[Evan_11]

It seems to come up a lot around a new product release. Already I've seen several people talk about buying Mac mini's for their mothers. What's up with that? Do you guys have lots of disposable income or just momma's boys? Then there are the ones buying several iPod Shuttles for their friends. Are Mac users just really charitable or blinded for a love of Steve Jobs and his gizmos?

[phantomdragonz]

a lot of the people on this forum are loaded... get used to it... just check out the setup pics.


Zach

[Randman]

Well, while certainly not a mama's boy, I keep in touch with my folks via email mostly (I live about 10,000 miles away from them). My Mom's computer illiterate and while my Dad has gotten the hang of computers, he's used a peecee.
Having a job and an income, I can afford to buy one for my folks. It'll help get them on the Mac side and also let me troubleshoot for them when a problem will invariably arise. We could also do iChat, which is nice when you're far from home.
I've also considered getting a shuffle and mini for girlfriend, partly for her needs and partly for my usage as well (we live together). Of course, since she has a very good job and makes more than I do, she might finance the deal and let me deal with the tech stuff.

Many of the people on this forum are probably in my shoes: We have jobs, we can buy a few things here and there and we already have nice computer systems so this gives us the chance to spread the wealth (especially for such a low price).

Not everyone is a starving student.

[willed]

Originally posted by Randman:

Many of the people on this forum are probably in my shoes: We have jobs, we can buy a few things here and there and we already have nice computer systems so this gives us the chance to spread the wealth (especially for such a low price).

Not everyone is a starving student.

I am! For another few months at least... then I'll just be unemployed... Better get a job lined up.

If any of you overpaid 'graphic designers' have too much spare money lying around, you could buy me a Mac! Okay, I'll settle for an iPod.... shuffle... ?

[Lancer409]

sorry, my mom's got a shuffle ..

the wallet is now closed (yeah yeah .. it'll suffocate the moths .. i know)

i always considered giving my 3g 15 when i plan to upgrade (can you say 5/6gen?) but since my mom isnt too english-literate, her music is all in chinese (chinese song titles anyone? i dont know how to enter 'em) and she finds the menu complicated (she is a discman user). i talked to her about the shuffle, and she likes the size, weight and simplicity. i am listening to music on it as i type this. very good sound quality. my gripe (it doesnt come with a small powerbrick!!!) it's an accessory. I didnt know. oh well, guess she'll just plug it into my laptop every 3 days or so. i'll do the cd ripping and song swap for her at the same time.

some times it's more out of pity than anything. my mom carries a bulky cd player, and doesnt bring more than one cd because swapping it is a hassle for her (especially at work). this would slip into her shirt pocket, and she could listen to it before her shift starts without having to run in and out of her locker (which is located in a dark hallway ... a hassle).

if a product will improve someone else's life, and at a painless (relatively) price point, why not share the love. i hope she likes it.

[Randman]

Lancer, ni sher hen hao yige erzi.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by Evan_11:
It seems to come up a lot around a new product release. Already I've seen several people talk about buying Mac mini's for their mothers. What's up with that? Do you guys have lots of disposable income or just momma's boys? Then there are the ones buying several iPod Shuttles for their friends. Are Mac users just really charitable or blinded for a love of Steve Jobs and his gizmos?

It's real easy. A lot of us hate Windows. A lot of us are also the family's "tech guy". The more people in the family who have Macs, the less time we have to spend wrestling with Windows problems when we get that monthly "my computer is broken" call.

Oh. And being nice to your momma scores points with the chicks.

[Zimphire]

I'll probably get mine a mini. Just so I wont have to go over there and de-virus their computer every week.

[Millennium]

Mac users do tend to make more money than non-Mac users. They have to; otherwise they couldn't afford Macs

Now that this is changing, a lot of people want to spread it around a bit, and since they can afford to help in that endeavor, they've decided to do so. I think it's kind of neat. I'd probably do it too, but I'm not that loaded.

This said, I have a lot of people in my family who use Macs, and a few aspiring Switchers among my friends. I'm pointing them at this.

[xi_hyperon]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
It's real easy. A lot of us hate Windows. A lot of us are also the family's "tech guy". The more people in the family who have Macs, the less time we have to spend wrestling with Windows problems when we get that monthly "my computer is broken" call.

Oh. And being nice to your momma scores points with the chicks.

Nail on the head. My parents have had so many problems with spyware and PC viruses, it's becoming worthwhile to me to just get them a Mac. At least that way I won't have to spend so much time figuring out what's wrong with their PC every 3 weeks.

[rozwado1]

Originally posted by phantomdragonz:
a lot of the people on this forum are loaded... get used to it... just check out the setup pics.

They're not loaded; they just put Macs first. Kinda like how ghetto-fab people will buy an Escalade with 24" rims instead of moving out of the ghetto. Priorities.

[turtle777]

Yeah, WTF ?

Nobody gets ME a Mac mini !

-t

[mitchell_pgh]

I agree with much of what is said here. My step mother has a crap gateway. I would love to replace it with a Mac. Video chat alone would be worth it. I'm no mama's boy, but I do keep in touch with them and would like to be able to help them if they had a computer problem.

SIDE NOTE: When Windows XP came out with the kid GUI, PC users said "WOW, my [brother, wife, husband, mother father etc.] will LOVE it!!!" and it ended up being a major failure because NOBODY actually liked it.

I doubt there will be a similarity with the mini, but who knows.

[RAILhead]

Originally posted by Evan_11:
It seems to come up a lot around a new product release. Already I've seen several people talk about buying Mac mini's for their mothers. What's up with that? Do you guys have lots of disposable income or just momma's boys? Then there are the ones buying several iPod Shuttles for their friends. Are Mac users just really charitable or blinded for a love of Steve Jobs and his gizmos?

Why not give them as gifts?

As for "disposable income," Christmas, birthdays, etc. are always on the same date every year, so if you live with a budget, you can plan for those events. Then, when Mother's Day is here, you've spent a few weeks/months prior setting cash back to buy the item so you can give your Mom a Mac mini. Simple economics.

A good budget is your best friend.

Maury

[ASIMO]

I am in the extortion business; I can afford a few minis for my mommas.

[Skip Breakfast]

It's real easy. A lot of us hate Windows. A lot of us are also the family's "tech guy". The more people in the family who have Macs, the less time we have to spend wrestling with Windows problems when we get that monthly "my computer is broken" call.

Oh. And being nice to your momma scores points with the chicks.

Absolutely.

[typoon]

I'm definitely not loaded. I'm going to get my mom one as well. She has gotten pretty porficient on the computer and I don't feel like cleaning out spyware and making sure that updates are done every other week.

I'm also going to get one for myself as well. Donate my aging Upgraded Sawtooth and get a mini.

[Eriamjh]

If you have to give a Mac to ones family to make them Mac users, so be it.

People give computers as gifts all the time. For once, a Mac if affordable as a gift!

[rozwado1]

Originally posted by turtle777:
Yeah, WTF ?

Nobody gets ME a Mac mini !

Just blow your next paycheck on one. Macs get first priority -- just above housing and food.

[alligator]

Some of us also understand and appreciate technology. Those in our society (such as our mothers) who do not understand technology may appreciate some assistance from those of us who do.

Plus, it is a LOT easier to tell your wife "it is for my mother" than to tell her it's the fifth computer in your house.

[CreepingDeth]

Disposable income? Ahahaha!
I don't have much of that. I think I have a Borders Gift card lying around somewhere, but that's plastic money. Need is to buy some stuff for my free time during midterms.
Looks like you guys will make the mac mini a success.

I'd like a new computer to replace this decapitated iMac that I have, but it's a little too limiting for me and I would rather have something that I can use for a long while.

[Mastrap]

I'm thinking about getting one for my parents next Christmas. They could do with a replacement for their ageing generic pos PC. Throw in a year's broadband and mum will never again complain about not seeing her daughter in law enough. They can yabber all day on iChat if they so desire.

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by Evan_11:
It seems to come up a lot around a new product release. Already I've seen several people talk about buying Mac mini's for their mothers. What's up with that? Do you guys have lots of disposable income or just momma's boys? Then there are the ones buying several iPod Shuttles for their friends. Are Mac users just really charitable or blinded for a love of Steve Jobs and his gizmos?

indoctrination

[cjrivera]

Originally posted by rozwado1:
Kinda like how ghetto-fab people will buy an Escalade with 24" rims instead of moving out of the ghetto.

Hey... that's what I bought MY mother!

[turtle777]

Originally posted by rozwado1:
Just blow your next paycheck on one. Macs get first priority -- just above housing and food.

That's NOT the point of this thread.
Someone ELSE is supposed to blow his paycheck for ME

-t

[Evan_11]

Originally posted by rozwado1:
They're not loaded; they just put Macs first. Kinda like how ghetto-fab people will buy an Escalade with 24" rims instead of moving out of the ghetto. Priorities.

Well said. I've joked before how a lot of people who use Macs do it primarily to be a member of a clique. However with the introduction of the mini it's a much more practical solution for those who are tired of dealing with the aformintioned viruses and spyware on Windows. Still $500 is no drop in the bucket.

What Apple really needs to include is a clone of Solitare with OS X. I bet there are a lot of people (my dad being one of them) who don't want to give up their PC's because of their Solitare addiction. If you cloned Solitare, and it needs to be fast which Quartz rendering isn't known for then for OS X you would make the transition even easier. Solitare is Microsoft's crack.