Anti-Apple rant

[Mike Barskey]

I like Apple products, but recently I had a bad-enough experience with Apple that I almost switched. Almost. Anyway, I wanted to share this bad experience so others can have a little more anecdotal data when judging for themselves whether to patronize Apple and/or AT&T.

http://tinyurl.com/3xcw7qu

[AntonLee]

that's a lot of bullshit to deal with.  I'm by far no computer expert but your whole story just sounds like something I'd just give up on.  I have a crap phone and was looking into upgrading to a smartphone. 

The idea of me having a smartphone I think is at least 4-5 years away.  Consumers have a way of taking a while to 'force' changes that are unappealling to them.

My first computer was an apple IIc.  I then got a performa.  The ease of use was something my family preferred and hence we didn't go with windows pc.  Windows caught up and caught our attention.  Now I hear about new technologies like Linux and etc. and really have no idea about what they are.  It might take a while for them to catch up and catch my attention.

[MTPorcupine3]

Hm. I thought you were going to rain on our upcoming annual Apple Fest in Grafton.

[KBCraig]

The AT&T partnership has really strained the limits of Apple's previously excellent reputation for customer service.

Personally, I have no problem with AT&T, but my customer service needs are simple: give me a website where I can pay my bill every month and read the usage details, and I'm good. I know others have had terrible service, but they need more "servicing" than I do.

We're in an area where coverage is excellent throughout the region, but it doesn't look like we'll be able to keep AT&T after we move.

I'm sorry that Apple didn't do more to fix the situation. With the number of "non-Apple" people they're trying to switch over to their computers through exposure to their consumer products and phones, you'd think they'd reach out even harder for iPhone customers.

[Raineyrocks]

Hm. I thought you were going to rain on our upcoming annual Apple Fest in Grafton.

I thought maybe there was a worm in an apple. 

[leetninja]

i wish i had caught this before you wasted that money on craigs list

[K. Darien Freeheart]

Mike, in general, phone subsidies require a contract. It's why the charge really high cancellation fees also. Those phones cost about $500 to produce, unless they know they'll recover the cost, you'll have to pay full price. That's generally true on any carrier or any platform.

My Nexus One was $600 without a contract and $199 with.

As to the integration with iLife and the like... That's not a technical problem, it's a copyright/patent one. And I know you already know this. I just want to point out to you that because of Apple's use of so-called "Intellectual Property" (they're statistically worse than Microsoft at suing competitiors, especially since Bill Gates stepped down), it's likely that you'll NEVER break from this. Apple's smoothly integrated formats and proprietary software mandate you have no choice but to forever rely on Apple products for that same thing. There are other sets of formats and protocols that you could use, but it would require a shift in your patterns for right now. It's more or less a matter of if making that shift now is worth it for you, or if making that shift when Apple decides to change their system to keep that "competitive edge" and set competitors back a generation.

[Mike Barskey]

You're right, Kevin. I do know that what I desire about Apple is it's own proprietary software, and I know Apple is notorious for using government for enforcing it's "intellectual property rights." I realize that almost all of what I want to do could be done with open-source software and hardware that supports it, but so far I've never seen a comprehensive suite of interworking software packages that is as intuitive or gorgeous as Apple's. Maybe I'll get sick enough of Apple someday to not care about how beautiful their products are or how easy and fun to use they are, and I'll switch to an open-source solution. I almost did after this experience, but it wasn't enough to push me over that edge.

[Tom Sawyer]

Do people who get all tweeked about doing business with a computer manufacturer that uses IP laws do business with... oh I don't know Coca-Cola, or any other commercial entity?

The reason Apple stuff is so smooth and cool is because they can profit at it. I hope for a day when another business model will allow for cool stuff to be available to me... until then...

We all make compromises that aren't pure, perfect, principled... if you didn't you would be dead.

[John]

Hm. I thought you were going to rain on our upcoming annual Apple Fest in Grafton.

I thought maybe there was a worm in an apple. 

What's worse than finding a worm in an apple?

[K. Darien Freeheart]

Do people who get all tweeked about doing business with a computer manufacturer that uses IP laws do business with... oh I don't know Coca-Cola, or any other commercial entity?

I'm kinda wishy washy. To me, there's no clear benefit over Coca Cola versus say, Super Chill Cola. So I go with the one that is cheaper and equivalent. This is almost always the generic one that doesn't hold a patent for the "special edge".

When possible, I generally like to purchase generics cheaply. Of course, in MOST businesses, there is a viable amount of competition. In the world of IP though, sometimes the things are generic and absurd (Microsoft patented "Double clicking icons to launch applications and trigger actions". If the cola world allowed only one company to produed "a carbonated beverage containing sweetener and appearing darker than tea" then yeah, I'd get uppity.

Fortunately, there's generally more competition outside of the tech world.

[Pat K]

Hm. I thought you were going to rain on our upcoming annual Apple Fest in Grafton.

I thought maybe there was a worm in an apple. 

What's worse than finding a worm in an apple?

Finding half a worm, also a- Cobra- finding a Cobra in an apple is much worse.

[Lloyd Danforth]

Hm. I thought you were going to rain on our upcoming annual Apple Fest in Grafton.

I thought maybe there was a worm in an apple. 

What's worse than finding a worm in an apple?

Half a chunk of Strychnine?