Why I use a Mac, anno 2006 3710

Some are, but usually (repeat "usually") not about computers. Apple has actually done a fine job of making a "computer" into "a thing to do things with." You move the thingie on the desk and push it's button and things happen. Much as one might use a pencil or a microwave. What's inside, doesn't matter. There's no more expectation that the user will fix any sort of failure than there is that you'd fix your own microwave if every time you pushed the "3" the door popped open. For a lot of people, this truly is a good thing. If you're an artist just trying to get you next piece done, or a writer trying to prepare your next book, or a mother trying to view your grand kids pictures, you shouldn't have to know any more about computers than you had to know about paints and canvas or typewriters or opening a photo album to do what you want. There's a real goodness here to that.

The flip side, however, is that these people develop the mistaken impression that they understand computers because they think they've been using one. In fact, they're really not any more than anyone is using a computer when they turn the key on a new car. There's computers in there, and they're doing their jobs, but you're driving (or drawing, or writing). Not using a computer.

The "...for the rest of us..." ad campaign knew what it was saying.

- Bill