Can someone please tell me why it's SO bad to be a fanboy/girl?

[Sancho90]

You know what, I freaking love Apple...

If a certain company aesthetically, eloquently and efficaciously appeals to you, and handles every ounce of your wants and needs... Why is it SO bad to love just about everything they do? Somewhere along the line, 'fanboy/girl' become a disparaging and sinful term... But, its a term I wholeheartedly embrace. And, it's a term I very much acknowledge and appreciate for my fellow gadget nerds who may love a competing company.

You don't have to love everything I do, nor do I in return. Just don't demean me for loving everything my company of choice produces.



I am an Apple fanboy at heart, and I very proudly admit that.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I don't think it is bad at all. It's not any different than loving a particular sports team.

The only time it gets bad is if someone fights with people who use different product brands or like different sports teams.

As long as people are civil and respectful to people who like different things, then there is nothing bad at all.

 

[Just_Me_D]

It's not a bad thing in and of itself, in my opinion. I've stated on numerous occasions my appreciation for Blackberry devices. The problem --I-- have with fanatics is when they go into a forum of a competing brand and post remarks intentionally meant to inflame and then try to play the role of victim when the flames get out of hands. We see that a lot here. Don't get me wrong. I'm a fan of free speech, but I don't go into an Android dominated forum or a Blackberry dominated forum or a Windows mobile dominated forum and disrespect those products and inflame their fan base.

 

[Laura Knotek]

It's not a bad thing in and of itself, in my opinion. I've stated on numerous occasions my appreciation for Blackberry devices. The problem --I-- have with fanatics is when they go into a forum of a competing brand and post remarks intentionally meant to inflame and then try to play the role of victim when the flames get out of hands. We see that a lot here. Don't get me wrong. I'm a fan if free speech, but I don't go into an Android dominated forum or a Blackberry dominated forum or a Windows mobile dominated forum and disrespect those products and inflame their fan base.

Actually, the BlackBerry fan base is worse on their own forums. BlackBerry users post threads like "why BlackBerry is better than iPhone" and include blatant misinformation like "iPhone doesn't support email attachments" or "iPhone users have to pay for ringtones and cannot make their own."
Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

 

[Just_Me_D]

Actually, the BlackBerry fan base is worse on their own forums. BlackBerry users post threads like "why BlackBerry is better than iPhone" and include blatant misinformation like "iPhone doesn't support email attachments" or "iPhone users have to pay for ringtones and cannot make their own."
Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

Still, at least they are doing it in their own forums and not one focused on Apple products. It is unfortunate they they seem to offer incorrect information regarding Apple products, however, at some point in time, many of those users will probably jump ship like many of the die-hards before them that are current iPhone, iPad users.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Still, at least they are doing it in their own forums and not one focused on Apple products. It is unfortunate they they seem to offer incorrect information regarding Apple products, however, at some point in time, many of those users will probably jump ship like many of the die-hards before them that are current iPhone, iPad users.

I actually suspect they are purposely providing misinformation to goad iPhone users into fights (exactly the type of behavior I dislike, per my first post in this thread).

I suspect they are behaving this way to get attention, since the iPhone users tend to not be hostile.

I've noticed that the BlackBerry users tend to be a lot worse than the iPhone users in terms of provoking fights.
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[Just_Me_D]

I actually suspect they are purposely providing misinformation to goad iPhone users into fights (exactly the type of behavior I dislike, per my first post in this thread).

I suspect they are behaving this way to get attention, since the iPhone users tend to not be hostile.

I've noticed that the BlackBerry users tend to be a lot worse than the iPhone users in terms of provoking fights.
Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

I'm sure some of them do intentionally provide misinformation and flat out lie about Apple's products to lure Apple enthusiasts into a dispute. We also can't rule out the possibility that it could be to keep their fan base intact. I don't like petty disputes, but I am in favor of civil debates as long as the opposing sides can agree to disagree. The last time I was a frequent visitor to the Blackberry forums, Blackberry Lounge and other places devoted to Blackberry, I don't recall seeing many posts bashing other devices. Granted, Android was in it infancy and the iPhone 3G was the big Apple product at the time. Over on the XDA forums, I came across negative posts from Alleged Apple fanatics that heated up pretty quickly, but not often enough to be considered a problem and it's the same here, in my opinion, although there have been a couple of users who tend to enjoy stirring the pot, so to speak. Anyway, thank you for the conversation and I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening...

 

[anon(4698833)]

It's not bad to be an epic fan of a product...otherwise, why are we spending our hard earned money on the stuff?

What sucks is the blind followers and blind haters...and i think the term "fanboy" is more of an application towards someone who loves/follows/supports/gives credit to something blindly...without understanding of what they are supporting (See: Many Obama supporters, lmao...can of worms).

I love Apple products, i love their design, i love their performance, and when it comes down to it, when i want to buy a piece of consumer electronics, if Apple sells it, they'll be at the top of my consideration list...but there rests the difference, i consider other things too, i look at the whole spectrum, educate myself on the stuff, and i make the best decision for me based on the one true power i have over my money...to buy what i WANT.

And that's not to say that a person who sticks to Apple products solely is doing anything wrong, if that's what they want then by all means, go for it! (and that goes for any brand, i have great friends that won't touch an Apple product, it's their choice, their money, who am i to tell them they're wrong? It's not until they start telling me WHY they are that i get involved, because at the same time i have no problem with someone's choice, i also didn't ask to hear their bullish*t reasoning either, lol) When they start talking down on other things (and vice versa with haters against Apple) simply because they prefer a brand, then you've found a "fanboy" (as i understand the term).

I'm a pure fan of Apple...i do not consider myself a fanboy.

 

[Just_Me_D]

It's not bad to be an epic fan of a product...otherwise, why are we spending our hard earned money on the stuff?

What sucks is the blind followers and blind haters...and i think the term "fanboy" is more of an application towards someone who loves/follows/supports/gives credit to something blindly...without understanding of what they are supporting (See: Many Obama supporters, lmao...can of worms).

I love Apple products, i love their design, i love their performance, and when it comes down to it, when i want to buy a piece of consumer electronics, if Apple sells it, they'll be at the top of my consideration list...but there rests the difference, i consider other things too, i look at the whole spectrum, educate myself on the stuff, and i make the best decision for me based on the one true power i have over my money...to buy what i WANT.

And that's not to say that a person who sticks to Apple products solely is doing anything wrong, if that's what they want then by all means, go for it! (and that goes for any brand, i have great friends that won't touch an Apple product, it's their choice, their money, who am i to tell them they're wrong? It's not until they start telling me WHY they are that i get involved, because at the same time i have no problem with someone's choice, i also didn't ask to hear their bullish*t reasoning either, lol) When they start talking down on other things (and vice versa with haters against Apple) simply because they prefer a brand, then you've found a "fanboy" (as i understand the term).

I'm a pure fan of Apple...i do not consider myself a fanboy.

'Nuf said...



Just Me, D

 

[BlackBerry Guy]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with being a fan of, or having a preference for, a particular brand and their products. All people are like that to a certain extent, be it the sports team they follow, the stores they shop at, the vehicle they drive etc.

Typically though, the term "fanboy" is used to describe a person that blindly follows a brand, often takes a "mine is better than yours" mentality, and defends their preferred choice to the brink of being illogical and absurd. There is a with us or against us mentality. They are quick to put down others if their opinions are opposite to their own, and become apologists when their preferred company screws up so badly even they can't defend it. Ironically, some of them are so blinded in their efforts to label others "fanboys" or "followers" that they don't realize their own behaviour is exactly like that they claim to hate. What's the difference between an Apple, BlackBerry, Android or Windows fanboy? Absolutely nothing.

 

[GingerSnapsBack]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with being a fan of, or having a preference for, a particular brand and their products. All people are like that to a certain extent, be it the sports team they follow, the stores they shop at, the vehicle they drive etc.

Typically though, the term "fanboy" is used to describe a person that blindly follows a brand, often takes a "mine is better than yours" mentality, and defends their preferred choice to the brink of being illogical and absurd. There is a with us or against us mentality. They are quick to put down others if their opinions are opposite to their own, and become apologists when their preferred company screws up so badly even they can't defend it. Ironically, some of them are so blinded in their efforts to label others "fanboys" or "followers" that they don't realize their own behaviour is exactly like that they claim to hate. What's the difference between an Apple, BlackBerry, Android or Windows fanboy? Absolutely nothing.

***CoughcoughTheMajorityofCrackBerryUserscoughcough***

 

[Guacho]

No problem with being a fan, not a problem with not liking Apple, just do NOT be a troll...

 

[BLiNK]

this.

***CoughcoughTheMajorityofCrackBerryUserscoughcough***

it really is frightening how offended, it seems, they get when there are Apple/iOS discussions over there. something that i rarely see get to that extreme here, odd

 

[GingerSnapsBack]

this.



it really is frightening how offended, it seems, they get when there are Apple/iOS discussions over there. something that i rarely see get to that extreme here, odd

I got attacked by several users for my beliefs about BB. They then got banned by CB mods. They do their jobs by closing threads and busting out the banhammer, but the damage has already been done.

I've seen threads here on iMore about all the major phone options and the mods rarely have to step in and close a thread because of arguing or someone calling another poster a d-bag or an iTroll or iSheep or iNsert other iPhone/Android malicious term here.

 

[DelbertKim]

I recently came across an article from ABC not too long ago about the late Christopher Hitchens (I know, a bit random) which briefly addressed fandom:

"When I introduced Christopher Hitchens to my son, I said, "... and he's a great fan of yours". "No, no", he said "Don't be a fan. Never be a fan". It's good advice, and could as easily have been spoken by George Orwell, whom Hitchens admired and wrote about so often.

Being a fan means being uncritical, losing the capacity to see clearly, losing the ability to be a contrarian."

Don't be a fan. Never be a fan - The Drum - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)


As long as Apple appeals to you and caters perfectly to your need, that's great. I just don't like when people infiltrate other forums and babble on and on in other forums about why all other platforms besides theirs. Showing an acknowledgement of the strengths of other operating systems besides theirs is very refreshing. We all have affinities towards certain things, but don't let it cloud judgment.