The real reason behind this is that Apple knows that Nokia won't be a threat now that they have decided to go with Windows. Weren't Apple and you fanbois saying precisely the same thing about Google and Android only a year or two ago?
Whether or not the Apple employees are good at what they do is a moot point - I was actually drawing attention more to the fact that they are brainwashed corporate droids.
As for my sig, I have no reason to hate Apple since I have enough skill & knowledge to have automatically jump to using their products and can choose alternatives instead. However, I do believe that the true prime reason for buying an Apple product has nothing to do with usability but everything to do with fashion accessories, brand loyalty and, in many cases, the joining of a minority elitist club that gives that club's members what they consider to be the right to sneer down their noses at the rest of the human race.
What I do is attempt to expose that reality by challenging the other reasons the fanbois give for using the products - which are invariably based on FUD, usually untrue and can be torn apart by anyone like me with a good technical understanding of computing products.
The sig itself is a summation of two of those reasons frequently given on here for using Apple products - and clearly contradict each other.
Still, I am grateful you noticed it and commented because that shows it strikes a nerve, and that's the purpose of my using it.
You are happy to buy DRMed products on the basis that some pirate group removes the DRM for you.
Yet every manufacture of copiable stuff currently blames piracy as the reason that the need to put DRM on in the first place.
So everything you buy will be protected by ever more complicated DRM with the progress of time in order to defeat the pirates who are there to make the stuff usable to you in the first place.
Not to mention what this is doing to your consumer right in the interim period, but this all seems to be a lot more complicated than simply growing a backbone, demonstrating some restraint and not actually parting with your hard-earned cash until the product you are buying meets your requirements in the first place.
Comparing the margins of a hardware company to two software/service companies is hardly a fair comparison.
I'd argue that due Dell and HP would be more than happy to make 20%+ margins on the hardware they sell, the fact that Apple makes such margins on it clearly shows their products are overpriced.
You clearly have a deep empathic link with your electronic Apple buddies, this is more than simple brand loyalty you have... more like a "brand cyborgism" where clearly your very life would be in danger were you ever separated from the Apple-created part of your very being.
I'd argue that having worked in and with computers for 30 years as both a hobbyist at home and a techie at work, in all that time keeping myself up to date on the latest computer technologies, yet never once in that time having found one good reason to splash out money for a product made by Apple, that makes me eminently qualified to comment.
Just because you don't like what I am saying does not automatically mean that what I am saying was not built on a wealth of experience and knowledge of the topic.
Why would an American citizen who presumably supports capitalism and competition, proudly crow about the Communist methodology of being forced to go to one single supplier (Apple) in order to get a product (replacement batteries)?
It's human nature, when working for a huge corporation making billions in profits, to expect a cut of that because you helped bring those profits in, irrespective of where you are in that organisation.
It's also important to note the direct social impact low salaries have.
Okay, not so relevant to electronics technology but go back 40 or so years when there was a prevalence of small local shops (or "Mom & Pop Dime Stores" as I believe you say in the US) as opposed to the huge hypermarkets today, and in those days around 40% of the money spent in local shops was recycled back into the local economy - for example, the grocer selling fruit and vegetables would get his van (or pickup truck) serviced by a local mechanic.
These days, with huge chain stores and megacorps, less than 10% of the money spent goes back into the local economy. And if people "feel" there is less money around but see billions going into corporate coffers, then they are going to want a piece of that.
I am in the UK, I work for an American company and have several American work colleagues.
When we get into discussions about comparing benefits between the two of us, I am amazed at how little my US colleagues get, including about half the statutory paid leave that I get and much worse severance conditions - for example, having worked for my company for 12 years now, if I was laid off I would walk away with at least 6 months salary as an untaxed redundancy payments. I believe my US colleagues may get a few weeks pay and that's it.
I don't know if they earn more or less than me, we're too polite to ask each other, but I suspect our salaries are roughly on parity.
It's also worth noting that within Europe, France and Germany, not the UK, are the two countries quoted as having the strongest employment and employee protection laws - so I suspect the French & Germans do even better.
Oh, and those benefits all stem from union pressure going back many years to change employment laws.
The concentration of so much wealth into the hands of the few allows them to wield too much power which is closer to a Communist dictatorship where the masses have to be satisfied with the small proportion of that wealth that is doled out to them.
So you mean you have never heard of things called "overtime freezes" for example - those usually happen when the less money is coming in and if you are used to doing overtime then it means you will take home less pay.
During the lowest points in the economic slump, about a year ago, many car manufacturers here in the UK temporarily reduced workers' working weeks to 3 days or less due to slump in profits and lack of car demand - another example where profit margin correlates to pay.
My first point was what you are repeating back to me above, namely that unions have less relevance now than they did at least 30 years ago,
I have no idea what those organisations are in the US but our (what I believe to be) equivalent organisations here in the UK rose out of the Labour and unions movement. Therefore the unions set the foundations of employee rights.
Slashdot Mirror
Isn't "belief" something you apply to a religion, rather than anything to do with an operating system?
As above, incorrect.
To be deluded is a negative trait, therefore it would be "-1 Deluded" using the Slashdot modding system.
Weren't you anti-Apple fanbois saying the same thing about Apple when they invented the consumer smartphone market?
It makes no sense gramatically because being "anti-" something automatically precludes usage of "fanboi" - it's the usual fanboi-created paradox.
"Apple anti-fanboi" would work better...
2/5 and see me afterwards for detention.
I personally hope Nokia repeatedly bum-rape Apple in all honesty.
The real reason behind this is that Apple knows that Nokia won't be a threat now that they have decided to go with Windows.
Weren't Apple and you fanbois saying precisely the same thing about Google and Android only a year or two ago?
...for the 1997 $150M bailout of Apple by Microsoft?
Apple's patents are justified by fanbois as innovation.
There, corrected that for you.
Just remember to pay extra for your dual-purpose iPhone cover that makes the antenna work *AND* keeps jizz off of the touchscreen.
Whether or not the Apple employees are good at what they do is a moot point - I was actually drawing attention more to the fact that they are brainwashed corporate droids.
As for my sig, I have no reason to hate Apple since I have enough skill & knowledge to have automatically jump to using their products and can choose alternatives instead. However, I do believe that the true prime reason for buying an Apple product has nothing to do with usability but everything to do with fashion accessories, brand loyalty and, in many cases, the joining of a minority elitist club that gives that club's members what they consider to be the right to sneer down their noses at the rest of the human race.
What I do is attempt to expose that reality by challenging the other reasons the fanbois give for using the products - which are invariably based on FUD, usually untrue and can be torn apart by anyone like me with a good technical understanding of computing products.
The sig itself is a summation of two of those reasons frequently given on here for using Apple products - and clearly contradict each other.
Still, I am grateful you noticed it and commented because that shows it strikes a nerve, and that's the purpose of my using it.
Am I like everyone else who viewed that document?
Namely that even though I don't subscribe to any porn sites, I did just have to check that my email addresses weren't in there - just in case! :-)
So, in summary then...
You are happy to buy DRMed products on the basis that some pirate group removes the DRM for you.
Yet every manufacture of copiable stuff currently blames piracy as the reason that the need to put DRM on in the first place.
So everything you buy will be protected by ever more complicated DRM with the progress of time in order to defeat the pirates who are there to make the stuff usable to you in the first place.
Not to mention what this is doing to your consumer right in the interim period, but this all seems to be a lot more complicated than simply growing a backbone, demonstrating some restraint and not actually parting with your hard-earned cash until the product you are buying meets your requirements in the first place.
Comparing the margins of a hardware company to two software/service companies is hardly a fair comparison.
I'd argue that due Dell and HP would be more than happy to make 20%+ margins on the hardware they sell, the fact that Apple makes such margins on it clearly shows their products are overpriced.
I wasn't going for humour.
No shit, Sherlock.
You clearly have a deep empathic link with your electronic Apple buddies, this is more than simple brand loyalty you have... more like a "brand cyborgism" where clearly your very life would be in danger were you ever separated from the Apple-created part of your very being.
I'd argue that having worked in and with computers for 30 years as both a hobbyist at home and a techie at work, in all that time keeping myself up to date on the latest computer technologies, yet never once in that time having found one good reason to splash out money for a product made by Apple, that makes me eminently qualified to comment.
Just because you don't like what I am saying does not automatically mean that what I am saying was not built on a wealth of experience and knowledge of the topic.
Why would an American citizen who presumably supports capitalism and competition, proudly crow about the Communist methodology of being forced to go to one single supplier (Apple) in order to get a product (replacement batteries)?
Another fanboi paradox I've never understood.
When Apple's profits are up, year-on-year, why would someone who works for them see that as "belt-tightening"?
It's human nature, when working for a huge corporation making billions in profits, to expect a cut of that because you helped bring those profits in, irrespective of where you are in that organisation.
It's also important to note the direct social impact low salaries have.
Okay, not so relevant to electronics technology but go back 40 or so years when there was a prevalence of small local shops (or "Mom & Pop Dime Stores" as I believe you say in the US) as opposed to the huge hypermarkets today, and in those days around 40% of the money spent in local shops was recycled back into the local economy - for example, the grocer selling fruit and vegetables would get his van (or pickup truck) serviced by a local mechanic.
These days, with huge chain stores and megacorps, less than 10% of the money spent goes back into the local economy. And if people "feel" there is less money around but see billions going into corporate coffers, then they are going to want a piece of that.
I am in the UK, I work for an American company and have several American work colleagues.
When we get into discussions about comparing benefits between the two of us, I am amazed at how little my US colleagues get, including about half the statutory paid leave that I get and much worse severance conditions - for example, having worked for my company for 12 years now, if I was laid off I would walk away with at least 6 months salary as an untaxed redundancy payments. I believe my US colleagues may get a few weeks pay and that's it.
I don't know if they earn more or less than me, we're too polite to ask each other, but I suspect our salaries are roughly on parity.
It's also worth noting that within Europe, France and Germany, not the UK, are the two countries quoted as having the strongest employment and employee protection laws - so I suspect the French & Germans do even better.
Oh, and those benefits all stem from union pressure going back many years to change employment laws.
I'd love to see one WITH capitalism!
The concentration of so much wealth into the hands of the few allows them to wield too much power which is closer to a Communist dictatorship where the masses have to be satisfied with the small proportion of that wealth that is doled out to them.
I could care less what sales value they bring in - as an outsider viewing this video they look and behave like lobotomised corporate puppets. Period.
I work from home and am alone for most of the day - I am therefore the coolest guy in my converted-bedroom study, if that helps you.
Nope, not at all.
Actually having immense fun here casting lines and watching the foamy-mouthed fanbois bite.
Reel them in!
...and a twat, yes.
Oh, right.
So you mean you have never heard of things called "overtime freezes" for example - those usually happen when the less money is coming in and if you are used to doing overtime then it means you will take home less pay.
During the lowest points in the economic slump, about a year ago, many car manufacturers here in the UK temporarily reduced workers' working weeks to 3 days or less due to slump in profits and lack of car demand - another example where profit margin correlates to pay.
Do you feel insulted yet?
Do not allow emotion to be your control.
Go back and read my post properly.
My first point was what you are repeating back to me above, namely that unions have less relevance now than they did at least 30 years ago,
I have no idea what those organisations are in the US but our (what I believe to be) equivalent organisations here in the UK rose out of the Labour and unions movement. Therefore the unions set the foundations of employee rights.