Blogs here and here drew my attention to the new Mac adverts, which are currently doing the rounds. There’s similar adverts on lots of bus shelters in the west end which I noticed in the last couple of days.
They’re very funny, very simple and very hard-hitting explorations of the differences between PCs and Macs. While they’re clearly biased, they do make valid points – from what I’ve read and heard, and the little I’ve played with them, Macs really are better in that they’re easier, more reliable, safer, and just generally… better.
I’ve yet to make the jump, although I’m thinking more and more that I will do when/if my current computer bytes the dust (see what I did there?). It’s a Tiny laptop, and is ticking over nicely just now, but is showing some signs of age in its physical state and computery performance.
The more I hear about Macs, the more I am persuaded… although not being a techie, I do struggle to make sense of the language used in the Mac v PC debate. Which is why these adverts are useful in that they illustrate (what Apple sees as) the difference in layman’s terms.
Wow. Check me, talking about computers – what a nerd.
Next thing, I’ll be starting a blog…
Wednesday January 31 2007 at 12:57 am |
Do it!
You’ll totally love it {:->
Wednesday January 31 2007 at 3:42 pm |
What she said ^.
Here’s an interesting article about switching to Mac and some of its eccentricities.
Wednesday January 31 2007 at 7:43 pm |
Everything is just more fun on a Mac, somehow.
Wednesday January 31 2007 at 8:49 pm |
I have used a Mac ever since I was about…12? So naturally I think they’re great. My current computer is a Mac and I really like it and (even though I have had problems), my next computer will also probably be a Mac. But when I was working as a graphic designer, my work gave me a Dell with Windows 2000 or something like that. It was difficult to get used to the Windows at first, but it ended up being ok after a bit of adjusting.
Macs are so much cooler but, really, I think that both operating systems are fine. They both have their plusses and minuses and they both do relatively the same things. Macs just have more style when they’re doing it.
But – since you go to an Episcopalian church (why is it not called Anglican?), according to Umberto Eco, you should use the Windows operating system.
Wednesday January 31 2007 at 10:39 pm |
For me it just came down to dollars an cents. I don’t know about the UK but in Canada, Macs came in at about double what a PC would cost. As much as I liked the idea of a Mac, I just couldn’t afford one.
Thursday February 1 2007 at 5:29 pm |
Are Mac computers waterproof ?
Thursday February 1 2007 at 5:44 pm |
Apple *s more ev*l than M*crosoft – I cannot condone the patenting of the letter “i” – oh poop, *ll have to pay for that one!
Friday February 2 2007 at 12:26 am |
Thanks all for the comments – Justin, very interesting article, will bear that in mind. I think I am being more and more persuaded.
Friday February 2 2007 at 12:58 pm |
I really hope that operating system analogy by Eco is a joke. I get a feeling it is, seeing as he famously stopped believing in God…
If not, it is as bad as some of the awful analogies that I find myself coming out with.
Friday February 2 2007 at 6:53 pm |
Justin, I am pretty sure it is a joke.
Saturday February 3 2007 at 12:20 am |
If I knew anything at all about Macs I would leave a comment, but alas…
Saturday February 3 2007 at 1:05 am |
Im not sure that I’d want to buy a mac after seeing the advert with the guys from peep show!! Why?
The MAC guy is a ex druggy, who can’t be relied on for anything! He always blames other people, does what he wants and couldn’t careless for others feelings!!!! Where as the PC guy is reliable, does his job well. He’s always trying to do the good thing and his main flaw is he doesn’t try things which are dangerous and silly, which are bad things for a person but a plus for computers!
Silly advert
but the peep show is very funny!
Saturday February 3 2007 at 5:54 am |
Wondering what Graham was talking about, I watched the UK commercials and saw nothing about a peep show. However, it is a bit fun to watch the commercials in your language.
Saturday February 3 2007 at 11:27 am |
Have you used a Mac yet, Simon? Seeing the beautiful design of the things first hand and getting a quick demo is usually enough to seriously tempt most people
Macs can even boot Windows these days, which directly deals with what used to be the killer blow to most PMUs*. And very well, I might add.
I’m a software developer working with Microsoft technologies and run resource hungry applications like Visual Studio .NET with no problems whatsoever (other than the usual problems you’d equally have running the bugger on Windows). We used to have a Mac and a PC and this allowed us to replace them both with a Mac.
It does feel perverse developing applications on my Mac that will run solely on Windows PCs.
And in addition to all that worky stuff, running Windows allows me to play Half Life 2 on my iMac. *Ahem*.
* Potential Mac Users
Saturday February 3 2007 at 5:44 pm |
Jenny – Graham was referring to Peep Show, the TV programme that made the two guys in the Mac adverts famous. It’s a bit of a cult hit over here, although I’ve never seen it.
m0ok, thanks for those useful comments. Yes, I’ve used a Mac a few times, but need to play around with one a bit more to find out how they “think” and work. I do have an iPod, which is gorgeous and wonderful, so that helps me appreciate Apple’s intuition and design. After having used Windows I would find it a bit odd not using it, so that it can be run on a Mac is good to know.
Saturday February 3 2007 at 10:52 pm |
You can’t play online poker on a Mac so why the fat hell would anyone want to spend £4500 on a Mac?
Sunday February 4 2007 at 9:58 pm |
I should say, though that there’s no point running Windows as your main operating system on a Mac – it’s just useful to be able to switch between Windows and OSX if there are Windows-only applications you need to use.
Monday February 5 2007 at 3:59 pm |
Charlie Brooker wrote an amusing anti-Mac rant in the Guardian this weekend.
Monday February 5 2007 at 4:01 pm |
P.S. The article heaps vitriol on the current “get a Mac” ad campaign, which on my computer was the ad at the top of the page. Nice.