A Closer Look at the Mac Phenomenon
We all love our iPods, right? That’s an understatement.
It’s not just love; it’s zealotry. Take a look around, and
you’ll quickly realize that iPods have become extensions
of many students’ bodies. However, there’s another
trend that has struck RIT: the use of Mac laptops.
Two days ago, I counted six MacBooks and one MacBook Pro at Java Wally’s. You may think that’s nothing
special; but when you take into account that there were
only nine students at Wally’s that day, then it is a big
deal. RIT’s faculty seems to be just as Mac-loving. Two
out of three of my professors this quarter are heavy
Mac users. One of them even has a MacBook Pro as
well as a Mac Pro.
This makes me ponder: Do people really understand the
implications of switching to a Mac? Are students and faculty
buying Macs just because they’re hot? An inquiring
mind will surely make you wonder whether Apple’s iron
grip is beneficial or detrimental to its consumers.
Let us take a bird’s-eye view of the Apple phenomenon.
Firstly, if you own a Mac, you already know that there
are not many options for software out there. Despite
the increasing popularity of Apple’s latest operating
system, Leopard, the software market for Macs remains
minuscule in comparison to that of the PCs.
Secondly, as an OS X owner, you cannot install your legally
purchased copy on anything but a Mac. Therefore,
if your computer does not have an Apple logo, then, in
layman’s terms, you’re screwed.
Why? Because the End User License Agreement (EULA)
that you cheerfully signed upon receiving your system
clearly stipulated that you cannot install OS X on anything
but a Mac. “I didn’t sign anything!” you exclaim.
But you did. Remember that you-must-agree-before-proceeding
window dialog?
Finally, you are undoubtedly paying a premium for
Apple hardware when equivalent configurations can be
obtained with significantly less money. Why? Apple is
the sole owner of the entire platform, including hardware
and software. Thus, Steve Jobs and his company
have the power to sell at whatever price deemed necessary.
The bottom line: if you’d like to be a Mac convert,
you’ll have to relinquish a little of your freedom (and
money, of course).
Before hordes of Mac fanboys hunt me down, I must
admit that Macs have their advantages. OS X is based on the uber robust Unix operating
system. Also, malware, including viruses, spyware, and worms, is not as big an issue in the
Mac world. Furthermore, OS X now comes with Boot Camp, a program allowing you to run
Windows on your Mac.
So what do you think? Are MacBooks destined to be replaced by a newer, potentially hotter
brand in due time? Or are we all fated to become fervent Mac fanboys? In time, we’ll know;
but in the mean time, you can have fun counting MacBooks while asking yourself: Do they
really know what they’re getting for the extra cash?
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