Mac vs PC

[essayel]

Let's just say that I, personally have nothing against Macs. I understand that they are excellent machines with many advantages, as well as the little fillip you get out of being different to the average home computer user. But they are also pricey - costing more than I can really justify spending when, for me, a PC does the job quite well enough.

But why do some Mac users have to be so bloody offensive? No, not all. Most of you are sweet. But today I had a young man who borrowed my broadband dongle, plugged it into his Mac and when it didn't work IMMEDIATELY he yanked it out and gave it back with a discontented pout. He wondered why the whole of Wales only uses PCs when Macs are so superior and complained about the problems he was having sending files that "you PC users can't open". [We are the - um 91%?] There was some eye rolling and impatience that I might have forgiven if there had been a little humour with it, but coupled with a sneer, no.

I didn't say 'fuck you' but I thought it. Grrrr

Other than that it has been an interesting day. The film premiere for Resistance is today so we had events in the museum. The Powers that Be decreed that it would be nice if we dressed 1940s and since I couldn't find anything to fit I've spent the day in a boiler suit with a scarf round my head. We were supposed to be window dressing but after 20 minutes or so of standing around like a poorly made animatronic puppet I got bored and went to do the accounts. However I can tell you that Owen Sheers, Tom Wlaschiha and Alexander Doetsch are even prettier in the flesh than their photos imply. Also a LOT skinnier!

Jen came with me and dressed up too, but she was all glam with red lips and her hair in a snood. I looked like I'd just come off the swing shift, packing shells with HE.

Comments

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

XP was GOOD. That's why they had to stop supporting it. Why would anybody buy their new crap when something better already existed?

[essayel.livejournal.com]

I guess there's always *gulp* Linux. But I think I'd want the opportunity of getting to know it a bit before I went over to the Penguin.

I've been using Windows since 3.1 and used Dos before that. I rarely think beyond those options.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

I tried buying a computer with Linux. It came loaded with both McAffee and Norton, and I couldn't get the damned thing to boot up because the two security systems were locked in a death struggle. I'd call tech support, the hardware people would tell me it was a software problem (and I'm sure they were right) and the Linux geek-boys sneered at me because I was a non-geek trying to use their damned system - a mere civilian. I've never dealt with such a bunch of supercilious assholes in my life. Linux advertises itself as easy enough for ordinary folks, and maybe their customer service has improved in the five years since I dealt with them, but from what I've seen of them, the penguin is a snarky boy i don't want to waste time on. It's a pity, because I DID want it to work.

[essayel.livejournal.com]

Gah that brand of geeky arrogance can be very hard to bear. I come across it in history fora as well. "Well obviously Varangian helmets cheekguards are shaped differently *eye roll* any fool would know that!" It's the downside of the internet. People with specialised knowledge and no social skills let their inner-pricks out to play.

The railway enthusiasts are the worst IRL. I have a friend who paints murals, she does her research very carefully within the time frame she's allowed to get the job done. When she was doing a depiction of the local railway station as it was in 1943 she had 2 elderly men come and watch her paint everyday. They talked to her a lot about what she was doing, but they waited until the job was finished to tell her with great relish that the bridge, which she had correctly painted GWR maroon and cream, had been rust brown primer all through 1943 [something he knew because he remembered it] so her painting was 'incorrect and misleading'. "Bloody women," one of them said, "just can't be bothered to do their homework."

Remembering that kind of thing is useful. No matter how much research one does when writing there will always be someone who either has done that little bit more, or has read more up to date material or who was THERE who can pick a hole in what one thought was whole cloth.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

I suppose they were waiting for her to beg them for their advice. Or, who knows, maybe she did and they didn't think of that detail until after she was done.Meh.