Maybe when I grow up, I will own a Mac. One of those sexy ones that has the machine built into its screen, with the paper-thin keyboard and fancy mouse. The Mac is pretty enough to almost entice me into buying it last year before coming to university. My mom and I had decided that it would be an investment for a student journalist.
With that in mind I found myself trying to be responsible. I took into account how Macs don’t have viruses (so I’ve been told). Why that is, I have no idea (maybe “Apple-Lovers” are just happy people). Whereas Pc users tend to have a love-hate relationship with Microsoft, Apple has a love-love relationship. And besides the lack of pesky Trojan horses, Mac powers up really fast (really, really fast) and in seconds, Photoshop can open and you’ll be ready to meet your deadline.
Despite all the small perks, I think considering to buy a Mac can be compared to considering joining a cult. Was I ready to give my life over to efficiency and productivity? Where’s the excitement in that? Most importantly, was I ready to give my wallet over to the cult?
As reliable as a Mac is, without a salary or a hefty inheritance, its a financial burden.
The keyboard alone costs between R500 and R1000, and because Mac’s piracy protection is iron-clad, you’ll be forking out thousands for programs. Yes, piracy is wrong, but I’d rather skip finding a way to pirate because I can’t afford to use my computer. Of course it will be different when I decide to grow up and marry rich. Then I could afford both a pc and a Mac.
Why both pc and Mac? Because I don’t think its fair asking someone to grow up enough to stop playing games. No one should be doomed to an existence where they struggle to find a Mac-friendly version of a game they’ve been anticipating. This I refuse to budge on.
On the other hand, I’d be happy knowing that I work on a machine that was built with my work in mind. But right now, I have a student’s budget; I’ll settle for a machine that entertains and provides space to work. It might take longer to finish the work, but that’s a small price to pay. People should back up and format their computers regularly anyway, which takes care of the virus issue. So until I’m ready, I won’t allow myself to give in to the siren song of Mac.
