Also: y’all should use Macs.
If you’re into graphic design or video editing, sure. I am not.
This is a misconception that a lot of people have about Macs: they’re only for artsy-fartsy people. That’s just not true. They’re for everybody, from the lest competent computer user to a visual artist to a web programmer. That last one, I think, is a particularly important point, as there was a bit of an exodus from Windows and other platforms to the Mac for programmers in the last decade.
The mass migration within the development and IT fields from Microsoft products to Apple products has been staggering, and these aren’t unskilled users. MS was caught completely off guard by it and they were smart to push into the cloud as much as they have; they’ve been pretty successful there, thanks in no small part to their increased focus on design and usability.
The price comparison is a persistent myth that refuses to die. Similarly configured PCs cost similarly to Macs, and companies that switch to Apple products experience lower support costs and less time spent helping non-technical staff.
Why is it Apple’s job to coddle the users and make sure they don’t accidentally fuck something up?
If we lived in the world you envision, microwave ovens would continue to run even if you opened the door. Users don’t deserve to have their faces burned off just because they make a mistake.
I feel like this is a really bad comparison. I’ve never known a Windows machine to harm the user because they made a simple mistake (and who opens a microwave while it’s running anyways?). The only thing you have to understand with Windows is, don’t move/delete the C drive, don’t move/delete system 32, and you’ll figure it all out from there! They’re really simple to use, and you only need to have a deep understanding of its machanics if you want build/repair it yourself.
I wasn’t comparing Windows to an open microwave 😃 Just making a point about usability. Preventing users from making mistakes isn’t coddling, it’s good design.
And I’ve seen plenty of people at the office open the microwave without stopping it first, because they know it’s going to stop for them.
Besides, you absolutely have complete access to everything on a Mac, just not necessarily via the GUI, and they’re fairly configurable.
This is still a problem. I should be allowed to do anything I want with my computer, and the OS should allow me to do so easily.
That’s a matter of opinion. The nice thing about OS X is that most Mac users think it looks good out of the box. Users like tweaking Windows because many find it (subjectively) ugly. I created a custom skin for my Windows 10 gaming PC, but I feel no compulsion to do so with my Mac, and I don’t care that I can’t.