Why I Hate Using Macs

A couple weeks ago, I received a new macbook pro as my desktop replacement at work. It's pretty much as powerful as my former desktop and it's a laptop so I figured that having a computer I can use anywhere at work would be pretty useful. I was thinking about waiting for the new windows laptop (which hasn't been determined yet, but most likely would be a thinkpad) since I have a thinkpad at home and love it to bits. But, in the interest of getting a laptop earlier I decided I would just try it out.

Now, I've been a pretty openly negative person when it comes to Apple products. Prior to owning an Apple product, I was mostly just against Apple as a principle. It's not particularly that I think Apple products are especially terrible, although I'm not really a big fan of their stuff, it's that the indie part of me cringes at the idea of playing into the "cool factor" that all of their advertising suggests. I wouldn't go as far as, say, Maddox does, but I was definitely against the whole idea that you become part of this great "Mac Community". Own a mac because we're fighting against the man (remember 1984?).

But that's not my point today. Putting the whole "cool factor" aside and the fact that I feel like I'm not artistic enough for my new macbook, today I'm only going to write about the reasons why I don't like using my macbook and not why I don't like macs as a general principle.

I have always been a firm believer that you can't be against something that you've never tried to understand. Part of the reason why I decided that I would get a macbook for work was that I could try it out for a while and at least say that I've tried it and I was right for hating it. In the last couple of days, I've been quite vocal about my anger toward my new macbook and I thought I'd go into a little more depth...

Reason #1: Installing software is an almost patronizing process
In the Windows world, you download the executable (exe), run it, and follow their generally 10 step process as it goes through where you want to save your application, what you want installed with it, and (hopefully) whether or not you want to have it put shortcuts everywhere. Not the greatest solution in the world, but pretty customizable and in general pretty straightforward. It's a little cold and metallic feeling, but it gets the job done and the many steps I'm okay with because that's an opportunity to have the app installed exactly how I want it. More importantly, all the steps are in roughly the same spot so if I want a quick install without thinking, I can just keep pressing next in about the same spot.
In the Mac world, you download the disc image (dmg), run it, and go through their "easy install" window. This has the potential to be much better than a Windows installer, and in some cases it is much easier. Almost... too easy. While installing Adium, which is actually pretty good and has an incredibly cute mascot of sorts, I came across this install window:

Image from kevin.roberts' flickr

This is actually the first application I had installed on my macbook and, although it's incredibly cute, my first thought was that they must think I'm some sort of idiot. Upon installing a number of other applications it occurred to me that this wasn't an Adium thing, this was a mac thing. Why, if you can only put it in one folder, even show this screen? If I don't have a choice in the matter, why not just do it for me rather than make me drag something into a folder just to install it? I half expect a voice to say (in that condescending voice you use for kids), "Come on! You can do it! Just drag that little icon to that other icon that looks like a folder with the word applications on it!" The confusing thing is even after you've dragged the app to the applications folder, the window is still there, begging you to do more even though you really can't. Then, once you close that, you need to take that dmg "disc" and eject it by dragging it from the desktop to the trash. I don't quite understand why that is still around once I've finished my whole dragging install. Maybe it's to add to that feeling of accomplishment.

Reason #2: Turning off the startup sound is not an installed setting
I am not a fan of my computer making noise when I'm in public. I especially don't like it when other people's computers make noise when I'm in public. There's nothing more annoying than being at work and hearing everyone's outlook or communicator or iphone beeping every time they get a message or have a meeting reminder. I am a strong supporter of headphones. You can imagine my surprise when, with the headphones plugged in, my mac started up with its standard bong/chime startup sound from its speakers and not my headphones. Immediately I start trying to search around the settings to see how to turn that sound off to no avail. My dear friend Google then lets me know that it's not a defect, you just can't make that sound go away without some annoying key presses or some 3rd party tool. That way, I can announce to everyone in the room that I have a macbook. I've been told a number of times that I should just not turn off my macbook because "it doesn't need it". Even if that were true, that is a poor solution to a really annoying problem.

Reason #3: Using the laptop is actually kind of painful
I love my thinkpad. The thing is practically indestructible, the edge where my wrists are is actually curved plastic, and it never gets that hot (usually the most it gets is warm).
The macbook, on the other hand, is surrounded in aluminum. Even the sound of my nails accidentally scratching against any part of its surface is like scratching a chalkboard. All the edges are extremely sharp to the point where some people have taken measures to make their macbooks stop trying to kill them. And, because of its metal casing, when it heats up, it pretty much could burn your skin if you tried to keep it on your lap. Luckily, I use a bluetooth mouse and keyboard at work so I only have to worry about getting physically abused by my mac when I take it home.


To be fair, there are some nice features to this mac. The spaces feature is pretty slick for keeping things from getting overly cluttered. I do enjoy having 2 different backgrounds that show separate instances of the screensaver I have when using a 2nd monitor. But when push comes to shove and I need to get another personal laptop in a couple of years, chances are it'll be another thinkpad.