Don't Drink The Apple Flavored Kool-Aid
Loving Fruit Can Be Complicated
I am somewhat of an anomaly where it concerns Apple. While I still use their hardware and software (not that the average Joe can realistically use one without the other), and I still recommend Apple over Microsoft to friends and family, I am not a fanboy. As a matter of fact, I am growing more discontent with Apple all the time. I find the death grip with which the brainwashed hold onto the otherworldly glory of Apple to be surreal. More importantly, I believe this misplaced zeal actually hurts the Apple community. Maybe if we start to expect more from Apple they will no longer be content to deliver sub-par products and services.
The bottom line is that Apple's fan base stopped expecting Apple to deliver intuitively designed, rock solid software years ago. Instead, they have fallen into the trap of update addiction. "I need something new, and I need it now!" Never mind that in some cases the previous hardware has never been used to its full potential, and try not to get frustrated when the new hardware has difficulty supporting the cutting edge tech being thrown at it. Just ignore the bugs, the poorly designed UI, and the still missing basic features that are ignored in favor of the next big thing.
Getting Excited About Nothing
If you are not familiar with how fanatical these folks can be all you need do is watch any keynote from the last decade and observe the starry eyed lovers leap with glee with every announcement. The initial excitement of Tim Cook and his audience when he explained Digital Touch Sketches for Apple Watch was literally unbelievable. I think most will now admit this is just silly, but I am not sure about Graham Bower. I am really hoping his article is satirical, but I have my doubts. His response is typical for true Apple fanatics.
During the same keynote I thought I had briefly slipped into The Twilight Zone when a description of the display that would be used in the Apple Store for Apple Watch elicited an enthusiastic response. You read that correctly. Part of the keynote was an explanation of how Apple Watch would be presented to customers in the store. I was waiting for a list of the cleaning supplies they use after hours, but alas, it never came.
More recently, there was the applause (apparently surprising to Craig Federighi) at the announcement of a shared clipboard for iOS and macOS with the upcoming release of macOS Sierra. Never mind that third party apps have been doing this for years! Of course Apple's implementation will be more seamless, but this is only because of the restrictions Apple places on developers. I digress. At any rate, these are not things to get excited about or to make customers start making plans to miss work for a few days as they camp outside an Apple Store waiting for their new tech. Instead, this tripe should illicit disappointment and make us at least question why we are willing to put up with such foolishness.
Poorly Implemented Software
Not to beat a dead horse*, but Apple keeps pushing its users deeper and deeper into iCloud. They have good reason to do so. Subscriptions are highly profitable, but what is the cost to Apple users? It is more than a monthly bill**. It is the added injury of paying a monthly bill for cloud services that are as buggy as Windows 95. I have personally spent hours trying to sort out duplicated and missing content, strange entries in the UI, and conflicting functionality across devices!
Rather than get into the details of Apple's iCloud problems I will just mention a few annoying software designs and implementations Apple has blessed us with. Ever try to delete all your completed Reminders? All you have to do is go to Edit > Delete Completed...except there is no such command because why would there be? Not happy with the appearance of buttons, windows, and menus in OS X? Never fear, you can choose one of two color options. Don't even get me started on Finder. Finally, do you remember when using iOS was so easy your Grandma could pick it up and figure it out on her own? Yeah, it is getting fuzzy for me too.
The Rebuttals And How To Respond
The defenses put forth for Apple's slipping software quality and abysmal UX decisions are never ending, but they generally boil down to one of three suggestions. First, live with the annoyance. Apple will fix it...eventually. Second, just (insert obtuse solution involving third party apps that do not do what you really want or need). And finally, it is not designed to work that way...on purpose. The truth is, there is little point arguing with these people as they are as blinded by their love of Apple as an intoxicated college student is to the teeth his date is missing.
So what can those of us that use Apple but are too satiated with the draught of reality to drink from the chalice of Apple flavored Kool-Aid do? Not much. First, be honest when you talk about Apple. Tell your friends and family Apple is the best game in town, but not the game it used to be. Second, spend a few minutes every year trying to rescue an Apple fanboy from the compound...they are in desperate need of intervention. Finally, hold down the option key and boot into Windows 10 from time to time. If that does not remind you why you "suffer" with Apple's incompetence, nothing will.