I'm a Mac

I've been an Apple fan for a long time. I think my first recollection of an Apple computer was in middle school. I can't remember when exactly, 6th or 7th grade maybe. It was the all-in-one kind (what other kind was there back then?) with the green on screen text and the colourful, stripey apple simple with a bite taken out of it.

Then somewhere along the line other models took over: Texas Instruments (a big favourite with my some of my friends); Commodore; and my own computer - the Atari 400 (which I basically used to play video games on).

Strangely I don't seem to remember much about computers during high school. I guess I was too busy playing guitar. But when I got to Architecture school I really started to use computers for stuff other than playing games - and we used apple macs. Thinking back to first year, 1992, the computers were incredibly basic - we used it for basic type setting, and some graphics. We were introduced to the world of 'scanning' in 2nd year. The computers were still all-in-one, and the screen were black and white - no colour.

Next door to the 'mac' suite we had the super-duper Sun Lab - unix based systems used for AutoCAD drawing - in full colour. It was in this room that I sent my first ever email to my friend Wayne, via a friend's account (I didn't even have one at that time).

Meanwhile, the macs were starting to catch up. They brought out 'Power PC's' which had full colour screens. They were kept in the new 'multi-media' suite. In fourth year I joined a graphic design class. We were given our own special room which had a big Power PC Mac with Quark Xpress, a professional desk top publishing application which I still use today.

I've used Macs in my professional life too. The first office I worked in in my year out in Dublin used Macs. Then an office in Edinburgh, where I started to draw on computer professionally on an iMac; then another in 2000 where I graduated to a slick G4. A year later I was having to spend a lot of time working on my professional exam and decided it was about time I invested in my own computer - my first since the Atari 400 in the 80's. I walked to my local Apple store, about 10 mins down the street, and financed my very own iMac, in indigo. An exciting moment.

I still have my trusty iMac. I've upgraded it many times over, used it to write hundreds / thousands of emails, produced 7 years worth of SEDA Magazines, even met my partner Laura on it! So I guess it has sentimental value. But it's a little old - and it has its limitations.

When I started working for my current employer they gave me a mac - a G5, and my very own mac laptop - a 14" iBook G4. With the laptop I was introduced to the world of remote working - and I don't think I ever looked back. When we moved into our new place we got a wireless router so we could both sit on the couch and be on line. It was great for a while. But disaster struck a few months ago when my iBook died on me. I was - laptopless.

Luckily I still had my trusty iMac next door. But, with the arrival of our daughter, the days of the spare bedroom being an office / store room were numbered. Last month she moved into her own room. I knew it was about time to bite the bullet and buy a new laptop. I knew I was due a one off back-payment from work and when that came through last month I went for it.

I now own my very own 13.3" 2.4 GHz Macbook. Nice! It's great. It's new and fast - and has lots of cool applications - like iLife. I've been trying to persuade Laura to get one too, and chuck her old noisy PC. Incredibly, her brother bought her one this past weekend as a present! So we now both have one. Sweet.