I find it so ludicrous when people espouse the virtues of Macs over PCs with an almost religious zeal, often under the guise of being “fair and balanced”. At least The Fishbowl makes it obvious that he is biased, still his analogy of operating systems and women is silly at best. To act as though Apple and it’s products actually care about its users in any way is just naive – Mac as a lover indeed! Of course all the usual types will jump out and say, “How true, Windows truly is a whore, and I love my Mac as much as it loves me!” But that’s what you get when products have followings.
What’s even worse is his attempt to bring Linux into the foray. To call Linux (yes, even on the desktop) a psychotic girlfriend who you will eventually abandon when you come to your senses shows how little he understands about anything computer-related outside of the Mac world. His description might have flown about 7 years ago, but it sounds clueless today. Personally, I know far more people who use Linux than Macs – and even OS X is built on BSD. At least a couple commenters seemed to have the right idea:
Linix is that plain girl from down the hall who might be your soul mate, who would be good to you and make you happy, if only you could get over your shallowness and ignore how she looks.
– Simon Brunning
I think that Linux is like that psychotic girlfriend that just seemed psychotic because you didn’t really understand her and becomes a lifelong companion later on 😉
– Nimalan Mahendran
Mac is the rich, snotty girl who would never give me a second look because I wore old bluejeans and t-shirts and drove an old Ford that I had rebuilt from parts. She wore designer outfits, drove a Lexus, scoffed at my rustic, poverty-stricken life.
Linux was the hippy girl in swirling skirts and tie-dye that looked within, welcomed me with open arms, because she loves all beings, didn’t ask for the moon…
– tony
I also liked the comment about BeOS and even the comparison of Linux to masturbation. I use my PC as a tool. I enjoy a lot of the things it can do, and also see where it can be improved. It’s a centerpiece of my life because of who I am and how I grew up, but I won’t let it define me.
Mac users tend to act like Apple the company can do no wrong and is so wonderful it practically invented kittens. They worship the ground Steve Jobs walks on because certainly his shit does not stink. What they don’t realize is that it is still a corporation, and sees them the same way as Gates and MS does – with great big dollar signs in their eyes.
I forgot to add that people with psychotic girlfriends also tend to lack a sense of humour.
I’ve got a sense of humor. Actually a great one. And it could have been a very funny read. Unfortunately it just came out as Mac propaganda because it was so obviously one sided. I love computer humor when done right, yours simply wasn’t.
And considering I don’t even use Linux on the desktop (I just appreciate it) you’re comment doesn’t even apply here.
Ah. That’s the difference, you see. I use a Linux desktop at work, and have used the OS on a daily basis since 1995. I guess the lesson is that Linux on the desktop is really, really great… so long as it’s someone else using it.
I have used Linux for years, too. Unfortunately too many other factors have kept me using Windows as my desktop machine. I plan on setting up desktop boxes for myself at home and work because of what I’ve seen other people do. No lesson learned here. My real issue with your comments overall was the statement that eventually you’ll come to your senses and move on, or whatever. It seemed a tad harsh – more of an attack on the users rather than the OS.
I’m sorry I didn’t find your post funny. There really didn’t seem to be much humor in it – merely a way for Mac users to go, “Haha, how true!” Perhaps if you had said Mac was more like a wife, because of how dedicated it’s users are to the system and how much more of a lifelong relationship they develop I would have like it. You could then have pointed out the good (a much more intimate experience, etc.) with the bad (possibly trapped, you have to accept everything, etc.). A subtle difference, but one that I think makes a lot more sense.