Normally
I'd stay away from blanket statements, but after the introduction of
the G4 Cube, I think the statement may
be true.
The Mac world (for the most part) cheered the new cube, while the
PC world (for the most part) jeered. This is hardly a departure from
the norm.
What I think, though, is that this demonstrates that Mac users are
the total personal computer loving package. We're often derided by
the PC press for buying computers for their looks instead of their
performance. What they fail to realize is that we buy them for their
looks and their performance. We do not compromise on the
hardware side, and we love to have a beautiful machine as well. We
are computer enthusiasts in every sense.
The standard Wintel lover is stuck with hiding their love for
their machines beneath a beige box. This is not the type of machine
that you would display in the open or try to match to your decor. It
is designed to be stowed out of sight and out of mind. They may love
tinkering with the innards of the machine, but the outside remains
just a plain old expression of nothing in particular. This is very
much like creating a custom engine, chrome and all, and placing it
within the body of a Pinto. No one is going to know that you're a car
enthusiast unless you're at the strip. In this case, the strip is the
benchmarks everyone loves to run.
It's true that there are a few people who love "sleeper" cars that
have great performance hidden under a crappy exterior, but I think
they are outnumbered by the people who take care of what's inside and
outside.
Mac lovers, on the other hand, are proud to display their
computers. They want it to be out in the open and visible to all.
They want others to ask questions about the computer so that they can
talk about the machine and computers in general. It's a way to get a
conversation going about our favourite topics: computers.
Macs aren't only about the power under the hood (of which there's
plenty) but also about the beautiful body and paint job.
Try this test the next time you hear the "Mac users are all style
and no substance" argument. Ask if, all things being equal, they
would prefer a beige box or a G4 Cube. Remember, if they start
talking about no expansion, etc., cut them off and remind them that
all things are equal. I suspect that the vast majority would
reluctantly admit that they would take the Cube. I guess that makes
them just as concerned about style as Mac users.
Stephen Van
Esch is the founder and president of
the
E-learning Foundry, an online training
resource for Mac users. Steve loves the Mac and is doubly bilingual,
since he's also fluent in Windows and French.
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Normally
I'd stay away from blanket statements, but after the introduction of
the 
