My bias toward Macintosh is obvious
by the fact that I read Neal Stephenson's article “In the Beginning was the Command Line” online using my beloved 2009 MacBook Pro. Four years is an
impressive lifespan for a frequently used laptop computer, and I’m proud to say
it’s still running strong. However, after reading this article I’ve concluded
that my bias toward the world of Apple is premature and has little knowledge
backing it up. I like Mac because of the design and I was drawn in by the
simplicity associated with their use. Yet now I feel as if I’ve simply been
drinking the Macintosh Kool-Aid and haven’t really investigated both sides of
the ongoing Mac vs. Windows PC war.
The Macintosh vs. Windows rivalry is talked about constantly and almost everyone has picked a
side. There are entire online forums
devoted to debating this topic where Windows lovers and Apple lovers argue over which is the
better choice. This link is a great example of a website forum devoted to the Windows vs. Apple rivalry. The debating on the forum goes on and on consisting of logical responses
backed with knowledge on the different operating systems, and also responses
like the one that follows:
Obviously this post lacks any sort
of logical argument for the purchase of a Mac over a PC, but one thing it
doesn’t lack is a passion toward one side. Users on both sides of this big
business rivalry have developed strong love connections to whichever type of
computer they prefer to use. I’m this type of consumer. I have a passion for my
Mac, however I also have little technical knowledge to back up my passion. I barely
understand things like disk space and RAM speeds, and when it comes to
operating systems I’m willing to buy the next updated version without even
thinking about it.
I recently bought the new OS X Mountain Lion
blindly without even considering whether or not it was really worth it. Like
I said I’m willing to drink the Macintosh Kool-Aid and put my blind trust in
them assuming their newest OS update was a necessary investment. I fell for the
trap both Macintosh and Windows use to keep making money. They constantly add
new features to their operating systems, like the iMessage app that’s a part of
the new Mountain Lion OS, so that they get consumers to continue to purchase
them even though we can find a cheaper or even free OS somewhere else
(Stephenson 25).
After reading this article I
realized there was a disconnect between me and the underlying layers of
programing that make my Mac work the way it does. I only see operating systems
and software for their face value, and I like Macintosh because it’s “more
accessible to a less technical audience” (Stephenson 11). I’m the less technical audience. I may use software that some consider complex, like Adobe CS6 and
Final Cut Pro, but I have no idea how to write or read the code that makes my computer work the way it does. Stephenson mentioned his experience in the
70’s with teletypes and how then he was very close to computer code and able to see actually visibly see a computer computing. Today the code that makes up my Macintosh computer is buried
deep within the basic functions and desktop setup that makes my Mac so easy to
use. This leaves me questioning whether
it’s fair for me to prefer one type of computer over the other when I barely understand the
difference between them or what makes them even possible. I blindly use
technology without understanding how it even works. After thinking about this, I’ve come to the
conclusion that my bias toward Macintosh is truly rash and lacks technical
facts, and in order to truly know which operating system is the better choice
I’d have to investigate both of the computers makeups more thoroughly.
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