Apple:18,000 employee's, Microsoft:76,000...Where does the manpower go?

[wheezy]

4) What is required to create software and drivers to run on an open platform. Apple has a huge advantage in that it creates software for a closed platform of their own making.

Maybe I don't understand completely, but I think Apple actually has the short end of the stick on this. As far as I can figure, it's up to the hardware manufacturer to make their drivers work with Windows, not vice-versa. And, factor in the much better plug and play experience on a Mac, and Apple seems to be working harder on the driver software than Microsoft.

I'm pretty sure the same IE7 mentalitly (no, you change YOUR standards to work with our product) carries across the board in the Windows software environment.

Apple makes a LOT of products as well, has lots of Software titles, and builds more hardware than Microsoft does. There are other areas that Microsoft is in that Apple isn't, but when you compare what they DO have in common, it would be interesting to see who has more people resource.

 

[Cromulent]

Maybe I don't understand completely, but I think Apple actually has the short end of the stick on this. As far as I can figure, it's up to the hardware manufacturer to make their drivers work with Windows, not vice-versa. And, factor in the much better plug and play experience on a Mac, and Apple seems to be working harder on the driver software than Microsoft.

I'm pretty sure the same IE7 mentalitly (no, you change YOUR standards to work with our product) carries across the board in the Windows software environment.

Apple makes a LOT of products as well, has lots of Software titles, and builds more hardware than Microsoft does. There are other areas that Microsoft is in that Apple isn't, but when you compare what they DO have in common, it would be interesting to see who has more people resource.

Well Microsoft has a much larger presence in the enterprise market than Apple. They also beat them hands down in the game industry as well as the business side of things.

The only area that Apple beat Microsoft is the media sector really. Video, audio and photos.

 

[clevin]

Apple makes a LOT of products as well, has lots of Software titles, and builds more hardware than Microsoft does. There are other areas that Microsoft is in that Apple isn't, but when you compare what they DO have in common, it would be interesting to see who has more people resource.

hehe, don't forget apple didn't really work too much,
computers? all parts made by others
iPods? just do design
softwares(include the drivers you mentioned)? mostly copied open source codes
new techlonogies? bought from other small companies

I mean, apple bascially is a design +assemble center. for what apple does, Im not sure if it actually needs so many people at all.

 

[wheezy]

hehe, don't forget apple didn't really work too much,
computers? all parts made by others
iPods? just do design
softwares(include the drivers you mentioned)? mostly copied open source codes
new techlonogies? bought from other small companies

I mean, apple bascially is a design +assemble center. for what apple does, Im not sure if it actually needs so many people at all.

Touche... or whatever that word is good reply.

 

[Sean Dempsey]

at least 10,000 of them install the red LED lights in the xbox 360.