Why everyone should have a Mac
Writing about web page http://fishbowl.pastiche.org/2004/05/25/the_mac_is_a_harsh_mistress
Charles Miller has an elegant metaphor to explain just why it is that using a Mac is so much nicer than a 'doze box.
Microsoft, ladies and gentlemen, is a cheap whore. She lives on the fringes of the law, but there’s no getting rid of her because she fulfils a certain need in our society. People want what she is selling.
There’s a certain painted-on mystique to her, of course. We’ve all been indoctrinated with the propaganda, the hooker with the heart of gold, the disturbingly wide-mouthed Pretty Woman. When you find her, though, beneath the paint she’s really quite plain. You take what you need from her, but reluctantly and because you have no alternative. You get what you want, but she is almost peripheral to the act.
Apple is a lover.
From the moment you meet her, you know that she wants you to be happy…
Oh, and in case you were wondering (and you're too lazy to read the original), linux is your psycho ex .
Chris May
27 May 2004 12:56
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About Women, Macs and Microsoft....an answer
I stand by all three assertions. "[rolls eyes]" "wooly-minded" – Silly girl, what are you talking about? "Slightly anti-feminist" refers more to the piece's effect as a whole rather than any of its "bits," even though this t...
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13 comments by 7 or more people
[Skip to the latest comment]Paul Strapps
Sold! I want a mac with a huge screen….2 if possible!! :)
27 May 2004, 14:13
Joanna Jameson
Slighty anti-feminist, definitely patriarchal, completely crap. Yet another disturbingly misogynist example of comparing women and automated machinery, that which exists for the sole purpose of man's enjoyment of property, as by occupying or exercising it. Tsk-tsk….
27 May 2004, 17:20
Chris May
[rolls eyes]
"Slighty anti-feminist"
which bits, exactly?
"definitely patriarchal"
maybe…
"completely crap"
Reasoning? Justification? What, exactly, is it about the analogy that you disagree with? Which points are weak?
In your point about property, are you asserting that when someone anthropomorphises an object (a computer, or anything else) that they implicitly reverse the relationship and objectify the person/people to whom the comparison is being made? If so, do you have any evidence that this assertion is true? If not, your point is wooly-minded at best.
Tsk indeed.
27 May 2004, 17:50
Joanna Jameson
My reply was much too long and was booted from being published :-)
See my blog for answer…..
28 May 2004, 09:15
Hannah Vickery
'elegant metaphor'
Metaphor, yes… but elegant….?
28 May 2004, 10:01
[rolls eyes]
"Slighty anti-feminist"
which bits, exactly?
– how about all of it!
28 May 2004, 10:11
Chris May
You can (And Joanna does, quite effectively) argue that it's misogenistic (sp?), but that's not the same as being ant-feminist – what I want to understand is which bits are degrading to feminists, as opposed to women? If it's the case that you're using the term anti-feminist as just a synonym for 'sexist' then fine, I agree – but that's a gross misuse of language and is itself an anti-feminist act since it dilutes the meanng of the term.
Watch my blog /post popularity rocket! Bwahahaha!
28 May 2004, 10:26
Karen Mortimer
You agree that the metaphor is sexist, so why describe it as 'elegant'? It's not elegant…just a bit tired.
28 May 2004, 10:49
Joanna Jameson
I think I'll contribute to Chris's blog's "popularity" here by observing that it is a little arrogant (patronising might be a better word to use considering the content of this argument) to assume that a writer does not know the definitions of the words he or she uses.
The original post was offensive and manages to alienate many women AND feminists (those of both the male and female sexes).
But we're really beating a dead horse here.
28 May 2004, 10:57
Chris May
It's elegant because it manages to convey very precisesly the feeling (for me) of using a mac and the feeling of using an XP box, without ever straying from it's domain. How would you define an elegant metaphor?
28 May 2004, 10:59
Charles Miller
Amusingly enough, the original audience for the article (the person who asked my advice) was a woman.
She got the joke.
02 Jun 2004, 14:34
Of course, Macs are like lovers in more ways than that. When they're not feeling so good about your relationship, they're damned well not going to tell you what's wrong, you have to divine that for yourself.
But I think that OsX could be counted as the Basic Instinct type of relationship too; underneath the intriguing facade lurks something far more sinister…
02 Jun 2004, 20:16
Julie Moreton
Having missed all the action over the summer, I know I'm a bit late to the party, but this discussion was definitely worth following!
I joined in the middle somewhere and thought – what the hell was this all about? My first thought was woah ladies, you are giving far too much credence to a (what I'm sure) was a flippant, off-the-cuff blog from Chris designed to spark controversial debate(??) Nice one Chris – certainly got em talking! Fair play to Joanna though – superbly argued. I think she definitely won that one!
This certainly won't further academic debate, but here's my contribution anyway.
Okay, so every man should have a mac – fair enough.
Then every woman should have a joy stick! A simple (some would argue somewhat useless ;-) ) plug-in device that allows the user to have fast furious fun, for … at least a few minutes (until boredom sets in). Can be easily adapted to fit most models and requires no previous knowledge or handling experience!!
Great stuff this – takes me back to the old OU days when conferencing was in its infancy with First Class and we had to contribute to discussions just to gain some paltry marks for assignments!
06 Oct 2004, 11:19
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