I noticed that my "Snow Job" post inadvertently set off a brief flurry of the great computer debate, Mac vs. PC. It got me thinking (always a dangerous thing), what if people were computers (I know, it's not an uncommon opinion—the endgame of Darwinism!)? What would you—or Andre Agassi or Monica Seles be—a PC or a Mac?
Here's my breakdown:
Pete Sampras: PC—He was always all-business, and proud of it.
Monica Seles: Mac—Remember when Mac introduced that wild clamshell design and pastel colors? Pure Seles.
Roger Federer: Mac—Sure, he's efficient, streamlined, and much more "corporate" than his fans want to believe, but the Mighty Fed is eye candy in exactly the same way as the original Mac approach (using icons instead of sterile commands and keystrokes) was eye candy . . .
Andre Agassi: PC—Andre Agassi Enterprises is the closest thing a celebrity tennis pro has created to a vast corporate empire à la IBM. And AAE is as streamlined, straight-laced, and on-target as IBM.
Venus Williams: PC—When you've got a lean, no-frills, high-speed processor, nothing else matters (except wanting to use it)
Serena Williams: Mac—It's the art and image that drive sales, right?
Rafael Nadal: PC—Don't let the pirate pants and boatload of charisma fool you; they're just like the wallpaper on the screen of a speedy, no-frills, all-business machine.
Maria Sharapova: PC—Will run any business application out there.
Marat Safin: Mac—Man, those endless calls to the help desk really add up!
Lindsay Davenport: Mac—Being from California has always kept her inner PC from coming out.
Lleyton Hewitt: Mac—A wonderful little all-purpose machine that just keeps working and working as long as it isn't asked to run software it doesn't understand—anything with the extension Fed.
James Blake: Mac—Don't ever underestimate the appeal of warm and fuzzy!
Ivan Lendl: PC—Don't ever underestimate the value of cold and efficient.
John McEnroe: Mac—Gee, I don't know . . . I just stuck this wire in this slot and the whole friggin' computer started to smoke and emit sparks!
Martina Navratilova: Mac—PC's are for brainwashed, evil, corporate, anti-woman, anti-gay, war-mongering, non-recycling, gun-owning, exploitive, Patriot Act–loving oppressors!
Chris Evert: PC—I still love you, Martina!
Care to take it from there, friends?