The Politics of Computing

When I told the I.T. guy at work that I had purchased a Mac laptop rather than another in a long line of Dell PC products, he could barely manage to hide his contempt. He rolled his eyes and let me know that I had just wasted my money on a product that can’t do a tenth of what a new Dell PC could have done. He then turned away as if to say, “I never knew you, you’re dead to me now.”

Wow. I knew the Windows and Apple people were into bickering about which platform was best, but I had no idea that the blood ran this deep. I’m always amazed at how many people get personally attached to one line of product or another, no matter the category.

When I bought a Subaru WRX I was besieged with invitations to join one of the many WRX enthusiasts clubs in the area. Why in the hell would I do something as silly as joining a club of like-minded car buyers?

I bought the car because I like it but that doesn’t mean I’ll automatically like you because you like it too. Why not choose to socialize with people who happen to wear the same watch I wear. It’s absurd!

Windows partisans aside, I’ve been digging getting to know my new MacBook Pro. It looks great, it has an assload of power, and in general appears more suited to some of the things I’m working on right now.

It’s cool, it’s fun- but it isn’t an entree into a new way of thinking for me. I’ll assess its value solely on what I get out of it in terms of productivity. It’s a product not a lifestyle.

So don’t invite me to your parties Apple geeks. I’ve just been disowned by the Windows Warriors and kinda feel like wandering the desert alone for awhile.