I Was Going to Recommend Macgasm, but....

It's no secret that I'm incredibly critical of Apple. It's also no secret that I used to be just as critical, if not more critical, of Apple's fan base. I've called them fanboys (and fanbois, which I learned after using the boi spelling once is apparently a term for a homosexual, so I stopped). I've called them mindless. I've called the zombies. Until, one day, a dear friend of mine, Paul Skidmore, called me out on it and showed me how narrow minded I was being or at least appeared to be by attacking a group of people and stereotyping them. Paul is as big an Apple fan as they come, but he certainly doesn't fit the stereotype. Criticizing a company is one thing. Lumping certain people into a false stereotype is not right. I admitted my mistake and set out to change how I acted and try to embrace my fellow tech enthusiasts, even though we have disagreements.

I frequent a lot of tech blogs. Android Central is one of my favorites. After Paul pointed out my narrow mindedness, I began paying attention to how Android Central readers interact with each other. What I saw sickened me. There are Apple fans out there who appreciate all forms of technology trying to learn about and debate the usefulness of Android and have chosen Android Central as their portal for all things Android. I'm not talking about the trolls. There are plenty of Apple fans trolling Android sites for the sake of stirring the pot. Likewise there are plenty of Android fans trolling Apple sites for the same reason. I'm talking about someone who truly wants to learn about what else is out there and learn from the other guys. Instead of embracing these people and maybe even trying to win them over, Android users attack them. Calling someone an idiotic Apple zombie isn't a debate tactic, it's just rude. Thanks to Paul, I see that now.

I decided that I would expand my horizons and start reading about Apple a little more open minded. Paul writes for a fairly young Apple blog, macgasm. At first I was just reading his stuff because it usually centers around Apple and the film industry. But I started exploring the rest of the web site and really liked what I saw. The writers, like the writers at Android Central (not the readers, obviously), shy away from making assumptions about the competition and their fans. So, I decided to try and join the conversation. I admitted that I am not an Apple fan in my first comment and was promptly attacked by another reader. Paul, who authored the post I was commenting on, came to my defense. This has been my experience on macgasm, and I was working on a post that would encourage all three of you reading this to check out macgasm.

That post was going to be this one. Recent events have caused me to rethink this. Apparently, the only open minded member of the macgasm team is, in fact, Paul.

A week or so ago I started commenting on other author's posts. Most went ignored, but that's to be expected when you have a lot of comments. You can't respond to everything. But, in the last couple of days, the Apple fan stereotype has become reinforced. Being attacked by other readers is one thing. Being attacked by one of the blogs authors is a whole other thing.

Yes, author Nic Lake felt the need to join in and call me an "incoherent dungeon dweller" because I'm an Android fan who didn't understand a post he wrote and wanted clarification. I waited for one of the other authors to jump in and say something, but instead, I got to read the authors thank the other readers (who were attacking me for the same reasons) for visiting the site and ignore what was happening. This doesn't happen on Android Central, Phandroid, or other Android web sites I visit. Authors who are active in the comments section on those sites don't stand for name calling. They certainly don't thank the attackers for reading.

I'm going to keep reading macgasm. Knowing what one of the most influential tech companies in the industry is up to is important for any tech enthusiast, especially a tech enthusiast who is also trying to make it in this world by shooting and editing video. But, I'm not likely to comment anymore. The readers at macgasm obviously just want to talk about how awesome Apple is and mock everyone who doesn't get in line. The active authors at macgasm, with the exception of Paul, are obviously happy to allow them to prove the stereotype that Apple fans are all a bunch mindless, rude, idiotic zombies.

Maybe I'm being too sensitive. I don't think I am, but it's possible. For now, anyway, I'm removing myself from the (one sided) conversation at macgasm. If you're like me and are looking for a friendly Apple blog to visit, pass on this one. The content of the articles is solid, but the community is just as hostile as they come, with the added bonus of the authors also being hostile.

Way to feed the stereotype, macgasm.

UPDATED 03/21/2012:
I'm not a writer by trade, I merely write what pops into my head, and I'm not always clear when I write. I also don't write for the benefit of anyone other than myself. I enjoy doing this, but I'm totally fine with the idea that I'm the only one who will ever read this. That does mean there really isn't a filter between my brain and my fingers, and a lot of times, someone stumbles there way over here and doesn't understand what I'm trying to say, through no fault of their own. Having said that, I want to clear something up I think I failed to communicate above.

The writers at macgasm are talented writers. If you're looking for a good read about what's going on in the Apple universe, it's a fantastic place to get information. In fact, I'd recommend it for quality of content over any other Apple blog that I visit or have ever visited. As with any Apple blog, they sometimes live in fairy tale world where feelings and the "Apple experience" are promoted over facts, but, at least in the body of the articles, it's kept to a minimum. I merely meant to highlight that the community, as with every Apple community I've ever tried to participate in, does not take kindly to outsiders, and that was not meant to be a reflection of the content of the articles.

I do want to recommend that you check out the articles on macgasm, or some other Apple blog, so you can educate yourself on what this trend setting (for better or for worse) company is up to. Just tread cautiously if you choose to join the conversation. And if you do join in and have the same experience I did, be the bigger man and simply choose to ignore it or, if you can't do that, remove yourself from the discussion. Don't feed their negative opinion of those of us outside their circle. It's not helpful and you certainly won't be winning anyone over by antagonizing anyone.

If you want to troll, don't tell anyone you're an Android or PC user. I certainly won't be claiming you.