Comments on: Macs, part 3: Podcasts, Customer Service, and Fingers http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/macs-part-3-podcasts-customer-service-and-fingers/ Technology, flights, and me. Tue, 20 Dec 2011 02:33:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Macs, part 4: getting a new MacBook - Alon’s Blog http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/macs-part-3-podcasts-customer-service-and-fingers/comment-page-1/#comment-257 Macs, part 4: getting a new MacBook - Alon’s Blog Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:25:47 +0000 http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/macs-part-3-podcasts-customer-service-and-fingers/#comment-257 [...] my previous post I wrote about my experience with macs, and the conclusion was that in order to criticize macs [...] [...] my previous post I wrote about my experience with macs, and the conclusion was that in order to criticize macs [...]

]]> By: epsalon http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/macs-part-3-podcasts-customer-service-and-fingers/comment-page-1/#comment-256 epsalon Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:07:05 +0000 http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/macs-part-3-podcasts-customer-service-and-fingers/#comment-256 <p>I think the main problem is that OSs such as Linux are designed from the perspective of the computer's structure. Things that are simple for the computer are easy to do, things that are complicated are complicated.</p> <p>Macs on the other hand are designed the other way around. The OS seems to make things that USERS want to do easy, while hiding a lot of the technical complexity. Therefore, it is tricky to figure out what each and every action does (since so much is happening in the background), but the end result happens to be what the user wanted it to be.</p> <p>The main problem with that is that you don't have a sense of ownership. If the computer does what Apple wants it to do, not what <b>I</b> want it to do. In what way is it <i>my</i> computer? Where's all the joy of tweaking and setting everything up to work just the way you want it?</p> <p>Apple advertises itself with the slogan "Think Different", however the core principle behind Apple products is that everyone has exactly the same thing. The same desktop, the same background, the same menus, and the same shortcuts. Why people buy iPods instead of radios when they all listen to the same music? I am reminded by a radio ad for an iPhone app that lets you listen to public radio. Why not get a <b>radio</b>? </p> I think the main problem is that OSs such as Linux are designed from the perspective of the computer’s structure. Things that are simple for the computer are easy to do, things that are complicated are complicated.

Macs on the other hand are designed the other way around. The OS seems to make things that USERS want to do easy, while hiding a lot of the technical complexity. Therefore, it is tricky to figure out what each and every action does (since so much is happening in the background), but the end result happens to be what the user wanted it to be.

The main problem with that is that you don’t have a sense of ownership. If the computer does what Apple wants it to do, not what I want it to do. In what way is it my computer? Where’s all the joy of tweaking and setting everything up to work just the way you want it?

Apple advertises itself with the slogan “Think Different”, however the core principle behind Apple products is that everyone has exactly the same thing. The same desktop, the same background, the same menus, and the same shortcuts. Why people buy iPods instead of radios when they all listen to the same music? I am reminded by a radio ad for an iPhone app that lets you listen to public radio. Why not get a radio?

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