Are you still a Mac evangelist?

[hotpotato123]

This poll is only for people who, at some stage in their life, have been, or are, an Apple Mac evangelist.

If you don't know what that means, you never were one.

As for me, there was a time when any opportunity of discussing computers with friends or business associates, I would tell them how great Apple was. My standard pitch was, "I never regretted switching from PC to Mac".

My first Mac was one of the first ever Macs, and Macs have, or used to be one of the great passions of my life.

It was me who convinced my entire family to go over to Apple. I convinced my business partner to try a Mac. I can't tell how many people, over the years, I've convinced to try Macs.

No more. I still use Macs exclusively, but the passion is gone. I still read Mac websites almost every day, but I don't evangelise to friends and business associates.

I'm sure my reasons will vary from your reasons, but the end result is that the passion is gone.

I have a list of reasons why I am no longer a raving Mac evangelist - I am a user, but no longer an evangelist - but for this thread I won't list my personal reasons, since everyone's reasons can vary. I just am interested in the number of people who are no longer Mac evangelists when, in the past, they used to be.

 

[BeefCake 15]

I hear ya, there are a lot of things that could be better with the hardware and software but we're all here on this forum because of the passion for what's to come!

 

[AustinIllini]

For any non-tech savvy person, I still push Macs over PCs. I put the "less often" option (mostly due to price), but I think most will still benefit from switching to an installation where hardware and software are built for each other. There are just a lot of things that Macs do better, like battery life and power management.

 

[maflynn]

While many of friends and family know I'm a mac person, I usually give advice that is platform agnostic. There are plenty of times, I've recommend a PC over mac, based on what the person stated as their needs. I try to recommend a product that best fits the needs of the person, at times a Mac is a great option, other times, a PC is a better choice.

With terms like evangelist it all sounds too cultish to me. To me computers are tools, and there's not something I get passionate about. Sure Macs are wonderfully designed machines, and my iMac is the best computer I've had, but at the end of the day, its purpose is to get tasks done.

 

[grahamperrin]

Please consider adding another option to the poll. I no longer evangelise, and I'm shifting away from use of Macs … words to that effect.

 

[mcfrazieriv]

I use what is most common to me which has always been Macs as they were forced upon my family by my father growing up as a child. I became super obsessed with watching the keynotes by late Mr. Jobs and would eventually flock to the stores on launch days to be the first of my friends to have the newest device. That magic is gone.

 

[monstruo]

Its operating system was definitely something that most users, including myself, love about mac.

Just that... Timmy and his ideal of Apple's innovation which makes each new iteration of the OS more and more daunting for end-users to cope with.

 

[OllyW]

I've always tried to make recommendations based on the needs and circumstances of my friends and family rather than evangelise the Mac over PC because of my preferences.

 

[maflynn]

I've always tried to make recommendations based on the needs and circumstances of my friends and family rather than evangelise the Mac over PC because of my preferences.

As I noted, that's what I do as well. I think one big reason is, that how things can get messy if I push for a mac, they get one and they hate it. They'll be blaming me and wanting even more of my time to fix the issue I created

If someone feels they need a windows PC, or tablet or android phone, I usually given them some advice to point them in the right direction as to which specific model.

 

[Tech198]

I had to look the word up ... sorry, but i'm cheating here

I don't intend to convert anyone.... If u push people toward Apple just because u use one it will be on you always as "Well u told me to get one since YOU like it."

That should be a forth option. "no longer" says u were once, but not anymore.

 

[ardchoille50]

Am I still an Apple evangelist? You betcha! I'm 52 years old and this technology wasn't available when I was growing up, so I'm just happy to have Apple products. There is much to be said for a company which controls the hardware as well as the software.

 

[dumastudetto]

I recommend Mac to anyone and everyone who will listen to me. It's just a better platform in terms of stability and security, has better apps, offers seamless integration with the best mobile devices, and the build quality and aesthetics are on another level to everyone else.

Unless you have very specific needs, Mac is the best choice every single time as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Clix Pix]

I definitely talk with great enthusiasm about all of my Apple products and point out the features in each which are most significant and meaningful to me, but I also am upfront with stating that it has been years now since I've used a Microsoft product, I've never done anything with an Android product, etc., etc., so that I cannot fairly assess, compare and contrast between an Apple product and something else that I haven't even used. All I can do is state what I love about my Apple products and why they have been all that I have used for the past ten-plus years......and depending upon what the needs are of the other person, plus his or her desires and interest in investing in the Apple ecosystem, that person will take the information and act accordingly.

I will say, though, that there's nothing like simply seeing something in action..... Not too long ago a friend was over at my place, and she had come to ask about a carrying bag for her iPad, knowing that I had the kind in which she was interested. While she was here she also mentioned that she was having some serious problems with her Windows laptop and was considering looking at new computers. We sat down at my 15" rMBP and I turned the machine on and went immediately to a website as she had a question about something. She was astonished at how quickly the machine booted up in the first place and also at the idea that I didn't have to wait around for some silly virus scan, I could just jump right into whatever I wanted to do. We went to the website, looked at some things, hopped around to a couple of other websites and while i was at it I showed her how neatly my iPads and iPhone are also synchronized with my book marks on the computer and my contacts, etc. She has an iPad and an iPhone, too, so this caught her interest right away.

I use the 15" as a desktop replacement, with external BT keyboard, mouse and trackpad, and when my friend commented about how she really wants something a little more portable, it was a simple matter for me to step into the other room and bring out my 13" rMBP. Bingo! She was enchanted. It was lightweight (compared to her old laptop) and it, too, fired right up, ready for action and it had all the advantages of the larger rMBP except in a smaller package.

To make a long story short, the next week my friend went out and bought herself a 13" rMBP!

Sometimes these Apple products just sell themselves......

 

[Pakaku]

Maybe a few years ago there might have been something to be an evangelist over, but these days I see no big advantage to Macs over non-macs anymore.

 

[n8mac]

Back when I was in my 20's for some reason I cared what computer others around me used, and thus touted the Mac whenever a computer came up in a discussion. Now I'm in my 30's and I don't see the point in caring what others use to compute. If it meets their needs then I'm happy for them. Whenever someone asks me what I use or prefer I tell them, Mac OS over Windows. In the end others will make a desicion based on what they want in the end anyway. The only thing that annoys me is when they buy Windows and ask me to come fix when it breaks.

 

[OS6-OSX]

Maybe a few years ago there might have been something to be an evangelist over.....

And now the Mac pulpit is empty and the congregation worships iToys!

 

[Fancuku]

I have a list of reasons why I am no longer a raving Mac evangelist - I am a user, but no longer an evangelist

My guess is that you finally realized that it's not a religion or life or death which is good. Fanaticism is not good.

 

[Pakaku]

And now the Mac pulpit is empty and the congregation worships iToys!

Which I find even harder to vouch for...

 

[kazmac]

While I recommended Macs to my coworkers, I never considered myself an evangelist (connotations with fanatical religion always makes my skin crawl so more like cheerleader), but today was pretty much the nail in the coffin.

 

[Tech198]

Apple are great as what they do, but like anything, i wouldn't rave about anything being the best...

Simply, because "the best" is a personal view. Just because u have high hopes don't mean your friends will too no matter how much you talk about it.. if their intelligent, or weather that just take your recommendation 100% without anything, so u must like it, so they buy a Mac, get home, and it's not for them.

What's wrong with that ? a personal view of "what do u recommend?" honesty over what *they*need it for

I like to thing the Apple community, not all, but some are just in Apple's eco-system and will recommend Apple even if its not for everyone, just because the company has got to them.

I have no problem recommending Dell over Apple... and pointing out Apple's flaws.. even if Apple doesn't want me too. (no one told me being in the Apple eco-system also meant i must not speak my mind) .. but sometimes i think Apple wants to control their users, not only in using Mac's, but in the recommendations as well.. Not cool.

 

[Fried Chicken]

Definitely lost a lot of passion.

It's so sad. I still periodically watch the old Stevenotes
to remind myself where apple came from.

 

[maflynn]

Definitely lost a lot of passion.

Job's passion was infectious, and we not longer have a leader of Apple who has the ability to energize and motivate. Cook's demeanor is such that he just does not generate any sort of excitement when he's on the stage. Heck, most of the people Apple trots out there lately use such cookie cutter type presentations that they're all the same and boring.

 

[44267547]

Job's passion was infectious, and we not longer have a leader of Apple who has the ability to energize and motivate. Cook's demeanor is such that he just does not generate any sort of excitement when he's on the stage. Heck, most of the people Apple trots out there lately use such cookie cutter type presentations that they're all the same and boring.

I always like to think Jobs was a visionary and a salesman, he knew exactly what to say and how to say it in assessing the audience. Almost like a free lance actor.

Cook is an engineer and strictly business, no time for play. Cook is also very private, which when we do see him, he is business all the time. If you view previous Key Notes on YouTube, you will indefinitely see the difference between the two.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

I still like Apple and recommend their products to others.

 

[Fried Chicken]

I always like to think Jobs was a visionary and a salesman, he knew exactly what to say and how to say it in assessing the audience. Almost like a free lance actor.

Cook is an engineer and strictly business, no time for play. Cook is also very private, which when we do see him, he is business all the time. If you view previous Key Notes on YouTube, you will indefinitely see the difference between the two.

There is more to it than Steve Jobs merely being a salesman with vision.

I think Tim Cook lacks vision in a broad sense. He's got vision for industrial engineering and profits, but what I miss about the old apple and old apple products is the vision on a grander scale. This is what XXXX (computing, music, phones, networking, wireless, etc.) should be like. And then Steve Jobs had the ability to stick to his idea over decades and make whatever vision a reality as technologies emerged to make that possible.

Eh, the Apple today is an institution founded on Steve Jobs' principles rather than a niche revolutionary company.
I hope Apple can stick to the Steve principles despite being a corporation at the mercy of the shareholders.

I miss the old Apple :/