# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/21 "2002-07-29T11:04:09Z")
Can I pile in here? Thankyewverymuch. It’s Perl, not PERL! Damnit! :mad: IT ISN’T AN ACRONYM! THE NAME WAS THOUGHT UP FIRST, AND THE ‘EXPANSIONS’ ARE JOKES! Every book on the language calls it Perl. Every. Single. One. No mouth-breathing, ear-bleeding, pus-dripping exceptions. Yet over half of all newbies (note that I have nothing against newbies, just morons) _insist_ it is PERL. FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK, and a FSCK for good measure! :mad: (Hell, I feel better. :)) ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/22 "2002-07-29T11:52:11Z")
Mac=Heaven The loveliest, loveliest thing I own Mithril, I love you, you have made my life complete… ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/23 "2002-07-29T16:57:45Z")
My guess is it’s capitalized since PC is capitalized, i.e. the sentence “PC and MAC compatible”, which shows up frequently in tech reviews. I suspect misuse became more prevalent after OS X was released, with brain-dead writers and editors capitalizing the whole phrase, in a pathetic attempt to look informed. ---
**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, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/24 "2002-07-29T22:18:25Z")
Naw, I’ve seen ‘MAC’ for a while now, not just since OS X. ‘MAC’ shows up in tech reviews? Jeezus. That’s… sad. It doesn’t take much effort to look up ‘MAC’ and see that it’s not ‘MAC’ but ‘Mac’, and you kinda hope a tech review would check that kind of thing. I guess that’s also what bugs me: you don’t need to read Mac magazines or be a Mac fanatic :rolleyes: in order to notice that it’s _not_ capitalized-- on PC/Mac hybrid game boxes they list both PC and Mac system requirements. And there are Apple stores and billboards and news articles about Apple and displays in stores and print ads and television ads… It takes just a little bit of observation. But noooooo. Doesn’t it occur to people when they write ‘MAC’ that it doesn’t look quite right?! :mad: :sigh: I’d switch to decaf, except I don’t drink coffee. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/25 "2002-07-29T22:38:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mister V \* > **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.** Actually, my Linksys Cable/DSL router MAC address changed on setup to copy the MAC of the original Ethernet card that connected to the cable modem. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/26 "2002-07-29T23:41:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*Should instead read… > > ‘If Apple made it, it’s Crap’.\*\* Relevant precedent: [Platform hijacks - the last resort of the pathetic loser](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=73951) ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/27 "2002-07-30T00:46:54Z")
Well, maybe when some people talk in real life, they really do break their normal conversational tone and shout “MAC!” whenever they mention the term. Perhaps they just REALLY like Apple’s products? ---
**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 30, 2002, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/28 "2002-07-30T02:35:36Z")
**Dragonblink** beat you to the punch, **SPOOFE**. And thanks for the link, **Cervaise**. I was lookin’ for that thread. ---
**Author:** ![Dragonblink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dragonblink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragonblink)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/29 "2002-07-30T05:27:35Z")
I beat **SPOOFE**?! Hot damn! [sub] … can I be in the Clique now?[/sub] ---
**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 30, 2002, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/30 "2002-07-30T05:44:46Z")
:thinks of dirty joke involving **SPOOFE** and ‘beating’: :bites tongue: ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/31 "2002-07-30T06:35:26Z")
It’s not Clique, Dragonblink, it’s CLIQUE. ---
**Author:** ![Dragonblink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dragonblink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragonblink)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/32 "2002-07-30T06:43:15Z")
Damn, guess I failed the entry test, eh? Now I gotta wait another 600 posts. – Dragonblink the half-n3wb, half-regular, one-quarter half-orc, two thirds barista, 100% corporate whore ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/33 "2002-07-30T06:54:59Z")
Now, now, I didn’t say that. To be in the Clique, you must first dance like a monkey, and then you have to send me $50, cash. ---
**Author:** ![Dragonblink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dragonblink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragonblink)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/34 "2002-07-30T07:32:52Z")
How about if I dance like $50 cash and send you a monkey? ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/35 "2002-07-30T08:15:48Z")
Only if the monkey is fully trained to be my butler. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/36 "2002-07-30T09:45:10Z")
And his name is Mojo. And he was one of those Mr. Talk thingies to use. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/37 "2002-07-30T09:51:31Z")
Has, not was. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/38 "2002-07-30T15:47:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AudreyK \* > \*\*And thanks for the link, Cervaise. I was lookin’ for that thread. \*\* I have it bookmarked for just such occasions as this. Comes in handy. Hmmm… “comes in handy”… Anybody know if handy’s ever been in prison? ---
**Author:** ![Winnowill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Winnowill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnowill)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/39 "2002-07-30T19:55:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > \*\*[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) \*\* Oooo. I want one! ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228/40 "2002-07-30T21:25:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > **…note that I have nothing against newbies, just morons) _insist_ it is PERL. FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK, and a FSCK for good measure!..** Ummm, actually, “fsck” should be lower-case. :d&r: 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-apple-made-it-its-a-mac-not-a-mac/121228.md?page=3)