Hello Folks!
Long time, no post. Sorry about that, but that's life.
Anyhow, I've been trying my darndest to get through this particular thread. Unfortunately, it's degenerated into a bit of a rant, and there's only just so much of that which I can take.
Here's my take on the matter (like you've asked)...
Long time, no post. Sorry about that, but that's life.
Anyhow, I've been trying my darndest to get through this particular thread. Unfortunately, it's degenerated into a bit of a rant, and there's only just so much of that which I can take.
Here's my take on the matter (like you've asked)...
- Apple has been doing a great job creating ads that the target market will laugh at and find memorable. And the average Windows user will also be able to personally relate to them because of their experiences, which generally are frustrating at best.
. - Apple is in the business of selling computers, not necessarily educating the masses. Yes, it's true that every product manufacturer has some degree of obligation to educate potential customers about their product. Yes, it's true that we're talking about a Monopoly here which Apple seemingly should be "responsible for" educating against. However, the TV ad is simply not the proper vehicle for such education.
. - There is an enormous amount of "ignorance inertia" that Apple has to fight against. My own experience working for 5 years at Sony's Customer Information Service Center suggests that this is going to be an up-hill, non-stop-slugfest all the way. That's because Microsoft has been busy keeping their user base essentially "fat, dumb and happy". They have been relying upon the "lesser angels" of human nature in allowing ignorance and want (and not their own intelligence) to dictate or control their behavior.
. - Are Apple customers (and Mac users in particular) arrogant? Clearly, we are opinionated, and certainly in any group of sufficient size there will always be an element of undesirables taking up space, depriving some village somewhere of their idiot. Now, the argument which goes something to the effect that, since we like how Apple writes their OS and other apps and we hold a disdain for an OS or apps not written "in that fashion" we must therefore be arrogant, well that's really a straw argument. We feel no different than a person who was born and raised in a 1st World country who visits a 3rd World country would when faced with the lack of decent living conditions, living standards, facilities, education, health, etc. Now, if there are those who want to interpret that as arrogance, well then go right ahead. It's a free country. (So far...)
