got posted to PhilMUG!

I was checking out the sites that have been referencing my blog. I guess it stems from one of those writer desires to know if someone is actually reading you. Anyway, one of the blogs last month got posted to PhilMUG (Philippine Macintosh Users Group). I've never been social enough to join a MUG, though my SO has, so I still don't know how I outscored him on the geek test. Actually, I just about outscored most folks I knew on that test. Though for sure some of my coworkers should be able to blow me away.

Users Groups are these grass roots clubs that pop up when a product gains a loyal yet relatively small following. These users must then ban together to help each other solve their computer problems because 1) there's either limited or no tech support or 2) there are no other users around who know what you're talking about. Mac folks have a bunch around the world, so do Linux folks.

There is a constantly rivalry between Mac and PC folks. And some of it is not Mac folks faults. Then again, I can get into a "they started it" kind of debate. It's interesting to see people's hostilities for what is in the end a plastic box. I have to admit, I've fallen into these battles as well.

When my cousin got a Mac, she found that there was a genderization of the computers. Her friends who berated her for getting a Mac would often say that it was "gay" or not for "guys" or that "real men don't use Macs." I find this rather strange. Maybe because Apple has pushed styling of machines, but so have PCs. And I don't remember when "using a Windows machine" got on the list of: learning how to fight, not crying, loving sports. I guess it must have replaced "tuning an engine."

My brother, who is a windows user, says that a real computer must make you suffer. He built his machine from scratch, rebuilt it at least a half a dozen times and spent months running back and forth to the computer store to find the parts that actually fit and work together. Such a glutton for punishment. Frankly, I don't have time. And I'm not that masochistic.

My cousin also got questions like, "why?" and "those machines suck" or "there aren't any games." And I wonder why they were giving her so much trouble over it. it's her computer. But maybe it's because said guys may have been trying to impress her with their computer knowledge and disliked the fact she bought a computer they did not know about. The unknown scares people.

I have to admit that Apple folks can be quite annoying when we talk about the next computer or product Apple comes out with, like watching the fall clothing line up come down the catwalk. Maybe windows users see that and ask themselves, how come they don't have conversations like that, how com their conversations are always about which patch they should download next to keep xyz bug from blowing it up. Maybe they should join a MUG.