David Sedaris: I'm a Mac

SAN FRANCISCO--The staff of Beyond Binary has been working hard, so I decided to take the whole crew on a field trip Thursday night to hear our favorite author--David Sedaris.

Sedaris was in San Francisco Thursday to read from his latest book, When You are Engulfed in Flames.

Sedaris was at a local bookstore to read from his latest tome, When You are Engulfed in Flames. There wasn't time before his reading for in-depth questions, but I did manage to get in a short one while he signed a book for a co-worker.

I went for the obvious one--Mac or PC?

"Mac," he told me.

In the audience question and answer session, he went into more detail about making the switch from IBM (a Selectric typewriter, that is) to a Mac.

Although he liked his typewriter, he said that he quickly learned it was not a good idea to show up at an airport with anything the security guards weren't used to seeing.

"After September 11, it became so difficult to travel," he said, referring to going places with his typewriter.

His first computer was a candy-colored Mac, a gift from his boyfriend Hugh. More recently, he said, he switched to a MacBook Air because he wanted something lighter to accompany him on his frequent travels.

But the relationship to the ultrathin laptop got off to a rocky start. Less than a week after buying the pricey portable, he spilled about a third of a cup of tea on it.

Rather than not being able to turn the thing on, he found he couldn't get it to shut off.

"It just had a mind of its own," he said, noting that for an entire day it would keep turning itself back on. The next morning, though, it was back to normal, he said. A computer expert told Sedaris he was lucky he was drinking his tea black--a spill with coffee or sugar would have likely ruined it.

Also of note, Sedaris said he still types with just one finger. I guess that would be the hunt or peck method.

[supoman]

I don't know who Sedaris is but he sounds like a smart guy. A little clumsy but smart.

[ronaldo345]

Hi,
David Sedaris has become one of America ?s pre-eminent humor writers. He printed seven million copies of his books in print and they have been translated into 25 languages. He is the editor of an anthology of stories.
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Ronaldo

Addiction Recovery California

[Zero187]

This article is nothing but a waste of time. I thought he was going to list reasons why he is using the Mac other than a dumbed down 1 question interview. Don't get me wrong though, Vista sucks.

[brianherbert]

Any article involving David Sedaris gets an A in my book!

[imntacrook]

His boyfriend?

[accountable89]

Yea his "boyfriend" not a typo. He's obviously gay. Your point?

[brianbot5000]

An article about someone just to tell that they use a Mac notebook?? Seriously?

[Karl_J]

Always funny to see the "why was this posted" responses. It's a blog that openly states that it's about things a little off the beaten path tech-wise. Sedaris is a popular author with the tech crowd, even though he doesn't write tech books. This isn't too surprising to find here. Admittedly not that informative overall, but it's a BLOG entry fer chrissake...

[KamakuraKid]

I have added this latest Mac information to the Wikipedia listing, such details are pure gold. Eyes rolling. I mean, does anyone who reads Sedaris really think he would use a Windows PC? Does anyone creative use anything but Apple products?

Sedaris is even better on an audiobook, check out Audible.com for some fine examples.

[jcwestbrook]

It is interesting to note that if you have read any David Sedaris books you know how clumsy he is, or his unorthodox methods of doing basic things. This may mean that Macs truly are idiot proof (or the computer for an idiot not sure which).

And to the commenter that reacted to the "boyfriend" mention - Gays really do exist, they aren't like fabled mythical creatures or something. You might have even *gasp* seen one today!

[Thomas, David]

Hate to say it, but this article was barely an anecdote.

[aldolinares]

What the .... So he uses a Mac wow ? we all switch? i hate that CNET is on San Francisco... you need to have a mac so you can be "cool"

Do you use mac?....

[jamiegrove]

How can he be one of your favorite authors? Anyone who actually reads David Sedaris should know that he uses a Mac. The IBM selectric/ibook story is in Me Talk Pretty One Day.

@KamakuraKid you know what's funny is that Sedaris is actually listed on the Wikipedia entry for the IBM selectric. LOL.

[Seaspray0]

Ina Fried, if they guy had said he used a PC, would you be writing this story? I suggest you go read CNet's own articles on all the free advertising apple gets by the media for all the hype they write. You too are now guilty.

[alawaiblowfish]

Dude, she mostly covers microsoft....rarely apple. Cnet can't help it that they're popular. Macs really are great computers, get over it or get one and find out.

[alawaiblowfish]

I love David and Amy Sedaris, they're great comedians!

LOL @ the boyfriend comment, yes, David Sedaris is a homosexual. You'd know that if you'd bother to read one of his books.

[weeblnbob]

I find the juxtaposition of an IBM Selectric and a Mac fascinating. Graduating from a mechanical typewriter to a UNIX - based computer almost overnight should have the geeks cheering, not complaining about how irrelevant they find the article. It's the little things that make the biggest difference, folks.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Typewriters. In case some of you aren't familiar with the concept, think of them as a direct line input keyboard/printer combination with no buffer, storage, or OS options. But on the plus side, those very same things are pretty good features. :)

[ronaldo345]

Hi,
David Sedaris has become one of America ?s pre-eminent humor writers.He printed seven million copies of his books they have been translated into 25 languages. He is the editor of an anthology of stories.
========================================================
ronaldo

Addiction Recovery California,/a>