I started out on a great adventure a few years ago. At least, what I term a great adventure. After my Linux foray and failure (or rather, not failure, just finding out it wasn't practical for me), I figured since MacOS is based on BSD, I'd try it. Also to see what the big fuss was. I'd started on Apple (back with the ][e) and worked at a place where I had to use one. But that was back in the 90s, and I thought with all of the hubub, I must be missing something. And admittedly, I wanted to make money on the App store.
So, my adventure, and what I learned. All of this is personal, but it is my experience. So, I purchased one a few years ago (a MBP i5 late 2011) to see if I'd like it and to hopefully develop iOS apps and get rich. I found out that it takes a lot more than development skills to get rich making iOS apps, so I gave that up.
1. I don't like Macbooks.
Though there are a few cool things about the Mac and its software (I'll miss
Typed,
Ulysses (although I just found out they have an ipad version, so I'm happy again),
Storyist (although I still have it on my ipad), and
Marked (though I did make
my own barebones alternative)), even after 3 years with it as my only laptop, I still am not comfortable with it or the environment. I even tried loading a couple of different options for running windows apps on it, but those virtualized environments were slower- don't let them tell you different. And since I still was working in windows on my desktop and at work, I noticed it.
2. Macbooks keep their price pretty well- if your next purchase will be a PC.
I think that's because they're overpriced. People say all of these advantages why they're willing to pay a premium. I call BS after using it. There was no reason for me to pay that much for that machine. But here, three years later, I ordered
a new Dell for only $40. I used my proceeds from selling it to pay for the rest.
3. The days of getting rich off the app store are over.
I noted it above, but Apple has skewed the app store so that the only people that make money are those that already have it. It's still possible for those that don't have the money to pimp their software to make it... but that's more happenstance than by plan. I think that's explained on Cliffski's blog (he makes some indie games, and tried to dip into the app store with mixed success) in the article
Implications of a global market on random success.
Depressing.
4. You can get a lot of money off just for calling the company.
So, I ordered the computer from Dell. With the standard support + accidental damage for 1 year, the version I wanted was $800. I was able to find it on the microsoft store (and if you haven't looked into their signature editions, it's a good way to go... the same computers without the bloatware) after a special promotion for $40 less. That didn't include tax, so it would have been a bit less, but it included 2 years of enhanced support and accidental damage, and it was going to ship out and be to me within 3 days. Dell was a couple of weeks. So I called and explained to the guy in retention (it says a lot that they have to have a retention department). He said he couldn't give me the extra support (didn't really want it anyway), but he could give me $75 off. I said, that would only make up for the difference in price... not the timeline nor shipping. So he made it $100 off, with a 50% chance at expediting the assembly, and FedEx overnight shipping.
All that just for complaining?
The squeaky wheel really does get the oil.
In the end, after trying a Mac, and trying Linux, I just prefer Windows, for all its warts and problems. It works better for me, and I'm more productive on it. Who would have thought?
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