So I’ve been a Windows PC user for my entire life. The only time I ever used a Mac was in Elementary school computer classes (ancient Macintosh machines) and typing class in middle school (colorful iMacs). I had always admired Macs, Apple and the wonderful story of Steve Jobs’ rise, fall and rise again (Pirates of Silicon Valley has long been one of my favorite movies, and Walter Isaacson’s biography is a wonderful read. I also enjoy Wozniak’s iWoz). The first Apple product I ever owned was an iPod video which I received in 2005, and it totally changed my life…Sort of. I mean I had been using a portable CD player all through high school and had to carry around a bulky CD holder filled with discs I’d burn just about every week as my musical tastes fluctuated.

The second Apple product I’ve purchased was an iPhone 4 which I bought the day I graduated basic training while on base liberty (October 2011). I had previously used a ‘dumb’ phone (Motorola Razr) and an almost smart phone (have no clue what it was, but it had a slide out keyboard and internet access at least). The iPod completely revolutionized how I listened to music, and likewise the iPhone totally changed the way I used a cell phone. I love the iOS and it’s simplicity. My iPhone is going to look just like anyone else’s iPhone. I can operate and navigate any other iPhone just as easily as I can my own, and what’s available on anyone else’s iPhone is available on mine as well through the well maintained app store.

I’ve always admired Macs, ever since the first Justin Long “I’m a Mac” commercials. Likewise I think seeing Macs used by all the tech savvy and ‘cultured’ characters on TV shows and movies has planted a desire to own a Mac in my head as well. However I think what really triggered the desire to purchase a Mac has been reading Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs. I’ve always idolized Jobs, and the story of Apple fascinates me so much that it almost feels like it’s my duty to purchase and use a Mac.

There’s really nothing special about a Windows PC. There’s no standard model. You can purchase a PC from a wide variety of manufacturers and what you get will be completely different (in a sense) than what the next person gets. For many this is a good thing, however I always find myself with something less desirable, less solid, less functional than what everyone else has. I think the fact that there are really only a handful of models of Macs is appealing. I know exactly what I’m getting and I’m not going to end up with an incredibly inferior product (which I consider the Samusng RV520 laptop that I type this on to be).

Long story short, last Friday I ordered a 13″, 2.5ghz i5, 8gb RAM, 500gb hard drive MacBook Pro and it should arrive in the mail by the end of this week. I’m incredibly excited to learn a new operating system and to see just how well the computer will perform. I’ll be sure to post my thoughts as I acclimate myself to the world of Macintosh and OS X. Thanks for reading 🙂