Who doesn’t remember the colourful iMac and black and white MacBooks?
Back in 2006 we bought our very first MacBook and I remember the plastic but cool feel it had about it.
I had always been a Microsoft guy, worked and played with Microsoft OS for years, the Apple concept was alien to me, I was a loyal Microsoft customer until …. I snapped!
After spending hours that turned into days configuring a home network with MS on our machines and then followed by a million updates, I had had enough.
How many hours of my life have I lost installing the latest printer driver or Antivirus? Mind numbing hours of frustration and the feeling of my life slipping through my fingers.
I went and bought our first Apple products.
Steve Jobs’ vision was for the user to feel acquainted with their PC and not be afraid of it so how difficult could the switch be?
The box and packaging in itself was a joy and I actually felt privileged opening this beautifully designed product. Granted, it took a little time to get used to the new OS but it wasn’t long before we were comfortable with its newness.
Such fun – within a few months we were Apple converts! We continued the journey and bought an iMac, we even made and edited home videos of our kids.
We had gained not just a “PC” but a new entertainment system when iTunes geared up to show TV Shows and Movies.
As newbie Apple Snobs we bought the very first iPhone and have never looked back, every year a new upgraded iPhone, the latest MacBooks, Apple TV, iPads, iPods and iMacs – we have been addicted for at least 8 years.
That is until …..
Over time we have found Apple to become more and more complicated, suddenly there were new security features for iTunes more data being collected about the user. For the original Apple iTunes users the libraries have been confused with updates and loss of music. Moreover, the last couple of iPhones we have owned have had either glitches or manufacturer problems and now our latest MacBooks are acting up.
More Information is now needed in order to configure a new Apple Product. The simplicity that Steve Jobs had in mind is fading away. iCloud doesn’t seem to work for any of us, being an international family we have several iTunes accounts, in different countries, something that doesn’t seem very flexible with Apple. It almost feels like something Microsoft used to be … complicated.
Getting an Apple device up and running requires more time and data than it ever used to. No more plug and play, probably plenty of reasons why, but that doesn’t help us and the vision.
Why am I telling you this?
For the first time in over 8 years I have seen a Microsoft Product and I want it!
The new Microsoft Surface Book looks interesting. If I, a self proclaimed Apple Snob, am considering a Microsoft Product this tells me something is not working out currently with Apple.
I am probably one of the most loyal Apple customers – my house and family live and breathe Apple products, how sad it is to feel that Apple is not what it used to be.
The question is – is it Apple who are no longer innovative or have Microsoft finally woken up?
I cannot be the only Apple lover who feels that Apple innovation sadly passed away with Steve Jobs in 2011.
The thing about Apple marketing was that it relied on being a minor operating system.
It sold itself as ‘more secure’ than its counterparts, when in reality it didn’t have a native anti-virus software. Back when no one used apple, this was initially fine because why make a virus for apple and infect maybe a hundred thousand people when you can make one for microsoft and hit one hundred million people, and that was a decision that turned out sour for Apple when it became more mainstream.
I never liked Apple because its marketing relied on misinformation.
I think they lost their path of “inspiring people”. Microsoft is the same way though. I don’t think either company puts as much effort into the “inspiring” part anymore. And you are right about all the effort to get things working. Especially in this generation. Our kids are raised on this technology, so nothing surprises them as much as it did our generation, they are harder to entice, and they want things done NOW due to lack of patience. I see it in the video games I play and the tech conventions I attend, as well as in my own teenagers when I show them something and they go “cool” and walk away. I’ve owned several Apple products and I have a lot of friends who work for Microsoft and they seem less enthusiastic. However, I have my eye on Google/Android more than the other two companies. Some of the best Technology was created as a life solution mixed with inspiration, creativity, and enthusiasm, and it seems Google is gathering up all those brilliant innovators.
I think you are completely right. It drives us up the wall sometimes and it feels like it is getting worse with information needed in order to do anything with technology. I am going to check out Google / Android…
switch to Linux , Ubuntu is really good , Linux is always free, and you don’t have to worry about the constant apple/microsoft updates, nor are you giving your hard earned money to big soul sucking corporations ( apple-mac/microsoft )
as someone who went to a college campus in 1995 that was a former military base, we were required to have a computer. I had never thought of it before, being an art major, but based on cost and compatibility I got a Windows PC. But very quickly I learned that the world of art was embracing digital expertise and all printing was done from Macs, so I switched. But honestly, I’m tired of both of them.
When I hear or read anyone speak of Linux it confuses me since I may be pretty good with user end stuff, but I’m not even sure what Linux is or how you would manage to acquire any software for it.
pardon my ignorance, but do you have any suggestions or links for someone like myself to learn more about it?
I learn very fast, so any tips would be great.
Linux is always free, the nice thing is , if you are new to Linux and not familiar with it at all , you can run it alongside what ever O/s system you are currently using , your start screen will ask you what O/s you wish to use, your current or the Linux , so you can learn at your leisure , I use 2 browsers with Linux, Google Chrome, and Firefox , Ubuntu is one of the best Linux o/s out there, and you can add to it or mod it as you desire , and you will always have your original o/s just incase you mess up 🙂
thank you for the info! sounds completely worth it.
I was under the assumption that OSX operated from Linux or something to that effect.
regardless it sounds like a good place to start.
Back in 2006 we bought our very first MacBook and I remember the plastic but cool feel it had about it.
#allstarspace 
Pingback: Is Apple the new Microsoft? « Cristian Mihai
The thing about Apple marketing was that it relied on being a minor operating system.
It sold itself as ‘more secure’ than its counterparts, when in reality it didn’t have a native anti-virus software. Back when no one used apple, this was initially fine because why make a virus for apple and infect maybe a hundred thousand people when you can make one for microsoft and hit one hundred million people, and that was a decision that turned out sour for Apple when it became more mainstream.
I never liked Apple because its marketing relied on misinformation.
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For most people it really is like black and white in terms of love it or hate it…..
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I think they lost their path of “inspiring people”. Microsoft is the same way though. I don’t think either company puts as much effort into the “inspiring” part anymore. And you are right about all the effort to get things working. Especially in this generation. Our kids are raised on this technology, so nothing surprises them as much as it did our generation, they are harder to entice, and they want things done NOW due to lack of patience. I see it in the video games I play and the tech conventions I attend, as well as in my own teenagers when I show them something and they go “cool” and walk away. I’ve owned several Apple products and I have a lot of friends who work for Microsoft and they seem less enthusiastic. However, I have my eye on Google/Android more than the other two companies. Some of the best Technology was created as a life solution mixed with inspiration, creativity, and enthusiasm, and it seems Google is gathering up all those brilliant innovators.
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I think you are completely right. It drives us up the wall sometimes and it feels like it is getting worse with information needed in order to do anything with technology. I am going to check out Google / Android…
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switch to Linux , Ubuntu is really good , Linux is always free, and you don’t have to worry about the constant apple/microsoft updates, nor are you giving your hard earned money to big soul sucking corporations ( apple-mac/microsoft )
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It certainly is one alternative…
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as someone who went to a college campus in 1995 that was a former military base, we were required to have a computer. I had never thought of it before, being an art major, but based on cost and compatibility I got a Windows PC. But very quickly I learned that the world of art was embracing digital expertise and all printing was done from Macs, so I switched. But honestly, I’m tired of both of them.
When I hear or read anyone speak of Linux it confuses me since I may be pretty good with user end stuff, but I’m not even sure what Linux is or how you would manage to acquire any software for it.
pardon my ignorance, but do you have any suggestions or links for someone like myself to learn more about it?
I learn very fast, so any tips would be great.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Linux is always free, the nice thing is , if you are new to Linux and not familiar with it at all , you can run it alongside what ever O/s system you are currently using , your start screen will ask you what O/s you wish to use, your current or the Linux , so you can learn at your leisure , I use 2 browsers with Linux, Google Chrome, and Firefox , Ubuntu is one of the best Linux o/s out there, and you can add to it or mod it as you desire , and you will always have your original o/s just incase you mess up 🙂
http://www.ubuntu.com/download
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thank you for the info! sounds completely worth it.
I was under the assumption that OSX operated from Linux or something to that effect.
regardless it sounds like a good place to start.
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you are most welcome 🙂
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https://julxrp.wordpress.com/2016/05/10/is-apple-the-new-microsoft/
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