The People Have Spoken

The votes have been tallied (more than 100 as of this writing) and the people have chosen Change.

In the PC vs. Mac election, in which I vowed to let the public pick my next computer, it was a landslide: 84 percent voted for Mac, 16 percent for PC.  One outlier cast a write-in vote for Linux.  I’m guessing he’s voting for Ralph Nader in November.

The Mac fans were not content just to vote–they felt compelled to voice the reasons behind their vote.  Most often mentioned were the easy set-up, the short time the machine takes to boot up, and its superior resistance to viruses. The consensus was “Once you go Mac, you’ll never go back!”  Self-described MacAddicts use a lot of exclamation marks.

The Windows fans were largely silent on their chosen candidate, beyond commenting that it’s become the standard in the personal computing world and it’s hard to buck the system.  This is like saying “Well, it ain’t so great, but at least it’s familiar.”

I happen to like changing things up once in awhile, so I was secreting hoping that you, my readers, would give me a reason to switch.

Last week, it was clear which way the wind was blowing, so when I found myself at Hillsdale Shopping Center, I stopped in the Apple store to eyeball the machine I would spend the next few years with.

I sidled up to the iMac, eying its sleek, glossy exterior. and eye-popping 24-inch screen.  I looked behind it.  I looked underneath it.  I looked under the table.  Where was the computer?  Then I saw a narrow slit on the side of the monitor, just big enough for a CD. Ah!  The monitor IS the computer.  I hoped no one had seen me peek behind the curtain, so to speak.

I was not left alone to ponder my own ignorance, as my arrival in the store had been acknowledged by a greeter. (I’m not sure what they call them, but sure the company that calls their support guys “geniuses” wouldn’t use the same term as Wal-Mart for the people at the door.)

My greeter radioed ahead to someone on the floor, who was dispatched to assist me.  I’ll bet they use code.  In my case it was a word that meant, “old lady wandered into the wrong store,” or “badly in need of a tech upgrade and a decent haircut.”

In any case, my shopping experience was all that it was hyped up to be by the Mac voters.  My personal shopper, Jamie, was cute and patient.   I asked some technical questions that had her running to the back to consult with a genius and earned me her respect as a real customer, not just a poseur.  

I didn’t take much convincing.  Unless there was a rush at the polls of last-minute Windows fans, I could have the cute little MacBook of my dreams.

When my shopper handed my my purchase (no need to stand in line at the Apple store; in fact, there is no check-out counter) I was congratulated by no fewer than three employees.  I was afraid they would surround me and break into song.  It felt like an initiation in to the Cool Kids Club.

My Mac and I are still on our honeymoon, but I’ve signed us up  for a little one-on-one with a counselor at the Apple store.  I want to get our relationship off to a good start.

My thanks to all of you who voted.  I think you made a wise choice and I was ready for a change.