how should i have responded to this???

[mattbiernat]

Everybody had to bring their laptops to class today. I brought it my new x300 and didn't quite realize that there are still high schoolers in med school...
Here is how my classmate started a conversation:
- Is this laptop like really really old??
- Mac is so much superior
- Mac is simple, no viruses Mac is this and that
- Simple
- Simple
I mean how do you respond to this??????

[RealBlackStuff]

Stay out of it, let them sort it out between themselves.

[bill bolton]

Mac is simplistic.

• characterized by extreme and often misleading simplicity; "a simplistic theory of the universe"; "simplistic arguments of the ruling party"
  
  overly simple; In a manner that simplifies the issue to a degree where many important details are lost; not complex ; simple ; usually an insult
  
  overly simplified, as in: The drug problem hasn't been solved by simplistic slogans like "Just say no".

Simplistic does not equal simple

Cheers,

Bill B.

[beGi]

IMO, if someone doesn't know what thinkpad is he/she doesn't deserve any explanation, and doesn't qualify for ANY laptop discussion.

Mac is superior? Hm, today's Mac is PC with OS X installed, and only advantage that mac has is display...

Or you could just play him this...

To judge something by it's looks? Well, that won't take you far no matter what you are talking about...

And if someone underestimates you, then YOU have the advantage.

And in the end, you can always send him to hell (verbally, of course)...

OK, now you are armed and good to go...

But if I were you, I would do just what RealBlackStuff wrote...

[JaneL]

I mean how do you respond to this??????

I wouldn't. I would just raise an eyebrow and continue on with what I was doing. Their opinions are irrelevant.

[mattbiernat]

thanks guys. i was just suprised on how emotional that entire thing got...

[Stargate199]

I would say that you have no idea what you are talking about, this machine is one the most advanced laptops on the market. Does your shinny new macbook have a SSD? No, didn't think so, thanks for playing. Also check out my built in WWAN modem, I can get internet ANYWHERE without a stupid card sticking out of my machine.

[gator]

Don't even bother ... just carry on with you work and enjoy your thinkpad.

[Temetka]

As someone who loves both Apple and IBM and owns and carries both on a daily basis, all I can tell you is that while I find OS X superior to Windows XP I prefer the hardware and design of the Thinkpads.

When some of these mac kids comes up to me and start talking about how superior the Mac is, I just ignore them. Most of them haven't been around since the days of the 286 CPU and /or the the transition from the 68K to the PPC. They have no respect or understanding of anything 'old-school'.

I used to try to to educate them, but they don't want to learn. The don't want to understand why the tool the bought is a great tool: for specific tasks. They just consume, which is what consumers do I guess. I can't blame them for their behaviour any more than I can blame my cat for pooping in the flowers.

[Marin85]

When some of these mac kids comes up to me and start talking about how superior the Mac is, I just ignore them. Most of them haven't been around since the days of the 286 CPU and /or the the transition from the 68K to the PPC. They have no respect or understanding of anything 'old-school'.

I used to try to to educate them, but they don't want to learn. The don't want to understand why the tool the bought is a great tool: for specific tasks. They just consume, which is what consumers do I guess. I can't blame them for their behaviour any more than I can blame my cat for pooping in the flowers.

Well said!

EDIT: Whatever...

[jdhurst]

You pick a computer to fit your needs and no one else's. When some one tells you their OS is superior, you know you have an infantile juvenile on your hands. Ignore them. (and switch channels instantly when the two computers come on the air). ... JDH

[Beaver]

Well, check this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hnOCUkbix0

[NorrisCell]

As long as there are Macs, there will be owners giving an unsolicited opinion of how they are better. I run into the same thing with VW owners versus my Toyota (Not bashing, just giving an example I've experienced) and ESPECIALLY iPhone owners versus any phone I own at the time.

Generally speaking, people who offer the opinion that they have a superior product in their possession without being asked are A. Overcompensating, B. Ignorant, or C. Both

As RBS said, walk away.

today's Mac is PC with OS X installed

That is an excellent statement.

[BeeJayEmm]

snipped

Thanks, that's a good one!
You've probably seen this.

Brian

[asiafish]

As long as there are Macs, there will be owners giving an unsolicited opinion of how they are better. I run into the same thing with VW owners versus my Toyota (Not bashing, just giving an example I've experienced) and ESPECIALLY iPhone owners versus any phone I own at the time.

Generally speaking, people who offer the opinion that they have a superior product in their possession without being asked are A. Overcompensating, B. Ignorant, or C. Both

As RBS said, walk away.

today's Mac is PC with OS X installed

That is an excellent statement.

Actually today's Mac is an extremely well-designed, well-made, high-end PC with OS X installed. It is equal to a ThinkPad (better in some ways, worse in others) in its hardware, but of course you cannot (legally or simply) run OS X on a ThinkPad, while you can easily and legally run Windows on a Mac.

I run both OS X and Windows Vista on both my MacBook Pro and my ThinkPad. Actually, Windows is even easier to install and configure on the Mac than on any other PC out there. Apple did an amazing job with the single installer application that installs and configures all devices on the Mac to work perfectly in Windows. On my ThinkPad, I had to download the wifi car driver using a different PC and move it to my TP with a thumbdrive. From there I had to get Lenovo Software update and run it two or three times to get my drivers all up to snuff. The MacBook Pro? Just stick your OS X DVD into the drive and click OK. After that, Apple Software update will offer the trackpad driver (if you have the new unibody MacBook or Pro) and download that one driver for you.

[Temetka]

today's Mac is PC with OS X installed

Techically, yes.

Part of me wants to scream, No.

Todays Mac is the culmination of every machine before it. Every design idea, every advance (or step backwards) in the OS.

[BillMorrow]

i acquired a macbook pro just to see what the whoo-haw was all about and to learn a little about os/x..

well, what i learned was that os/x is complex and so different from windows that i could never get the mac book to play on my wifi or print to a printer on the wifi..

i can not swap the HDD for another and experiment with different versions of ANY os..

its real pretty and stylish in its own way and probably really good at what it does but it now gathers dust on the shelf..

maybe i'm too accustomed top thinkpads and just how great a piece of hardware a thinkpad is..

in the words of the Packard Motor Car advertising of 108 years ago, "Ask the man who owns one"..

[jamerslong]

I dont hate Mac os, its very simple to use, but it can get a little frustrating when trying to get it to talk to windows.
theres limited support for 3rd party accessories. but every day somthing new comes along with mac support.
my biggest jump on the mac is the lack of software. it's a productivity based Operating system. With that said most software that is available for mac os is Expensive.

speaking of expensive, the hardware is overpriced

hey bill, ever played with linux... ittle make mac os a walk in the park.

but with that all being said. i would just show them my Mac os installation and they shut up everytime. I dont even use the mac os for any other purpose then that.

[BillMorrow]

yes..

from unix 5 with berkeley extensions thru to several linux releases..
linux is fine but im lazy..

[Marin85]

@mattbiernat: Pick some Linux distro and install compiz-fusion on it and let them watch

Marin

[mattbiernat]

better yet install linux, osx and vista and use all 3 at the same time. but my system has no real graphic card except for the intel media accelerator so i don't think it would handle it quite well.

[ajkula66]

No response is the only proper response to another person's ignorance and arrogance, IMHO...

I understand what people see in Macs and OS-X, but was personally never attracted to either/or...

Whatever works best for you is the only measure that is applicable...

For instance, by reading your posts I'm getting the impression that you're quite happy with the X300/Vista combo, which I personally have no love for.

But that doesn't matter in the least, what I feel about it.

You're the one who bought it, and as long as it works for you, and does what you need it to do, you have every reason to be proud and happy, mostly of yourself for making the choice that was the correct one for you.

My $0.02 only...

[mikey pizano]

Just put OS X on that sucker and slap him with it!