Has Apple Lost Its Way?

[Necromancer]

Preface: This is not a Mac bashing thread.  If the software that I use were available for Mac, then I would seriously consider buying one.

While wasting some time on Tom's Hardware Guide, I came across some interesting articles regarding Apple's quality control and customer service.  They used to be top drawer, but times they are a changin'.  Apparently, the new iMacs use low quality screens with uneven back lighting, yet Apple won't take them back as defective units.  Which they aren't, I guess; they're just stinky TN panels.  People are also pissed about Leopards bugs and BSoDs, and they are not pleased with Leopard's upgrade pricing either.  Recent buyers aren't getting freebies and the cheap upgrades are given only to buyers after October 1st, but I can't feel sorry for the people not getting a free or cheap upgrade, as they knew it was coming and weren't promised anything.  On the other hand, the inadequate testing is super crappy - especially after delaying Leopard for so long.  It's not like they have the infinite number of configurations to worry about like MS.  It should be interesting to see if Apple will mea culpa and clean up their act, or if they've gotten too big and will be just like everyone else.

Head here, here, and here to read the articles for yourself.

[Joe Redifer]

I think they have become worse over the past year or so.  Even their updates are more buggy and untested.  Pissed me off.  I still refuse to update Quicktime because of the horror stories I've heard.  I'll stick with what works, thanks.  Screw Leopard.

[Kitsunexus]

If Apple had some appealing case design (I liked the iMac design, but I don't like this white modernist look) and some software that I would actually USE, I'd be all over it.

Unfortunately, Windows is just too dominant in the world and has too many programs I use to let me switch over.

I'm in the same boat as Joe when it comes to Quicktime.

[rolins]

I find it very amusing that Mac users are getting the shaft. LOL.

The most fk'd up part is Apple covering their own ass by deleting discussion threads about their products' shortcomings. 

[Kitsunexus]

*THIS POST HAS BEEN DELETED BY APPLE*

[Turbo D]

I think that apple has changed a lot. Especially when they switched to intel. I don't see it as a bad thing though. You have to remember that they are competing with a company that has most all of the home computer market. As far as leopard goes, you have to expect bugs since its a new OS. Vista has bugs too, haha.

I have noticed the displays being a bit dim. This was especially apparent to me on their macbooks. I have an Apple store by my house(in Pasadena  ), so I go there and fiddle with the apple stuff  . I do appreciate their best display having extreme hd resolution; that is completely bad-ass! They are one of the few companies that offer it.

*THIS POST HAS BEEN DELETED BY APPLE*

rofl 

[Necromancer]

As far as leopard goes, you have to expect bugs since its a new OS. Vista has bugs too, haha.

Wrong, Leopard is just another features update to OSX; far from a completely new build.  The eighteen months between Tiger and Leopard should have been enough time to work out the major bugs (stop errors and data loss).

[Kitsunexus]

Let's all just use Amiga. 

[Turbo D]

As far as leopard goes, you have to expect bugs since its a new OS. Vista has bugs too, haha.

Wrong, Leopard is just another features update to OSX; far from a completely new build.  The eighteen months between Tiger and Leopard should have been enough time to work out the major bugs (stop errors and data loss).

I didn't know that it was just an upgrade  That sucks then  What disappoints me about Mac is that a lot of the new features are similar to ones that have been out on linux for a looong time. I'm not dogging them though.

[nat]

OS X is still miles better than XP, if for nothing more than security. And it looks nicer doing it.

That said, I haven't upgraded to 10.5 (Leopard) yet. I won't, either, until they've worked out the bugs and it's come down in price. OS X 10.4 is awesome.

[Necromancer]

OS X is still miles better than XP, if for nothing more than security. And it looks nicer doing it.

Being less of a target does not equal being secure.  Apple products have their fair share of bug fixes and patches, just like XP.

[Joe Redifer]

I guess a good thing about Apple is that you don't have to wait forever for the patches.  With Microsoft you need to wait forever for a freakin' service pack.

[nat]

Apple products have their fair share of bug fixes and patches, just like XP.

Sure, of course. So does any software.

Being less of a target does not equal being secure.

Oh, give me a break. XP is built on a 20 year old architecture that is severely obsolete on many levels. It also has many inherent weaknesses and instabilities because of this. It is extremely vulnerable to security compromise and leaves the backdoor wide open for a royal anal raping by anyone who knows half a thing about computers.

I don't know anything about Vista, but computers have changed so much in the past 20 years that the only real way to fix the problem is to redevelop the OS core from the ground up. This hasn't been done since Windows 3.0. If this wasn't done with Vista, then Microsoft is out of their f*cking mind.

If Micro-penis-soft had entered the market as a newcomer with Windows XP as their up-and-coming OS, consumers would have laughed in their face and never looked back. Fortunately for them, they were able to hold on to a market they secured in the MS-DOS days.

There's a reason there are 1.6 billion viruses out there that affect XP machines and 5 that affect OS X. Sure, the whole "less of a target" thing plays a role, but the simple fact is that it's just sooooo f*cking easy to program malware for an OS that basically has rape-you-in-the-ass capabilities built right in.

I'm not saying Apple is the end-all and be-all of the computing industry, but they sure could take the 'penis to school on building a proper modern OS. BTW, I wouldn't have said the same thing 10 years ago.

It's a shame so many useful apps are Windows-only. Good thing I can run those in a closed XP environment on my Mac when I need to.

[Joe Redifer]

The only major Windows app I wish were on the Mac is Nero.  There are probably a few more different programs like emulators and stuff, but other than that, the Mac does everything I want and Windows doesn't do Final Cut Studio.  The Mac is also ridiculously easy to maintain.  Want to delete an application?  Just drag it to the trash.  No need to run an uninstaller.  The only thing that most apps leave behind would be preference files.  You can find these in the Library folder if you MUST delete them (they are simply text files).

[Turbo D]

OS X is based on an architecture developed in 1969; unix