More Evidence of Apple's Massive Marketshare Growth in Higher Education

[Westside guy]

(and the reason that a good number of students with Macs will end up back on Windows again when they leave): Too many Windows-only applications in the workplace.

While that explains why they might end up using a Windows machine at work, I don't think nowadays that impacts what they have at home - unless it's a company computer, which wouldn't be that common. Certainly in our department all the desktops are PCs, yet a lot of the staff and faculty have Macs at home - and quite a few are first-time Mac owners. Remote Desktop works just fine on a Mac, and so do VPNs/Citrix/VMware/whatever.

Actually until recently my experience with Citrix was that it sucked on the Mac; but the latest versions seem quite functional.

 

[IWantItThatWay]

While that explains why they might end up using a Windows machine at work, I don't think nowadays that impacts what they have at home - unless it's a company computer, which wouldn't be that common. Certainly in our department all the desktops are PCs, yet a lot of the staff and faculty have Macs at home - and quite a few are first-time Mac owners. Remote Desktop works just fine on a Mac, and so do VPNs/Citrix/VMware/whatever.

Actually until recently my experience with Citrix was that it sucked on the Mac; but the latest versions seem quite functional.

People prefer Windows PCs because they are familiar with them, they are cheaper, more configurations, and the most shocking reason: To many people, Windows PCs may be superior (I am currently going to sell my iMac to get a new Windows PC, for example).

 

[Fitty Cent]

Marathon was released in late 1994 or so, and the last part of the series in '96 or '97 (Infinity.) I picked up Marathon in the summer of '95, and the rest as soon as they were released, all Mac versions. Marathon had an unbeatable story, really, that was beautifully integrated into the game itself. It was a pioneering effort back in the day and I've yet to come across an FPS that captures the imagination so well.

Not to say that Half Life wasn't amazing in its own right.

It seems that the current crop of shooters, however, have lost something the older ones had in abundance, either way.

HL2 = best produced, directed, and acted entertainment in the last ten years. Like being the star of the best sci-fi action movie you've ever seen. When is Episode 3 coming?????

Anyway, back to the topic, the thing that surprised me most about those statistics is that 99% of incoming freshmen had laptops.... WOW... I had no idea it had become so standard. But, no matter how high Apple's share is in the college world, Windows still rules the business world. Business infrastructure depends on Windows, and the simple facts are that more people are familiar with Windows at work, and the hardware is cheaper so businesses are always going to prefer it (you have to buy 5000 computers -- are you gonna buy an iMac that costs $2000 and can't be upgraded easily, or the equally powerful Dell/HP/whatever that costs $1000 and has easily swappable RAM, proc, HD, and MONITOR?).

It's not Windows fanboyism, it's just economic reality. "Windoze is DEAD!" Apple's market share overall is still less than 10%.... I'm not trolling, just trying to counter some of the reality distortion field.

 

[DELLsFan]

now now. i have never seen anyone playing WoW during a law class. shopping, reading the news, gossip sites, postsecret, macrumors(cough), gchat, sudoku, online flash games... but no WoW.

Oh, my bad ... I thought GChat meant Guild Chat.

 

[0098386]

I don't think those figures include on-line sales through Steam and other channels nor will they include WoW, EVE, etc subscriptions.

I don't think they do, it's not much but L4D and the Orange Box have sold much more on PC's than on the consoles.

But IMO console gaming is poor compared. It's a much more casual experience. PC gaming is technically the best, it's the cheapest, has more titles, free online play, free games, supports higher resolutions, more control configurations, near unlimited backwards compatibility...

 

[50548]

I'd like to know if you were in the Vista Beta/RC or have even tried out Windows 7.

Just ask yourself again...do you really envisage the possibility of BRLawyer using Windows apart from his mandatory daily torture endured at work?

Again, for your enlightenment and a little bit of history regarding my personal computer ownership:

Apple //e clone
Apple IIGS
Quadra 605
iBook G3
iMac G5
iMac Intel

It's enough for me to rely on my bro-in-law's longtime savvy usage of Windows and the fact that he is not touching Vista with a 7-foot pole...

 

[Eidorian]

Just ask yourself again...do you really envisage the possibility of BRLawyer using Windows apart from his mandatory daily torture endured at work?

Again, for your enlightenment and a little bit of history regarding my personal computer ownership:

Apple //e clone
Apple IIGS
Quadra 605
iBook G3
iMac G5
iMac Intel

It's enough for me to rely on my bro-in-law's longtime savvy usage of Windows and the fact that he is not touching Vista with a 7-foot pole...

That's nice and all.

Sadly I must disagree with your opinion(s) over Windows 7 and Microsoft's situation.

 

[Pika]

That's nice and all.

Sadly I must disagree with your opinion(s) over Windows 7 and Microsoft.

Do you think Windows 7 will be really really really good enough to switch Mac users back to Windows ?

 

[Eidorian]

Do you think Windows 7 will be really really really good enough to switch Mac users back to Windows ?

That depends entirely on the user.

I like using OS X and I like using Windows 7.

 

[Pika]

I think the reason why those schools choose Apple hardware is because Macs can run multiple OS thanks to bootcamp... the student have the choices to learn Mac OS X / Windows / Linux on a single machine and it's much cheaper for the school to afford instead of purchasing every single PC to run a particular OS and from splitting classes/Labs in two.

 

[LagunaSol]

I can't comment on anything else due to lack of knowledge, but when I read this I cannot validate anything else you have just posted. Seriously, you have no idea what the hell you are talking about. Microsoft has turned around their "money pit" and are now making profit on the 360.

Um, selling their consoles at a profit now still doesn't offset years of selling them at a loss, not to mention the $1 billion plus they spent to repair the dead ones.

Try again.

 

[LagunaSol]

Do you think Windows 7 will be really really really good enough to switch Mac users back to Windows ?

Doubtful. Windows will always be a security mess. That's what 90% market share does. No matter how many holes Microsoft patches up, new ones are found and exploited.

Could the same thing theoretically happen to OS X? Of course. But at 10% market share, there's no target on its back.

I think Windows users are switching to the Mac more because they're sick of the security nightmares and not because of interface design.

And Windows will never have the benefit of an integrated hardware/software model, so yes there will still be hardware conflicts, and yes, consumers will still get the "Call Microsoft" "No, call Dell" customer service runaround.

Microsoft is a victim of its own success.

 

[Pika]

Um, selling their consoles at a profit now still doesn't offset years of selling them at a loss, not to mention the $1 billion plus they spent to repair the dead ones.

Try again.

Damn.. your right.

 

[Sehnsucht]

HP says 256 MiB dedicated VRAM, plus shared.

Graphics card ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics with 256MB dedicated graphics memory. Up to 3323MB Total Available Graphics Memory as allocated by Windows Vista​

Vista lets most graphics cards use system RAM if they run out of dedicated RAM. See what my Quadro says below (Vista x64).

Anyway, the HP has a PCIe x16 slot free if you want real graphics - the $599 Apple, no way.

I was browsing the shelves at my place of employment today and noticed this new item:

Walmart now carries a decent Dell minitower in store with 8 GB of RAM. Never thought I'd see the day. Finally something besides those sh*tty little 1.66GHz Acer bundles with no monitor.

Of course, when I say "decent," I mean that only in relation to the other junk we carry. *checks FedEx tracking information page* When's my MBP getting here?!?!?!?

 

[Goona]

I've had one for about three months. Getting it ready to sell!

Sounds like a good idea, but sucks in any kind of practical use.

Of course, YMMV.

I thought netbooks were the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[Goona]

Many m-softies commented that MS hasn't yet completely assimilated the idea that there is a competition in the marketplace now.

And in fact, MS isn't scared of Apple: the two can easily compete on the same leveled play field. MS is scared of Linux eco-system much more, as it is impossible to compete against it. (And even Mac OS X includes (and depends on) some best fruits the Linux gave birth to.)

Honestly I think it might get ugly if MS decides to compete against Apple in full force. They already have H/W design expertise, acquiring some second tier OEM might change competitive landscape cardinally.

They aren't scared of Apple but have started airing all those commercials mentioning them, lol.

 

[*LTD*]

Doubtful. Windows will always be a security mess. That's what 90% market share does. No matter how many holes Microsoft patches up, new ones are found and exploited.

Could the same thing theoretically happen to OS X? Of course. But at 10% market share, there's no target on its back.

I think Windows users are switching to the Mac more because they're sick of the security nightmares and not because of interface design.

And Windows will never have the benefit of an integrated hardware/software model, so yes there will still be hardware conflicts, and yes, consumers will still get the "Call Microsoft" "No, call Dell" customer service runaround.

Microsoft is a victim of its own success.

Agreed.

Microsoft is a victim of their own licensing scheme. It's been quite successful, except for the fact that that success isn't really passed down to the user, and what does get translated into what the user can see, hear, feel and experience, is at best a mixed blessing.

Somehwere along the line MS forgot about the consumer and got tangled up in providing Office solutions to businesses and thought they could provide the same for home users. throw in DirectX and a mdia player and you've magically got a "homre" OS. Well that's not quite how it works.

In any case, you've got Microsoft is facing a problem, given that they are trying to compete against a vendor who uses a vertically integrated model rather than a horizontal model which Microsoft and the PC market uses. The result is that you have a poor integrated approach to marketing, hardware and software design, where the experience is as much dictated by the hardware vendor as the quality of the operating system - both of which are developed by two separate companies with different goals overall in regard to their respective strategies.

I'll take the benefits of a closed, tightly-controlled model over anything else any day. And the fact that it's fully Unix just sweetens the deal. I have a little more faith in the Unix/open source community.

 

[Fitty Cent]

Agreed.

Microsoft is a victim of their own licensing scheme. It's been quite successful, except for the fact that that success isn't really passed down to the user, and what does get translated into what the user can see, hear, feel and experience, is at best a mixed blessing.

Somehwere along the line MS forgot about the consumer and got tangled up in providing Office solutions to businesses and thought they could provide the same for home users. throw in DirectX and a mdia player and you've magically got a "homre" OS. Well that's not quite how it works.

In any case, you've got Microsoft is facing a problem, given that they are trying to compete against a vendor who uses a vertically integrated model rather than a horizontal model which Microsoft and the PC market uses. The result is that you have a poor integrated approach to marketing, hardware and software design, where the experience is as much dictated by the hardware vendor as the quality of the operating system - both of which are developed by two separate companies with different goals overall in regard to their respective strategies.

I'll take the benefits of a closed, tightly-controlled model over anything else any day. And the fact that it's fully Unix just sweetens the deal. I have a little more faith in the Unix/open source community.

The business world will NEVER agree with you -- cheaper hardware will always win. Windows works 99.9% of the time, and in fact many people prefer the Windows UI.

 

[seashellz]

As people realize that the "Laptop Hunter" ads from Microsoft point out the poor value of Apples, this will slide too.

)


By the way, note from the same source:

Easy to infer that desktops are dead and gone, no?

-----------
i dont think the dolts realize it, but the ads will actually help APPLE-cuz people will be curiuos and maybe go try one, and then BAM! no contest.
end of story

as PT Barnum once said "There is no such thing as bad publicity"

one perfect example was Mel Gibsons PASSION OF THE CHRIST;
NOBODY wanted to book or distribute it, and he was sweating;
Nobody wanted to back the film, so he used his own money

Thats were the FUNDAMENTALISTS started their rant over the film-protests, ads and boycotts;
Suddenly everyone wanted to see it

IT GOT FREE PUBLICITY: DISSING THE FILM that maybe some would have ignored become curious and wanted to see what all the fuss was about-and came out liking it
where it went on to set record ticket sales

Mel counldnt buy such publicity-while the film made millions and was the rage;

Likewise MS ads will come and bite their asses
Unlike the negative implications (which are proven not to work)
APPLE ads by contrast, are kind of humorous -they poke fun-and not even at Windows.

Lets face it-MS WINDOWS is an aging dinosaur in a new world
Its time has come and gone-actually quite a while ago-the only thing that has saved their sorry asses-is that there was no real competition-until now
Theres a new kid on the block- (the mammals)

And since MS is giving APPLE free adverting-whats not to like?

Add to that the subconcious implications of the ads-and the folks at MS are too dazed and foggy to see this-that if "cool" people buy Macs-the the inverse of the equation would be true 'only cheap dorks buy PCs and Windows' all to save a buck

The REAL question is why does the mightest crap OS maker on the earth even feel the sudden need to advertise?
If your rival doenst scare you-why bother?

Like I said -its all Free PUBLICITY for APPLE

 

[Sehnsucht]

Let's face it-MS WINDOWS is an aging dinosaur in a new world. It's time has come and gone-actually quite a while ago-the only thing that has saved their sorry asses-is that there was no real competition-until now

Theres a new kid on the block- (the mammals)

And since MS is giving APPLE free advertising-whats not to like?

Add to that the subconcious implications of the ads-and the folks at MS are too dazed and foggy to see this-that if "cool" people buy Macs-the the inverse of the equation would be true 'only cheap dorks buy PCs and Windows' all to save a buck

The REAL question is why does the mightest crap OS maker on even feel the sudden need to advertise?
If your rival doesn't scare you-why bother?

Like I said -its all Free PUBLICITY for APPLE

Couldn't have put it better myself.

Speaking of MS getting scared sh*tless, there was that one time when Steve Ballmer went apesh*t when he found out that Mark Lucovsky was leaving MS for Google. If one is to believe what hath been written on the wikipedias, Ballmer said, "F*cking Eric Schmidt is a f*cking p*ssy. I'm going to f*cking bury that guy, I have done it before, and I will do it again! I'm going to f*cking kill Google!"

Forget the sweaty-armpit stage performance...I would like to have seen that.

 

[Eidorian]

-----------
i dont think the dolts realize it, but the ads will actually help APPLE-cuz people will be curiuos and maybe go try one, and then BAM! no contest.
end of story

as PT Barnum once said "There is no such thing as bad publicity"

one perfect example was Mel Gibsons PASSION OF THE CHRIST;
NOBODY wanted to book or distribute it, and he was sweating;
Nobody wanted to back the film, so he used his own money

Thats were the FUNDAMENTALISTS started their rant over the film-protests, ads and boycotts;
Suddenly everyone wanted to see it

IT GOT FREE PUBLICITY: DISSING THE FILM that maybe some would have ignored become curious and wanted to see what all the fuss was about-and came out liking it
where it went on to set record ticket sales

Mel counldnt buy such publicity-while the film made millions and was the rage;

Likewise MS ads will come and bite their asses
Unlike the negative implications (which are proven not to work)
APPLE ads by contrast, are kind of humorous -they poke fun-and not even at Windows.

Lets face it-MS WINDOWS is an aging dinosaur in a new world
Its time has come and gone-actually quite a while ago-the only thing that has saved their sorry asses-is that there was no real competition-until now
Theres a new kid on the block- (the mammals)

And since MS is giving APPLE free adverting-whats not to like?

Add to that the subconcious implications of the ads-and the folks at MS are too dazed and foggy to see this-that if "cool" people buy Macs-the the inverse of the equation would be true 'only cheap dorks buy PCs and Windows' all to save a buck

The REAL question is why does the mightest crap OS maker on the earth even feel the sudden need to advertise?
If your rival doenst scare you-why bother?

Like I said -its all Free PUBLICITY for APPLE

Couldn't have put it better myself.

Speaking of MS getting scared sh*tless, there was that one time when Steve Ballmer went apesh*t when he found out that Mark Lucovsky was leaving MS for Google. If one is to believe what hath been written on the wikipedias, Ballmer said, "F*cking Eric Schmidt is a f*cking p*ssy. I'm going to f*cking bury that guy, I have done it before, and I will do it again! I'm going to f*cking kill Google!"

Forget the sweaty-armpit stage performance...I would like to have seen that.

Bad idea guys.

 

[DMann]

I doubt it. How many times is Microsoft going to get to say, "Okay, I think we have it figured out this time...wait....what was that?"

A true vote of non-confidence for his failure of an OS, by Bill Gates himself.

 

[BongoBanger]

I thought netbooks were the best thing since sliced bread.

Nope. They're a silly fad product.

Ever notice how netbook screens are getting bigger? They've gone from 8" to 10" to 12" so what we really have is an underpowered laptop with a processor roughly equivalent to a late generation PIII.

Waste of bloody time.

 

[DMann]

Xbox has been a money pit since the beginning. Selling at a loss for much of its life, an epic hardware failure rate (30%+?), and now its only claim to fame is its popularity among this mystical "hardcore gamer" group everyone refers too. Sadly for Microsoft, they're not "hardcore buyers." There aren't enough "hardcore gamers" on this planet to deliver Microsoft its white whale. Now they're working on their own "waggle" system to remain competitive. Following the real innovator - it's the Microsoft way.

I can't comment on anything else due to lack of knowledge, but when I read this I cannot validate anything else you have just posted. Seriously, you have no idea what the hell you are talking about. Microsoft has turned around their "money pit" and are now making profit on the 360. The original Xbox debt was required to jump into the console market dominated by Sony, and now they are getting cash out of it with the 360. And falling back on the old Halo bashing eh?

Um, selling their consoles at a profit now still doesn't offset years of selling them at a loss, not to mention the $1 billion plus they spent to repair the dead ones.

Try again.

Agreed. Sadly, Xbox has been a financial sinkhole of epic proportions - more than twenty billion dollars “invested” for over nearly a decade, not to mention exorbitant amounts of managements' time and “talent.” If it weren’t for creative accounting, Xbox would still remain unprofitable for the next 6-7 years, and $6B-$7B deeper in losses. MS has lost over $5B with sales of the original XBox alone - no amount of trickling profits from here on in will ever come close to even slightly (sugar)coating the bottom surface of this massive deficit, not to mention, as you have, further losses due to the $1B+ warranty/recall charges - by no means does this represent a successful business model, by any standards.

 

[celtikmind]

Heh, that's pretty much my view too. Although I disagree on point 2. I just bought a 360 after keeping a fair distance for years. But it's really worth it now, granted I'm not playing much as I prefer FPS games the way they're meant to be played (keyboard/mouse) but Fable 2, Skate, and all them 10 a penny RPGs are actually quite good. And until I get a powerful enought PC I'll be playing many of the multiplatform games on my 360.

As gaming stands now you need all systems for a complete experience.

I'm about to get one. Fable 2 is a must to me. Played Fable TLC on the PC years ago and have been playing it again on the Mac when they released it over here a month or two back. Oops! Yes, it arrived _that_ late on Mac...
Won't be looking for Fable 2 for Mac until somewhere in 2014!

Using something that runs OS X(86) and getting one of consoles will probably get you the most experience with the least amount of hardware.

Absolutely agree. I bought Far Cry 2 as it received excellent ratings and just found it boring, generic and devoid of any differentiating factor. Crysis was great right up until they introduced the aliens then it just became a chore.

Me too. Why does every shooter these days have to end in "Aliens did it. They're behind all this". Must be a massive hostile alien takeover paranoia ruling peoples minds today...