Gear Diary _  About Judie-1.jpg-1
(Cowritten with Dan)

America may run on Dunkin, but sometimes it seems like the internet runs on something else; caffeinated, sugary and at times, rude and disrespectful. Fanboys (and girls).

You know who we’re talking about. They are the first to yell “TROLL” if you dare denigrate their favorite subject. They are the first to jump to the defense of the oft undefendable actions of their heroes in a manner not dissimilar to the way in which one would hopefully defend the honor of their their significant other. And they are always the first to post on an internet forum when anything, good or bad, is written.

At the same time, they are also the first to try a new product, discuss ad naseum every aspect of a software update, and blindly take the role of cheerleader regardless of the reality of the situation. Yes, they are the next generation of those who continue to argue endlessly about whether “Star Trek: The Next Generation” or “Star Trek: The Original Series” was the better show, despite both being off the air for years. And sadly, they are the ones who will increasingly attack anyone who dares disagree with them.


Not to pick on “Mac Fanboys”, but lately it seems you can’t type “iPhone” or “Snow Leopard” into any forum without getting jumped on; praise it and you’re criticized as a fanboy, criticize it and you’re a labeled a hater/troll/etc.  And yes, if you are offended by the use of the term “mac fanboys”, then you should feel free to plug in linux/star wars/buffy the vampire slayer/favorite car company, etc. But let’s face it, nowhere on the net does fanboyism rise to the level of art than it does with regard to Apple’s bevy of products.

All this noted, the question does arise as to who or what qualifies a true card carrying fanboy/girl? Does one have to defend a given product despite its host of bugs and limitations? Or can one remain a fanboy while still recognizing that any and every device has its limitations and imperfections?

To be more precise-

Does one need to be like our resident Linux-obsessed Joel, who seems unable to even enter into a discussion about his family without bringing his favorite OS into the mix, or can someone be like Dan who continues to love Apple’s products but is growing increasingly disillusioned by the company’s behavior.

This discussion came up among the Gear Diary team members and contributors, and we all had a different take on what it means to rank as a fanboy/girl. Almost everyone said they’re against being too fanatic about any one platform; though, as you might expect if you read the site more than once, there was a great deal of internal finger pointing over who was/was not a fanboy (cough cough… Joel… cough cough.)

The conversation among team members is ongoing. Especially with a number of interesting new device choices lately. (cough cough… Judie’s going back to Mac…) I thought it might be time to bring it out of the back room and invite everyone in on it. A few questions to start the conversation.

-Are you more or less of a fanboy if you jailbreak your iPhone?

-Does a culture of fanboy-ism (Linux users, certain Mac communities) make you more or less likely to use a platform?

-Has the success of Apple’s platforms led to a death of the “Apple community” and a rise to harsh, Apple-or-the-highway type attitudes?

-Have you had a particularly harsh or polarizing debate over a product/show/etc? If so tell us about it but bear in mind that here at Gear Diary we are committed to DISCUSSING the issues. We have, and will continue, to insist on staying above the fray. It is why, after all, our team is always composed of writers from across the device spectrum.

Share your thoughts below!

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