortunately, I'm curious and obviously my clients are curious so I have begrudgingly agreed to pay more for a service delivery model that is 20 yrs old and is the furthest thing from being customer focused or customer friendly. In conclusion, I love the software, look and concept – hate the company… I'd go so far as to say that Steve Jobs is doing a great job of making Bill Gates look good these days.
As a designer I have been using Macs for 10-12 hours a day for the last 9 years and I have slowly grown to absolutely HATE Apple. Sure, my employer can go ahead and throw money where they would like, but I would never consider buying one myself. Think different? Fine, then I really will spit in ol' Steve-o's face if I get the opportunity.
"If Windows was so much crap, why would Apple users want Bootcamp? I thought Apple was so much more superior that it could do everything you need."
from dalieu
that's gotta be the best thing I've heard in such a long time.. makes me laughs lol :)
nice post btw
you know this is something that i think is hilarious. apple users actually think that macs are the only computers that can boot different operating systems. WRONG! pcs have been doing that through ms dos for decades.
Actually, I think bootcamp wasn't so much for the existing apple fans as it was to remove one of the major arguments for NOT switching – now it's no longer an either/or thing to have Mac OS X and Windows.
This was the final argument that made me commit.
You are exactly right Brian, it was most likely a switching issue for fence riders that has some pc only applications that had to have a pc to run. I dont really care if my apple can run windows or not. At work I have mac and pc, I use each for the things I need them for. Bootcamp has no advantage for me because you cant swap files live. It's fun to hear non apple users blather on about things dont know about. Lets keep this rolling. Keep on hating.
hey by the way brian, did you ever actually think this page would get so many posts on it? lol. how does it compare with your other pages? i've never seen any others.
Nope, I never imagined it'd be this trafficked or commented :)
The problem with apple is actually have believed their own bullshit for so long they don't know it is bullshit anymore.
I bought the bullshit once too. I was young had a frustrating packard hell 286 and Apple kept telling me how much easier life would be with a Mac Classic. I bought it, hook line and sinker. It was great for a while and then lack of software price or upgrades and greater experience took me back to the PC. Mac is still operating with that same it is easier than a PC mentality. That argument no longer is valid, PC's are off the shelf easy to use and have been since 1995.
What pisses me off about apple is how many of their long time users think I am stupid for spending a tiny fraction on of what they did for their mac on my last several computers.
So your last mac was a mac classic? Its a world of difference from the those days to the new osx operating system. In the mid 90s, I had plenty of trouble with my macs, but it was still better then windoze. For some users, the interface is almost too simple… I.T. guys seem to hate it for that reason. You might want to try a newer one before you completely write it off.
As far as cost in concerned, I pay what seems like just a little more for lot more ease of use and lifespan. I have an imac that is almost 10 years old and we still check email, take care of banking and can watch dvds on it. I cant throw away a ten year old pc fast enough.
Keep hatin, L
I am not saying the new macs aren't good. The classic was actually trouble free, but the more computer savvy I got the easier a PC became. PC's out of the box are not any harder than a Mac these days, no matter what apple would like people believe.
The big sticking point for me is now is price. PC and mac can do the same exact things, but a PC does it a hell of a lot cheaper, especially when running linux. For example my current 17" laptop which was a $799 special at staples special (with vista which i will never use) using unbuto it runs faster than my SIL's 2.5 gig mac book pro at a quarter of the price.
Are there things a Mac does better than a PC? Sure, pro audio to name one, 99.9999% of people who own a mac will never do pro audio no matter what they fantasize about. Having the ability to do it just isn't enough of a reason to pay several times the price for a feature I won't use.
Well i cant run indesign, or final cut pro, or many of the other apps I need to get my particular job done on ubunto.
If I were to purchase a PC that actually could run those kinds of apps… the cost would be the same and in the end it would not be any easier. The interface and the operation system is not easier to use. Im not the only one saying that, and its not just mac users saying that.
Here is the article.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2207556,00.asp
I guess if your know how to install ubunto great, your saving money! But for 99.9999% of people who just want to use a computer without dealing with viruses and all the other issues that come with pcs, mac wins hands down. And its cheaper in the long run! Cost of ownership includes more then just the price tag. Time down is a huge factor, and I cant afford to have a PC when my work needs to get done.
Keep hatin!
L
Down time is almost always the result of an idiot, it doesn't matter if they use a PC or Mac.
Apple just lost a customer. Not only do they not sell the friggin same generation Touch refurbished, but their website is utterly retarded. It is way too complicated. Nice job for not letting people post questions on your website. Great job with the e-mail support. I hate them so much. How difficult is it to put a "Post Question" button on the discussion board? Really, come on.
I just stumbled upon this while doing some random browsing and I know this was posted years ago but I have to agree with you completely on the "it-has-wheels" statement because it is still valid today.
It infuriates me no end that apple advertises even the most mundane as its own innovation and due to extensive marketing brainwashes people into believing the same thing. I had an argument with my roommates just yesterday about how apple products get over hyped because they make it seem like they're doing something no one has before (except for the odd cool innovation like multi-touch). They were of the impression that I just have an unreasonable bias against apple that is causing me to say such things and they aren't even your usual fanboys.
but anyway, I must say kudos for an awesome entry and yes, your 2008 update is true, the apple marketing campaign has succeeded and people actually whole heartedly believe that they invented the "car's wheels"
Hi!
Can't say I hate Apple, but the specs of any of their products never enticed me to buy one.
But looking over several fora, observing postings from Apple users, I do start to think that Apple causes brain damage and severe delusion and expresses itself in mass megalomania amongst its users.
Please seek professional help before Steve Jobs calls upon you all to step into in the afterlife where things will be shinier then ever in iHeaven. (30$ p/month for 3G services required)
Didn't Bill Gates put up some big money to keep Apple running?