Mitigating circumstances have prevented me from writing until now,
so I thought I might share on a topic that has weighed heavily on me as
of late: The need for increasing Apple evangelism.
Normally, I have been content with sharing the virtues of the Mac
with the few advanced PC users I know. But now, I don't feel it is
enough. There is no excuse for anyone to have to struggle under an
overly complicated and poorly designed operating system. So I have come
to imbue within you, my fellow Mac lovers, a burning passion to set the
captives free from their electronic slavery. We need to demand what
rightfully belongs to us all: a good computer experience.
How Do They Tolerate It?
Honestly, I just don't understand how PC users go about their daily
lives without losing their marbles. I used to be one of them,
obsessively installing the latest security updates, bug fixes,
antivirus definitions, etc.
I was letting my computer use be consumed by trying to make the
thing work the way it was supposed to. Not only that, but I was trying
to keep my data from being yanked out from under me by a nefarious
hacker.
This is unacceptable. I felt like I was living in some sort of
digital terrorist state, waiting with bated breath to see what new
virus I would have to steel my systems against, what new worm was
chomping at the bit to bring me down.
Looking back at those days, I often wonder how PC users are able to
countenance this dystopian experience. In this day and age, there is no
excuse for this kind of torture to be placed on the poor, huddled
masses of computer users.
It's Not Just for Creatives; It's for Everyone
However, I have not always been a poster child for Apple love. Like
many others, I had derided the Mac as an immature, useless little
independent platform that would die on its own. The Microsoft mythos
that Macs were inappropriate for any but creative professionals was
always cited when defending Microsoft against Apple's little powerhouse
platform.
After seeing the light, I haven't looked back. By the way, you might
be interested to know that the two biggest Mac fans in my school are
probably two of the most left-brained people there: the head of the
math department and me, your humble wordsmith. It doesn't matter what
you're into - from art to model rockets to chaos theory - the Mac is a
perfect fit for you. (It can even run Windows.)
A Call to Arms
I have been a computer user for 11 years. I spent seven of those
years living under the anti-Mac cloak of lies, propagated by Microsoft
itself and its fans, those who still publish the same heinous bromide
today.
The last four years have been a wonderful computing experience. As I
sit at my Mac, preparing this column, I can smile to myself because I
know I have chosen the right side.
My exhortation to you, my readers, is this: Spread the word. Spread
the power and superiority of the Mac. Let this piece transform into a
battle cry for Mac lovers now and in generations to come.
Who knows? We just might be able to win a few over to our side.
