Microsoft Recruits Former Apple Retail Store Exec for Retail Initiative

[rwilliams]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

Again I ask...Why does Microsoft feel the need to "get the word out"? They don't need to!

Because perception is reality. If Apple makes commercials for years on end saying that Windows isn't hip, or crashes all the time, or can't do all the nifty things that Apple products can, then people are going to start to believe it. But, if Microsoft can show people how the XBox, Zune, and Windows 7 can integrate into everyday life at home, or how the Windows Live Essentials suite will allow them to work with photos, email, music, blogging, etc. (and not just using Office at work), then that could start to change people's perception of all things Microsoft. Which in turn could lead to even more revenue for them.

 

[Schhhick Bert]

Backfire

I think it will be interesting to see what happens once fed-up MS users realize they can just "go down to the Microsoft store" in the mall to seek help and vent their rage.
Viruses and spyware taken over your system? Blue screen? Can't use Firefox to access your Microsoft Windows Live Bing Hotmail Enterprise Edition? No problem - just head on down to the Microsoft Store. They'll be happy to help you.

Apple has a major advantage in that their OS is actually very solid, and they invite people to come in with questions and problems. Microsoft can't do the same, but it would be quite funny to see them try. They'd have as many angry people in the MS store as there are enthusiastic customers in the Apple store across the way.


Call me crazy, but I think these stores will have the opposite effect of what Microsoft intends.
One reason: If they're within visible range of the Apple store, there will be an obvious difference in the demographics of the people inside. The young, hip, technically savvy folks will all be in the Apple store buying stuff, while older people will be in the MS store wanting to know why their Outlook Express stopped working.
Knowing how these things go, it wouldn't surprise me if part of MS's budget for this involves covertly paying high school kids to hang out in their stores, listening to Zunes... Because, you know, that's what all the cool kids are doing these days.

Microsoft remains unaware they they are only slightly less cool than Sears.

 

[DougB541]

I think it will be interesting to see what happens once fed-up MS users realize they can just "go down to the Microsoft store" in the mall to seek help and vent their rage.
Viruses and spyware taken over your system? Blue screen? Can't use Firefox to access your Microsoft Windows Live Bing Hotmail Enterprise Edition? No problem - just head on down to the Microsoft Store. They'll be happy to help you.

Apple has a major advantage in that their OS is actually very solid, and they invite people to come in with questions and problems. Microsoft can't do the same, but it would be quite funny to see them try. They'd have as many angry people in the MS store as there are enthusiastic customers in the Apple store across the way.


Call me crazy, but I think these stores will have the opposite effect of what Microsoft intends.
One reason: If they're within visible range of the Apple store, there will be an obvious difference in the demographics of the people inside. The young, hip, technically savvy folks will all be in the Apple store buying stuff, while older people will be in the MS store wanting to know why their Outlook Express stopped working.
Knowing how these things go, it wouldn't surprise me if part of MS's budget for this involves covertly paying high school kids to hang out in their stores, listening to Zunes... Because, you know, that's what all the cool kids are doing these days.

Microsoft remains unaware they they are only slightly less cool than Sears.

You just made up a whole lot of nothing in one post.

Congratulations.

(25 year old "hip" tech savy Windows users signing off).

 

[kingtj]

I'm not so convinced this guy will help much, anyway

Even disregarding Microsoft completely for a moment, did this former Apple exec *really* do anything that ground-breaking? I'd argue that Apple's retail stores succeeded for other reasons, and their insistence on putting most of them in shopping malls is as much a "negative" as it is a "positive" for them.

1. When Apple set out to build a retail presence, nobody else in the computer industry had retail stores anymore. This automatically made them stand out. (You had an entire selling point of "If you buy a Mac, you can not only go pick it up locally, but get support and service after the sale. They even offer some free training.)

2. The Apple stores people are always most impressed with are the "flagship" stores, which are all STAND-ALONE buildings (like Chicago's store)!

3. Apple stores in the mall have always created extra hassle for their customers, who are faced with lugging a machine through the shopping plaza if they want a "genius" to look at it. That's fine if you have a Macbook, but a big deal for a Mac Pro tower, or even something like a 24" iMac.

It sounds like this guy pushed that whole "get the stores out in the public eye" thing without considering the practicality of it for people who've already made initial purchases. Sure, people seeing Apple stores in upscale malls aids with their "branding" -- but it's not so good for the needs of their customers who don't simply want to buy music players, small accessories, or phones.

 

[Eidorian]

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.

The Mac community does tend to be its own worst enemy. It's tiresome seeing the same old copypasta proclamations about anyone that doesn't conform to a black and white world where you have to love Apple and hate everyone else must be a paid Microsoft troll.

I wouldn't have to do as much damage control for Apple's image and more so of the few vocal members of the user base. I don't think it's very promising for anyone who wants to be a new user to hear nothing more than how Microsoft and Dell are dead for the tenth time.

 

[LagunaSol]

The Mac community does tend to be its own worst enemy. It's tiresome seeing the same old copypasta proclamations about anyone that doesn't conform to a black and white world where you have to love Apple and hate everyone else must be a paid Microsoft troll.

Wow, have any of you guys ever been on a pro-Microsoft board? The stuff said about Microsoft here is tame, almost complimentary, compared to the vitriol thrown at Apple and its users by the Winbot Horde, much of which consists of sexual orientation slurs or references to Steve Jobs and oral sex acts.

The Mac community has its zeal, of that there is no doubt, but it's a far friendlier and more helpful place than the Windows community, of that I can personally attest.

 

[Eidorian]

Wow, have any of you guys ever been on a pro-Microsoft board? The stuff said about Microsoft here is tame, almost complimentary

I keep hearing about these strictly pro-Microsoft boards but I haven't been to one. Care to point one out? I'll make it easier for you. Make it one that isn't on Microsoft.com.

I also keep hearing how the Windows Supersite is the headquarters for some anti-Apple conspiracy as well. Maybe I'm not seeing it?

compared to the vitriol thrown at Apple and its users by the Winbot Horde, much of which consists of sexual orientation slurs or references to Steve Jobs and oral sex acts.

I'm sure that's a representation of the best members of the community.

Pot kettle black. Each community, if you want to break it down into us vs. them again, has its fair share.

 

[LagunaSol]

I keep hearing about these strictly pro-Microsoft boards but I haven't been to one. Care to point one out?

Try the Engadget comments section for one. Try CNET. Try any tech site with a comments section or a forum. Heck, the MacRumors boards have been filled with plenty of anti-Apple rage as of late from those who are clearly not customers of the brand.

I'm sure that's a representation of the best members of the community.

I can only report what I see. And in 20+ years of using Apple computers, I've seen a lot of hate collectively thrown my way.

People who gripe about Apple fanboys yet have nothing but rage and ignorance for my "toy / gay / (insert other juvenile slur here)" computer are the epitome of hypocrisy.

 

[djellison]

And enjoy the sound of silence on your HDTV. BRILLIANT!

And Boot Camp for the other stuff you mentioned

What - but that's TEH EVIL MICROSHAFT LOL.

(what's BR? I'm not a gamer..)

Bluray. The high def optical format adopted by EVER OTHER manufacturer of hardware. Laptops < half the price of a macbook come with them. Apple - desperate to cling on to an extra few dollars margin lie to potential customers claiming it's a 'world of pain' despite being on the actual BOARD for BR and refuse to even offer it as an OPTION.

PCs running whatever version of Windows + whatever anti-virus software will still be plagued with viruses.

And so the lies continue. Avast. Free, small footprint AV software. I have never had a PC virus in 15 years.

Seriously - this sort of half truths and nonsense that continues to be pedalled by Apple fanatics both about their favourite brand and the competition is pathetic.


Oh - and Lagunasol - just to you know - I've had three Mac laptops in three years. I AM a Mac User. I am also a Windows user. Apple can and should be doing better. Blinkered defense of them regardless of their products shortcomings, and continues lie-based ranting against the competition is unproductive and frankly, worse that school playground nonsense. It's embarrassing.

 

[Eidorian]

Try the Engadget comments section for one. Try CNET. Try any tech site with a comments section or a forum. Heck, the MacRumors boards have been filled with plenty of anti-Apple rage as of late from those who are clearly not customers of the brand.

Does rational criticism of Apple still equate to a paid Microsoft troll?

I can only report what I see. And in 20+ years of using Apple computers, I've seen a lot of hate collectively thrown my way.

People who gripe about Apple fanboys yet have nothing but rage and ignorance for my "toy / gay / (insert other juvenile slur here)" computer are the epitome of hypocrisy.

Replace Apple with any other vendor or Microsoft.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

Does rational criticism of Apple still equate to a paid Microsoft troll?


Replace Apple with any other vendor or Microsoft.

See my sig. Apple products give me a career and pay my bills however, I am not stupid blind fanboy. I realize that Apple is getting a bit to top heavy and with the diversification of there customer base they to at some point will also need to follow suit. As Apple gets bigger they are going to see more anti-Apple sentiments because people who may dislike the down points of "Windows" love the ability of having options when buying hardware.

BTW: Windows isn't all that bad. I have said it before, for how many desktop and servers running Windows software vs. Apple I would say its extremely successful and by far goes beyond its job daily. Exchange, don't even get me started. Exchange runs the business world, thats why Apple taps into the Exchange market with Snow Leopard.

 

[Thex1138]

Clone Wars

You cannot escape your destiny

 

[twoodcc]

competition is good i guess. i really like apple's retail stores. i do hope that microsoft doesn't just put stores where apple has them though

 

[Sehnsucht]

...So basically, these stores are just part of their "We don't suck" campaign. Maybe if they completely overhauled the Windows NT-based model and replaced it with UNIX, they could make an easy to use, more efficient OS that's more secure.

Fixed that for you.

The day MS rolls out "Winix", Apple may have a good reason to be scared. But they won't.

 

[rwilliams]

The young, hip, technically savvy folks will all be in the Apple store buying stuff, while older people will be in the MS store wanting to know why their Outlook Express stopped working.

Ah yes, "hip" - what people with no marketable skills or sense of identity aspire to be.

 

[iMaggot]

It's funny how MS hates Apple but recruits there former employees lol.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

It's funny how MS hates Apple but recruits there former employees lol.

Its not a matter of recruiting its a matter of Apple people getting fed up with Apple. Hence, you notice a lot of major players have left Apple. Like I keep saying Apple is getting too top heavy.

 

[AidenShaw]

Fixed that for you.

The day MS rolls out "Winix", Apple may have a good reason to be scared. But they won't.

Drop the '90s NT design for the '70s UNIX design?

BFM - won't happen.

The Snow Leopard Service Pack is Apple's attempt to force modern threading models onto the decrepit kernel that they got when Next bought Apple.

NT, on the other hand, supports 64 CPUs today and Win7 Server (Win2k8R2) will support systems with 256 CPUs. That's what modern design buys you - while Apple is still struggling to support two to eight CPUs.

(Maybe that's why Apple won't build a quad-core desktop - it would suck too much because of that old UNIX kernel. )

 

[charlituna]

3. Apple stores in the mall have always created extra hassle for their customers, who are faced with lugging a machine through the shopping plaza if they want a "genius" to look at it. That's fine if you have a Macbook, but a big deal for a Mac Pro tower, or even something like a 24" iMac.

not sure what mall you shop at. but I have 3 Apple stores in malls within 10 minutes and I have never had to lug anything anywhere. at one I drive to the open loading dock under the 2nd floor store and call up and someone is down within like 2 minutes with a cart to take my stuff up. another I can pull right up to their back door and again call. the third they will bring a cart down to the parking deck elevator. that one I might have to wait perhaps 5 minutes, 10 if it's a weekend day cause it is busier but I still have the option.

 

[machead33]

And what will you do when the Microsoft staffer shows you how to make a Blu-ray Disc movie?

That's easy, I'll remind them that Apple is on the board of directors of Blue Ray while Microsoft was until recently pushing the failed HD DVD format. So what if some PCs can make blue ray movies? For everything that the Mac can do that PCs couldn;t dream of (considering their failed copy of an operating system), I can live without a (built in) Blue Ray burner, although I could buy an external already.

 

[machead33]

1 - 'Microcrap'. Really? How old are you, 5? Grow up.

2 - Are you then going to walk into the Apple store and ask them if you can use 3DS Max on OSX

3 - Then, I'd suggest asking if you can play BR on a stunning 24inch iMac.

4 - Then I'd finish with asking about plugging a MBP into a nice HDTV using HDMI

Then I assume you will laugh at THEIR Stupidity, right?

I mean - fair's fair.

None of what you said is due to Microsoft in any shape or form. It has to do with hardware and software innovations. If you love Microsoft so much, what are you doing on this site?

The list of items that Apple is credited for, from the operating system to firewire, to adopting the mouse even, is very very long. Microsoft has been wonderful in 2 things: copying Apple (windows, gadgets, zune, etc), and making their end products a disaster. Just because 85% of the people eat their crap doesnt make this crap any better. I was on PCs for 15 years, and the day I switched was a great day for me.

So to answer your question and the guy before you, yes, there are some things PCs can do better, none thanks to Microsoft, but the bottom line, Apple offers a far superior experience on any level (except maybe 3d animation).

Machead

 

[katananz]

Why?

Why is everybody on this forum stuck in the past? Why do you all bad mouth Microsoft and Windows when you do not actually use any of their products?

Microsoft were not the ones who needed millions in financial aid from their competitors in order to stay in business in the 90's. Think; without Microsoft, Apple wouldn't be around today.

Also, if the only product of Microsoft's that you know of is Windows, you are not fit to criticize. Their showcase stores are also aimed at promoting the Zune and Xbox game consoles. Not to mention the new desktop computers they announced last year (Oxygen, etc). They also offer more software than Windows and Office; Windows Live!, Zune Store and many more.

Also, how can you not have fun with Windows? Last I checked, Macs are not known for gaming. The hardware and software don't work with 90% of games. Oh boy: Garage Band! That's going to keep me engaged for years! It's so worth the extra money you paid for lower specs and a product that is lucky to last a year after purchase. Not.

And because Apple adopted stuff before Microsoft does not mean that they can be credited for it; they did not help develop Blu-Ray or the mouse... or the GUI. If anybody gets to be angry, it should be the Linux users who constantly have their features integrated into an operating system that exists for profit. Not to mention the Kernel itself.

 

[RAGING DEMON]

Wtf???

I Think We Should All Chip In With The Change In Our Pockets And Start A Computing Business To Compete With Microsoft And Apple!!

How About Applesoft? Or Micromac?? Hahahaha

Swinging 60's Spread The Love!!!

 

[uberamd]

Try the Engadget comments section for one. Try CNET. Try any tech site with a comments section or a forum. Heck, the MacRumors boards have been filled with plenty of anti-Apple rage as of late from those who are clearly not customers of the brand.



I can only report what I see. And in 20+ years of using Apple computers, I've seen a lot of hate collectively thrown my way.

People who gripe about Apple fanboys yet have nothing but rage and ignorance for my "toy / gay / (insert other juvenile slur here)" computer are the epitome of hypocrisy.

QFT. Any article posted on engadget that has to do with Apple or Microsoft becomes a breeding ground for anti-Apple comments, generalizations about Apple customers, name calling, and the like. The only thing Microsoft fans have to fall back on is "Mac's cost more." Thats the ONLY argument they have. At least us Apple folk are a little more creative, we have more than a handful of reasons why we think Apple is better. Sure, they might get repeated here a lot, but who cares? Go to Engadget and look at the 1000's of comments about the price of Mac's and how Apple customers are gay/stupid/unprofessional/_______.

 

[JonJ]

Drop the '90s NT design for the '70s UNIX design?

BFM - won't happen.

The Snow Leopard Service Pack is Apple's attempt to force modern threading models onto the decrepit kernel that they got when Next bought Apple.

NT, on the other hand, supports 64 CPUs today and Win7 Server (Win2k8R2) will support systems with 256 CPUs. That's what modern design buys you - while Apple is still struggling to support two to eight CPUs.

(Maybe that's why Apple won't build a quad-core desktop - it would suck too much because of that old UNIX kernel. )

Out of the top 500 supercomputers in the world, 88.6% runs a UNIX-like system. They truly have a problem. It is true that the *BSDs currently stops at 64 cpus, but as none of the machines in Apples lineup has that many cpus, it's basically a non-issue. The *BSDs can be made to scale easily above and beyond NT. You don't know jack.