My other half and I were involved in a discussion the other day, which got me thinking. I was simply commenting about how I really love my Macbook. He made the comment that using Macs was typical of what was wrong with America. Which was to say it was blatant consumerism at its best when you’re paying for a brand rather than the best product out there (let’s not forget he bought it for me as a deployment gift but I digress).
What I explained to him is not that my computer is superior because it’s the base line Macbook but that it gives me functionality I don’t have on a PC: namely Scrivener and iLife. He pointed out that I could get more power for a significantly less amount of money, which is true, except that I wouldn’t have Scrivener. I wouldn’t have TimeMachine and a whole slew of other Mac programs. But mostly Scrivener. Lusting after Scrivener is what ultimately made the switch easy for me.
For me, my Macbook has made my life simpler. I no longer worry that I’m going to lose all my data and I’ve been using for six months straight, well over 14 hours per day and I’ve yet to have a single issue. (there have been a few hiccups but nothing that TimeMachine or Google didn’t help me identify in a few minutes). There has been no lost data (meaning completed novels that disappear into the ether, knock on wood)
So I ask you: am I being a snob simply because I enjoy using my computer? I like the feel of the keys, the quickness of the start up (open the lid) and shut down (close the lid). Does that make me a brand conscious snit or someone who simply doesn’t feel like digging into the control panel to change power settings when I can press a button?
My Macbook is not superior (though consumer reports says it is:).
It is simply enjoyable, functional, and reliable. What more could a deployed writer ask for?