[I WAS the One]

"It's like consorting with the enemy. We've had this long history of saying the enemy is the big black-hatted guys, and they kind of represent evil. We are different, and by being different we're better," - S.Wozniak

you know something? I'm in the same track as Woz... for real. I'm that kind of Mac user. it is true that my first Mac was a 233mhz Beige G3, and the first Mac that I saw was the performa (pizza box) when I was studing for graphic arts and was the beginning of a whole new life.

I hated computers back when I was 19 years old, and I was really bad on math, and was in my first week as a frat member (ABX yeah!) so I was more interest on Party than to study... anyway, I get bored that morning and went to the graphic arts class room and sit in front of that performa... and I remember I was saying, what is this??? Macintosh HD?? what is that??? an apple at the corner?? a sesame street trash can at the bottom? this is WEIRD, ... weird.... let me click here... and here... (that was it, I WAS HOOKED!) it was my first computer-love relationship. but that day ended and I was asking everybody about the weird computers of upstairs, everybody was saying the same thing: "they're not real PCs, those are just for print and design, so if you don't do anything like that you wont need those..." and that was something that I didn't want to believe, I don't know why but I went to the library and find out a book titled: "the Apple History" and at that writer's point of view and the only one I knew then, Apple was the creator of the real personal computer, Apple was the company that start the movement. two guys. one dream. one garage. success. fame. power. battle. losing. winning. Microsoft. the enemy. the battle. losing. more money. the end. a new beginning. HISTORY.

I asked my dad for a Mac, because I was short of money and I need one right away, it was the tool I was looking for. I knew I can improove my life with a Mac, I don't know why, I begin to feel the same feeling of struggle and passion, the same magic of being different and being part of a new idea, a new kind of battle. I was becoming a Mac User. a Rebel. I mean I was wearing T-shirts with a Pirate logo with an apple in the middle, I was reading everything about Mac, I was learning Mac. I was (just in my head) part of the Apple history, ask anyone any Mac user out there like me, and they will discuss anything about the Mac and the Apple, they (including my self) know more about Apple than Steve himself, because just between you and I, Steve forgot about Woz a long time, and we as Mac users always mention him in every conversation we participate, because we know Apple, we know Macs, and we are happy with Tiger but still use Mac OS 9. New Mac users are not like us the Mac Vets, but I don't blame them, because they are knowing Macs today, and doesn't care about the past, about the meaning... they are just using a Mac like a PC user use a Dell, just because. Maybe is the iPod, maybe is what is cool today to have. maybe they want a sticker on their cars, I don't know but I don't feel that Mac Fever out there. What kind of Mac User r u? a "Mac at heart" or a "Mac whatever" kind of guy?

IWAS

[production_coordinator]

I've been a Mac user since my Mac Classic. EVERY time I've purchased a new mac, I really consider switching to Windows... and every time, I ultimately buy a Mac. I don't subscribe to the "Winduz is teh Ev1L!1!" crowd, but it's just not for me.

Until Windows/Microsoft makes ME feel creative when using their software, I'm going to stick to what works for me.

[RAILhead]

Please don't be an 11 year old girl and use "language" like "r u."

[Stradlater]

Originally Posted by RAILhead

Please don't be an 11 year old girl and use "language" like "r u."

I went into the thread with the same thought, but the actual post is quite a bit more intelligible, and I decided that it's not worth the nitpick.

[Mastrap]

Originally Posted by Stradlater

I went into the thread with the same thought, but the actual post is quite a bit more intelligible, and I decided that it's not worth the nitpick.

I'd like to third that opinion.

[Salty]

I'm an extreme mac head... that said some of the new Mac users on campus who bought their's after seeing mine and other's, and who still ask me for help and stuff are a bit more apathetic about the platform... makes sense I guess...

[wdlove]

I have been using Apple Computers since 1984. Not an expert at all, not even close.

[meelk]

ok. we get it

[wdlove]

Originally Posted by meelk

ok. we get it

Sorry, it just seems that Safari gets hung up at times. Very frustrating.

[demibob]

i switched to mac just last year after seing someone at college use one. Within minuits of ussing one i was hooked. Like you ("iwastheone") i wanted to find out about them and the more i learnt the more i liked them.

[Y3a]

I got my first Mac (7200/90) because I was supporting Windows at work and just didn't want to waste the evening having to screw with everythng to get it to run smoothly. Same holds true today. While it's a blast to build a PC, using one is dissapointing.

[euchomai]

I'm only a mac user because my parents were. I didn't have the crucial training in the way of windows as a kid, now I don't even know how to use a PC.

[teney7]

I dunno if I use Macs to necessarily be different, they are just plain nice, stable machines.

[sek929]

I try to be a "whatever" type of person, but it seems that I am always confronted with situations that kick my "wow, now I remember why I use Macs" bone into gear.

First Mac was a 7200, then an iMac 333, and now I am still amazed with the abilities of my 733 G4 (now about 5 years old).

It runs great, but nothing special as far as I am concerned, just the way a computer "should" function. Just about every few weeks either my roomate's PCs (or someone else's) pull some stupid M$ crap and completely frustrate the user....I just sit back, smile, and make sure to remind them of the Mac.....in my least "told you so" voice.

[olePigeon]

Been a "Mac" person since my Apple //e.

I remember spending hours after school playing Sim City on the Mac SEs in the computer lab... after the D&D club had concluded. Yeah, I was the ultimate geek.

Although, I wasn't brave enough to ware a cloak to school like Doug Doug and get beat up by the Hockey Team's evil quarterback.

[Dakar]

I played Choplifter on a D to start my indoctrination. From there I went on to IIgs' Es and Cs. Then highschool punished me with Mac Classics, then the horrible, horrible Centris (Oh so horrible). College was much funner (Quadras, Powermacs, & G3s)

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by Dakar

I played Choplifter on a D to start my indoctrination. From there I went on to IIgs' Es and Cs. Then highschool punished me with Mac Classics, then the horrible, horrible Centris (Oh so horrible). College was much funner (Quadras, Powermacs, & G3s)

Choplifter was for people who couldn't handle Rescue Raiders. Rescue Raiders (later named Armor Alley on the Mac version) was da sh*t. Shrap and stuff killing yer little dudes as they parachute outta your exploading chopper.

[Dakar]

Don't recall Rescue Raiders.

I do recall some math game where you threw dart by calculating fractions or something.

And of course everyone played Oregon Trail. Dysentery was a plague where I came from.

[olePigeon]

I still mantain that Ultima V is the best RPG.

I love the Apple ][ version in all its cheesy graphics & sound glory.

[Dakar]

Reminds me, Dragon Warrior used to drive me insane... you type in commands, but unless you had the manual you basically wasted time typing till you got so frustrated you started getting creative (fart, puke, etc.).

[Cadaver]

I consider myself a very advanced/expert user, both Mac and Windows, and I much prefer to use my Mac(s).

[OwlBoy]

one who hates it when people say 'r u'

tht pses me off whn ppl tlk lik dis.

-Owl

[macaddict0001]

I am the kind of mac user who likes the mac because its intuitive and not mainstream and I like the practices of the company behind it. But its not so much that apple is extraordinary as it is that microsoft sucks. Beos and Amiga os are great examples, especially amiga. a lot like the mac in the day.

[TheoCryst]

I'm a recent convert who has fallen completely in love with everything that is Mac. I'd been using Windows machines since 3.1 (back around 1994 or so), and I'd say that I'm almost fully Windows fluent. When I went to college in August 05, I found out that my computer lab had about 10-15 Macs; so, being the curious bugger that I am, I started playing with them. Before long, I had an iPod and a hacked version of OSx86 running on my Toshiba laptop (shame on me!!!). When my lappy needed to be replaced, there was no doubt in my mind that I'd get a Mac. I <3 my iBook G4 soooo much.

[davecom]

Guys I used to think like you, but face it - it's just a company. An important, special company, yes. But not the center of a battle between good and evil.

Steve is the man. The Mac is awesome. However, there is no holy war.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally Posted by RAILhead

Please don't be an 11 year old girl and use "language" like "r u."

That's mean.

[aberdeenwriter]

I got a Mac to do video editing. If a PC had the same built-in capabilities as Apple had at the time (iMovie 2) for the same $$, I'd have gotten a PC. I 'switched' from WebTV and I did so only with much kicking and screaming. It really was time to move from WebTV but I didn't like Apple's 'uniqueness.' It takes more INITIAL money to own and gear up an APPLE and many of the things you might simply pick up at WalMart for your PC you can't readily do with a Mac.

But it's been almost four years now and I've settled in and I guess I'm an Apple guy now. But I do sometimes wonder about picking up a cheap little PC laptop just to do things that require mobility and/or MS compatibility.

But then the urge would arise to have my Mac capability in a portable and that would mean a third machine. So, the smart thing to do would be to sell this machine and buy an iBook or PB with VPC and max everything out.

Sigh!

WebTV was never this difficult.

I've been a Mac user since 1990 - my first Mac was a Mac Plus.

I use Macs because they have a better designed GUI (functionally as well as aesthetically). It's not perfect, but until something better comes along, I'll continue to be a Mac user.

[Hawkeye_a]

First computer i ever used was an Apple IIe in 6th grade.dad baught an IBM clone and that was my first computer. Moved to uni in 1998, doing comp.sci. of all things...used UNIX for the first time and was appauled. From my experience with Win95/98 i had decided i wanted to put my mind and energy to better use instead of wasting my energy on windows and Unix.

Enter my iMac DVSE. that was before OSX was even announced, the Mac market was still shrinking. but the possibility of using the Mac to program was mysterious, challenging and most importantenly ....rewarding. So i got into the ADC program....won the scholarship to attend WWDC and got to meet some of the geniuses behind the Mac.

Like most of you ive read the books.....used the computers, etc. got a job at the help desk of my university cause most of the guys working there were my friends. When i got there the 2 macs had a layer of dust an inch thick on em, and of the 9 of us working there i was the only one in charge of Macs to support a university with 20k+ students and faculty. I graduated 6 months later....3 of them had converted to the mac and 2 were going to convert....one went on to become the Apple rep for the campus.

Been converting many ppl along the way.... you sorta recognize them from a mile away. sick of computers...not sure why theyre using Windows, want to spend as much time away from the computer as possible...and theyre...well...'cool'. Tune em into the mac, and they wider why they never used em before. But then there are those who think Windows is superior cause of the games and the fact they can pirate everything.....they arent Mac users...they never will be.

It's east to convert pp who have lives away from their computer... beccause they value their time. the time they wasted when windows crashed of when their machine got infested with viruses or when they compare the production values of a project done on a mac as opposed to windows.

When ppl asked me why i converted...i just reply....cause i want to spend the better part of my day living my life instead of wrestling with a computer.

I do feel a little ....funny...about Apple abandoning FW400 on iPods, FW800 on MBPs, and opting for intel processors. but i think they have finally matured to the point where now they do realize that its the exterience that sets them/us apart....not the nitty gritty technology thats inconsequential to the whole experience of it all.

Cheers

[Cody Dawg]

I r teh 1 that likes 2 use my PB.

[wdlove]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

I r the 1 that likes 2 use my PB.

I admire Cody greatly for her experise with a Mac.

[I WAS the One]

Originally Posted by aberdeenwriter

That's mean.

I know... I just ignore them.

I am trying to write in english as good as I can (I am from Puerto Rico and been living here (Florida) for 5 years now, and I am posting here since I discovered Macnn, because for me it is the most believable Mac site I seen in my Mac life! so, I was reading stuff here and remember the feeling of been a Mac user and start writing. but as you can see, there is always bad apples too.

but thanx for share my thoughts here you guys!

PD:
sorry for that x at the end of thanks, too childish for a guy my age.

[Cody Dawg]

I WAS the one: Are you still on OS 8.6? Looks like from your sig.

[I WAS the One]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

I WAS the one: Are you still on OS 8.6? Looks like from your sig.

LOL No Man!
I am using Tiger right now, on a MDD G4, but I have a PowerBook G3 Kanga with me at work, and I use OS 9.1 on that Mac. OS 8.6 still works for me but inside an old 6300CD that is stuck at my mother in law office back in Puerto Rico... but Hey! 8.6was a great OS let me tell you that!

[Sage]

Originally Posted by euchomai

I'm only a mac user because my parents were. I didn't have the crucial training in the way of windows as a kid, now I don't even know how to use a PC.

Ditto. My dad’s a retired graphics designer, so he’s mostly worked with Macs, so our first computer was a beige G3. We’ve only had Apple computers since then (a G3 iBook, a G5 iMac, and within a few months a MacBook Pro). My only PC experience has come from the few times I’ve been forced to use them at school. *Shudders*