So I got my MB and my cousin got his MBP. My cousing aunts and uncles have seen them and are impressed with these machines. They, too, are looking for new computers, but are skeptical of macs because they have used pcs all their lives. So, how could i lead them in the direction of mac?
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How to convince my family to Switch?
- Thread starter holamiamigos
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I was facing this as well, although it was to convince them to let me buy one.
The best thing to do is to sit them down and show them all the things that make a mac wonderful, show them all the better programs, how you can dual boot windows, all coolness of OSX, everything.
Or
you could bring them to an apple store (i think the first one is better in my opinion though)
The best thing to do is to sit them down and show them all the things that make a mac wonderful, show them all the better programs, how you can dual boot windows, all coolness of OSX, everything.
Or
you could bring them to an apple store (i think the first one is better in my opinion though)
1.) If you trust them, I'd have them borrow your computer for a few hours, days, whatever. If one of their bigger worries is the fear of the unknown, actually using the machine is a good first step.
2.) Apple has a really good site at http://www.apple.com/getamac/
3.) If there's an Apple Store nearby, have them visit.
4.) Have an honest discussion about the pluses and minuses of both PCs and Macs.
All I can think of at midnight ...
edit Didn't mean to copy above posts. Must have been typing at same time!
2.) Apple has a really good site at http://www.apple.com/getamac/
3.) If there's an Apple Store nearby, have them visit.
4.) Have an honest discussion about the pluses and minuses of both PCs and Macs.
All I can think of at midnight ...
edit Didn't mean to copy above posts. Must have been typing at same time!
You can drag a horse to water but you can't make it drink - and you might just make it more stubborn.
You could always go down the 'I won't be able to help you with if it's a PC' option if they're the kind that can't administer one of their own. If they're techie enough for that, it's their choice.
You could always go down the 'I won't be able to help you with if it's a PC' option if they're the kind that can't administer one of their own. If they're techie enough for that, it's their choice.
mention apple will always be the top end..microsoft just copies but fails to meet the standards...compare vista par example to what tiger already has..(windows calendar, spotlight, windows mail, animation, etc.)...sometimes you just have to let them convince themselves, my cousin just got a mb because of the enthusiasm i had over my ibook and what he saw over time.
Applespider said:
That says it all. I totally agree. I am 'techie' enough for windows, but I saw the benefits of the mac with my own eyes, and 'took the blue pill' just like in the matrix. That's what it takes for those who have used windows all of their lives.
I forced my mom and dad to buy my brother's iMac g5, and o boy are they happy about it. Their old computer kept getting slower and slower, until my mother called me three times a week, asking for help. I can only admit I got tired of it in the end.
Also, if they are not very hardwareminded, remove some of the ram-modules, so the pc gets slower and they keep tearing their hair off in frustration. Of course, that's the dishonest way.
Also, if they are not very hardwareminded, remove some of the ram-modules, so the pc gets slower and they keep tearing their hair off in frustration. Of course, that's the dishonest way.
While I personally don't have many problems with Windows (mostly just gripes about how crappy it can be sometimes) I wish my family were all Mac users. It'd save me wasting hours and hours of my time whenever I go and visit them just removing spyware and installing updates. When the time comes for their next PC purchase I'll definitely recommend a Mac.
Boot Camp is probably your strongest argument in this, since they'll feel safe with something to fall back on in case if they don't like OS X. (Blasphemy, I know.)
Also make sure that they know that OS X can run MS Office. A lot of people don't know this, and have this lingering in the back of their minds when contemplating the switch.
Also make sure that they know that OS X can run MS Office. A lot of people don't know this, and have this lingering in the back of their minds when contemplating the switch.
Find out what applications they use first, most people are worried that they cant do everything they use to do, get those apps and show them how much easier it will be on the mac. The few people that Ive made go "oooooh" over the mac was me simply having them use the machine without forcing them, people will change if they feel its in their interest and its a good move.
highlight the no virus (no need to run virus scan) and especially spyware (no popups no nothings). yesterday i was at the apple store and this 50ish man (i think he just switched) was trying to buy virus/ spy ware, and when the girl told him they were there only for the extra- paranoid/ people who does things which really needs it and macs have all this 'stuff' built in to protect it, he was like 'oh my god! i can't believe that, that is amazing!!!!'
and tell them about iphoto may be? my mom is so proud of her 'photoshop' skills she keeps telling everyone about it!
and tell them about iphoto may be? my mom is so proud of her 'photoshop' skills she keeps telling everyone about it!
Just let them use yours for a while. Show them iLife and Office etc.
I had a 'strictly PC' tech guy come to look at our net connection at work coz it was slow. As he walked in the door he said "as long as its not a mac i'll be fine" I knew exactly what he was trying to say "i dont DO macs". So i gave him the good news . He had never used OSX before, he spent 5 minutes oohing and ahhing at everything while figuring out the net connection problem. Then 15 minutes trying to do the same on the office PC. He also said Apple doesnt make servers so thats why he doesnt bother with macs. When the connection was sorted i tested it by going to the Xserve page at Apple.com.
etc. I had a 'strictly PC' tech guy come to look at our net connection at work coz it was slow. As he walked in the door he said "as long as its not a mac i'll be fine" I knew exactly what he was trying to say "i dont DO macs". So i gave him the good news
. He had never used OSX before, he spent 5 minutes oohing and ahhing at everything while figuring out the net connection problem. Then 15 minutes trying to do the same on the office PC. He also said Apple doesnt make servers so thats why he doesnt bother with macs. When the connection was sorted i tested it by going to the Xserve page at Apple.com. 
iGary said:
Are we having a bad day iGary??
Just let them use a mac, most of the time we dont even need to do the work, let the mac do it for you!
Applespider said:
Totally. I forced my family to switch because of that. I wasn't going to come home from college to spend 5 hours fixing all the damn computers. If something goes screwy they can take it to the Geniuses at the store now.
Explain the benefits of using a Mac, I would also urge you to take them to an Apple store so they can play around and see how easy Macs and OS X are to use. I did that with my brother-in-law and he switched two months later.
Explain how OS X is a secure operating system. Explain how OS X is designed for the Internet. Explain how Apple's vision and integrated approach leads to a better user experience.
Explain how OS X is a secure operating system. Explain how OS X is designed for the Internet. Explain how Apple's vision and integrated approach leads to a better user experience.
I think the virsuses argument is one that everyone is willing to agree on. You can't run Windows without having had some dealings with them. Everyone seems to really like iPhoto as well, because it is a great way to catalog and view all your family photos easily.
I don't know about anyone else, but the iSight and iChat is a big selling point with my family. We all live a long ways from each other and having the awesome quality of video chat that these two things make possible makes it not seem so bad. My parents can see our kids grow up and I can talk "face to face" with my sisters and nieces. This may seem like a small deal to alot of people but it makes a world of difference to us.
I don't know about anyone else, but the iSight and iChat is a big selling point with my family. We all live a long ways from each other and having the awesome quality of video chat that these two things make possible makes it not seem so bad. My parents can see our kids grow up and I can talk "face to face" with my sisters and nieces. This may seem like a small deal to alot of people but it makes a world of difference to us.