Register.com claims that 90% of Mac users hate Aqua/OS X

robo · January 6, 2002 12:27AM

They just posted a follow up story to the one earlier in the week. They claim that 90% of the responses to their story agreed with them, and then they go on to print dozens of emails from people who have 'switched to Windows 2000 because MAC is DEAD' etc.

<a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/35/23562.html"; target="_blank">http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/35/23562.html</a>;

Sounds fishy to me.. most Mac users i know absolutely love OS X, despite its rough edges. Where did all these Aqua haters come from? I'm not sure if i believe the Register's claims about the email responses.

-robo

strazi · January 6, 2002 1:24AM

Ouch, OSX is a major reason Im getting a mac after monday.

mark · January 6, 2002 2:09AM

I can understand many of his complaints; I'd also generally agree that OS X feels only 80% finished. Its responsiveness is erratic, there are still too many bugs, a few things missing, and yes - the design of the UI could stand to be refined as well.

That said, however, these are all things which could be fixed. What OS X needs now - above all else - is maturity. There's just no getting around the reality that this is a green, complex and ambitous piece of software - and its teething problems will be driving many of us nuts for some time yet.

I don't mean to be a downer, but it should be obvious that you rarely get something for nothing...

Cheers,

Mark.

[ 01-06-2002: Message edited by: Mark ]

leonis · January 6, 2002 2:16AM

I actually like OSX interface a lot better than 9's even though there are still many flaws.

OS X is now the reason why I am sticking with Mac even I am bitching Apple's ass-sucking hardware

Am I nuts? <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />

[ 01-06-2002: Message edited by: Leonis ]

ghost_user_name · January 6, 2002 2:25AM

The venerable Mark and the graphically gifted Leonis have once again summarized my opinions.

Thanks guys!

adam11 · January 6, 2002 2:41AM

Hello from the 10%.

Cheers

adam

theroadwarrior · January 6, 2002 3:20AM

I much prefer OS 9 at this point. Heck, even the DVD software won't play nice in X:

<a href="http://www.thecomputerpub.com/images/apple_dvd.jpg"; target="_blank">http://www.thecomputerpub.com/images/apple_dvd.jpg</A>;

[ 01-06-2002: Message edited by: TheRoadWarrior ]

ghost_user_name · January 6, 2002 3:46AM

[quote]Originally posted by TheRoadWarrior:

I much prefer OS 9 at this point. Heck, even the DVD software won't play nice in X<hr></blockquote>

Okay, two things:

1. Don't post giant pictures in the thread!!

2. What's your problem with the DVD Player? You're not supposed to be able to capture screenshots of it, if that's what you're implying with your picture.

theroadwarrior · January 6, 2002 4:02AM

Boy, what a boring forum to not display images.

Anyhow, one CANNOT capture from the DVD viewer. It won't let you.

However, it was to illustrate that the other windows and even the Dock don't behave properly when the DVD player is active.

Too bad there's no alternative.

jll · January 6, 2002 4:31AM

[quote]Originally posted by robo:

They just posted a follow up story to the one earlier in the week. They claim that 90% of the responses to their story agreed with them, and then they go on to print dozens of emails from people who have 'switched to Windows 2000 because MAC is DEAD' etc.<hr></blockquote>

It's just like reading MacInTouch/MacFixIt sometimes. There you'll find all the complaints and if you didn't know, you'll think that noone likes the Macs and that there is something wrong with every piece og hardware and software.

syn · January 6, 2002 4:49AM

I bet there's going to be a follow-up to this article too...

Mails probably came from the kind of guys in this forum threatening to change platforms if Apple dares releasing a 1.2GHz G4/DDR for 1699...

peperone · January 6, 2002 7:37AM

[quote]Originally posted by Adam11:

Hello from the 10%.

<hr></blockquote>

thentro · January 6, 2002 9:24AM

he sent me sort of a mean email when I told him that it was not accurate to judge like/dislike based on responce via email!

[quote]

That's pretty funny.

Steve says Jump - so Jump!

"The only reason you got affirming feedback to your crapy article is that you caught the eye of the few who hate it. The rest like me said "What a nut" and left."

Circling your waggons, huh?

a

ps Check the boards - you goody two-shoes are in a minority there, too.

<hr></blockquote>

eman · January 6, 2002 9:40AM

I like Aqua but sometimes I get sick of it, but it's still great looking.

buonrotto · January 6, 2002 10:53AM

Hate is too strong a word. Knowing how "professional" the Register is, they probably asked if there were a bunch of problems with OS X, asked people leading questions, and drew their own conclusions. The only reason 'm using a Mac at this point is OS X. It's the reason I stayed on.

There are particular outlets of venom such as Macintouch, MacFixIt and probably others that hate OS X simply because it isn't OS 9. The same can be said of the Register's resident Mac users. We've seen that for some time.

I actually prefer OS X's UI in many ways. Obviously we all know that it still needs refinement, as Mark aptly put it maturity. But I like how it's going. I think the Register is harping on the unavoidable fact that even if it mimicked OS 9's UI, it would still have its rough edges.

I'm just backing up Mark's and JLL's posts. This is clearly the Register's spin, which should always be taken with a pile of salt.

seb · January 6, 2002 11:28AM

90% hate it?

I bet only 25% have even used it.

They should've said 90% of respondents hate it. I know I wan't asked.

ghost_user_name · January 6, 2002 11:42AM

IMO Apple is moving too slow on OS X. Bugs and software shortcomings linger. There's been no real speed up at all since the update pre-binding thing. Running on a G3 is a joke and Apple is still shipping hardware with the G3. The G4 is still hurting from the speed dump and it looks like the G5 will be a no show. Slow hardware + slow software==death.

IMO it does not look good for Apple. The minuses are adding up and the plusses can't be taken advantage of.

Move faster Apple.

buonrotto · January 6, 2002 12:23PM

The Register reports on what gives them hits strictly. they reports on G5s and fan the flames of OS X discontent for the same reason. It brings hits. I know I would sound very critical of the OS if I were asked specific questions, but my overall attitude is much more enthusiastic. It dovetails nicely with their report about the GUI "suffering the death of a thousand cuts" according to one of its reporters. I can't disagree with much of what they talk about in that article, but the conclusions drawn are strictly personal.

torifile · January 6, 2002 1:02PM

[quote]Originally posted by Scott H.:

IMO Apple is moving too slow on OS X. Bugs and software shortcomings linger. There's been no real speed up at all since the update pre-binding thing. Running on a G3 is a joke and Apple is still shipping hardware with the G3. The G4 is still hurting from the speed dump and it looks like the G5 will be a no show. Slow hardware + slow software==death.

IMO it does not look good for Apple. The minuses are adding up and the plusses can't be taken advantage of.

Move faster Apple.<hr></blockquote>

Scott, what the hell are you talking about? OS X is slow on a G3? Maybe your 3 year old iMac, but my ibook and imac handle OS X extremely well. Speed has never been one of my complaints since the release of 10.1. Maybe OS 9 is faster every once in a while, but the lack of multitasking kills any speed benefit.

Here's some advice: get over yourself and either build that linux box you've been talking about or shut up. Your complaining is getting really old.

cowerd · January 6, 2002 1:06PM

Its not that OSX inspires hate, so much as it inspires a hearty WTF where they thinking.

With Aqua and its pixel expansion over OS9, I can't for the life of me understand why they would move to a larger font and more white space when their biggest selling consumer CPU's have a 15" CRT and a 12" LCD. Add the Dock to this and you wonder if the right hand knew what the left hand was doing.

The other issue is the supposed advantages of OSX over OS9, which given the lack of UI niceties in OSX is negated. Its great that I don't crash, but stupid things like the lack of metadata, crippled save dialogs and open dialogs [how about being able to open more than one file at a time without going to the Finder], and the overall Finder crudiness have me back in OS9 and putting up with crashes, becuase a crash is less inconvenient than a half-baked UI. Its not even the issue of UI advancements over OS9 its the hope for UI parity with OS9.

I can excuse the slow performance of Quartz and lack of drivers and other hardware shortcomings, but I wonder about the decision to release the UI with major pieces missing. We won't even get into the file org of /System/ or /System/Library/, or the Network icon, or the Print Center.

[ 01-06-2002: Message edited by: cowerd ]

eman · January 6, 2002 1:35PM

[quote]Originally posted by torifile:



Scott, what the hell are you talking about? OS X is slow on a G3? Maybe your 3 year old iMac, but my ibook and imac handle OS X extremely well. Speed has never been one of my complaints since the release of 10.1. Maybe OS 9 is faster every once in a while, but the lack of multitasking kills any speed benefit.

Here's some advice: get over yourself and either build that linux box you've been talking about or shut up. Your complaining is getting really old.<hr></blockquote>

I agree. OS X was very slow on my Rev C iMac, just like it probably is on Scott's. On my iBook it really runs great. I never used 10.0.x on the iBook, but since 10.1 has come out I haven't started up in OS 9 at all.

Register.com claims that 90% of Mac users hate Aqua/OS X

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