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Just a Thought - A Mac in Every PC
by - October 28th, 2004
Preface: I work in a place where mentioning Macs makes people crinkle their noses as if someone had just out-gassed after eating egg salad. The arguments for their Mac aversion are as tired as their expressions; most opinions are hold-overs from the days of Apple's single digit OSes. When I set about explaining that OS X is not your daddy's Mac OS, I have to overcome mile high mental walls that reject facts like Yao Ming rejects jump shots.
What's worse is the nearly maniacal adherence to Microsoft these people have.
After a conversation with one of these Big Redmond Raiders, I felt compelled to pen the following. Read it if you'd like, but be aware that I post nothing new to anyone with any reasonable view of Apple and PCs.
Hey Buddy, yeah, you, the PC zealot. You know who you are. Lemme talk to you for a moment.
Don't worry, I'm not going to try to sway your devotion to the Gods of Redmond, and I won't harangue you about your forced preoccupation with viruses and worms, especially now that OS X has its first bona-fide worm in the wild. And I'm not going to pick at you about your secret longing for an iPod, which may have been fanned to a raging desire since Apple announced iPod Photo.
No, all I want to do is point out a few small facts that you might have overlooked about Apple and Steve Jobs; easy for you to do since your PC blinders are strapped on so tight that you fart every time you blink.
"Facts," you ask? "What facts could you possibly relay to me that I have not already examined with a fine tooth comb in order to prove that my choice of computer is not only the only choice for me, but it must be the only choice for the rest of humanity as well?"
For you, my PC loving friend, the world would be a better place if it was a completely Windows world; no parasitic penguin slowly, but with increasing vigor, sucking the life out of the PC platform with free or nearly free software, no *NIX boxes competing for the hearts and minds of IT admins, not even those room-filling, Jurassic mainframes that continue to thrive in isolated industry pockets like things from a plot in a Michael Crichton novel. For you, the ultimate bane of your computer using existence, the proverbial thorn in your Intel-loving side, is that platform that commands barely 2% of the desktops world wide, yet has elicited so much positive press that some editorials seem more like a declaration of matrimonial intent than an expression of opinion.
Yes, my good fellow, I speak of Apple's Macintosh computer; that big, shiny, high priced, dual-processor powered system from 1 Infinite Loop. But I'm not going bury you in a blizzard of reason why Macs are great computers. Nope; not gonna do it. Taking the current political atmosphere into consideration; this is my attempt to offer a few nonpartisan points for you to consider.
For instance, while it is true that there is some healthy tit-for-tat feature exchanges between Microsoft's version du jour of Windows and Apple current OS, what you may not realize that the very graphical user interface (GUI) that you find on every desktop computer was first popularized by Apple and Steve Jobs. It was the Lisa, then the Mac that is the reason your XP PC works as well as it does.
For you fact checkers: It is common knowledge that Apple took the idea for using a GUI from Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. Also, Windows was a rip-off of the Mac interface for which Apple sued Microsoft, and lost.
How about USB; did you know that the standard for USB was put together by PC industry heavyweights such as Compaq, Intel, Microsoft, and NEC, back in 1996, but hardly anyone was using USB until 1998? What happened in 1998, you ask? Why that was the year the iMac was introduced. If you'll remember, the original iMac ignored all PC cabling standards at the time and relied exclusively on USB for all of its peripheral connections. It was a big gamble because it meant that any iMac buyer would also have to buy a new printer, and scanner, and anything else he might have had connected via some version of serial or parallel cabling. So, in essence, Apple jump-started the use of USB. Now, you can't shake a dirty stick without hitting a PC with USB ports.
Without Apple and Steve Jobs coercing the industry to use USB, all of your plug-n-play on your XP box, and plug-n-pray on earlier Windows version would likely not have gotten past the plug stage as quickly as it has.
Now, let's talk about music for a moment. Not too long ago you were likely downloading incomplete and badly encoded copies of 'Layla' from Napster, then burning the music onto a CD. Now, like sands in an hourglass, so are the number of legit music download sites, each offering pristine copies of darn near anything you want for not more than it cost you to buy bag of greasy fries from Mickey D's.
And you don't have to fumble through stacks of CDs anymore; every tune you've ever own can now be carried with you like greasers in the 50's use to carry packs of cigarettes; rolled up in your shirt sleeves, or stuffed into tight jean pockets. All popular and possible because of Apple and Steve Jobs.
And just when you thought that the PC industry would finally produce an answer to the iPod, Apple goes and produces the iPod Photo. Now, you can carry your tunes and your pictures with you in the same card deck sized package. The sweet just got sweeter.
I'm not saying the Apple and Steve Jobs should be worshipped for their god-like ability to make innovation as popular as canvas Converse high-top All-Stars: All I'm saying is that much of what you hold dear in that PC your clutching to your breast was made possible or popular by Apple and Steve Jobs. And if they deserve nothing else, they deserve a small amount of respect.
So, forget the inane arguments about platform superiority, forget about style and art in the design of Macs, and the lack of it in PCs, forget that you can build a PC for half the cost of an eMac. All I wish is for you to keep your PCs, and your XPs, and your digital diseases, but be mindful that everything good about your PC is good because Apple and Steve Jobs made it so. (And everything bad about your PC is bad because Big Redmond made it so, but we won't go into that here.)
I guess that kinda makes you a Mac fan after all, huh?
is a writer who currently lives in Orlando, FL. He's been a Mac fan since Atari Computers folded, but has worked with computers of nearly every type for 20 years.
You can send your comments directly to me, or you can also post your comments below.
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Observer Comments
Who cares? Apple also popularized WifI, the color display, track pads in portables, the TFT panel, built in ethernet networking, on and on. Again, who cares? So what if all your friends and co-workers use lame-o PCs? Let 'em I say! I would rather be happy knowing I am using a better product than the average Joe than waste my time trying to convince them of their ignorance. This is an old rant that writers get every once in awhile ("if only mopre people used Macs, if only more people agreed Macs are better"). Enough!! You don't need other people to validate your decisions. Know you are doing the right thing using a Mac. Think different. Drive a mini. Wear jeans to work. Grow your hair long. Listen to the Black Eyed Peas. Walk to the beat of a different drummer. And stop giving a rats ass what the meaningless majority think.
Thu Oct 28, 2004 3:25 pm Subject: Um excuse me...if you want REAL facts from the horse's mouth
you should go to www.scaryjohnkerry.com
These are facts that come straight from John Kerry! Just to got he flip-flop one... it's amazing how a lot of people don't know how much of a flip flop he is... he actually said this...
"I voted for the 87 million, before I voted against it!"
dang.. all in one line too. And yes read this entire post before it gets DELETED.
QuoteWhat facts? What reason? What are they ignoring? Someone somewhere is running around saying that Mac's were not the first computers to come standard with USB? Yeah thats a huge problem. Now I get the point of this column. Or perhaps somewhere someone is choosing a PC over a Mac based soley on the fact that they don't realize that the iMac had USB before other PC's!Guest wrote:
The point of the article is NOT Mac vs. PC. It's about the inability in some people to listen to reason and ignore facts.
That has got to be the biggest joke ever. You really think that because the Imac came out with USB in 1998 that was the catalyst that got PC USB peripherals going? You conviently ignore the fact that was also when Windows 98 was released which had built in support for USB. The computer I bought in 1997 had USB ports but with Win 95 you had to download and install the drivers separately. It was the mass migration from windows 95 to 98 which spurred peripheral makers to expand their USB devices. Do you think that manufacturers cared about the few thousand Imacs sold at that time to the millions who were upgrading to windows 98 to gain USB support?
There are people out there who will never give Apple any credit, no matter what evidence is presented. Everything Apple does is not right and useless. That's the point of this article but of course none of those people are listening.
For example, there are people out there that are already saying there are other MP3 players out there that can load photos. So what's the big deal about iPod Photo? But just like they said that about music, they forget the beauty of auto-sync. That's the beauty of iPod Photo - how it will maintain the albums that you've created and sync it without any intervention. There are no music players that can do that for photos other than iPod Photo.
The guest who penned "MAC pioneered USB?" is the perfect example.
How easily history is rewritten!
USB peripherals got jumpstarted by the iMac revolution because the iMac was the number one selling computer model at the time, and it absolutely required USB. All those PCs, even with Windows 98, still had either serial or parallel with USB, so they the peripheral-makers could continue to use serial or parallel and ignore USB. Go back and look at all those printers, scanners, etc - they had USB and parallel (for the PC).
By the way, the floppy disk died in 1999 for the iMac too. But finally this year there were articles talking about the end of the line for floppies because it took 5 years for PCs to kill it off.
One more thing: most of those USB peripherals happened to come in a non-beige/gray color, while the non-USB peripherals continued on in their drab colors. So that color-addition was marketing to the PC, right? Not.
Please check your history pages so that you need not continue in your ignorance.
I also work in a temple to Microsoft. I'm not sure who is more popular here, Steve Jobs or Ralph Nader.
Three weeks ago, my MCSE buddy here converted from IE to Firefox. Six months ago, all I heard was, "If it doesn't run on IE, then I don't want to see it". Now its, "These developer tools are so kewl. I'm sick of IE".
In the past year, he has also converted from one monitor to dual monitors, analog music production to digital music production, Corel to Adobe. He even used iMovie once.
He likes XP. He is resisting .Net.
"Sir, for your own good, please step away from the monopoly." - Scott McNealy
Fri Oct 29, 2004 8:31 am Subject: "I voted for the 87 million, before I voted against it!
Yes, and Luther was a Monk before he started the reformation.
People do sometimes get smarter, other prefer to stick to simple "facts" they are intellectually able to understand - and if the "facts"* are wrong, so what?
Amazing, how the PC-Mac debate resembles the Bush-Kerry arguments...
_____
*) facts like "there's no connection between the government and Halliburton" - I suppose that's why the FBI is currently investigating against Halliburton?
Fri Oct 29, 2004 9:18 am Subject: RE: USB pioneer
QuoteGuest wrote:
That has got to be the biggest joke ever. You really think that because the Imac came out with USB in 1998 that was the catalyst that got PC USB peripherals going? You conviently ignore the fact that was also when Windows 98 was released which had built in support for USB. The computer I bought in 1997 had USB ports but with Win 95 you had to download and install the drivers separately. It was the mass migration from windows 95 to 98 which spurred peripheral makers to expand their USB devices. Do you think that manufacturers cared about the few thousand Imacs sold at that time to the millions who were upgrading to windows 98 to gain USB support?
You ignore the fact that before the iMac came out you could not find a USB printer or scanner in ANY regular retail stores, after the iMac there was a plethora of USB printers, scanners, and a whole bunch of old port to USB converters. And it was VERY obvious that printer makers cared since they produced printer to MATCH iMacs' style and color.
Jeez, where were you in 98? The iMac was all the rage, even PC makers attempted to copy it, and failed. Horribly.
It was the iMac that broke the 'Chicken/Egg' conundrum with USB, that is; No one buys USB devices so why make USB devices/ There's no USB devices so buy non-USB devices.
It's not just me who 'believes' this to be true, here a quote from Wikipedia:
"On the software front, the iMac was essentially just a normal Macintosh. Opinions were polarised over the removal of the floppy disk drive, and the replacement of legacy ports with USB. Countless discussions over such issues definitely did increase awareness of the iMac. The willingness to completely sever the use of legacy devices was what made the iMac truly revolutionary. Apple has never looked back with regards to their selection of these next generation interfaces. Floppy disks' use throughout the industry is dwindling, and Apple has to be credited with the proliferation of USB devices in the years following the iMac's release. For a long time, USB devices such as USB hubs, drives, scanners and cables were made of translucent plastic to match the iMac. For the first time in years, third party peripheral makers had a chance to market their products as "cross platform", although the writing of drivers stymied some. Current Macintosh users benefit from cheap made-for-PC devices such as mice, keyboards, storage devices, scanners, and printers."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMac
The migration from Win95 to 98 may have help some PC user look at alternatives, but those users largely remained with legacy devices. In fact, nearly every PC today STILL have legacy ports, which should give you an indication as to how slowly the migration to USB would have been had the iMac not been introduced.
And I never said the the iMac pioneered the use of USB, I said it made USB popular.
Vern Seward
Fri Oct 29, 2004 9:52 am Subject: Re: Who Cares
While I appreciate your sentiment, and largely agree with much of what you've said, I like to offer this:
It is not that I care about what others think of my choice of computer, it is more that seem to revel in their ignorance, and seem uncontent to leave me to my choices. I usually ignore the snide comments, but when you make business decisions based on baseless beliefs and suppositions, or when you attempt to justify your decisions by pointing to outdated information, it tends to irritate me. Too much of it, and I produce rants like the one above.
Like I said, I agree with much of what you said.
Vern Seward
PC v. Mac ? Very simple, every PC owner I have asked in a "blind taste" test picked the mac.
I simply ask them this : ok, wouldnt it be nice if computers had
No registry
No weird DLL files
No mysterious hidden files littered all over the drive
No blue screen of death
No virus'
No virus software, that you have to update all the time
No such thing as service pack 2
and invariably they say "yes, that would be great !"
I respond with, yes it is called a macintosh-
If apple would just run an ad similar to this exchange, then the average web surfer/casual computer user would be a much happier person. I have many friends that call me all the time and say " I have a virus and it wiped everything out" "I had to reinstall my whole system" etc. etc. I respond with, why did you buy a PC then ? They say "what do you mean ?" this lack of awareness is rampant. Either apple is not stepping up to the plate to educate people on the difference or Microsoft secretly has a mind melding Orwellian social control machine (or both)
PC v. Mac ? Very simple, every PC owner I have asked in a "blind taste" test picked the mac.
I simply ask them this : ok, wouldnt it be nice if computers had
No registry
No weird DLL files
No mysterious hidden files littered all over the drive
No blue screen of death
No virus'
No virus software, that you have to update all the time
No such thing as service pack 2
and invariably they say "yes, that would be great !"
I respond with, yes it is called a macintosh-
If apple would just run an ad similar to this exchange, then the average web surfer/casual computer user would be a much happier person. I have many friends that call me all the time and say " I have a virus and it wiped everything out" "I had to reinstall my whole system" etc. etc. I respond with, why did you buy a PC then ? They say "what do you mean ?" this lack of awareness is rampant. Either apple is not stepping up to the plate to educate people on the difference or Microsoft secretly has a mind melding Orwellian social control machine (or both)
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