In the late ’00s, our neighbors had a totally different tech setup than my parents. They owned Apple computers, while we had more conventional workstations. These neighbors were incredibly open-minded and eco-conscious, which made their tech choices even more interesting.
I still vividly remember in 2006 they had both an iMac G3 in the living room and a Mac Pro in the graphic designer’s workroom. And wow, the moment I saw that Mac Pro, I was absolutely fascinated. It looked like a machine from the future. Sleek, quiet, and refined, with a kind of elegance that clunky beige Windows towers simply couldn’t match.
But it wasn’t just the hardware. It was Mac OS itself that pulled me in. Compared to the Windows GUI at the time (which felt boxy and cluttered), Mac OS had this polished, intuitive interface. The colors, the translucency, the dock. Everything felt thoughtfully designed. I remember moving the mouse around just to watch the animations, clicking through menus like I was exploring a new world. It was functional art.
Apple wasn’t mainstream yet back then. It had a devoted following in creative industries like graphic design and music, but the wider world hadn’t caught on. That all changed with the arrival of the iPod and suddenly, the quiet cool of Apple exploded into global popularity.
Years later, I worked at Apple in retail (thanks to Marcel & Michel). Looking back at those early days as a wide-eyed kid, I realize that my fascination wasn’t just with the tech. It was with the philosophy. Apple’s culture, both at HQ and in their stores, celebrates individuality. They make you feel seen as both a customer and an employee. And their firm approach to privacy? That became one of the values I admired most, especially today!
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