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No two geeks are alike right? And yet it seems we have so few choices in our geekdom as it relates to computers. Sure, you can argue that we've got all kinds of choices, but I'm going to factor down all the choices to just a few, for as I see it there are some choices that change the playing field. I will also make an assumption for the purpose of this issue that all geeks are in some way enthusiasts, and all computer geeks are computer enthusiasts to one degree or another; the degree to which I want to restrict myself is to stay away from hardware engineering, for they are a different breed of geek. This leaves me to ask, what drives computer enthusiasm today? The underlying question really should be this: why are some geeks enthusiastic over their favorite OS? Maybe even more perplexing to me: why does anyone get excited about Windows?
Maybe the question isn't even a valid question, because when I think of computer enthusiasts I think of people whose hobbies (or hobby) includes computers. I'm only assuming geeks with computer hobbies span all the Great OSes, but is that a valid assumption? I know from personal experience that I used to be a DOS geek, and enjoyed making it do things I wanted, things that were against its nature (so to speak). I switched to Linux instead of embracing Windows '95, and for many years that was a hobby of mine. Now I'm using OSX with the same hobbiest/enthusiast attitude. But what about Windows? Can anyone actually be enthusiastic about Windows? I know gamers are excited about the games they play, but do they really care if it's Windows (my argument being they care more about the game than about the features of the OS underneath, thus as long as they can play their games they don't care if it's Windows or TrapDoor2010).
I know plenty of people who spend their time learning and using Windows, but I cannot think of one person who does that apart from some underlying business motive. Windows is so prevalent knowing it will open many employment opportunities, but that doesn't mean you are enthusiastic about it.
Is there a case for Windows? Why do we like what we like? Why are we enthusiastic about our OS of choice?
Onea kisses you on the lips gently.
Computers just suck...that's
Computers just suck...that's all there is to it.
-Bill
Misunderstood Enthusiasm
I guess the problem in our communication is a lack of a good definition of what I mean by "enthusiast", and with that I think I'll have to admit I no longer am one (which leads me to wonder what options an enthusiast as I'll define it has to go).
The type of enthusiast I had in mind I can describe by example: model builders (air planes, cars, motorcycles, etc.) and/or model train guys. I don't see people doing that with computers outside of . . . well Linux really. Sure you have the hardware junkies swapping parts and constantly upgrading their machines, but that's an OS-agnostic enthusiasm.
I will have to say I'm no longer that kind of enthusiast. That enthusiasm has shifted to [board] games (and maybe storytelling), so maybe I'm the wrong person to ask this question, but I suspect the rest of you are like me, and have moved on with life and see our computers as tools to get our jobs done, or tools to help us with our hobbies, but not hobbies themselves.
So . . . computer enthusiasm . . . is there even a case for it that a bunch of jaded old men can find? :D
I think OS enthusiasts can
I think OS enthusiasts can fit the definition you've loosely sketched.
A Windows enthusiast, for example, feels a need to understand every bloody hkey in the registry, and to spend oodles of time tweaking the registry. It's the guy who renamed his trashcan to 'hell' so he could use the 'send to' menu option to send stuff to hell.
There are plenty of little things to dig into, and learn and exploit. The problem is that the other OSes all give so many more options for that same level tweakage and exploration.
As for me, I was done with that phase of my geekiness a long time ago. Even things like hacking together applescripts to connect data between different applications doesn't feel the same as the old days. It just feels like something I'm relatively good at that serves my utilitarian needs.
I AM a bit of a computer language enthusiast tho. I am always playing with new languages, and can spend uncountable hours poking around at what I can do with different languages. What makes each language different, and fun (or dreadful). Will I outgrow that at some time? Probably. Maybe when I start creating my own languages or writing programming theory of my own.
I count my current enthusiasms squarely in the realm of computer enthusiasm. Tho the specific flavor is different that OS enthusiasm. in fact, I am lucky because my current enthusiasm allows me to work in any environment (just about), tho OSX seems to be a clear winner in this area as well.
It's a matter of success
As the post starts out by saying, no two geeks are alike. I think the best defense I can give is my own experience, so here goes:
For me, using an operating system has always been a means to an end. For years, I used Windows to accomplish tasks, and I became proficient accomplishing tasks in Windows.
After a number of years of using Windows, the inner geek in me became curious /why/ Windows worked like it did (just like I am curious about why anything at all works). I became quite adept at knowing all of the ins and outs of Windows 3.11. My goals had changed by this point; I was less concerned about getting tasks done, and my goals instead were focused on learning. I was quite successful at learning, and I learned a lot about how Windows worked. This goal of learning carried for a number of years, through quite a few versions of Windows. I was in every sense of the word an enthusiast in the Windows OS. I understood it, I knew the inner workings, I could fix literally any problem I ever encountered. In looking back, I was an enthusiast in Windows because I was successful in my goals, whether my goals were working, learning, or troubleshooting.
Eventually, I became curious about Linux. Because of a lot of reasons I won't go into now, I never /really/ got into it until I'd been working with Seth for awhile. However, as soon as I did "jump in", I was enthralled. At this point, being a computer engineering student, my main goal was to learn as much as I could about computers and how they interacted with hardware. Linux allowed me to do this at a level I had not experienced with Windows. The control over small and finite details was fascinating. Seth can attest that I had no clue what I was doing (and probably will contest that I still don't :) ), but I was learning things I had not known before, and therefore using Linux made me feel successful at my goal. I became an enthusiast (at least somewhat) for Linux.
Finally, we come to OSX. It's darned pretty. Lots of people love it, lots of people that can't use it are jealous. For me though, I have never felt successful using OSX. I love working on it because everything feels nice 'n shiny, but when it comes down to getting real things done, I always feel a bit lost working on OSX. I constantly compare my "time to task" on OSX compared to Windows, and I can't help but feeling a little irked. My goals are fairly straightforward at this period of my life: I have work to do, and I want to get it done. I've learned lots about the BSD core and the Intel arch, I just want to work and make money. The bottom line is: I don't feel successful.
I hope that I've given some weight to my hypothesis that being successful within an operating system is at least a necessary condition to becoming an enthusiast. It may be just me, which is fine, I guess. However, I can say that it's definitely true in my life though.
Disclaimer: I don't want this to be perceived as flamebait, or "JD sticking up for Windows again". In fact, I would really love to know how OSX can help me, and how to attain this "zen-like" state that Seth referred to. However, I think that's a topic best left for another forum.
Missed the point?
Thus far I think the point has been missed. I'm not looking for a defense to use Windows, nor a defense to use any other system. I'm looking for the case for enthusiasm, hobby-ism, immersion.
Examples:
A linux enthusiast has so much control over his machine as to say he has total control. Kernel tweaking, file system layout, custom compiles of all the software, custom configurations, there isn't much you can't tweak on a linux machine. I totally get that.
An OSX enthusiast gets a level of integration previously unknown. Applescript ties everything together; workflow is so zen-like as you don't notice it once you get used to it, but can't live without it. The development environment is the richest I've ever seen: a coder's dream (IMO). I totally get that.
What's the case for a Windows enthusiast? Games? Office applications? Constant security holes? Is there even one enthusiast who likes Windows for Windows, and not for the money he can make with it?
And beyond that, why do you like the OS that you are enthusiastic about (assuming you are)? I gave my case for OSX: it's got awesome integration, workflow, and developer goodies.
OSX
Firstly, I'd say there isn't a case for Windows enthusiasm. If a person could genuinely be called a Windows enthusiast, I'd have to wonder about their mental and developmental state. In fact, I'd love to here the argument, because I sure can't fashion one.
As for OSX, we all know I love it. The only reason I'd add to nev-sama's reason is the shell. Which gives me near linux like access to the system. OSX does provide quite the playground in it's BSD core.
Oh, and I'd add customization. Nothing allows me to actually modify the GUI of ANY application like OSX does. No coding or recompiling needed.
Windows geeks are lazy. I
Windows geeks are lazy. I admit it. I would love to "make the switch" to Linux or OSX, but I'm lazy. I want to just sit down at my already setup computer and read tech articles, play online poker, play World of Warcraft, edit my photos in Photoshop, etc...
Linux would take a lot of work to setup to suit my needs and there would be gaps. I would not be able to do everything I do in Windows. Now, there WOULD be a lot MORE things I could do that I can't do now, but I'm ignoring that for the sake of time in a silly little comment nobody is going to take seriously anyways coming from me ;)
OSX is a valid option for me, I would love to switch, but money becomes a factor there. I cannot afford the machine that I would want to get. I have trouble paying that kind of a premium on hardware just because it's pretty. That said, I think it is excellent hardware and great software and I'm just find excuses because I'm jealous.
Would I be more or less of a geek because of the OS I run? I don't think so. I'll still get the same rush of energy and excitement the first time I log into a linux box using an SSH client on my Blackberry phone. I'd have that same "Go nerd!" feeling when I play Super Mario Bros on my modded Xbox.
There. Those are thoughts. ~Bill
Windows geeks
I can't address reasoning for computer geeks in general. I disagree that they are so vary varied.
As for Windows geeks. Some people do make a conscious decision to be windows geeks. For some it is motivated by money (tech support geeks in particular), for some I'd say it's a fundamental lack of curiosity. They just aren't interested in learning new systems, they are the alpha geek of their circle, and don't want to become n00bs in linux or osx or whatever. So I guess its also a pride issue.
Varied?
If the reasonings are not so varied (did I describe a great variance?) what is the basis of your disagreement, and would you care to elaborate?
I think the origin of the
I think the origin of the enthusiasm is the issue. I don't think anyone starts becoming a geek by saying 'I will be a geek". Its a natural progression of experiences, discoveries, and hacking that results in a wide enough basis of knowledge to make final decisions on what makes some OSes better than others.
As for why I become enthusiastic about an OS. Does it do what I want in a way that corresponds with the way I do things? Does the OS facilitate a smooth workflow? Does it limit the amount of needless interactions, while still making it hard for me to be an idiot? Is the aesthetic pleasing to me?
As you can see, my reasoning is almost entirely utilitarian. Even things like shell accessibility are important to me, because of how I work.
If you can't afford new machines, or can't build a multi-boot system you will never be able to spend enough time with another OS to learn if it will work better for you. So, I'd suppose that some geeks are limited by their resources.
Is there a case for windows geekdom? Yes, in that it may be all a particular geek has at hand. On the other hand, the geek elite will always look down their noses at the windows geek.
If a person where able to say "I want to be 'this' kind of geek" I doubt anyone would choose windows. However, I don't think anyone gets to think about being a geek in that way. You are a computer geek, and you expend you interest and energy in the computers you have at hand. In that way you grow and learn, and eventually someone labels you as 'this' or 'that' type of geek.