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Well . . . I did it. I switched teams. I have taken up residence on the dark side. And I’ve never been happier.
I am a Mac user. And I can’t believe it took me this long. After 15 years of PC hell, at least eight different computers, hours of gibberish spoken on "tech support" calls and hundreds of broken promises and useless warranties, I've made the switch for good.
Long live Mac!
After years of worrying about viruses, of forgetting to download the secret updates that you’re supposed to somehow know about, of blue screens, of incompetent foreign-speaking IT “help” desk people, of sudden and deadly crashes, of slow-moving systems, of low battery life, of fruitless visits by the Geek Squad . . . I decided to give Mac a try.
God I’m glad I did.
I chucked my $2,700 Sony Vaioio (or however the hell you spell this rotten-ass computer that now sits in the corner of my office, serving as a huge square drink coaster, which is all it ever was good for to begin with) and bought a $1300 MacBook, which was about $1800 with a complete warranty that gives me exclusive service at any Mac store in the world.
Besides setting drinks on it, I'm keeping the Sony to remind me of the bad times, less I'm ever tempted to go back.
My Sony’s battery would last 35 minutes. Since it took 15 minutes to get itself turned on, I usually had about 20 minutes of work time before it crapped out.
My little Macster has, as far as I can tell, about five hours of battery time (I don’t know because I’m yet to run out of battery; I left it on by accident in New York and four hours later I still had 28 percent of the battery left), and it takes exactly 6 seconds to turn on.
I am starting to see what all the fuss over the “multimedia Web” is about. My Sony Viaoao wouldn’t recognize most videos. And if it did, it took forever to run. Even simpe audio was a problem.
My Mac recognizes everything! And they run immediately. I actually get podcasts right into my iTunes now!
My Mac is intuitive, user-friendly, handsome, and efficient. And it’s tiny! My Sony weighed as much as one of my legs, and I’m fat. I now realize that the pain in my left side is NOT from an oncoming stroke . . . but because that’s the side where I carried that damned behemoth.
I can balance my Mac on the fingers of one hand . . . and it’s a joy to bring on a plane. Even if some asshat wants to recline his seat all the way back in economy, I can still work . . . . for five hours if I want to.
Oh, my wireless? It works everywhere. And I mean everywhere. And I don’t even have to turn it on!!! As soon as I turn my computer on in a strange location, it asks me if I want to connect to whatever networks are available.
One more thing: The Mac people . . . I love all of them. They actually transferred all of my files from my old Sony to my Mac . . . including my old e-mails. As part of the service of buying a Mac!
The only problem was that I lost some e-mails, and I blame that on the Sony, too. So I had to call Mac tech support after the purchase to iron out some e-mail problems.
But guess what? The call took five minutes, the person spoke English perfectly, and they solved the problem immediately.
If it was a PC, I would have haggled with someone in Bangladesh for six hours, and they still wouldn’t have fixed the problem.
I feel like I have been in an abusive marriage for the last 15 years . . . and I’ve finally broken free.
My Mac and I are going to change the world. Just you watch.
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Feels like Total Recall. Er, Philip K Dick?
Actually, with Steve's example it's a bit scary --- standing at the urinal...
Comments (21)
Steve, great post. Needs more casual swearing, though.
Posted by Michael Hagearty | May 29, 2007 4:55 PM
Posted on May 29, 2007 16:55
Michael:
I know . . . it felt weird to me, too.
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. | May 29, 2007 5:04 PM
Posted on May 29, 2007 17:04
Michael:
Now that I am out from under with the tech problems, I'll start getting those contacts together.
Anyone who reads the blog . . . Michael works in education, and would love to talk to some folks in that industry who are doing social media type things.
You can post here, or e-mail me.
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. | May 29, 2007 5:15 PM
Posted on May 29, 2007 17:15
Welcome to the Mac world, Steve, from someone who's been happily using these elegant machines 1984.
Posted by Donna Papacosta | May 29, 2007 5:57 PM
Posted on May 29, 2007 17:57
Steve,
I always suspected you were smart, despite what David Murray says. Now you have proved it.
Do you have the really way cool built-in video camera on your Mac? We use ours all the time on the road to stay in touch. Totally free high quality voice and video anywhere in the world with no extra equipment! Last week I was in Yellowstone with my sister. As I set in the lodge seeing and hearing Chris back in Houston, he could see me and the sunset over the Titons. I walked around holding my Mac to give him a tour of where we were staying. He saw the moose at the same time I did!
Wait until you start installing software and playing with iPhoto, you're gonna wonder, like the rest of us Mac-ers, why anybody puts up with PCs.
Posted by suzanne salvo | May 30, 2007 7:26 AM
Posted on May 30, 2007 07:26
Steve,
I always suspected you were smart, despite what David Murray says. Now you have proved it.
Do you have the really way cool built-in video camera on your Mac? We use ours all the time on the road to stay in touch. Totally free high quality voice and video anywhere in the world with no extra equipment! Last week I was in Yellowstone with my sister. As I set in the lodge seeing and hearing Chris back in Houston, he could see me and the sunset over the Titons. I walked around holding my Mac to give him a tour of where we were staying. He saw the moose at the same time I did!
Wait until you start installing software and playing with iPhoto, you're gonna wonder, like the rest of us Mac-ers, why anybody puts up with PCs.
Posted by suzanne salvo | May 30, 2007 7:26 AM
Posted on May 30, 2007 07:26
Well, Steve - as a geek - I have to say, I've always known this secret. :) I run a mac-mini at my house and love it.
My oldest son wants to buy a laptop with his Christmas and upcoming 8th grade graduation money. I think after reading this my decision is firm. I'm going to con him into buying a mac...
Posted by Rebecca (token IT Goddess) | May 30, 2007 7:52 AM
Posted on May 30, 2007 07:52
Wow! This all sound great. I certainly have PC issues from time to time. Not as many as most and I tend to think it's because I always put my own together. I'm no IT person, I just know how to plug these few pieces of hardware together. The PC I have now has been on for four years now and I have had a few issues but this has been by far the one with the least problems. Now I don't know any diehard Mac users so I've never been sold on the idea. Steve, you posted a great add for Mac and I got excited. Suzanne you've added to the already good sounding add. So why are things the way they are? Advertising? Politics? Why doesn’t every home have one of these wonderful machines? They've been around as long as PC's yet as far as I can tell only five homes, Graphic designers and schools have them.
I just emailed this to my wife:
----- Original Message -----
From: Andrew
To: Sandy
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 8:47 AM
Subject: blog
From Steve's blog
Same price range, I wonder if it's the same computer you have in the board room?
-----Original Message-----
From: Sandy
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 8:56 AM
To: Andrew
Subject: Re: blog
Yes, that's what we have
----- Original Message -----
From:Andrew
To: Sandy
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 8:55 AM
Subject: RE: blog
A big square coaster?
-----Original Message-----
From: Sandy
That's what it is
Posted by AN | May 30, 2007 8:09 AM
Posted on May 30, 2007 08:09
Ahem...WHO used sit on the phone for a gazillion hours trying to interpret some IT person in a different country? WHO used to have to reboot and try to reconfigure your settings? WHO would have to install secret updates on your computer so you were up to date?
Let's just say that no one could me more happier than I am that you got a Mac.
Cindy
Posted by Cindy Crescenzo | May 30, 2007 8:59 AM
Posted on May 30, 2007 08:59
Cindy:
The folks out here are not interested in the private dealings of Crescenzo Communications. Please keep that stuff off the blog.
Thank you.
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. | May 30, 2007 9:16 AM
Posted on May 30, 2007 09:16
steve--
Welcome to the dark side. With Mac, there is no try only do.
keith philpott
Posted by keith | May 30, 2007 9:40 AM
Posted on May 30, 2007 09:40
steve--
Welcome to the dark side. With Mac there is no try, only do.
keith philpott
Posted by keith Philpott | May 30, 2007 9:41 AM
Posted on May 30, 2007 09:41
Well, after much debating over many months, I read your blog and you've convinced me to switch.
Muchas Gracias.
Matt
Posted by Matt | May 30, 2007 11:24 AM
Posted on May 30, 2007 11:24
Steve -
You've got it all wrong. Now you are on the LIGHT side; you escaped the DARK side!
Laura
Posted by Laura | May 30, 2007 12:02 PM
Posted on May 30, 2007 12:02
Cindy - never mind Steve. OF COURSE "folks out there want to hear the private dealings of Crescenzo Communications!!! If all we wanted was communications info we could go anywhere.
The potential to hear the hilariously juicy stuff from inside Crescenzo headquarters is a KEY reason I fanatically check this blog everyday.
It's a very cool bonus when we get to hear from you personally instead of only through Steve. Drop in anytime!
Kristen
Posted by Kristen | May 30, 2007 4:56 PM
Posted on May 30, 2007 16:56
Thanks, Kristen!
See how quickly he can turn into a little pissy pants? You have NO idea...
See you in future posts!
Posted by Cindy Crescenzo | May 30, 2007 5:15 PM
Posted on May 30, 2007 17:15
Kristen and Cindy (Thelma and Louise):
For the record, I was being SARCASTIC, not a pissy pants.
90 percent of this blog is the inner workings of this thing Crescenzo Communications, including the previous item, where I talked about waking up in the morning together, and someone said I weirded them out.
You can only write and say so much about communications, right?
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. | May 31, 2007 7:27 AM
Posted on May 31, 2007 07:27
Steve you are a SARCASTIC pissy pants. What night are you going to Cindy's performance?
Eliot
Posted by eliot | May 31, 2007 8:18 AM
Posted on May 31, 2007 08:18
Having worked both sides of this street, I don't find either to be dramatically superior to the other -- or didn't a few moons back when I switched from Mac to PC. But I do find it curious that the Mac seems to generate duplicate posts to the blog.
I do love the Mac commercials, though. "PC" is a hoot!
Greg
Posted by Greg Marsh | May 31, 2007 3:27 PM
Posted on May 31, 2007 15:27
Hi Steve,
I just went out and bought an iBook. White. Funny how a bald man on the other side of the planet can influence my decision making processes.
I'll let you know how it goes.
Victor.
Posted by Victor Zalakos | May 31, 2007 10:11 PM
Posted on May 31, 2007 22:11
Victor!!!
Welcome to the Brotherhood of the Mac, my man. I'm about two weeks ahead of you, so if you have any questions, shoot me an e-mail. I will in turn forward that to Cindy, who is figuring everything out over here, and who is a genius at this sort of thing.
One tip: Entourage is a better e-mail ciient than the other one, if you know what I mean.
Eliot:
I'm not sure which day we're going. I may go to all the days. I have to see how it works out. But I'll know more in a week or so.
Steve
Posted by Steve C. | June 1, 2007 9:16 AM
Posted on June 1, 2007 09:16