Windows 7 is a threat to Apple's market share

[skaertus]

The main reason I switched back is because of the big software choice I have on Windows. Apart from that there are small annoying things in Apple and Mac OS X:

• I dont like the fact that the Finder cannot merge folder contents. It always has to replace the contents of a folder
• No cut and paste in Finder. I used Path Finder for it but still I find it really bad that the Finder doesn't have that simple function
• I find the Windows Explorer (especially in Windows 7) to be much better than the Finder
• No Blu-Ray support
• I missed a maximize Window option. Please don't tell me that I can drag a window to its max size...I know that
• After three years with Apple I came to the realization that Apple wants to dictate how my computer will be. I dont't like that. I am a power user and I need to be totally free. This freedom I have in Windows
• On the Mac there is no really good PIM, at least not as good as Outlook. I have used lots of them and every single one of them had its issues.
• Converting Video files for my Playstation 3. I always had to go to the VM and use mkv2vob, the best tool available for the job
• It seems to me that in almost every category, the best software exists on Windows and not on Mac, unless you are a typical user. Apple's software is more consumer oriented. I respect that but I cannot live with that any longer. I need something better
• Choices, choices, choices....On the Mac I have one recording software that is any good (Toast), on Windows there are many more (that was just an example)

I can cite two additional things:

1. Microsoft Office on Windows is much better than on MacOS, and new versions are released earlier. This is important because MS Office is the most used and perhaps the most important piece of software out there.

2. The way both systems render fonts. Windows uses ClearType, which makes fonts way clearer and sharper on the screen (although it distorts the fonts a little). MacOS takes a purist approach, and show fonts on the screen exactly as they appear on print. This approach is great for graphic designers, but if you want to sit in front of your word processor for hours, you'd get less tired with ClearType.

 

[uaecasher]

The main reason I switched back is because of the big software choice I have on Windows. Apart from that there are small annoying things in Apple and Mac OS X:

• I dont like the fact that the Finder cannot merge folder contents. It always has to replace the contents of a folder
• No cut and paste in Finder. I used Path Finder for it but still I find it really bad that the Finder doesn't have that simple function
• I find the Windows Explorer (especially in Windows 7) to be much better than the Finder
• No Blu-Ray support
• I missed a maximize Window option. Please don't tell me that I can drag a window to its max size...I know that
• After three years with Apple I came to the realization that Apple wants to dictate how my computer will be. I dont't like that. I am a power user and I need to be totally free. This freedom I have in Windows
• On the Mac there is no really good PIM, at least not as good as Outlook. I have used lots of them and every single one of them had its issues.
• Converting Video files for my Playstation 3. I always had to go to the VM and use mkv2vob, the best tool available for the job
• It seems to me that in almost every category, the best software exists on Windows and not on Mac, unless you are a typical user. Apple's software is more consumer oriented. I respect that but I cannot live with that any longer. I need something better
• Choices, choices, choices....On the Mac I have one recording software that is any good (Toast), on Windows there are many more (that was just an example)

i agree with you mac os is powerful and stable but missing simple options

 

[petvas]

I can cite two additional things:

1. Microsoft Office on Windows is much better than on MacOS, and new versions are released earlier. This is important because MS Office is the most used and perhaps the most important piece of software out there.

2. The way both systems render fonts. Windows uses ClearType, which makes fonts way clearer and sharper on the screen (although it distorts the fonts a little). MacOS takes a purist approach, and show fonts on the screen exactly as they appear on print. This approach is great for graphic designers, but if you want to sit in front of your word processor for hours, you'd get less tired with ClearType.

Yes, I forgot about that...

 

[brendon2020]

i just use my windows machine for gaming. I've been a mac user for the same amount of time and have 2 mac pros (home and work) several mac minis and a the new macbook pro.
I don't think any release of windows will be a threat to apple, all they can do is aid in apple's market share.

 

[Boneoh]

I've come to the conclusion that Win7 is not a threat to OS X. Mac and OS X is still a niche and will most likely remain so. The folks who switch back and forth between OSes is a really small percentage.

I think Win7 is a great opportunity for MS to get people off of XP. Lot's of people and even large corporations have skipped the Vista upgrade. If Win7 actually performs like it has in beta, most of the XP folks will upgrade.

Between the XP upgraders and Vista users migrating, MS will probably have a very successful launch of Win7.

 

[skaertus]

I've come to the conclusion that Win7 is not a threat to OS X. Mac and OS X is still a niche and will most likely remain so. The folks who switch back and forth between OSes is a really small percentage.

I think Win7 is a great opportunity for MS to get people off of XP. Lot's of people and even large corporations have skipped the Vista upgrade. If Win7 actually performs like it has in beta, most of the XP folks will upgrade.

Between the XP upgraders and Vista users migrating, MS will probably have a very successful launch of Win7.

If MacOS is so much of a niche, why has its market share more than duplicated over the years?

Both Microsoft and Apple are aware that Windows and MacOS are competitors. And people do switch between these operating systems. They do migrate by buying new computers.

 

[HSJR]

Windows 7 may become a threat to apple's market share, if it succeed. But what will happen if windows 7 bring another failure to microsoft? what will happen to microsoft market share?

 

[kolax]

Windows 7 may become a threat to apple's market share, if it succeed. But what will happen if windows 7 bring another failure to microsoft? what will happen to microsoft market share?

The beta is pretty awesome, so I can't see how Windows 7 will be a flop.

 

[HSJR]

The beta is pretty awesome, so I can't see how Windows 7 will be a flop.

I did not tried the beta version, but I think windows 7 will demand more power than vista.

 

[flopticalcube]

I did not tried the beta version, but I think windows 7 will demand more power than vista.

From all reports the opposite appears to be the case.

 

[QCassidy352]

If Windows 7 is good, then so much the better for all of us. Competition is good and will force all players to improve their products that much more.

That said, I don't think Windows 7 erases many of the advantages that OS X has. These include: attractiveness, intuitiveness, full-functionality out of the box (office being the big exception), and tight integration with the computer hardware and other devices (ipod, iphone, airport extreme, TV).

Personally, I won't be switching away from mac because I'm extremely satisfied with what I have. I'm not discounting the possibility that Windows 7 could be the best Windows yet, maybe even better than OS X, but my computer run very fast, never crashes, and runs all of the software I want (Btw, the idea that Outlook could be someone's reason for sticking with Windows is kinda funny to me... I have to use outlook at work, and I hate it. Outlook is an evil little program that does its best to thwart my attempts at productivity, and I can't imagine voluntarily using it over Mail. /rant). I have no reason to look elsewhere.

 

[skaertus]

I did not tried the beta version, but I think windows 7 will demand more power than vista.

I've tested Windows 7 beta, and it's a good piece of software. And it does run faster than Vista. Microsoft has done a great job with it.

 

[skaertus]

If Windows 7 is good, then so much the better for all of us. Competition is good and will force all players to improve their products that much more.

That said, I don't think Windows 7 erases many of the advantages that OS X has. These include: attractiveness, intuitiveness, full-functionality out of the box (office being the big exception), and tight integration with the computer hardware and other devices (ipod, iphone, airport extreme, TV).

Personally, I won't be switching away from mac because I'm extremely satisfied with what I have. I'm not discounting the possibility that Windows 7 could be the best Windows yet, maybe even better than OS X, but my computer run very fast, never crashes, and runs all of the software I want (Btw, the idea that Outlook could be someone's reason for sticking with Windows is kinda funny to me... I have to use outlook at work, and I hate it. Outlook is an evil little program that does its best to thwart my attempts at productivity, and I can't imagine voluntarily using it over Mail. /rant). I have no reason to look elsewhere.

Windows 7 provides a better user experience than Windows Vista. It is more intuitive and attractive than Vista. It is also tighter integrated with hardware. Steve Ballmer even said that he wants Windows to be as good an experience as MacOS.

 

[HSJR]

If Windows 7 is good, then so much the better for all of us. Competition is good and will force all players to improve their products that much more.

That said, I don't think Windows 7 erases many of the advantages that OS X has. These include: attractiveness, intuitiveness, full-functionality out of the box (office being the big exception), and tight integration with the computer hardware and other devices (ipod, iphone, airport extreme, TV).

Personally, I won't be switching away from mac because I'm extremely satisfied with what I have. I'm not discounting the possibility that Windows 7 could be the best Windows yet, maybe even better than OS X, but my computer run very fast, never crashes, and runs all of the software I want (Btw, the idea that Outlook could be someone's reason for sticking with Windows is kinda funny to me... I have to use outlook at work, and I hate it. Outlook is an evil little program that does its best to thwart my attempts at productivity, and I can't imagine voluntarily using it over Mail. /rant). I have no reason to look elsewhere.

I hope to see competiation between OS X & windows similar to GPU manufacturer Ati & nvidia, to benefit us.

I've tested Windows 7 beta, and it's a good piece of software. And it does run faster than Vista. Microsoft has done a great job with it.

Also Apple has done great job in Leopard, so I expect more from the long waited snow leopard. I believe it is still early to speak about the upcoming win 7 & SL; unless you are trying to increase market share & increasing popularity before the offical release for the new OS.

 

[skaertus]

I hope to see competiation between OS X & windows similar to GPU manufacturer Ati & nvidia, to benefit us.





Also Apple has done great job in Leopard, so I expect more from the long waited snow leopard. I believe it is still early to speak about the upcoming win 7 & SL; unless you are trying to increase market share & increasing popularity before the offical release for the new OS.

I can hardly wait to see them both. Snow Leopard is all about changes under the hood, so I suppose it will be very fast. But so will Windows 7.

 

[Jethryn Freyman]

At the end of the day, Windows 7 is still windows. If it is good, it may stop a few people from switching to OS X, but it won't make OS X users flock to Windows.

 

[skaertus]

At the end of the day, Windows 7 is still windows. If it is good, it may stop a few people from switching to OS X, but it won't make OS X users flock to Windows.

Windows 7 is still Windows, so what? Is using Windows against your principles?

 

[NT1440]

Windows 7 is still Windows, so what? Is using Windows against your principles?

Some of us really don't like the feel of windows.

 

[QCassidy352]

Steve Ballmer even said that he wants Windows to be as good an experience as MacOS.

I'll bet he does...

 

[Melrose]

Windows 7 is still Windows, so what? Is using Windows against your principles?

He didn't suggest it was against his principles at all, simply that by and large, Mac users are more satisfied with their computers.

 

[yizzle0912]

If Windows 7 is good, then so much the better for all of us. Competition is good and will force all players to improve their products that much more.

Well said. At the end of the day, I'd prefer a world where 10% of people use macs to a world where 90% of people use macs. (I'm not an Apple stockholder) If Apple does eventually become the dominant force in the market, we could have a switching of roles for Microsoft and Apple; Apple will start being lazy and producing bloated OSs, while Microsoft will produce better software in order to compete.

 

[skaertus]

He didn't suggest it was against his principles at all, simply that by and large, Mac users are more satisfied with their computers.

Yes, this is true. But look at the quality of the PCs those vendors sell... I guess you can't blame it on Windows alone.

 

[jdechko]

...people who migrated to Apple because of Vista will be tempted to go back to Windows, thus causing a decrease in the market share of Apple.
Windows 7 is really a great OS...

That's entirely possible, but I dont think it's likely that Vista-switchers will be leaving OS X en masse. The simple explanation is that purchasing software and setting everything up is a time-consuming process for the average user. A lot of people aren't going to ignore the money spent moving to Mac and dump their Macs altogether just because Windows 7 may be 5-10% faster at importing family photos.

Having said that, I hope that Win7 is a threat to Apple's marketshare. It will force Apple to innovate. Snow Leopard will already be out, but 10.7/10.8/OS XI will be better if Win7 is a threat. If Dell/HP/Sony/etc. come out with threatening systems, Apple has to do better to stay up with them.

In short, Bring it.

 

[gkarris]

Windows 7 is great.

With the economy, and the new MS Ad campaign, I think people with old XP computers will think twice about switching to Mac and probably end up with a Windows 7 machine instead.

Not worth the $ if you have a machine that runs Vista well...

 

[kabunaru]

Statement: Windows 7 is a threat to Apple
Reply: Not unless Snow Leopard comes and saves the day.