>> Maybe you should also stop stereotyping whoever hurts your Mac fan feelings.
Just cut the emotional crap, it appears to impair your ability to see the point I'm trying to make.
I've been using Linux and OS X alongside each other for over a decade, and many other *nix derivatives at work. I just pick the right tool for the right job, and more often than not, a Mac running OS X turns out to be the choice that offers the best tradeoffs, and allows me to do whatever I should or want to be doing with the lowest level of frustration. My HTPC/home server isn't running OS X, and neither does the VM I use to cross-compile packages for embedded systems. What does that say about Macs and OS X? Nothing.
That said, the problem I have with articles like this hitting Hacker News is not because I can't stand the idea some people have different ideas about what a computer is to them and how it should work. I couldn't care less. The problem is that the information content of these dime-a-dozen run-of-the-mill Apple rants is close to zero. I simply don't understand their purpose, do I have to stop using Macs because some guy on the internet prefers to use something different for whatever reason that doesn't affect me, or almost anyone else who uses their computer as a tool to get shit done?
The issue here is that recent releases of OSX have sucked more than some earlier releases of OSX, and it's annoying some people.
The hardware is now even more locked down than ever.
These are facts.
Does it mean you have to stop using a mac? No.
Does it mean that some people are moving away from macs? Yes.
Does it mean you need to rage because there's an article that mentions 'fan boys'? Not really. Chill out.
If you have any cognant and articulate arguments why this guys opinion (which I happen to currently share) is a stupid opinion to have, by all means, I'm interested...
>> If you have any cognant and articulate arguments why this guys opinion (which I happen to currently share) is a stupid opinion to have, by all means, I'm interested...
Nowhere did I say his opinion was stupid, I'm not one to judge opinions. All I'm saying is that I don't see any value in reading it, particularly not in the context of HN.
The cognant and articulate argument (?) here is that the internet has plenty of places to go if you want to read rants about why <insert technology or technology company here> sucks and why someone decided to leave for these elusive greener pastries that other platforms supposedly offer.
Everyone knows Macs aren't the most serviceable computers on earth, and everyone knows iOS isn't intented to be an open platform for all purposes power users or developers would use regular computers for. I don't think many other arguments are required to illustrate the point this article doesn't add much -if anything- to HN as a medium for the technology startup space.
Or, maybe it's just me, and other people really feel enlightened and satisfied after reading this article... :-/
> All I'm saying is that I don't see any value in reading it, particularly not in the context of HN.
OT: Do not read the article. Furthermore, do not comment on the article, nor should yo up vote it. If you feel the article violates some aspect of HN, flag it.
However, if your reason for commenting is to just say: "I don't see any value in reading it, particularly not in the context of HN." then you are not contributing. You are, by admission, contributing less than the article you are commenting on.
This is not an attack. Merely an observation. You value the quality of HN. Be the quality. Don't be the problem.
On another note. You say:
"I'm not one to judge opinions."
But then you go on to judge the article, an opinion, and it's worthiness:
"All I'm saying is that I don't see any value in reading it, particularly not in the context of HN."
> Or, maybe it's just me, and other people really feel enlightened and satisfied after reading this article... :-/
People enjoy different things. You do not want to judge, so don't. =) The best thing you can do to promote what you want to see on HN is to promote those very things. Spending time contributing to things you don't enjoy does not help.
>> This is not an attack. Merely an observation. You value the quality of HN. Be the quality. Don't be the problem.
I agree with most of what you wrote, except this part. Maybe I'm being naive but I believe discussion about stuff you don't like about a community-driven platform like HN might actually improve it. To me, the fact that articles like this hit HN more and more often, is separate from the discussion you can have about it.
>> People enjoy different things. You do not want to judge, so don't
You are twisting my words. I don't want to judge opinions, but that doesn't mean I can't have my own, and it also doesn't mean I can't express them in relation to the stuff that gets upvoted on HN. In everything I wrote about this article don't think I've passed any judgement on the author's opinion itself. You say 'people enjoy different things' as if that justifies anything that gets posted on HN. Lots of people enjoy reading about ponies, but you don't see a lot of articles about ponies on HN, and I don't think many people think that's a bad thing.
All I'm saying is that in the time I've been visiting HN, the information value of the articles upvoted on HN is going down. If this continues, before you know it HN will be like Gizmodo with a really crappy layout. Telling me to 'just don't read the articles' or 'just don't upvote them' is a pretty negative conclusion to draw from this discussion don't you think?
> Maybe I'm being naive but I believe discussion about stuff you don't like about a community-driven platform like HN might actually improve it.
In context. But when out of context, it won't. If anything, one could argue that if your comment does provide any value toward improving HN, then the article served a greater purpose, and as a result, was of value.
Regardless, actions speak louder than words.
> All I'm saying is that in the time I've been visiting HN, the information value of the articles upvoted on HN is going down.
That's the natural state of things. I've seen people say this for years now. It's a reoccurring theme. I do not know how long you've been visiting HN, but going just by your profile, I can assure you, 444 days ago, people were discussing how HN had gone down hill.
I believe a portion of that complaint is that when you first get here, it's new, and you haven't seen the articles being presented. After a while, you start to read the same thing over and over again. It becomes dull. And things start to stand out that you might not have noticed your first day.
> You are twisting my words.
No. It's just a misunderstanding. No twisting was intended.
> You say 'people enjoy different things' as if that justifies anything that gets posted on HN.
Actually, it does. HN is based on voting, and the members of HN enjoy reading many types of articles here. If something gets voted up, it's because a segment of the members want to read these types of things on HN. That you are uninterested in this specific topic does not mean it's outside of HN's accepted role.
> Lots of people enjoy reading about ponies, but you don't see a lot of articles about ponies on HN, and I don't think many people think that's a bad thing.
Don't be silly, the context is HN, making that point moot. The argument isn't about general wants and desires, but what people want to read here on HN.
Anyways, my point is, and was, you can either be a part of the problem, or part of the solution. If you want to see different articles, submit them! Ignore the ones that you aren't interested in. Flag articles that don't belong. You can either be a positive force, or a negative one.
1. Recent releases of OSX have sucked more than earlier releases? Can't agree with that. I've used OSX since the beta days, and both Lion and ML are far more polished and usable. OSX was like a breath of fresh air compared to OS9, so of course it "felt" better. But there were tons of bugs that have slowly been stomped out. You may not like some of the current features of OSX ML, but the previous versions aren't unequivocally better.
2. Hardware lockdown. I have fond memories of using a kitchen knife to open up a Mac mini to replace memory. Yesterday I bumped my 2012 mini to 16GB with a simple twist. The Mac Pro is the same as it was when released. Some of the notebooks are more accessible, some less so. Replacing the hard drive on my wife's G4 powerbook involved something like 30 screws, and hoping that I didn't bend anything out of tolerance. Today that's far different; even the MacBook air has fewer parts and steps involved.
"Case" in point, I had the MBP17 just before change to unibody, and now the unibody. To replace the HD in the older model involved a half dozen more steps including removing the keyboard and various components. In the current model, just open the bottom and swap the drive.
I had the white Mac Mini (last model with DVD) and needed a metal spatula to get into it to upgrade RAM. With the current model, I needed... my fingertips.
And of course the Mac Pro (tower) is as open as ever.
Take apart a new Mac with Fusion Drive - as far as anyone has been able to determine, the pinouts are exactly the same as SATA, but the connector has been modified enough that it's proprietary now.
iPhone 5's new connector is actually what pushed me to abandon the Apple ecosystem:
I have a in dash GPS/HD radio/Pandora unit that until now required an iDevice for Pandora remote control. I considered upgrading from my 4S to a 5... I need a new connector. No problem, there's an adapter - $30 or $40 with a chip in it that serves in large part the purpose of ensuring I get an Apple adapter/cable.
Great, so now I get the adapter, plug it into the head unit, only to find, guess what, it still won't work - why? Because (and finding anything official on this is nigh on impossible, only outside reviewers) the adapter doesn't pass on the iPod Out control signals.
Screw that. I will wait for a firmware update for my head unit.
I sold my iPhone 4S, my iPad 3, and am now very happy with a Nokia Lumia 920, and a Samsung 700E tablet running Windows 8.
Yes, I even have Mac OS X systems available to me.
Maybe you should also stop stereotyping whoever hurts your Mac fan feelings.