Back in the 1980s, my school computer classes were conducted on Macs, using floppy discs, et al. Once I hit high school and college, PCs were all the rage, so I followed suit. When I started working for GT and my PC crashed, publisher Fran Gallagher put me on the Mac track once again. His guidance led me in the right direction. I started using Apple computers again six years ago and I haven’t looked back. In fact, I have turned my sister-in-law and mother into full-fledged Mac users.

Last weekend, before departing on my trip to Amman, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, I needed to pick up a new battery for my beloved Mac. It was the Saturday after New Year’s, in the afternoon and in midtown Manhattan. It was one of the busiest shopping afternoons, but I had no choice but to enter Apple’s Fifth Avenue store with the mobs. I walked down the clear spiral staircase like a sardine surrounded by tourists. I held my breath for what I thought would be an excruciating experience. Once I entered the store, I spotted a salesperson. I asked where I could find a new battery. He showed me to a wall display, handed me the battery and rang me up on the spot since I was paying by credit card. He asked if he could email me the receipt; I said no problem and within two minutes, I was in and out of the store. I was beyond thankful for the ingenuity and efficiency offered by Mac.

I believe any great product goes beyond the product itself. A great product needs better customer service to further back it up. I experienced Apple’s great customer service again today in Amman. When I boarded the plane at JFK, I realized I left part of my computer charger in the Royal Jordanian Airlines‘ VIP lounge. The lounge found my charger, but it was too late to make it through security before departure. Upon landing in Amman, I found the Apple Store, overpaid quite a bit for the piece, but nonetheless experienced a seamless customer service process. Thanks to Apple, I will be able to work on my Mac while on this business trip in the Middle East.

– Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

I have never tried to hide the fact that while I don’t shun technology, I am also not one to quickly embrace the latest gizmo that comes on the market. I’ve blogged in the past about “getting gadgetized” and how it’s not so much a fear of technology that holds me back but my impatience and a lack of time to devote to learning/installing what I need to put something new to use. Okay, if I’m going to be completely honest, I’m lazy, too. If I don’t think the benefits to me will outweigh the hassle (and expense) of adjusting to some new toy, I figure I don’t need it.

Lucky for me, I am prevented from remaining permanently in the Stone Age (or at least the VHS and cassette player age) by my loved ones. My husband, possessing what I have come to believe is an innate male trait, keeps our entertainment systems up to date . . . and thankfully knows how it all works. And my younger daughter has always been my go-to girl when I have any kind of computer question: “Jenny, how do I download the pictures from my camera to the computer? How do I delete these songs from my list? Show me again that thing you did in Excel.” She’s the one who handed me down her old iPod and introduced me to the iTunes store, too. She has long been well-acquainted with the various social networking sites, but I have no interest at present in joining one; a stance she seems to equally have no interest in changing (not surprising!). Just this past week, though, she nudged her dad and I into our latest techno adventure — Skypeing.

Both Jenny and big sister Sarah have webcams built into their computers, and after spending Easter weekend together and setting up their communications, they decided to get us in on the fun. Harry’s laptop also has a built-in camera, so after walking us through the free sign-up, Jenny had us hanging up our phone and chatting with her online, face-to-face, so to speak. For those of you who are uninitiated (and I doubt anyone reading this is), Skype allows you to make unlimited free calls over the Internet on computer, iPhone or PDAs. You can do so with or without the camera (we found we can teleconference with audio but not video–yet), but of course the whole point is to be able to see each other. With both girls in Chicago and us here in Oregon, it’s great to be able to see them in between our infrequent visits with each other. It means Jenny can show me the cute new top she bought instead of just describing it, and we will be able to show her live shots of our new home once we move in. I’m sure we will find lots of situations where we will be thankful for the ability to not just talk to each other but see each other, too — if for no other reason than the comfort of seeing that loving and familiar face.

Ain’t technology great?!

Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

Good morning! Check your clock: If you’re in the U.S.A. — or most of it, anyway — you lost an hour last night. Now the rest of the world will be playing catchup, so all those time differences you have filed away in your head will be different for at least the next three weeks.

After we had finally gotten in sync with the U.K. — after years of being a few weeks out of sync — we’re back to square one. I’m in EDT, so it’s just four hours to London today. I had a phone conference scheduled with Jerusalem for 9 a.m. this morning and instead of there being a seven-hour difference, it was only six. But they were expecting to do the call at 4 p.m. their time, so I could have slept in.

Which would have been a good thing, since of course even though there were reminders around, I didn’t remember until last night, and since I watched Saturday Night Live, that meant I didn’t get to sleep until 2, “new” time. If I’d remembered, I would have Tivo’ed it.

My computer still thinks it’s EST–yours too, probably. And then three weeks from now it’s going to jump ahead. We’re not going to be able to trust the timestamps on Internet sites and email for a couple of days either, until everybody’s Web folks get around to fixing their clocks or all our contacts re-set their computers. (For the sake of full disclosure, LOL, the timestamp on this blog post is an hour earlier than I actually posted it.)

Anyway, if you want to check and see who’s on what time around the world today, here’s one good roundup. FYI Europe (most of it, anyway) changes the clocks the last Sunday in March, and Jerusalem does it on March 28.

– Mary Hunt, editor, eFlyer

I don’t know if it’s Murphy’s Law or just dumb luck that whenever the most crucial deadlines approach or the most hectic time of the month rolls around, the Internet goes down - wouldn’t you agree? I woke up one morning last week to a normal routine, flipped open my Mac to find Entourage and Safari going through an endless search into oblivion! When I had shut my computer off the night before, everything was fine. My computer had not moved an inch throughout the night, so why wasn’t the Internet connection working??!!?? I know it was probably an outside cause that I have no control over, but it was nonetheless frustrating. And a reminder of how dependent I am on the Internet!

Of course, this all happened last week, the week of our annual awards luncheon. I could not have been more excited for the annual event as the team always does a wonderful job and it is always fun to see all our guests from all corners of the globe join us to celebrate a year’s worth of hard word and achievements. As everyone was flying in and the magazine’s deadline was approaching, I was rushing to get my Internet up and running ASAP. All this sure did make me thankful for the additional technology I do have, such as my BlackBerry! Normally, if my Internet had failed at that time, the stress level would have gone through the roof, but I was less worried because I knew I was still connected. So, with a smile, and a BlackBerry attached to my hip, I enjoyed a great week and an excellent luncheon. And this week, I am hoping for no mishaps with my connection.

-Alex Young, associate publisher and vice president

Jeepers, I know I am not as “HOT” as John and his blog following, but I have a topic to bring up and it is very much related to travel and running your own business.

Even prior to the launch of Global Traveler some 5 years ago, I switched my company over to using Macintosh computers. I did this reluctantly after being prompted by a former staffer, Susie Lee (now an exec at Ogilvy and Mathers in Culver City). Susie would always comment about the difficult operating system (this is going to date me), but I think this was before the Windows operating software whenPCs were still using DOS. Those of you under 30 can Google “DOS,” and it is probably time for you to learn that the Microsoft operating software was absolutely a copy of the Mac operating software (which had the “Windows” format long before Microsoft).

So, I switched over Susie’s computer, and after seeing her attitude and productivity change, I switched myself and slowly the entire staff. Of course, there are a few programs that will not work on a Mac, but they are few and far between unlike a few years ago. The key advantage that Macs have over Windows for travelers and small businesses is very simple - they work, they do not get viruses and they seem to be far more user-friendly when you try to find a wireless connection. I often laugh at my colleagues who are trying to find an Internet connection as I sit there reading my emails and surfing the Web.

I remember chatting with a guy on the train many years ago - he was making fun of my Macand I asked what he did for a living. He told me he was in IT and I said, “Well, of course, Macs put you out of a job because they don’t need an IT staff to run!” He just looked at me as he knew I was right.

So, John, what do you say to that? I know John is a PC boy. Ask him how he reaches the Internet - by tying a couple of telephone wires to squirrels and having them climb up the telephone pole!

-Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO