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As both a consumer and a fake journalist, I hold the following statement to be true; Apple owes me nothing.

Many Macintosh users don't feel this way, I think. I know of quite a few who, simply because they use Apple products, feel the company is forever in their debt. Like, if these people would suddenly decide to drop their Macs for Wintel machines, Apple would simply cease to exist.

As consumers, we feel this way about many things. At least, I do. When I pay $45 to see a concert, that band better damn well be on stage for at least 1 hour and 45 minutes. 2 full hours, including encore, would be preferable...and none of this two opening acts crap.

Same goes for CDs. If I'm paying anywhere from $15 to $20 for a CD, I want more than 35 minutes of music. 40 minutes minimum, about 60 preferred. Well...sometimes preferred. I suppose it's better to have a shorter CD than to have one padded out with bad material. Oasis has had a bad habit of that, turning what should've been three minute songs into eight minute epics that have helped me learn to hit the skip button on my car stereo without taking my eyes off the road. So, forget that example.

The thing is, when I am shortchanged with concerts, books, CDs, or whatever, I don't turn away in protest or predict the end of the act/creator/company. I simply gripe about it to those willing to pretend to care, then I get on with my life.

For some reason, this doesn't happen with Apple. I sort of made this point back in 2000 in an article called Steve Jobs is Not Your Friend. A lot has changed since then. The original Duran Duran is back together, MacSoft finally has a new website, and my favorite word is now skullduggery instead of frigate. What hasn't changed is that Steve Jobs is still not my friend.

The dark days of Apple are past us, I think it's safe to say. That was the focus of my previous article on this subject. Many pro-Apple websites popped up during that time, and their creators seemed betrayed when Apple "shut them down" for various Apple reasons. I think "Apple reasons" should be a phrase added to the dictionary, by the way, meaning "for a purpose not readily apparent to most, but which probably does make sense when you stop to think about it."

Apple's kind of big on strong-arm tactics, you see, and if they don't like something that's going on, they'll let you know about it. Right or wrong, they'll make their presence known. Is this bullying? Absolutely, but I greatly prefer this method over, say Microsoft's. Let's stick with the playground analogy here. Your playing four square on the playground, but you're doing so where Apple would like to get a game of kickball going. What do they do? They shove you out of the way. They make you go play elsewhere; another area of the playground that's neither related to nor supported by Apple, or another playground all together. Or, you could just give up four square and join in on their game of kickball.

Microsoft, on the other hand, they force you to sell them your four square ball. If you don't take their money, they steal it. Sure, you can still play with them, but they change the rules and make it impossible to play anywhere other than their court. They claim the game as their own, and four square becomes sixty-four square. It becomes so messy and convoluted that it's impossible to play, but you have to play it because it now takes up the entire playground.

Well, there's still that game of kickball Apple has going on out behind the bus garage. There are just enough people to play, but it's still fun. Everyone has a good time. Everyone gets to play. Yes, you have to play by Apple's rules, but the rules are at least fair...most of the time.

Here's where many people run into trouble, though. When the bell rings and you head back to class, playing kickball with Apple doesn't mean you're suddenly allowed to sit with them in the cafeteria. You may have played a great game, and even brought some buddies along to play as well, but do you know what? They would've played the game without you.

Don't get me wrong, here. I'm not knocking Apple. I'm just saying that it's is a corporation, not a club. They want to make money, not share secrets, and that's as it should be. Their number one concern should be making money, as that's what ensures we get great products from them that will never go away.

Do you hear me, PC journalists? Never go away.

The club and the sharing...well, that's what user groups are for. That's what the Mac web is for. That's where the community is, and that's why I got involved. Another sports analogy. I don't live anywhere near Seattle, yet my favorite football team is the Seattle Seahawks. Occasionally, I get to see them on TV. Most of the time, I don't. What I wish I could do (for free) is listen to the radio broadcasts of the games. Radio is more fun than TV because the commentators are local. They're allowed to love the team. They're allowed to show excitement and anger, and they're allowed to be biased. In short, they're allowed to behave like me. I don't have to kick the sofa across the room when the Seahawks do badly, because I know they're kicking the sofa for me. It's the same with the Mac web. We can't even usually get fair Macintosh coverage outside of the Mac web, let alone enthusiastic. So, that's why I'm here. I assume that's why you're here as well. If the Mac web is at all important to Apple computer, it's only because it's important to Macintosh users.

So, try to remember all this the next time Apple makes a UI change you don't like or starts charging for a service that was once free. Question them all you want, make your points known, but don't take it personally. Don't run home just yet. Apple's doing it so we can all play a better game of kickball, even if it does inconvenience some of the players. Apple owes you nothing. Applelinks owes me nothing. I do all of this because I like the game, and because you're not going to catch me playing with the Wintel crowd. They cheat. I'd much rather play over here, and that's payment enough.

Although...I notice you've got an empty chair over there at your table...