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Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:09 pm
by BellePlaine
I heard this report on the radio this morning and thought that it was interesting enough to share. Given the perception that Mac users like the finer things in life, my question is; Does this report make Mac users sound like elitists? In this age of shared sacrifice does this hurt the Mac image?
In the tech world, no dichotomy has lasted longer, or rang more true, than Mac vs PC. Now, a comprehensive study from market research service Hunch has given us a clear view of what makes the creatures who use these computers so different, and so much alike.
To start, the study, which combines answers from a variety of different surveys that ranged in sample size, from 2,000 participants up to 388,315, shows that PC users are far more numerous than Mac users, with 52 percent of respondents saying they fit in the PC camp, while only one fourth uses Macs. Nearly the same amount (23 percent) ascribe to neither PC nor Mac.
Mac users are generally younger than PC people, the study shows, better educated and more likely to live in urban areas. They throw more parties, and more often describe their fashion style as “chic” or “upscale.” More than 70 percent of PC users called their style “casual and trending toward jeans,” Hunch reports.
When it comes to technology, 43 percent of Mac people consider themselves “early adopters,” while only 36 percent of PC users get in early on new gadgets. PC users more often enjoy websites like I Can Haz Cheezburger and Go Fug Yourself; MaC users opt for sites like Apartment Therapy and Boing Boing.
The Hunch study even gets down to nitty-gritty details like which beverages the two groups enjoy most — Pepsi, Orange Crush and Jolt Cola for PCers, San Pellegrino Limonata and Boylan’s Root Beer for Mac people — and what kinds of foods the two groups like to snack on (sweet for PCs, salty for Macs).
As Hunch points out, even PC people are Mac people — at least a little bit. Everyone, for instance, owns an iPod, and out of 95,562 Hunch users, 48 percent owned an iPhone.
Here's the link.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/digitaltrends/2 ... studyshows
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:19 pm
by hambone
I'm in the mainstream, baby. It's like 1968 and the VW dealer network is plentiful.
I guess I get the hairy ape-man vote.
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:32 pm
by airkooledchris
I use both. They have their pluses and minuses.
For massive multitasking work related tasks, I still prefer the Windows 7 layout, but Mac OSX with it's 'spaces' is really fun to work within.
Where are the linux stereotypes now? Open source guys are easy to spot to! ;p
im currently running Windows 7 on a newer laptop, and linux/WinXP on an older laptop, then the Mac Mini in the office.
I had a Zune MP3 player for years, but do enjoy my iPhone now that I finally caved and drank the iCoolaid
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 2:05 pm
by sped372
All I know is I started calling certain people iTards awhile back. You know, the "I must rush out and buy every new Apple product and exclaim to the world how 'with it' I am" folks. Computers nowadays easily have 1000x the power most people actually use them for anyway. Apple has more glitz but I don't see it making a difference for what 95% of the population does on a daily basis (internet, email, maybe some word processing). You gotta know how to get the most out of it (or even have a valid need) no matter what tool you're using.
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 5:48 pm
by JLT
airkooledchris wrote:I use both. They have their pluses and minuses.
Same here. Having done so, I'll say that the Mac interface is better thought-out.
By and large, the Mac also gives me less trouble in connectivity with hot spots and other equipment.
Not to say they're trouble-free. I had some problems with Thunderbird's latest release interfering with the Mac's OS. I researched the problem on the Net and made contact with some of the people who tweak Thunderbird, which is an open-source program. It turned out that it was, of all things, some "unverified" fonts that had been picked up through emails and such. Once I got rid of them, everything went back to normal.
The difference is that with the Mac, I was quite upset that it was malfunctioning. When similar things happen on my Dell Vostro, I just shrug and say, "Well, that's Windows for you."
There's a stereotype that artist types gravitate toward the Mac. I don't know if that's true across the board, but almost all my musician friends are Mac-heads. A lot of that comes from Apple putting Garage Band into their basic app package.
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 6:08 pm
by ruckman101
I'm more comfortable in the Apple environment. Have never picked up a virus on a Mac. I use their machines primarily for artistic endeavors, graphics and video editing. Both of our towers sport Motorola processors so we may have to upgrade soon. PCs strike me as clunkier, and differences can still throw me for a loop, as I use a PC at work which has picked up numerous viruses. Not an iTard, however, only owning an iPod beyond my tower, which was purchased so that I could show off my video projects to folks in the field. We also have an Apple laptop, again because of our video work. No tablet, tv, phone from them. I have yet to own any cell phone.
neal
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 7:27 pm
by Xelmon
I did my fair share of screw-ups and ITV's through the years.
PC user all the way, and I know how to bend them to my will.
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 2:30 am
by Sylvester
I own both, but don't use the Mac Mini at all. I have an older PC with XP media Center on it. I have an iPhone 3GS and today I am getting from a friend his used iPad, he bought the iPad2. If I was more comfortable with the Mac, I would probably move to it 100%.
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:26 am
by hiwaycallin
As Hunch points out, even PC people are Mac people — at least a little bit. Everyone, for instance, owns an iPod ...
I guess I'm a nobody. I do like a Boylan's root beer once in a while though.
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:01 am
by turk
I'm going with one of these:
Numi $6500 U.S. isn't too much when you consider all the high-tech whistles and bells.
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 12:57 pm
by chitwnvw
turk wrote:I'm going with one of these:
Numi $6500 U.S. isn't too much when you consider all the high-tech whistles and bells.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn3OfkDgEho
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:40 pm
by Birdibus
I'm barely able to use computers. The Dell desktop we had for 30 days left me in tears with tech help after it crashed repeatedly. Poof, back to factory, and we were out $300 shipping fees. When I had an Apple laptop to use for awhile, everything worked almost flawlessly. No problems, Easy to use. Big strides in learning. So I bought a laptop for myself. Unfortunately, 5 years later, it's rapidly becoming obsolete. Just yesterday Yahoo offered Beta, but when I click the link I'm informed I'm not compatible. sigh. Don't know if I'll ever be able to afford another computer. What are you going to do with that mini Mac, Sylvester?
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 7:05 pm
by zblair
JLT wrote:There's a stereotype that artist types gravitate toward the Mac. I don't know if that's true across the board, but almost all my musician friends are Mac-heads. A lot of that comes from Apple putting Garage Band into their basic app package.
IMHO, I think musicians using Macs has a lot more to do with Pro Tools than Garage Band, at least from a professional standpoint. Been around way longer and has been one of the softwares of choice for a long long time. Ditto for graphic arts interfaces/artists. Yes, everything (including Pro Tools) is around for PC users, but for a long time at least with Pro Tools the functionality was a little different. And then with Pro Tools came proprietary hardward for Pro Tools.
And for the record: Win7 on my desktop, Linux (was Sidux, now Mint) on J's desktop though he has a virtual box with Windows on that PC, J's Dell laptop also runs Linux/virtual box, I have a Macbook I use for school and in a few weeks I'll have an iMac since I am going to be working for Apple and its part of the package deal. One of these days we'll actually set up our network the way it should be and the server will most likely be Linux.
I don't have an iPhone, have an Android through T-Mobile that I really appreciate more than the BlackBerry I had that crapped out. J still has a flip phone and is perfectly happy with it. He did finally learn how to text on it though when he realized there were some situations that it came in handy for.
Re: Mac vs. PC user stereotypes
Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 1:54 am
by Sylvester
Birdibus wrote:What are you going to do with that mini Mac, Sylvester?
Probably sell it. The ethernet port does not work on it, so it is wireless only. Sounds like you need something here soon?