“Older folks use Macs too! A whole heck of a lot of them, actually,” Jacqui Cheng reports for Ars Technica.
“Mac users ‘enjoy’ the stereotype of being young, hip, and annoyingly artistic at times—I mean, after all, look at Justin Long! However, much to the surprise of many, a rather large percentage of Mac users are over the age of 55. As in, a larger percent of Mac users are over 55 than any other computer company,” Cheng reports.
Cheng reports, “46 percent of Mac users are over 55, according to the MetaFacts 2006 Home PC Brand Profile Report, with only 25.2 percent of PC users being over 55.”
Full article here.
More on MetaFacts 2006 Home PC Brand Profile Report: http://www.metafacts.com/pages/media/tupan06_announce_061129.htm
Some were smart enough to “see the light” decades ago, and thus are part of the older Apple demographic. Some were knocked off the path, but have found their way back.
But the next generation is already on the right path, at least here in the US. Incoming college students use Macs at a much higher percentage than the general population, especially at prestige universities. They will push the trend as they enter the work force. They will use what they know in the businesses they build, and push their future employers in the right direction. So even as older Mac users retire (we lost two of our small community in the last two years), they are replaced in greater numbers. The future is bright.
Ron….you were lucky. I had an abacus then ditched it because I wanted to be hip….I got a slide rule. Didn’t know how to use it but the chicks thought I was cool.
This is a funny thread as I thought I was the only old fart here. Glad to see that I am not alone. As one poster pointed out…we WERE young and hip when we bought Macs….it was just a long time ago.
I am of the generation that grew up with the personal computer. Apple ][, TRS-80, Commodore VIC & 64, Texas Instruments TI-994a, a Bowmar somewhere in there, the 2GS have all soaked up part of my bank account. I remember a BASIC computer course as a Freshman in college, writing programs on cassettes on Commodore Pets and the Apple][.
Then there is the dark side…
I remember PC DOS, shell programs and Windows, which nobody used even when it shipped new on PCs. One thing I am proud of is that I have never bought a Windows PC in my life. Ever. Used them at work from jump street, but still don’t like them. The closest I have ever come was when the tablets came out.
The reason so many are of age is because once we went Mac- we never went back. The generation behind us was largely lost due to Sculley, the self proclaimed genius from Pepsi who uses a PC these days. What’s amazing is to have seen the turn around at Apple after Steve Jobs came back. If it were not for the loyalists, Apple would probably be gone.
I am of the generation that grew up with the personal computer. Apple ][, TRS-80, Commodore VIC & 64, Texas Instruments TI-994a, a Bowmar somewhere in there, the 2GS have all soaked up part of my bank account. I remember a BASIC computer course as a Freshman in college, writing programs on cassettes on Commodore Pets and the Apple][.
Then there is the dark side…
I remember PC DOS, shell programs and Windows, which nobody used even when it shipped new on PCs. One thing I am proud of is that I have never bought a Windows PC in my life. Ever. Used them at work from jump street, but still don’t like them. The closest I have ever come was when the tablets came out.
The reason so many are of age is because once we went Mac- we never went back. The generation behind us was largely lost due to Sculley, the self proclaimed genius from Pepsi who uses a PC these days. What’s amazing is to have seen the turn around at Apple after Steve Jobs came back. If it were not for the loyalists, Apple would probably be gone.
I am of the generation that grew up with the personal computer. Apple ][, TRS-80, Commodore VIC & 64, Texas Instruments TI-994a, a Bowmar somewhere in there, the 2GS have all soaked up part of my bank account. I remember a BASIC computer course as a Freshman in college, writing programs on cassettes on Commodore Pets and the Apple][.
Then there is the dark side…
I remember PC DOS, shell programs and Windows, which nobody used even when it shipped new on PCs. One thing I am proud of is that I have never bought a Windows PC in my life. Ever. Used them at work from jump street, but still don’t like them. The closest I have ever come was when the tablets came out.
The reason so many are of age is because once we went Mac- we never went back. The generation behind us was largely lost due to Sculley, the self proclaimed genius from Pepsi who uses a PC these days. What’s amazing is to have seen the turn around at Apple after Steve Jobs came back. If it were not for the loyalists, Apple would probably be gone.
I’m 16 year old geek who reads like 20 different mac sites a day. I never thought I’m surrounded by a bunch of 50 and 60 year old geezers on these sites.
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Sheridan….isn’t it past your curfew?
hahaha…cackle…cough cough….gasp…..
This reminds me (you know old coots -56- love to tell stories) of a post in ilounge some years back — when a group of iPod owners got together at a MacWorld for a group picture, one young nipper was appalled to see how old so many of his iPod “peers” were.
My Dad is 80! And he started just three years ago with emails and the internet (“pixar” iMac G4)…
I’m 70. I think my laptop is a Mac, but I can’t remember where I left it.
The original Mac Daddy. I’m 55 and a Mac user since 1984. My original ‘Slim’ Mac (128K) was stolen, which force me to upgrade to a Fat Mac (which I still have). Currently using a G5. Both of my boys are proud Mac users.
I’m 28 and have been using Macs for 10 years. I’m a fully qualified Apple Technician, merely to keep myself amused in my spare time. I’m a graphic designer by trade, and OS X helps me keep my bank balance very healthy. It’s that simple. I want a machine that WORKS. I want it to be RELIABLE. I need it to be EASY TO USE.
BTW, what got me started on Macs was a 55 year old typesetter who had never used a computer before starting at the newspaper I started at, 6 months ago. He was so enthusiastic and I could see why. System 7 was miles better than DOS, and OS X is miles better than Vista!
Fortunately, there are steps we geriatric (over 55) Mac users can take to cater for our infirmity.
For example:
– Set USB to 12 bps.
– Use a magnified keyboard.
– Set iTunes to remove all groups later than Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
– Set Safari to accept only gluten-free cookies.
All other suggestions appreciated.
I’m 57. My first was a Fat Mac (w/512K RAM) and my current is a 24″ iMac. Owned eight others in between — also have five iPods. My father started with an iBook at age 82 and used it everyday along with his 1st gen iPod until he passed away last month at age 86.
Just turned 40 a month and a half ago. Started college in Fall ’84, just months after the first Mac came out. Before long met a sophmore resident in my dorm who was my original tech guru – he had an original 128K Mac, as well as the first CD and Laserdisc players I ever saw. His roommate at the time also had a Lisa, and I remember being impressed by it (as well as being able to play 4-player M.U.L.E. on the Atari 800 they had as well!) We roomed together following year and used his Mac more and never looked back, especially after he persuaded our dorm to become the first one on our campus to have a Mac (and Laserwriter) equipped computer room!
73 with an iMac, 3 Lacie backup drives, 2 in use, a 10 Mgpxl camera, Mini Cooper, Shuffle, Pioneer Elite plasma HDTV. Waiting for Leopard, so that I can get a Mac Mini and an iTV thingy. I’m going to be dead a long time and they may not have this stuff where I’m going.
Now where is that remote?
62 and never changed to a PC, thought of changing to Windhose 98 and did not !
soon everyone just about will use it then..
why because statistically we have an aging population of baby boomers
so it really doesnt mean alot.. BTW im 48 and used pc’s till I was 45 till i “found” there was something called an apple comuter that actually made me more productive in a nice little home music studio
after getting sick of stupid windows XP driver issues
Recently turned 35 – been using Macs since ’84 with the original Mac 128KB, although I started with the Apple II+ when learning how to program in BASIC. Current Macs are an old-but-still-kicking PowerBook G4 400 MHz and a 1.6 GHz iMac G5. Waiting for the next gen MacBook Pro.
74 and use only Macs. Computers include: IIsi, 2 iMacs, iBook, 2 Powerbook, SE, Mini, and 2 Newtons. All still working.
53 yo – Mac User since 1986. Mac consultant for 20 years (as a sidelight to my “real” job as a biostatistician). Started with IBM punch cards at UC Berkeley in 1974. Moved to “dumb” terminals connected to VAX systems in 1978. I can truly say that my purchase of a MacPlus + LaserWriter in 1986 changed both my personal and professional life forever. Hung in there as a staunch Apple supporter during the “dark days” (1995-1996) and wow, am I glad I did! It has been a fun, wild ride and the future seems brighter than ever.
Thanks Steve! Thanks Apple! Can’t wait for MacWorld 2007…
I’m with the younger generation..
at 17 I’ve been using ’em since I was born 😀
That’s odd – out here in the “real world” I don’t see any age difference at all. I’m 33, my Mac using friends vary from 20s to 50s, I see tons of college students with Macs but no businessmen. All of the software developers I know (I know a bunch, I’m one too) are increasingly interested in Mac since the Intel switch; being able to run Mac OS X, Linux or Windows is a strong incentive. I even know Windows developers who use MacBook Pros and run them with Windows XP or Parallels. It seems like maybe 35% Mac, 40% Linux, 25% Windows amongst programmers that I’ve met.
Some of you old guys sound more like Mac collectors than Mac users… You still must be excited about the switch to PowerPC back in 1994 or whenever that was. This Intel switch is even more exciting for the current younger generation.
I’m 55 and a proud Mac user since 1985; still have it, as well as assorted models from over the years, including a Newton.
15 and been using my 533 Mhz G4 since it came out prob. about 6 years ago now. I so need to upgrade my hardware. Looking into getting a Mac Mini, lower pricing, can use same moniter and keyboard and other stuff i use with my comp now, plus a huge jump up in performance for me.
Man I feel young looking at everyone else posting on here. Getting all my friends to switch, so far got 6 of them.