Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Microsoft Recruits Former Apple Retail Store Exec for Retail Initiative
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
They keep the core people. Ron Johnson, their VP of retail, is the core guy responsible for their success. Steve has a lot of input too, but I credit Ron and Apple's retail employees for success. I used to work there many years ago - you literally had hundreds of job applications from people who said they wanted to work at Apple for free. It's that passion that MS has never been able to reproduce.
Honestly, who's going to want to work for MS's retail? Laid off Circuit City employees?
So they are taking the PC section at Best Buy and putting it in its own store basically? Why? Microsoft already has enough exposure in other retail stores, so why on earth would they need their own location? For repairs? Oh wait, Microsoft doesn't make hardware. Training on Word and Excel? Yawn. I fail to see the point.
I guess because you don't push your machine or try anything beyond email and posting tired clichés on forums.
http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~layte/pics/30072007044.jpg
It always amuses me how this place immediatly brings out the tired 'lol excel macros haw-haw' line when this is mentioned? Do you really think that is what Microsoft will push? Or are you purposely ignoring the very popular games platforms they have (X360 and Windows gaming), or the home media hub with Vista/W7. How about you walk into a MS store and they have Crysis running away on a 50" Plasma, perhaps you could go next door and fire up Myst on the Mac or do some photoshop filters lolololzz....
I realise this is a Mac forum so obviously people are going to be sitting well on one side of the fence, but get at least try and engage in sensible discussion rather than toss out a few tired one liners.
Out of interest to those who still think the Microsoft brand is synonymous with BSOD's and boring spreadsheets: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8149460.stm
I don't think it is remotely like that. I read the thread for the few posters that have actual insightful comments on the topic. Not for the Apple cheer leading and Microsoft bashing.
I am not surprised. It has been like this for a while around here. I do find it funny that people that bash Microsoft for being unoriginal are using the same old unoriginal comments from the first thread.
And I don't think you understand my point. This is not supposed to be adversarial. There are not two "sides" to this issue. You imply that you are either on the "Apple Rules and Microsoft is Terrible" side or you are on the "MS is the holy child of innovation and originality" side. This is clearly not the case.
I am not trying to make anyone eat their words. You are entitled to your opinion. As am I.
My opinion is that this makes sense for Microsoft, for the reasons I posted above. That doesn't mean I am going to switch to a PC. That doesn't mean I enjoy my Apple products any less. Think about the average consumer and how this might affect their purchasing decisions. How many people with an Xbox do you know that have no idea that they can connect it to their PC. I know a couple. These stores are for them.
Why are people making a big deal of it? It happens on the industry a lot. Didn't Apple themselves made the headlines because they hired someone from IBM, and they even have to wait a few months to employ the guy?
And for those thinking MS is dead, lol sorry but far from it. With Windows 7, Office 2010, Natal, etc, I think the future looks very good for them. And what they're doing with Win 7 is amazing. A couple of years ago all people ever talked about Microsoft was how Vista was a piece of Sh@t, but now everywhere on the net (except here) mentions how great Win 7 is going to be. They are trying to wash out the bad image that Vista brought to them, and so far, it's been successful
And for those thinking MS is dead, lol sorry but far from it. With Windows 7, Office 2010, Natal, etc, I think the future looks very good for them. And what they're doing with Win 7 is amazing. A couple of years ago all people ever talked about Microsoft was how Vista was a piece of Sh@t, but now everywhere on the net (except here) mentions how great Win 7 is going to be. They are trying to wash out the bad image that Vista brought to them, and so far, it's been successful
Perhaps you're right. But if that really is Microsoft's reason, then it's a laughably terrible reason. Microsoft is foolish if they think their product and their brand can compete against Apple on a commodity-only level, like housewares. These are companies with a "legendary" history in the tech marketplace, and emotions are invested in the minds of their consumers. People will be going to buy lifestyle accessories, not lumber.
DO you see what it says under the image at the top of the screen? 'mac community discussion forums'. It would be nice to have a discussion about things like this without it becoming a black hole of tired clichés repeated ad-infinitum.
And by "amazing" you mean "doesn't completely suck." I've used Win 7 RC and frankly I can't see what all the hype is about. I suppose Vista was so awful that people are in rapture over 7 simply because it mostly works?
Ah, the benefits of lowered expectations!
Sorry, but people who join a Apple/Mac forum are going to be invested in the Apple culture, so again what do you expect? This is not "general-friendly-computer-related-discussion-community.com", it's an Apple site. So quit complaining when Apple fans express their opinion. What's why they joined.
I thought I addressed this already, but let me try to make this as clear as possible. Just because this is a Mac forum, it does not mean one has to automatically hate and discount everything Microsoft does. Just because you are a Mac user, does not mean you are not allowed to use or enjoy Microsoft products. It is not mutually exclusive.
What I expect is intelligent commentary and opinions on the topic. One can think this is a bad idea by Microsoft, but how about giving a real reason for one's opinion rather than repeating some lame cliche/joke about Microsoft that wasn't funny the first thousand times I heard it.
I would disagree w/ this. I've known a lot of times where people chose to get cr@pp!er products b/c the store is closer. No one will buy anything from a Mac store in skid row. Most of the people there can't afford any of it. No one will buy your product if it's on the moon. To extend this conversation a bit, look at Microsoft's laptop hunter ads. Sure, they say Macs look sexy and whatever, but they buy PCs b/c they're cheaper. While I don't know what happened to the people in the commercials after they were done shooting, but they still bought PCs. So product doesn't really mean sh*t if it's inaccessible to people.
As for the stores, meh. I don't really care. If/when one opens close to me, I might check it out to see what it's like. Sure, it may be an unoriginal concept, but many things in life are unoriginal. Apple copied the GUI, they weren't the 1st ones to make phones, MP3 players, etc. Fortunately, Apple made these things look good (both through interface & the RDF advertising).
I just wonder what MS will put in the stores. Vista/Windows 7, Office & xBox are obvious. But what else? I remember MS did come out w/ a few games a few years ago like MS Flight Simulator. However, I find that MS could use some help making better names. Before the Zune, and maybe xBox, so many MS products had very generic names. Flight Simulator for example. MS Office = office apps. Windows = the GUI has windows. Heck the xBox is a box with an X on it. Apple is a little of the same way w/ iTunes (plays tunes); iWeb (does stuff for the web), iMovie (makes movies), etc.
Since it's not supposed to be a retail store, I wonder if Microsoft is going to do something like the
Samsung Experience
which is in Manhattan in a very desirable location.
(I haven't been to it yet, but plan to.)
As for real estate guys... no big deal... every large company has them. From Best Buy to McDonalds, they go around finding the best locations for stores.
Samsung Experience
which is in Manhattan in a very desirable location.
(I haven't been to it yet, but plan to.)
As for real estate guys... no big deal... every large company has them. From Best Buy to McDonalds, they go around finding the best locations for stores.
Personally I hope some MS stores do end up right next door to Apple stores. The inevitable photos of the daily mob in the Apple store will make a hilarious contrast to the couple of employees milling about the MS store (not counting the handful of folks there trying to exchange their RROD 360s).
That is a fair point. Maybe you are right, and maybe that is why the stores will fail, but I think many people do feel that the computer is a commodity. The enthusiasts will not be swayed by any of this. The Microsoft stores will not get anyone to switch from this forum nor teach anything to a PC enthusiast. But it may keep a housewife from switching to a Mac.
well they were, and their time is up now.
they pioneered and the idea of a personal computer. which is why computers are a common household item nowadays.
they brought the computer to us, and now their job is done, and Apple's (which didnt do as well as Microsoft decades ago) time is here now to revolutionize personal computing again by changing how we see and use our computers. (much more media and everyday use friendly)
Quoted for absolute frickin truth.
This community is getting worse and worse. It's an embarrassment to the Mac world to be honest. I wonder if the 'OMFG TEH LAME MICROSO$FT' trolls realise the actual damage they are doing to their beloved Apple brand. This community is so repulsive sometimes, that I (and others I know ) were reluctant to even consider buying a Mac. Other people I know don't buy one because they just can't buy in to a community full of liars and trolls like this.
Thankfully, there are some honest, intelligent, sensible people in this place.
There are also some flat out lying moronic pig ignorant trolls.
And the trolls out-shout the rest of us.
Doug - user of a UBMB, and DIY PC, of XP, XP64, Win7 and OSX.
Need I say more? Many of the posters on this site are so hardcore Mac users/fanboys, they hate MS just to hate MS. Personally, I don't mind MS. I'm just more used to Macs. While I'm like you slu, MS is just another company trying to sell products, but to think that everyone here on a Mac site will be so friendly is just naïve, IMHO.
This thread hurts of fanboyism.
That said, I'm actually excited to see what Microsoft does. Keep in mind that these are the same people who have brought us much cooler, smaller products. The team for XBox, for example, has created a great videogame experience. The Zune, while paling in comparison to the iPod, is a very good choice for people not wanting to use iTunes (which has more downsides than lots of you Macheads think) for managing their media. Silverlight is much less intensive than Flash. Also, the wonderful technology behind PhotoSynth. All of these are products that could be showcased at a Microsoft store. I'm excited to see it.
Beyond Windows, why does everyone hate Microsoft? Is it because they stole the GUI from Apple? There was already a court case on this, read up on your history. These days, it seems everyone likes to pick on people who make money...
That said, I'm actually excited to see what Microsoft does. Keep in mind that these are the same people who have brought us much cooler, smaller products. The team for XBox, for example, has created a great videogame experience. The Zune, while paling in comparison to the iPod, is a very good choice for people not wanting to use iTunes (which has more downsides than lots of you Macheads think) for managing their media. Silverlight is much less intensive than Flash. Also, the wonderful technology behind PhotoSynth. All of these are products that could be showcased at a Microsoft store. I'm excited to see it.
Beyond Windows, why does everyone hate Microsoft? Is it because they stole the GUI from Apple? There was already a court case on this, read up on your history. These days, it seems everyone likes to pick on people who make money...
Thats why there are no stores on the moon! Simple!
Ever heard of hyperbole before? Geez, a lot of you guys need to get your sarcasm sensors checked. Sure, it's hard to gauge sarcasm on forums, but not even getting blatantly obvious sarcasm?
I agree. I find that so many people (not just Mac users, but people in general) are so wrapped up in their own beliefs, they're so dismissive of differing ideas. While it's good that people stand by their opinions, they should have the dignity & respect to at least listen to other ideas. Who knows? Maybe you're wrong. [sarcasm] I know, I almost had a heart attack, too. [/sarcasm]
