I do appreciate the Apple threads he either puts up himself or pings those of others. It is certainly a passion with him and there's nothing wrong with that.
For many, many years, I was solely a Windows PC user. During those days, I would also make potshots at Apple as during most of the 1990s, it appeared they were pretty close to going bankrupt and their computers at the time were way too confusing to me.
It was the iPod that first exposed me to things Apple. I think the iPod was a revolutionary product that completely changed the way that I (and others) listened to music.
From there, it was a relatively easy leap to the iPhone and then to the MacBook Pro - which I still use to this day and which I am typing this reply with.
Interesting story about my MacBook Pro, which I purchased in early 2011. A couple months ago, after four years of flawless performance, the video started crapping out on me. I would have to keep rebooting to get my display back and finally it just didn't even boot up anymore. I thought for sure that the machine was dead and that I needed to buy another laptop.
So I made an appointment at the Apple Store to have them look at it and if they told me the repair would exceed $1,000, I was prepared to buy a replacement.
Upon arriving, they ran some diagnostics and determined that the video card was defective. They then informed me that there was an FOC (free of charge) repair program if I was interested. So they took my computer for a couple days and returned it to me in excellent working order.
Now Apple didn't have to do that. I did not purchase Apple Care or any extended warranty. I would have happily have purchased an entire new unit at some $2,500. But they offered to fix my four-year old laptop for free and make it like new again.
This is why certain people have such a passion for Apple and their products. Superior customer service and excellent value for what you buy. I have several iPods here at home that I only upgraded because they kept getting better. However, all the other iPods work perfectly fine, including the original one I bought in 2003. I also have an iPad which I use to browse the Internet out in the backyard, control my stereo and my TV, and many other great functions.
Now as a conservative, I do cringe when I see the CEO of the company act foolishly with regard to promoting homosexuality and other nonsense. But you will find that same kind of foolishness with competitors of Apple as well. So I need to put that aside and choose the computing products that gives me the most value for my money and Apple wins that hands down.
There I absolutely agree with you. Steve Jobs never allowed his admittedly Liberal politics to intrude on his managing of Apple. In fact, when a Democrat activist asked him why he did not have Apple take a more active role and actually donate to Democrat causes, Steve replied that "Half of Apple's customers are Republicans. . . and I'm not about to piss off half of our customer base. Apple stays out of politics." That was the same reason he pulled most charitable giving except educational and scientific donations. All political donations attributed to Apple post Jobs' return to Apple were given by employees through the Apple Employees' PAC which did make donations with about an 80% Democrat to 20% Republican record.
Steve Jobs did not even really embrace the Green platform except as necessary to not offend the Greenies too much and appease them as necessary to keep the bad press down. Apple is a lightning rod for every group with a axe to grind that wants headlines. Want to get attention? Attack Apple and the news media devours it, regardless if Apple deserves it or not, usually not.
Tim Cook failed to learn that lesson and is pissing off a good portion of Apple's customer base by being an activist for causes that have nothing to do with selling his company's products. He should shut up and just manage the company and not use it as a "bully pulpit." That is NOT what the position of Corporate CEO is for.
As for your MacBook Pro repair, I tell a similar story to yours. A client of mine had her four year old MacBook Pro die. I took her to an appointment with the Genius Bar to see if there was anything they could do. Their diagnosis was identical to mine. DOA. They had taken the laptop into the back to check things out and while they were checking it out she and I were talking about how she could afford to buy new one. She was talking about using three different credit cards. . . maxing out two of them. When the Genius came back with the bad news, he said "There's nothing we can do to fix this. The Logic board is fried. You are three years beyond the warrantee. . . but I talked to our manager. Your hard drive is fine. We copied your data over to a new MacBook Pro."
My client asked, "How much is that going to cost me?"
"Oh, no charge, Ma'am! The manager said to give it to you! But we are going to have to keep your old one, if that's OK with you. Otherwise we'll have to charge you. You can watch as we securely erase your data on your old drive if you like."
My jaw was on the floor with hers. They used a bulk eraser on her drive. She walked out with a brand new MacBook Pro at no charge in exchange for a four year old dead one. . . That's customer service!