June 06, 2002
An email

I received this email:

Michael,

I have to take a counter-point position to your biased
and uncalled for attack on the MAC:


"Uggh


Posted Saturday, June 1, 2002, 8:40 AM by michael

My parent are going on a trip and my mother sent
me an email just before she left. Here's an excerpt: Hope this doesn't make
you sad, but I have decided that my next toy will be a laptop so I can take
it when I am away. And, because of all the awful viruses, I think I will get
a MAC. Have a great weekend. Love, Mom"

With all due respect to your illustrious career as a
Cookie Salesman, I have to disagree with the implied distaste you're showing
to my weapon of choice.

MACs are cool. Chicks dig MACs (especially the silly
colored iMacs, which I really hate even mentioning). MACs are great for
graphics - I create all my webcomics on a MAC G4. If it weren't for the
better games available on the PC, I wouldn't even own one of the damned
things. Windows - YEUCHH! Thankfully, with the impending release of both
NeverWinter Nights and ShadowBane, I'll be able to take my PC into my
backyard and shoot it like the hideous, unnatural beast it is, and leave
room for more MACs in my house ... to work on, to play on, and to avoid all
those awful viruses! (Kudos to

Mom!)

:)

All the best to you and the family - I always enjoy
reading Cruft, and Matt's CrookDimwit
as well.

Take it easy! (And be nice to my MAC)

Logan DeAngelis
"Ebonsteel" of SP, ex-OGD/DTM, retired.
KU-2 Comics!

http://www.ku-2.com

 


First of all, go visit Logan's page,
KU-2 Comics .  He's been doing great stuff for years.

Too bad he doesn't understand view on Apple
Macs.  I've never said that Macs are bad computers.  People can create
all kinds of great stuff on Macs, just like they can on Windows & Linux boxes. 
Actually, Apple makes some good computers.  I have the highest respect for
Apple's hardware designers.  It's their software designers and business
practices that I have trouble with.

Most Mac users must agree that Mac OSs from 6
through 9 were crap.  Crap.  C R A P!  The simple fact that when
Macs crashed they displayed an image of a bomb and only gave the user the option
of rebooting alone is worth years in purgatory for those responsible.  Lack
of multi-tasking.  Extension conflicts. Closed hardware standards. 
Single button mice.  I could go on...

The current Mac OS X is nice. Too bad it's a
complete rip of unix/mach with a pretty GUI bolted on.  Apple got back to
their roots by stealing ideas again.  Just as they stole the idea for the
initial Macintosh from Xerox PARC, they stole the idea of modifying unix from
the open source community.  Apple tried to write a next generation OS in
Copeland, but failed.  Failed miserably.  And their users suffered. 
Sure, todays's Macs are nice, but after being treated poorly for a decade, I'm
not ready to forgive.  There are many Mac fanatics that are in love with
Steve Jobs again for OS X.  To me, they are like battered wives who make up
with their husband after he brings home a bouquet of flowers after beating her
up the night before.


I bet the Mac users reading now are foaming at
the mouth.  Settle down, it's just a stupid computer.


Here are the reasons I was dreading the idea of
my mother getting a Mac. 


Support - I am the primary computer support
person for most of my family.  Trying to help my mother through problem on
an OS that I don't use is a huge pain in the ass.  Helping my mother with
questions about using AOL on a Mac are tough when I use neither the software nor
the OS.  Imagine trying to configure a computer OS you've never used over
the telephone.  It's horrific.


Upgrades - Macs are basically locked into the
initial hardware configuration.  There are no industry standard Apple
designs that allow owners to easily upgrade parts of the computer.  In the
PC, almost everything can be upgraded at a low cost.  Try to put your Mac
in a custom case.  You can't.  You are stuck with what Steve Jobs
likes. 


Cultism - Many Mac users act like they are in a
cult.  I'm not joking. I previously posted this:





Is Apple a cult?
Every cult can be defined as a group having all of the following five
characteristics:

1. It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its
members
2. It forms an elitist totalitarian society
3. Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not
accountable and has charisma
4. It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds,
recruit people
5. Its wealth does not benefit its members or society

Let's run through the numbers shall we?

1) Yep, see
http://www.macevangelist.com/
2) Yep, see http://cult-of-mac.utu.fi/
3) Yep, All hail Steve!
4) Yep, check with Apple legal on this one
5) Unless you own stock, Yep

Looks like a cult to me.

It's simple.  I don't want my mother in a
cult.

I've ranted enough.  Time for bed.

Posted by michael at June 06, 2002 11:49 PM