I’ve Given Up Arguing with Windows Users
I realized last night that I no longer feel the need to argue with people over the Mac’s superiority. This was a rather startling realization I assure you, because over the years I’ve had basically the same conversation with the same type of person several hundred times. Only last night I didn’t. Maybe I’m getting older. Maybe I don’t have the energy I used to. Maybe…but I think it is something bigger than that. I’ve come to the conclusion that given enough time, any sufficiently intelligent person will choose Apple’s products over the competition.
And they will do so without someone having to “prove” that the Mac is better. And it isn’t a result of advertising either. People aren’t choosing Macs because of all the great commercials (well, not solely because of the commercials). And they aren’t choosing them because hardcore Mac users are trying to get them to see the light. They are buying them because they are steadily noticing that the smartest, most productive people they know, all use Macs. And eventually that point hits home and they begin to wonder what they are missing out on.
Now, if you bought your first Mac within the last 3 years then I’m afraid you have no idea what I’m talking about. Sorry, but this is directed at the old-timers. The group that was using Macs back when it wasn’t cool. Back when there was no iPod. Back when Microsoft really did look invincible. Yeah, all the way back then. And it sucked back then, let me tell you. It sucked because you were using this great machine and everyone you knew was using Windows. What’s more, they hated using Windows. Well, they still hate using Windows, but it was worse back then. Either way, most Mac users really and truly couldn’t figure the average Windows user out. Here were people that could complain all night about how much they hated their computer, but would then turn around and steadfastly refuse to listen to someone who absolutely loved their machine. Friends, family, spouses, the closer they were to you the more it hurt to see them use such horrid machines. And yet there was little you could do about it. People were just convinced that Windows was the only “real” operating system out there. It would infuriate me to no end to hear someone call my Mac a “Fisher Price” computer. Thankfully those days are behind us.
So, let me get back to that conversation I no longer need to have. I was talking with someone who really felt that his Windows machine gave him a superb computing experience. “Well, it would have been perfect except…” and then he proceeded to list what is wrong with his machine. Other than that, it would be perfect. He then criticized the Mac he has been forced to work with. Maybe he assumed that would goad me into a debate. Maybe he really wanted to argue. But as I said, I don’t have the energy for that kind of thing anymore. So I let him go. I let him say his piece and when he was done I calmly informed him that the only reason he thought that way was because he didn’t know any better. And that eventually he would stop being stupid and realize what so many other people have realized. Until then I wished him the best with his current situation.
Clearly that wasn’t the response he was expecting. And yet, I find myself taking this approach more and more. When people complain about their machines I just nod and don’t offer any advice but instead quietly mention that I never really have those problems. I can’t tell you how much easier my life got when I started telling all my friends and family that I don’t fix Windows machines anymore. It took awhile for it to completely sink in, but after a while the calls and emails stopped. The trick, I found, was to calmly tell them that I can’t help them because I don’t run Windows anymore and I don’t get those problems on my Mac. Yes, it is a bit smug I grant you, but it works.
So this is my official stance now. Anytime someone complains about Windows, or bashes the Mac, I just reply that if they are smart enough one day they too will own a Mac. Is it perhaps reinforcing the notion that Mac users are arrogant? Probably. But that doesn’t make it any less true.
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“Smugness” works!
actually, back then, all the *cool* people like me were using Amigas.
And you Mac users thought you had it tough..
No lie, my life got way easier too when I started to flat-out refuse to deal with Windows problems
You are not only arrogant, you are also ignorant. I love my Macs, but I run a Mac/PC office. My PCs work—or should I say—“They just work!” So do my Macs, but they do different tasks. (Don’t tell me to buy a Mac and use Parallels when a PC can do it for less than half the cost. And don’t tell me I can get the same programs on a Mac. That will just compound the evidence of your ignorance.) My home may be Macs only, but my office will be happily mixed for the near future. It’s not always a matter of which computer “is better.” It’s often about which computer is better for each task.
I can see from your “stop being stupid” remark why PC users hate Mac users. You’re arrogance is only surpassed by your ignorance.
You are not only arrogant, you are also ignorant. I love my Macs, but I run a Mac/PC office. My PCs work—or should I say—“They just work!” So do my Macs, but they do different tasks. (Don’t tell me to buy a Mac and use Parallels when a PC can do it for less than half the cost. And don’t tell me I can get the same programs on a Mac. That will just compound the evidence of your ignorance.) My home may be Macs only, but my office will be happily mixed for the near future. It’s not always a matter of which computer “is better.” It’s often about which computer is better for each task. I can see from your “stop being stupid” remark why PC users hate Mac users. You’re arrogance is only surpassed by your ignorance.
I’ve always believed that Windows users misdirect the anger and frustration with their machines onto Mac users, and Mac users are a bunch of “I-told-ya-so” types that make people dig in their heels. The kind of people that turn normally rational people into stubborn, competitive jerks.
The animosity starts when the Mac guy says either “I use a Mac” or “Buy a Mac” at the worst possible time: When a Windows user is having trouble fixing their machine. This starts the bad blood that makes The Wars possible, even if it occurred by accident or with good intent.
The Wars start when the Windows guy’s machine has a problem, and he realizes he’s mentioned it in front of the Mac guy. Even if the Mac guy doesn’t take the “I-told-ya-so” bait, the Windows guy feels socially slighted. A weakness has been revealed. He must confront Mac Guy.
Armed with a a news story that’s barely half true, and supported by a myth and bad information, he makes a snarky remark.
Any attempt to correct his bad information is dismissed with words like “Kool-Aid” and “RDF”, and he laughs as he mentally declares himself victor in this pissing contest.
Occasionally, the Mac guy will have enough hard data readily available to show the Windows guy he’s misinformed, but being unable to successfully convince you that your machine sucks as much as his does (and your smile and claims of satisfaction with your purchase decision) just makes him want to “put a lit cigarette in your eye” as one person put it.
In every PC vs Mac argument, one person has turned it into a Team Sport while the other just feels attacked. What most people don’t realize is that it happens both ways in equal frequency. The above story could be told with an ignorant jerk Mac user mocking a Windows user with zero problems.
The Wars go both ways. What those experiencing them don’t realize is that this argument only exists in geek/nerd circles.
I’ve always believed that Windows users misdirect the anger and frustration with their machines onto Mac users, and Mac users are a bunch of “I-told-ya-so” types that make people dig in their heels. The kind of people that turn normally rational people into stubborn, competitive jerks.
The animosity starts when the Mac guy says either “I use a Mac” or “Buy a Mac” at the worst possible time: When a Windows user is having trouble fixing their machine. This starts the bad blood that makes The Wars possible, even if it occurred by accident or with good intent.
The Wars start when the Windows guy’s machine has a problem, and he realizes he’s mentioned it in front of the Mac guy. Even if the Mac guy doesn’t take the “I-told-ya-so” bait, the Windows guy feels socially slighted. A weakness has been revealed. He must confront Mac Guy.
Armed with a a news story that’s barely half true, and supported by a myth and bad information, he makes a snarky remark.
Any attempt to correct his bad information is dismissed with words like “Kool-Aid” and “RDF”, and he laughs as he mentally declares himself victor in this pissing contest.
Occasionally, the Mac guy will have enough hard data readily available to show the Windows guy he’s misinformed, but being unable to successfully convince you that your machine sucks as much as his does (and your smile and claims of satisfaction with your purchase decision) just makes him want to “put a lit cigarette in your eye” as one person put it.
In every PC vs Mac argument, one person has turned it into a Team Sport while the other just feels attacked. What most people don’t realize is that it happens both ways in equal frequency. The above story could be told with an ignorant jerk Mac user mocking a Windows user with zero problems.
The Wars go both ways. What those experiencing them don’t realize is that this argument only exists in geek/nerd circles and no one else cares.
It’s sad to say, but I worked as network administrator for a huge credit card company last 3 years and _obviously_ our systems ran on Windows. The business applications from MS are on a different level compared to any other systems. The network I co-managed had close to 30k clients and (luckily) all our hardware was recent (after XP RTM).
More than a year ago, we started testing Vista intensively (note: before already we were among the few alpha testing companies). With the budget to test Vista on many different configurations, we were able to configure very cheap Vista compatible and absolutely stable PCs.
Ever since then the IT department has been using almost exclusively Vista [Enterprise] to manage the network and prepare a Vista roll out for at least 1/3 of the network, end next year.
I recently resigned, because Windows really started to bore me. I can read the registry, write almost any kind of policy and my PC at home has 70 days uptime (restart services instead of restart the PC). I was ready for a new challenge, and a job change. I privately switched to Mac, together with the release of Mac OS 10.5.
Sigh, I wished Leopard was at least just as stable as Vista when it became RTM.
I hate to admit it, as new Mac user, but in more than one year, Vista only crashed once upon me. Leopard crashes at least once/week. With _Cupertino selected_ hardware. :S
Still I love the switch and my 2.4Ghz MBP with 4GB is a lovely machine.
I’d loved to have experienced some of that _Apple WOW! factor_ you relate to. It’s an experience I guess I’ll never live.
(Btw, I was an Amiga user too and started my IT career officially with NT4)
any sufficiently intelligent person will choose Apple’s products over the competition.
Wow. So much ignorance, arrogance, sadness, emptiness, and pathos wrapped up in one little sentence.
What those experiencing them don’t realize is that this argument only exists in geek/nerd circles.
An absolutely salient and valid point. The fact is that, unlike James or Macglee, most people who use a computer don’t define themselves by the brand of operating system they use. They don’t define their intelligence by it. And they certainly don’t look down on others who use a different brand. They simply don’t care. It’s just a tool to get a job done.
It’s kind of like the guy with a BMW who looks down on the people who drive Toyotas. That doesn’t make that guy smarter. It makes him a douche bag.
I think one reason we legacy Mac users used to push back so hard when attacked by Windows users was that we felt we had to. The survival of the Mac was seriously in jeopardy and that was unacceptable to those of us who simply refused to move to Windows, so we felt compelled to share the Mac’s strengths with any Windows user we came upon.
Today, the Mac’s survival is no longer in question. We’re using a world-class operating system with a world-class user interface, and more and more people are beginning to notice and test the waters.
So, I agree with your premise. I’m no longer concerned that Macs will continue to be available for the foreseeable future, and so I no longer care if Windows users are willing to deal with their day-to-day issues that I would find unacceptable. It’s their choice. I still have my own occasional Mac issues to deal with, and I don’t have to call upon IT geeks to resolve them.
Man. If you’re this whiny in real life, I’m sure your friends are even more glad you’ve decided to stop arguing with them about the superiority of your chosen path. In fact, I bet all this while they’d be going around wondering what they did so wrong to deserve all those holier-than-thou tirades at the watercooler.
Look, dude. Who gives a sh*t, all right? They’re just computers. I love my Audi to bits but unlike Mac people I don’t try to sleep with my favoured machine. I don’t make it a habit to tell people who just bought a Ford why they suck, either.
This article only goes to show your own hubris and arrogance, which is shared by most Mac users. Very rarely do Windows users champion the superiority of Windows, they are just defensive as a result of the constant insults and condescension.
I am an avid Mac user, but I still get livid at the apologists, and the vitriol that spews out of the mouths of most mac elitists.
My point of course being: why does one have to be superior to the other?
I am an avid Mac user, but I still get livid at the apologists
I couldn’t agree more. Especially telling is this bit of douche-baggery:
I calmly informed him that the only reason he thought that way was because he didn’t know any better. And that eventually he would stop being stupid and realize what so many other people have realized. Until then I wished him the best with his current situation.
Clearly that wasn’t the response he was expecting. And yet, I find myself taking this approach more and more.
His “approach” is to tell the other person how stupid they are for choosing a different brand of consumer product. And this is supposed to be his epiphany? Only in the Mac-cult world would such a shitty elitist attitude be tolerated, let alone applauded.