Analogies That Just Don't Work: 10/22/2009

One of the benefits of being unemployed is that you get to spend a lot of your day nitpicking things that people with jobs and money would never waste their time with. In the spirit of this personal hell I live in, I am excited to announce a new category of posts here on Cheap Talk, "Analogies That Just Don't Work." Each time I publish an ATJDW post, I will over-analyze the use of an analogy in an article that provides an unintended and/or ironic consequence.

Today's article comes courtesy of Gizmodo, a gadgets and tech blog. Now, I will paraphrase the article (really a stub) so that I don't unintentionally take away any traffic from their blog. In commenting on a user survey of Windows 7 they noted that 80% of Mac users stated they would recommend Windows 7 for their friends and family. Afterwards, the poster analogizes:

Of course, just 'cause I tell my mom this minivan would perfect for her doesn't mean I'd actually drive one.

Regardless of how one feels about Windows v. Mac (I personally like both and would like to dual-boot it on my netbook some day), this is a perfect example of how an otherwise appropriate analogy does not "work" in this context. Remember that one of the core talking points of MacOS X is its user-friendly and hassle-free experience, epitomized in their Mac and PC Guy ads. By contrast, the common understanding of the Windows experience is that it subjects users to a litany of problems, from viruses to BSODs.

Comparing the 80% recommendation to telling your mom that a minivan would be "perfect for her" therefore fails because it strangely implies that Windows 7 is better geared toward non-computer-saavy users than Macs. A minivan screams "usefulness," especially for a mom who may have to shuttle kids around, carry large amount of groceries, or just want the safety of a larger-mass vehicle.

What would this poster "actually drive," and how is it different from a minivan? Are we comparing this to a sports car or a motorcycle? If so, the analogy still only partially works. Even if we give the benefit of the doubt that MacOS X provides a smoother, flashier experience, it still ignores the core problem in distinguishing Windows 7 as the useful, everyman's OS from Mac OS X as meant for power users or the statistical outliers of computer users. What a strange world we live in now if this is true.

Surprising law school-related news story.

Today, I was catching up on my RSS feeds and saw this article about how a person who notified authorities with information leading to the capture of a rapist gave his award to the victim of the crime. Despite the tragedy of the underlying crime, it was really a prime example of true selflessness toward others. Upon closer reading, however, I also noticed this tidbit about the suspect:

Jakub Tomczak, a Polish national, was found guilty of rape and causing grievous bodily harm at Exeter Crown Court in January last year and was given two life sentences to be served in Poland.

The 25-year-old, who was a law student at the time, had been on a night out in the city, and his movements were tracked by CCTV camera.

Sometimes law school fails to teach how to follow the law, I guess.

Moving to Sellwood!

Yesterday, we got a call from the realtors at Bluestone & Hockley that our applications for our new place were accepted. We will be moving in by the end of this month to Sellwood with our good friend and past roommate/babysitter Brooke. A one year lease with a large backyard, washer and dryer, and a nice neighborhood! All for LESS than what we pay now.

P.S.: The position is still open. . . things are getting interesting!

Job Hunt, Revisited. . .

Just turned in an app today. . . I don't even know if the position is still open, since it's been a whole month. At least now I know I will be an attorney, which is what they are looking for. Also, it would seem like a perfect fit for me in terms of a career. Two bad points:

1) It is in California (so I will have to make some hard family decisions if by some miracle I get it).

2) My luck is terrible in regard to "perfect fits." C'est la vie, I suppose.