Mac usage surges amongst University of Virginia freshmen since 2004

tuaw ^

[Gomez]

According to the University of Virginia's Information Technology and Communication (ITC), which services the IT needs for most of the campus, 43 percent of first-year students at its residence halls during 2009 were using a Mac.

The figure represents a continuation of a five-year trend that's seeing increased Mac penetration on the campus amongst first year students. Prior to 2004, Mac usage amongst freshmen hovered between three and four percent (with the exception of 1997). 2004, however, served as a watershed year: share increased by four percentage points. A host of theories can help explain this jump. I'd probably point to the release of iTunes on Windows in 2003. While the iPod and the "halo effect" surrounding it had existed for three years, up until 2003 only Mac users were able to fully experience the benefits of hardware and software integration. Or, perhaps it was partly due to the fact that OS X-only Macs began making their way into the market during 2003.

Other significant events that occurred throughout the years include the release of the iPod nano (2005), Intel-based Macs (2006), and the iPhone (2007). But perhaps as influential as anything else during this time frame is the "Get a Mac" campaign. The "I'm a Mac" and "I'm a PC" ads highlighted the benefits of a Mac and contrasted them with the downsides of owning a PC -- i.e., security issues, performance and lifestyle apps.

Data for the University of Virginia ITC is collected by the group's student employees, known as Computing Advisors (CAs), a group of first-year students hired to advise and assist their peers with computing. The data is based on a census of first-year residence halls each fall conducted by the CAs, and can be found here.

[Gomez]

ping

[pepsionice]

If you wanted to buy your kid a laptop or PC that would last through the entire four years and be dependable...then it’s the sole choice of Apple. You pay more, but it’s worth it.

[Wooly]

Do you guys realize what you have just posted? Are you Apple fans starting to question yourselves?
You have posted that Mac usage has surged amongst U of Va FRESHMAN!
What this is saying is that Mac usage has surged within an age group fresh out of high school, with no real world experience, no job or career, no real direction, a desire to be trendy at all costs,self-centered, more ego driven than intelligence driven, willing to follow trends and more likely to place a greater importance on their appearance to others through material goods than letting their accomplishments speak for them.

[JustCallMeFrank]

If you wanted to buy your kid a laptop or PC that would last through the entire four years and be dependable...then it’s the sole choice of Apple. You pay more, but it’s worth it.

Nah. I'd buy 'em an ASUS. Their mid and upper range laptops are the best I've ever owned.

Currently have an N81VP, a G50V, and an A7K in the household and all have been rock solid.

[Swordmaker]

Mac usa at the Universtity of Virginia surging! PING!Please!
No Flame Wars allowed!
Discuss hardware.
Don't attack people!

Apple for a student Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Do you guys realize what you have just posted? Are you Apple fans starting to question yourselves? You have posted that Mac usage has surged amongst U of Va FRESHMAN! What this is saying is that Mac usage has surged within an age group fresh out of high school, with no real world experience, no job or career, no real direction, a desire to be trendy at all costs,self-centered, more ego driven than intelligence driven, willing to follow trends and more likely to place a greater importance on their appearance to others through material goods than letting their accomplishments speak for them.

Wow!! You sure went a long way around the block to turn a simple statistical observation into a negative. Why?

[Former War Criminal]

Why does this article make me think about tattoos? They are real popular among youts also.

[Wooly]

It is a statistical observation that supports the image of Mac users as ego driven bores that think of themselves as being above others. After all the studied group is a bunch of people who have not accomplished anything and probably did not purchase the computer themselves. And when they pressured their parents to buy the computer, trendy elitism was more important.
If I was an Apple fan, I would not have posted this article.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

You are making a lot of unwarranted assumptions. All of what you say is just your prejudice with no hard facts to support it.

I am an old average sort of guy with below average income and I love Macs. My ex wife would greatly benefit from owning a Mac for her business but she hates them. Not for egotistical reasons such as yours but she is comfortable with her MS PC and resists change. The same is true of my grown children and they all could easily afford a Mac. My son-inlaw did buy an iPhone because he is ego driven and likes to have the latest and the coolest but he won’t go the Mac computer route.

So, my little piece of the world does not fit your opinion. I suspect you let Steve Jobs and the Mac vs PC commercials form your opinion for you. I see no snobbery among Mac users.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

image of Mac users as ego driven bores that think of themselves as being above others.

Time to head this one off at the pass:

I don’t see any reason whatsoever to be having flamewars on FR over computer products. Those who have a problem with Apple should just not buy the product and that takes care of that. Don’t come to FR to flame those who like the product. That’s just dumb. Who cares what computer products people use.

Everyone on these threads need to lighten up! On all sides!!

127 posted on July 24, 2010 1:44:17 AM EDT by Jim Robinson

I suggest you follow the link and look at the context of that comment before things get out of hand.

Thanks.

[Mr. Blonde]

I agree that Macs are fantastically dependable and great computers. However, I imagine once you hit the $1,000 mark for Windows PCs and especially the next price points, you can get great computers from other makers. If you don’t spend very much you won’t get very much.

[Clara Lou]

Has FR become an advertising outlet for Apple? What’s with all of the pro-Apple articles this morning? Did you buy some stock in the company? The Apple vs. PC. thing is getting way out of hand.

P. S. Who cares about laptops at the U. of V.?

[Gomez]

Thanks for taking the time to stop by the General/Chat forum to tell me that you don't care. Many people would just skip threads that don't interest them. Perhaps you could start a ping list for topics that don't interest you in the General/Chat forum so others may be blessed with this knowledge.

[paulycy]

[Tribune7]

What this is saying is that Mac usage has surged within an age group fresh out of high school, with no real world experience, no job or career, no real direction, a desire to be trendy at all costs,self-centered, more ego driven than intelligence driven, willing to follow trends and more likely to place a greater importance on their appearance

So what did it mean in '01 when Macs had a 3 percent share?

[TXnMA]

Have you ever owned a MacBook (Pro)?

If not, you have zero basis for a comparative statement..

[Clara Lou]

FRiend, as soon as you get your own website or take over this one, I’ll be happy to abide by your rules. Until then, you’ll just have to deal with things as they are, including multiple people telling you that they don’t care what kind of ___ students use at the University of ___. (I see that you conveniently chose to ignore the other part of my comments.)

[PA Engineer]

This is what was actually said.

What this is saying is that Mac usage has surged within an age group fresh out of high school,

I couldn't find any of the other following BS in the article. Do you have a link to a point in the article I missed or are you just trolling?

with no real world experience, no job or career, no real direction, a desire to be trendy at all costs,self-centered, more ego driven than intelligence driven, willing to follow trends and more likely to place a greater importance on their appearance to others through material goods than letting their accomplishments speak for them.

[PA Engineer]

It is a statistical observation that supports the image of Mac users as ego driven bores that think of themselves as being above others. After all the studied group is a bunch of people who have not accomplished anything and probably did not purchase the computer themselves. And when they pressured their parents to buy the computer, trendy elitism was more important. If I was an Apple fan, I would not have posted this article.

You didn't get Jim's memo did you?