Why the hell are all app demos done using Macs?

#1

Post by dadads » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 3:23 AM UTC

When I see demos of web apps (videos, screenshots), I can't help but notice that they are all almost exclusively done using Macs.

Is there some secret to why everyone's doing this? Why am I not seeing more demos on Windows? Or Linux for that matter?

Re: Why the hell are all app demos done using Macs?

#2

Post by jordandanford » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 3:25 AM UTC

Mac OS X is generally seen as the most visually appealing OS, so I figure that's likely to be the reasoning

Re: Why the hell are all app demos done using Macs?

#3

Post by tomfakes » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 3:35 AM UTC

I think there are a few reasons

1. Mac UI looks good, browser fonts look good there too 2. A lot of open source stack developers use OSX as their dev machines, so the code has already been tested there 3. Since OSX is BSD, a lot of the same server code runs, and runs well on OSX, so demos can run well with everything hosted on the same machine without needing VMs or other tricks.

Windows can do all of this too, but some stuff doesn't work as easily on Window. Microsoft server stack runs great on Windows, but 'the cool kids' are all running open source stacks.

Re: Why the hell are all app demos done using Macs?

#4

Post by GHFigs » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 3:42 AM UTC

What difference does it make?

Re: Why the hell are all app demos done using Macs?

#5

Post by bloudraak » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 3:45 AM UTC

The fidelity seems to be better on OS X than on Windows, and therefore the site justs looks more crisp. Its something that I noticed testing websites on both Windows and OS X.

Re: Why the hell are all app demos done using Macs?

#6

Post by dadads » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 3:46 AM UTC

tomfakes wrote: post #3

I think there are a few reasons 1. Mac UI looks good, browser fonts look good there too 2. A lot of open source stack developers use OSX as their dev machines, so the code has already been tested there 3. Since OSX is BSD, a lot of the same server code runs, and runs well on OSX, so demos can run well with everything hosted on the same machine without needing VMs or other tricks. Windows can do all of this too, but s…

I can say the same thing (open-source stacks) about Linux, and not many Linux demos are out there

Re: Why the hell are all app demos done using Macs?

#7

Post by ajsharp » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 3:46 AM UTC

Chances are, that's what the developers are using to build the product. Same with the people making the screencast, if this is a different party than the developer(s) themselve(s).

Re: Why the hell are all app demos done using Macs?

#8

Post by tomfakes » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 4:02 AM UTC

dadads wrote: post #6

tomfakes wrote: post #3

I think there are a few reasons 1. Mac UI looks good, browser fonts look good there too 2. A lot of open source stack developers use OSX as their dev machines, so the code has already been tested there 3. Since OSX is BSD, a lot of the same server code runs, and runs well on OSX, so demos can run well with everything hosted on the same machine without needing VMs or other tricks. Windows can do all of this too, but s…

I can say the same thing (open-source stacks) about Linux, and not many Linux demos are out there

Almost no-one uses Linux as their desktop. A lot of the UI tools don't work as well on Linux, or have no Linux versions at all.

Re: Why the hell are all app demos done using Macs?

#9

Post by watmough » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 4:10 AM UTC

tomfakes wrote: post #3

I think there are a few reasons 1. Mac UI looks good, browser fonts look good there too 2. A lot of open source stack developers use OSX as their dev machines, so the code has already been tested there 3. Since OSX is BSD, a lot of the same server code runs, and runs well on OSX, so demos can run well with everything hosted on the same machine without needing VMs or other tricks. Windows can do all of this too, but s…

Also, QuickTime player has a feature right on the file menu to do a screen recording.

http://i.imgur.com/JvmiM.png

I know there are other tools, but it's hard to beat built-in.

Regarding font rending, there's an old article by Joel:

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2007/06/12.html

but the main point is this image. Take your choice.

http://i.imgur.com/qMmXt.png

Re: Why the hell are all app demos done using Macs?

#10

Post by jlambert1 » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 4:12 AM UTC

I think a lot of hackers are using macs, and a lot of startups are using them too. It's part of the new "uniform" for startups.