How I Became Addicted to Apple Inc.

Back in my day I knew of only Windows. I started off with Windows 95 at the age of 5. I went from learning how to use a mouse to getting to know the GUI pretty well. At the age of 8 I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to work with electronics. Soldering and that good stuff. I didn’t want to get into the computer field because I felt that was unnecessary. We got a Windows 98SE computer. Now guys I dont know what is up with Windows 98SE and me, but it seemed to me that all I had to do is touch the mouse and it BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) on me. I hated this so much. I stuck with Windows 95.

After a couple years of school (prolly 3rd grade or so) I saw this interesting machine that we used in art class. It was a Macintosh that ran Mac OS 7. The mouse had only one button. Now I hated this because the mouse was not user friendly to me. One think I liked, was the interesting interface it had and the amazing programs it had on it.

When 7th grade came by technology kept increasing, I kept learning slowly by slowly. I took a music class. We used some music program on Mac OS 9. This was a pretty interesting OS.

When I got to high school I took another music class we used GarageBand on an iBook G3 running Mac OS X. After using this laptop and program I was pretty impressed. I really wanted to own one of these. I also took an art class. Now art was a pretty interesting subject to me. I learned the basics of Photoshop on a Mac Pro running Mac OS X. Not only did I learn the basics of Photoshop I learned how to play Tony Hawk Pro Skater Pro 4 on it. I really loved playing this game for some reason. Still I hated the one button click on the mouse. I still thought Apple Computers were interesting though. But not something for me to want to have.

As years went by Windows 2000 and Windows XP came out. I took typing classes in 9th Grade (thats the explanation why I cant write anymore 🙂 ), Office 03 Classes, and Computer classes. I started learning a vast amount of stuff with computers.

I was 15 still without my own computer. Hoping someday I would own my computer. Someone was gonna give me a computer. Keep in mind at this time I didn’t even know what a hard drive was. I didn’t even know how to copy files. Now lets talk about this computer. It was a Toshiba, Pentium III processor running at 500mhz. Had 256mb of SDRAM and ran Windows XP. This computer was amazing to me. I really loved this computer.

After messing with this computer and talking a little bit. I found this person that knew computers. I learned some goodies from him. He made a suggestion about Computer Technology in BOCES. Now I put that aside for now. One of my neighbors was getting rid of some old computers. I took all of them. There had to be at least 7 or 8. And of course the Macintosh. Now what fascinated me is the 5 1/4 floppy disk drive. I really thought it was cool because I never owned one before. After messing with these computers taking them apart, wondering what is what interchanging parts, I started learning how computers worked. I started talking about computers in school. Getting into arguments (this was fun).

I decided to goto Computer Technology. Now this course basically is the essentials to computers, networking, and stuff. Not only did I learn what I was suppose to, I stuck by me teacher sucking information off of him as if I was a vampire on a rampage for some blood. I spent at least 8 hours a day. Whether I was learning computers or just messing with them. My knowledge increased everyday. Learning everything. Going from garbage picking computers to buying parts to computers. Using Micro$oft. Not caring if I was using what is now a company that is my ally.

After using computers so much… I am a friek on a computer. I expect it to do everthing I want. My knowledge is 90 percent based off of Google.com. I am one heavy multitasker on a computer. I run about 25 programs at once, switching in between them. Programming, iTunes, Firefox w/ 15 sites beeing browsed, playing a game, burning a cd. After running all this on Windows it was hard to manager the computer. It ran slow and inefficient. It just pissed me off.

Then I decided to use linux. Tested out at least 30 distros. I found out that I seemed pretty interested in Suse Linux. I ran this. What I felt on this was an amazing feeling that I can’t explain. It was like Linux was made just for me. Only problem with this is a few things I didn’t like about it. Primarily it didn’t run iTunes. I switched back to Windows for a few more years. One day someone was selling there Mac. I am like I will buy it. I bought it, upgraded the ram to 4 gb and the hard drive to 320 gb. At the moment this precious Mac touched my hands I fell in love with it. Apple Inc. became my friend and they helped me out. I later found theres and Macbook Pro. And I looked at the Macbook I had and I am looking at the differences. I didnt want that Macbook anymore. I wanted the Macbook Pro. Eventually I was able to afford the Macbook Pro.

I finally have it now, loving it. My Macbook Pro is my life. Its got my pictures in iPhoto. My website is in iWeb. My music is in iTunes. My iPhone is my Macbook Pros internet connection. Life on a computer is so easy.

To this day my future goals are to get big with Graphic Designing, Web designing. I want a Mac Mini and rig it is as a server. I want the iMac for my everyday computer. And I want that Macbook Pro 17inch.

You can laugh at me, ridicule me, call me a nerd. But I “Think Different.” I am the one who sees genius. I will be the one who changes things.

—
Michael J Brancato
Making the world a better place one step at a time.