14 DAY TRIAL // Quite often you see Mac fans being described as some sort of cult, worshiping local leader Steve J, a lemming group who blindly follows Apple over every edge, or simply as fanatics. Usually, these sorts of comments follow a 'Mac user reaction' such as mass mailing of a author of a badly written article or piece of news, or a spreader of FUD. Why everyone who is not a Mac user sees us as Mac-heads is not that easy to grasp, really. It's all about culture.
Quite some time ago, way before iTunes was available for the PC, one of my PC using friends used to love it and kept saying that it is the one piece of software he wishes he could have on his box. As time passed, iTunes eventually became available and he downloaded and installed it. After some time, when I was visiting him, we got into a conversation about it and he was moaning about how it couldn't keep the mini player on top of other windows, something that can be indeed a little frustrating on Windows, and quite a few other issues.
"Well, did you e-mail Apple about it?" I asked, and was met by the most incredulous stare. "They might figure these things out by themselves, but, chances are, it will be faster if you fill out a feedback form and tell them about these things," I made a second attempt. "Yeah, I'll do that, but later?" was the answer, followed by a quick change of topic.
This is a huge issue, much bigger than meets the eye. The PC, or should I say Windows, community has been dulled out by the slow user support and the never-ending stagnancy. They have come to believe that errors and adware and spyware and the viruses are part of everyday life, that they are normal and happen to everyone, that when something 'just refuses to work' a reset will probably solve the problem, and sadly enough more often than not it does help. I say Windows because the Linux and UNIX communities are very open source oriented, have strong communication and a very 'do it yourself' approach.
It is not in the least surprising that Mac users are perceived as Mac-heads and fanatics when they respond in large numbers to something they think is wrong. After all, where else do you see that in the computing world? This is similar to political culture. Mac users feel and have always felt that their vote counts, because they have been shown over and over again that it does. While Windows users have been shown that things will never change and no matter how many promises are made in the political campaigns, after their votes are acquitted, the politicians will continue to do nothing whatsoever for them, preferring to grow fat and bloated. This has been going on for such a long time that the mentality has already takes deep roots. Another factor is the sheer numbers. Windows users are the majority, everyone knows this, and within large groups, responsibility is greatly diminished and everyone thinks that everyone else will do something about it. Mac users on the other hand know they are a minority, and this gives them a drive to do something, because if they don't do it, no one else will.
Is it a bad thing? To stand up for what you believe, to rally when wrong doings occur, and to exercise the powers and right you are given? One would certainly hope not. Are Mac fans fanatics? No more so than ecologists, or human rights activists, or pacifists. Everyone has the power to contribute, to strive for the betterment of themselves and others, to stand up for what they believe in. When that power has left you entirely, anyone who still has it is a fanatic, a follower of some strange cult that worships Steve Jobs. We don't worship Steve J, we like him cause he listens; to say he cares might be a bit of a stretch, but he listens. He is in touch with what the customer wants. And he gives the customer what he wants. Sure, it's business, but everybody wins, and everybody is happy, and it pushes things forward.
Think different.