Sources for info on the people of the Mac subculture

dx-omnigenodx-omnigeno
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I've been a Mac person since I was a wee kid, so I am naturally part of this subculture. I am writing a paper on... us... and how our lifestyles, philosophies, etc. are different from those of others. What are some online and offline places I can get info on this phenomenon and the mentality of the people behind it? This is a college essay; I cannot simply go on random stuff that anyone can spew. I need hard facts, statistics, and cold information. The opinions I can fill in myself.



Thank you .

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    curiousuburbcuriousuburb Posts: 3,325member
    Google is your friend



    several links reference a non-fiction book that sounds like it fits your topic



    WIRED has had articles on the Mac culture as well... check the archives



    Stats? Apple may have some, but most of their research is by 3rd parties

    (Gartner Group, IDG, other industry sources, some public, some under NDA)
  • Reply 2 of 20
    dx-omnigenodx-omnigeno Posts: 9member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by curiousuburb

    Google is your friend



    several links reference a non-fiction book that sounds like it fits your topic



    WIRED has had articles on the Mac culture as well... check the archives



    Stats? Apple may have some, but most of their research is by 3rd parties

    (Gartner Group, IDG, other industry sources, some public, some under NDA)



    I've checked Google already, but thanks for the link to the book and the Wired suggestion.
  • Reply 3 of 20
    ganondorfganondorf Posts: 573member
    Man, that's gonna be a tough paper.
  • Reply 4 of 20
    dx-omnigenodx-omnigeno Posts: 9member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ganondorf

    Man, that's gonna be a tough paper.



    I see it as a worthy challenge. I chose the topic, and I think it's going to be fun, provided I don't procrastinate.
  • Reply 5 of 20
    ganondorfganondorf Posts: 573member
    I say it's going to be hard, because Macintosh users are arguably not a subculture. I would say their only ties involve a) personal preference for a Macintosh machine, which doesn't inherently speak much of their person, and b) they may be artists of some type taking advantage of the Mac's media software, but then you're looking at the subculture of the artist and not really that of the Mac. Actually, there is one tie I can think of, and that's rejection of Microsoft, but is it a subcultural feature unique enough to write about or does it just go with the territory, like if say I owned a Ford I might have a distaste for Nissan or something...



    For instance, if you were writing a paper about Pagans, you would look at the Pagan religion and the subculture as a reflection of the values that go with that. Or say if you were looking at thugs, you would look at rap music, and the values that conveys. What values does a Macintosh convey? Worth putting in a paper?
  • Reply 6 of 20
    ganondorfganondorf Posts: 573member
    What you described is a fan following, not a subculture.
  • Reply 7 of 20
    ericgericg Posts: 135member
    Not yet released but this is a book by Leander Kahney who writes for Wired



    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846
  • Reply 8 of 20
    talksense101talksense101 Posts: 1,738member
    I can picture the essay now... "One unique aspect of the cultists is that they all hard headed, arrogant people with the faith that can move mountains...They also smoke weed regularly and dream about what innovations may come their way...For reasons unknown to normal users, they don't seem to worry about viruses or computer security; this proves the earlier hypothesis that they are arrogant bastards."



    p>s> it was meant to be funny.
  • Reply 9 of 20
    ganondorfganondorf Posts: 573member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by segovius

    Obviously you are unfamiliar with the football institutions of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Glasgow Celtic or Manchester United...



    Football is almost incidental.



    First of all, no, I am not familiar with them. I should be by now, since you thought it worthy of bringing into the conversation, but rather than explain yourself to further your argument you chose instead to mention it off-handedly, as if that somehow makes your case. Yet I suspect that there is no case to be made.



    Second of all, why would you even bring it up if it's "incidental"?
  • Reply 10 of 20
    ganondorfganondorf Posts: 573member
    Okay, I see what you're saying, but I have not seen any significant evidence to suggest there is anything to substantially tie Mac users together other than product loyalty.



    Hence, the challenge. How can you write a paper about the identity and values of Mac users beyond describing OS X and the pretty machine designs.
  • Reply 11 of 20
    ganondorfganondorf Posts: 573member
    Quote:

    subculture



    A cultural subgroup differentiated by status, ethnic background, residence, religion, or other factors that functionally unify the group and act collectively on each member.



  • Reply 12 of 20
    dx-omnigenodx-omnigeno Posts: 9member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by talksense101

    I can picture the essay now... "One unique aspect of the cultists is that they all hard headed, arrogant people with the faith that can move mountains...They also smoke weed regularly and dream about what innovations may come their way...For reasons unknown to normal users, they don't seem to worry about viruses or computer security; this proves the earlier hypothesis that they are arrogant bastards."



    I sure hope not. If this were the case, I'd be in big trouble... with myself.
  • Reply 13 of 20
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    Quote:

    subculture



    A cultural subgroup differentiated by status, ethnic background, residence, religion, or other factors that functionally unify the group and act collectively on each member.



    By that definition I, a mod on a mac forum, is not part of "the mac subculture".



    Even if i like this and other mac rumour/news sites I think they warps our conception of mac users in general.
  • Reply 14 of 20
    gongon Posts: 2,437member
    At my school, if you spot a person with an Apple laptop, he/she is most likely studying Computer Science, understands Unix pretty well and hasn't had a Mac before.



    There's a whole new Mac userbase brewing largely because of OS X. They are not fans, nor "loyal to Apple" as such, they just have picked the best available option and will stick with it as long as it is the best.



    DX-Omnigeno, you say you want hard facts but on the other hand you're writing a humanist paper about a "culture". Make up your mind already
  • Reply 15 of 20
    dx-omnigenodx-omnigeno Posts: 9member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gon

    At my school, if you spot a person with an Apple laptop, he/she is most likely studying Computer Science, understands Unix pretty well and hasn't had a Mac before.



    There's a whole new Mac userbase brewing largely because of OS X. They are not fans, nor "loyal to Apple" as such, they just have picked the best available option and will stick with it as long as it is the best.



    DX-Omnigeno, you say you want hard facts but on the other hand you're writing a humanist paper about a "culture". Make up your mind already



    Actually, I just want as much info as I can - any kind - so I can develop a good basis and topic for the paper. But thanks for pointing that out.
  • Reply 16 of 20
    wrong robotwrong robot Posts: 3,907member
    sources for apple subculture eh?



    I got one....Here
  • Reply 17 of 20
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Wrong Robot

    sources for apple subculture eh?



    I got one....Here



    Pah. That place is nothing but a bunch of loser nerds.
  • Reply 18 of 20
    ganondorfganondorf Posts: 573member
    Especially the mods.
  • Reply 19 of 20
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    I wouldn´t say that. Mostly because I wouldn´t want to insult them
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