Friday, November 19, 2010

On the Subject of Beauty, and Why I Don't Do Macs

At this point, I think about 90% of my friends own Macs. So Brian, they ask, when are you getting a Mac? These things are awesome, they say, why are you using a PC? They cite Apple's superior usability, rock-solid hardware, and super-reliable OS. Thanks for your input, I say politely, I will consider your feedback and get back to you shortly.

I've learned not to argue with the Mac owner. They clearly made that conscious jump to a Mac and would like to impart their new-found knowledge on those who have not get found their Way.

So why don't I own a Mac? I have two answers for that- one is rational and the other is irrational. My rational answer is a very simple cost-benefit analysis. Is the added benefit of (perceptively) better usability and better hardware/software (debatable) worth the premium of paying for a Mac? My personal answer is no. I find myself very productive on a PC, rarely have any problems with viruses/crashing, and rarely have any major malfunctions (no more than the average PC or Mac). I believe any added productivity on a Mac or PC would be marginal and thus not worth a significant premium.

But for the more interesting, irrational reason why I don't have a Mac: Macs are beautiful. And yes, that is why you own a Mac. To repeat, whether consciously or subconsciously, that is why you own a Mac. Perceived superior usability and marginally better reliability are convenient reasons for the switch... but we both know you're dating her because she's hot.

And of course that's a perfectly good reason. A very positive physical bond is good for any long-lasting relationship. But as far as digital relationships go, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There is a certain acquired beauty in a PC that isn't for everybody. She's a bit quirky, sometimes gets sick, sometimes goes blue. But in the end, we make things work. Over time, I've learned how to manage and often prevent any fights we get into. I guess what I'm trying to say is that me and the PC have a long history. And even that alone has significant, albeit irrational, influence on my decision-making. I acknowledge and respect the universal beauty of the Mac. But to me, her beauty is empty, without substance, weight.

Just sayin

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Web Development Rap Part II

I like my browser cookies hot
I like my ladies a little bot
And my regular expressions more than not,
I like them with a little dot
Cuz my skillz are not the same
I can put your game in an iframe
But I know you're not to blame
Cuz there's no API for lame
And I'll make your site perspire
Cuz I don't know when your headers expire
Sorry, I hate to be an abuser,
but my name is ";DROP TABLE user"
Ohhhhh shit
Did I just commit in your girl's git?
I tried to make her quit
But she kept googling me like Eric Schmidt
I know you're not good with the chicks
You're as compatible as IE6
Your game is like Blockbuster
And mine like Netflix
What?
Are my words to hard too dope to cope?
I serve you like data via SOAP
You wish you can touch me
But I'm outside your scope

:x

I'm out

~ MC function Foo()

Part I found here