What happened, why is MacRumors so full of negativity lately?

[retta283]

The Mac Pro situation is disappointing to say the least. Some of the worst discussion I have seen on this site. That whole forum is in shambles as of now. Seems like lots of people are getting suspended, but whether it's for these reasons I don't know as the general discourse is still just as fiery.

Sad to see emoticon trolling as well, I really wonder if it's time to get a poll going about that...

 

[dmr727]

The Mac Pro situation is disappointing to say the least. Some of the worst discussion I have seen on this site. That whole forum is in shambles as of now. Seems like lots of people are getting suspended, but whether it's for these reasons I don't know as the general discourse is still just as fiery.

WWDC just happened - MR gets a lot of trolls (on both sides) that climb out of the woodwork anytime new hardware is released. And with all the pent up anticipation around the headset and how Apple would handle the Mac Pro, I'm not terribly surprised. It'll settle down after the kiddos get bored - it always does.

 

[Zimbof]

I'm still new here, but I haven't come across negative comments

 

[MacGizmo]

It's due to the renewed urge to prove "everyone else is wrong and I'm right!" I swear, even when you're trying to simplify tech support answers by being vague and/or simple, some Jackwagon will ALWAYS step-in to point out the deep tech-nerdery details of why you're wrong... even when you're not.

I've started implementing a "drive-by" approach to commenting. If I see something I want to comment on, I do so, and then I either don't go back to the thread, or don't reply to anyone else in the thread other than the OP. This helps to avoid all the negativity. If I see that the OP isn't responding and said Jackwagons are still going off on someone, I set the thread to Ignore – which is the greatest feature of these forums!

In fact, the Ignore button gets more use than any other button/link in these forums for me. I mean really, how many threads do we need asking "What monitor should I get for my new Mac XXXX?"

 

[maflynn]

I'm still new here, but I haven't come across negative comments

Sorry couldn't resist I think there's is a lot of great people here, but like any large community there's a huge blend of people, some good, some not so good, and some bad.

It's due to the renewed urge to prove "everyone else is wrong and I'm right!"

Yeah, I see a number of members who will argue till the cows come home. They're right and they do everything in their power to prove it. Its one reason why I largely ignore the Apple Silicon (Arm) Macs forum.

I will say I'm not perfect, and yes, I was guilty of this as well - I accept I was at fault, At this stage however I'm more content in just walking away. Its better for my well being. Just post my opinion and walk away.

I will say that sort of mentality occurs from the top down. I've had some recent interactions with the staff which made no sense, their actions went against prior precedent but they seemed hell bent on being "right" I can't say what it was because I'll incur the wrath of the moderator overlords.

This meme perfectly fits so many people

I've started implementing a "drive-by" approach to commenting.

I find myself doing that myself more and more. I've come to realize that some members will argue about anything and everything. I've come across some people here that if you post that water is wet, they'll be arguing at how wrong you are blah blah blah.

I've post a lot here at MR, and its by and large a great community, @arn has really done a great job at crafting a fan site forum and there is a sense of community, but I've opted to pull back. I don't post as much as I used to and I find other areas that give me enjoyment and don't have such silliness.

 

[Little Endian]

Wow... Didn’t realize, but I have been on MR for over 20 years now!! Still only a 6502a though as I don’t post much. I post only when I need something or something of particular interest catches my eye. I have a life to live and it can’t revolve around the internet or any one particular site.

There was a time in my life when I was younger where MR was a huge part of my life. I remember spending hours on the site daily. Particularly before new product releases during the 2000s. There was so much more hype back then. Everything was so new and exciting. Remember when the iPod then iPhone was the greatest thing since sliced bread?

Anyhow I do notice that negativity has grown over the last decade or so not only on MR but other forums as well. Reddit, Quora and other social media come to mind. I attribute the increased negativity to the shear explosion of users on so many of these platforms. A lot more opinions are out there now. Also a lot more casual user enthusiast who may also not be the most sophisticated.

I also believe that America as a whole has gotten more negative over the last decade or so. The country is more politically divided than it has ever been. Depression is on the rise. Financial insecurity and income inequality keeps getting worse. Too much screen time has also affected mental health and development For many.

I try not to let negativity affect me especially on the internet. Really you have no way of knowing who is commenting or posting opinions that you may not agree with. Often times negative comments could be from a 12 year old kid who doesn’t know any better. A recluse shut in of a troll who has no life etc.. Anyhow you get the picture. The internet provides a layer of anonymity so some people feel safer saying dumb ****.

We often can’t see and don’t know people we interact with on the internet. If we did meet them in the real world you might often realize that you don’t care about their opinion at all. The internet allows you to get into arguments with children, mentally unstable individuals, and or people you might just consider a looser. You have no way of knowing who you are dealing with so who really cares. Just find the info that you need and make the connections that you find rewarding.

 

[Beancamel]

lately? LOL

 

[circatee]

Honestly, there has certainly been a tide change. I often want to comment on certain threads. But, I can almost feel the hate responses, so I refrain.

A shame really...

 

[paardenkapper]

I get why someone would read the criticism of Apples politics and products as negative but they had it coming.
They are the most valuable company in the world, millions of customers and sold products around the globe so I think a little bit of criticism should be allowed.

Instead of praising the ever shortening lifecycles and walled garden the ecosystem is becoming we should raise awareness.

For me it's a love-hate-relationship. Their products have great aesthetics and were ahead of the competition for years now. But the current trends in regard to not owning what you pay for, anti-repair-techniques are a nuisance!

 

[ananniamul]

I've enjoyed MacRumors for many, many years mostly as a casual reader, a lurker I suppose; however, the past couple years or so and especially the past year alone, the negativity and attitudes here are not those of people interested in Apple at all, and reminds me very much of some of the most toxic social networks. What happened? Is this a reflection of the state of the world lately, has it been infiltrated by bots, is it trolling for clicks and arguments? It's just really bizarre to me.

If it's not spammers, bots, and trolls, if you are a real person regularly posting negativity and snarky remarks, why? I truly want to understand where you're coming from. Perhaps even more, why are you here? If you dislike Apple so much, and you have no interest in Apple products, developments and Mac rumors in general, if it all pisses you off and is just garbage, why are you here?

I suppose you might argue I've just done it myself, with my first post, but it's become so toxic lately that as much as I used to enjoy MacRumors, I find myself reluctant to visit and peruse, but I don't want to walk away just yet. Instead, I wanted to raise the question with hope of understanding and maybe, just maybe, seeing if others feel the same and maybe we can sway the community in some positive way to change because it just seems to get worse and worse, and I don't want to see it go the way of other social media platforms and forums.

Despite the negativity, there are still many positive aspects to MacRumors. The site is a great resource for information about Apple products, and it's a great place to connect with other Apple enthusiasts. If you can ignore the negativity, you'll find that MacRumors is a valuable resource.

 

[I7guy]

I get why someone would read the criticism of Apples politics and products as negative but they had it coming.
They are the most valuable company in the world, millions of customers and sold products around the globe so I think a little bit of criticism should be allowed.

Instead of praising the ever shortening lifecycles and walled garden the ecosystem is becoming we should raise awareness.

For me it's a love-hate-relationship. Their products have great aesthetics and were ahead of the competition for years now. But the current trends in regard to not owning what you pay for, anti-repair-techniques are a nuisance!

There is a difference between constructive criticism and criticism for criticisms' sake. Everything touched or made or managed by humans can be criticized -- from what is considered nit-picking and up. In my opinion a lot of what tries to masquerade as legitimate criticism is just some snark hyperbole. With billions of customers it's sure everybody views apple differently.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

At least in this era we’ve gone past the days of ‘criticising Apple means you’re a hater’ tripe that I used to see on here a decade ago.

It’s ok to criticise a companies way of doing things even if you’re buying their products. The danger comes when people or even the company themselves assumes because you are buying the products, everything is great and nothing needs changing.

 

[I7guy]

At least in this era we’ve gone past the days of ‘criticising Apple means you’re a hater’ tripe that I used to see on here a decade ago.

It’s ok to criticise a companies way of doing things even if you’re buying their products. The danger comes when people or even the company themselves assumes because you are buying the products, everything is great and nothing needs changing.

Imo, people choose the products they do because the pros outweigh the cons. Everything one buys comes with compromises. The compromise(s) may not matter to one, but they are there nonetheless.

There’s nothing wrong with honest criticism, it’s when this critique gets taken to the next level it becomes hyperbole.

 

[rm5]

I feel bad for bringing this topic back up, but I am just fed up with people saying, "you don't know what you're talking about." Not necessarily directly, but giving that impression.

Not only have people said that to me, but also just to the thread participants in general—like "I [the OP] am the ONLY person on the planet who knows ANYTHING about this!"

You can't make those assumptions. Making assumptions about people in general is just really unkind.

 

[avro707]

I feel bad for bringing this topic back up, but I am just fed up with people saying, "you don't know what you're talking about." Not necessarily directly, but giving that impression.

Not only have people said that to me, but also just to the thread participants in general—like "I [the OP] am the ONLY person on the planet who knows ANYTHING about this!"

You can't make those assumptions. Making assumptions about people in general is just really unkind.

Someone recently did that, comes along as says basically "this computer is awesome for my niche" so all of you other people should go away and stop complaining. I've just stopped commenting.

Edit: I think we are talking about the same topic!

 

[teejaysplace24]

While some on the forum are anti-Apple, I think that others are disappointed (and frustrated) that Apple has little interest (not the way it used to, with a delight in design) in designing cutting edge revolutionary tech products (such as the original MacBookAir, which absolutely blew me away when I first laid eyes on it, and, also I must admit, the original iPhone, which revolutionised phone design to the extent that the then market leader, Nokia, was terminally damaged because they failed to anticipate this), and I suspect that some of this negativity may flow from that.

However, Apple no longer needs to be a tech revolutionary; nowadays, their business and commercial needs drive them in a different direction, and, moreover, they no longer have any need to nurture those who had originally bought Apple products and somehow came to invest some sense of their own identity through their ownership of Apple devices.

Yes, this. ☝️ A lot of us depended (and still depend) on Apple to provide advanced technology that paced industry standards and produced reliable professional equipment. Now bugs go unaddressed through multiple versions; legacy application updates languish; bloatware takes the place of meaningful new features; and whereas a new a Apple product used to look revolutionary, now minor cosmetic changes merely replicate the design language from Apple's last two decades. A premium price is about the only thing we can always count on.

Apple still has an incredible ecosystem, though, meaning most long-time users are still very much a part of it. (Most...over the years, some of the above has also resulted in a measure of defectors.) But those that remain hold out hope that, every so often, Apple will deliver on its ethos. The watch was a runaway success and Vision Pro looks like a compelling product with the potential to reshape a variety of workflows in the mid future.

When this cohort complains, it's because they feel Apple hasn't been delivering, but would still like to see them do so.

 

[rm5]

This, just now, is the fourth time (I've counted), where someone has said TO ME that I don't know what I'm talking about. If I didn't know what I was talking about, I wouldn't post about it. Is that hard to understand? Why even say that sort of stuff in public? I'm doing my best to try to help people out. Let me say this again—if I don't know about something, I simply won't post about it. This is starting to really upset me

 

[KaliYoni]

This, just now, is the fourth time (I've counted), where someone has said TO ME that I don't know what I'm talking about. If I didn't know what I was talking about, I wouldn't post about it. Is that hard to understand? Why even say that sort of stuff in public? I'm doing my best to try to help people out. Let me say this again—if I don't know about something, I simply won't post about it. This is starting to really upset me

Personally, when I find myself beginning to feel online discussions, disagreements, and reactions are too aggravating, I turn off my computer and set my mobile phone to "Do Not Disturb". Then I engage with the real world by doing something like going outside, seeing friends and family, or volunteering at a community organization.

 

[nightcap965]

It never ceases to amuse me how many people know better than the designers and corporate executives of a three-billion dollar company. Goodness knows how Tim Cook has managed without their expert advice.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Personally, when I find myself beginning to feel online discussions, disagreements, and reactions are too aggravating, I turn off my computer and set my mobile phone to "Do Not Disturb". Then I engage with the real world by doing something like going outside, seeing friends and family, or volunteering at a community organization.

I feel bad for the mods... I see the work they put into the News articles and on this site... I don't always agree with their actions but that is a LOT of work being put into those places...

The number of people posting to get attention and incite aggravation is more rampant now than before. You can tell it by their language and what they say. A recent event in the news area has really brought out those who love this attention. They aren't interested in discussing, only attacking, assuming, and baiting. They make intentionally false statements to incite responses.

I too agree. Sadly, that means I'll be spending a lot less time here. But life is too short spending what little time I have giving attention to trolls.

That said, there are still some great posters here and some great threads.

It never ceases to amuse me how many people know better than the designers and corporate executives of a three-billion dollar company. Goodness knows how Tim Cook has managed without their expert advice.

My belief is that these statements are designed to upset and get attention/reaction. But yes, the # of these posters has exploded over the last few years especially. Meanwhile, most of us go about our lives happily using our devices.

 

[maflynn]

It never ceases to amuse me how many people know better than the designers and corporate executives of a three-billion dollar company. Goodness knows how Tim Cook has managed without their expert advice.

Yet, there are countless members here who are so quick to highlight that they know better then apple's engineers.

For all of transparency, I'm sure I fell into the trap of being an armchair quarterback on occasions.

 

[tripsync]

It's users who are so bothered by others that don't agree with them, they accuse them of doing it to defend evil_corp_CEO.

What we need more is users actually focus on the facts, ignore what is popular to say, and present a genuine belief no matter how many people may not like or disagrees with what you say. That is what being an individual is all about.

For example: I think the Magic Mouse is actually a properly designed mouse. I actually looked in to the design and how it's used. Given the considerations that Apple has to work with, it's actually appropriate to have the charging port on the bottom. I'm not saying it to incite anger or to gain attention, but people accuse me of boot licking Tim Cook or being a complete "Apple fanboy".

--

Side note: I'm sure there are many moderators and even they would disagree with each other decisions, but it's confusing to the user on what's acceptable and what's not acceptable. I've seen comments that are personal attacks against me, but when I report them and the moderator took no action, I view that as an acceptable comment to say. But when I make a similar comment, a moderator warns me that it's not acceptable. This is the most frustrating part of being on MR.

 

[BigMcGuire]

It's users who are so bothered by others that don't agree with them, they accuse them of doing it to defend evil_corp_CEO.

What we need more is users actually focus on the facts, ignore what is popular to say, and present a genuine belief no matter how many people may not like or disagrees with what you say. That is what being an individual is all about.

For example: I think the Magic Mouse is actually a properly designed mouse. I actually looked in to the design and how it's used. Given the considerations that Apple has to work with, it's actually appropriate to have the charging port on the bottom. I'm not saying it to incite anger or to gain attention, but people accuse me of boot licking Tim Cook or being a complete "Apple fanboy".

I agree with your statements. People should be free to present their opinion and should not be personally attacked for it. Critical thinking often results in one going against the crowd, historically.

I also enjoyed the Magic Mouse while I had it, especially with https://folivora.ai/ 's BetterTouchTool - could customize a ton of gestures - was extremely useful. I have seen users attacked for saying they like that mouse.

 

[Clix Pix]

I'm perfectly happy with the Magic Mouse.....I have two of them so that when the one I'm using runs low on juice it is a simple matter to simply turn it off, plug it into a power source and grab the other mouse, turn it on and continue with whatever I have been doing. That said, I do have to agree that the mouse looks rather silly when it is plugged in and charging!

 

[Azzurro]

I literally posted a legit question on Samsung thread and one user was just trying to make it into Apple vs Samsung battle. The toxicity is real!