New York Times:
IN his new book, "True Enough: Learning to Live in a Post-Fact Society," Farhad Manjoo, a writer for Salon, argues that "new communications technologies are loosening the culture's grip on what people once called 'objective reality.' "
In an excerpt posted this week, he looks at an area where facts often become particularly slippery, specifically perceived bias in the news media against, of all things, a technology company: Apple.
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Isn't it the thin-skin of human beings? Ever see the react from supporters of political candidates when they perceive that the media has been unjust? Same as with Apple supporters or Microsoft lovers.
Apple makes a nice product, but Apple owners can be sooooooo freakin' smug sometimes. It's an operating system, not a religion.
Bill Gates takes the clunky DOS os and tacks Apple's windows look onto it and Calls himself Microsoft. And he has actively sought to undermine Apple ever since, for refusing to give up their os in favor of his and for the threat that creates to his dominance. He may not be the greatest engineer in the world, but he is a great salesman and has always had a lot of help from some very powerful people.
Just Google "Steve Berman vs Apple." Berman is counsel to Microsoft and a friend of Gates'. Together they have brought numerous nuisance suits, usually about the time Apple's stock is poised to take off, oddly enough. God bless the internet for giving us this info.
Duh-huh. As far as Microsoft is concered, DOS is dead. Has been for years. Windows ME was the last version with any kind of actual DOS core. The Windows command prompt is a simulated DOS prompt. Apple's OS X, however IS a graphical interface tacked on to a text based core just like other GNU/Linux based operating systems. OS X is based on the text based open source Darwin. I've had my version of OS X interface crash and leave me at the Darwin text prompt. As for Apple's "look," some of Windows is Apple's look and feel, some of it ain't. I can say the same for OS X. Some look and features are Windows based, some ain't. Parts of OS X's interface is also "borrowed" from GNU/Linux and IBM's OS/2. It don't matter as long as it works for you.
As for your claims against Gates and friends, I haven't seen your "evidence", so I can't comment one way or another. It could be real, or it could be written by a paranoid anti-Microsoft crack pot (they do exist along with anti-Apple crack pots).
Agreed. I was just pointing out that Bill built his company on an already ancient and pretty clunky os with a lot of lipstick on it. And my guess would be that Apple's original os would have been more Unix based, back in the day before the user friendly Linux versions came out, which is still head and shoulders above most anything for intuitive user navigating and scalability. My point was that Bill was, and still is, primarily a salesman. But that still doesn’t answer the big question: why did Bill Gates win all these customers in the first place? The answer to that question, is the same answer as what makes every rich man rich: Government Contracts. Apple focused on education, Bill went for the cash cow just like Larry Ellison at Oracle. Not exactly conspiracy theory stuff, but it does put you in the same room with the right people. Draw your own conclusions.
I've found that since Steve Jobs returned to the company Apple products are usually an exercise in style over substance. It saved the company from bankruptcy, but leads to products with glaring deficiencies. Dare mention them to an Apple fanatic and very defensive; sometimes down right angry. I think many of Apple's hardware products look really cool, but when I look at the specs they come up short for the price.
For the record, I'm neither an Apple basher, nor a Microsoft booster. I own a Mac PPC, a Vista PC, and a GNU/Linux PC. Each has their strengths and glaring weaknesses.
I have been an avid PC user all my life from the DOS days. When apple first came out I wanted to buy their first computer, but was too young and poor to afford a computer-over the years I saw the Apple company go to crap and then when Jobs returned, seen the company improve because of its IPOD business. The IPOD market is one where Apple simply created. Until a year ago, I never thought I would own anything Apple. A year ago I ended up getting a great deal on an 30 GB Video IPOD that I couldn't pass up. All my CD's and music is centralized and backed up and really neat with nice. I also got it customized with a ton of accessories. No big deal, but it made my life simplier. So fast forward to today. After 4-5 years my Dell Computer mother board and power adapter Konks out and my computer is hosed. I decide to purchase A very strong computer with 2GB RAM, NVIDIA 8600MGS and a T7500 Duo with all the trimmings. But low and behold, with the Vista OS, I find the performance for what I do is actually worse than my previous system with Windows 2000. What's more Microsoft refuses to help me with issues relating to its software from day one even though my paperwork says they are.
Unfortunately I spoke to every human I could and discovered Microsoft strong armed all the big distributors to put it on. For me the only company that offers what I want on laptop was Toshiba Tecra A9-S9015X. With the Film and photo editing software I need, that bumps be to roughly $1500. But the software is not working will with Vista. I happened to be in a retail store and found a MACPRO that the company was selling at a discount because they wanted t make room for the same computer with a faster chip. Fro 2.4GHZ to 2.4. They dropped the price to the same price as the Tera with the software I needed. The MACPRO looks better and addition to running Leopard (which is OK), nothing to run home about, it will also run my old XP and all my same applications including Office Enterprise 2007.
My Apple actually runs MS software faster and better than on PC computers sold with Vista or XP on them. The major drawback I see with Apple is a lack of software applications that appear to be slowly improving. You cannot run Windows Media Player, but for me Direct X is no big deal. If you like safari, you can there I think, but with Mozilla on Leopard MS has made it so you can't. But like with Vista, there are work arounds if you look around.
The profits of the IPODs enabled Apple to put together a plan to bring its computers up to the standards of its competition. Understand, only 5 years ago, the company looked like it was disappearing off the face of this earth and the quality/compatibility of its computer/Hardware/Software was being stressed to the point, they appeared unable to bring up the quality and down their costs-nobody was buying them anymore as their market share was about 2%. By increasing the market share on computers even a little bit, the profits could be great because the product is a lot more expensive than any other product they sell. So now you have Apples that "Got It." They came out at a time when Microsoft is flat on their backs with the Vista debacle and their new models are continuing to improve.
For your camera for photos or digital films, all you need is firewire and your information is transferred in a heartbeat uploaded where you want it right there on the spot-ready for editing if you like. You don't need any card readers. Software for the video and sound cards are integrated right into the system. With Vista, the media ceter is not developed nor has the software for the Vista certified hardware be developed. Some say it migh not be possible with the way Vista was made.
I am a Microsoft fan an still love PC's and really love the way Aero part of Vista. SP1 didn't do anything for me. Fankly with XP oing so well, I not sure why Microsoft decided on a 32 but version of Vista instead of only 64 bit. Leopard is 64 bit.
Apple has a lot of devoted fans that I'm sure were frustrated for a long time and right now with the Vista flop, and the quality of their computers have strong products that will hold their own against both with price, ease of use and quality. Apples market share with computers continues to rise as life long PC users are opting to give Macs a try. So far, it suits my needs and the price is right. Although the MACs components were made in China like other brands, their products seem to last longer. If you have a computer for years and can get one that will do the same things and look and run a little better for the same price, that's personal preference. 2 years ago, I never in my mind though I would own Apple anything. Now I have two devices. As for Apple coming out with better screen, there are plenty Matte screens out there that are 22" to 24" selling for $200 to $250 without being the Apple brand. For that reason, its important to understand for a company struggle to gain market share to keep its product line a live and profitable, why would Apple put out a commodity product that would give limited returns when that R & D money can be spent on developing anything else. The IPOD cannot maintain that market share forever and you cannot put all your eggs in one baket
I've spoken to many apple fans and I get that Apple makes really good products. But does this mean that all technologies that do not have a half eaten apple as its logo do not deserve to exist? To each his own
I've managed to not buy an Apple computer....yet...That new air thingie is sure good looking, though. If they ever get to price it competitively relative to its performance, they will have set the hook for me.
Keep in mind there is not internal CD or DVD player/recorder, it is available as an external add on, the mecahnical HD is small 2 inch, I think it is 40GB, and not very fast, there is the option to an all electronic drive which would be faster. I do not remember for sure but I do not think it had any network capabilty and it had limited I/O connectors. About the only positive thing was that is was thin and externly light around 3 pounds if I remember correctly.
But also keep in mind that it does not come loaded with Bill Gates inside, tracking your every move and recording it on the index where it cannot be erased.
That was an interesting article. I've been a big Apple fan for about 10 years, owning 8 their top end towers/notebooks and also bunch of ipods. The iphone was the first product they released where I didn't jump right in and buy one (combo of the price and the exclusive AT&T service provider was a deal killer) and now Apple is out with the Air, which I see as a seriously flawed product. I think the company for the last 2 years had been believing its own hype and believing that their fans will truly go out and buy every new product that Apple proclaims a 'must-have.' I've noticed the fanaticism Apple fans have for the company's product and it was interesting to read about this scientific research explaining why that is. I think Apple is a revolutionary company BUT I also think Apple makes their best products when the feedback and consumer acceptance is based on a well thought out quality device with the right price-point. Both of those areas have been lacking in Apple's latest product releases.
WTF? Media coverage of Apple has been almost universally positive, especially when compared with Microsoft. I'll have some of what Farhad Manjoo's smoking, especially if it helps me forget the current occupant of the Whitehouse.
I think that the author of this piece is misrepresenting what Farhad Manjoo actually stated.
It was a bit more than what the author's statement following implies:
"But because he mentioned that the phone was a bit pricey, “several readers alleged that I was an Apple-hater.” One wrote him to ask, “Does Salon actually pay you or are you being paid under the table by rival companies?"
The original review is below:
http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2007/06/30/iphone_review/
I don't take offense at the review by Farhad. It was fair and in context. But that Farhad is now implying that price was the singular point of contention, is certainly NON-FACTUAL, and to use this as an example on Apple Fanboys and "Objective Reality" is dishonest. I don't have the responses to Farhad to guide me, but I would bet that as much of the contention had to do with his statements regarding Apple's lack of features and the inevitable inclusion of said lacking features in future releases.
I can assure you, having been with Apple since the Mac 128, that there are fanboys and evangelists, and I have been both on occasion. This is not Apple specific behavior, and in fact I can make a pretty good argument that the mac forums that I participate in, are anything but a den of fanboys (macrumors especially). For the record, I am a Mechanical Engineer, and I have two macs and two PC's in operation.
Still, considering how much Apple benefits from the media, I certainly would be the last to complain about these fluff pieces or the almost daily articles in Huffpost on Apple.
I don't really get the big controversy here. I'm sure RIMM had its toads out there bad-mouthing the IPhone. Having just purchased my first Apple product, MacBookPro, I'm a believer. Apple makes products for customers, not what sells best.
I would like to see Apple come out with a professional-grade monitor. I don't know about the 23 or 30 inch widescreen displays, but the 20" is JUNK, as far as I'm concerned. Apple can do better.
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First Posted: 03-22-08 02:35 PM | Updated: 03-30-08 05:12 AM