Confessions of a Mac Zealot

Today I found myself in an interesting conversation. A recent “switcher” and I were discussing the possibility that Google may, some day, crush Microsoft. The usual arguments were bandied about like cheap shuttlecocks over a net of malformed opinion and little agreement was reached. A wholly uninteresting conversation one would think. Yet one nugget of interesting mind fodder was presented when I opined that if Google destroys Microsoft then Apple would surely be ground to a fine paste as well. My friend replied that I was simply nuts (or otherwise lacking in the cerebral department, I believe an expletive was invoked) and ended by declaring: “Nah, most Mac users are crazed, they’ll never give up.”

Which brings up the interesting question: just how many Mac users are so hard-core they will never consider using anything but a Mac? Let it be noted that just asking someone if they will always use a Mac is really not a very good indicator of commitment to the platform. Take, for example, myself. I would consider myself to be receptive to other platforms. I’m not much of a Windows basher and I can get by using XP when pressed to do so. It’s not an experience I truly enjoy but I can be productive using Microsoft’s OS and non-Apple hardware. If I were to give myself a rating I’d call myself a solid Apple supporter but certainly not an Apple zombie.

Unfortunately introspection indicates this may not be the case. After our conversation I took the opportunity to fire up the G4 in OS 9 just for old time’s sake. I was aghast. You see I had vociferously defended OS 9 against XP when XP was initially released. I pointed out the problems in the original version of XP. I stamped my feet and shouted at the top of my lungs that OS 9 was obviously, to anyone who would try both platforms for even the fewest of days, the better OS. When people would point out the advantages of XP over 9 I would be dismissive, I mean is preemptive multitasking really a big deal? (answer=yes). After messing about in OS 9 for just a little while it was clear that I was wrong, XP is the better system and it is a difficult to call the race close.

My opinion, no matter how fervently believed at the time, was obviously some sort of self-delusion. The likely culprit in this case was a heaping plateful of confirmation bias. I, apparently, had already decided that XP was inferior to OS 9 (probably OS 8 through 6 as well) and thus rejected any evidence that didn’t integrate well with my pre-formed opinion. In my defense I will say that confirmation bias is a very common occurrence in most folk’s daily lives. You know nothing is going to be as good as: an iPod, Toyota, John Deere etc. so nothing ever will ever convince you otherwise (or use your own example, you get the idea).

Which brings the conversation full circle. Just what percentage of Mac users are, in reality, zealots? I don’t suppose there is any true way to know this number. Obviously only counting the rabid foamy-mouthed cult of Mac types would leave out the folks who see themselves as completely rational users making a sober, conscious decision. Basically people such as myself.

How could one get an accurate counting of people who think they are making a somber, rational decision but are, in actuality, falling prey to the less logical part of their brain? It will have to be sufficient to realize such people exist. In the end I think my friend is right. There are a percentage of people who will stick with Macs unless something simply superlative comes along. It can’t be something a little faster, or slightly simpler or even substantially cheaper. If the Mac is ever completely supplanted it will take something that is honestly revolutionary. The bright side of learning that I’m a Mac zealot is that, for now, I’m right.