Why do people buy Apple / OSX?

[Hoonigan]

Another point I'd like to make is; if you could afford a BMW, would you buy one? Knowing that a Ford Mondeo is just as good, and maybe even a better car, but it just doesn't have all the BMW styling...

I believe it's a similar thing, the specs are similar on both cars, they'll both be around the same size, but people will claim that German engineering and build quality makes up for the price gap, well, does it?

It's just the way society works, some companies have managed to establish themselves as better than others with no real proof to back it up.

[TheAnimus]

You do realise that Apple don't actually make the drives in house, and are therefore liable to exactly the same random failure events as a drive fitted go any other *nix or windows machine?

What (I think) spoon_ was saying was that the after sales support and data restoration process was particularly good for someone who is not particularly techie.

But he said NOTHING was wrong....

This is my point, apple use standard, to sub-standard components, in HDDs they've a history of buying questionable cheap ones, which at the price tag they charge is completely wrong. Not to mention WHS is widely acknowledged as a better alternative to time machine, hell it even won a best in show award at mac world when it launched.

In 2007 iirc, they had a seagate 2.5 drive purchase that were a little bit dodgy, seagate apparently acknowledged this at sale, and quoted lower MTBF. A friend of mine lost a lot of work as a result, because lets be honest, who really backs up their computers except geeks.

Then there was the recall on the iMacs.

Now, we see this on say dells and co too, but we don't see this on the business end machines. We see the slower more reliable drives put in as standard. My point again, in the PC you have the flexibility to have higher grade components.

In the Mac world its like an abused wife been given fist kisses by her hubby.

"oh my HDD failed, but I'm SOOOOOO HAPPY!".

[mikerr]

I have apple stuff, but I don't seem to have drunk the kool-aid,
my latest mac annoyance was changing the system wide default font size on a 27" imac

Sounds simple ? Any modern OS would have that in the GUI surely ?
No - there's really no solution bar decreasing resolution...
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...=352057&page=3


Lack of a hash key is minor compared to that.

[Smudger]

Another point I'd like to make is; if you could afford a BMW, would you buy one? Knowing that a Ford Mondeo is just as good, and maybe even a better car, but it just doesn't have all the BMW styling...

I believe it's a similar thing, the specs are similar on both cars, they'll both be around the same size, but people will claim that German engineering and build quality makes up for the price gap, well, does it?

It's just the way society works, some companies have managed to establish themselves as better than others with no real proof to back it up.

Isn't a Ford Mondeo built in Germany too?

[b0redom]

Lack of a hash key is minor compared to that.

Alt+3

[redddraggon]

Well, for me, the main reason is the fact that they just work.

So do windows computers.

I've still not been able to get a mouse to work as I expect with my MBP, no matter what mouse I've tried I've had tracking/acceleration issues.

[Spud1]

However a mac user ignores that. Completely.

Because the ecosystem that most mac users buy in to (mentally and physically) means that to them, its no big deal. They actually back up using time machine without thinking about it - they are almost forced to and are practically brainwashed into thinking that they have to do it. They can then call up apple or drop into the store and they will replace it there and then, usually within 24 hours.

These are not power users who can't cope without their machine for more than a microsecond (indeed those users just wouldn't back up anyway), they are average computer users who can cope for a few days, and are just happy in the knowledge that they will get their machine back in pretty much the same state as before.

You don't get that kind of service from Dell, even when you pay for their top priced support package.

For me personally, as a "power user" and a mac user, I've bought my macs and apple gadgets only when they were good value for money. My purchases (exlcuding the "toy" old macs i've had second hand just to mess with and sell on) were:

Ipod 4G ~ 2004 - cost me £150, was the best MP3 (not flac/ogg etc) player at the time for the money, in terms of usability and size.
1st gen Intel Macbook ~ 2006 - cost me £620 and at the time was cheaper than any equivalent laptop of that specification. Closest were the cheapy acer/medion rubbish that no one should ever buy.
1st gen iPhone ~ 2007 - cost me £169 when they dropped the price hugely. This was my only mistake - fairly poor phone due to no apps at the time, but for the money it wasn't a bad buy. This is the only time I consider myself to have given in to the marketing and just got one..but only because it was cheap.
2nd Gen Intel Mac Pro ~ 2008 - cost me £1500 and was the best value for money you could buy. I couldn't find any dual 3ghz xeon quad core (thats 8 core total) systems with 4gb ram, 8800gt and dual dvdr drives from the main PC manufactuers. Even building myself buying parts from Computer2k, The cost still came to £1800 PLUS the vat. Absolute bargain and now that I have upgraded the graphics (and I ofc run windows on it), its still better than most top end PCs today.
iPhone 4 ~ 2010 - brilliant phone/gadget, I see no need to replace or justify this one..

So why do people buy Apple? Why do people buy anything..its too general a question, some people buy for the marketing, some because its cool, some because they just have the money so "why not", some because the build quality of their products far surpasses any other consumer manufacturer, and some because they can occasionally be great value.

[mikerr]

Lack of a hash key is minor compared to that.

Alt+3

Lol - well aware of how to get a hash symbol thanks - point was there's no dedicated no key for it, nor is it printed on the keycaps for that matter.
Same with delete key (yes I know its cmd+backspace). All minor but annoying.

[Hoonigan]

Isn't a Ford Mondeo built in Germany too?

Nah, they're built in Belgium iirc.

That's not the point of my argument though.

The point is that even though they can cost a substantial amount more than a similar spec'd Acer or Dell, is the price premium not justifiable when you think about the after sales support, the amazingly well built feel, the amazing build quality in terms of the case. And most importantly to some, the OS, which is a big contributing factor for me owning a MacBook Pro and being amazingly happy with it.

[Smudger]

I know what the point was, but there's room for untrue pedantry in every thread...

[usxhe190]

Apple do churn out some good products but I wouldn't say I am in the same league as people who have all their products. You really need to like their ecosystem alot.

You hear about a lot of "they just works" but its actually the wrong term. What people really mean is "its simple to use".

Given Apple force their ecosystem onto you, there really is only one way to do things and that's why once you learnt it, its simple and "they just work". And you know other Apple users do the same way and so everything "just works". It's the wrong term to use.

[abaxas]

All depends if you see a computer a tool or a toy/hobby.

People get work done on macs and trust them to work (most of the time) without making the sound of a hoover or having 'knight rider' fans.

Each to their own.

[usxhe190]

All depends if you see a computer a tool or a toy/hobby.

People get work done on macs and trust them to work (most of the time) without making the sound of a hoover or having 'knight rider' fans.

Each to their own.

Haha, I am using a PC at work and dont see an issue with hoover sound or knight rider fans

You have brought into Apple marketing hehe

[abaxas]

Haha, I am using a PC at work and dont see an issue with hoover sound or knight rider fans

You have brought into Apple marketing hehe

The reason I moved to OSX was I need tight unix integration and something that doesnt crash (very often). Windows doesnt cut it (in any form) and linux based distros are getting there, but are not there yet.

Hence I can have the best of all worlds and have a windows VM if I need it.

BTW I never pay full price, just wait for a model change and buy from the 'refurb' store. I'm not paying 1500 quid for a machine that if I keep my eyes open will be £1k.

I dont think 1k is a bad price for a decent laptop, unless my needs are for 'magic piss master' graphics cards and I have no need for a tribal 'alien smoking a spliff' logo.

Then I bought the lass a macbook air, 8 months now and no support needed. My kind of computer.

[TheAnimus]

The reason I moved to OSX was I need tight unix integration and something that doesnt crash (very often). Windows doesnt cut it (in any form) and linux based distros are getting there, but are not there yet.

I'm curious to find why windows doesn't cut it in any form, and where exactly the linux distros are getting but not there yet?

So far thou, I must admit I'm getting the impression most mac users are even more ignorant and jaded than I thought.

I still can't get over the not one issue, oh the HDD died, very early, but I didn't have one single issue mentality.......

[kalniel]

I'm curious to find why windows doesn't cut it in any form

I guess because of the lack of unix integration without use of VM/remote/emulation. Personally, I am a Windows + the above guy, but I can see why OSX would attract for the same kind of thing.