29 replies to this topic

[Seaquel47]

Lots of interesting conversations here.  I agree with davidparks that I'm primarily thinking about the ease of use of the ASIAir and of course that all of their accessories integrate nicely with each other for the most part.  They keep introducing new products that tend to keep users on the bleeding edge but they do seem to work at continual improvements where needed.  Perhaps some day I may go the route of a scope mounted pc and remote connect to stay out of the bugs and cold but my initial experience with installing software for an Atik based setup was an exercise in frustration.

[Dunkstar]

Apple is the great American success story, so it’s quite surprising to see so much disapproval 

 

I guess y’all must be lining up to save a buck or two with one of those Chinese-built SUVs too

 

[Wow!]

  

 

You sound like one of those IT guys who has been predicting the End Of Apple every financial quarter since the Super Bowl Ad of 1984. And wrong every single time.

 

Soldering wires and setting DIP switches to make something work might be fine for the IT crowd, but I buy a device to make my life easier, not spend a week configuring it.

 

You say Apple is expensive, I say Time is the most valuable commodity in the universe and living in the Apple ecosystem I don't waste my time with all that Monkey Work. An hour or two extra at my job easily covers the price delta between Windoze and Apple.

 

Were it not for Steve Jobs having the smarts to commercialize something Xerox lacked the imagination to see, in 2021 I would still be greeted by that evil C prompt every time I turned on my computer.

 

I purchased Bracken's Astrophotography Primer last year but have not gotten started yet for all of the hassle of using a PC in the field. But now that ASIAir is on my radar screen, perhaps it is the breakthrough I have been looking for. 

Great point, except for "Windoze".

That meme died in the 90s. Time to move forward.

[SonnyE]

I hope not. I like their cameras. But I do not want to be a slave to something undefinable. I'll just go elsewhere.

I live in a divided household. She is Apple. I'm PC.

Apple lends itself well to folks who can't understand computers, so it's a welcoming platform for them. Click this little picture icon, and go.

I was very disappointed when Windoze began it's shift to tootsie-fuitesie Skittles'sk desktop icons. I guess I've finally adjusted over the last 20 years.

 

Funny that one of the things I looked at when researching getting into this madness was which platform the majority of the manufactures were circling around, and it was NOT Apples platform.

When I hear of folks installing a Windows desktop on their MacBook's so they can run their telescopes, it reinforces staying PC was the right choice.

 

Besides, when she begins whining her iPad is giving her trouble, I tell her, "Well, make an appointment at the Apple Store and get it fixed.

And there is Peace in the house!

[johrich]

Ok, I own a half dozen ZWO products and 0 Apple products. Here is my Apple story, About 18 years ago, my daughter graduated from high school and wanted a Mac book as a graduation present. I had never owned an Apple computer, but she was an artist and Apple computers tend to favor artists and music, so I got her one. A couple years later the screen cracked, (our fault). I called Apple and asked how much to fix it. I was told $300. I said OK and shipped it off to Apple Servicing. About a week later I got a call saying it would not be $300, but $1,000 to replace the screen. I told them that was crazy since I only paid $1,100 for the laptop new and to just send it back. They said OK, but they were charging me $100 for looking at it. I told them that was unfair since they told me it would be $300 and I never would have sent it in if I knew it would be $1,000. After more discussion, they agreed to drop the $100 charge. I was not happy with their service but thought it at least wasn't going to cost any more than shipping. However, the next day they called me back and said they were going to charge me the $100 after all. I rarely lose my temper, but I did that day. They offered to send me an MP3 player to make me happy. I told them I didn't want or need an Apple MP3 player. I told Apple if they charged me the $100, I would never buy another Apple product again if they charged me the $100. I kept my promise. The kicker? My daughter found a screen on Ebay for $80 and replaced it herself.