Mac 101

I am not quite too sure how many of you are Mac users, but while strolling through the college campus today, it seems that Apple has been fairing quite well amongst the student population. In my situation, it took the release of Windows Vista and the need for a new laptop to force me over to the strange and foreign OS X. I avoided it like the plague ever since middle school due to my hatred for their one-buttoned mouse and strange-looking user interface. But after months of struggling with a new system, I've quickly fallen in love with the aesthetics, widgets, spaces, and many other features that Windows didn't have. So I thought I would present a short list of reasons why I love and hate the Mac. Of course, these aren't all the reasons but just a few main ones:

1. Durability and Security: Spyware and viruses are a common dilemma for us now that technology is everywhere. Being involved with such applications in the past, it is not hard for me to imagine that new harmful hacks are still being created everyday. Apple has done a good job at creating an operating system that isn't as vulnerable and they seem to patch up any holes that are slowly found. The fact that they are not a majority (most people are still using Windows) also makes them a less appealing target to the hacking community. Furthermore, the aluminum/plastic casing that their devices come in seems to hold up pretty well. I've heard many stories from friends about their Macs working after being dropped from 5 feet above the ground, rolled over by a car (I don't even want to know how that happened), coffee spills, etc. Lastly, if you are truly a paranoid individual, there are services out there such as Undercover that can help you retrieve your laptop back if it is stolen like this unlucky individual: Mac thief caught on webcam

2. Interface Flexibility: It is amazing how customizable the user interface is, really. This is a big plus for me because I am a fan of interface and application modifications. Even if you are not computer savvy, you can still change everything from the size of your desktop icons to the size of your dock icons. Furthermore, there are simple but convenient configurations such as the light sensor that detects environment illumination and dims/lightens your screen and keyboard backlight accordingly (so that you can type in the dark). To prove my point, here is an example of a modification I did to my Adium messenger through scripting, CSS, and a bit of Photoshop. The screenshot really does not show it's full beauty when it's in action. Adium is a universal instant messaging program that simultaneously logs you into every service you have an account for (MSN, AIM, Yahoo!, Skype, etc.), just like Trillian for Windows.




3. Widgets: While many people don't find a use for them, I feel like this is an ultimate tool for lazy people like myself. By pressing an assigned key, it brings up the Dashboard screen. This screen is basically a compilation of "widgets" that you can pick and download yourself, depending on what sort of information you would like to see. And so with a press of a button, I can bring up the screen that tells me when my flight will be arriving, how the stock market is doing (doesn't look too good today), and anything else I want. I can do searches on the internet from here, and if you haven't noticed already, I have developed a widget for this blog as well! You can see it on the bottom left of the screenshot, hehe. I have enclosed the link to download this widget if you are a Mac user at the end of this post.



4. Outside Company Support: Just like the security program sample I used earlier, there are a lot of other companies that have developed merchandise for Apple products. I suppose this falls into customizations as well, but there is a large selection from leather goods to supplemental electronics that you can use along with your Mac product. I personally have invested in a keyboard cover (very good for keeping dust/food/etc. out of underneath your keyboard), a neoprene case, and plan to look for more things to decorate my Mac with in the future. Furthermore, there are a lot of bargains if you are part of an academic affiliation. Those of you that are still in school can get a $100 discount off Apple products with presentation of an ID card at any store. At University of Washington, there are often sale prices that are obtained through our bookstore technology section that can net you up to a $1000 discount on laptops. I saved $100 off my MacBook Air and $50 off AppleCare (warranty extension).

So if Mac computers are so great, how could you possibly hate them?

1. Cost: It seems that they are generally very expensive ... not only to buy, but to fix. You receive a one year warranty and an optional $290 package that will extend the warranty for another two years from your purchase date. During this time, all fixes should be covered which is an absolute lifesaver since many things can go wrong with your unit over the years. But once this period is over, you will find that the fee to fix your computer or iPod or whatever is often just as much as buying a new one. That doesn't make sense!

2. Manufacturing/Service: A lot of their stuff is made in China. But what big company won't pass off cheap labor? Furthermore, depending on the area you live in, customer service can be bad. But this purely depends on the individuals that they hire so it is hard to hold this against them. With that said, the Hawaii salesman did a very bad job in telling me my options and forgot to give me my extended warranty even though I already paid the $240 ($50 off with student discount!). The Seattle salesperson assured me that my MacBook Air didn't even have a fan when I complained about an increase in rpm while watching streaming movies, which is completely wrong. Perhaps their service is good for individuals who are less familiar with their technology, but I am certainly not impressed with the idiocy that I've seen so far. I suppose this applies to all investments that you decide to make: do your research first before buying products because you can never really depend on others to do all the homework for you.

3. Learning Curve and Bugs: This isn't a large issue, but it is very hard to get used to if you are only familiar with Windows. It took me about 2 weeks to finally get around to really understanding everything. Furthermore, some of the keyboard shortcuts are still confusing for me and require pressing down like 4 buttons. What's going on?! But after clicking around for a while, you will find that a lot of the functions are similar to Windows. Programs like Microsoft Office can be annoying sometimes due to bugs that have not been fixed yet. I am sure this problem will be resolved as Mac becomes more popular amongst the general population.

Link to NikoMiko Blog widget: Download Here
To install, just save/unzip the file on your desktop and double-click on the widget icon. It should install by itself. This will only work for Mac users!

All this coding and development always makes me wonder why I never went into computer sciences instead of medicine.

UPDATE: The top page Blogger bar has been put back in place.