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Microsoft to Respond to Apple's 'Get a Mac' Ads

milo said:
That's not true, Dell and others are still offering XP downgrades.

http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/winxp_inspndt?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&redirect=2

http://www.dell.com/content/topics/.../business/xp_smb?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&~tab=2

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/pos...o-offer-windows-xp-beyond-june-30-cutoff.html



You're talking about market capitalization, not stock price. But who really cares about market cap when the company has been a terrible investment for a decade?

And a company that has 90% market share isn't even double the market cap of the company with about 5-7%? That's pathetic.
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They're only offering OEM downgrades until the end of the calendar year. Then it's Vista or nothing...that isn't to say they won't allow companies [or consumer] folks to re-install XP. But the likes of DELL, etc. will begin to build new PC's and develop drivers solely for Vista at some point.

Let's put it this way; this time next year companies better have a strong migration plan to Vista or some other system [Citrix, or VM perhaps?]...
 
LillieDesigns said:
I love everything Apple, but I still root for Microsoft sometimes because I know competition = better products. If Vista is selling, OSX has to improve and I like that.
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In a perfect world, my friend. The problem is that Microsoft has a history of not so much competing but rather warping the playing field to their advantage. I'm all for competition too but MS doesn't traditionally play that way.
 
Oh, come on. Vista's suckiness deserves the blame for people abandoning it, Apple's commercials can only be having at most a small effect on that. Don't blame it on Apple being 'noisy.'

What about all the people who are choosing XP over Vista, too? Can't blame THAT on Apple, Microsoft.
 
I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner. Steve and Apple make all sorts of anti-Microsoft references: the famous "Redmond start your photocopiers", the Mac vs. PC commercials, etc., and hardly a peep out of Microsoft.

I have a theory here. Bill Gates left Microsoft at the end of June. At the beginning of July, Microsoft announces they're declaring all-out war on Leopard. Coincidence? I think not.

Maybe Bill has turned into too much of a humanitarian these days and didn't want to launch a huge, expensive campaign attack Apple. Or maybe he was just too embarrassed by Vista...

Anyway, now that Bill's out of the picture (except for an occasional "quest" here and there), Ballmer is certainly not known for being humble or shy. Everyone is talking about iPhone this, Apple that. Ballmer et al. may have decided they wanted/needed to make a very strong, visible statement to show Microsoft is still relevant and that they won't let Apple take over without a fight.

I think and hope the results of this media blitz will be comical (I'd like to see them use this footage in one of the ads), and likely have little effect or possibly backfire, but it makes sense to me that they're trying it.

Plus, just think: the more money they spend on these ads trying to convert people to Vista, the less money they have for R&D. If Vista was the best they could come up with before, just imagine what's in tore for Windows 7 with hundreds of millions of dollars diverted away from it. :D
 
"Key features to be promoted include upgraded security and compatibility with both applications and devices."

In other words:

"Things that were badly broken in the past are less broken now."

Now THAT is a sad message :eek:
 
While the campaign might not be a good thing for Apple per se, it is a sign that Apple's back in business and taken as a serious threat. We've come a long way since the late '90s.
Microsoft's no longer playing solo and has to counter Apple ads. In other words: true competition.

The consumer (on either side) can only get better out of this. Competition's a good thing.
I, for one, salute their decision. I hope to see some blood! I hope to see a more diverse OS market in ..say, 10 years.

Mac's share is getting a great boost, Ubuntu's doing well with the computer-literates, other linux distros make up most of the web. Microsoft is finally feeling some heat again. And who knows what's more to come..
 
ariza910 said:
Microsoft has hired Crispin Porter + Bogusky ad agency for these ads so it will be interesting to see what they come out with.

Crispin Porter + Bogusky is the agency behind all those funny Burger King and VW commercials in the last few years.

There was an article in Fast Company about this a few months ago.
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/126/believe-it-or-not-hes-a-pc.html?page=0,0

The interview with Alex Bogusky pointed out that they all use Macs at the agency and actually got their start in advertising partly do to how easy it was to design on a Mac. Now they all have to start using PCs to get familiar with them. I think its sad that they are doing this but business is business I guess.

Cant wait to see what they come up with - anything that even mentions a Mac can only draw more attention to Apple and OSX.
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I admit I read the article quickly, but where did it say that they're going to toss all their Macs in favor of PC's just because they signed with MS? They may use them to get familiar, but yes business is business, and I doubt they'll scrap things and become less productive, just because they signed a contract...could be wrong...
 
Just to combat the rabid, blind fanboyism going on here about what a failure Microsoft are..

Seeing as people here were so happy about the OS X market share getting to 7%, and Leopard usership going up by 1/3, in the same time, Vista's market share increased by 355%. That's failure :rolleyes:, at least to the fanboys who base their opinions on a set of ad campaigns.

Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/147966/new_survey_vista_cleans_mac_osxs_clock.html
 
Hopefully they don't copy the commercials M.O. of two guys representing a Mac and a PC. They have to realize that the Mac is still a minority, and this angle coming from Microsoft would be ridiculous. The market share still isn't comparable. If they do their own commercials, their own way, I can respect that. If they do a Vista vs. Mac thing, that's just one more thing Microsoft copies from Apple about two years too late.
 
zombitronic said:
Hopefully they don't copy the commercials M.O. of two guys representing a Mac and a PC. They have to realize that the Mac is still a minority, and this angle coming from Microsoft would be ridiculous. The market share still isn't comparable. If they do their own commercials, their own way, I can respect that. If they do a Vista vs. Mac thing, that's just one more thing Microsoft copies from Apple about two years too late.
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I actually hope they do copy apple just so we all can roll our eyes and say, "that's just one more thing Microsoft copied from Apple about two years too late."
 
Admonitor said:
Just to combat the rabid, blind fanboyism going on here about what a failure Microsoft are..

Seeing as people here were so happy about the OS X market share getting to 7%, and Leopard usership going up by 1/3, in the same time, Vista's market share increased by 355%. That's failure :rolleyes:, at least to the fanboys who base their opinions on a set of ad campaigns.

Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/147966/new_survey_vista_cleans_mac_osxs_clock.html
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True, but how much of Microsoft's installed base has switched to Vista, as compared to how much of Apple's installed base has switched to Leopard (which was released after Vista)?

There don't seem to be exact figures available, but here are some indicators.

A large percentage of Mac users jumped at the chance to get Leopard, and switching from PC to Mac has continued on its merry way. A much smaller percentage of PC users have switched to Vista, and many who did aren't happy.
 
dernhelm said:
The question is how long will they continue their dominance and relevance in the areas of PC architecture and OS design? Right now, there still is no end in sight to their relevance in those matters, but their position on top is a little more tenuous than it used to be.
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I don't know too much about IBM, but I agree with this statement. More and more people are getting fed up with crappy treatment and inferior products from Microsoft, and they seem to only make mistake after mistake. But Apple customers often get crappy treatment, too. I've heard people use the term "Apple'd." That sucks as well, though most would say it wasn't as bad.

In the end, there probably won't be a winner. But Apple has to make its own computers, while Microsoft doesn't have to deal with that. That could be contributing to the difference. Not only diversity, but the complaining. If someone doesn't like something about Apple's computer, they complain about Apple, if someone doesn't like something about a PC, they blame Dell or Gateway or whichever computer company they purchase their PC from, not Microsoft. Mac fans see it as any PC is inferior, no matter the company, because they have Windows. Window users see it as the specific PC they have, unless they do their research and consider a Mac. I guess you can say, on this side of the fence, there is a terrible bias :rolleyes: But I can't really blame anyone. I'll definitely take a Mac over a PC anyday.
 
"Software out there is made to be compatible with your whole life."

Sounds like he's describing Mac OS X rather than Vista.

Windows is never known for compatibility with anything nor anyone; they try to force their standards on everybody.
 
Admonitor said:
Just to combat the rabid, blind fanboyism going on here about what a failure Microsoft are..

Seeing as people here were so happy about the OS X market share getting to 7%, and Leopard usership going up by 1/3, in the same time, Vista's market share increased by 355%. That's failure :rolleyes:, at least to the fanboys who base their opinions on a set of ad campaigns.

Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/147966/new_survey_vista_cleans_mac_osxs_clock.html
Click to expand...

Percentage of Satisfied Leopard Users: 81% and climbing

Percentage of Satisfied Vista Users: 15-21% and shrinking

Nothing to be proud of.

And the number of downgrades from Vista to XP? Quite high, indeed.

Almost all corporate sales for Vista are actually XP installs.

How many people switched to Mac or a Linux flavor as a result of Vista? More than MS would care to know.

Also, the survey doesn't mention that every Intel Mac running Windows as a second OS, while counting as a plus for Vista and/or XP, is also a hardware sale for Apple.

Apple has experienced greater hardware growth since it began using Intel processors than at any time in the recent past. As the number four computer hardware vendor in the US, they are in a position to increase their market share beyond anything they've seen since the inception of the Windows 3.0 in 1990. Looks like it's time to roll out those Vista ads, MS.
 
Scooterman1 said:
What is really funny, is that the PC guy is more popular in the ratings than the Mac guy.

Even in the interview with BG and SJ together, when they got talking about those ads, the interviewer even told them that she liked the PC guy better.

LOL
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I'm not sure why you find that funny, given that it was designed that way. It's the standard comedic pairing, born in the days of vaudeville, called the Comedy Duo: a "straight man" and a "comic". Justin Long is the straight man. John Hodgman is the comic. Of course you're going to laugh at & like the comic more. (Duh!)
 
Microsoft finally responds

Actually I was surprised that Microsoft didn't respond sooner.
Apple has been getting a lot of play making fun of Vista but not really explaining why OS X was better.

I have read many reviews of Vista since the SP 1 update and most of the reviewers really like the stability and features in Vista. These are from reviewers I trust, like Leo Laporte, Jason Canales, Steve Gibson, etc. Vista is a a good operating system. It just got off to a slow start and a lot of bad press.

Apple really hasn't been touting features of OS X. Their ads primarily have been negative ads against Microsoft. It might come back to bite them. Personally, I hate negative advertising.

Hopefully this will push Apple to really clean up and optimize Snow Leopard.
 
RiCEADDiCTBOY said:
just remember, next time you go to starbucks and pull out that macbook and get that superority complex - that guy with the dell paid less than you...for the same components. :apple:
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You wouldn't say that if somebody pulled out a PowerBook G4 or iBook G4 would you? Those used different parts than PCs.
 
Well mac Fanboy or not,

Vista is a Bloated Mess.

Its 1/2 new stuff and 1/2 old code. Many of the best features are buried in menus that really don't make sence.

But the worst thing is that there is very little reason to move to Vista. It does not perform any better, DX10 is a sham because I can make Crysis the only worthwhile DX10 game look better in DX9.

Vista needs to be better....
 
Breegy said:
...if someone doesn't like something about a PC, they blame Dell or Gateway or whichever computer company they purchase their PC from, not Microsoft.
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Then Dell or Gateway or whichever computer company tells the consumer that the problem is the software, not the hardware. Then Microsoft tells the consumer the problem is the hardware. So essentially the consumer is being treated like a soccer ball and kicked back and forth.

If there's anything wrong with a Mac, may it be the hardware or the OS, there's no excuse, Apple has to take responsibility.
 
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