What Makes You, And Keeps You, A Mac User?

I’ve used Macs and PCs for almost 20 years. I’m a Mac user, not a PC user. Why? Is it because I just like to be different? Hey, I’m a 72-inch blonde—I understand “different.”

Do I prefer Mac purelyt because Windows PCs really suck? Or, is it because I’m willing to make a better choice, weight the options?

What makes you a Mac user? What keeps you a Mac user? What would get you to switch back or over to Windows Vista?

I read Jason Clarke’s heartwarming consideration of what it’s like to be a newbie to the Mac for the past few months. His first crisis was upgrading to another new Mac.

If you’ve been a Windows PC sufferer for any length of time, say, long enough to have to upgrade to a newer machine and transfer all your files and applications, you know Jason’s level of anticipation.

I’ve been there, Jason. I feel felt your pain. Truly, as you say, it’s a multi-day affair with bittersweet feelings to buy a new Windows PC; even with Vista. The migration is a pain, even Windows to Windows.

Not so on the Mac, as Jason found out. The only issue Jason ran into is the amount of time OS X’s Migration application took to copy files, applications, utilities, configurations, and preferences from his old MacBook to a shiny new MacBook Pro. Your mileage may vary.

But Jason comes from the Windows world and, unlike those of us who’ve been Macophiles for decades, was worried about the migration.

You see, Jason thought Mac users were smug, elitist snobs. Now he seems to relish being one; or, at least, he relishes what comes with the Mac territory. Go figure. Are we snobs? Are we elitist? Or, are we simply considerate of choices and options, and prefer what is best for our needs?

If question marks give you headaches, don’t read any farther. But if you’re willing to devote a thoughtful moment to what it is that makes you a Mac user, read on, then click over to the forums to review the thoughts of others. It may take a day or so to collect our collective thoughts.

I’m a Mac user because I want to enjoy both the computing experience, and what the computer can do for me. Windows doesn’t do that. It’s seldom enjoyable, and often in my way. Macs take a different approach, so the effort I put into my choice has obvious benefits for me and my work and lifestyle.

What about you? What got you to Macdom, what keeps you on the Mac, what prevents you from using-buying-returning to Windows? See? One question mark for three different questions. Mac users are efficient and productive.

Chris Pirillo does a brief comparison of Microsoft’s Windows Vista vs. OS X’s upcoming Leopard (some folks have access to the beta of Leopard and are spilling the beans—only two more months to go).

His perspective isn’t that it’s Microsoft vs. Apple again, or even Mac vs. Windows again. He says the issue is a “Windows vs Users” issue. Windows inhibits users and gets in the, the Mac, via OS X, empowers the user. Is he spot on?

Again, why are you a Mac user?