calvinsmac's Profile

Old fart, here--started with a Zenith Z-100 and CMP, and an Apple IIe, and have used every version of MS products, Apple products, and many versions of Linux. I'm old now and want to simply enjoy my computer and use it, not tweak and fix, so I am delighted with OSX on a MacBook Pro--heaven. The Apple community is a love/hate thing for me. I love the willingness to help and support a fellow Mac user without the RTFM starter with Linux groups. I hate arrogance which is founded on preference, and preference only. And THAT is the issue. For me, Apple is a preference and I have sold enough people on Mac's that I ought to be given stock options. What have I sold? I've sold a company that owns both the hardware and the OS and has great support, an enjoyable user experience, and practicality. Any reluctance I encounter is not based upon some ignorant belief that MS products are better, but usually has to do with money and invested capital, as well as fear of the future. I'm in my 50's. I find selling a Mac to a 21-years-old person to be a 3 minute effort. It's the older user that is hard to reach, as they remain intimidated by computers, in general, and use Windows as work, and home. They don't feel confident and they don't want more confusion. They are not stupid or ignorant. Frankly, I don't want Apple to dominate the market. I prefer a niche product--excellent hardware, excellent software, and a excellent support. This is rarely a reality with market dominance. I want to convert others, only because I have so enjoyed my long relationship with Apple and I want them to give up the pain of dealing with virus concerns and a market-dominating product. I would call upon the author to consider that there is nothing to prove--the best computer OS and hardware are those that the user prefers. Were I heavy into gaming, I would be building my own PC, again, for example. It is not an "either or" situation. It is, "what fits my needs the best" and I can truly say that Apple, while in my opinion a superior product, does not fit all the needs of all users. We are enthusiasts and enjoy computing; many are challenged to keep up with the changes at work. Frankly, a person who is not interested in anything more than feeling confident on their computer should stay with the same system that they use at work. The real challenge for us it to raise the literacy of our fellow man with computers. Considering their background, age, knowledge, desire, and income, we need to focus on ENGAGEMENT. If that happens to be a $399 Ubuntu machine, so be it. Arrogance, or a need to finally prove that Mac is better than PC is senseless and serves nobody. Rather than "giving up the need to prove" something, I would encourage the author to seek to help his fellow man find the joy and practicality of becoming more fluent with ANY system. Engage the loyal MS person in discussions that don't center on operating systems but something universal to al users! If there is a "spirit" behind the Apple movement, it is best represented in helping our neighbor find ways to better use the power of his or her computer, regardless of brand, type, or OS. Why does so much of the Internet run on Linux? Why do companies choose MS so often? Why does Apple keep their OS and hardware proprietary? There are good reasons for all. Let's not get caught up in arrogance, but seek to enhance the experiences of all.