Mac's are a way of life
The latest and greatest in a long line of Apple technology is about to be released and will likely be the hit everyone is expecting it to be. A faster model of Apple’s iPhone will be on shelves June 19, and Steve Jobs’ company seems to be priming itself to be the next electronics juggernaut after everyone finally realized how bad Microsoft was.
Many people have speculated as to exactly why Apple has been able to gain such a large part of the personal computer market so quickly, but credit has been spread over many different areas. Marketing, originality and ease-of-use have played huge parts in developing the company, but that’s not the key to its success.
Jobs isn’t trying to grow a brand, he’s trying to grow an army.
I grew up in a small, suburban school district in the south of Michigan, and from an early age, I was bred to like Apple. When my school district decided to update the computers in all of its computer labs, Apple was the choice. At the time it was logical — they’re safe, don’t have many errors and are virtually idiot-proof. Really, it’s everything you’d want in a middle school computer.
Throughout the course of my educational career, I got to know Apple very well. Every time I had to write a paper, it was on a Macintosh. Every time a PowerPoint needed to be made, it was on a Mac. Every time I discreetly sent immature e-mails to other people in my computer class, it was on a Mac. For me and many other people in school systems like mine, getting work done became synonymous with Macintosh.
Then we went to college — and we bought Macs. No great marketing strategy, it’s just what we were used to by then. The simplicity of Apple’s products put them into schoolrooms all over the country. Now those years and years of practice with their products is what’s driving the company. We’re the minions of the new computer monopoly. And we can be called into action with a 30-second clip of a Feist song.
Jump to commentsEverybody's Got Opinions
The State News opinion desk fills you in on the little issues that are on their minds. Everybody’s got opinions — these are ours.
Subscribe.FEATURED CLASSIFIEDS:More classifieds»
in Employment:
in Apts. For Rent:
- OLD ORCHARD apartments. 2 bdrm for $500, 1 bdrm fo...
- RIVER GLEN, 2 bdrm, furn. All apts w/ balcony. Acr...
in Houses/Rent:
- AUG '10. 1230 Lilac. new kitchen! 5 bdrm/2 bath. L...
- AUG. '10. 1031 Daisy. Private, 1 bdrm, spacious. L...
in Misc. For Sale:
- Popular
- Illegal explosives thrown from car had potential to kill
- Fighting for an unkept Promise
- Police going overboard on firework explosion case
- Friends remember sophomore Rosman as 'genuine guy'
- World must come together on climate change
- After jail release, instructor remains on paid leave
- Kidnapping charge dropped for Higuchi
- ASMSU faces scholarship funding decision
- Concern for preservation of MSU classics department triggers 1,500-signature petition
- Spartans get back on track, rout Broncos 49-14
- Newest
- Izzo displeased with MSU's 75-62 win against Toledo
- Police brief 11/20/09
- Web exclusive: Hockey team ties Notre Dame 1-1, loses shootout 2-1
- No. 21 Spartans lose to No. 5 Notre Dame by 1
- MSU releases few details about police investigation
- What could you buy with City Center II?
- Children's theatre receives 3 grants
- Jewish workplace focus of lecture
- Lecture on the mind to be held Friday
- Turnout for Granholm's Mich. Promise Scholarship rally low
- Comments
-
hmmm said: sounds like homeboy broke his window and didn't want to get stuck with the charge for it.
(added 2 hours ago) more » -
mike said: Ok then, let's ban tasers. Let them just use their bullets instead.
(added 2 hours ago) more » -
Re: Sports said: Do you know why black's tend to be "naturally better" at sports than white people?
(added 2 hours ago) more » -
Ron Yogman said: Beat 'em up, beat 'em up,
Spartans. Smash mouth football versus PSU.
This Spartan is a Floridian
and I need you to run up the score so you go bowling in the Sunshine State, not Texas
or Arizona or heaven forbid,
Detroit.
(added 3 hours ago) more » -
R said: really state news? you couldn't find anyone with a dissenting opinion?
(added 3 hours ago) more »
-
hmmm said: sounds like homeboy broke his window and didn't want to get stuck with the charge for it.
- Sat 21st
-
Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey
All day -
John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
All day -
John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
All day
-
Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey
- Sun 22nd
-
Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey
All day -
John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
All day -
John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
All day
-
Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey
- Mon 23rd
-
Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey
All day -
John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
All day -
John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
All day
-
Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey
- Tue 24th
-
Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey
All day -
John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
All day -
John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
All day
-
Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK:More reprints »
Gov. Jennifer Granholm speaks to a crowd about the Michigan Promise Scholarship during a rally Wednesday morning outside the Administration Building. Granholm is touring colleges in Michigan to discuss the scholarship.
Powered by reprints.statenews.com.











Macklin
06/10/09 12:28amYou are a shameless corporate shill. Everybody’s got opinions — that is mine.
I'm an Advertiser...and I'm a PC
06/10/09 2:34pmDid Apple buy ad space in the State News and disguise it as blog entry? Minions of the new computer monopoly? Sounds like a new slogan to me!
In all seriousness, this was an incredibly pointless article.
Not to be a bitch...
06/10/09 9:08pmBut you need to learn how to use an apostrophe.
It’s “MACS are a way of life”.
Idiot.
over-rated
06/11/09 1:52amGotta love paying $500 extra for a computer that looks nice but can’t do anything that a PC cannot also do – tool!
Hmm
06/11/09 2:13pmAll of State News’ computers are macs. Looks like they’re just trying to score some sweet discount from Apple.
Stat check
06/11/09 3:06pm“Many people have speculated as to exactly why Apple has been able to gain such a large part of the personal computer market so quickly.”
Here’s the IDC market share data from 4/15/09, provided on a pro-Mac website:
http://www.macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/idc_apple_fourth_in_us_personal_computer_market_with_76_share_in_q1_09/
7.6% share in the US and not even noted worldwide.
...View full comment »
Dr. Lawyer
06/11/09 3:47pm“Every time a PowerPoint needed to be made, it was on a Mac”
horrible
To me, owning a Mac is like owning a pair of 100$ jeans.
alum'80
06/12/09 1:37pmAhhhh grasshopper you do not know what you say…..
...I was a hardcore PC person until this year. You know what killed my loyalty? VISTA!! One of the most illogical, problematic and annoying “upgrades” ever! My PC eventually became unusable when I “upgraded” to the extent that I had to buy a copy of XP, install a new hard drive, and reload all my software.
View full comment »
Hm
06/12/09 9:44pmIf you want to play games, or are on a tighter budget a Mac isn’t for you. If you don’t and have the extra cash and don’t mind spending it then a Mac may be for you. It’s that simple.
Steve
06/14/09 2:56pm“A faster model of Appleâs iPhone will be on shelves June 19, and Steve Jobsâ company seems to be priming itself to be the next electronics juggernaut after everyone finally realized how bad Microsoft was.”
Once Windows 7 and Windows Mobile 7 are released we can finally say goodbye to the massive Apple-arrogance that has proliferated. The days of Apple raping everyone with the unofficial Apple-tax they attach to everything in the “apps store” will be gone.
...View full comment »
Proud to be a Mac, because I choose to be one
06/16/09 6:35pm@Steve
Windows 7 and Windows Mobile 7 still use the same old shitty technologies. Windows 7 is nothing more than a prettier Vista with a different name. And as far as the “Apple-tax”, you might want to do some more comparisons between an equivalent MacBook Pro and a Dell, they don’t differ by much.
I use both a PC (Windows 7) and a MacBook and in my opinion, the experience and power of the Mac is way better than the PC.
...View full comment »
Elizabeth
06/17/09 2:03amIt’s too bad people feel the need to side with either Macs or PCs. I mean really, who cares if you own a Mac and the guy across the street gets a PC. Just let the guy across the street suffer with the poor choice he made. But there’s no need for either sides to get cocky or argue about who has the better equipment. People are going to buy the system they want depending on their guidelines, so let’s just let it go already.
...View full comment »
Dear Elizabeth
06/17/09 5:49pmThe last sentence of your post contradicts the first sentence of your post. Congrats on not reading the entire thing after typing it though.
@ Proud to be a Mac
06/17/09 5:52pmYou say: “Enjoy your cheap computer and continue being the narrow-minded individual that you are.” That is why PC users, and the non-indoctrinated Mac users get annoyed by certain Mac users. The superiority act gets REALLY old.