My technologically inept sister wants a Mac. How good is their tech support?

[Dawnshadow]

OK. My younger sister is technologically inept and refuses to learn anything, not even going on Google and hunting the information down. Every time she has a computer problem, she whines to me until I drop everything and fix it.

She wants a Mac and is saving for a Macbook. I think this is a good thing-- the Mac OS is supposed to be easy to use (I, personally, don't care for it, but I've never had a chance to learn to use one) and, like Linux, is less vulnerable to adware or virus infections than Windows. However, my own Mac experience is limited to a few brief encounters, so I won't be able to help her with anything. So... how's Apple's tech support line?

(Maybe she'll actually learn to do things herself this way.)

[siriusfox]

Apples tech support is less than desirable. The average user won't have to many problems, but minor things can occor. I'd say find a good forum that she can post issues in and you'll be set. Just remember a few things.

1) Cmd-Alt-Esc is almost the same as Ctrl-Alt-Del on a PC. It's the force Quit Menu.

2) If you can always go with 1GB plus RAM. The Mac OS will run on 512 without problems, but there will be a very noticalbe speed boost if you go to 1GB or more.

3) Apple's Phone support == bad; Apple Discussion boards == good.

[aysiu]

If she's not willing to even Google problems, I don't think she'll be using Apple's tech support line, will she?

More likely she'll call you? If that's the case, I'd put her on Ubuntu.

If you really think she'll call Apple for support, I think she'll be fine with a Mac.

[Dawnshadow]

Sirius: Thanks for the advice; I'll pass it on. Do you know of any good forums off-hand?

Aisyu: The only reason she won't google is lazyness; she knows I can't help her with Mac problems. And she also refuses Ubuntu, because she wouldn't get to use a cool-looking Mac and iTunes and stuff. (I tried to get her to try Ubuntu on her current spyware-ridden Windows desktop computer a couple months ago when I went in to fix it for her, again. She wouldn't even try the live CD. Sigh.)