Hi,
Right now, I'm VERY unhappy about Apple and my last machine, an iMac G5 1.8GHz 20", which hasn't stopped annoying me since I bought it in last January.
I had perfect experiences with my successive Apple IIe, Mac LC, Mac Classic II, Quadra 610, PM 4400 (upgraded to G3) and PB3400, but the last one, urk...
First: you smile, open the box, set the beautiful machine on your desk, plug, start, blink, and wonder what the f*** is this noise. As has been the subject of many threads so far, the commercial "whisper quiet" argument is a joke. The processor performance can soften the problem with the following equation: less performance <=> less noise. Great deal.
(NB: I checked all the threads, here and elsewhere, no faulty parts with this machine regarding the fans etc).
Second: when you surrender to the situation and adapt your room to the computer (and not the opposite), then the software starts to play funky. Increasing beachballs and delays. I reinstalled the whole system last month, with a full re-format of the internal HD; this afternoon the system crashes when trying to send pictures by email; after that, half of the software doesn't work; Pram/Permissions/fsck: fsck becomes hyperactive with my faulty HD (???), after what Mail is back, but in Dutch on my first account and in Spanish on the second one. Big mess here, which means I have to reinstall
again the full software. And honnestly, I've got better things to do with my evenings.
(NB: I checked all the threads around for these problems, got most answers from everyone, tried everything, without much of an improvement as of today. And I also find it weird that what should be the best OS in the world needs high maintenance skills, with the periodic tasks to be done etc, I mean, I want to use my machine, not spend hours fixing it ! )
I'd like to sell the whole thing (despite the loss over one year) and get something else, but I don't even know what ? I tried PC for one year, and, er, I just can't (but I tried !).
On the Apple line, I'm afraid of getting a noisy item again... (and I wouldn't want to go down to G4, btw).
...Because of the HUGE time on the forums, I've seen an important loss of quality-control in the products of Apple in the last couple of years for many users: noise issues, faulty pieces, unstable updates, unfriendly Apple repair service, etc... Am I the only one to think so ? Could it be Apple is producing too much, forgetting the clients, only seeing iPod targets ?
Or maybe it's our generation: my buying-cycle seems to be repetitive: buy / use / find a major flaw / warranty / get it fixed; nothing seems to work straight-out-of-the-box anymore ? My own examples go beyond Apple:
- camera Sony DSC-F828, problems after 1 month (CF card), fixed after 11 months;
- printer Canon Pixma 5000, problems after 1 day (color), fixed (or not?) after 2 months;
- widescreen TV Sony, problems after 1 month (weird stripes), fixed after 6 months ("keep it away from the wireless phone base");
- Toyota Rav-4 (!), problems after 1 month (does not always start!), half-fixed after 2 years;
- etc etc etc...
Heck, anything with electronics in it...
Mmm, if nobody agrees with me, I guess I'll end up with the title of Most-Unlucky-Man-In-The-World... but well, I also have other things in my life than electronics
