And what do you call it when HAL9000 runs around tagging every Microsoft thread with the keyword "lowqualitycrap". Not some of them - ALL of them. You don't find that just a bit insulting? Where are you on that score? It's hardly a secret that he does it, but none of you manage a single peep on that score.
Sorry, I think you're deluding yourself with this notion that you're all just squeaky-clean here, and I'm going to say so.
You see... there it is again... the almost unconscious assumption that you are going to "cure" the users of Macs of their delusions.
I don't care if I "cure" you of anything - I'm merely challenging this notion that there's some horribly oppressed and downtrodden minority here on FR, in the form of the Mac users list. Whether you believe it or not really doesn't matter to me, but I'm certainly not going to let such nonsense slide to the point that others might come to actually believe such garbage.
Quite frankly, I am tired of being accused of being "deluded" simply because I have chosen to purchase and use a computer that is not Windows.
See, you're not even paying attention to what I'm writing here - you apparently have this victimization thing so deeply ingrained in you that you can't even see that I'm not talking about you owning a Mac. I don't care if you own a Mac. I don't care if you own a thousand Macs. I don't care if your name is Steve Jobs and you own ten million share of Apple computer. That's not what this is about. What this is about is this idea that you're so horribly mistreated around here. It's crap, and it's going to continue to be crap so long as you all give as good as you take. That's my point here, that there are no innocent victims in all this. I really don't care about this thing you think makes you a victim, your Mac ownership, what I care about is refuting this notion that you're all saints who are constantly being spit on. Get it? Finally?
Good grief, General... I provide facts, quantified, from a sampling of threads from both platforms showing a large discrepancy in the tone of the posts and YOU attack me.
No, you didn't, because you insist on setting yourself up as the arbiter of good taste and decorum here on FR. Well, no offense, but who are you? And look, what a suprise, the arbiter of good taste and decorum decides that the people he's affiliated with are never in the wrong, and the people he's not affiliated with are always in the wrong. What a surprise, eh? You being a completely neutral observer and all. Awfully convenient how the bounds of good taste just happen to fall your way, don't you think?
Sorry, but you're in no position to determine what is and isn't acceptable around here. I'll say it again - if you don't want other people jumping on Mac threads, stop doing it yourselves. It's that simple.
I'll take credit for starting that keyword, but not for applying it on every thread. Many times, someone else adds that keyword before I get the chance. But it doesn't just happen on Windows threads. For instance, someone put it on this thread. I have no idea who did it, nor am I complaining about it.
When I started using the lowqualitycrap keyword, I was curious to see if it reflected the opinion of other computer users. Since then, lowqualitycrap has become synonymous with Windows, even among Windows users.
For what it's worth, I spend most of my time on FR with news about politics and international matters, not the Mac vs. Windows debate.
Please search all Windows retlated posts, and see if you can find a single instance of a comment by me of any kind; positive, negative, flattering, abusive, neutral or humorous.
There are none.
And what do you call it when HAL9000 runs around tagging every Microsoft thread with the keyword "lowqualitycrap". Not some of them - ALL of them. You don't find that just a bit insulting? Where are you on that score? It's hardly a secret that he does it, but none of you manage a single peep on that score.
I would call that a prank, if true.
However, General, when I did a Keyword Search for "lowqualitycrap" here is what came up:
Microsoft to add 'black box' to WindowsThat's just the FIRST 25... there are a lot more... and the majority of these are Mac threads. Only 12 (24%) of the first 50 were NOT Mac threads. And of those 12, four (8%) were Linux threads. However, Windows threads with that keyword do appear (16%)... as well as the Linux and, several pages later, Wal-Mart threads. What makes you think that Hal9000 has done it? Why would he tag every Mac thread with this? Or is that you?
Apple CEO Again Gets $1 Salary for 2004
Motorola cites Apple for non-show of iTunes phone
A mini-guide to Mac OS X for new Mini owners
Mac Mini Price Significantly Less than DIY PC
Apple planning High-Definition Video Network via satellite and Internet?
Microsoft advises against iPod shuffle?
Apple desktop market share on the rise; will the Mac mini, iPod help?
Macintosh / Apple blog
Apple virus contest canned
Cinema HD proves bigger truly is better
CNET editor's take - iPod Photo Rates 9 out of 10
Macintosh Security: No Need for Perfection
The (Mac) Tiger Report: Should You Consider Upgrading?
Softgadgets for Your Macintosh
Tiger on Track for Mid-April Release
Mac OS X Tiger to ship April 29
Mac mini, iPod help drive Apple's profit higher (Net income up 530%)
Revealed: New Power Mac G5, iMac G5, eMac Specs
Trent Reznor Rules - Nine Inch Nails new single released in Garageband format
Tiger's Out This Week. No Bull.
iTunes Mobile 1.0 slated for June, iTunes 4.8 Mac/Win expected soon
Apple paid tech guru $15K to praise iPod on local news shows
Why doesn't Apple advertise Mac OS X on TV?
Study: Apple leapfrogs Toshiba in US PC shipments
You don't find that just a bit insulting?
No. One cannot insult a piece of hardware or an Operating System ... one insults a person or a group of persons! Why should a statement about a basically inert object or set of instructions affect YOU? Do you get insulted if someone criticizes the make of car you drive?
...but I'm certainly not going to let such nonsense slide to the point that others might come to actually believe such garbage.
Think about that... It may tell you a lot about why Mac users respond to mis-information which is targeted to people who are ignorant about the Mac. We have had many years of such mis-information. Mis-information includes uttering "facts" from ancient history as though it were still true today... from BOTH sides... especially when it comes repeatedly from the same people who have already been informed their "facts" no longer apply, repeatedly.
No, you didn't, because you insist on setting yourself up as the arbiter of good taste and decorum here on FR. Well, no offense, but who are you? And look, what a suprise, the arbiter of good taste and decorum decides that the people he's affiliated with are never in the wrong, and the people he's not affiliated with are always in the wrong. What a surprise, eh? You being a completely neutral observer and all. Awfully convenient how the bounds of good taste just happen to fall your way, don't you think?
Who am I? I am a person who works daily on and with Windows PCs (for pay) and Macs (because I prefer it). I am a person who can read critically and recognize argumentum ad hominem when I see it. I did not set myself up as the "arbitrator of good taste", I merely read through threads and made a mark on a text editor column if a particular comment included a reference to a Mac in Windows threads, Windows in Mac threads, personal attacks either way in both sets, and posted my findings. I did not care one way or the other if a particular post was Mac or Windows... but rather WHERE it was... and whether it was a personal attack. The findings speak for themselves. I documented Mac users being insulting to Windows when I found it. I documented Mac comments when I found them in Windows' threads and Windows comments in Mac threads. I described my criteria:
"Those which I deemed "mild" were those in which a platform advocate made reasoned commentary about their preferred platform and compared it to the subject platform. Those that commented denigrating the subject platform with ignorant or outdated mis-information, I deemed "moderate". Finally, comments attacking or denigrating the users of the subject platform, I deemed "Insulting". These judgments were subjective on my part... but I attempted to be totally fair."
You somehow find fault with this. If so, criticize the placement of comments in the three categories. Instead, you falsely accuse me of deciding, contrary to the facts in evidence, "that the people he's affiliated with are never in the wrong, and the people he's not affiliated with are always in the wrong." You accuse ME of not reading what you post... yet you make that statement in the face of my report documenting Mac users invading Microsoft/Windows threads and even a case of a Mac user tossing an insult toward Windows' users. I reported what I found in the 18 Mac and 18 Windows threads. Nothing was omitted except the comments that were on-topic, but even there I reported the total number of comments.
I'll say it again - if you don't want other people jumping on Mac threads, stop doing it yourselves. It's that simple.
No, it's simpler than that, General... just leave out the insults and slurs against the users of BOTH platforms. Keep the discussions open.