Couple of months ago I listened to an episode of the technical difficulties podcast. In that episode Gabe Weatherhead (macdrifter.com) and Erik Hess hosted Dr. Drang and talked about the history of computing.
At some point 1, Gabe asked Dr. Drang what will he do if he can't use Mac anymore. I don't remember exactly what Dr. Drang's answer was, but for awhile, the question kept echoing in my head. The thought about Mac not being around at some point was terrifying. I can't go back to Windows. Never. And Linux never seen as an adventure I would have like taking.
Since then, though, much have changed.
At first, I was reintroduced to old fashion mechanical keyboards2. I bought a couple of them; one for home and one for my office. Suddenly, typing using my laptop's keyboards 3 feels awkward and unsatisfying, and I now do it as little as possible.
Then, I took a step into the rabbit hole of Emacs, the timeless editor which is backed by a strong and lively community. It's built around the keyboard, so I stopped using the Apple's "magic" mouse as much as I used to.
Lastly, since Emacs requires tinkering with Mac's internals, I got more comfortable and familiar with the terminal application, and with "UI-less" experiences.
Slowly, I've learned that my Mac is nothing but a strong processing device with a Retina display. With that realization, the idea of using a different platform, Windows is still not an option, stopped scaring me. To the contrary, that thought sparks curiosity in me...
While switching away is still not an option, I feel as if I was cured from Apple's spell. I regained my ability to think critically on its products, and look more objectively on their alternatives.
It's probably only me, though, cuddling with the past. Most users are probably welcoming the intersecting paths of Mac and iPad into a comp-let mongrel that will lock developers out of its internals. But now, at least, I'm less anxious about that trajectory. I will be able to find my way elsewhere...