When I was really young, we got our first computer. It had a green and black screen. No harddrive, I think something like 8kb of ram, and those large floppy disks. It was an Apple ][e. We had an imagewriter printer with it and - it did everything. Games, homework, banners....and more games. It was something special. Something amazing. Something I loved.
Like most Apple Evangelists I do remember my first Apple. While I know the newer iMac Generation really love their Apple devices, the original Apple lovers were...well something special. We were a community. United. To spread the word of Apple. Something we loved. Proud to be called an Apple User. There were MUG's, MacUser and MacWorld magazines. We had eWorld. We really were a special community. And thats why I loved Apple.
Though the horrid 90's where Apple was in a little bit of trouble, those that held on kept the momentum going, supporting MacAddict magazine, and spreading the word. Converting Windows users one by one.
The new millenium arrived and people were all over the Apple Craze. "I was one of the original users" claimed one person who didn't know what a Quadrant was "A Quadrant?"...yup. But it was good for the brand. People were buying and using the ease of use of the new OSX. It was cool to be a Apple user.
I have seen Apple's ups and downs. But in the last few years I have seen its downs. And it has made me not hate the brand, but really saddened as to what they have become. Arrogant. Un-innovative. Stale. And greedy.
"Golly" my Auntie said, "Times are a changing".
It started when I went for the Apple interview for the new Mac Store. There were so many people applying for the position We had to do all sorts of scenarios and "be enthusiastic". I got through the first interview. I noticed a large number of attendees were new users - only in the ast few months to a year they got their first mac. Which was great! I got through to the second interview, one of the interview people liked me so I thought I might be lucky. Sitting down awaiting for my interview, there were 4 others waiting for the interview. I asked how their first interview went - they said they never did one, this is the first time... I was like what?... Oh well.... The interview came and another lady interviewed me, somehow I had a sneaky feeling afterward that it didn't go as well as I thought. Most people would say the same thing. Then a few days I wasn't accepted. W...what??? Serious. I was guttered.
Then...the Apple store opened. And the majority of the people they employed were those that just recently switched a few months ago. I remember. I spoke to some and they said they thought I would get in being a Apple user for so many years. Nope. The majority were new switchers. And the Genius staff, they were new as well. I was pissed. It took quite a while to get over it. Sound silly hey, but when you love something so much...oh well. Them's the breaks kid. Strike 1.
A few months went passed and I convinced a friend to get a Macbook from his windows machine. He bought it, took it home but there were 2 dead pixels on the screen - right in the middle! Yikes. He was a graphic design student - so this really wasn't doing to work. So off we went to apple to take it back. Would they replace it, it was brand new? Nope. Nothing. You had to have min 3 dead pixels before they take it back. We asked for a refund and they refused to. Not knowing the consumer laws adequately, we fought but got nowhere. Strike 2.
Fast forward a year or two and i got my iPhone 3gs. And I loved it. How could something be so cool and a design that has never been seen before (..well I was blinded not to notice the LG Prada)... Everything was fine until my contract finished and I thought I upgrade to the 4s. I transfered my apps over and cool - done.... except... I gave my phone to my friend, he downloaded an app and all my provate information came on screen. It was a mirror image of my 4s. Everything I had it was mirror image. It took me a few days to contact Apple who didn't even care they just wanted money for the phone call. And I managed to contact the supplier who stored my phones UMIM or whatever the number on their server. Imagine if I sold my phone on ebay and didn't know this security flaw? Imagine what other security flaws Apple had on the iphone. I was quite shocked. Strike 3.
I started thinking what is going on Apple, you are not suppose to be like this?
Then Apple started to sue Samsung. Sure they have sued everything in the past, but this was all over the media. I was wondering why Apple would sue them. Android was crap. Every Apple user told me that...Then I checked out the Galaxy Tab. It did Flash. It did the Web. It did more than the iPad. I bought it and OMG - I really loved it. Who would of known? I then got the Samsung Galaxy S3. It was way easier then the iPhone. Hang on!!! How could this be? Well, I actually opened my eyes and really saw the outside world. I saw that Apple wasn't the best. I saw that things were easier.
I started to use more Google services. And I loved it. I got a Chromebox for my TV and works a treat!
Meanwhile in Mac town, my iMac was getting on and I wasn't allowed to update any longer So it was time to retire it. So you think I can recycle it, Apple is all on about recycling. Nope. I called Apple and they said we dont have facilities here. Nice. So i decided on something that I usually would do get a MacMini with a Apple Studio monitor. That way when the mini dies I can just pull it apart and recycle myself and the monitor wouldn't end up as landfill - as eco friendly as I can be. Easy.
...Here comes Strike 4...
So Apple dosent give any software emergency disks or dongle with the new Mac. Everything is in the cloud. Sounds nice? Ummm... What happens if I dont have the internet? Oops...didn't think that one through Apple. So anyways I had to reinstall my Mac. Did what the website says and all ok...except...the emergency web install thingy - dosent have iLife which was included on the mac. Are you serious, I pay for something but I cant have it? Back and forward with Apple and this pretty much was the end if it all...Apple said just download from the Mac store its free as you included it. Well, no, the App store dosent recognise the mac, my correct mac details were entered, my Mac account thing was entered - I know because I probably entered it about 20 times and changed the password about 10 times and also tried to ask for help but none was given...I had to end up getting it by other means.. Really Apple. This was an utter joke.
My laptop next will be a Chromebook Pixel. It does the web. Thats all I need. I still have a Mac for desktop but it means I will buy a mac less and less now than before. And with the Chromebook you can do everything on the web (unless you use photoshop or video editing) . Why need something that does everything when you use 10% of the functionality?
I still like Mac but I dont know if I can handle Apple windows-esque attempts to screw their customers.
But I love Googles integration of everything. I love the Chromebox which syncs with my Android phone and Chrome browser on my mac. I love how I dont have to stuff around for this and that just to achieve something. And while Apple boasts their millions of Apps they have, much like the Microsoft vs Apple apps debates of the 80's and 90's, You only use the major apps which is available on both iOS and Android (I dont need a cat meow app).
With all of that, I, like many other Apple users have become distant from the brand. But its a good thing, because we are now experiencing something that will push the boundries of technology further. Despite who stole which from what, Steve Jobs put it perfectly when he quoted "Good artists copy. Great artists steal". And how unfair Apple will sue everything and try to keep technology to which they have taken from others, and patent it, We just need to look at the LG Prada, or the Original Linksys iPhone... or the PARC...or how PARC used some features from earlier designs. "Borrowing" technology helps push innovation. Steve was big on innovation. What a shame Apple isn't anymore.
Im a Mac and Google User. And a Android and ChromeOS Evangelist.
