# MACOSX has changed



## aishafenton (Jan 29, 2003)

Reading todays responses on MACOSX about the new Powermacs, and the previous Powerbook and iMac updates, it seems that MACOSX has a rather negative spin on Apple news. Not saying that it's a bad thing, but there definitely has been a change here over the last 3-6 months. 

When I switched I used to read www.MacSlash.com and get depressed with how everyone seemed to constantly put down everything Apple did. As a switcher I was still feeling a bit unsure about if i made the right decision and all the negativity about Macs on Macslash made me doubt my decision.

Then I found this forum, and everyone was very nice and open, and ready to discuss all things Mac. People tended to put a positive spin on things, but after spending most of my work day being told Macs are dead, I wanted (and still do I guess) to celebrate with others the small victories Apple have.

Now I read www.MacSlash.com for a mixture of positive and negative views, forums.macrumors.com for a positive spin, and this forum for the grim reality of how far Apple still has to go 

So again, not saying this is a bad thing, but has anyone else noticed that compared to other Mac forums, MACOSX tends to be a little more negative about Apple news these days?

Just curious.


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## edX (Jan 29, 2003)

i think in some ways your assesement is fair aisha. i think the site is ever evolving. some of us are just plain tired of keeping up the arguements with those who seem to wnt to point out a flaw in everything good about apple. i'm not sure how many of these people came to be here, whether t is from linux and so they expect apple to just give everything away, or if it's from windows and they still haven't learned to let go of being like everybody else. i just know i'm tired of the same old arguments with a new set of faces every 2 months. and many of the other old timers around here probably are as well. so the neg. shines thru a little less balanced by the praises than in the past. 

on the other hand, i think more people are getting better help quicker than ever before. many people really are here to help each other and to particiapate in os x, not rumor mongering and whining. like all majorities, they seem silent if you aren't paying attention to them. but they're here and lots of people's problems with understanding and using os x are being solved here. and sometimes in those help threads are the bits of praise and positiveness that used to be more pervassive around here.

not that i am saying there aren't plenty of people here still singing the high notes and still happy they use macs - because i think you'll find that the majority of our members do just that - just maybe not so publicly.

I wouldn't take all the sh*t that some people spout as being "the grim reality". it's often just reality as they perceive it. as for your own reassurance factor, well you'll really need to decide that on your own. it's been a long time since mac users were any kind of a decent percentage of computer users and that will likely not change anytime soon (i hope). forget about everybody else. you need to decide if the mac feels right to you. if it does, great. you're among friends. if not, that's ok. as long as it feels right to you. don't get all caught up in all the hype and silliness in deciding for yourself either way. 

but consider the source of this post. i use iCab. as Toast would say, i'm a freak among freaks   (and proud of it i might add  )


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## symphonix (Jan 29, 2003)

I've noticed the change in the weather here too, and I think the reasons for it are that some of us "old timers" are just getting tired of the same old arguments and simply don't post to the whinge threads.

But today, I had a small revelation that made me feel great about being a mac maniac again. I finally got around to having a look at the launch video for the new powerbooks, and one of the Steve's said "Two years ago, we introduced the Titanium G4 PowerBook ..."

And then the penny dropped. Back in the mid nineties open-source unix was NOWHERE. Linux was out, and the first whisperings of resistance to Wintel were beginning amongst the cybergeeks, but there wasn't an IT teacher or business manager in the world who believed in anything other than Windows based PCs. When Windows 95 was released, Apple was losing ground and things were looking bad all around. I remember a few Mac-users scoffed at Windows 95 at the time, but they were a rare minority of sound engineers and graphic designers in a sea of PC users, so we paid little attention.

And then Steve took back the helm and things started to change again. The iMac was born, and the iBook.

And in the last 2 or 3 years, all the ingenuity, all the imagination and passion of the designers at Apple has burst forth. The entire platform migrated to Unix - a feat that amazes me even today. We got Airport, a wireless network standard that is terribly easy to use, and which PC users are only just catching up with today. We got more free software: iTunes, iMovie, iPhoto, iDVD; and more professional software; WebObjects, Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro.

The overweight - but lovable - clamshell iBook was reborn in a slick white shell. The iMac became a flat-panel wonder that would look right in a science fiction movie. We have the easiest DVD-burning and authoring process concievable. Our Macs at home, and our laptops, ship with industry-leading server capabilities and we can start them with the click of a mouse. Did I mention the iPod, Bluetooth, Safari, Sherlock, QuickTime, X11, iTools/.mac? Did I mention the free developer tools, the wonderful customer support, the professional approach to security and product quality, or the way that Apple seem determined to ensure that there is nothing that we, as users, can't do?

I switched 18 months ago; and my experiences with Apple have shown me a company that sets no limits on what they'll do to satisfy their customers, to ensure that we have every capability within our grasp to be as creative as we want to be.

They take pride in the build quality and aesthetic beauty of their products ... I'm sure that every Apple engineer who worked on, for instance, the iMac, is able to point to it and say proudly "I helped build that". I could never picture any other computer maker who could be as proud of what they produce.

I guess every so often we forget what its like on the other side of the fence. Where the software makers are more concerned with squeezing more money from their customers than with fixing known security problems. Where the hardware is dull, uninspired, and ugly.

I'm glad I switched.


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## goynang (Jan 29, 2003)

Well said!

A PC has never made me actually physically smile because of the way it worked or did something - my Mac makes me smile loads!

For me it's all as simple as that.


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## Ms. V (Jan 29, 2003)

I don't know about how MACOSX has changes since I'm a newbie here, but the general feel of it isn't that much different than other Mac forums sites I frequent, there's mostly positive news when Apple comes close and releases new products and some percentage of the people are extremely dissapointed for one reason or the other, then the hoopla dies down and the benchmarks get made between the newest Intel chip and the Mac gets spanked and everyone gets angry and depressed, then it comes time for another product line to be updated and everyone gets all exited again, it's almost like a formula.


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## chevy (Jan 29, 2003)

And you will see that you have two kinds of negative reactions: you have the Apple fans that want more and you have the never happy kind of guys. The first ones help us to improve. The second ones will spend some time here, then they will find the macosx.com is not good enough for them and they will go elsewhere


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## edX (Jan 29, 2003)

> The second ones will spend some time here, then they will find the macosx.com is not good enough for them and they will go elsewhere


yea, i keep trying to figure out ways to not be good enough faster.  haven't quite figured out the formula for that yet though.


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## SpotWhite (Feb 3, 2003)

I just can say, "Be good, Jonny!!"
There is nothing more depress them look a dummy negative person trying to convince people of bad thing about this, bad thing about that. At same time, is bored to see flowers all around. Let's continue kick out negative things and eat flowers. .
Conclusion: lets learn more, read more, understand more, be better, more and more. And just buy a new Powerbook G4 1000GHZ, 1GB RAM, Superdrive and ... spend a little more time been happy.


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## Ricky (Feb 9, 2003)

I don't see what some people are complaining about...  Gotta have the bleeding edge technology.  I've used a Dual 533 G4 and it keeps up with the best of them!  A dual 1.42 GHz G4 must scream!

I use a G3 iMac 400 MHz at home.  I should be the one complaining.    It has a tough time keeping up with me!

Time to upgrade...


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## tamma (Feb 10, 2003)

I agree that there have been a lot more bad remarks made recently. But that is to be expected, thee are allways a few bad people in any forum. I personaly am just sick and tired of getting into flame wars with some PC dweebie posting on our MAC community. So i just do the same to them. i am a constant Pain in the ass to them in there forums  I usulay just say something simple like "That doesen't happen n my Mac" and i let the jerks have it with all the truth about how there platform is not as good as the mac. All i can say is this "do on to others as they do on to you."  and if that doesen't work hit them on the head with a brick  .


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