Feel free to spread the rant! ;-) ipod, imac...it's all about me, me, me and my bubble that preserves my fragile social identity and social status. Hmmm, maybe I should deconstruct Apple's advertising... Might be a constructive thing to do with my annoyance at the me-me-me meme ;-)

Joe - Yep, they're also not open to collaboration with artists...even thought their whole reputation comes from the fact that they used to be used by a lot of artists (now non-commercial artists tend to use PCs because they need flexible tools like Max and need to be able to program). Graphic designers (aka people who usually work in some form of advertising and are all about surface over substance) and people who want to look like artists tend to buy Macs these days, not actual artists. Musicians I know who use Macs tend to try to obscure their identity somewhat (since Apple makes sure all their products are big branded advertisements).

Apples doesn't like sharing - they're as crap and controlling as Microsoft - certainly no less evil (and more evil than some computer makers). They're also incredibly ungenerous with sponsorship of art and music events, even though they spend such excessive amounts on advertising.

Jobs is a bit of a wackjob hypocrite from what I can tell. Until convinced otherwise, he refused convention treatment for a very operable cancer in favor of woo. (I've also heard that he called Apple Apple because he was into raw food, but that may not be true.) Jobs is clearly good at myth building, and most of his "radicalness" seems to be of the mythical and not real variety. If he was really "radical" he'd have made Apple a green company instead of creating superpolluting disposable gadgets with short life spans. Early Macs were pretty good - if you made sure not to buy the latest, just released model - but quality has been steadily declining.

I started out on PC and then moved to Mac. I kinda wish I'd stuck with PCs since I'd actually know a lot more about hands-on programming if I had. When I need (can afford) a new computer I'll be seriously considering a PC instead of a Mac for a variety of reasons - one of them being to step back from the sheeple! (Besides, PCs come in all kinds of pretty colours these days and are often more attractive than Macs.)

These days I'm just watching my friends be used by their iphones. It's the ultimate tool for the narcissistic and overly self involved (which his normal in a teenager but dysfunctional in adults who shouldn't need constant outside affirmation they exist). It's quite amazing how many people can't simply be present in the moment in the slightest...but that's what happens when you think you can purchase authenticity or that owning a certain object defines your identity as being "radical" or "creative"......*sigh* I love the potential of technology and enjoy the tools we have but I'm finding that most people are being used by large corporations and the technology they think defines their identity, rather than using technology as a tool for their own ends and for authentic self expression.

Joe - No doubt many of their customers would lap it up if it was sold to them the right way....you know, convince them they're "early adopters" ;-)