| The whole hater/fan mindset about OSs/phones/technology perplexes me. Why do some people feel so strongly about these things? And where does these strong feelings come from? To me these things are just not emotionally engaging in the way that, say, a book or game or work of art can be - and I wonder if this engagement is trivial or actually quite important. Are so many people identifying as haters of fans because these things are genuinely emotionally engaging? Or is it an amplification effect of the internet echo chamber? Or because some of us make career investments in these technologies? I develop on the Windows platform and have done for about 20 years. Its okay and practical and I'm comfortable with it, but I don't feel that that makes me a fan of Windows or a hater of other platforms. Same with my Android phone. I don't particularly like Apple as a company. Their products seem okay, but I alternate between wondering if they focus on surface appearance over substance or whether this might actually be a great thing. Does this make me an Apple hater? If I try and get inside the minds of these people, here are my impressions of their thoughts/emotions: - Apple. Haters see an authoritarian company obsessed with style and controlling its customers. Fans see the long-time underdog finally triumphing through attention to design and vindicating the fan's loyalty. - Microsoft. Haters see a big, stupid, evil corporation deservedly slipping into insignificance. Fans see solid engineering and persistence in supporting their customers in the long-term. - Android. Haters see a lazy, poor imitation of iPhone that is unworthy of success. Fans see the last hope in a titanic struggle for freedom. Obviously these are stereotypes and I'm emphasising extremes because that seems to be what haters/fans do. But how does technology do this to some people, and is this new? I'd be very interested in other people's opinions on this. |
I think they are genuinely emotionally engaging. Many of us spend 50% or more of our waking lives in front of computers and smartphones. If you are used to a PC or Mac, and you sit down at the other one, it can be infuriating trying to do what you think should be a simple task.
I also think that the reasons for people loving or hating particular brands/products are many and varied. But there is clearly a bandwagon effect with some people - and this happens with everything. You can see it in these comments very clearly - people attacking Windows 8 who clearly haven't even used it, or even taken the time to understand how it works.