Quote:
Originally Posted by stustaff
BUT why dont those people go elswhere? why do they feel the need to state there annoyance so avidly?
Would this thread be so long if it was about the fact that the ASUS eepc cant be overclocked and doesnt have enough USB ports? for example.
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<shrug>
Apple has made itself a target, not that I think it cares. There's a perception among some that Apple users are mindless members of the Cult of Apple, who will happily buy whatever Steve Jobs chooses to release, and that the iPod and iPhone are more fashion statement than device, which people buy because they are "cool".
On the plus side, I give Apple points for demonstrating that good product design
sells. Apple devices look good as well as work well. Prioduct design is an art that is often overlooked. Given the choice between two equivalent products, all other things being equal, I'll pick the one I feel is better designed.
I also give them points on UI design. Apple placed itself as a maker of products that were easier to use than competing models, and puts a lot of thought into creating user interfaces that are largely intuitive and do the expected thing.
On the minus side, the architectures tend to be proprietary, meaning that parts for an Apple computer will cost more than equivalent parts for a PC, and Apple devices tend to be more expensive to begin with. They also tend to be more limited in options for upgrading.
With computers, I draw an analogy to automobiles. You can own and drive a car without being a mechanic or understanding the principles of operation of the four stroke internal combustion engine. With personal computers, you often
do need to be a mechanic with a working knowledge of of how the device operates to get the desired performance.
This situation has been steadily improving, but isn't where people might wish it to be. Apple is arguably farther along toward that goal than the others, but that lead has been diminished.
Meanwhile, I think Apple makes good products and serves a particular segment of the market very well.
But I don't use devices because they are cool: they are cool because
I use them. And I am a mechanic who wants to poke around under the hood. So I'm not part of the market Apple is aiming at, and unlikely to buy one of their products.
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Dennis