The Macintosh is a "toy"?

[Kristenn]

So a few days ago, a PC users a few years older then me came to school and when we went to the art room (the room full of Macs) and he said he doesn't use "toys".

So my teacher actually asked the class what makes the Apple Macintosh a toy?

I'm just stumped because I see this a lot. Like.

PC user: Macs are just toys, I can build a beast gaming machine for a lot less than a Mac.

Am I the only one that sees the irony in this?
Everyone knows I never EVER attack PC users. But I like totally thought that the whole Mac is a toy argument is like.. old.

What does everyone else think? What makes the Mac a toy? Is it the cartoon looking icons? What would George Lucas say?

 

[thegoldenmackid]

I can see where this idea comes from. I'm pretty sure they were joking.

 

[dukebound85]

i dont worry about things like this

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

heh, I like that irony. The Mac is a toy, because a gaming PC rig can be had for cheaper.

 

[MBHockey]

That's not even irony. It's just bad logic.

 

[Kristenn]

It doesn't bother me. The only reason I posted was my teacher actually asked the whole class. I couldn't answer. But it doesn't make sense too me. I just wonder why some people think it's a toy.

 

[steve knight]

it does have some merit that apple products are pretty expensive when you go by performance compared to a pc. not always but it is the case a fair amount of the time. or at least it used to be. so buying a mac was like buying a expensive sports car. more of a toy then something that does the job. the way I see some people here always desperate for new hardware it keeps that idea going.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

That's not even irony. It's just bad logic.

That is irony... If someone says a Mac is a toy because it can't be used to GAME. Then that's pretty damn ironic.

 

[greg555]

I guess a Mac would be a toy if you couldn't do any work with it (i.e. only play with it). But that is provably false since you can run Office and Photoshop and other "work" applications on it.

Greg

 

[LurchNC]

One of the things I miss about using PC's is putting together my own systems. I've actually never owned a pre-built machine until these Macs. Back in the day (late 80's early 90's) you actually had to know what you were doing a little bit to put together a stable system.

Now a days anyone can build a system. Everything is plug and play. "Insert tab "A" into slot "B" ect". People who brag about building their own systems and calling anything else "toys" are just stroking their own egos and trying to sound smarter than they actually are.

That being said, I'm saving up to put together a gaming system that will totally pwn any mac around. (for half the price) lol. j/k

 

[Buzz Bumble]

So my teacher actually asked the class what makes the Apple Macintosh a toy?

It's only a "toy" to idiots who have never used one.

 

[kate-willbury]

It's only a "toy" to idiots who have never used one.

i'm using one right now. i wouldn't say my macbook is a toy, but i definitely do all of my serious work on my windows machine.

 

[ravenvii]

Windows XP looks much more toy-like to me. I suppose they must really like Fisher-Price.

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

(I know, themes, XP is old, etc, the post is a joke.)

 

[VulchR]

I've heard the "toy" accusation ever since I owned a Mac Plus - usually from PC owners and IT nerds who were looking over my shoulder, transfixed by what the Apple machines could do. All I can say is that I have done a lot of scientific computing on Mac's, PC's and old-style UNIX systems. I've not noticed any serious barrier to doing heavy-duty number-crunching on a Mac (particularly now that the OS is a modified version of UNIX that runs on multiple processors).

And if the Mac user interface seems to "toyish" for some , then all I can say is that I prefer to play and get results rather than toil for the same outcome....

 

[Sun Baked]

Toys are what you keep in the nightstand by the bed, not on the desk at work.

 

[djellison]

It doesn't bother me.

It bothers you enough to open up a browser, go to Mac Rumours and start a whole new thread about it.

 

[iBlue]

Let me translate: "It's pretty, it's too expensive for me and I'm going to try to insult it."

I really don't get into the ubiquitous Mac vs PC arguments because they are dull and futile. I encourage everyone else to do the same and spare yourself the hassle.

 

[MBHockey]

That is irony... If someone says a Mac is a toy because it can't be used to GAME. Then that's pretty damn ironic.

The subtle difference is that calling it irony gives some credence to his argument, whereas...jeesh, didn't think i needed to spoon-feed this one

 

[iBlue]

The subtle difference is that calling it irony gives some credence to his argument, whereas...jeesh, didn't think i needed to spoon-feed this one

How does calling something ironic give credence to his argument? It can still be both stupid and ironic.

 

[mags631]

That is irony... If someone says a Mac is a toy because it can't be used to GAME. Then that's pretty damn ironic.

It would be ironic if one of the students, on the recommendation of the class, bought a (Windows) PC to play his favorite game, and once it was brought home and booted, upon inserting the CD of said favorite game, an error was displayed stating that the game only ran on Macintosh computers.

To OP: since apparently you are in middle or high school, the most effective strategy to winning is to pretend that you don't care.

 

[Fizzoid]

That is irony... If someone says a Mac is a toy because it can't be used to GAME. Then that's pretty damn ironic.

OP, you're answer is right there

 

[Amdahl]

So my teacher actually asked the class what makes the Apple Macintosh a toy?

Apple's support policies and product lifecycle management are what makes the Mac a toy. Apple only sells toys, or trinkets, designed to sell today, and be obsoleted prematurely when the new fashion line is ready for sale.

Computer companies sell systems, designed and sold with the intention that they will be useful and supported for the period of time it takes MOST of the customers to retire the product for something newer.

 

[patrick0brien]

History Lesson:

The term 'Toy' comes from the early '80s' Mainframe IS mentality, before Windows had hit the scene. Apple produced the first visible Client/server system, and it scared the 'big iron' admins to the point of keeping them out.

Sound familiar?

 

[Plutonius]

So my teacher actually asked the class what makes the Apple Macintosh a toy?

So how did the class answer the question ?

 

[Consultant]

World Wide Web is invented on the precursor of the modern Mac, Steve Job's NEXT workstation...

Inventor of World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, uses Apple Mac
http://obamapacman.com/2009/08/world-wide-web-inventor-tim-berners-lee-uses-apple-mac/

Kevin Mitnick, Hacker, “Most Wanted Computer Criminal” Turned Security Consultant, is Mac User
http://obamapacman.com/2009/09/kevi...minal-turned-security-consultant-is-mac-user/

Danish Police High Tech Control Center runs on Apple Computers
http://obamapacman.com/2009/10/danish-police-high-tech-control-center-runs-on-apple-computers/