'Mac' turns 30 in changing computer world

[Steven_Draker]

Thirty years ago today, on January 24, 1984, Steve Jobs gave the first on-stage demonstration of the Macintosh computer to a packed auditorium. The technology was much different then ... 30 years later here we are:

 

[video=youtube;fDtKiaOe3mk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=fDtKiaOe3mk

 

I'm proud and privileged to be part of the Mac community for more than 10 years.

 

Apple's biggest success till today remains the iPhone, released in 2007.

[+ Charlie]

My partner bought one of those first Macs in 1984. When he brought it home, I was baffled: what were we supposed to do with it? I thought it was an outrageous waste of a lot of money in those days ($2500). I ended up using it for only two purposes, word processing and playing a Bridge game with myself. It would be 15 more years before I ventured onto the Internet with a newer Apple II computer (crappy), which I quickly ditched for a Gateway Microsoft product. I didn't buy another Apple product until I got an iPad last summer.

[leigh.bess.toad]

And here's the original Apple Mac ad. It played on TV only once, during the Super Bowl. Directed by Ridley Scott. It ranks as perhaps the greatest TV commercial ever produced.

 

[video=youtube;vNy-7jv0XSc]

[rvwnsd]

I like my Mac, but I find it interesting how they have changed from being a "computer for the rest of us" to being a computer that's out of reach for the rest of you.

[mmk123]

I got a MacBook last May and I have been happy with it and wish I would have bought one sooner. Before that I was a Dell user since 2000. My last Dell, that I got in 2010, had to have the hard drive replaced 4 times, amongst other internal mechanisms (fortunately I had the 4 year insurance on it and everything was replaced for free). I decided to get a new one and went with a Mac. I had always wanted to get a Mac before but it seemed that not everything was Mac compatible. Now the tide has definitely turned and everything seems to be Mac compatible. Now I am not a computer genius but I would always advise someone to go for a Mac.

[instudiocity]

I've been a Mac user since 1985. My first Mac was a 512E. It had enough RAM to load the OS and still have enough RAM to run 512 Kb of apps and documents. It had a 10 Mb Hard Drive. It has a clock speed of 8kbps.

 

My current iPhone has 3200 times the storage, 400 times the RAM and a clock speed 600 times faster, and it fits in my pocket!

 

Yes, I'm an Apple Fanboy!

[tyro]

I am a Mac snob. Period.

What a fucking fantastic commercial. Thanks for posting it, Lee.

T

[+ Charlie]

My spouse has a beautiful expensive iMac, but he can never figure out how to do anything on it, so he always has to ask me for help; I hate using it, because I don't find anything "intuitive" about it (I don't find my iPad easy to understand either). It also has had numerous expensive malfunctions, and the hard drive had to be replaced once. The famous Mac help desk has rarely been helpful. No fanboy here.

[daviddd49]

Hmmm ... I've been a Mac user since 1989. Before I used Apple II and Apple IIc+ computers for word processing, games, etc. I find them to be excellent computers, with very few -- if any -- real problems, no viruses to speak of, and capable of doing absolutely anything and everything I want. I bought a new MacBook Pro on December 30th, still use an older MacBook Pro as a back up laptop, have an 2009 era iMac that runs beautifully and has never had any problems, still have several older Macs that I use for various legacy programs (running OS 9 and before). In short, I love them.

 

Oh, and I use an iPad and an iPhone.

 

I dont do Windows.

[Lookin]

My partner bought one of those first Macs in 1984.

 

I got one of those in 1984 too and used it mostly for playing around. It was fun, but slooww. It's still down in the basement somewhere. Along with an Apple ][ Plus that I got in 1980 and again used mostly for playing around.

 

So I've been an Apple fan for a long time and figured I'd always be. Until a couple of weeks ago. I got one of those notices for a software upgrade, this one for Mavericks, Apple's new operating system. I usually just hit the 'upgrade' button, but not this time. I decided to check out what folks were saying about the new OS and learned, to my amazement, that synchronizing my iPhone with my computer would henceforth be impossible. The only way to synch would be through Apple's iCloud. The option to backup locally to my computer would be a thing of the past.

 

No way!! I have no intention of putting my calendar and contact info someplace on Apple's servers. They, or anybody who ever gets hold of their data, have no business knowing what escorts I've seen, or when, or how to get in touch with them.

 

So my plan is to stay with the current OS and upgrade only if Apple rethinks this boneheaded decision. Eventually, Apple will leave me in the dust, along with everyone else who wants to keep their personal info personal.

 

It's taken them thirty-four years to piss me off, but they are quickly making up for lost time.

[instudiocity]

henceforth be impossible[/url][/u]. The only way to synch would be through Apple's iCloud. The option to backup locally to my computer would be a thing of the past.

 

No way!! I have no intention of putting my calendar and contact info someplace on Apple's servers. They, or anybody who ever gets hold of their data, have no business knowing what escorts I've seen, or when, or how to get in touch with them.

 

So my plan is to stay with the current OS and upgrade only if Apple rethinks this boneheaded decision. Eventually, Apple will leave me in the dust, along with everyone else who wants to keep their personal info personal.

Sir, you are misinformed. You may still continue to only Sync and Upgrade your iPhone via wired connection to your computer. The only thing that has changed is you don't HAVE TO sync only to your computer.

 

Uograding my Apps via overnight iCloud backups is cool, but I still back mu iPhone up via wifi to my computer., which is another option.

[Lookin]

Sir, you are misinformed. You may still continue to only Sync and Upgrade your iPhone via wired connection to your computer. The only thing that has changed is you don't HAVE TO sync only to your computer.

 

Uograding my Apps via overnight iCloud backups is cool, but I still back mu iPhone up via wifi to my computer., which is another option.

 

Thanks, and I sure hope you're right! The Apple support document I linked said 'If you use OS X Mavericks v.10.9 or later, your contacts, calendars, and other info are updated on your computers and iOS devices via iCloud.'. If they're just funnin' me, they can win me back. But it'll take a little sweet-talkin' first. http://www.boytoy.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

 

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljrtcmABzu1qdot54o1_500.jpg

[instudiocity]

Apple support document I linked[/url][/u] said 'If you use OS X Mavericks v.10.9 or later, your contacts, calendars, and other info are updated on your computers and iOS devices via iCloud.'. If they're just funnin' me, they can win me back. But it'll take a little sweet-talkin' first. http://www.boytoy.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

 

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljrtcmABzu1qdot54o1_500.jpg

EXACTLY...

 

You can use iTunes to sync the contacts, calendars, notes, Safari bookmarks, and email account information on your computer with your iPod, iPhone, or iPad. iTunes also syncs this information from your device to your computer—for example, if you add contacts on your iPad, syncing adds those contacts to Contacts on your computer (or Address Book, in some versions of OS X).

but you don't have to use iTunes to sync via iCloud.

 

That's a fine piece of tail you've got.