View this article at: http://dev.macnn.com/articles/07/10/10/jason.cross.hates.mac.fans
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 5:50pm
ExtremeTech: Mac fans are t...
An ExtremeTech editorial opines that the worst part of Apple Inc. is its loyal fan base. Responding to a reader email about his impression of a MacBook Pro one year into use, Jason Cross says that there are plenty of things OS X does very well, and better than any version of Windows, but the thing he hates most about using a Mac are the "Apple fans." He says that while the stereotype of rabid fan does not represent all Mac users, "there are enough bad apples (pardon the pun) to spoil the bunch." In the piece, Cross uses typical rhetoric, arguing that many Apple "fans" persistently claim that Microsoft and others steal ideas from Apple, attempting to point out instances where Apple has allegedly copied intellectual property: "Dashboard in OS X rips off Konfabulator and other widget engines predating it, Spaces knocks off many prior Virtual Desktop features, [...] that fancy CoverFlow stuff was purchased from third-party developer Steel Skies."

Cross also claims that Apple fans have a notion that the company can do no wrong. He writes "When other companies, especially arch-rival Microsoft, does the same exact thing, it's a travesty and obviously clear evidence of why the courts should take them down. When Microsoft bundles its own software with Windows, it's time for antitrust litigation. When Apple does the same with Mac computer or OS X, they're not shutting out competitors—they're adding value." He also points to the iPhone's lack of real 3rd party applications, and the lockdown from Apple's partner AT&T. "You know, AT&T refusing to provide unlock codes for iPhones is against federal regulations, right? Where's the outrage?" He concludes "To all you Mac users that are calm, rational, objective, and fair: god bless you. Now, could you please give the Cult members a hard kick in the ass?"