Mac Zealots Strike Again!
Widgets & Gadgets, Objects, oh my...
Wednesday, September 14, 2005 by mormegil | Discussion: Personal Computing
| Mac Zealots Strike Again! Yesterday Microsoft announced Microsoft Gadgets. This came as a bit of an eye-opener to those of us who have been working with DesktopX for years. An eye-opener, but not necessarily a surprise... Way back with active desktop Microsoft played with this type of thing, and we knew that they had not stopped. XAML and Avalon are coming in Vista and have been in the works for years and it has been quite evident that desktop content, similar to what DesktopX can create was possible with these technologies. I started using DesktopX in 1999 with version .01 alpha and got quite addicted. I started making Zoomers, which are more or less "Suppr Icons", but before long I was making "Plug-In" Objects, which are more or less what we now know as widgets. I started with a simple Drive Monitor, then moved on to fancier things. My favorite was my media player object which I still use regularly five years later. | |||
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One of my favorite old Zoomers. |
An early Drive Monitor for two drives. |
A CPU and Memory monitor. |
My original FauxS-X Media player. |
| These are from 2000. Two Friking Thousand!!!!. Now it was a bit annoying when, in 2003, Konfabulator came out for the Mac and everyone was like "this is the coolest thing ever" and "its a pity nothing like this exist for Windows". I remember the first time I saw it I was watching the Screen Savers about a year after DesktopX had been featured on the show, when, Konfabulators best friend, Leo LaPort showed Konfabulator off. The first thought I had was, "cool DesktopX for Mac". Well the thing that sucked was somehow Konfabulator became an over-hyped monster. I have to admit that I was not to concerned; Konfab was on the Mac, and it had no development environment at all so it never lured me over. Then it was released for Windows, and they had the gall to say "We wanted to bring it to Widows because nothing like it was available". This is 3 or 4 years since I made my first "Object" for DesktopX. Anyway, I was annoyed. But Konfab did do some things that I had to admire. They were smart enough to do high quality default objects and make sure they stayed on the top of their library so first impressions stayed good. So annoying. But they were good, good developers making a pretty solid competitor, if only they would stop saying that they invented the concept. I have to admit I chuckled a bit when Apple essentially stole Konfabulator about a year later and made Dashboard widgets. Which, as I pointed out in my last rant against Apple, is a piss poor implementation of Konfabulator. If you own a Mac, Konfabulator is still the best widget program. For the first time I got to see Konfabulator people screaming about how they were ripped off - which they were. Anyone who sees Dashboard cant deny that its style is so "inspired" by Konfabs default styles. Now the 900 pound gorilla comes onto the scene; Microsoft, with Microsoft "gadgets", putting aside that Windows will have had "widgets" and "objects" for six years by the time that Vista ships. I am not too mad about it. I think that in the long run Windows gadgets will be good for customization, and especially for Stardock. We will be able to do high quality gadgets quicker and better since we have been doing it for years. Much like "Luna" brought attention WindowBlinds and skinning, I think that Windows Gadgets will make more people aware of gadgets, widgets, objects, or what ever they are called this week. And I am sure that Stardock will be able to use its knowledge to capitalize on it. I think DesktopX will find new avenues that would not have been possible without Vista. Now the thing that is really chapping my hide, is this: Mac zealots are flaming Microsoft for ripping off Dashboard! Dashboard, which is a total rip of Konfabulator, which is at the very least a Mac version of DesktopX. Now as a big DesktopX fan I'm not going to the personal blog of the Windows Gadgets project developers and flaming them that they ripped of DesktopX. Yet just hours after the announcement of Microsoft Gadgets Mac zealots were on those blogs screaming, sometimes quite rudely, that MS had copied Dashboard. These poor developers, who have been working on this project since 2002, are now being accused of stealing their ideas. The funny thing is this; I bought my first Mac about the time that Apple released Jaguar 10.2, at the same time the first Longhorn screenshots were showing up. About that same time we saw the first "Longhorn Bar", which was more or less the what is now Microsoft Gadgets. You can even see the simple analog clocks and the obligatory "slideshow" widget. Keep in mind that this was OS 10.2, and widgets did not come out until 10.4. Let's remember that Longhorn/Vista is a 5 or 6 year project and many of its tools and features have been in the works for years. Perhaps Apple's great skill is that in their ability to put out point releases every 18 months they can implement new ideas faster - even those that have been "inspired" by other developers. Yes, even by Microsoft. So to sum up: Mac zealots, knock it off. I'm sick to death of you claiming everything good comes from the Mac. I have a Mac. I paid for it, I use it, but after reading what I read yesterday, I doubt I will ever buy another. And I beg you Steve Jobs, stop leading your fanatics by example. Ok, I'm done with my rant. Let the flaming begin! | |||
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mormegil
Reply #22 Friday, September 16, 2005 10:23 AM
Reply #22 Friday, September 16, 2005 10:23 AM
Good point Starkers, it is true, I have no problem with Mac's in general. Its there more fanatical users that piss me off.
starkers
Reply #23 Saturday, September 17, 2005 12:02 AM
I fully understand that sentiment....when Apple/Mac fanaticism precludes the truth for blatant fabrication, but there are zealots on both sides of the fence who contribute to the ongoing OS wars, and I'm sure there are ordinary Mac users who take exception to comments like: 'I hate Mac and anyone who uses it.' If a designer or software developer has a genuine gripe against Apple or MS, that's all well and good, but average users? Especially when they have little or no experience with the alternative! It seems so pointless when such 'passion' could be better used to create or, better still, resolve issues, rather than to denigrate. The bottom line is that all this ill-directed, negative energy hurts neither Apple or MS in the end.
Personally, I would rather have a discussion with a Mac user than fire off a barrage of insults.....I might actually learn something
Reply #23 Saturday, September 17, 2005 12:02 AM
| I have no problem with Mac's in general. Its there more fanatical users that piss me off. |
I fully understand that sentiment....when Apple/Mac fanaticism precludes the truth for blatant fabrication, but there are zealots on both sides of the fence who contribute to the ongoing OS wars, and I'm sure there are ordinary Mac users who take exception to comments like: 'I hate Mac and anyone who uses it.' If a designer or software developer has a genuine gripe against Apple or MS, that's all well and good, but average users? Especially when they have little or no experience with the alternative! It seems so pointless when such 'passion' could be better used to create or, better still, resolve issues, rather than to denigrate. The bottom line is that all this ill-directed, negative energy hurts neither Apple or MS in the end.
Personally, I would rather have a discussion with a Mac user than fire off a barrage of insults.....I might actually learn something
TheD2JBug
Reply #24 Saturday, September 17, 2005 9:32 PM
Reply #24 Saturday, September 17, 2005 9:32 PM
How about giving credit where credit is due.
They were inspired by DesktopX
They were inspired by DesktopX
starkers
Reply #25 Sunday, September 18, 2005 2:26 AM
In a perfect world that's a marvellous concept....but sadly, in the real world, it's rather difficult for those who attribute things to themselves and take the glory for the work, creativity and innovation of others.
Reply #25 Sunday, September 18, 2005 2:26 AM
| How about giving credit where credit is due. |
In a perfect world that's a marvellous concept....but sadly, in the real world, it's rather difficult for those who attribute things to themselves and take the glory for the work, creativity and innovation of others.
TwileDragon
Reply #26 Monday, September 19, 2005 11:11 AM
Reply #26 Monday, September 19, 2005 11:11 AM
This whole Mac vs PC rivalry really gets to me, as I'm sure it does with other people. Over the past years, I've grown to utterly loathe most anything related to Apple. The sight or mention of an iPod makes me want to grab and smash the nearest one. When somebody introduces themself as a Mac user, my mental image of them instantly drops a few notches. It's not that I'm a Windows or MS zealot--I get pissed when I click on My Computer and get a "Microsoft has closed Explorer to protect your computer." message. The problem is the whole elitist, "holier-than-you" attitude that Apple and Apple users tend to carry. They think their stuff is the best simply because it has an Apple stamped on it, frequently not even bothering to look at competing products--or if so, usually just long enough to sneer at it.
But for the sake of responding to this article in particular, lets just assume that there won't be any of that going on. I'll ignore the zealots for a while and pretend that this is a prefectly fair, competitive environment, without fanboys and the like. What happens? Features get copied and improved upon.
That's how everything works in the business world. If you have a competitor, you have two options. Copy and modify/improve upon their solution, or take a radically different approach. But many times, you can't do a radically different approach to something and still have a viable replacement. Applying this to the idea of widgets and such, consider what they really are. They're mini applications that do useful little tasks that don't necessarily deserve a full-screened window. So what does that say about how they must be made? Well, they're small. And because they're small, there has to be some convenient way to organize or store them. That's just a requirement based on their nature. MS chooses to put them on the desktop or side bar, Apple chooses to put them in an alternate desktop thing. And there you have Widgets and Gadgets.
As much fun as it may be to say "Well Microsoft is copying Apple!" people need to consider what it means to be competitive. It's matching and adapting to the competition. If people like Widgets, they should be glad that Gadgets are being used. It's a feature they like which will become more widespread and get more appreciation and usage. Consider the things that might happen:
1. Gadgets end up looking and working worse than Widgets. Apple users laugh at Microsoft and point out that they can't even copy them well.
2. Gadgets and Widgets are about on par with each other. Apple users stubbornly say that they had Gadgets first, so they're automatically better. They also complain that Microsoft is copying them.
3. Gadgets end up being better than Widgets. Apple users cry foul play, that Microsoft copied them, and then promptly forget who has a superior offering when nobody listens to them complain anymore.
Regardless of how the Gadget ends up working in comparison to the Widget, it's still going to be ridiculed.
Is there no way to win this "Feature War" that's going on between OS X and Vista? In the minds of zealots, it doesn't matter who originally showcased the features first or who ends up doing it better or on a wider scale. The only thing that matters is that their side ends up winning, no matter what.
It's these same zealots who make me utterly despise Apple and everything they make. I've got an MP3 player, called a Gmini 400, that also plays videos and stuff. It's just like an iPod, but a little less elegant and a lot more feature-rich. Apple zealots, carrying their iPods which can't even display JPEGs in color most of the time, just kinda scoff at what I've got. They don't even take a look at what it can do, they just assume that because they have something smooth and shiny and reassuringly expensive, it's better than anything else. Their devices are simple and superficial, just like they are, so it suits them fine. It's these people, who belittle my search for a good MP3 player by shrugging it off, that make me hate the products they carry. They do this to everything, claiming that Apple is the best at whatever it takes a swing at. I think that's utterly absurd. They think I'm jealous. I think they're stupid.
But for the sake of responding to this article in particular, lets just assume that there won't be any of that going on. I'll ignore the zealots for a while and pretend that this is a prefectly fair, competitive environment, without fanboys and the like. What happens? Features get copied and improved upon.
That's how everything works in the business world. If you have a competitor, you have two options. Copy and modify/improve upon their solution, or take a radically different approach. But many times, you can't do a radically different approach to something and still have a viable replacement. Applying this to the idea of widgets and such, consider what they really are. They're mini applications that do useful little tasks that don't necessarily deserve a full-screened window. So what does that say about how they must be made? Well, they're small. And because they're small, there has to be some convenient way to organize or store them. That's just a requirement based on their nature. MS chooses to put them on the desktop or side bar, Apple chooses to put them in an alternate desktop thing. And there you have Widgets and Gadgets.
As much fun as it may be to say "Well Microsoft is copying Apple!" people need to consider what it means to be competitive. It's matching and adapting to the competition. If people like Widgets, they should be glad that Gadgets are being used. It's a feature they like which will become more widespread and get more appreciation and usage. Consider the things that might happen:
1. Gadgets end up looking and working worse than Widgets. Apple users laugh at Microsoft and point out that they can't even copy them well.
2. Gadgets and Widgets are about on par with each other. Apple users stubbornly say that they had Gadgets first, so they're automatically better. They also complain that Microsoft is copying them.
3. Gadgets end up being better than Widgets. Apple users cry foul play, that Microsoft copied them, and then promptly forget who has a superior offering when nobody listens to them complain anymore.
Regardless of how the Gadget ends up working in comparison to the Widget, it's still going to be ridiculed.
Is there no way to win this "Feature War" that's going on between OS X and Vista? In the minds of zealots, it doesn't matter who originally showcased the features first or who ends up doing it better or on a wider scale. The only thing that matters is that their side ends up winning, no matter what.
It's these same zealots who make me utterly despise Apple and everything they make. I've got an MP3 player, called a Gmini 400, that also plays videos and stuff. It's just like an iPod, but a little less elegant and a lot more feature-rich. Apple zealots, carrying their iPods which can't even display JPEGs in color most of the time, just kinda scoff at what I've got. They don't even take a look at what it can do, they just assume that because they have something smooth and shiny and reassuringly expensive, it's better than anything else. Their devices are simple and superficial, just like they are, so it suits them fine. It's these people, who belittle my search for a good MP3 player by shrugging it off, that make me hate the products they carry. They do this to everything, claiming that Apple is the best at whatever it takes a swing at. I think that's utterly absurd. They think I'm jealous. I think they're stupid.
RiddickRom
Reply #27 Monday, September 19, 2005 3:24 PM
Reply #27 Monday, September 19, 2005 3:24 PM
I too was a sinner, oh yes, I cussed, I talked down to those heathen Atari ST users and worshipped at the Altar of Amiga. lol
I'm a little older now and hopefully wiser. When I talk to people who are fantatical about an OS, I can't help but think back to how passionate I was. I'd marinade myself in any negative comments about "other" computer platforms and practise my put downs in front of the mirror, ready to pounce on unsuspecting Atari users at school
It all seems a little pointless now though. Linux users who have a go at me for using an unsecure, unstable windows setup can think that and they might be right. Mac users who scoff at me for one reason or another, no worries, they are just being passionate about something that has become personal and important to them. It's a shame we can't all get along and make love bracelets out of usb cables but the world is what it is and zealots and fanboys will always be around. Just let them get on with it and they'll eventually grow out of it I'm sure.
I'm a little older now and hopefully wiser. When I talk to people who are fantatical about an OS, I can't help but think back to how passionate I was. I'd marinade myself in any negative comments about "other" computer platforms and practise my put downs in front of the mirror, ready to pounce on unsuspecting Atari users at school
It all seems a little pointless now though. Linux users who have a go at me for using an unsecure, unstable windows setup can think that and they might be right. Mac users who scoff at me for one reason or another, no worries, they are just being passionate about something that has become personal and important to them. It's a shame we can't all get along and make love bracelets out of usb cables but the world is what it is and zealots and fanboys will always be around. Just let them get on with it and they'll eventually grow out of it I'm sure.
Solosturm
Reply #28 Tuesday, September 20, 2005 8:02 AM
Reply #28 Tuesday, September 20, 2005 8:02 AM
The Mac people just cant get over the fact that something cool was a PC idea for the longest time, and not a mac innovation.
Zoomba
Reply #29 Tuesday, September 20, 2005 8:42 AM
Reply #29 Tuesday, September 20, 2005 8:42 AM
I started my computing life as a Mac Zealot... My Macintosh SE, then the Macintosh LCIII were the height of computing technology and I knew deep in my heart that everyone else on their DOS and Win 3.1 boxes were secretly envious of me. I knew my superiority, for I used a Mac, creator of the GUI!
Then after roughly 10 years of Mac use... we had to upgrade the computer and just didn't have the cash for a brand new Mac. Also, at this point the Internet was going wild with new stuff, and it was all coming out for the PC first... so we went out and bought a top-of-the-line PC... In 1996 that was a Pentium 200MHz HP computer. This baby was 8 times faster than my old machine, and had a whopping 32MB of RAM! 4GB HDD! I was flying high! Of course from that moment on, I was a Windows Zealot. I had seen the err of my ways and abandoned the sinking ship that was Apple. I knew now that Macs looked pretty but didn't do a whole lot of anything interesting. The Mac was now to me a kiddie computer, not something us serious nerds every admitted to using. My PC put-downs gave way to Mac put-downs, and all was good with the world.
Then, a year or two later I discovered Linux. Sure it was buggy, unstable, required an advanced degree in computer science AND you had to have a special, magical hardware configuration to get it to install, but I bought into the hype, the fervor of the community. It wasn't long before I had a dual-boot system going with Windows 98 and RedHat 5.2 (had to keep Windows for games). I looked down on anyone using evil proprietary software, and spouted the Linux Party line whenever anyone asked me about my OS of choice. Windows became a necessary evil. My Mac putdowns were refined to Windows putdowns (with a few Mac ones left in the rotation for variety).
Move forward another two years and suddenly we have MacOS X. At first, I scoffed... it's just another Mac product, it can't be any good... I mean, look at those iMacs! Then, one day I was told to spin up an OS X test box in the computer lab I managed. OS X tickled a part of my brain long thought dead... this wasn't so bad, it's pretty and it has a command line! Oops... just crashed... this is still frustrating. However, the seed had been planted, and soon I was back in the Mac fold, consuming every Mac/Apple newsbit I could. I was becoming a Mac Zealot once more.
Now, here I am a few years later and I've given up the computing zealotry of my not-so-distant youth
On my desk today you will find three machines:
-Valinor: WindowsXP Gaming Rig
-Mordor: SuSE 10.0 RC1 Linux Server
-Angband: G4 PowerBook running OS 10.4. I do most "work" type stuff on this one
I went from thinking one was superior over all others to finally realizing they all rock in their own way for their own uses.
Now... I just have to wait for the Mac and Linux ports of Multiplicity and my life will be complete
Then after roughly 10 years of Mac use... we had to upgrade the computer and just didn't have the cash for a brand new Mac. Also, at this point the Internet was going wild with new stuff, and it was all coming out for the PC first... so we went out and bought a top-of-the-line PC... In 1996 that was a Pentium 200MHz HP computer. This baby was 8 times faster than my old machine, and had a whopping 32MB of RAM! 4GB HDD! I was flying high! Of course from that moment on, I was a Windows Zealot. I had seen the err of my ways and abandoned the sinking ship that was Apple. I knew now that Macs looked pretty but didn't do a whole lot of anything interesting. The Mac was now to me a kiddie computer, not something us serious nerds every admitted to using. My PC put-downs gave way to Mac put-downs, and all was good with the world.
Then, a year or two later I discovered Linux. Sure it was buggy, unstable, required an advanced degree in computer science AND you had to have a special, magical hardware configuration to get it to install, but I bought into the hype, the fervor of the community. It wasn't long before I had a dual-boot system going with Windows 98 and RedHat 5.2 (had to keep Windows for games). I looked down on anyone using evil proprietary software, and spouted the Linux Party line whenever anyone asked me about my OS of choice. Windows became a necessary evil. My Mac putdowns were refined to Windows putdowns (with a few Mac ones left in the rotation for variety).
Move forward another two years and suddenly we have MacOS X. At first, I scoffed... it's just another Mac product, it can't be any good... I mean, look at those iMacs! Then, one day I was told to spin up an OS X test box in the computer lab I managed. OS X tickled a part of my brain long thought dead... this wasn't so bad, it's pretty and it has a command line! Oops... just crashed... this is still frustrating. However, the seed had been planted, and soon I was back in the Mac fold, consuming every Mac/Apple newsbit I could. I was becoming a Mac Zealot once more.
Now, here I am a few years later and I've given up the computing zealotry of my not-so-distant youth
On my desk today you will find three machines:-Valinor: WindowsXP Gaming Rig
-Mordor: SuSE 10.0 RC1 Linux Server
-Angband: G4 PowerBook running OS 10.4. I do most "work" type stuff on this one
I went from thinking one was superior over all others to finally realizing they all rock in their own way for their own uses.
Now... I just have to wait for the Mac and Linux ports of Multiplicity and my life will be complete
RiddickRom
Reply #30 Tuesday, September 20, 2005 10:32 AM
Reply #30 Tuesday, September 20, 2005 10:32 AM
Alas my brain isn't powerful enough to handle three os's, it gets tough trying to remember things on my windows98 box instead of my XP boxes. It sure sounds like a solution though, have them all and enjoy the best that each has to offer.
Wise words there Zoomba.
Wise words there Zoomba.
Dan Kaschel
Reply #31 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 9:49 AM
Reply #31 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 9:49 AM
I prefer Windows Computers, although I think Macs are good computers (Zoomba, gave you an insightful, since I can do that now). But I really like iPod Nano's... especially the black ones. Crazy what effective marketing can do, eh?
Dan
Dan
Istari
Reply #32 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 12:01 PM
Reply #32 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 12:01 PM
What's sad is that Yahoo apparently has killed Konfabulator. Now it's Yahoo Widget Engine. Just rolls off your tongue.
kona0197
Reply #33 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 4:32 PM
I wouldn't get one. They scratch way to easy. So easy if you look at them wrong they get a scratch.
Reply #33 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 4:32 PM
| But I really like iPod Nano's |
I wouldn't get one. They scratch way to easy. So easy if you look at them wrong they get a scratch.
mitchec
Reply #34 Wednesday, August 30, 2006 11:05 PM
Reply #34 Wednesday, August 30, 2006 11:05 PM
Unfortunately most Mac enthusiasts have been tied to Apple and have never seen what's been available for the PC. When Steve Jobs gets up on stage and says Apple has come up with some new goodies, they genuinely believe he's telling the truth. The actual truth is that Apple are very good at polishing other people's ideas and passing them off as there own. I'll give you one good example "Creatives Media Player"
By the way, I have been converted to Mac OSX
By the way, I have been converted to Mac OSX
Campaigner
Reply #35 Monday, February 1, 2010 6:49 PM
Reply #35 Monday, February 1, 2010 6:49 PM
mitchec
Unfortunately most Mac enthusiasts have been tied to Apple and have never seen what's been available for the PC. When Steve Jobs gets up on stage and says Apple has come up with some new goodies, they genuinely believe he's telling the truth. The actual truth is that Apple are very good at polishing other people's ideas and passing them off as there own. I'll give you one good example "Creatives Media Player"
By the way, I have been converted to Mac OSX
By the way, I have been converted to Mac OSX
I immedietly thought of Blizzard when you said polishing 
They sound like talibans. One of my computer teachers (who also work at a citys IT department) who we call "Microsoft Micke" refer to them as "Mac talibans". That's how they're called here in Sweden.
OMG_Splitshadow
Reply #37 Monday, February 1, 2010 7:05 PM
Reply #37 Monday, February 1, 2010 7:05 PM
There are three types of Mac users.
- People who hate Microsoft - they dislike the company because it is a monopoly or they had one bad experience. I can be friends with these people, they often have a semi-valid reason for not using windows
- Total Idiots - graphic designers from the 1990's are included here. They give you idiotic arguments claiming Windows is too hard to use, Mac is more user friendly, these people are lazy and they get nothing done with their terrible computers
- Crazy Mac Zealots - These people believe by using a Mac they are being edgy and rebellious, that they are supporting some sort of revolution. These people are also weak minded and are easily swayed by advertising. Ex: here's a fat businessman, he uses a PC, and here's some hipster dude who looks like he smokes way to much pot. He uses a Mac, won't you please join him o angsty teens of the world?
psychoak
Reply #38 Monday, February 1, 2010 7:46 PM
Reply #38 Monday, February 1, 2010 7:46 PM
Linux is more of a threat to the latest windows OS than the Mac OS is. If Macs didn't exist, they'd still have to worry about people with real computers actually upgrading to something else. After all, without them raising the bar with things like DirectX, there would be zero reason to use it these day.
OMG_Splitshadow
Reply #39 Monday, February 1, 2010 8:13 PM
Reply #39 Monday, February 1, 2010 8:13 PM
Linux is no threat to anyone, it is deplorably difficult for users who have no experience with it. You need a little user-friendliness, but it's important that you don't sacrifice capability for it (COUGH, COUGH MAC)
Hankers
Reply #40 Monday, February 1, 2010 8:26 PM
Reply #40 Monday, February 1, 2010 8:26 PM
*** Note - reply #35 resurrected a 4 year old post.
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Reply #21 Friday, September 16, 2005 9:58 AM
Isn't that rather negative? Without Apple, would MS feel the need to raise the bar, to be innovative or competitive? It seems to me that competition from Apple is a good thing for PC users, and even if it's felt Mac zealots are somewhat ridiculous in their claims that all invention emanates from Apple, we all have something to be grateful for, even if we don't use or will never use a Mac. Neither company wants to be seen as lagging behind the other, so end users benifit from their innovation and striving to be one step ahead.
No, I'm not a Mac user or an Apple employee. In fact, I'm using XP Professional at present, and most certainly will upgrade to Vista when the final product is released, but at the same time wouldn't rule out installing Mac OS X when it's feasible to do so on my Intel based system along side my Windows OS.....because I like to keep an open mind and would find it an enlightening experience.
Actually, I feel sorry for zealots...their tunnel vision and one mindedness disallows thought outside the restrictive square they've become encased in, and sadly there are zealots on both sides of the fence here. Sure, there are some who believe the Mac is 'almighty' and go to extaordinary lengths to sing its praises, which obviously annoys some, but the OS cannot be all bad and Apple must continue, like them or not