(Yeah, I've got to get in my monthly quota of Mac Evangelism. But this isn't an exhortation to go buy a Mac and nothing else, but a tribute to what Apple did.)
No, I didn't realize this myself, but I just read an article reminding everyone that it was today, back in 1998, that Apple first started shiping their original Bondi blue iMac, the computer that revolutionized the entire computer industry in one way or another.
What a long, strange road it's been. Five years ago Apple was on the edge of the abyss, now they're going strong in their own niche, and have a solid foundation to keep growing from while still innovating. Five years ago, all we had to look forward to were the usual boring grey or beige boxes. Although many people still prefer to have a more subdued look to their machines (especially in a professional environment), so many computers look a lot more interesting to one degree or another. It's not a matter of fashion -- it's aesthetics. Five years ago, everyone bitched and said the iMac would be a flop because there was no capability of expanding, since there were no ADP plugs or PCI slots. Now, USB rules the computing world -- and Apple started that trend.
I remember gazing with envy at those new, cool-looking iMacs that summer. As a high school student entering his senior year (and soon to head off to college), it was definitely time to think about getting a computer of my own. I had to wait until the next January before getting mine, but the day that my Blueberry iMac was delivered was one of the most exciting days of my life. (Sad, maybe, but true!)
Okay, so the iMac didn't take over the entire computer industry. That'd be an unrealistic expectation at all. But how many of the computer makers out there these days put COLOR on the outside of their products now, at least for some models? How many of them have at least SOME more attention and effort put into the appearance of their product? How many more people have started to buy a dedicated computer at a relatively low price, just for light use around the home?
Here's to Thinking Different! Posted by Toadkiller (Member # 425) on :
Here's to thinking different indeed.
I bought my first Mac last year - the first I'd used in some time - as I was tired of providing tech support for my wife's home office. Got an ibook and dropped from weekly tech hours to monthly (mostly installing software and updates). Have since bought an old cube to play with as she got tired of me using her "work" computer as a toy.
It is a niche market - but that has its advantages too.
Just thought MMan might need some help up on his soapbox and it beats talking about rape cases....
TK
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
This doesn't have anything to do with the iMac directly, but I just found a copy of Apple's famous "1984" commercial directed by Ridley Scott. I'd never seen it before -- it's pretty impressive, even today!
I always find it both interesting and amusing that Apple Macintosh owners compose what amounts to love letters to their computers and to Apple Computer, Inc. Talk about brand loyalty and rooting for the underdog. Apple Mac owners do seem to LOVE their Macs.
Regarding that 1984 Macintosh commercial. What can you say? Director Ridley Scott and a pile of money, it was bound to be impressive even 19 years later! Remember that Ridley Scott got his start directing commercials before he started making feature films.
Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :
I think anyone who speaks about Macs should be banned off the face of the earth. We must rid the world of these scum....
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
All right! Risa, here I come! Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
I downloaded that Mac commercial!
Not bad! One thing it DOES do - is it explains a joke on Futurama the other night... when that guy from the 80's who was defrosted takes over the Delivery company and that is exactly what his idea for the ad is! LOL! What a classic - why did they cancel Futurama!?!
Posted by Ultra Magnus (Member # 239) on :
Because time is the pack of racers from the Tour de France and Futurama is Lance Armstrong.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
!?! Cause they are both winners !?!
They both made a successful comeback after fighting cancer?
Posted by Cartmaniac (Member # 256) on :
CRAZY METAPHOR SPEAK TRANSLATION: ahead of its time.
Posted by Jeff Raven (Member # 20) on :
It's obvious that whoever made that film never bothered to figure out how to operate his operating system in the first place. You'd think that if someone were having so much trouble operating his computer, he might decide to go consult the Mac Help application on his hard disk. It's not that difficult to find, considering that there's a blindingly obvious "Help" menu in every single application...
Thinking different? Seems this guy wasn't thinking at all...
(Be it entered into the record that I did not fire the first shot in this latest Mac vs. Windows argument... I simply wanted to talk a bit about the iMac itself...) Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
Except you prefaced this thread with a remark about getting in your "monthly quota of Mac Evangelism." Then you launch into a sermon gushing about how marvelous candy-colored computers are. Sounds to me you looking to stir up a few angry wasps.
Posted by Cartmaniac (Member # 256) on :
I AM STUNG
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
Hmm... its funny to me when people argue about Mac versus PC and I see nothing drastically different with either. I grew up using MS DOS back in 1991 and then had to switch to Windows 3.0 sometime before 1993. Then I got Windows 95 at the same time I had to take a computer class using the Macs on school. By the time I write this, I can use either Windows XP or OSX Jaguar and still modify either computer OS to make it look and sound like its the Federation Starship Prometheus.
What's my point... they are computers that are suppose to help you do stuff. It doesn't matter if it's a PC from Dell or a Powerbook G4. People need to learn how to be versitle.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
What, so me talking about my interests automatically means that someone who disagrees with me can fire back with an openly AGGRESSIVE tone? I was not looking to stir up some wasps (as you put it) -- I got tired of that last year when we had a whole near-flame war over the subject. I started this thread because, love it or hate it, I think the iMac has had a huge impact on the computer industry. I was talking about the hardware, and thought thatsomeone here might've been interested.
And then Jeff comes along and argues (with the movie as his proxy) that All Macs Suck for whatever semi-coherent reasons he was thinking of that were mentioned in the movie.
I don't expect the entire world to convert to Macintosh. But if people are going to choose to like Windows (or whatever) instead, I would prefer that they have an intelligent reason for doing so.
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
I've tried both Windows and Mac... and to a lesser extent Lindows. But I'd rather stick to Windows XP since I'm used to fixing bugs and bypassing system operations to keep my computer stable. I'd go with a Mac for the sheer looks of the computer and for high end multimedia projects... but I'm a Political Scienece major so either PC or Mac would do for me. I only write papers, download music, surf the net for Star Trek and porn, and send e-mails to friends and co-workers anyway.
Posted by Jeff Raven (Member # 20) on :
I only posted the movie for humor value only. You're trying to make yourself sound like a victim of a serious attack, when really you only suffer from not laughing at a harmless video obviously a parody the oft-seen "Switch" commercials.
Do all Mac users have trouble laughing at themselves? or at the very least, laugh at PC users who make fun of Macs? Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
No, we're just paranoid because so many people out there seem to think everyone should join the Windows Kool-Aid Cult.
My apologies. Posted by djewell (Member # 1111) on :
Though I own a PC, I have often thought of switcing over to the Mac, esp. with the new G5 out.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Mac people are way touchy.
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
Oh what's that supposed to mean? Huh? WHAT!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!!!1! WHAT THE fUCK DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!!?! "TOUCHY"!!! Hrmmpph.
A friend sent me that clip a while back razzing me about it being DivX and wondering whether he'd need to convert it for me. I actually think it's pretty hilarious, because oh man does it hit us where it hurts.
(The G5 is still the shiniest, though.)
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
The dictionary on the Mac version of Word is a fun way to kill an hour, as I discovered today.
Posted by Toadkiller (Member # 425) on :
quote:Originally posted by Sol System: The dictionary on the Mac version of Word is a fun way to kill an hour, as I discovered today.
That's one of the things that gets me. As I said above I've got OS X at home these days with the latest MS Office for Mac. There are half a dozen features in Word and e-mail that I'd use daily on my Win/Office 2000 box at work but they aren't included. Why would MS not include them in their own OS's version before the Mac version? (I figure they are in Office XP - though I've not used it)
Odd I think --
TK
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Well, not if they are in a version of Word on the Mac that was released after Word 2000 for Windows was.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
That would be either Word 2001 (for Classic) or Word v.X (for OS X).
What kind of features, TK?
Posted by Toadkiller (Member # 425) on :
Well the dictionary mentioned above - is pretty cool though I can't say I use it much.
Entourage has the ability to turn an e-mail directly into a task or appointment - that is very cool and I'd use it all the time at work. Is that an option in XP? I've not heard that it is.
Print to .pdf - but that's a part of the OS (yes, you can do it in Win as well w/ Adobe's help). Seems the Mac version has more luck opening non-word files as well.
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But this isn't an exhortation to go buy a Mac and nothing else, but a tribute to what Apple did.)![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Apple Mac owners do seem to LOVE their Macs.![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
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