Microsoft's grinning robots or the Brotherhood of the Mac. Which is worse?

The Guardian ^ | 9/28/09 | Charlie Brooker

[LibWhacker]

Windows works for me. But I'd never recommend it to anybody else, ever.

I admit it: I'm a bigot. A hopeless bigot at that: I know my particular prejudice is absurd, but I just can't control it. It's Apple. I don't like Apple products. And the better-designed and more ubiquitous they become, the more I dislike them. I blame the customers. Awful people. Awful. Stop showing me your iPhone. Stop stroking your Macbook. Stop telling me to get one.

Seriously, stop it. I don't care if Mac stuff is better. I don't care if Mac stuff is cool. I don't care if every Mac product comes equipped a magic button on the side that causes it to piddle gold coins and resurrect the dead and make holographic unicorns dance inside your head. I'm not buying one, so shut up and go home. Go back to your house. I know, you've got an iHouse. The walls are brushed aluminum. There's a glowing Apple logo on the roof. And you love it there. You absolute MONSTER.

[mkjessup]

If it were not for the egotistical iAttitudes of the iSnobs, Apple might actually end up with a larger market share.

When I think of Apple, I think of liberal DemocRats with their condescending "we are so much better than you" view of the masses.

Nomex suit in place. Let the iFlames from the iSnobs begin.

[KarlInOhio]

Since this was published they've been replaced by condescending Linux users, but the idea is the same.

[Mr. Blonde]

Or maybe the pro-Windows contingent will show up to shower you with praise for having the guts to stand up to the “fanbois”. You never know what you are going to get. Actually, I can almost guarantee the pro-Windows boys will be here to trash Mac. If we get to 30 posts without a “Macs are gay” post I will be amazed.

[Grut]

I could do without the ‘Kumbayah’ posturing of Ubuntu, too, but it won’t keep me from using it.

[Airwinger]

Now that was funny stuff!

[aruanan]

If it were not for the egotistical iAttitudes of the iSnobs, Apple might actually end up with a larger market share.

The above statement is a simple case of projection. The reason Apple has had a smaller market share is because in the early days of personal computers Gates-based OS computers sold for half to 1/3 the price of Apple. First time computer purchasers thought (and were told by sales personnel), "Hey, for the price of an Apple computer, I can get a computer and a whole lot of software" and made their choice. Most of them, over the succeeding decades, thought that all the trouble they had to put up with was just the way things were in the world of personal computers. That and being told that they were using "real" computers and that having to troubleshoot so often would make them far better computer users. Some of them, though, are starting to see that they were penny wise but pound foolish in their original choices (of course, stinkers like Vista helped many to see the light).

[MortMan]

Macs AREN’T gay?!? ;-P

Seriously, my major objection (on any side) is the self-righteousness everyone seems to feel (especially Mac and Linux users). At least most PC users are slightly neurotic, as befits their machines!!!

(I use PCs, BTW)

[stentorian conservative]

Great article. It’s always good to start the day with a hearty laugh.

[aruanan]

scowled and returned to my infernal machine, like a dishevelled park-bench boozer shrugging away two pious AA recruiters by pulling a grubby, dented hip flask from his pocket and pointedly taking an extra deep swig. Leave me alone, I thought. I don't care if you're right. I just want you to die.

Ha ha ha. This is so good.

[aruanan]

But this is even better:

I know Windows is awful. Everyone knows Windows is awful. Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it.

[stentorian conservative]

Vista, not imonks or isnobbery, is why I bought a Mac. The way I saw it was I had a choice: go back to XP or choose another OS.

[thecabal]

Great rant!

[aruanan]

But I must confess that, as a Mac user, I did a bad, bad thing. A friend of mine needed a laptop to run her Autocad program. She’s pretty poor and cannot afford a Mac (of course, I haven’t been able to afford another one since my 2004 iMac, thank you, BO, and your Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac friends and their shenanigans). I helped her get a HP laptop, set it up for her, and installed Autocad.

[Hacklehead]

Great article. I have this argument with my son in law all the time. The reason I dont buy a Mac is that Macs are for hippys and hippys suck (Limbaugh excluded).

[Patrsup]

I’m not much on the gushing fangirls for Apple. I would have said boys but the whole Iwhatever thing is slightly effeminate.

Its for the high end people who cant/wont try to figure something out that bugs them or doesn’t work correctly. They pay money for something they expect to be at a minimum satisfactory and always, consistently work well and the same each time they try something. I cant argue that reasoning - I just have a aversion to all things Apple - trying to use that stuff is like a pee shiver - you know what I mean!

Hey - its great if you like it but don’t talk to me about it - I make things happen the way I want them to - I don’t hope or for some of the fangirls pray that Apple makes it the way I want it to be.

“Computer viruses are an urban legend.” – Peter Norton, 1988

[chrisser]

IMHO, and I have used and supported both (and Unix/Linux), Macs are like Mercedes Benzes.

Are they better than Chevies - sure.

Really nice to drive? You bet!

Am I going to buy one anytime soon? Nope.

Could I talk my employer into buying a fleet of them? Not a chance.

[mmichaels1970]

Does anybody else have an iCousin? The one who corners you at parties to tell you how great his iPhone is? The one who wants to sit and talk about a Macbook at length when all you want is a piece of cake, a cup of coffee, and to see what football game is on the tv in the background?

[mkjessup]

If it were not for the egotistical iAttitudes of the iSnobs, Apple might actually end up with a larger market share.
The above statement is a simple case of projection.

Explain how.

[OldMissileer]

If we get to 30 posts without a “Macs are gay” post I will be amazed.

OK. Just to fulfill your prophecy: MACs are GAY!

I don't care one way or another about either but I thought I would have some fun today (this post is all tongue in cheek).

Take care.

[mkjessup]

But this is even better:
I know Windows is awful. Everyone knows Windows is awful. Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it.

No, THIS is "better":
April 5, 2006 - CNET News - Apple Computer said on Wednesday that it has released a public beta version of Boot Camp, software that enables Microsoft Windows XP to run natively on Intel-based Macs. The software, which will be included in Mac OS X 10.5, called Leopard, is available for download now. Apple will also preview Boot Camp in August at its Worldwide Developers Conference, the company said.

Looks like Apple's been pissing all over themselves for more than 3 years now.

[PreciousLiberty]

‘When I think of Apple, I think of liberal DemocRats with their condescending “we are so much better than you” view of the masses.’

You should be thinking of Rush Limbaugh and the rest of we conservatives who use them (someone posted a list a while back and there were quite a few).

Seems you have some issues, I’d try and separate the technology from the advertising/emotion. Macs in particular have been much easier to deal with in my experience. The combination of top-notch hardware and standards based software is really good. The (free) software development environment is also quite nice.

You can even run Windows in a safe sandbox (walled off from the rest of the system) if you have that need.

[dinodino]

Macs are totally GAY.

j/k (posted from a Mac)

[mkjessup]

If we get to 30 posts without a “Macs are gay” post I will be amazed.

Looks like #4 did the trick, thanks Mr. Blonde. LOL

[mkjessup]

Seems you have some issues

*PING* to aruanan, now THAT is iSnob projection!

Precious, your sneer that "I have issues" sounds just like the typical 0bamunist calling conservatives "racists", lol

Looks good on you!

[pburgh01]

Did anyone catch that Windows 7 video linked to. About the most hopelessly condescending and pandering case I have seen of sticking the requisite black person in your TV commercial I have seen. “Hi Grandma is this your friend Deontrae??”

[PreciousLiberty]

“*PING* to aruanan, now THAT is iSnob projection!”

Confirmed. Go find something important to foam about. ;)

[PreciousLiberty]

(Confirmed that he has issues, I meant. lol)

[mkjessup]

No, you were definitely right the first time.

Your slip is showing Mrs Freud. LMAO!

[gop4lyf]

I have an iPod and will be getting an iPhone when my current Sprint contract runs out, but I cannot stand Macs. I have to use one at work, and it drives me crazy! Besides, I can play way more games on my PC than you can on any Mac.

[Patrsup]

My apologies - I did forget to mention that I admire the whole Linux crowd. They have to work to make it work the way they want so they move to the top of the “I want it my way” crowd in my estimation.

If I was not such a gamer - I would run Ubuntu on my primary desktop instead of my travelling laptop. Theres is just so much I cant get to run in Linux despite my time spent at it.

I’m running windows 7 right now full time on the desktop and other than several annoyances with printer and file sharing - I really like it.

“I’m not anti-social; I’m just not user friendly”

[BikerJoe]

Vista, not imonks or isnobbery, is why I bought a Mac. The way I saw it was I had a choice: go back to XP or choose another OS.

My company is a Microsoft Partner, and I have been telling people NOT to go to Vista!!!!!! I loved it when it would run, but installing it and dealing with the numerous f'ups resulting from updates (don't even get me started about SP2) was a serious hassle.

That being said, I just upgraded my main Vista machine to Windows 7 (partially because I couldn't install SP2 on it). Best upgrade experience I've had from Microsoft this decade. Much faster, more stable...IE8 is even faster and more stable.

[PreciousLiberty]

OK, fine.

“Get yourself a real computer, kid!”

There, happy now? Go away. :^)

[VeniVidiVici]

If we get to 30 posts without a “Macs are gay” post I will be amazed.

Macs are gay?

I knew it!

[scoobysnak71]

>"Macs AREN’T gay?!? "

Macs are VERY gay.

[6SJ7]

Link to "Windows 7 Launch Party" commercial. Love the diversity mix. Love the dialog.

"Now, the first thing you want to do is install Windows 7. Make sure you do that a couple of days in advance of the party."

A couple of days! That's encouraging.

[dorothy]

Yep. I watched the video. Guess Microsoft’s just working on its new slogan — “Windows 7, the new Tupperware.”

[garyhope]

There’s a whole world of people who like to build and change their own computers. They’re not using Mac’s or Apple.

My currency and stock trading analytical programs are windows based as are most trading computers, and my trading software won’t run on Macs. And no, they won’t run faster or better on BootCamp.

Most serious gamers use PC’s.

It’s OK if you want to use a Mac, just don’t feel compelled to tell me about it or tell me it’s better for me. You don’t know my needs or uses.

[usmcobra]

"Microsoft is like the small block Chevy engine of computers, when they run great nothing can beat them, they are mass produced always being rebuilt, retro fited, restored to their original specs, and it takes a real genius to make one prefect.

Macs are that snobby little foreign job no one fixes, ever changes the oil on and seems to run forever that you toss away when a better one comes along, sure it gets where you are going but it is as gay as they come Macs are the Toyota corolla of computers....

[Sloth]

If we get to 30 posts without a “Macs are gay” post I will be amazed.

That's ridiculous, Macs aren't gay. Just the 'men' who use them.

[pburgh01]

Yep. I watched the video. Guess Microsoft’s just working on its new slogan — “Windows 7, the new Tupperware.”

I saw a study recently, that over 60% of TV commercials have an African American in them. Funny that with what 14% of the population and of that 50% below the poverty line you need to ram that demographic down our throats? I don’t mind the people of any color, its the left wing media trying to install some permanent Black Socialist Hegemony at the top of our political and economic structure. Sorry but when 90%+ of the black community supports an avowed socialist I can’t help thinking, as a culture they all think that way. Reminds me of the Nazi posters with all those blonde haired square jawed men. Pandering a trendy racial stereotype for some ulterior motive.

[LearnsFromMistakes]

Great microcosm of this whole argument.

As a ‘pc’, you (or others):
1. want to build/change computers
2. run software on windows
3. game

then, go on to tell mac folks to not ‘feel compelled to tell me about it or tell me it’s better for me’.

It is ok if you want to use a pc. really. you don’t have to justify it. and I won’t justify my more expensive mac purchases. nor start threads just to go ‘neener neener neener’. really...it is ok...

[Little Pig]

And linux is that Cobra kit car you have in the garage, which you’re forever tinkering with, upgrading, and trying to get the fuse block wired right on, but which absolutely smokes the chevy or the corolla.

[Lazamataz]

[Little Pig]

Oh, and I’d put the Mac more into the Prius category, because it is a car you turn on, not start, and has a lot of whizbang gadgets, many of which are just eye candy. The technology is cool, but it isn’t really much better than any other vehicle at being transportation.

[Lazamataz]

[Lazamataz]

[Lazamataz]

[Lazamataz]

[sbMKE]

MAC genius says, “If it breaks, ghost it.”