Apple to Begin Advertising Push Targeting Windows 7 Launch?

[Vulpinemac]

and for the 'average home user' there's no reason to buy a mac? You try and simplify it down to a level - they're just the same tools but in a more expensive box, right?

Wrong.

It's like comparing a warehouse-brand television to a name-brand television -- they may look the same and appear to perform the same, but there's something missing in that warehouse model. Something that may force you to replace it long before you should need to. I won't name a particular nationwide store chain, but it's almost guaranteed that if that chain's initials are in the component's model number, it won't work quite the same as one purchased without those initials.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Interesting points, but you generalize too much. I don´t know anyone that has switched (and I know quite a few) and uses Windows on their Mac. All of them are true and full switchers and (like me) have never looked back.

Well here's one in the flesh, so to speak. I switched back to OS X full time a few months ago, and now I'm only using it because I'm sick in bed and don't feel like using my netbook all day.

 

[Bubba Satori]

They've been downplaying the impact of Windows 7 for months now.

Even Monkey Boy is downplaying W7's affect on PC sales. I guess the Vista lesson for MS is to lower expections and then you won't look so bad. 🙄

 

[BJMRamage]

I really wish Apple would promote more of what Macs do great than simply say "we aren't Windows" or "no viruses here"

I have used both and own both OS'd computers. I hate using the cheap PC laptop. I wish it was a Mac, but then the price would have been 3x as much. i can deal with it but it is Oh So Annoying.

My wife does like the Win7 commercial with teh girl who makes the "Movie" she says on a PC you can make a crappy movie with terrible effects and sound. But on a Mac you can make a Movie that you see in theaters (Pixar) a stretch, but still the idea is the same.

 

[Eidorian]

Even Monkey Boy is downplaying W7's affect on PC sales. I guess the Vista lesson for MS is to lower expections and then you won't look so bad. 🙄

I can't tell you how many articles I've seen quoting Ballmer downplaying the impact of Windows 7.

Right now I have a few people in holding patterns for hardware + 7 and others that have bought up licenses at discount rates. I'm considering buying up a copy but the RC is still running strong. Then again I also bought a Core i5 last month and I have to pay for car repairs today. My savings are taking a hit.

 

[Goona]

I think Apple should stay quiet until they have fixed the mysterious data wiping 'feature' of OS X SL!

As others have said, Apple has a different market to Microsoft. I don't even know why they are classed as competitors as such because Microsoft is primarily a software company and in fact gains from Apples success due to the fact that both OS X and Windows can run on the same machine.

I don't think that the virus and particularly the insecurity gameplan is going to work against Windows 7. Lets face it, no matter which way anyone tries to swing it W7 is a nice OS. Not as nice to use overall as OS X, and visually not as good (right click your mouse in W7 and you see the old grey W98 style box!), but there is no denying that it is a good OS. And I only used it in public Beta form, so the final release is only going to be better. But security is probably about the same on both OS's. The main issue with Windows is the number of malware programs in existence and the way that the general public is generally ignorant and continues to visit dodgy porn sites etc. Although maybe that would be a good line for Apple "Unlike Windows, with OS X Snow Leopard you can watch porn all day long without any risk of malware." There must be a huge market for porn, so maybe Apple can tap into those users 😉

I think that Apple should concentrate on extolling the virtues of the really cool software that is available on the Mac and the seamless way it all integrates. Forget viruses etc, why not mention the way that Windows seriously clogs up over time and spreads DLL files everywhere. The fact that you can't just drag applications to the trash can to get rid of them. Or the fact that inexperienced computer users simply get on with OS X better than Windows mainly because it doesn't suffer from the aforementioned crap.

The big problem with Windows is that they have certainly made the user interface and overall experience better. But Microsoft still hasn't really touched the basic foundations of how Windows functions. If they had then they would have solved things like the need to install applications and the way that such process spread files everywhere. They would have completely ditched things like the highly problematic registry.

The problem is that they can't because it would take a monumental shift to do it and the same kind of confidence that it took Apple to break with the past and release OS X. In doing so MS would suffer from major incompatibility issues, the likes of which the computer world probably hasn't seen before. It would take years before such an OS gained true traction, and in all that time, just like Apple they would need some form of legacy support.

Although having said that MS might be indicating that way. After all W7 has an XP emulation mode.

So Windows 7 is going to magically make all those viruses available for Windows dissapear?

 

[iZac]

WOW, just WOW ...

To be honest i know a load of people who bought MBPs and just installed autoCAD and 3d Studio Max on them.

*sigh*

The insulting thing is, i had to tutor a couple of them how to select a booting partition from the control panels and the 'magic' of selecting a boot device at start up.

I miss the days before macs were "cool" to own.

 

[blahblah100]

err no they don't, I haven't, I've upgraded from tiger to leopard and then to snow leopard on all the boxes in the house and they've all worked flawlessly.

Don't generalize when you don't know what you're talking about.

Maybe all the fanboys in the dataloss thread who chastised people for upgrading and not a performing a clean install for Snow Leopard threw him off.

Do the fanboys receive an email from Apple with whatever the message of the day is? I swear, it changes by the thread.

 

[Eidorian]

I miss the days before macs were "cool" to own.

The user base isn't what it used to be.

 

[sined13]

Doesn't matter if it's the oldest joke in the book, it's still real. I would never log into my banking account online using any Windows PC, my security is important to me, Windows 7 doesn't fix this...

Neither does OS X.

Do yourself a favor learn the difference between malware and what most call "viruses", then re-evaluate your statement. If you still think you can do online banking on your Mac with 100% peace of mind, I would then suggest that you test this by obtaining Mac software from questionable sources. I mean Macs are 100% safe, so why wouldn't you want to try it and rub my face in it?

 

[ShiftyPig]

Rather than going after MS, maybe Apple should make my printer/scanner work with "the most advanced OS in the world."

 

[AidenShaw]

They would also have the same shock going from XP to OS X. 😉

Actually, Apple OSX would be a much worse shock - especially trying to use Finder after Explorer.

I think back to the bean counter ad, is this Apple throwing money at advertising and not at fixing Snow Leopard? Oh, the irony.

LOL

My opinion is if you're going to what is essentially a new O/S in Win7 and you have to transfer files over and re-install your apps it ain't going to be any more difficult to switch to OS/X.

I say Mac market share continues to go up even with Win7.

Switching to Apple OSX is a shock regardless of transferring files.

You can tailor the level of UAC interference from "Off" to "Really annoying" now. Pick which one works for you.

It's like they took a step back and thought what don't people like about Vista and took great strides to correct it. I use OS X more than I use Windows, but 7 has really made me contemplate changing that (especially since CS4 for Windows comes in a 64bit flavor).

The default UAC level in Windows 7 for the most part does not pop up a dialog when you click on something privileged. This alone eliminates most of the popups. The default still pops up a dialog if a program tries to do something privileged, or if you're trying to grant permanent elevation to a task (liking running a terminal window as administrator).

If Microsoft runs any ads promoting Windows 7 over Apple OSX - one of the first things they should hit is Apple's patchwork of 64-bit support in 10.6. Love to see a Microsoft ad showing a late model MacBook or Mac Pro, with the tag:

If you want to run a full 64-bit system on this system,
you need Windows 7. Apple OSX doesn't support a 64-bit kernel on it.​

I think Apple should stay quiet until they have fixed the mysterious data wiping 'feature' of OS X SL!

They are going to have a hard time attacking the quality of Windows 7 with the 10.6 "guest erase" bug fresh in everyone's mind.

However - note that if they fix it now, there will be a lot of publicity about the bug fix - so it will be even fresher and more people will be aware of the Apple OSX 10.6 bug.

It's a lose-lose situation for Apple.

 

[Goona]

Actually, Apple OSX would be a much worse shock - especially trying to use Finder after Explorer.




LOL




Switching to Apple OSX is a shock regardless of transferring files.




The default UAC level in Windows 7 for the most part does not pop up a dialog when you click on something privileged. This alone eliminates most of the popups. The default still pops up a dialog if a program tries to do something privileged, or if you're trying to grant permanent elevation to a task (liking running a terminal window as administrator).

If Microsoft runs any ads promoting Windows 7 over Apple OSX - one of the first things they should hit is Apple's patchwork of 64-bit support in 10.6. Love to see a Microsoft ad showing a late model MacBook or Mac Pro, with the tag:

If you want to run a full 64-bit system on this system,
you need Windows 7. Apple OSX doesn't support a 64-bit kernel on it.​

They are going to have a hard time attacking the quality of Windows 7 with the 10.6 "guest erase" bug fresh in everyone's mind.

However - note that if they fix it now, there will be a lot of publicity about the bug fix - so it will be even fresher and more people will be aware of the Apple OSX 10.6 bug.

It's a lose-lose situation for Apple.

Everyone being the posters on Macrumors.

 

[*LTD*]

Even Monkey Boy is downplaying W7's affect on PC sales. I guess the Vista lesson for MS is to lower expections and then you won't look so bad. 🙄

MS is expecting another lousy quarter for Q4. They warned everyone about that after last quarter's results. I doubt anything has changed since then. MS has been in a downward slide the past few years.

 

[Vulpinemac]

Like it is going to matter with their price points.

HP through their Compaq division is the first in a guaranteed onslaught of low cost big screen laptops http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/152839;_ylt=AooruUpmJWpiDlqnSMC1YVOCfNdF

So whats Apple's motto going to be? We are better and being expensive proves it? Apple is not going to hurt Windows in shape or form because their price points are totally out of line with the major market.

(and I still will own a new iMac soon hoping its quad core ... or the dreamed of xmac)

I don't know about you, but after my last-ever Windows PC purchase of a Compaq for an in-law who only uses Windows (and always the cheapest hardware he can find) I refuse to buy another Compaq, even though it is an HP brand. Neither of us appreciated the fact that the machine had to be sent back to HP -- twice -- inside of 90 days. Nobody else that I know who has bought a Compaq has really considered it more than an 'acceptable' machine.

 

[BongoBanger]

Doesn't matter if it's the oldest joke in the book, it's still real. I would never log into my banking account online using any Windows PC, my security is important to me, Windows 7 doesn't fix this.

Unless you're arguing security through obscurity this is nonsense and has been for over two years.

So Windows 7 is going to magically make all those viruses available for Windows dissapear?

Did OS X magically make all those viruses for Mac OS 9 disappear?

 

[blahblah100]

Rather than going after MS, maybe Apple should make my printer/scanner work with "the most advanced OS in the world."

Hang on! It's up to the driver manufacturers to make your printer/scanner work, as long as your are running anything from Apple. If you are using Windows, it's clearly Microsoft's fault. Actually, it might still be, somehow.

 

[macadam212]

Windows 7 is not familiar.

Most Windows users I speak to say they use Windows because it's familiar and they know how to use it. Many of them have struggled with Vista, especially those who use XP on a day to day bases. Windows 7 is an even bigger departure from the "good old XP" user experience, so I guess if they hear that OS X is better and easier to use, this might be the catalist that makes them switch to the Mac.....Possibly! 🙂

 

[eastcoastsurfer]

If Microsoft runs any ads promoting Windows 7 over Apple OSX - one of the first things they should hit is Apple's patchwork of 64-bit support in 10.6. Love to see a Microsoft ad showing a late model MacBook or Mac Pro, with the tag:

If you want to run a full 64-bit system on this system,
you need Windows 7. Apple OSX doesn't support a 64-bit kernel on it.​

Exactly! I have an SR MBP (3,1) and 64 windows runs fine on it, yet SL will not boot into 64 bit. It's clearly a 'force you to buy new hardware' move on Apples part and I refuse to do it.

 

[AlexisV]

Neither does OS X.

Do yourself a favor learn the difference between malware and what most call "viruses", then re-evaluate your statement. If you still think you can do online banking on your Mac with 100% peace of mind, I would then suggest that you test this by obtaining Mac software from questionable sources. I mean Macs are 100% safe, so why wouldn't you want to try it and rub my face in it?

Ok, done.

Now what?

Despite what they like to tell you, the vast majority of 'questionable' software is actually perfectly safe. But Adobe and MS aren't going to say that are they?

 

[Coruscanti]

HP through their Compaq division is the first in a guaranteed onslaught of low cost big screen laptops

15 and 17-inch Macbooks. It makes sense to have all three sizes both as standard and Pro models. Just don't expect anything better than P8600 and a 9400M G.

 

[jayducharme]

You've most likely got an average user looking at these things things, wondering what all these problems are, who has them and probably wondering what os they're actually running, or an enthusiast who couldn't care less about marketing drivel.

I have many friends and acquaintances who use Windows and they don't enjoy it. But they simply assume all computers work that way. All they've heard about Macs is that they don't run very many applications and aren't compatible with printers and monitors, a misconception held over from the old OS 9 days. So they're afraid to switch, thinking they'll lose access to all their old data.

There are many people who run Windows simply because that was what came with their computer. And their computer seemed relatively inexpensive. But that doesn't mean they're happy with their experience.

 

[ShiftyPig]

I don't know about you, but after my last-ever Windows PC purchase of a Compaq for an in-law who only uses Windows (and always the cheapest hardware he can find) I refuse to buy another Compaq, even though it is an HP brand. Neither of us appreciated the fact that the machine had to be sent back to HP -- twice -- inside of 90 days. Nobody else that I know who has bought a Compaq has really considered it more than an 'acceptable' machine.

In the past year, I've had a MB and MBP (both 13 unibody) and both had to go in for massive service within the first 30 days.

Laptops, by nature, are generally crap.

 

[MacDSmith2]

Yikes. Keeping all the original application disks is just as important as having a back-up in my opinion. I have a CD wallet with every application installed on the PC. I always thought it was kinda common sense.

Many of us have been using XP for years, inherited a PC or updated software from networks no longer available to us. Not like the Apple world where the hardware and the OS are both new. I agree that many people will freak out at the thought of having to re-format a PC to upgrade to System 7. Ain't gonna happen.

 

[ToM7]

It will be nice to see the new iMac, Mini, MacBook, MacBook Pro, and Apple TV announced on October 20th just two days before Windows 7 is released

true true 🙂