Ha! Compaq with OS 9 Dialog Box

[Balin64]

Hey, I was just reading a Reader's Digest waiting for my hair cut appointment and I saw this ad. I know it is neither a new or undocumented practice in advertisement, but I thought it was funny/ironic. How low will they go?!

[Powerbook G5]

Wow, I know the Microsoft likes to copy Mac OS...but this is getting pathetic! (actually, I bet it's just pure Radio Shack stupidity, they rarely ever have a clue)

[idea_hamster]

They tried and tried to figure out how to do the screen capture on that Compaq crud-box, and finally just gave up and used their Mac's!

They could even have used VPC and cut the box out of the PC window -- how crude!

Also, I wonder if Apple or a consumer could object to that ad since Radio Shack can't possibly deliver the pictured product -- not just because we can't run Mac OS on a PC, but because they're not Apple resellers.

[JackRipper]

Anybody notice the Time remaining area? Maybe Compaq was knockin on Mac speed?

[Independence]

in case you lot haven't noticed, a lot of ads with computers show mac os 9 on a PC.

[PixelFactory]

Well they are not selling a PC. They are selling a USB2 Compact Flash card reader. The OS doesn't really matter at that point. Maybe they should have retouched out the compac logo.

[patrick0brien]

-Yeeks!

Look at that resolution too!

It's not even 640x480!

[sonofslim]

dollars to donuts it's due to the fact that many creative/graphics departments are mac-based workflows, so whenever a screen mock-up has to be done, that's the GUI they use as source material. and if no one higher up in the food chain objects (or even notices,) then that's how it runs.

[Independence]

Originally posted by PixelFactory
Well they are not selling a PC. They are selling a USB2 Compact Flash card reader. The OS doesn't really matter at that point. Maybe they should have retouched out the compac logo.
yeah, i know. that's why i said a lot of ads with computers show mac os 9 on a PC.

[beez7777]

well, obviously it's not a real image, but can't they be running an old mac with a compaq monitor? (i'm not trying to take anything away from the stupidity of this ad, mind you) :)

also, if you were taking files from a flash card reader and transferring them to your computer, wouldn't that be uploading , not downloading?

[OutThere]

Originally posted by beez7777


also, if you were taking files from a flash card reader and transferring them to your computer, wouldn't that be uploading , not downloading?

It would be downloading, because you are saving the files from a server (the compact flash card) to your computer. It would be uploading if you were saving something on your computer to the card.

[Powerbook G5]

As I already mentioned, Radio Shack isn't exactly managed by the sharpest pencils in the drawer...

[Balin64]

Originally posted by sonofslim
dollars to donuts it's due to the fact that many creative/graphics departments are mac-based workflows, so whenever a screen mock-up has to be done, that's the GUI they use as source material. and if no one higher up in the food chain objects (or even notices,) then that's how it runs.

I completely agree. However, what I find a tad offensive is that they see their potential customer as very uneducated in computer peripherals (as I assume most RD readers are, you would not see this ad running in PC World-at least I hope not and NEVER in MacWorld) but that does not mean they shuld have let it leave the design department that way. The people up in the "food chain" are probably as uneducated as their target customer. You know, the Mac designers must get a kick out of producing these things... the dialog box is clunky, the blue blackground does not look like any OS's desktop. But I could just hear the ad director: "make the message box bigger, give ita clean background... give it witty copy." etc. What a joke. Anyway... that's that.

[tazo]

erm thats just a vga monitor, vga monitors work with macs....

[XnavxeMiyyep]

Originally posted by tazo
erm thats just a vga monitor, vga monitors work with macs.... That's also a PC keyboard.

[tazo]

Originally posted by XnavxeMiyyep
That's also a PC keyboard.

could be usb

[burgerdog]

The ad isn't knocking macs at all. Its about download speeds.

Why be so defensive?

[MrMacMan]

So Radio Shack is running an ad for a card with a compaq monitor and a windows keyboard, but also a mac OS/Computer.

:rolleyes:

Still a ggreeaat ad... haha

[acj]

But wouldn't this make you stop and look? I have a feeling this was somewhat intentional.

[job]

Originally posted by acj
But wouldn't this make you stop and look? I have a feeling this was somewhat intentional.

How on Earth is the average Joe Consumer going to know that that is a Mac dialogue box? There is no Apple menu and/or no icons which even hint at the fact that it is a Mac screen capture.

The only reason why we can tell that the screen capture comes from a Mac is that we have used OS9 before and thus can tell that it is a Mac.

Your average Reader's Digest reader probably cannot tell that it's a Mac screen capture. Some people are so touchy about their Mac loyalty. Come on guys, it's not as if anything anti-Mac is heretical.

[Schiffi]

Actually a similar ad was in PC World. Check my post in "Mac Sightings" in the Community disscusion.