I am glad everything "works beautifully" and you "have no issues at all" Dan. My personal experiences with Apple haven't been good so I am very annoyed with the "just works" slogan. (also, the "Because Apple makes both the software and the hardware" part is a lie because Apple makes almost no hardware, mostly they just assemble it nowadays)
I hope you allow me to go off-topic and vent some of my Apple-frustrations:
0) Java. I don't use Java much, but Java and Apple is a horrible combination. Apple doesn't fix widely known (and abused) bugs in their implementation and when they finally do it is only for some implementations and they break several applications (like CCT) with it. There is also no Java for IPhone although that basically runs OSX.
1) Apple marketing that keeps claiming they are soooooo innovative and that their "think differently" products are better because they are different. Truth is that on the software-side Apple had an ancient OS that they tried to modernise but failed (Copland, Gershwin and one attempt before that). They saved themselves by using an already existing OS (Mach). On the hardware side they used to be different (SCSI-drives, PowerPC, Altivec) but now they are just (highend) PC's.
2) In order to get files on/off my IPod I had to install/configure/maintain ITunes on every pc I connected it to. Fortunately I can now use
a 3 MB program that is stored on my IPod.
3) Because I had ITunes, I also automatically got QuickTime installed (no choice) and there even was a moment where Apple decided that it would be ok to install Safari as an update to ITunes
4) I only use my IPod for playing music, but it regularly crashes and hangs the entire OS. I have never experienced that on any other MP3-player. I even know the
reset-sequence by heart now
5) The IPone has a really bad seperation between OS and apps. When it hangs/freezes I have to
remove content-files like contacts????
6) I really would like to test applications I write on OSX, but although I can buy OSX I am not allowed to install it on my computer because it is not Apple-branded. So to test a piece of software I need to buy hardware?
phew, it feels good putting those thoughts and annoyances out there.
I realise I am not the type of customer that Apple targets. I like to determine which hardware I put in my machine and which software I run on it. Apple seems to like the complete opposite scenario: "Apple" Hardware + Apple OS + Apple software + Apple add-ons
