Customer Reviews

Macintosh... The Naked Truth

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With apologies to Scott Kelby for the title of this MacRelevant column, The Naked Truth, I decided to write a brief article on his book of the same name.

Recently MyMac.com writer Chris Seibold wrote a review on Scott Kelby's latest book, Macintosh... The Naked Truth. I even emailed Scott before we published it, telling him that Chris gave him pretty high marks for his book. (Writers HATE hearing from people who liked their book, in case you were wondering.) Then, a week later, Scott asked me to go read the review of his book at Amazon.com by Paul Thurrott, News Editor of Windows 2000 magazine. I did, and if anything, it simply proves the point Scott made in his book.

In response to Mr. Thurrott's review, I present this from Scott himself.

New Mac book enrages PC users

Scott Kelby's controversial new book, "Macintosh: the Naked Truth" has only been out a little more than a week, and PC users are already rushing to attack it, including Paul Thurrott, News Editor of Windows 2000 magazine who posted a scathing review of Scott's new book on Amazon.com. Thurrott called the book "An embarrassing pro-Mac manifesto for the truly clueless."

"It's because of guys like him that I wrote the book in the first place," said Kelby. "Actually, His comments made my case better than I ever could. Frankly, I wish I could've included his review in my book, because every Mac user can relate to an encounter with a PC user just like him," he added.

Paul's blasting of Kelby's book hasn't hurt its popularity as it ranks as the 14th bestselling Macintosh book on Amazon.com. Kelby adds "I'm sure it's also the #1 most hated book by PC users who can't stand anyone telling the other side of the story."

The book, and the review, can be found at Amazon.com (search for Macintosh: the naked truth)

I also posted our review of the book at Amazon.com's website. It is my hope that our more honest review helped sell more copies of the book that Mr. Thurrott's did to steer people away from it.

Our reviewer, Chirs, was not the only MyMac.com writer to receive a copy of the book from New Riders, the publisher of Macintosh... The Naked Truth. I also received a copy, but deferred writing a review in favor of Chris writing his. But now, with Mr. PC Weenie Thurrott's rant, I feel I should also put my own two cents in.

This is a great book for any Mac fan. The front cover of the book says it all: "An irreverent, off-the-wall, PC-slammin', totally-biased look at Apple, and what it's like to be a Mac user stuck in a Windows dominated world."

That is what the book is all about. It is great, the type of Macintosh book I myself would have loved to write. Had I thought any publisher would have ever taken to the idea, this book would have been written by me a few years ago. (Though not as well written as Scott did, I am honest to say. I am not the master of the written word that Scott is!)

So all you Mac militants (and you know who you are!) Here is your chance to shut up a lying, bigmouth PC editor. Head over to Amazon.com and order this book today. It is only $ after all. Cheap for such a good read! Do it today, and then thank me tomorrow after you read it. You will enjoy it.

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Tim

Book Review - Macintosh... The Naked Truth
Chris Seibold (mymac.com)

I have never written a book review before, and I enter the project with some trepidation. Will I make a mortal enemy of the author? Will this hurt my career as an engineer? And most importantly: Will I have to force myself to read the book? My last worry was unfounded; I liked Scott Kelby's Macintosh...The Naked Truth.

Macintosh...The Naked Truth runs a bit high for 219 pages but it's a fairly enlightening and quick read. By easy reading I don't mean the tome is some monosyllabic Dr. Suess rip-off, Scott Kelby uses fine prose and a vocabulary that is not "dumbed down" Yet, as one reads the book, one has the feeling that it was written at a frenetic pace. This is overtly noted in the book and carries through to the final product. The reader is left with the impression that the author believes that any thought the flashes through his noggin as he writes is pretty much worth our time, as Mac aficionados, to read. Surprisingly, the majority of the thoughts that Scott Kelby has are pretty darn interesting. In short, the book isn't so much about computers, though there is plenty of computer info, it's about being a Mac owner, a Mac enthusiast and the daily travails and pleasantries of Mac life.

I should also note that the book has a few jokes. By a few jokes I mean two or three jokes per paragraph. I have just read five randomly chosen paragraphs and four of them opened with jokes, that's a lot of jokes for a book ostensibly about computers. The jokes fly around like gags in a Naked Gun movie. Gags are everywhere hoping to overwhelm your sense of humor by sheer volume if necessary. Some hit and some miss, I'd say they ratio is roughly fifty-fifty. Normally I wouldn't enjoy comedy styling with so many misses but when Scott Kelby misses it is usually not by much and when he hits the results are laugh out loud funny. Only one other author makes me laugh out loud, the widely enjoyed Bill Bryson, so Mr. Kelby is in pretty good company.

The highlights of the book are the pages about CompUSA's store within a store strategy. I won't spoil the surprise, it is hilarious, deftly done and it makes the entire book worthwhile. The low point was the letters from PC user section. I know that reading hate mail and the requisite clever responses can be entertaining (it is everyone's favorite part of my site) but it doesn't quite work in the book. It's hard to get excited about hate mail coming to a magazine when you're not looking at said magazine and hence that chapter feels a bit distant. Plus the pseudonymous Mr. Kelby assigns are fairly inane (Major Dumass, Archibald Stuffybut? Come on Scott you can do better).

Overall I feel certain that any dyed in the wool Mac user will thoroughly enjoy the book. Besides possibly being the first book about being a Mac guy there is enough info for the book to also be a nice reference. The indifferent Mac user and the indifferent Windows will be entertained enough to feel that their money and time was well spent. The rabid Windows promoter (and I believe these people actually exist) will read the book and send Scott some hate mail.

Mac Mice Rating
Mac Lovers:
4 of 5 Mice
General Public (people who use Windows so they can steal software from work):
3 of 5 Mice
Bill Gates, the President of Compaq, PC only Software companies:
1 of 5 Mice

...

Do you feel a little insecure about the future of your beloved Mac and Apple? Do you feel that life's unfair, because the PC owners seem to get all the latest cool toys and nobody seems to support Mac anymore? Do you feel frustrated, because you *know* that the Apple's management has made another stupid decision? Do you want to really tell that PC owner next door what you think about his pitiful beige box?

If you answered "yes!" to any of these questions, you need to read Scott Kelby's book. If you don't do it, you are risking your mental health and a life sentence (if you don't have a good lawyer). OK, I know that I am exaggerating, but "Macintosh ... The Naked Truth" is the long-awaited "Chicken Soup for your Mac Soul" (with apologies to the publishers of "Chicken Soup ...").

Kelby describes the life of a Mac user like it is, hard, frustrating, and lonely. (Actually, compared to the rest of the world, the USA is the Mac heaven, try being a sane Mac user in Eastern Europe.) He loves the Macintosh, but doesn't necessarily love Apple. He admires Steve, but isn't thrilled with many of his decisions. He doesn't hate Microsoft, but is angry some of its practices giant of Redmond behaves. Just like many of us, of course. But it's Scott, who finally put on paper what many of us have been thinking for a long time: life on planet Mac is not easy, we know we live in the better world, we know we are right, but the rest of the world doesn't care. It is frustrating, very frustrating, but if we learn to accept that, it can be less so.

The author's observations are correct, funny and made me nod and mutter "Amen, Brother!" page after page (that's like 220+ times). This book should be required reading for all Apple and CompUSA management and personnel. I doubt they will read it, though. Which is a pity.

Scott Kelby wrote a book that I've been waiting for a long time. Thank you, Scott!

Rating: 5 out of 5, for "telling it like it is."

I just finished "The Naked Truth" and Scott is as funny as ever. Cult founder Alfred Burkhalter would proud that the movement he started so many years ago is alive and well. As I have come to know and love Photoshop as became a member of NAPP, I began to worry. I'm I a "PC Weenie"? Do I revel in the torment that Windows has caused me over the years. After reading "The Naked Truth" is realized that I have latent Mac fan tendencies. Thank God! I was so inpired that I marched down to my local Apple Store and bought an iMac. When I got home the Fear struck. I have to set up another computer. Of course, I was remembering my nightmares of setting up my last couple of PC's. As I almost finsihed my Mac set up I thought, "is that it, I'm done!". Not one crash and the only restart was after a download of a couple of pre-installed upgrades.

This is a fun, tongue-in-cheek book about a Mac users life in a PC world. I would recommend it to anyone with a sense of humor. Of course, as Scott would say that might leave most PC users off the list. Great fun! Thanks Scott!

I enjoyed the first few chapters of the book, but as the book wore on the constant harping on how stupid "PC weenies" are really got to me. By the time I was half way through the eighth chapter (which is entirely comprised of childish letters sent to the author and his equally childish replies), I was sick of it and wondering if I should ever identify myself as a Mac user. I don't want to be associated with Mr. Kelby, frankly.

I have a different perspective than most Mac users, though, so maybe I'm missing something. For the last five years, I used Linux, then FreeBSD, then Linux again at home. So when I read the whiny (but still fairly humorous) chapter on how little Mac stuff there is at CompUSA, I couldn't relate at all. Heck, as a FreeBSD user, there was *nothing* at CompUSA for me, and as a Linux user, there was maybe one software package in the whole store that would work on my system. So I have little sympathy for my now-fellow Mac users who get so upset that there are merely scores instead of hundreds of titles for the Mac at CompUSA.

As for the Windows-user bashing...well, I've been through that stage already. When I discovered Linux, I became a total snob, saying things like, "I use a *real* operating system" to any self-proclaimed Windows 'power user' asked me what version of Windows I was running. Since then, I moved on, and realized that I don't need to tear down other people's chosen OS. I finally decided that, *because* Linux is great, I have no need to tear down others' choices. I'll be happy to evangelize to anyone who is interested, but that doesn't require me to ridicule them...quite the opposite in fact.

That's the way I feel about the Mac now, too. Of course OS X has all the power, stability, and security of UNIX with all the ease of use of Mac. Of course you get access to tons of free/open source software, plus access to oodles of commercial software. Of course you get rock-solid performance, plus the ability to be sure that a widget you buy at the store will work for you simply by looking for a logo on the box. None of that is true for any other operating system. Mac OS X is clearly the best OS out there, bar none.

But, again, that doesn't mean I have to humiliate those who use other operating systems. I wish Mr. Kelby had toned that down a little bit more...his book would have been much more enjoyable if he had.

After all, if you're using the best of the best, you have no need to tear others down. There's no reason to be defensive. Let the people using those other operating systems look like fools. Rise above it, secure in the knowledge that you've got the best personal computer system ever available. Eventually, if you don't play the "mine's better than yours, and you're an idiot for thinking otherwise" game, they'll get curious as to why you're so sure of yourself. Then you can evangelize gently, introduce them to the ways in which the Mac will make their lives better, and thereby actually /help/ others instead of hurting them.

Then you'd really be "thinking different."

Finally, both the magic and frustrations of being a Mac user have been captured in print and immortalized forever. Scott Kelby humorously and eloquently verbalizes what we, as Mac fanatics, have been feeling for years. This book is a must read for EVERYONE who uses computers on a daily basis. (Too bad it doesn't accompany every pee-cee that's sold!)

For Mac users, it will arm you to the teeth with invaluable factoids, enabling you to destroy PC "bogies" with efficiency and ease. It will remind you of how truly special the Apple experience is and how your Mac has, and will continue to, enrich your life. It will also validate that overwhelming, inevitable urge to inflict bodily harm to Apple management!

Scott's military analogies are absolutely hysterical and really put the OS platform war into proper perspective. For pee-cee users, this book could bring about total computing enlightenment--read it at your own risk!

In short, this book absolutely rocks and serves as total and complete validation for everything Macintosh. I'm glad somebody finally had the guts to write it.

(Sidenote: I must admit, however, that I happened to like the late-night Apple infomercial where Grandpa gets the girl!)

This book was hilarious to read! I absolutely loved it. Scott Kelby used a lot of personality and humor to make this book great. As all of my friends use PCs, it was helpful in giving me information to get back at their persistant "Windows systems are easier and better than stinky Macintosh!!" attempts. Let me tell you: read it! You'll love this book, especially if you use a Macintosh.

I absolutely love this book!!! Being a Mac user myself since I bought my own computer I was happy to find this book one day on the shelf. The title was what caught my interest first. After reading the back cover though and skimming through the book i knew i had to buy it. And so I did. I love this book it makes me laugh so much, since I am the only Mac user in a group of PC users (including my fiance) its great to have a book written to my tastes and making my Mac and other Macs better than PCs everywhere. Thanks Scott!!!!

Let me make this clear from the outset. I am a Mac user. Have been since the very early days. This book is clearly aimed at me and others who are interested in the background and nuance of the Mac experince, much as "Insanely Great" was.

I am also an IT professional who manages Macs, PC's, Windows servers, Linux, etc. So I am no blind, rabid fan. Is the Mac a perfect experience? Absolutely not.

Those that have reviewed this book by quoting the anti-Mac mantra just don't get it. They don't understand the underlying RISC vs. CISC architecture of chips, and they sure haven't priced out a mainstream PC or server lately.

My son and I bought a PC for Christmas. .... So I guess I could say that no iMac can touch that price. But what I haven't said is that this is a no name clone, with OEM parts, and OEM shrinkwrapped OS. If I added the gear that PC gamers now consider essential, it would have been well over 1k, and more than a similarly set up iMac. He now spends much more time on our 3 1/2 year old iMac, and was amazed at the time involved in properly setting up Windows.

In the computer world, dying companies don't last long. But PC fanatics don't rely on facts. If Apple were dying (as they have said since at least 1995), it would have been gone a LONG time ago. These folks buy a clone, spend inordinate amounts of money upgrading it, then claim the Mac sucks because of price. They also spend money on gazillions of PC utilities to block the huge amount of PC based viruses now being circulated.

If you want a PC, buy a PC. If, like me, you appreciate a truly unique computing experience, then use your Mac to order this book, it is well worth it. Oh, and I do own a BMW, BTW. Marketshare does not equal quality.

Some of the reviews here are exactly why Kelby wrote the book. There are PC people out there who make it their mission to keep people from considering the Macintosh. And this book's funny to boot. Of course, if you've read Kelby's work the tone of the book makes sense. It's all in good fun, and that's why I bought it. It's not serious, though some seem to want to make it so.

Buy it!