New “Get a Mac” Ads Target Windows 7
Microsoft may have only just launched Windows 7, but Apple isn’t sitting back and letting Redmond enjoy its time in the spotlight. Instead, last night it revealed three new ads in the popular “Get a Mac” series featuring John Hodgman and Justin Long, all of which go after Windows 7 by name.
The three ads, “Broken Promises,” “Teeter Tottering,” and “PC News” all have a slightly different take on what’s wrong with Windows, but they all manage to find fault. And they all do so without actually citing anything concrete about Windows 7, which really hasn’t been around long enough to generate the kind of widespread complaints that plagued Vista.
PC News
It’s the Windows 7 release news coverage, except the excited masses aren’t on board with Microsoft. They’re taking advantage of the call to upgrade to Macs instead. The theory being, if MS is saying “All right everybody, ditch Vista!” they might as well switch to an OS they know for a fact actually is user-friendly. Not the best of the bunch, and the logic behind it is kind of a stretch.
Teeter Tottering
Sort of like a single case study of one PC user from the first ad, this one follows an XP user getting ready to switch. To Mac, not Windows 7, despite PC’s repeated overtures to try to get her to stay. What’s great about this commercial is that Justin Long as Mac never says a word, and instead the only debating that goes on occurs between the PC user and Hodgman, so the customer ends up convincing themselves. Hence, the real benefits of Mac are self-evident.
Broken Promises
Only the basic Mac/PC duo are featured in this third new ad, unless you count the inclusion of their former selves from years gone by. This is my personal favorite of the bunch. It uses fictional remembered exchanges between Mac and PC over the years as each iteration of Windows was released, all the way back to Windows 2. A nice visual touch on the part of Apple’s advertising team is the way Apple’s outfit changes only minimally from clip to clip, while PC seems to be a slave to the fashion trends of the time. It paints PC as dated and Mac as timeless.
PC users probably haven’t even had a chance to become disillusioned with Windows 7 yet, but Apple is doing the smart thing by not letting them get the chance. These ads say it all: If Microsoft’s laid the groundwork for an upgrade mentality, best to swoop in and grab a few switchers while the getting’s good.
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Eideard on October 23rd, 2009 at 8:27 am
The adverts are funny. Still one of the best ways to make a point while making money.
Sadly, Microsoft’s main push seems to be the old saw of buying enough punditry to hope that makes a difference.
Matt on October 23rd, 2009 at 9:13 am
The third one, broken promises, is really funny! :D
The other two however are simply lame, they feel as if Apple was trying too hard. A failed attempt at getting some attention where there is none to be gained. Someone who waited for Windows 7 is NOT GOING TO BUY A MAC… it’s not Vista, no matter how hard Apple would try to make it.
And a little OT, I liked the Windows 7 premiere yesterday, it showed how much is going on on the PC market compared to the Mac, they presented at least a dozen new machines from different makers, just because…
And some of them pretty damn sweet if you ask me (Lenovo S12 with the nvidia ion, new Vaio’s, Dell Adamo XPS a bunch of touch enabled computers). Sure we’ve got super-hot new iMacs… and OH MY GOD a Magic Mouse, which is so magical it doesn’t have a middle-click…, if I wanted to spend 2000 bucks, and NOT get a blu-ray drive, they’d be awesome. My 2008 iMac is staying put, has been upgraded to the (Snow) Leopard, which of course doesn’t seem to be upgraded at all (sure, I know, rewritten and crap, no difference from my perspective) and even better – I can’t run in 64 bit because of lack of support for some of my external devices (Can anyone spell Drobo Dashboard?), but hey… it was an update, came out before Win7, it’s by Apple so it must be AWESOME, right?
right… ?
paw on October 23rd, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Hate to tell you but devices attached to 64 bit Windows need 64 bit drivers as well.
paw on October 23rd, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Also Win 7 is too Vista. Do you think MS could code a new os in one year? It took them 7 years to transmute XP into Vista.
Bohdan Ganicky on October 23rd, 2009 at 9:16 am
What these ads doesn’t say is that upgrading to Mac means buying new hardware. The cost of upgrade isn’t therefore comparable.
CC on October 23rd, 2009 at 2:29 pm
You mean upgrading to Windows 7 means buying new PCs… don’t you?
Most PC machines 5+ years old running XP will not run the new Windows 7. Not fast enough. I think Windows 7 needs a fast Core Duo machine to run well. PC makers are loving this fact. But the landfills and the waste shipped to India and China will spike in the next few months. A environmental nightmare that MS is downplaying!
Bohdan Ganicky on October 26th, 2009 at 1:47 am
Nope, I don’t mean that. I mean that buying Mac ALWAYS means buying new hardware when coming from Win/Lin world. And that’s not the case when upgrading to W7 from XP/Vista.
Not to mention that even when you go with new HW in Win/Lin world, it’s always way cheaper than in the Mac world.
cc on October 28th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
You should sell used cars.
Going from PC to Mac is not wallet draining, and you can run ALL your old software on the Mac. Can’t run Mac software on a PC. Right?
Did not cost me a dime in buying new software going from a PC to Mac.
I’m using the free NeoOffice and other free programs.
You can review and download them all here -
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/
Apple supplies all the other software like Iphotos, Imovies, Iweb;etc. For the rest of your PC software, just buy Fusion for 79.00.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/TX501LL/A
Also, enjoy buying a new PC with Windows 7 if you are running an older PC that won’t support it.
Oh, you will really have fun installing your older Office software on it. My friend said there is a ton of MS Office promo software that blocks the install of older MS Office software. Have to do a ton of uninstalling and file track downs and deletions before you can install ANY of your older MS Office Software. Total waste of time and more stress courtesy of your greedy friends at MS. They MAKE the PC sellers install it. Keep that forced Monopoly up boys!
Bohdan Ganicky on October 29th, 2009 at 6:11 am
Actually I’m not buying anything, because I’m a happy user of Ubuntu Linux for 4 years and I don’t have the slightest reason to switch. It just amazes me how Apple fans takes their commercials so serious. Hey, it’s just a commercial…don’t try to find the truth there.
cc on October 29th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
It always amazes me how Linux people are all such loner know-it-alls.
Climb back up on the mountain with yogi and guide us all with Linux.
LOL
Rob Oakes on October 23rd, 2009 at 9:30 am
It also leaves out the fact that you won’t be able to use any of your existing software. So you will have to shell out for MS office (or iWork) and the equivalents of any other programs you were using on Mac.
Nor does it include any talk about how it might be necessary to purchase VMware or Parallels and deal with the hassles of a virtual machine. What is considered an awesome selling point amongst geeks is a PITA for regular uses.
People should upgrade to a Mac because it will better meet their needs, not because it’s the “anti-MS” alternative. Otherwise, they’re going to be in for a world of hurt. I’m speaking from personal experience on this one.
Rob Oakes on October 23rd, 2009 at 9:31 am
The last sentence of the first paragraph should read:
“So you will have to shell out for MS Office (or iWork) and the equivalents of any other programs you were using on the PC.”
me on October 23rd, 2009 at 7:16 pm
You idiot. All programs or apps as Mac hacks like to call them, from xp work on Windows 7. i have been using it for over 8 months and not a flaw
paw on October 23rd, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Seriously, you think someone switching from Windows to Mac would be surprised they Mac apps?
CC on October 24th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Hey me,
Yes there are issues going from XP to Windows 7. You can read it from the horse’s mouth, the MS site! Maybe not with the “few” programs you have running, but with a lot of old business software.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/windows-7/en-us/default.aspx
If you have to run your NEW PC in XP mode, you might as well get a NEW super fast Mac and run Fusion 3. Run Windows 7 only when you have to is my motto.
http://blogs.vmware.com/teamfusion/2009/10/vmware-fusion-3-the-best-way-to-run-windows-on-the-mac-coming-october-27th.html
Brett on October 23rd, 2009 at 9:39 am
All these ads gave me a good laugh last night. Yesterday afternoon i was trying to decide if I should buy windows 7 or buy a new macbook. I got as far as the checkout with a macbook but in the end I bought windows 7, which so far is quite enjoyable (but any fresh install makes the computer seem brand new to me). I am just holding out to see what Apple and MS throw out in terms of tablets.
Kurtis Schmidt on October 23rd, 2009 at 10:36 am
I believe that the first two adds might work well for the general public. There is likely a number of XP users who are looking to buy new computers, and Apple has simply placed the idea that, if your looking at getting a new computer anyway, why not think about Mac as well.
However, I also believe that Apple left out an important point that would have worked well for them. If you buy a Mac at an Apple store, they will transfer your files over for free. This is something that no one else (just guessing) offers, and they should have capitalized on that.
I’m not sure if my assumptions are correct about the general public, but that’s just my 2 cents.
Will on October 23rd, 2009 at 11:18 am
Ads are funny, but they are getting repetitive. Soon this making-fun-of-Windows theme will not be cute any more and might backfire supporting the idea of snobish Mac users. It sounds like, thought it’s pretty early, that Windows 7 is much better than Vista (those are relative terms), but I think that’s partly because of Apple! All this making fun of (rightfully) Vista and grow of Apple market share made people in Redmond sit down and sweat a bit. I’m only hoping Apple will keep up now.
Rob on October 23rd, 2009 at 11:38 am
Apple seems to be trying a wee bit too hard here, all I get out of this is that there’s nothing wrong with Windows 7. Instead I should switch for customer service instead? That won’t run all my old apps!
Besides, For once I think Microsoft beat Apple on a release. Apple left me more in the dark because I never upgraded my macbook pro from 10.4 before 10.6, apparently it’s just “do a fresh install” along with not being able to buy a copy of OSX without it being bundled with other software. Microsoft provided tools to upgrade. As it stands I sat down for 20 minutes and figured how to copy across my Steam games, how to get all my settings across (with the Win 7 migration tool). Not really sure if such help exists from Apple, they didn’t release any details on how to upgrade. Microsoft told us all these things, months ago. Sure, a straight upgrade would be nice, but at least I knew this was coming. Unlike sitting down with a copy of 10.6 and finding out for the first time.
And in the past few months Apple has had to play catchup with Java and released a fairly buggy OS (unlike Microsoft, who tested the hell out of 7). For once I don’t feel like I missing anything without paying the extra grand for a mac.
Astrochimp on October 23rd, 2009 at 11:46 am
The telling thing here is that Apple spends so much money trashing the competition unfairly.
What if that money were spent instead on improving securty on OSX? Now, THAT would actually help consumers, and be better for Apple in the long run.
Ah, but security is hard. Developing ads and running them is easy, and Apple Inc. does it brilliantly.
paw on October 23rd, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Ha Ha Ha. You think Windows is a more secure platform than Mac. Ha ha Ha.
cc on October 24th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
How are the yearly Norton Anti-virus definitions subscription$ going on your PC???
HA Ha Ha.
Riaz Rizvi on October 23rd, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Windows 7 was hyped as a lean OS that would run faster than Vista on less hardware, but it requires the same bump in hardware as Vista. Mac OS X and other Unix-like OS’s are lean enough to run on mobile devices. So I am skeptical of what is being pushed – is it just Vista with an improvement in boot time and the removal of annoying alerts?
Consider how much time it takes for an application developer to pick up a new iteration of Windows which have proprietary quirks, and when you realize that Windows OS’s have a short shelf life compared to UNIX derivatives, like OS X, you might wonder whether it is worth the risk to switch to W7. Better to aim your career and your business technology strategy toward platforms that are here to stay.
I switched to Mac OS X last year after 15 years with Windows. I am not switching back for W7.
Matt on October 23rd, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Seriously…?
XP was introduced in 2001, most of the programs will still run on W7 with a little tweaking without the need of xp mode.
Try running programs from 10.0 on 10.6.
Nobody is asking anyone to switch back from Mac to W7, not even Microsoft, Apple however seems to be asking people to switch to Mac… because of the introduction of W7… if I was a robot, my head would explode in response to this logic.
CC on October 23rd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Hey, if they are going to get a new computer, than you have to market to that crowd.
Apple does make computers, not just software.
Michael on October 23rd, 2009 at 12:58 pm
lol Astroidiot is back XD
It’s interesting to see even on Apple sites that Microsoft is better and cooler than ever.
Win 7 might be improved in many parts, but it still has some of the negative parts of Win XP and Vista. A new GUI doesn’t make the best system.
Germany is Windows land, since many years. I made up my mind after having an aweful time with XP and Vista such a poor operating system.
I’m trying to get Win 7 soon (students get it for free at the university) but from what I have heard it’s still not that good.
I have had no problems with Snow Leopard. The easiest upgrade you can think of. And it’s sleek and fast. Programs are running all without problem after the upgrade.
So I don’t understand the Apple users. They seem to have a problem with their Macs after Win 7 is coming out. Or are they just Microsoft staff creating a negative vibe in Apple land?
Matt on October 23rd, 2009 at 1:10 pm
For me personally the problem is in the “negative marketing” approach taken by Apple and then mimicked by their religious followers.
I have very little against the products themselves, except the stupid magic mouse (love the concept but seriously… middle button!!!), aside of the obvious technical issues that arise with any new system.
Windows is far from perfect, but the mac fanboys fighting it on the grounds that it is… Windows is so stupid that I just can’t stop ranting :P
CC on October 23rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
religious followers???
You guys are the ones praying, every-time you boot-up your PC.
LOL
Astrochimp on October 23rd, 2009 at 1:28 pm
I’ve been running Windows 7 for a month now, and it’s very good, and better and faster than Vista.
Now, about those “annoying alerts” …
Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth … all those trojans, that afflict client PCs e.g. Apple and Windows alike? The UAC alerts introduced in Vista, and improved in Windows 7, fight exactly that: nobody can spoof a digital signature from e.g. Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, Google etc. and that’s exactly why trojans are stopped in their tracks.
This is why Apple is so far behind in security. OK, one reason it’s so far behind in security. Another is that Apple is so busy lying to consumers (and they’re masterful at it) is that they’re loath to do anything that might contradict that.
I did notice, however, that Snow Leopard imitates Vista in that it has ASLR memory randomization. Apple is very quiet about that, understandably – they sure don’t want people to find out that Microsoft is the better innovator here.
Run Windows 7 with the default UAC configuration, and stay away from unsigned apps, and you will NEVER have to worry about trojans.
Microsoft is honest and proactive about security. Security is what’s really important, much more than how fast your GUI is. Apple isn’t.
@Matt: right on! Why can’t Apple just deliver value to consumers and be done with it? With all the negative marketing, Apple seems to be admitting that their products really don’t stand up well when objectively compared to, say Windows 7.
CC on October 23rd, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Really?
Sorry to burst your bubble…
http://www.9to5mac.com/snow-leopard-malware-pkg-dmg
Michael on October 23rd, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Why do you need a middle button? I’m using only Notebooks and Notebooks don’t have middle buttons. Notebooks and Desktop. No big difference, apart from size. So why would you need it on a desktop? And why are you still complaining and not buying a mouse giving you a middle button?
And there’s a difference between negative marketing and making fun of the competitor. Apple is doing it more like Pepsi vs Coke. For example the Broken Promises spot is like that. The other two are not that good.
Microsoft is doing it the same way with their Laptop Hunter spots. But the difference here is. It’s not funny.
And please Astrochimp stop posting here. You are such a fool. You know nothing about computer security. It’s all your opinion and most people don’t want to hear your opinion.
So where are the normal guys? Enjoing Apple products. Knowing to ignore what others are saying and enjoying their Apple products. I’m doing so.
CC on October 23rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Great ads.
Apple knows that PC people running XP will most likely have to get a whole new PC to run Windows 7. Also, a lot of their kids in college will want them to check out Macs, since they are popular in college.
They want these people to check out the Mac and compare before restarting from scratch with a new PC and OS.
A lot of free software comes with Macs. That should be another ad.
Astrochimp on October 23rd, 2009 at 2:34 pm
@Michael: No, actually, I’m correct about security. Sorry, you can’t shut me up, although you might try :) coward.
Ah, the Laptop Hunter ads. The difference between those and the I’m A Mac commercials? They’re not so funny, and they’re TRUE. Mac hardware is very expensive for what you get, unless you place a very high value on “pretty.”
Microsoft is honest and proactive about security. I ran my Vista box without any added security software whatsoever for several months, and had no issues whatsoever. Believe me, I know how to look for them!
Microsoft is delivering free security software that is all – and more – than I need.
One reason Microsoft is honest and proactive about security? They can’t afford not to be.
Michael on October 23rd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
And the Troll is still grunting ^^
You know what. I think AC is the best thing MS came ever up with. He’s a robot program automatically talking nonsense on Apple related websites ^^ Got ya.
Matt on October 23rd, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Why I need a middle button, hehe… awesome question, it’s like asking why people like to have alphanumeric keys on their keyboards… don’t know, perhaps because they’re useful, perhaps, because amazingly enough, I actually use them? :)
It’s a typical Apple move, make it as dumb as possible, let everyone believe that it’s the way it was always meant to be and that apple knows best.
It’s like removing tethering from 3.2 update, and forcing everyone interested in it to jailbreak.
Seriously, I realize today that I have serious issues with Apple, and even though I have those issues, I still absolutely LOVE the hardware.
mike sanders on October 23rd, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Wow Matt you could be the first switcher from a Mac to a PC, good news is you won’t need any help you already have the exact right attitude and mindset. Perfect!!
Matt on October 24th, 2009 at 4:08 am
…and what gave you that impression?
The fact that I don’t swallow all of the marketing mush, or the one where I like to have fully functional equipment?
Michael on October 24th, 2009 at 4:20 am
It looks like you are exaggerating. You are missing one feature. You are ignoring alternatives. Like buying a third party mouse and work with that middle button.
But that was a serious question. I would like to know what you can do with the missing button.
Matt on October 24th, 2009 at 4:38 am
In all seriousness, of course I’m exaggerating, but while Apple has become a really easy prey only recently, the fanboys have always been easy :P
I love the new mouse, but without middle click it really is useless, if they introduce a gesture like, I don’t know, a triple finger tap or something, I’ll buy it.
What I use it for? To both, scroll through the pages while surfing or reading documents (it allows you to position your mouse such that the page auto-scrolls at your own speed), and to play games.
My mighty mouse has the middle click and it’s also a “single” button surface with a touch sensitive right-click, and what kind of an upgrade removes a feature from a device?
Also remember that a touchpad is designed the way it is for reasons of space saving, it’s not an example of a device that is ergonomic or fully featured, it’s a compromise, Apples touchpads on the new machines are the best in the industry, but they’re not desktop devices.
Astrochimp on October 24th, 2009 at 11:04 am
C’mon Mac fans, keep calling me names and Steve Jobs (hallowed by his name) will offer you a job in marketing!
Shan on October 24th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Hi, I see no moral difference between Mac and PC. You use what your school or business provides or insist on.
Pros- Our family has two Macintosh from the 80′ that still work. We have five other Mac laptops and desktops that work well and have been upgraded several times- both hardware and software. I’ve had terrific customer service at Apple both in person and online. My 12 yo installed my Snow Leopard and I gained 20 megs- she gained almost 30 on her computer. Had this gone pear shaped I could have gotten free help online, on the phone, or at a store.
Cons- I don’t like the small number of Mac software choices nor do I like their increased price. Im not thrilled with the price of the hardware, but I don’t feel like Im being cheated, either. Sometimes there are compatibility issues with PC’s. I do wish they had a notebook or lower priced option. Then again we have one for every member of the household- just not all laptops. Some of their commercials are petty and vaguely elitist. They are not outright dishonest.
Most hardcore PC users I know use Linux. I hope your OS works well, whichever system you use 2- 7 and all in between. Really. There should be fewer and fewer problems as the years go by with all the Operating Systems. Fewer problems that have never been seen before in some form or another.
Mr Gates is doing some amazing philanthropic work. He is not the devil.
Mr Jobs is an inspiring leader and entrepreneur. He is not the devil.
There are cases of people breaking engagements or divorcing over PC v Mac. What the heck is wrong with this picture? If you are so partisan as to make this an issue, perhaps you are lucky that anyone is willing to sleep with you at all.
Good computing and good luck.
cc on October 24th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
“I don’t like the small number of Mac software choices”
Get Fusion 3 when it comes out in a few weeks. Will Run Windows 7. Cheaper than the virus software you will have to buy and subscribe to for your PC.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/TT880LL/A?mco=MTI2NjE5Nzc
No apps for the Mac??? You must just hate MS Zune than. How many apps for it? How many apps for the Iphone.
And does MS share profits with people for software sold on any MS site like Apple does for Iphone apps? I don’t think so.
Increased price??? Mac prices have been dropping with more features added, not going up. Please source!
Astrochimp on October 24th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
@Shan:
Competition is good for the consumer, we’d agree :)
I find Microsoft’s ad campaign for Windows 7 to be unoriginal, but done better than some recent efforts.
Apple’s advertising is masterful. Steve Jobs (hallowed be his name) could sell a Windows 95 machine to Michael (of the above posts).
Apple, Google, and Microsoft are corporations. The function of a corporation is to make money for shareholders. Toeh :)
@Shan: The moral problem I have with Apple and Google is that they both lie about security, as if perfect security were even possible*. It’s not. Microsoft does not lie about this.
Apple and Google are therefore guilty of putting consumers AT RISK in order to sell stuff. This reminds me of American car manufacturers before Ralph Nader, insisting that people don’t need seat belts.
*Apple sez: Macs don’t have security problems. A quick check of the news demonstrates that this isn’t true.
Google sez: Android won’t have security problems. That’s not possible.
Apple and Google both put consumers at risk by inducing complacency. I’d be guilty of the same thing if, say, you drove a Lexus and I said “Oh, Lexus cars are perfectly safe. You don’t have to wear seat belts.” OF course I don’t do anything like that, nor does Microsoft.
Microsoft wins the morality war easily. Plus, it’s a better deal for your $$.
Happy computing as well!
cc on October 24th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Wow!
The nice men in white jackets from “Bellevue” psycho ward are looking for you.
Behnam on October 24th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
mac sucks
Astrochimp on October 25th, 2009 at 9:01 am
Some people very important to me are running Macs. It’s not my choice, but they’re taking the Kool-aid from Cupertino so they think that Macs don’t have security problems. They’re very un-tech-savvy people.
Soon, they will take my advice and run an anti-virus, so we know their computer isn’t running a keyboard logger or something. It will cost them serious money.
OTOH, I was running Vista for three months with no anti-virus at all, waiting to get on the beta for the free Microsoft Security Essentials. I wasn’t happy about it, but I never got any viruses, trojans or keyboard loggers either. (I was running Avast before, which is FREE for Vista.)
Now, I’m running Microsoft Security Essentials and since I know that Microsoft is honest and very proactive about security (unlike Apple Inc.) (Microsoft can’t afforrd not to do this) I have no extra costs and I’m even safer than before. Microsoft Security Essentials is free like Avast, but it’s much less obtrusive, it’s faster and it benefits from Microsoft’s huge security apparatus.
Sorry, Apple fans, anti-virus software is NOT free for you AFAIK, and it’s yet another tax on the Apple world that PC users don’t have to deal with.
With all that extra $$ going out the door just so you can run Apple’s stuff, you could have easily got a Windows Home Server and then you’d save a backup plan much more robust than anything Apple offers.
Astrochimp on October 25th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Wow … (on some reflection) the anti-Windows ads from Apple are totally uncalled for. It’s just nasty. They’re not helping anybody.
Why don’t they focus on whatever value Apple has to offer consumers? Hmmm… maybe that value is questionable. Maybe Apple privately agrees.
Apple sells Macs like the Republican Party sold the murderous Iraq War.
cc on October 25th, 2009 at 11:55 am
“They’re not helping anybody.”
People will have to decide what platform to move to if they are getting a new computer. Apple just wants to remind buyers that MS has not got a great track record. And also to come in and check out their computers and systems. After all, you spend more time at your computer than behind the wheel of your car, you should get something you like!
Al on October 25th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Here is the thing, I hate Mac because, first of all, it is NOT user-friendly at all. Actually it gets you several weeks, if not months to adapt yourself to its everything on left!, so its boasting user-friendly is a bitter myst. Secondly, all stuff-shirt AH I’ve ever seen had a Mac! There should be a mutual attraction, shouldn’t be.
Mac is still struggling with some professional softwares, so is Unix. If if was for this, I’d long ago moved to Unix. Matter of fact, I’ve just bought a big business HP laptop to use it as desktop replacement and immediatly down(up)graded it to XP pro, this what I love about HP. I am gonna use this for my work and school things and convert my old Toshiba to ubuntu. Let’s just f#@$% both Mac and Windows!:-)
cc on October 25th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Al, you will finally get to enjoy some of the nice things Mac users have been enjoying way back with Jaguar and Tiger on Windows 7.
I hope MS fixes some of these things below. I here many are still in Windows 7.
1. dll files for a start. With OSX you can throw away apps as one file. With Windows OS you have to run a uninstall.exe. If you loose it your hosed, since pieces of the program(dll/exe files) will be floating around on the machine waiting to mess up your next update install!
2. Preinstalled ads that you never can get rid of unless you run a FULL OS clean install and reinstall all drivers. This is the worst thing about buying a new PC. Apple also has promo apps, but you can EASILY delete them with no timer driven hidden “popup ads from hell” that slow you down.
3. Mail tool. A lot of my PC friends log into Gmail, Yahoo mail online or Blackberrys, since they get hammered with viruses/spyware coming thru their PC installed mail tools. Why even have a email tool on your PC?
4. Monthly defrags
5. Service Packs that you have to install
6. “Orphaned” registry files that make the machine run like a 386.
7. Tweaking Windows’s Display & Animation Settings to get OS to run faster.
8. Popup warnings in XP and Vista. I heard after years of yelling at MS, they finally got rid of them in Windows 7. Way to go folks!
9. Flashing screens in XP and Vista.
10. Making your own install/bootup discs. How lame!
11. System BIOS
12. Audio or video files don’t play. Codec problems.
13. ACPI Troubleshooting
The list is endless.
Astrochimp on October 25th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
@CC:
When Apple does this negative advertising, they’re not helping anybody. It’s mostly lies, anyway. I think Microsoft would sue for libel if they could get away with it, politically.
OTOH, they *would* help people by giving them actual information about what is *good* about a Mac.
Imagine if you cooked on an electric stove, you were planning a kitchen remodel, and I sold gas cooktops. Suppose I created two ads to show you: one on the advantages of cooking with gas, and the other one on how terrible electric cooktops were (they carry disease, they zap you without warning, they’ll burn your food every time, and other nonsense).
Are both ads equally helpful to the consumer? Obviously not.
So, what part of the Apple “I’m a Mac, I”m a PC” ads are helpful to consumers? Detail please, cc. RSVP.
cc on October 25th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Read the above reply
Astrochimp on October 28th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
@CC: that’s a copout. Can you answer the question?
“So, what part of the Apple “I’m a Mac, I”m a PC” ads are helpful to consumers?”
cc on October 28th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Again,
The message Apple is communicating is NOT that people who buy/use PC’s are losers, but instead should weigh their past experience with PCs and look at a Mac/Mac OS before buying the next PC. Apple must be doing something right with the commercials if you feel threatened and inadequate with your PC and OS? Seems ONLY PC users think these commercials are “highly negative.”
These are not Vigra commercials, they are PC product commercials! Don’t worry we won’t judge you. LOL
You have to laugh at that your insane comment above. Commercials that do “negative advertising” and hurt the feelings of a company(Microsoft) that lost an antitrust suit for global domination MARKETING practices is laughable! Let us ALL feel sorry for Mr. Gates and his billions!
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1662431,00.html
Since MS has been basically copying a lot of Apple’s layout and design features for years, why settle for an untested(Windows 7) knock off? This is still a free country and people can try Apple and Linux and decide for themselves which is best! Gates and MS don’t own us yet.
Also, Apple’s track record on OS updates and support is way better and stable, compared to MicroSoft’s late and half-baked updates and revs. Apple users have been enjoying what most people on XP/Vista have never dreamed of…great support. The first Apple unix based OS(Cheetah) came out nine years ago. Yes, nine years ago! They have had a LOT more time working out bugs than MS has had with Vista.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X
And the ever popular argument that PCs are cheaper is true. True only if you buy a junky base model. For example, if you go on the Dell site and configure a high-end laptop to match one of Apple’s with the same memory, fast wifi card, DVD burner, Processor, and other features, it will cost you the same or more. I should know, I had to help someone buy a PC laptop and the Dell cost was way to much! He got a better built Lenovo instead. The same configured Mac would have still been cheaper, but the software company he uses only supports the software installed on PCs.
Did that answer the question?
Astrochimp on October 25th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
@CC, your list of 13 items:
1. Not a problem, unless you choose to install very poorly written software.
2. Never had this problem. I think you’re thinking of Steve Jobs (hallowed be his name) version of Windows i.e. Windows 98.
3. Not a problem. See 2
4. Huh? Not a problem with Vista or Windows 7. Get with the times :)
5, 6, 7: huh?
8. This is THE best defense against trojans for the typical client install. Under typical usage, you never see these at all. Apple Inc. would be doing the right thing if it told you at elevation of privilege time WHO signed the app, but then, that would be imitating Microsoft and so they can’t do that and keep up their PR story of being more innovative.
9. Not a problem. I’ve seen Apple hardware crash HARD with no provocation whatsoever.
10. I haven’t done this in more than 10 years.
11. BIOS settings, which you might never need to touch, but they give you choices that Apple never does (I gather from your list) and you can hide them altogether if you want.
12-13 Huh?
Apple is seriously threatened by Windows 7 because Windows 7 makes it harder for Apple to pretend that Microsoft is still shipping Windows 98.
I repeat my question to cc: What part of those mendacious “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” ads are helpful to consumers? And, I don’t mean helpful to people who own Apple Inc. stock.
cc on October 28th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Check Apple stock lately?
Check the college campuses lately?
Astrochimp on October 28th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
@CC: that’s beside the point. Really, it is.
Of course, we all benefit from competition to deliver better products at good prices. What I object to is that which helps nobody but Apple Inc. share price: Apple’s persistent, negative lies about Microsoft.
Mac market share growing (is it up to 7% now?) is a good thing IMO in the sense that it will force Apple to face reality sooner*, and stop the lies.
*Reality: obscurity is not a kind of security, nor is great marketing, nor clever ads.
Reality: the most important thing my computer can do for me is allow me productivity, without having my personal information stolen.
Reality: Microsoft isn’t shipping Windows 98 anymore.
cc on October 28th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
“Apple’s persistent, negative lies about Microsoft”???
Really.
Can you document your claims in a non PC pro media source. I seriously doubt it, because “IF” you could than Apple would be liable! Or is this just your “feel good” slant to make you and other PC owners feel less threatened?
I bet the recent sales report on Apple real put a wet blanket on your PC fixation.
http://www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/20091020/apple-smashes-street-forecasts-windowsnotthreat.htm
Astrochimp on October 28th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
@CC: can you read? What did I say about Mac market share in a previous post? … Maybe I assume too much. Not everybody can hold two seemingly conflicting ideas in their head at the same time :)
Anyway, I accept your challenge. Here are two sources that are fond of Macs:
1. Look up security researcher Charlie Miller. Here’ a good quote: “I’ve spent a lot of my research time on Macs because I like them and they also happen to be pretty easy to break!”
2. Macworld, just over a year ago, 10/8/2008: http://www.macworld.com/article/135978/mac_security.html
“Technically, Macs are not inherently more secure than Windows PCs—and by some measures, they are definitely less so. Over the past five years, Microsoft has made huge security improvements to Windows, and Apple now lags behind Microsoft in implementing library randomization, data execution protection, and other advanced security features.”
I feel like I’m fighting the tide with a spoon: To quote Joseph Goebbels (Nazi propoganda minister) “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” Read the rest of the quote and substitute “Apple Inc.” for “the State” and you’ve got the picture.
I’m totally done with this thread. If you guys can’t learn by now, you never will.
cc on October 29th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
I’m glad you got the guts to run Vista.
It is on my Dad’s PC and Vista is SO SLOW. I run XP when I need to with Fusion on my Mac. If Windows crashes it won’t stop my work. Also, Mac users enjoy not having to mess with firewall $oftware and setups like PC people have to. That is just another software expense we can do without.
Have fun messing with that stuff!
Astrochimp on October 29th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
@CC: dude, you’re not facing reality here. Reread my posts, follow the links. Complacency about security is the attitude Steve Jobs wants you to take, but it’s not smart.
cc on October 29th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Apple is seriously threatened by Windows 7?
Really DUDE?
I don’t think Apple is worried at all about ANYTHING MS does. The MS design team now is basically copiers and followers and not innovators. MS has their old OS monopoly that you support, but nothing else. All they do now is buy up good companies with their billions and drive them into the ground. And Balmer is the worst CEO out their. He blew the Yahoo deal twice! That would have got them in the door against Google. They cannot do ANYTHING right. Why do you think their new software will be any different? Their track record speaks volumes to everyone in the industry.
And what is the average worker age at MS now? Most are ready to cash their stocks in and retire. The workers up there care little about the future of MS, just their millions after they sell their stock off!
Apple worried about MicroSoft. Hardly. The only thing Apple is worried about is MicroSoft spying on them.
Astrochimp on October 25th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
An anecdote:
I remember testing with an early released version of OSX. This was on a Mac laptop. The network drivers kept on crashing. The workaround? Reboot the device. I had to do this a half-dozen times. There was no other way.
I bring this up to illustrate that Mac software has problems, too.
Flipper on October 26th, 2009 at 9:02 am
The whole mac is better, it’s simpler just makes me laugh a lot. People think PC are hard to operate so they don’t even try. Then, they’re being repeated that mac are so damn easy to operate that when they start using a mac, they’re actually putting effort in trying to understand. I’ve made a test once with my sister and I installed a very complete Mac OSX skins over vista and told her I actually installed OSX (but all the stuff was the same than vista, just some new looks). She was: “Those mac guys were right: it IS much simpler and faster!” Then I told her, and she laughed.
cc on October 28th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Mac Skins??? You now have to fool people to get them to love their PCs? How did you hide all the warning popups? A dead giveaway for anybody that has run MS Vista.
Apple must love people like you. As they say…Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.
I wonder what happened when she clicked on the Iphoto skin, Time Machine skin, Dashboard skin;etc.
She must have thought she was back home on her PC when it did nothing! What you never had, you don’t miss.
LOL
Astrochimp on October 29th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
@CC: yes, I know you would love it to be true, and the Apple propaganda machine tells you so again, and again, and again.
But, Snow Leopard copied memory randomization from Vista, and the anti-malware stuff too. Microsoft is still ahead on security, which is more important than pretty GUIs.
Question: On what do you base this misinformation? : “And what is the average worker age at MS now? Most are ready to cash their stocks in and retire. ”
About 10 years ago, a colleague of mine said: “Microsoft has had it.” Hmm, do you really think Microsoft will be gone 10 years from now?
Re. the Yahoo deal: CEO Jerry Yang screwed over everybody at that company, by introducting poison pills to block the deal. Yahoo subsequently tanked. What’s the CEO’s job? return value to the stockholder. What did Jerry do? The opposite. Why? I suspect it’s the same religious zeal that characterizes people who love, just LOVE, to hate Microsoft.
It’s always amusing when people object to Microsoft making $$. Apple, Google, and Microsoft are all corporations, and what’s the function of a corporation? Make money for the shareholder.
yep on November 2nd, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Ah.. wish I hadn’t of looked at the comments.. kind of sad to see people like CC who are so loyal to their brand of computer that they need to act out like children and resort to insulting strangers over the internet.. not to mention, a lot of the points you bring up are not even valid.. ie, paying for Norton updates; who even uses Norton anyway, there are multiple free alternatives that work way better, it’s not like Norton is mandatory when using a PC.
cc on November 3rd, 2009 at 5:52 am
Insults??? Hardly!
I’m stating facts from past PC usage both at work and at home.
And your right, Norton is not mandatory. It’s a free country. You must keep Mcafee or some other fat and happy.
Enjoy your Windows 7 or whatever you use.
A person on November 14th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Really people? I personally like the Get a Mac commercials even though I am a pc user, but the new ones… A LOT of things that Apple is saying in their commercials are not true. I am not saying that Mac’s are bad or anything, but really Apple? Stop criticizing Windows 7 and TRY IT.
Also cc I think you should hmm… I don’t know maybe GET A LIFE?
cc on November 15th, 2009 at 9:12 am
“Get a Life?”
How original…Just like Windows 7.
Sure I’ll try Windows 7, you buyin??? Windows 7 cost three times as much as OSX, depending on which version you want to get nickel and dimed on.
I prefer OSX. Even Microsoft’s OWN employee(s) state that their software is a total knockoff….”Apple is great, we copied OSX”.
http://thenextweb.com/2009/11/11/microsoft-admit-copied-apple/
I ask YOU, why would I want to buy an admitted copy, when I have the original?
Oh…If you want a preview of Windows 8, just buy the next version release of OSX.
LOL
BJ on November 15th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
I’m a Mac user of a couple of years now. My MacBook Pro is a nice machine. I have been very impressed with the look of Leopard and Snow Leopard. Still, I think the Apple world is far from perfect.
Hardware: Unfortunately, my MacBook Pro is the one with the DVD drive in the front. What’s wrong with it? – pick up the computer from the front to move to another room and you crush the DVD drive making it unusable.
Software/OS: I and others at the school where I work have experienced frequent freeze ups and program crashes, just like a PC. I have learned to hate that obnoxious rainbow wheel which may sit there spinning forever unless I do something to stop it.
Is the Mac better? Probably. Will I stick with it? Maybe. It certainly isn’t the perfect world that’s presented to us by those funny Apple ads.
Astrochimp on November 15th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
It’s a good thing that Apple copies Microsoft in some respects, otherwise Mac OSX would have no security at all.
… not that this would stop Apple Inc. from lying about it to the tune that Apple doens’t have security problems Bullfeces. Windows 7 is much, much more secure than OSX, and more stable too. Mac has obscurity working for it, but that’s not security; it’s ephemeral.
The next computer I get will run Windows 7, and the hardware/software will cost half of the equivalent Mac. I will have many more hardware choices, and software choices too.
Macs are for gullible/suggestible people. End of story.
cc on November 15th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
“It’s a good thing that Apple copies Microsoft in some respects, otherwise Mac OSX would have no security at all”
You are SO funny.
Apple WOULD never copy that mess of an OS for security designs! Look under the hood of Windows 7 or ANY Windows OS. Still the SAME OLD Windows with massive .dll files floating EVERYWHERE and the same OLD registry problems. Nothing has changed. They just copied Apple on the desktop look and feel and turned off the pop-up warnings, but they did not remove the real problems with Windows. They can’t. If they did, nothing would work!
Why do you think most Windows users still use online mail like Yahoo and Google? Because they are STILL afraid of hackers getting into their email and address books. They have good memories…
http://news.cnet.com/Hackers-probe-Outlook-Express-flaw/2100-7349_3-5761537.html
http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2006/09/02/how-to-hack-into-a-windows-xp-computer-without-changing-password/
Apple CANNOT copy Windows even if they wanted to. If you have not used a MAC, I will tell you a little secret…. The OS X system is based on the Unix OS. Apple changed to a Unix based system YEARS AGO. OS X is VERY, VERY stable compared to Windows. That is why a lot of web servers are Linux(Unix) based PCs. They run forever without crashing. If there is a program that hangs or crashes it won’t take out the whole OS on a Unix system. I have been using Unix on both Sun Work Stations and Apples for years with no problems unless I purposely kill a root process in the Activity Monitor.
And as I stated before, the OS X written programs are compartmentalized and can be deleted as one file, unlike Windows. If you lose the uninstaller for your old program on Windows, than cross your fingers and pray you don’t get dupe dlls on the next install.
You can HAVE that insecure mess any day!
Enjoy your overpriced Windows 7, and setting up the firewall.
And Mr. Gates say’s thank you for your undying loyalty and hard earned money!
A person on November 18th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
cc, remember pwn2own? If Microsoft had Mac’s look and feel I would literally shoot myself, but look here I am. I also can tell that you, cc are not a very careful computer user, as in why the hell would you delete a uninstaller EVER?? I also can tell that you do not have ANY experience with Windows 7 because if you used it you would regret everything you said.
Happy Computing on a Mac, with that stable, boring, non-upgradable piece of shit you call a computer