lifamily

lifamily

Enthusiast
No Apples In This Cart

I have never and will never own an Apple product.

1) Way too costly over the competition
2) Highly overrated
3) Too many compatibility issues w/firmware upgrades (loss of previously purchased material) etc.

I love my original 20gb Creative Zen, 60gb vision W and Sansa 280e 8gb flash drive player. Never had an issue with any of them.

Now that's money well spent.
 
birdonthebeach

birdonthebeach

Full Audioholic
I have never and will never own an Apple product.

1) Way too costly over the competition
2) Highly overrated
3) Too many compatibility issues w/firmware upgrades (loss of previously purchased material) etc.

I love my original 20gb Creative Zen, 60gb vision W and Sansa 280e 8gb flash drive player. Never had an issue with any of them.

Now that's money well spent.
Which is great. This is what is great about our world - you can make that choice. Nobody will EVER force you to purchase a crappy Apple product. In fact, when it comes to computers, only about 3-5% of market have!

So why is it that there is so much ink/bandwidth wasted on hatin' Apple? It boggles the mind....
 
AlphaWolf

AlphaWolf

Junior Audioholic
Personally I am not sure what drives some people to want OSX. Maybe the eyecandy? Not sure.

The OS just feels really limited. You can't change the shell, you can't turn off mouse acceleration without jumping through several hoops, pretty much everything was designed for one button (You've got five fingers, what is so hard about using more than one of them? I am not sure why steve jobs insists on only one) so mice with back and forward buttons are useless on top of other things like very limited scroll wheel support and relatively useless context menus (compared to MS Windows anyways.)

And since you are forced to use the default shell, you are also stuck with a few other annoyances: You can't move the dock to the top of the screen, you can't remove finder from the dock (in spite of the fact that it is accessible from numerous other places,) the delete key can't be used to delete your files, most programs depend on obscure shortcut keys rather than making effective use of function keys, apples clone of alt-tab is horrible in comparison to the MS version, and worst of all you have to actually switch to each app before you are allowed to use its menu functions rather than clicking right on them like you can in MS windows.

Those things among many other things. Sure, OSX is simple, but then anything that is very limited in terms of functions is going to be inherently simple. OSX feels more like an OS that tells you how you are going to use your computer (which follows Steve Jobs' preferences,) it doesn't let you use it how you want to use it. Which admittedly, is probably why OSX may seem so elegant at first. But once you need to use your computer for more than just novelty purposes...well, OSX quickly loses its appeal. And then you might wonder why most mac users might say "well, my work computer is a pc and not a mac."

One thing I also really like about windows better than OSX, is that in windows you can use either just the keyboard or just the mouse to perform virtually any function, so you have many alternative shortcuts to get where you want to go. OSX on the other hand, without a mouse, you are screwed for the most part, which involves a lot more of that moving your hand off of the keyboard and on to the mouse, and vice versa.

And also the idea that windows PC's crash and macs don't is completely bogus. The only PC that is going to crash is one that might have been made with faulty components or faulty drivers. The glory of the PC is that if you don't like anything about those particular components, you can replace them at any time of your choosing, and there are hundreds of brands and price levels to choose from. With macs, you either pay a premium to buy parts only from apple, or you don't buy anything at all.
 
H

Highbar

Senior Audioholic
I love my Ipod, I've played with other mp3 players and just don't like the feel. And well my next computer with be a MacBook Pro. My friends blows the hell out of all the pc's around. it just doesn't crash
 
M

MDS

Audioholic Spartan
I'm with AlphaWolf on this one. People like to choose sides for no reason other than it's cool to align yourself against the market leader.

Macs are nice and OSX is a fine operating system but let's remember it is UNIX! Unix is not and has never been the most user-friendly OS. There are plusses and minuses to every piece of sofware ever written so let's not bash one system vs the other based solely on perceived advantages.

Here's just one example from a programmer's persepctive. GREP (Global Regular Expression Print) is a tool to find strings in any file. Every single operating system and even application software (like an editor) has a version of Grep. In Unix, grep by itself does nothing. You have to use the -print option to actually see the results. Now why on earth would you ever want to search for something and have the system keep the results to itself and not show them to you? Likewise, if you want to run the search over multiple files in multiple directories, you have to use Find and pipe the results through Grep. Compare that to the version of Grep that comes with VisualSlick on Windows that I use:grep -i -t "blah" *.cpp will find every single .cpp file that has the string "blah" in it. I unfortunately work with Unix systems all the time and they drive me crazy. There is no possible chance I could talk my parents through it over the phone.

So keep some perspective...nothing is the be-all end-all system or application.
 
N

NELSON1138

Audiophyte
Alpha Wolf you're right Windows machines are definitely for work! I mean you have to work on patching the patch that broke the other patch that dissabled that patch which patched that really bad patch that broke the first patch which I can't even remember now what it patched. Then you need to to work at keeping the 120,000+ viruses off the system by working at keeping your antivirus software updated. Oh oh oh then there is the work of keeping all the other software updated to keep your system clean and working right you know anti-spyware, anti-malware, anti-adware, pop-up blockers, ad infinitum... Of course then there is the work of fixing Windows when it does get infected and we all know how much work and down right good fun that can be! Oh, then there's the easy work of always second guessing your e-mails and which web sites you go to because if you click the wrong one then well you've got more work to do, which now that I think of it is a good thing. More work on your computer is always a good thing. I mean who wants to sit down at a computer turn it on and just start being productive right away? Hell I want a real computer that I have to work for, is'nt that the best reward. You can keep your super secure, surf the internet with impunity, no virus, industry leading designed computer that works for you instead of working for the computer silly little Macintosh! I'm real computer user and that means I enjoy suffering for my computing experience. If you ain't getting kicked in big Jim and twins regularly by your computer then ain't a real computer THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!;)
 
masak_aer

masak_aer

Senior Audioholic
Alpha Wolf you're right Windows machines are definitely for work! I mean you have to work on patching the patch that broke the other patch that dissabled that patch which patched that really bad patch that broke the first patch which I can't even remember now what it patched. Then you need to to work at keeping the 120,000+ viruses off the system by working at keeping your antivirus software updated. Oh oh oh then there is the work of keeping all the other software updated to keep your system clean and working right you know anti-spyware, anti-malware, anti-adware, pop-up blockers, ad infinitum... Of course then there is the work of fixing Windows when it does get infected and we all know how much work and down right good fun that can be! Oh, then there's the easy work of always second guessing your e-mails and which web sites you go to because if you click the wrong one then well you've got more work to do, which now that I think of it is a good thing. More work on your computer is always a good thing. I mean who wants to sit down at a computer turn it on and just start being productive right away? Hell I want a real computer that I have to work for, is'nt that the best reward. You can keep your super secure, surf the internet with impunity, no virus, industry leading designed computer that works for you instead of working for the computer silly little Macintosh! I'm real computer user and that means I enjoy suffering for my computing experience. If you ain't getting kicked in big Jim and twins regularly by your computer then ain't a real computer THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!;)
True and this is one of the reasons why mac has less viruses infecting it. If i were a virus writer, i wouldn't write a virus (worm, trojans, change this as you like) and wasted my time to infect only 3-5% of the existing computers in the world (read: less attractive!).
I run Windows and Linux on one of my laptops. When i have some spare time, i like to tinker on my Linux. It is so much fun having to think and try on how to solve your computer (read: PC) problems yourself.
 
AlphaWolf

AlphaWolf

Junior Audioholic
Alpha Wolf you're right Windows machines are definitely for work! I mean you have to work on patching the patch that broke the other patch that dissabled that patch which patched that really bad patch that broke the first patch which I can't even remember now what it patched.
Really? Thats odd. I am trying to remember the last time I had to worry about patching my system. Strangely enough, it is fully up to date regardless.

Then you need to to work at keeping the 120,000+ viruses off the system by working at keeping your antivirus software updated.Oh oh oh then there is the work of keeping all the other software updated to keep your system clean and working right you know anti-spyware, anti-malware, anti-adware, pop-up blockers, ad infinitum...
Kaspersky seems to keep itself updated every 2 hours without be doing anything really, and it handles all of that.

Except the popup blocker part. I use noscript. With noscript there is no such thing as a popup. You don't even block it, it just isn't there to begin with unless you want it to be there.

Of course then there is the work of fixing Windows when it does get infected and we all know how much work and down right good fun that can be!
I wouldn't know, I haven't had an infection in over 8 years.

Oh, then there's the easy work of always second guessing your e-mails and which web sites you go to because if you click the wrong one then well you've got more work to do, which now that I think of it is a good thing.
I've never had a problem with that honestly.

More work on your computer is always a good thing. I mean who wants to sit down at a computer turn it on and just start being productive right away? Hell I want a real computer that I have to work for, is'nt that the best reward. You can keep your super secure, surf the internet with impunity, no virus, industry leading designed computer that works for you instead of working for the computer silly little Macintosh! I'm real computer user and that means I enjoy suffering for my computing experience. If you ain't getting kicked in big Jim and twins regularly by your computer then ain't a real computer THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!;)
Of course. I mean, if I bought a computer that I paid too much for and couldn't do much with, (whereas I could do everything I want with a cheaper computer,) I would feel like I was kicked in the nuts too. Some few people might feel the same way when they buy bose junk, but everybody else is just happy that it has the word bose written on it and they're somehow convinced of their own superiority regardless.
 
A

AdrianMills

Full Audioholic
A little OT but...

Here's just one example from a programmer's persepctive. GREP (Global Regular Expression Print) is a tool to find strings in any file. Every single operating system and even application software (like an editor) has a version of Grep. In Unix, grep by itself does nothing. You have to use the -print option to actually see the results.
As far as I remember every implementation of grep that I've used (on a lot of platforms including Solaris, SunOS, Aix, Tru64, HPUX, IRIX, and a lot of Linux distros) doesn't require a "-print". You must be thinking of "find".

Now why on earth would you ever want to search for something and have the system keep the results to itself and not show them to you?
So, assuming you do mean find, here's one example of where you don't need -print;

find . -name "*.log" -type f -size +1000000c -exec rm -f {} \;

I think there's one implementation that I used that was broken and find didn't pass along the result if it didn't have a -print in it. I can't remember which it was though.

Likewise, if you want to run the search over multiple files in multiple directories, you have to use Find and pipe the results through Grep. Compare that to the version of Grep that comes with VisualSlick on Windows that I use:grep -i -t "blah" *.cpp will find every single .cpp file that has the string "blah" in it. I unfortunately work with Unix systems all the time and they drive me crazy. There is no possible chance I could talk my parents through it over the phone.

So keep some perspective...nothing is the be-all end-all system or application.
Unix is smashing. No, really, it is. At least on servers.

But until OSX it sucked big time on the desktop - yeah, I know all the Linux fans are gnashing their teeth just about now and, believe me, I'm no Micro$oft fan, but on the desktop Windoze blows linux away for most things that you want to do on a desktop. That's just a fact.

I've been sorely tempted to buy a Macbook Pro on several occasions just so I could have a decent frontend on a Unix platform - and still be able to run a VM with Windoze on it.
 
Our videographer basically sold me on Mac laptops with dual-boot, saying they were screaming fast and no longer emulate. My next laptop (at least a year or two away) just may be a Mac, honestly.
 
N

Nimrod

Audioholic
Our videographer basically sold me on Mac laptops with dual-boot, saying they were screaming fast and no longer emulate. My next laptop (at least a year or two away) just may be a Mac, honestly.
Same here; As soon as the Desktop at home dies, its going to be a Mac-Book.
 
A

awesomebase

Audioholic
Jump on the Bandwagon

I find it funny how everyone seems to jump on the bandwagon when something becomes popular to do without taking much into consideration. I think Apple is getting attacked (whether in jest or seriously) by just about everybody that has any kind of online presence because they’re actually successful at what they do.
Every computer or electronic business has proprietary hardware/software. Apple just does things differently. Instead of bringing out a new computer every week and discounting their current ones gradually, they keep their products for a longer period of time and discount only when something new fills its place (if they even continue selling the older version). So what? The iPhone discount was a big deal only to those that had already bought it. They complained that Apple took advantage of them… well, nobody FORCED them to buy it, and what kind of idiot doesn’t know that early adopters always pay a premium? The fact is the discount is great for everybody else!
I used to have a PC business building custom machines for developers and graphic artists and had PCs for many, many years. Until about 6 years ago, that is all I used because I had bad experiences with floppies being “bombed” on Macs in computer labs during college.
But it quickly became obvious to me that with OS X, the Mac finally brought an OS that was easier on the eyes and more stable to boot (no pun intended). I was so frustrated with doing all the da** updates, virus scans, spyware scans, and just anything general that wasted my time when all I wanted to do was just quickly send an email, or print a picture, or any number of small tasks. I can open my MacBook and it is instantly “on”… no BSOD trying to wake it up or waiting 2 mins to come out of Hibernate mode or dealing with “Standby” mode that doesn’t actually stand by (it has never worked on even my work machines). No browser or mail crashing like on the PC or unexpected “freezing” of everything when an app goes bad (on a Mac, if that happens, it is just the one app, you can still do everything else in other apps). Just the simple “force quit” function on a Mac where the computer actually listens to me and does what it is told is such a relief when compared to Windows where I can tell it to close an application or service that is frozen a hundred times or more and keep getting the window to confirm it, only to see that this does absolutely nothing (and nothing else is useable).
So, there are going to be Mac users like me that are going to be considered “nuts” simply for defending Apple. My case personally is that I don’t care who makes what as long as it is good and does what it is supposed to do. In this case, Apple is serving that need with my Macs and my older iPod. That may change down the road, but for the foreseeable future, that seems to be the case. Ironically, many Mac users have and continue to use PCs and that is mainly why they love their Macs (because they are constantly reminded about the typical frustrations associated with using a PC) while most PC users have never even tried to use a Mac and yet the Mac users are the ones that are called nuts and ignorant…
 
A

awesomebase

Audioholic
Movies work on Apple TV

Am I interested in Apple products?

Absolutely! If they actually were to make something, just ONE thing, that actually did perform better than product that was half the price I might be interested. The AppleTV? Great product! Except, I actually have all my DVDs, in their original DVD format on hard drives in my home... AppleTV compatibility? Nope!
Any MPEG movies (and a host of other formats) will work on AppleTV... plenty of people do what you're doing... all you do is "drag and drop" them into iTunes and you're set to go! How is that not easy?:confused::confused::confused:
 
zildjian

zildjian

Audioholic Chief
I used to get a lot of grief in the late 80's and early 90's for using Mac's. My godparents were Apple developers in the mid 80's, and they got it too from the PC loyal anti-mac crowd. I still say now what I said then, get the tool you need for the job. If you need a flat head screwdriver, get a flat head screwdriver... Phillips if you need a phillips... If you work best on a Windows OS or a Mac OS, then that's the best machine for you. It's what you use best. I still can do more on my Mac than my Windows machine, but I've also used Mac's for 20 years now. Bickering and saying one is better that the other is ridiculous. Funny enough though is how Windows has gotten more and more like the Mac OS with each version since Windows 1.0 (which it's origin is a long story many already know). Yet many die hard Windows users still think the Mac OS is inferior... It's laughable on both sides. Love them or hate them, we can't deny that Apple's designs have a significant influence over other company's products and have been copied by others repeatedly; that influence by Apple I still surprises me with only 6% of the computer market share. I use both Windows/Dell and Macintosh computers and like features of both. I have a Windows/Dell laptop because that's what my work provides for me, and I have my Mac tower at home. My friend who's an IT guy has a Macbook Pro that he says actually runs Windows better than his 4 month old Dell does, I don't know how exactly he means, but it's ironic. The Mac OS is still inherently a more stable OS than Windows is even today, but it's less a difference now than it used to be as the Windows OS has gotten a lot better in recent years. Do Mac's come at a high price, sure they do! Personally I rather spend the extra $500 for a Mac and not have the headaches I have had with some of my Windows machines, but again, that's personal preference and priority. Just use the tool you need, and you'll never have to complain. Simple.
 
AlphaWolf

AlphaWolf

Junior Audioholic
I find it funny how everyone seems to jump on the bandwagon when something becomes popular to do without taking much into consideration. I think Apple is getting attacked (whether in jest or seriously) by just about everybody that has any kind of online presence because they’re actually successful at what they do.
In my experience, most people could care less about apple. The thing they get annoyed about are apple fans.

I remember one time hearing about how Kim Kommando (I don't listen to her show, just heard about this) gave a macintosh an average review once, not saying she really liked it and not saying she didn't like it, and she got practically ambushed by a bunch of mac fans on her website, some of them even sending her death threats.

This is an ongoing thing too, it happens all the time. Not necessarily to the high extremes, but you noticed earlier how I said I am not terribly impressed with OSX, and the response I get isn't exactly forthcoming. (btw I agree on the unix bits that were mentioned earlier, I have been using linux for years, but then again bash on OSX is somewhat annoying due to the way the terminal window is handled by the operating system - if you use it for a while you'll know what I mean.)

The most recent example I can think of using the extremes is this one:

http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;737532235

Somebody does the same kind of security research on windows or linux on the other hand, nobody thinks twice of it.
 
jliedeka

jliedeka

Audioholic General
I guess you could say the same thing about Apple as about Elvis and Jesus. I like some of their work but their fans can be kinda scary. :eek:
 
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