OK Computers

After ‘iTunes Thursday’, when an unknown virus completely wiped all the music off my PC, I devised an elaborate and convoluted system to ensure that it would never happen again. To put this needlessly paranoid and obsessive system into place, I went to the Apple store fully prepared to spend about £300 on new equipment.

However, every item I picked up and asked advice about, I was talked out of by a member of staff. I ended up buying nothing and coming away with some useful free tips about how to get some of my music back.

Obviously, after building myself up for a big purchase, I was a little deflated at not getting anything (I had to buy a shirt instead) but the staff’s attitude was very refreshing. They could have just taken the money that I was waving at them and said nothing, but instead they were useful, informative and genuinely willing to help. That only served to increase my admiration for Apple – which was already pretty high anyway.

As a graphic designer, I’m automatically in love with Apple Mac computers. Have you ever tried designing anything on a PC? Don’t bother. When you’ve learnt how to use a computer on a Mac, PCs seem lumbering and illogical; there are too many limitations, too many helpful hints that aren’t helpful at all. They seem to assume that they know what you’re trying to do better than you do yourself. Macs aren’t like that. They give you all their power and let you use it to do whatever you want. They don’t second guess you, they don’t patronize you and they don’t tell you how to do everything. They know that if you’re intelligent enough to buy a Mac in the first place, you pretty much know what you’re doing.

However, before iTunes came along and made them popular, I was worried that Apple’s time was up. My industry was practically the only one resisting the pull of the PC – Microsoft was like the evil empire, with Bill Gates as Darth Vader. Apple was the plucky rebel alliance, winning little victories against an overwhelming force. iTunes was their Luke Skywalker.

I know they’re a huge, multinational company, but I still believe that all of the people who work for Apple are like the staff they have in their store: it’s not just about the money; they genuinely care about their products. Look at their packaging, for example. It’s so sleek and elegantly designed. The way it all slots together; the achingly simple, beautiful photography. Now compare that with a Microsoft box, busy with colour and horrible typefaces, logos plastered everywhere. Putting aside price, which one do you want more?

I know that that’s part of the advertising but there are other little touches and flourishes too. The way a file disappears in a little puff of smoke when you move it to a recycle bin. The little alien that walks on from the edge of your screen and zaps your selected text with a multi-coloured laser when you press a combination of keys in Apple’s version of Quark. These things aren’t geared towards selling anything, there’s no reason for them to be there. The fact that they are there shows a love of the product in the designer.

Someone once told me that the reason why Apple Macs don’t suffer from viruses is because only Macs are advanced enough to develop the necessary coding and the designers don’t want their beloved computers corrupted. I doubt that’s true – but I wouldn’t be surprised.