I fell in love with an iMac

The first computer I can remember using was an Apple II (probably around the same time as I used the Commodore 64, which was the first computer in our home). All schools used the Apple IIe and we had one in the house. We were a Mac home up until I went to college (anyone remember eWorld?). When I went to college, I took the family Performa (which was on its last digital leg) plopped it in my dorm room and covered it with stickers.

Shortly thereafter I adopted the PC world (I fought it for long enough). I was tired of my documents not working with computer labs and whatnot. It was also a low point for the Macs so, a switch was natural. I had used PCs in high school labs and at every friend's house, so I was ready.

I don’t really want this to turn into a Mac/PC comparison, so I’ll just move along saying that over time, I have become familiar, comfortable, and fairly savvy with the workings of a PC. I am not sold on a full switch either financially or operationally. We don't need a new computer and I am looking forward to Vista. But I accidentally fell in love with a Mac just yesterday.

I am relearning the Mac to use iMovie with my Cinema Studies classes, where they will be writing, storyboarding, filming, and editing original movies as their projects (stay tuned for links to student progress blogs and film fest info). I am also working on a grant to get more of these machines in the district.

I hadn’t used a Mac in longer than I can remember. I knew nothing about widgets, Garageband, iLife, or even how the new mice worked. I was tripped up with the minimize/expand/close buttons being in the upper left-hand corner of the program (I remember that problem from switching to PCs in the first place). The only things I was familiar with recently were iTunes and the iPod. There is a reason this is still the top music program and player around. And that’s what attracts me to the Mac.

It’s not just that is a super-sexy machine that begs to be touched, or that it’s white case and smooth lines are exactly what I envisioned the future to be; it’s how everything just makes sense. When I figure out how to do something for the first time or see a new feature, my response is always the same, “Oh, of course” because it just makes sense. In fact, I find that the only major obstacle is my familiarity with Microsoft products.

I’ll just end this with a clip from the geeky dream I had last night- Yes, I guess I dream about electronics (but not electric sheep):
The iMac made me nachos.
That's love.