Here's your challenge...

[Benn]

[I see after writing this that MBurke jumped ahead of me and already 
offered the challenge, but here it is in my words :-)]

This may be off topic, but after getting mounds of people complaining 
about how market share is affecting Apple, I want people on this list 
to start working on a solution instead of just saying how bad it is for 
Apple.  This idea all came from a conversation with another member on 
this list.  So here's my challenge to everyone on this list:

Find one PC user, and get them to purchase a mac.  Offer to help them 
with whatever they'll need help with.  Let them know you'll aid them as 
much as you can in getting them to feel comfortable buying one.  Assure 
them you will make sure they will find a machine that is right for them.

Let them know why you love apple.  Let them know all about the 
wonderful operating system you use.  Remember what Woz said in response 
to being in places where no one has a mac: "I stay happy about this by 
way of a lot of rationalization, and not wanting to be a part of what 
everyone else is. That 'specialness' is worth paying a little extra, to 
me."  Tell them why Apple is a great company to buy from, as Shawn King 
puts it: "I *like* being part of a company and a community that is, 
through it's industrial and software design and through the wonderful 
people I have met at Apple and in the Community, *actively* trying to 
make the computing experience one of excitement, creativity, fun and 
"specialness", however you define that."

In the recent years, I've convinced two of my close friends to switch 
to macs.  Both of them bought high-end iBooks.  Both are extremely 
happy with the machine.  Another PC-using friend of mine now is pretty 
much sold on iBook herself, and hopefully in the coming months will 
purchase one with my help.  Another person was completely content with 
their PC, but after seeing how easy and how wonderful everything works 
on the mac, he's convinced that his next machine will be one (as soon 
as he has the money).  That's two switchers, and two very close from my 
influence.

It's all word of mouth.  If we don't do it, who will?  The 
aforementioned lister who discussed this with me thinks there are too 
many whiners who need direction to do something positive.  Jokingly he 
said if the listers aren't part of the solution they should get out of 
the way.  He's convinced that few, if any, will pick up the challenge.  
But there's the challenge, and I hope many take it up.  Everyone seems 
to be saying that Apple needs to do something.  Well we're all part of 
the apple community, we all can do something.  We already agree that 
apple makes great products, that's why we use them.  Lets convince the 
others of this.

I don't know how many people are on this list, but if everyone could 
convert a PC user to a Mac user and make them never want to look back, 
that certainly is a positive thing that takes little effort, right?  
I'd love to hear some success stories.

Benn Overkamp