You're messing with my zen thing, Apple.

[ScottishCaptain]

Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the iOS Purification Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology — where each worker may bloom, secure from the pests purveying contradictory truths. Our Unification of Computing is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one platform, with one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall litigate themselves to death, and we will bury them with their own confusion. We shall prevail!

- David Graham (Big Brother), Apple's 1984 commercial

Read it. I don't care if it's TLDR. Read it and tell me this isn't where we're heading. Read it and tell me that you're not another mindless skinhead sitting in the pew staring up at Big Brother in awe, totally slack jaw. Read it and tell me that Apple didn't foretell their own future in that advert, and that we're not all steaming towards the virtual equivalent of what was depicted by the very same people who sought to create a computer market full of creation and freedom.

The only difference between 1984 and 2012 is that there's no athletic heroine running down the hallway about to swing a giant hammer and toss it through the screen. Nobody is coming to save us this time. There will be no light washing over you in a sudden burst of shattered glass and wind.

I've brought up "the new Apple" several times in this forum now and it simply astounds me how many people are simply willing to go along with the way things are heading. I am completely baffled at this newfound attitude of "Well you can simply workaround it and adopt a completely new and totally different mindset and workflow... Once you've done that and you're willing to do anything- literally anything to get a meagre grasp back on what you once had, then it really doesn't seem that bad!".

It makes no sense. People are willing to stand up and fight for freedoms threatened by things like SOPA, PIPA, and even ACTA. But as Apple continues to head towards their utopian iOS unification of computing, all I hear is crickets and the mindless blabbering of those already brainwashed into believing that it's better for them- once the pain caused by the steel rod of forced change being rammed through your mind subsides and euphoria sets in, it'll all be OK.

Like a lot of people, I bought into Apple a very long time ago. Owned an Apple II, 512K, Quadra, several PowerMacs, and eventually switched to NeXT (a Turbo with the Dimension board- still got it sitting in the original shipping boxes and I occasionally fire it up to serve as a wonderful reference point for where we've been and where we are now). I watched Steve Jobs get kicked out, I sat by and saw JLG split to found BeOS Inc and I even had a BeBox at one point in time (wonderful computers, nice to see Haiku picking up that torch). I was at WWDC in the crowd when Amelio trotted out Jobs for the first time since exile and I quite clearly remember the standing ovation that seemed to last for hours.

I've used practically every Mac OS released, from SOS to MacOS 1.0 through to 9.2.2. From Mac OS X Server 1.0 (not 10.0- the archaic Pre-Aqua release based on Rhapsody) to Mac OS X 10.0 through to 10.6.8.

Every single step of the way I have perpetually felt like I was moving towards something "better". Every successive release of each Apple product I'd purchased was a breath of fresh air. The walls of computing were fading away off into the distant horizon, and after time I came to realize that I could depend on Apple to do the right thing, that they'd never abandon me and that they'd never let me down (no this is not a rickroll).

Recently, though, I feel as if the sun has been setting on Apple. That the bright white future they offer has turned into a dark and gloomy dystopian future where I'm forced to accept their hand holding, where I'm instructed to take my seat on the pew in the 1984 commercial and listen to what Big Brother has to say this week. What once felt like a spacious retreat of freedom now feels like the claustrophobic encasement of an elevator (sorry, I think the correct term for this is "security sandbox").

And I don't like it.

I want to love Apple because I have before. Computing has never been abrasive for me because using Apple tech has been one of the most delightful experiences I've ever had. I can honestly say that Snow Leopard is better then Leopard, that Leopard was better then Tiger, Panther, Jaguar, Puma, Cheetah, and Hera. Just as MacOS 9 was better then MacOS 8, going back to the original floppy booting systems when we didn't have gigabytes of disk space to fill with bloated code all so that your email client can animate the creation of a new message.

I don't mind where Apple is going, if only I had a choice. "But you have a choice!", the fanboys inevitably scream. "You can stay on XYZ forever! You don't have to upgrade!". Right, tell that to the users who couldn't sync with their iPhone N (where N is between 1 and infinity) because iTunes wasn't up to date, and the latest version required requires an entirely new operating system.

Simply halting the passage of time is not a solution, it is a temporary stopgap. Sooner or later the present will catch up with you, and if it doesn't- then you're probably a technological hermit living off in a cave somewhere with a laptop that still boots Mac OS 8 (woo for Appearance Manager! Remember those times?).

So I don't know what to think. I don't appreciate being badgered and belittled by the company that has been a major sinkhole for my personal finances since the Apple II. All I want is choice. That's all.

When did choice become a four letter word? When did Apple decide they knew best for all?

I could have sworn it was "Think Different".

Not "Think Indifferent".

-SC

 

[miles01110]

http://www.blogger.com

 

[DingleButt]

Excellent post

 

[boss.king]

- David Graham (Big Brother), Apple's 1984 commercial

Read it. I don't care if it's TLDR. Read it and tell me this isn't where we're heading. Read it and tell me that you're not another mindless skinhead sitting in the pew staring up at Big Brother in awe, totally slack jaw. Read it and tell me that Apple didn't foretell their own future in that advert, and that we're not all steaming towards the virtual equivalent of what was depicted by the very same people who sought to create a computer market full of creation and freedom.

The only difference between 1984 and 2012 is that there's no athletic heroine running down the hallway about to swing a giant hammer and toss it through the screen. Nobody is coming to save us this time. There will be no light washing over you in a sudden burst of shattered glass and wind.

I've brought up "the new Apple" several times in this forum now and it simply astounds me how many people are simply willing to go along with the way things are heading. I am completely baffled at this newfound attitude of "Well you can simply workaround it and adopt a completely new and totally different mindset and workflow... Once you've done that and you're willing to do anything- literally anything to get a meagre grasp back on what you once had, then it really doesn't seem that bad!".

It makes no sense. People are willing to stand up and fight for freedoms threatened by things like SOPA, PIPA, and even ACTA. But as Apple continues to head towards their utopian iOS unification of computing, all I hear is crickets and the mindless blabbering of those already brainwashed into believing that it's better for them- once the pain caused by the steel rod of forced change being rammed through your mind subsides and euphoria sets in, it'll all be OK.

Like a lot of people, I bought into Apple a very long time ago. Owned an Apple II, 512K, Quadra, several PowerMacs, and eventually switched to NeXT (a Turbo with the Dimension board- still got it sitting in the original shipping boxes and I occasionally fire it up to serve as a wonderful reference point for where we've been and where we are now). I watched Steve Jobs get kicked out, I sat by and saw JLG split to found BeOS Inc and I even had a BeBox at one point in time (wonderful computers, nice to see Haiku picking up that torch). I was at WWDC in the crowd when Amelio trotted out Jobs for the first time since exile and I quite clearly remember the standing ovation that seemed to last for hours.

I've used practically every Mac OS released, from SOS to MacOS 1.0 through to 9.2.2. From Mac OS X Server 1.0 (not 10.0- the archaic Pre-Aqua release based on Rhapsody) to Mac OS X 10.0 through to 10.6.8.

Every single step of the way I have perpetually felt like I was moving towards something "better". Every successive release of each Apple product I'd purchased was a breath of fresh air. The walls of computing were fading away off into the distant horizon, and after time I came to realize that I could depend on Apple to do the right thing, that they'd never abandon me and that they'd never let me down (no this is not a rickroll).

Recently, though, I feel as if the sun has been setting on Apple. That the bright white future they offer has turned into a dark and gloomy dystopian future where I'm forced to accept their hand holding, where I'm instructed to take my seat on the pew in the 1984 commercial and listen to what Big Brother has to say this week. What once felt like a spacious retreat of freedom now feels like the claustrophobic encasement of an elevator (sorry, I think the correct term for this is "security sandbox").

And I don't like it.

I want to love Apple because I have before. Computing has never been abrasive for me because using Apple tech has been one of the most delightful experiences I've ever had. I can honestly say that Snow Leopard is better then Leopard, that Leopard was better then Tiger, Panther, Jaguar, Puma, Cheetah, and Hera. Just as MacOS 9 was better then MacOS 8, going back to the original floppy booting systems when we didn't have gigabytes of disk space to fill with bloated code all so that your email client can animate the creation of a new message.

I don't mind where Apple is going, if only I had a choice. "But you have a choice!", the fanboys inevitably scream. "You can stay on XYZ forever! You don't have to upgrade!". Right, tell that to the users who couldn't sync with their iPhone N (where N is between 1 and infinity) because iTunes wasn't up to date, and the latest version required requires an entirely new operating system.

Simply halting the passage of time is not a solution, it is a temporary stopgap. Sooner or later the present will catch up with you, and if it doesn't- then you're probably a technological hermit living off in a cave somewhere with a laptop that still boots Mac OS 8 (woo for Appearance Manager! Remember those times?).

So I don't know what to think. I don't appreciate being badgered and belittled by the company that has been a major sinkhole for my personal finances since the Apple II. All I want is choice. That's all.

When did choice become a four letter word? When did Apple decide they knew best for all?

I could have sworn it was "Think Different".

Not "Think Indifferent".

-SC

I completely agree OP. I have voted with my wallet because I think Apples offering is simply not good enough, and with a total lack of choice and freedom. Jobs did a good job convincing people that this was good enough, but hopefully now people will begin to see what a lack of options Apple offers and what a decidedly average upgrade cycle they have. I still have hope for Apple to become a good company (for consumers) again, but it will take risks and hard work.

 

[chrono1081]

I'm sorry I just don't see where people think they "don't have a choice".

It would be like me getting angry at Black and Decker because my iron doesn't have xyz feature even though I bought it fully knowing what it had and didn't have.

Some companies add every bell and whistle to their computers. Apple is not that company. (Sony is.)

 

[boss.king]

I'm sorry I just don't see where people think they "don't have a choice".

It would be like me getting angry at Black and Decker because my iron doesn't have xyz feature even though I bought it fully knowing what it had and didn't have.

Some companies add every bell and whistle to their computers. Apple is not that company. (Sony is.)

I don't mean you have no choice but Apple, but once you invest in the Apple ecosystem and they offer marginal upgrades year after year, it becomes a hard choice between abandoning your investment or abandonig your wants and needs.

 

[Rampant.A.I.]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 4s: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

Excellent post

And to add to it, I'm also upset with the lame customer service The Apple Store is famous for, compared to the level of service Apple themselves used to provide. In fact, a recent experience with The Apple Store ended in me paying out of pocket for a battery replacement Apple corporate would have covered if only I'd called them first.

Apple used to be a great company who listened to their consumers, provided a solid product and backed it with an unheard of warranty.

Now, they're more concerned with selling you a replacement product before you need it. Usually with less features.

 

[Rampant.A.I.]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 4s: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

I'm sorry I just don't see where people think they "don't have a choice".

It would be like me getting angry at Black and Decker because my iron doesn't have xyz feature even though I bought it fully knowing what it had and didn't have.

Some companies add every bell and whistle to their computers. Apple is not that company. (Sony is.)

Things like the lack of separate audio in/out ports on the MacBook line aren't bells and whistles, though. They're a lack of basic features on a premium-priced machine to pad profit margins.

In the example you gave, Black & Decker is a basement bargain company. I wouldn't expect their products to be feature-rich. And, you don't have to buy a Black & Decker iron to run IronOS. You can run it on any iron

Now, if you were talking about a $600 cordless Black & Decker iron with a non-user-replaceable battery that failed after a year of use, with an auto shutoff feature activated by cotton, you'd be a lot closer to what Apple is turning into as a company.

And "if you don't like it, go buy a Philips iron" is missing the point. It's depressing to see the only PC manufacturer you've bought products from in the last two decades plus stop caring about what you, as a consumer want.

 

[boss.king]

Precisely. Apple market themselves as a top-of-the-line brand, so its reasonable to expect a fair amount of features and maybe a bell and a few whistles. Their iPhone line for example is priced above the competition but it hasn't changed much in terms of hardware. In fact I'd argue that given the battery issues and fragility of the 4s their line has actually gotten worse as much as it has gotten better. Its a case of form over function and Apple trying to compete in the specs game, an area where they previously claimed they didn't focus, and its cost them in an area they should do well in (overall experience).

 

[Rampant.A.I.]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 4s: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

Not to mention, instead of fixing the reception problems on the 4/4s, they called it user error, then released a plastic/rubber bumper quick fix for an additional fee. The Apple I know used to recall or repair defective hardware.

It was sort of vindicating to have my MBP's internal battery fail, after being assured it had been thoroughly tested and proven for 1000 cycles.

Almost as vindicating as it was infuriating to have to explain why I wanted my 6-month-old MBP with a dead pixel repaired or replaced same day to the Apple Store manager at Fashion Island after I'd spent $3,500 in one day on the machine and accessories at his store, while the genius bar was busy turning away customers with defective iPods in the background.

When even Apple corporate agrees their retail stores provide terrible customer service (per my phone conversation about the same problem with my replacement UMBP battery) something is wrong.

 

[roadbloc]

What we are all seeing here is doublethink at its best.

 

[maflynn]

What you're alluding to is that people have no choice that apple is forcing people to march to their drum beat and that's simply not true.

Apple has a lot of competitors, and so consumers have lots of choices.

One thing about the 1984 commercial - it was apple's marketing, pure and simple. It got the message across. Besides it was only aired once, so don't put too much emphasis on this one commercial either.

Apple's stated goal is to make a profit, that's not bad, and they've been very good at it.

Bottom line is because we have choices, simply vote with our wallet. Don't buy apple products if you feel so strongly they something is wrong with them.

 

[*LTD*]

Just get a Dell, dude.

 

[ScottishCaptain]

What we are all seeing here is doublethink at its best.

Holy crap.

Apart from Nekochan, I've never seen anyone around here with an RS/6000 in their sig. And I'm curious enough to potentially derail the topic (which I'd aimed more at their software then hardware), so I gotta ask- what sort of RS/6000 are you rocking?

-SC