I had dinner with Phil on Thursday and due to me being away from Internet access for the better part of two days by this time I was unsure of the Apple world around me. Phil proceeded to inform me that Steve Jobs had just announced that he was taking 6 months off in order to deal with his health. Tim Cook is now in charge of the day to day stuff but the big decisions will still require Jobs' input.

I think it is a great thing on Jobs' part to take the time off. I sure know all about stress. The reason I was in Palmerston North and thus able to catch a meal with Phil was because I am involved in a project that makes me want to have my eyeballs ripped out through my nostrils by rabid wolverines. It was so stressful that come Saturday I woke up with a migraine and ended up puking all day... when I wasn't sleeping it off. So when I heard that the next six months were going to be largely sans Jobs I was excited.

The next six months are going to be very interesting but I feel that Apple is not going to fall apart without Jobs because Jobs is no idiot. The analysts are but then that's why those dinks don't run multi-national companies do they. They sit at a desk and tell people stuff that sounds good. Jobs has hired some amazing people and one of those people is Tim Cook (http://www.apple.com/pr/bios/cook.html).

So my flatmate left over the weekend and before doing so he got the Phone/Internet/TV cut off and due to a stuff up on my part I can't join Telstra for another couple of years (long story). So I haven't had the Internet for a week or so nor have I had a phone (not that that gets used much anyway).

So I took the plunge and tried Orcon and ended up speaking to a chap by the name of Stefan. The whole process was smooth, quick, and helpful. All my questions were answered and although for some reason the NZMAC promo code didn't work he organised to get it added to my account anyway.

The product knowledge was awesome and when I enquired about the modem being used on my own Airport Extreme he confirmed it wasn't a problem and even confirmed they had Mac support. In fact every question I had Stefan was able to answer and the only things he had to put me on hold for was the promo code and to double check on the services that were available in my area.

It's an interesting thing being a Mac user in a PC world. I used to get mocked for owning a Mac and one of the main culprits was a guy who used to be one of two of my team leaders who I have a problem with one account of him seeming to have a problem with me for no real valid reason. Needless to say we have never seen eye to eye and so it was no surprise that he'd try and take me on with regards to my choice of computer.

I used to bite like a rabid wolverine as well trying to defend Apple then I stopped. I didn't stop because I didn't think Apple was worthy of my defence but because I came to the realisation that arguing with morons isn't really worth my time and effort. I would be saying the same old thing all the time which got boring.

I think this approach is better because as of now he is a Mac owner having just bought a 24" iMac. His reason for change of heart? He had to rebuild his machine and got annoyed with Vista and the fact that it wouldn't register on his machine properly. Ironically I think it's at the stage where Microsoft themselves are promoting buying a Mac because of their draconian rules and scumbag practises.