Apple Zealots: Fact or Fiction?

by Chris Seibold Nov 08, 2006

When the days begin to shorten and the clock is arbitrarily manipulated you can be sre that the most popular thing in East Tennessee is Volunteer Football. Sports Talk show ratings fly through the roof and the orange found on trees entering winter’s sleep is solidly shouted down by a mass of orange shirts and hats. It comes as no surprise that along with the support comes a fair amount of zealotry. There are fans convinced that there has never been a football game played by the Vols where the refs weren’t actively and consciously helping the opposition win. Other fans are simply never satisfied, the national championship season was a disappointment because there were too many close games.

In football fanaticism is expected, even encouraged, fans buy shirts and tickets after all. In the world of computers, zealotry seems a bit out of place. Computers are not athletes who make public utterances one can empathize with. Computers don’t travel the state talking to large groups of fans in an attempt to build support for next year’s donation goals. Indeed, computers are just a conglomeration of silicon, screens and electrical components that a corporation will put together and sell you for a fee. It is the classic business model.

While the rabid evangelizing might seem out of place when waxing poetic on an inanimate, the reality is that Mac zealotry is alive and well. A cursory examination makes one wonder why there is such a large number of vocal pro Mac people. Apple is more than a little responsible for this mindset, during the dark years the company felt the need to counter what it saw as a coordinated campaign to scare people away from Macs. To fight mass media misconceptions Apple rehired Guy Kawasaki. Guy turned out to be the computer world’s version of James Carville and stayed on top of every FUD eruption and offhand statement that could possibly be interpreted in a negative manner.

The dire straits Apple was in when the Evangelist was being published has now turned into lush green fields where the major crop is the iPod and people crowd around the privacy fence trying to a glimpse of what new varieties Apple is attempting to cultivate. But the iPod isn’t the only thing growing for Apple, the fields devoted to the once lowly Mac have suddenly sprung forth with renewed productivity. Looking at the Apple landscape today one is hard pressed to come up with a legitimate reason Apple needs evangelists to spread the message, Apple seems to be getting the message out fine on its own.

Still, Apple zealots persist and one is forced to wonder what effect they are having. The easiest conclusion to reach is that the exhortations of the faithful can’t hurt, that they are like a cherry on a chocolate sundae, not strictly necessary but far from a bad thing. Just because something seems readily apparent doesn’t mean it is reflective of reality. Some argue, often persuasively, that fervent Mac community is actually hurting Apple.

Commonly this argument arises when individuals feel put off by what they regard as unchecked fanaticism and smugness in Mac fans certainty about the inherent superiority of their choice in computing. For example, if one were to opine that maybe, just maybe a bare bones Windows based machine is substantially cheaper than a Mac and well suited for the average user, they will subsequently be bombarded by arguments that the Mac is actually a better value. Sure, you’ll have to factor in what you get for the money and that will be followed up with reasoning that indicates that even for the most mundane of tasks the Mac is still superior. Were the person to allow that the computer was only going to be used as a doorstop they’d get an earful about how the Mac was still superior because of aesthetic considerations. Those kind of “Mac is always better is every situation no matter what” contentions do get annoying after a time so it is likely the case that few users are out off by the zealous among us. Still, it is equally likely that the net effect on sales is still positive.

On the other hand if powerful industry types are put off by Mac fanaticism, that is a more dangerous thing indeed. Which brings us to Adobe. Recently Mac fans have been castigating Adobe for perceived slowness in bringing native versions of Photoshop et al to market.* An Adobe manager responded with:

Maybe I should, but as a die-hard Mac user I feel like someone has to speak a little truth to the Mac community–or rather, to that vocal little group of zealots and forum trolls. So here’s my message for those folks: You’re hurting the Mac platform. You’re hurting the Mac community. You need to crush a little aluminum foil against those antennae of yours, because you’re hurting everyone concerned. You’re making it harder (and less appealing) for people of goodwill to make the effort to support the Mac.

By now the message is clearer than an artic sunrise (which one assumes would be renowned for its clarity if only people lived at the North Pole): it is time for the zealots to crank their iPod Hi Fi to max volume and shut their collective pie holes. After all, if the zealotry is doing no good and actually angering key software developers, why waste the energy? A sound conclusion given the arguments presented but, as we are about to see, an erroneous one.

The argument is predicated on the fact, taken as a given without critical examination, that Apple zealotry is some how anomalous. The idea being that people don’t get bent out of shape and go all crazy about brands of hamburgers or soft drinks. That notion simply isn’t true. Whether it is an integral part of the human psyche or a symptom of capitalism isn’t clear but any product purchased that costs a substantial amount of money causes a non-trivial level of zealotry in individuals.

Nothing illustrates the notion of frivolous zealotry more aptly than the Honda Pilot/Toyota Highlander debate. To the uninitiated both vehicles seem like large station wagons or mini vans for guys who refuse to drive a minivan. Certainly nothing to get people foaming at the mouth, right? Wrong. The debate over which hunk of glass, plastic and metal is superior rages with a fury usually reserved for politics. If you read the forums for a few days (not recommended) you’ll begin wondering if everyone arguing is independently wealthy because all the seem to do is talk about a couple of overpriced, too large, station wagons.

With that in mind we turn our attention back to the Apple zealots. Why do they seem so prominent, why has everyone run across and Apple zealot while the Pilot/Highlander war to end all wars is relatively unnoticed? The answer is simple on a moments reflection. Those interested in tech are the ones most likely to have opinions, strong ones, about platform choice. In essence, by surfing to sites like Digg, Macitt and Apple Matters you are placing yourself in the area most likely to contain Apple zealots. If you’re an Adobe manager chances are a lot of the stuff you pay attention to is oriented towards graphic designers, a group which relies on the Mac in disproportionate numbers. In the end, it isn’t so much that Apple zealotry runs rampant it, is more a question of where on hangs out. The whole thing is akin to attending a NASCAR race and being surprised that the place has some people who really like Chevys.


* It must be noted that Adobe is being blamed in no small part because Apple completed the transition ahead of schedule. If there were still Macs waiting to go Intel no one would be whining.

Comments

  • MacGlee, yeah technically the adjective should be zealotry, but I like inventing words and I really like the sound of zealousy. Kinda sounds like a disease. And that is intended. Like Chris S suggests, I think the zealousy of some Mac fans is a harmful thing. Hmmm? Even could say it’s a disease on the Apple. smile

    Whereas zealotry conjures images of mindless drones in white robes drinking purple cordial. (Resist, Beeb, resist wink)

    Chris Howard had this to say on Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 1209
  • I prefer to think of them as a wild yeast.

    Benji had this to say on Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 927
  • I find the… zeal… with which, Beeblebrox, you declare xwiredtva a zealot in #7 a powerful indictment of your point of view and conduct, to the point that I find it hard to take you seriously. (OK, he declares himself one but that’s not the point. He’s not one in the sense that matters: he’s a mac enthusiast for good reasons and does not irrationally denounce windows.)

    Now, storytime.

    A friend of mine has a laptop. He’s an artist, very messy, not a complete beginner with computers but not the sort that really organises his files at all, just wants stuff to work.

    For a long time my parents’ computer was based around an AMD Athlon XP 2000 processor while I had (have) a Powerbook G4 1.33GHz. My very extensive experience on both these machines leads me to believe that in general the XP2000 is approximately equivalently powerful to the G4 1.33, or marginally more so.

    This guy’s laptop also has an Athlon XP 2000, with mobile Radeon 9200 that makes it marginally more powerful than my G4 with nVidia go 5200. Furthermore it is not currently host to any spyware or adware, though I’ve had to remove lots of this from it in the past. Both have 512 MB RAM.

    Two comparable laptops, one a Powerbook, the other an Acer slightly higher specced.

    Yet the user experience on the Acer is so ridden with the junk that it requires, including Norton, a wifi program, the various custom trackpad drivers etc that all windows notebooks seem to have, that its user experience is next to intolerable. It needs defragging regularly, and this doesn’t make much difference.

    The experience on my powerbook, by contrast, is as smooth as can be - indeed, enjoyable - in all but heavy multitasking.

    This is but one example. But the situation on this Acer laptop could never arise on a Powerbook. The adage “it just works” may seem disingenuous to all those who’ve experienced mac glitches, but the fact is that *by comparison*, with so many people’s experiences, the Mac just works *better*.

    —————-

    It is my experience that macs in certain ways provide an experience for the majority of users that is far closer to ideal than windows computers. *Not* ideal, not by a long stretch, but it can be far better than XP on the same hardware.

    And since this is the case, it seems to me that the sort of informed enthusiasm that xwiredtva has for Macs is *entirely* appropriate. And it therefore *really pisses me off* when the high horse is wheeled out and from on high he is denounced and insulted as a zealot. xwiredtva has given no indication of double standards or hypocrisy and yet is thrown in with the largely factitious foaming-at-the-mouth extremists.

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, perhaps putting it a little stronger, Beeblebrox your crusade against the Mac Fanatics is all well and good but please get it into your head that you should check just a tiny bit before you actually get up there and call people hypocritical in that most apopleptic, unconstructive way. Until that time, with all discussion based around throwing accusations back and forth, this will continue to be Beeblebrox’s Opinion Of People Matters, and not Apple Matters at all.

    Benji had this to say on Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 927
  • Beeblebrox, you declare xwiredtva a zealot

    No I didn’t.  He did.  And therefore this proclamation: “And it therefore *really pisses me off* when the high horse is wheeled out and from on high he is denounced and insulted as a zealot.”

    The extent of this denouncement?  “Points to xwiredtva for actually admitting he’s a zealot, while completely (and not surprisingly) missing the Adobe manager’s point.  But of course he missed it.  He’s a zealot.”

    He admits he’s a zealot.  I let him.  And I said he missed the point of the Adobe manager’s comment, which he did.

    Beeblebrox your crusade against the Mac Fanatics is all well and good

    And I wish people were as upset at unhinged Mac fanaticism and hypocrisy as they are at my pointing it out (however vociferously I do so).

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • It walks like a troll, shouts like a troll, bashes people over the head like a troll… but claims not to be a troll. Everyone thinks it’s a troll and I don’t blame them, but inside there’s someone with a point to make, and you know it even comes out occasionally. But that someone’s locked inside this troll-like animatronic vehicle controlled by faulty AI software that bashes people over the head indiscriminately and very often just makes a big, ugly mess of mangled onlookers and their opinions.

    I am so the metaphor king.

    Benji had this to say on Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 927
  • Now, storytime.

    Oh, oh, MY turn.  I have an eMachine w/ Windows XP running, literally, inbetween my iMac and my Mac mini.  It runs a little slower, but then it’s 2 1/2 years old.  My Mac mini is slow and a year 1/2 old.

    But that’s just hardware.  OS-wise, I have no crashes, no viruses, no spyware, no anti-Norton protection, no special network software, etc.  On any machine, Windows or otherwise.

    That certainly does prove something.  I guess.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • It walks like a troll, shouts like a troll, bashes people over the head like a troll

    But gee, Ben, insults and labels are so unbecoming, right?  Only if I do it, I suppose.  And only if I defend bi-partisanism.  Unhinged Mac fanatics are free to say and do whatever the hell they want.

    Are you trying to prove you’re NOT a hypocritical partisan with double-standards?

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • I was in a chat and somebody send me a message, and this is what happened:

    He: What computer you use?
    Me: A Mac. Why?
    He: I have a Problem, can you help me?
    Me: I don`t know. What is your problem?
    He: How can you make a folder invisible?
    Me: I use an utility that does it for me.
    He: Wrong! Rename it with a dot at the beginning!
    Me: I thought you say you had troubles…
    He: I just wanted to know how much you know.
    Me: Well, now you know, Have a nice day.
    He: Are you certified?
    Me: No
    He: You should
    Me: I can do as much as I need. Are you certified?
    He: No. but I will. And I recommend you to do the same.
    Me: I would Like to but, it would be very expensive for me, and it will not be a good investing.
    He: It is not very expensive.
    Me: I live in Japan and for me to take full advantage of the training I would have to go to an English or Spanish speaking country. That will cost me lots of money and time.
    He: But you can Make lots of money out of it.
    Me: Perhaps but there are not so many mac users out there, it would be better to get certified on windows… you would get more customers.
    He: What?! Are you stupid?
    Me: I would be stupid to invest in something that is not profitable.
    He: You don`t deserve to use a Mac, You are REALLY STUPID!

    Than he logged out.

    Now, what do you think of that?

    thetnt had this to say on Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 8
  • Sorry I didn’t read the article. I would like to meet this woman in the picture though, it’s a dream come true!

    toadkicker had this to say on Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 10
  • Woman?  That’s Chris Seibold’s new tat.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • Ben; Beeb; you guys almost make me want to switch to Linux. At least then it’d be harder to find the trolls, much less the ones who have a good command of the English language, only to use it to sling insults at each other.

    • Beeblebrox, phrase your responses more carefully.
    • Ben Hall, give people the benefit of the doubt even if you think you shouldn’t; assume that sometimes people pick the wrong words to express themselves and take that into account.
    • Both of you, quit bickering. It’s pathetic and irritating.

    Shunnabunich had this to say on Nov 09, 2006 Posts: 2
  • You guys almost make me want to switch to Linux.

    And why would I have a problem with that?

    Just asking.  wink

    Speaking of which, are there Linux zealots?  I have Ubuntu installed on my iMac running in Parallels.  I NEVER use it.  I’m a pragmatist for the most part and, as of now, there is no killer app for me in Linux.  Why do people use it?  Why do they proselytize, if they do?

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Nov 09, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • If you switched to linux, I’d be proud of you. It’s what we all *should* do, it’s just daunting… Switch! Switch!

    I have an eMachine w/ Windows XP running, literally, inbetween my iMac and my Mac mini… OS-wise, I have no crashes, no viruses, no spyware, no anti-Norton protection, no special network software, etc.

    Apart from the fact that anti-Norton protection would probably be a great idea with the amount of slow-down it provides, the antispyware junk really is necessary for a lot of users of PCs. The fact that you’re careful & reasonable with what you download doesn’t change the fact that for those who aren’t, they can get spyware and adware (as has happened regularly on this laptop in the past), or they need Norton which slows them down in a very irritating way.

    Also, most laptops seem to have custom drivers & controlling programs for trackpad, graphics and in this case sound, which appear in the tray, take forever to load and presumably contribute to the system lag.

    The two greatest advantages of the Mac, in my opinion, are that neither of these two things are a problem. And that makes them a better experience than that which many users have to go through.

    Benji had this to say on Nov 09, 2006 Posts: 927
  • This is a great example of what I was trying to get across. All I’m saying is that Macs don’t suffer slowdown from resource hogs of antimalwareware, or all those MYRIAD pesky little programs in the bottom right corner. Most of which on most people’s systems are probably unnecessary, a lot of people’s computers I’ve seen have tens of them most of which just sit there uselessly. But that’s not the point - they’re there, the users don’t know if they’re necessary or not and even then wouldn’t know how to use them, and so they accumulate.

    But I am being given a hard time and accused of being a “hypocritical partisan with double standards” simply for arguing that Macs offer a better experience in any way.

    To your question I’ll answer that I’m not sure, Beeblebrox, but I do consider it. I ask you the same question, Beeblebrox: do you think that you are a hypocrit, a partisan, and have double standards. Because, honestly, I do think you are just as you think I am. But I already know what your answer will be - that you’re the local stalwart of all that’s objective and rational. Well, I preemptively vomit in response as later I may have things to do.

    Benji had this to say on Nov 09, 2006 Posts: 927
  • I’ve just realised I may have become a zealot for the cause of “preventing Beeblebrox from calling people zealots who aren’t”.
    Anyone know any support groups?

    Benji had this to say on Nov 09, 2006 Posts: 927
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