Why I Buy Mac Applications
- Posted in Apple
- Comments 7
One thing that has changed about me over the year and a half since I switched to the Macintosh platform is that I’ve found a willingness to pay for Applications. All but abolishing my previous habit of pirating Windows software (admit it, we’d all rather fire up BitTorrent than hand over cash to Windows App Devs). This is a change that I had never expected, although it can surely be attributed to a few different factors.
The Software Just Works
When it comes to advertising an OS X application, the general mindset is as follows: Show them what our product does. If they like it, they’ll want it. Macintosh applications do exactly as they say on the box (or the website, as it were). Over at the Windows camp, many companies see advertising as: Make our product look as good as possible, even if it’s not. Which is a total drain on user confidence.
Mac Developers Are Likable
In order for me to be ready to fork over my hard-earned cash to a software developer, I have to truly feel confident about doing so. I actually want to support the creators of Mac applications, because they seem so genuine. In most cases, Mac Software is developed not by monolithic, research-toting, money hungry corporations, but rather a lone developer or tight-knit group of people who are passionate about their craft. I feel as if my spending is a contribution to the livelyhood of these people, instead of “just another sale” for the faceless corporation.
I Love the Macintosh Culture
Mac people are great people. Period. You can always count on an enthusiastic and open zealot to handle your support questions personally, and a wonderful community of like-thinkers. The Mac culture (you could nearly go as far as calling it a Philosophy) is one of warmth, confidence, welcoming and support. You simply can’t buy that kind of thing.
Sure, there are a number of great Windows Applications that transcend the image of their colleagues, but certainly not to the extent of frequency in the Macintosh world.
While I have to admit that the Mac-community has some serious weirdo’s and cocky people, most of them are excentric, open minded, and very véry friendly. I would even go as far as saying that out of every Mac-lover I ever met, 99% of them are insanely good people.
They talk about “their” company and brand as if it’s their firstborn, which is hilarious
But compared to the PC-community, Mac users are definately on the happy side of the line, whereas PC-users tend to be a bit more harsh and inside their own “gotta fix my comp” bubble.
It’s the main reason I sold my gaming PC. I never even owned a PC untill I felt an urge to build me a gaming rig. But being a mac savvy, that sorta thing just aint me
I remember a little post on a Dutch Mac-forum about a “deathmatch” between a PC-forum and a Mac-forum… can’t find the link though, but it was one hilarious match, hehe.
Any group of people who make a conscious decision to go against the norm is likely going to have some unique characteristics that set it apart from the mainstream crowd. As much as I love to spread the gospel of the Mac, I get a little worried sometimes that the increasing popularity of the Mac will make our happy little community less able to distinguish ourselves from the mainstream Windows community. And as the Mac market share increases, Windows developers will see more lucrative opportunities in writing applications for the Mac—God help us if they all start porting their apps to the Mac. We’ll wake up one day and the Mac apps we once knew and loved will suddenly spawn ambiguous wizards, bloated preference panes, task-based splash screens, and detachable toolbars. Hmm… it may already be too late.
Just something to think about.
This post sums up exactly what I hate about the so-called “Mac culture” that you talk about – the egotistical opinion that using a different type of computer makes you better people. In fact, I have the opposite theory – owning a Mac gives you a superiority complex that makes you think you’re better than anyone who uses ..shock horror(!).. Windows.
Personally I think this “we” you’re talking about who you’ve stereotyped as using BitTorrent to pirate software doesn’t exist. Sure, there are those out there who’re too tight-fisted to support the livelihood of developers that aren’t holier-than-thou and don’t program for the Mac, but if this was the case for “all” people as you stated, Microsoft would have gone bust years ago.
Kudos to you for going out there and paying for some software. That doesn’t make you a better person or part of a better philosophy, it just means you’re doing what people SHOULD do.
(Oh, and for the record, I’m a mac user for 8 hours a day. I’m just one of seemingly few that doesn’t let it go to my head.)
You make a good point Jem. I must admit I did tend to over-generalize and stereotype in the writing of this article, it probably reads as a bastardization of the whole situation.
However, what I was trying to communicate was a personal view, relating to my own experience. I have been an avid PC user for my entire life, and like it or not, the Mac culture definitely seemed to have a more “welcoming” aura. Wether or not this is due to the “holier-than-thou” attitude is debatable.
Of course, I too find the over-zealous “fanboy” attitude existent in many Mac users completely absurd, and let me assure you, I don’t subscribe to this perspective at all. Many Mac fans do tend hold an unnecessarily arrogant affinity with their platform, and I truly hope that my post did not come off in this way. I use both a PC and a Mac on a daily basis, and recognize the strengths and weaknesses of both platforms.
Thanks for the comment. It’s refreshing to read an opposing opinion, especially one that makes me rethink my own motivation in posting in the first place.
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Jem, I’d agree with you on this one. Quite often Mac zealots have a superiority complex over PC users (I use multiple operating systems on a daily basis – incl. OSX).
As far as software support goes – there are plenty of great (small) software companies who support the Windows user base!
I think your first point has been my main rallying cry ever since I switched (February 2006). I’ve used Windows machines since 3.1 and am not very fond of them….I’m not looking forward to my college switching over to Vista soon because I find it harder to use and bloated.
Also, the whole interface tends to be very intuitive. The only thing I ever had to look up how to do for my Mac was how to work the wireless (as I’ve never used wireless before)….everything else was simple to figure out (except for transferring my files from my XP laptop, but even with that I still figured it out myself). All the big settings for the computer are in one place, not spread everywhere. The programs available can customize and add to anything and everything you do, no matter how small. I don’t have to waste time with the Start menu or a nefarious and scary folder system that ends up being very clunky. I can actually keep my files organized on this computer, where I didn’t really manage it before. It’s like it’s learned with me….and really that’s how a computer experience should be.