Release Notes: I Am Not, Nor Have I Ever Been, a Fanboy
Release Notes: I Am Not, Nor Have I Ever Been, a Fanboy
Posted 10/20/2009 at 8:00pm
| by Will Smith
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It all started with a phone call from my mom. While she’s not a regular Maximum PC reader, she read my Windows 7 review online, and called me because she was worried about the, umm, “colorful” comments. I told her not to sweat that feedback—that those folks are fanboys, people who suffer an excess of product-focused enthusiasm.
The conversation got me thinking, though. When I posted my positive review of Win7, I expected a strong response from the fanboy contingent. I expected people to accuse me of being a fanboy (that happened, check), and I expected my critics to attack my opinions (checkerino), expertise (Chekov), and moral turpitude (ditto).
I wasn’t surprised by the Windows XP fanboys, who let me know that their intractable world lacks a place for any new versions of Windows. Also not shocking? That the Apple fanboys are convinced that Snow Leopard is faster, better, and cheaper than Windows 7. And I would have been disappointed if the Linux fanboys didn’t tell me that I’m a dumbass for paying for an inferior, closed-source OS. What I didn’t expect? Well, what I couldn’t prepare myself for was the Windows Vista fanboy.
This revelation prompted further study into the fanboy syndrome. I stopped discriminating, and started engaging them. It turns out that the sources of motivation for the modern fanboy can be as varied as the products that they love. Nonetheless, after much study, I was able to classify fanboys into a few major archetypes:
The Underdog: One of the most common fanboy types, the Underdog throws his weight behind the long-shot. As self-described hopeless romantics, Underdogs shift allegiances with nearly every product cycle.
The Investor: With a strict eye toward preserving the capital expended on any particular product, the Investor frequently reads and argues about reviews of products he already owns, and rarely sees value in upgrading a product that he’s invested his money (and thus, his self-worth) in.
The Contrarian/Non-Conformist: Students of fanboyism commonly confuse these archetypes. They share similarities, but to the trained eye the key difference is simple: Contrarians like products because you dislike them, while Non-Conformists like them because everyone else dislikes them.
The Antiquarian: The Antiquarian’s motto says it all: “If it’s new, it’s overpriced crap.” Antiquarians can frequently be found dumpster-diving behind Fry’s, looking for “perfectly serviceable” parts that are “just” 10 years old.
The Historian: You know that guy with the Commodore 64 ticking along in the corner? He’s the Historian. Odds are, he’s still running a crappy Cyrix CPU, because “Cyrix made bitchin’ x86-compatible CPUs in 1993.” Don’t waste your breath arguing with Historians.
So, where do I fit in? I’m not a fanboy at all. I simply buy whatever is fastest and gives me the functionality I need. Where do you fit in?
More like this
1337-n00b
January 17, 2010 at 5:23pm
There are so many nice features in Win7 that I will upgrade to it.
Plus, I like Vista but don't want to be associated with it for any longer than needed...
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
it's pronounced ELEET NEWBEE.
and it means talks like a n00b, knows like a 1337.
As opposed to a 1amma, who thinks like n00b, talks like 1337; better a 1337-n00b than a 1amma.
claytovt
October 21, 2009 at 2:02pm
Hey wolf you do know for 30 bucks you can get the win7 pro edition through microsofts edu program till 01/05/10
highsidednb
October 21, 2009 at 10:32am
"The Inheritor"
This fanboy loves whatever his early adopter friends love, until those friends decide to upgrade. Then the Inheritor talks smack about his early adopter firend's parts, encourages the friend to upgrade as high as possible, then offeres 50 bucks for those two old 9800gt card that "aren't worth selling on craigslist." The Inheritor can be confused with the Cheapskate.
win7fanboi
October 21, 2009 at 12:19pm
There is no confusing the Inheritor, Cheapskate would be an upgrade for you... but I am sure your friends are screwing you behind your back...
The Relic
October 21, 2009 at 3:58pm
Makes me think of a Columbus policeman who used to work security at my old store. He had bought an NVidia GeForce 3 Ti200, then shortly afterward heard that the ideal way to play the (not-yet-released) Doom 3 would be with an ATI 9700 Pro.
Sure enough, he went out and bought the ATI and yanked the GeForce, then asked me if I wanted to buy a slightly used GeForce for $70...^_^
The Relic
October 21, 2009 at 9:58am
Hmm. My crotchedy old ass must have missed this one on your list. Namely...
The Conformist: The guy who buys based on the biggest name on the block. Blinds themselves to any flaws said company may have made in their product (Some of the worst I've seen in that catagory are actually Sony fanboys, but even though I have seen Microsoft fanboys, I honestly haven't seen as many of them). Their mantra? "Accept it. <fillintheblank> is dominant."
kevjohn
October 21, 2009 at 7:25am
Or maybe a "meh. fanboy". Essentially, I'll try something and if it works I'm fine with it. I'll keep using it until it doesn't work for me, then abandon it when it no longer fulfills my needs. I bought a new PC a few years back with Vista on it, immediately disabled the UAC and haven't had a single problem with it -- despite crapifying my PC with all manner of suspect software. I don't mind taking a few minutes to speak up in Vista/MS's/Bill Gates'/Steve Ballmer's behalf whenever I hear people trashing Vista. I'm not upgrading to Win7 because I don't need to upgrade to anything, and I have much better things to do with my time and money than upgrade just for the hell of it. I guess you could also add "budget-conscious fanboy" to my list of possible labels. I don't know about anyone else here, but I have a LOT better things to do with $320 (the retail price of W7 Ultimate) than blow it on an OS. Hell man, that's airfare to Vegas!
Instead of classifying people who are simply happy with what they have and are willing to voice their support, maybe we should start categorizing you speed fetishists who always need the newest latest red hot kick ass gear to add to your mantle, as if you are Kraven the Hunter mounting some giant beast's head to your rec room wall.
XP Lover
October 21, 2009 at 6:46am
BEING BANNED DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD CREATE ANOTHER ACCOUNT AND KEEP POSTING, GHOT.
habuza
October 21, 2009 at 6:42am
I use windows 7, I like it. Everything works on it just fine from my experience. If i were to defend against said fanboys, it would go something like this :
To the linux fanboys , your OS will never take off. Surpsising? I don't think so, your mascot is a bird that can't fly.
To the Mac fanboys, your OS is just... well. Crap. Steve Jobs gouges your wallets and you happily allow him to do so for mediocre devices. ( Which are ALL proprietery )
But, like my dad always say. To each their own.
dracx619
October 21, 2009 at 5:26am
some people are just nuts! whatever, i enjoyed defending win 7 on your review...some nice time wasteres in between downtimes at work
inahayze
October 21, 2009 at 3:33am
How about the "logical" user? He simply is not swayed by media hype, or needing to follow what everybody else is doing. He checks out the new stuff to see if it has any real benefits for upgrading, and weighs the value of the upgrade. Is Win7 going to stop spyware/malware/etc better? Is it going to stop viruses better? Is it faster? The way I see it, I like Win7, BUT- see no real reason to upgrade. Xp works just fine. It seems that Win7 has to run in 64 bit mode just to try to keep up with XP's 32 bit benchmarks (in your review Will). Is that really faster? Oh, the new features- you can now turn your taskbar into the desktop. It is doing the same thing by having shortcuts that XP has on the desktop. Oooh, you can drop a file on the shortcut and have it open- is that new?? I'm just not seeing the intelligence for the upgrade. I've never been manipulated by corporate marketing to buy something without thinking. I am still using Office 2000. It works like it should. I don't need Facebook, Twitter, or and little "fads" that the sheep flock to. XP for me- because it works!
TheZomb
October 21, 2009 at 8:27am
Logical users have no place in an article about illogical people by the way. If your using a 64 bit computer with over 4 gigs of ram and running XP 32 your plain stupid, and wasting money. Win7 requiring 64 to be faster than XP is not a downside, It just means its faster. You may not need all that fancy smancy web app integration but most of the world likes progress hence the reason we drive cars instead of riding horses or use calculators instead of doing basic math on paper. They all work, for basic needs but we still be chucking rocks at animals if everyone thought like you do.
win7fanboi
October 21, 2009 at 6:03am
I am with you... for one, the programs might be compatible with Win7 but they are not designed for it. That is why I am dual booting with XP... however being a software engineer, I know there are lot of things under the hood that have been rewritten, especially since XP. These changes are not evident at first but will get more pronounced as custom hardware (multi touch screens, ambient light sensors, fingerprint readers, etc ) and software/drivers designed for Win7 and 64bit OSes enter the market. I know light sensors and fingerprint readers aren't new but they are in the sense that the OS has kernal level support for them now. That means more stable OS and more consistent hardware behavior. I haven't gotten used to the new taskbar and I don't like how it groups the open windows with the pinned shortcuts. If I had to buy a copy I would wait but since I got one at the launch event I have started experimenting. BTW I am a combination of the categories Will listed and the if I had to pick one I would pick the 'Investor'. Being in the IT field I get the OSes for free but I don't want to invest my time trying to find sub-par alternatives for the things I am doing with XP. That is why I skipped Vista (even though I have 2 Vista Ultimate copies).
WFUJay
October 21, 2009 at 6:24am
If you don't like how it groups open windows with pinned shortcuts why don't you just turn that option off? It's pretty simple.
win7fanboi
October 21, 2009 at 6:42am
I have... issue is with the shortcuts (IE and Win Explorer). If I open IE it still won't open in its own taskbar shortcut... unless there is some other setting somewhere that I overlooked...
Havok
October 21, 2009 at 5:03am
Here, we see the Antiquarian in its natural habitat. The user glides through Windows XP with seemingly no effort at all, and is able to defend it from predators such as the Great White Mac. However, such confidence is the Antiquarian's greatest enemy, as it is often timid or even skeptical of great new enhancements in the realm of Operating Systems.
CLICK.
Taz0
October 21, 2009 at 9:15am
The Antiquarian was in denial of his own fanboyism and attempted to present it in a more favorable light by calling himself a "logical user" instead.
Modred189
October 21, 2009 at 4:38am
Just a quick word from someone who went from XP to 7.
You really are missing out if you do not upgrade, benchmarks notwithstanding. Artificial benchmarks mean very little, given that driver makers and the benchmark company has had umpteen years to optimize for XP.
Being able to manipulate windows (maximize, 1/2 screen, aero shake etc) alone makes 7 worth it, but the better memory management, greater allowable ram, better multitasking/threading, quicker boot/shutdown, security, WMP internet streaming for free, start search and better organization make it ten times better than XP. And my reference is my Acer Aspire One (1.6ghz atom, 120gb 5400 hdd, GMA crap and 1.5gb ram) netbook.
win7fanboi
October 21, 2009 at 6:07am
You can "manipulate windows" in XP as well (other than the aero effects). Hold down Ctrl key and click the two or more windows you want to tile, right click any of them in the taskbar and you can choose to tile vertically or horizontally (not sure if you can tile horizontally in Win7). Aero shake looks cool but is not practical unless you are a mouse person. I agree with the 'under the hood' changes but greater allowable ram isn't new.
Belboz99
October 20, 2009 at 7:47pm
IMO, the most contentious topics for Fanboys are CPU's, GPU's, and OS'es...
Well, here in my wife and I's lovely home, we have 2 PC's, and 2 Desktops (1 of which is technically a server).
3 of those have Dual-Core CPU's, my personal Desktop has an Intel Q6600 Quad Core, paired with an Nvidia 8800GTS. It runs Windows XP and Ubuntu 9.04 (soon to be 9.10) roughly half and half, with the time in XP being spent mostly gaming, and Ubuntu time being mostly used for everything else.
My personal Laptop has an AMD Processor, and an ATI GPU. It's also a Dual-Boot, although in this case I've got Windows 7 and Ubuntu 9.04.
My wife's Laptop has an AMD Processor as well, paired with an Nvidia GPU, also in dual-boot, although here it's Windows Vista and Ubuntu 9.04 (though she's thinking of trying something different soon).
The Server runs an Intel C2D E6300 with an ATI 3650, running Ubuntu Linux 100% (and 100% run time, save power outages).
Simplified, in our 1 house, with 4 PC's, we have the following Combos:
Intel + Nvidia + Ubuntu + WinXP
AMD + ATI + Ubuntu + Win7
AMD + Nvidia + Ubuntu + Win Vista
Intel + ATI + Ubuntu
I think we've got our bases covered!
Can anyone here every realistically call us "fanboys"? I don't think so!
Dan O.
Russtynailz
October 20, 2009 at 7:23pm
I too would put myself in the front line/early adopter catagory.
If it is new I probally have it or used it.
"IF IT IS NEW IT IS BETTER!!!! I hope.......
Skillz_n_Magic
October 20, 2009 at 6:57pm
You're a total closet mac fanboy. There are more and more articles about macs in the pages of MaximumPC ever since you took over. I'd appreciate it if you would stop trying to be trendy and instead focus the staff's energy on PC's. You know, those things your magazine is named after...
willsmith
October 20, 2009 at 10:45pm
If we didn't cover Apple stuff, we wouldn't be doing our job as an enthusiast magazine.
Look at them a different way. Since Apple started selling Intel hardware, they've moved from 8 or 10th place to 3rd or 5th place, depending on what exact market segments you're talking about. That kind of growth doesn't happen if they're not doing something that resonates with people who are spending their hard earned money on this. We didn't talk about them for ten years because they weren't relevant to enthusiasts and power users. When they stop being relevant, we'll ignore them again
FWIW, I do applaud Apple for having the rocks to keep putting their customer's experience above marginal revenue streams. They charge a premium for it, but when you buy a Mac, you don't have spend two hours removing all the crapware that every other major PC vendor loads on every PC they sell, just to have a chance to make a couple of extra bucks off of you.
1337Goose
October 21, 2009 at 5:45pm
True: Apple has experienced significant growth over the last five years or so, but to go as far as to say that Apple is relevant to enthusiasts? I think I'll draw the line of agreement there.
Doesn't it ever feel as if Apple's entire business strategy is to be counter-enthusiast? Most of the readers of this magazine are drawn together by the fact that we love to tinker endlessly -- something that Apple staunchly opposes.
No PC magazine would be complete without coverage of the entire computer spectrum: Linux/Windows/Mac. But sometimes I feel as if you go a little too soft on Apple. Personally, I don't think Apple will be relevant to us until you can switch from Windows to Apple without wincing at the lack of your enthusiast tools.
Finally, sure I guess it's a good thing that Apple doesn't install crapware on your PC, but the bottom line is, The Apple OS simply cannot compare to Windows for power users. It's like buying an HD-DVD player for your house because you think HD-DVDs are nicer than Blu-Ray discs: you can point out all the great thing about HD-DVD, but at the end of the day, nothing will justify HD-DVD because blu-ray has the one argument that makes all other arguments moot. Such is the case with Windows and Mac.
I hope I didn't come across as a lunatic.
~Goose
1337-n00b
January 17, 2010 at 5:56pm
There is ONE THING worth getting that's mac only.
GarageBand.
That, and related creativity things (such as comic life (which works on windows anyways)).
Not worth becoming an apple user.
Everything else is just a matter of taste, but in the end, everyone would rather run the cheaper version.
Those who REALLY hate Windows--and having to pay for crapware--will probably run Linux; given the choice between free and UBER expensive with similar functionality (they're both GNOME (or something) underneath), people choose the free one.
Especially when the free one also lets them get inside and hack.
So, yes. Power users/gamers --> Windows PCs.
Hackers/Windows Uberhaters --> Ubuntu
Artists and people who flinch at Windows, just as power users flinch at the otherwise awesome Linux, because the're not used to it --> Macintosh
_________________________________________________________________________________________
it's pronounced ELEET NEWBEE.
and it means talks like a n00b, knows like a 1337.
As opposed to a 1amma, who thinks like n00b, talks like 1337; better a 1337-n00b than a 1amma.
willsmith
October 21, 2009 at 7:27am
It turns out that my job is to test and review HARDWARE, not USERS.
Taz0
October 21, 2009 at 9:03am
Heh, it seems you missed the above fan type, Will. Great article btw, one of the few which I actually waited for it to be posted online after reading it in the magazine, so I could refer people to it when in distress.
Usually I am annoyed when I encounter an article in the magazine the I have already read online, or when I read an article online half way through before realizing I've already read it in the magazine a while back. But this is the exception. On that subject, is there any chance you could add a "From the magazine" moniker (a little icon or a tag) to your online articles so that I may save the read for the magazine? That would be fantastic!
1337Goose
October 21, 2009 at 4:24pm
Totally agree with your post. I think when I read this article in the mag, I left a comment on some random thread in MaxPC about how much I liked the article.
I also agree with the getting annoyed at reading an article twice before realizing that I've read it in the mag before. I second the notion of putting some form of visual indication that the article has appeared in the mag, that'd be great.
~Goose
dracx619
October 21, 2009 at 6:15am
i am one that agrees with you. i however am one who despises not only the user you so eloquently described, but the company as well. their products are ok but of course not asgreat as apple hypes them to be.
DBsantos77
October 20, 2009 at 6:35pm
WoW Will, you managed to suck me into reading the whole damn article while simultaneously explaining each fanboy terminology with precision. I'll admit that I do tend to be an underdog fanboy at times. It's a great read! Kudos!
-Santos
1337Goose
October 20, 2009 at 6:33pm
I loved this one when I saw it in the magazine. It really did get me smiling.
I think there's a touch of underdog in me. However, the real fanboy in me is the Apple hater, that's the only fanboy-ism I indulge, and I really do indulge it to the extent of indulgence... Who's with me?
~Goose
aldude505
October 20, 2009 at 9:53pm
I agree with Goose on this one, the only real fanboy I consider myself is an Apple-hater... And I don't even hate Apple products, I do own a iTouch (gasp). But what I do hate is the poeple that love Apple for no other reason than because its supposed to be the hip thing. They have no idea that their computers these days are pretty much PC's hardware with a nice cover. Like a spoiler on an El Camino, just because you think it looks cool doesn't mean its better. But I will let that be for now... until another time.
quickone
October 20, 2009 at 6:45pm
I'm feeling you on the Apple, I have a Zune, a PC, and am looking at
the Palm Pre. It isn't so much that I have anything against Apple, I
am just not going to buy something for aesthetics opposed to function.
The Zune is hands down better than an Ipod, it is cheaper, does more
and is less restrictive. PC's you can put whatever you want in
them, run whatever OS you want etc, the Iphone is pretty compelling,
I'll give it that, we'll see. I don't even mind using
Macs, if it is there I'll use it, and I am proficient with it, I'm just
not going to shell out $2000 for $1200 worth of parts.
Maybe it is because Mac users are usually fanboys and I lothe such people who allow themselves to be blinded by an idea over reality
~~The difference between insanity and genius is merely succes~~
1337-n00b
January 17, 2010 at 5:59pm
With you on that one Goose. Between being hip and being cost-effective, I choose the latter.
(Although I would get an iPhone, but the monthly price is too high and I want a *real* keyboard.)
___________________________________________________________________________________________
it's pronounced ELEET NEWBEE.
and it means talks like a n00b, knows like a 1337.
As opposed to a 1amma, who thinks like n00b, talks like 1337; better a 1337-n00b than a 1amma.
Modred189
October 20, 2009 at 6:28pm
While I don't much consider myself a fanboy, as I am willing to give anything at least a fair shot, and most things a second chance, I would define another group:
The frontliners/early adopters. We like the newest because it is new. release-day bugs be damned, if it's shiny and new and purports to be better, I'll get it. And guess what? No matter the kinks, and minor issues, it's freaking batter man!!!!!
Less a fanboy archetype, and more of a syndrome, i suppose...
wolf17
October 20, 2009 at 8:27pm
lol, a part of my mind can't help but agree :D If only I wasn't a broke college student so that I could afford to have early adopter syndrome!! hahah
"Life is about living, not stressing" - a very smart girl :)
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