# If Apple made it, it's a Mac, not a MAC. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 28, 2002, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228 "2002-07-28T13:02:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/1 "2002-07-28T13:02:58Z")
Look, I know when it comes to computer stuff there are a lot of acronyms. Company names, technology names, specs, product lines, software titles, peripherals… there are tons of acronyms. You can’t get away from 'em. But fer gosh sakes, if Apple Computer made it, it’s called a Mac. It’s short for Macintosh. Note the lowercase a and c. It’s not a MAC. So far as I can tell, the only thing in this world called MAC is a [cosmetics company](http://www.maccosmetics.com), and they don’t have much to do with computers. It’s called a Mac. Not MAC. It’s not an acronym. Its name, therefore, should not be capitalized. I’ve had most of my Macintosh zealotry sucked out of me, but this remains a big pet peeve of mine. Help me keep sane, please? ---
**Author:** ![Kayeby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kayeby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kayeby)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/2 "2002-07-28T13:09:46Z")
Mmmmmm MAC. They have a fabulous range of lipsticks (my favourites are “O” and “Huetopia”) and their eyeshadows are more pigmented than most other brands. And if you want high shine on your lips, I heartily recommend their clear Lip Glass. Okay, I’m sorry. I just wanted to talk about make-up a little. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/3 "2002-07-28T13:23:03Z")
So long as this doesn’t become a platform debate or war, I don’t mind a makeup hijack. Heck, I used to wear “O”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/4 "2002-07-28T14:48:36Z")
mmmmmmm MAC eyeshadow… When I want to buy a cute, trendy color but don’t to spend a fortune, I head straight to the MAC counter. As to the OP, I don’t think I’ve ever made that mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Hamish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Hamish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamish)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/5 "2002-07-28T15:30:09Z")
:eek: If you feel this strongly about spelling and capitalization, _don’t_ become an editor/copy-editor at a paper. Especially the opinions editor of a small-circulation paper. You’d have a breakdown. When I was doing that I discovered university students could misspell “a” and “I.” ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/6 "2002-07-28T17:07:20Z")
MAC stands for Media Access Control, and every ethernet device in the world (including the network cards installed in Macs) has a unique one which cannot be changed. They look like this: 00:06:5B:BD:43:C6 They’re used for, among other things, data routing on ethernet networks. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/7 "2002-07-28T18:12:56Z")
[MAC](http://www.themaconline.com/) = Midwestern Athletic Conference [MAC](http://mac-sports.ocsn.com/) = Mid-American Conference [MAC](http://www.taipeitimes.com/news/2002/07/27/story/0000153717) = Mainland Affairs Council MAC = Money Access Center (brand of ATMs) ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/8 "2002-07-28T18:53:05Z")
I usually see that as MAC _address_, Mister V. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/9 "2002-07-28T19:47:54Z")
My “Mac Guru” (the guy who is custom-building a beige G4 upgrade for me) calls them “MACS” sometimes. I don’t know why. He’s the biggest Mac enthusiast around, so you’d think he’d know the preferred spelling. I think he just likes capitalizing things. Anyway, I’ve never bothered to correct him on it. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/10 "2002-07-28T21:46:13Z")
Maybe they think it really does stand for [Mouse Activated Computer](http://applemuseum.bott.org/sections/computers/mac.html). ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/11 "2002-07-28T22:17:09Z")
\*\* > [@](#): > > If Apple made it, it’s a Mac, not a MAC. \*\* Should instead read… ‘If Apple made it, it’s Crap’. I tried to ‘make the switch’. Then my eMac died just over 48 hours after I got it. One day, they will implement the fabled power of QC. Until then, I’m going back to the Ultra 30. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/12 "2002-07-28T22:47:24Z")
[sup]Pssst… Ixnay on the ivisivenessday.[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/13 "2002-07-28T23:28:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > > * * * > > Should instead read… > > ‘If Apple made it, it’s Crap’. > > I tried to ‘make the switch’. Then my eMac died just over 48 hours after I got it. One day, they will implement the fabled power of QC. Until then, I’m going back to the Ultra 30. \*\* Cool. Only took 10 posts for **that** non-sequitor. Good job. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/14 "2002-07-29T00:02:33Z")
So there are other things called MAC. Well, whatever. It’s besides the point. If it’s made by Apple, and it’s referring to the operating system, it’s Mac. Noncapitalized. I think the reason this bugs me is because I see it as evidence of cluelessness on part of non-Mac users. Whatever remains of my inner Mac zealot almost completely unravels at the sight of ‘MAC’. It’s silly, I admit, because Mac users occasionally make the mistake (as **yosemitebabe** ’s friend does), and the habit to capitalize or assumption it’s an acronym is understandable when it comes to computer stuff. Still, it bugs me. **Hamish** , I’ve already been a newspaper editor. Fortunately, I was under too much stress to afford to be driven insane by illiterate student submissions. **Brutus** , didja see the part where I said I didn’t want a platform war? Jeezus. I’ve seen you bitch about Apple and Macs enough to know you’re not just recently bitter about your computer. I don’t give a damn if your eMac died on you. It doesn’t excuse you. Besides, it’s not too hard to figure out what’s wrong with your computer-- it sensed your dicketry and decided suicide was its best option. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/15 "2002-07-29T00:06:59Z")
10 posts, but 9 hours! Not exactly a record. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/16 "2002-07-29T01:30:48Z")
> [@](#): > > Besides, it’s not too hard to figure out what’s wrong with your computer-- it sensed your dicketry and decided suicide was its best option. That was a thing of beauty. I can just see the little eMac taking one look at him, and thinking, “This is it. I’m outta here.” If we are going to malign an entire company because of the occasional lemon, then I doubt Apple Computers would be at the top of the list of most maligned companies. I think Microsoft, Compaq and a few others would get top billing. At least in my mind they would. (Since I have purchased products by these companies that have been quite worthless. But do I assume the whole company is worthless because of my bad experience? No.) ---
**Author:** ![Dragonblink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dragonblink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragonblink)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/17 "2002-07-29T07:34:27Z")
Maybe it’s in all caps because the person likes it so much they’re shouting. It’s not just a Mac, it’s a MAC! [not a Mac person] eMac? Did I miss something? I thought they were iMacs … [/not a Mac person] ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/18 "2002-07-29T08:12:15Z")
[The eMac.](http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/184/wo/vBkZL1yaNi6Ps07n512/0.3.0.3.34.25.0.1.3.1.3.1.1.0?51,7) ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/19 "2002-07-29T08:20:27Z")
MAC is also an acronym for Military Armaments Corporation, the company originally led by Gordon Ingram–famous for the Uzi-style MAC-10 and MAC-11 sub-machineguns you see a lot in films and hear a lot about in some rap tracks. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/20 "2002-07-29T10:11:30Z")
Y’all can stop educating me on the MAC acronyms. Thanks. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228.md?page=2)