Why Microsoft's "Lauren" Ad is Offensive
By Ed Oswald | Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 1:11 pm
I noticed some tweets (join me on Twitter’, @edoswald) over the past several days regarding Microsoft’s latest ad from those on Redmond’s side of the aisle. One of them specifically told “Mac fanbois” to “GROW UP,” so I decided to post this to explain why Microsoft’s latest ad is not only factually loose, but offensive as well.
“Lauren” is given $1,000 to go and get a PC. Within 10 seconds, Microsoft’s already going for the gusto. She goes into the “Mac store” — red flag here already, anyone who is even remotely interested in a Mac knows it’s the Apple Store — and within seconds is out saying how the only under $1,000 unit is the white Macbook.
Okay, true enough there Lauren. But in the car, she then proceeds to take it where I think the ad shouldn’t have gone, and where I began to have a problem with it. “I’m just not cool enough to be a Mac person,” she exclaims. Wow, just wow.
So, Microsoft, apparently now bankrupt with ideas on how to fight back, needs to take it there. While yes, Apple’s ads poke fun at Microsoft/PCs, it has always been in a lighthearted manner that was funny.
There was nothing funny about Lauren’s delivery. In fact, it was almost said with a snarkiness that seems to try to rekindle the old “Mac users are jerks” stigma. I personally take offense to that.
Of course next they’re in the Best Buy, and Lauren is just “overwhelmed” by the choices. Now, Microsoft won’t tell you exactly what these computers are or do–heck, that might show the consumer you get what you pay for!
Finally she settles on a $699 HP Pavillion Notebook. The best thing about this is the fact that it has all the trappings of what drove PC users to Macs and got Microsoft sued over Vista for.
Forget about Aero, this thing does Vista Home. RAM? It’s the slower DDR2 model. The screen? Reviewed as one of the worst one person had ever seen. The battery? 2.5 hours per charge. In other words, this thing IS worth only the $699 she “paid” for it.
Cheap is not better people, it never will be. While yes, Apple’s products do sometimes carry some kind of premium, for the most part you will get a much better constructed product. It’s worth spending the extra money.
Add to it the LIFETIME free technical support IN PERSON, and how can you argue with that. That’s worth the extra money in and of itself.
Best of all? Lauren’s not real. She’s an actress.
So there you go. I hope Microsoft’s happy with what they got. Misleading consumers into thinking they can get good computers for rock bottom prices. Bravo.
The sad thing? A lot of consumers will probably fall for this crap.
116 Comments
Read more:
106 Comments For This Post
10 Trackbacks For This Post
-
BADOOBLE » Blog Archive » Lauren Scores A Free Windows Laptop Says:
March 28th, 2009 at 7:21 pm[…] ad (embedded below) seems to be getting a pretty good reception across the web – except among die-hard Mac users, of course. I like it – Lauren is adorable and the ad makes a valid point about the […]
-
[TechBlogWatch] Best of Blogs für den 29.3.2009 | TechFieber | Hot Gadget Blog. Smart Tech News. Says:
March 29th, 2009 at 6:26 am[…] Why Microsoft’s “Lauren” Ad is Offensive […]
-
Mac vs. PC: Some Can Dish It Out & Take It, Others… Not So Much | Bob Caswell Says:
March 29th, 2009 at 12:43 pm[…] (this topic was at the top of Techmeme earlier today) and feel the need to point out the “offense,” “pointlessness,” and […]
-
A Lesson In Blog Ethics « Bits and Bytes Says:
March 29th, 2009 at 8:57 pm[…] Lesson In Blog Ethics Well, my latest post on Technologizer has certainly struck a chord among many on both sides of the aisle. It’s […]
-
a few morning headlines « Speckled Says:
March 30th, 2009 at 8:47 am[…] a lighter note, this article, “Why Microsoft’s ‘Lauren’ Ad is Offensive” was a tirade of typical Mac-user pride and elitism. The article’s author complains that the […]
-
Top Posts « WordPress.com Says:
March 30th, 2009 at 5:08 pm[…] Why Microsoft’s “Lauren” Ad is Offensive I noticed some tweets (join me on Twitter’, @edoswald) over the past several days regarding Microsoft’s […] […]
-
Lauren « bibliographic decontrol Says:
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:55 am[…] place notes that she calls “the Apple store” “the Mac store,” like that’s some sort of major transgression. Astute observers observe that she didn’t […]
-
Oh Christ, shut up already at Lepus Lepidus Says:
April 5th, 2009 at 1:03 pm[…] the folks who got upset about the ad making Mac people sound like elitist jerks…and then blogged in their own defense about it to cement the stereotype.) God forbid someone buy a cheap PC laptop and live happily ever after. […]
-
Zev Mo Bloggin’ » Blog Archive » Hey, Lauren! Is Apple’s 17-Inch MacBook Pro Expensive? Says:
April 6th, 2009 at 10:44 am[…] red. You can see this passion crop up in some of the comments on Ed Oswald’s two recent posts (here and here) on Microsoft’s new “Lauren” ad comparing 17-inch Windows laptops to the MacBook […]
-
talbog.com » Blog Archive » hey-lauren-is-apples-17-inch-macbook-pro-expensi Says:
May 27th, 2010 at 11:24 am[…] You can see this passion crop up in some of the comments on Ed Oswald’s two recent posts (here and here) on Microsoft’s new “Lauren” ad comparing 17-inch Windows laptops to the […]
March 28th, 2009 at 5:52 am
Lauren may be an actor but she wasn't acting off of any script or guidelines. You should be sure to point that out.
January 4th, 2012 at 5:30 am
Good point. Muay Thai Combinations | Muay Thai Kick | Martial Arts for Children
March 28th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
How do we know that? After finding out she is indeed an actress, all bets are off as to the validity of anything happening in this ad, IMHO.
March 28th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Anyone thinking this ad was not scripted is smoking some serious dogScheiße!
March 28th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Hey, I personally think Lauren is pretty hot- love redheads! But with Windows Vista the only choice, she may have more beauty than brains.
March 28th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Generally speaking, people who use Macs are less computer literate (no offense intended) because Macs are beautifully designed no-brainer machines. This is a good thing for people like graphic artists, liberal techno-posers, aesthetically-sensitive female college students, and really old people – who don’t like to be bothered with technical details, logical thinking, or the pain of hacking through computer problems. It also lets such people pretend that they are participating “on the leading edge” of the technological revolution: “Look at me; I’m microblogging about carbon-neutral tofu!” The trade-off, of course, is price. Apple customers pay through the nose (both at point of sale and later, for service). I like to call this price disparity the “no-brainer” tax. Just remember that “less brain pain = more wallet drain”.
March 28th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Not Scripted??
I refer to her last line in the ad (“I’m a PC.. and I got what I wanted”). Anyone who expects us to believe that she had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA that she was making a Microsoft commercial when she delivered that line (which links this poor excuse for a campaign in with Microsoft’s last poor excuse for a campaign) either smoked some bad crack (or works in advertising – don’t get me started).
March 28th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
“Add to it the LIFETIME free technical support IN PERSON, and how can you argue with that. That’s worth the extra money in and of itself.”
Lol. If you’re making 20K a year before taxes and the stability of your job isn’t assured, a 2K computer with free tech support so you can send email, surf the net, and organize photos, isn’t that palatable. This is why people are buying netbooks.
March 28th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
I have a lifetime’s worth of computer experience, starting in the late 1970s.
I write software for a living. I use Macs because they let me concentrate less on the pain of keeping the machine running and more on actually getting work done. They also have a strong aesthetic appeal – everything was designed in an integrated way that makes it all work harmoniously.
There’s nothing wrong with being knowledgeable about computers, and yet admitting you don’t want to be a slave to problems. And if you’re in that position, Apple gear is worth every penny.
D
March 28th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Wow Ron, just before you rush out from under the bridge to see if that’s another billygoat clipclopping overhead.. Wanting a computer that just works – makes you less computer literate? I could go on here, but really? Do you run Norton? Do you get pleasure from it?
March 28th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Ron,
If you enjoy using the command line interface so much, get a Mac.
March 28th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
@Ed: I don’t think anything Lauren said is offensive, but it does play into the stigma associated with being a Mac user. (For an example of this stigma, see what Ron said above.) It’s no more offensive than that old Mac commercial when PC gets a C++ GUI programming guide as a gift. I clearly remember thinking, “I wonder what widget toolkit it’s about… or maybe it’s an overview of ALL of them!”
March 28th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
I don’t understand the “offense”. Unfortunately Apple has been using the PC/Mac adds tend to be more designed to offend the “other” than to showcase the benefits of a Mac. Those commercials were so off the mark from the reality, that they were received well hoping to be comical. So when a commercial showcases the value difference which is hard to argue based on specs and price paid, how is this worse? The comments here make assumptions the HP user would have a paltry experience, but that comes off sounding more defensive based on opinion, than on the cost to ability of the purchase.
If Apple wants to compare hardware, than they should go head to head with the other PC hardware manufacturers.
Why doesn’t Apple sell OSX to be used on non-Apple hardware? When you have existing hardware that is already superior, it’s a big step to say “if I want to try OSX, I need to throw this hardware away and buy Apple branded hardware which is pretty much the same”. Make it so it’s the curious person who does not like their OS to really try an alternative without the cost penalty.
Take the HP notebook in the ad, and sell both Vista and OSX on it, and see how consumers react. If OSX is so superior of an experience, it would be an even hardware platform to make comparisons.
Is Apple a software company who sells specialized hardware to optimize their software, or are they a hardware company who wants to showcase their hardware with a specialized OS?
If Apple did open up their software to be installed on non-Apple hardware easily by consumers, would it lose it’s perceived benefit? Could it scale to the permutations of different hardware out there and offer the same experience?
It’s ironic that Apple appears to have become what they rallied against in their 1984 commercial.
March 28th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
@Ron: Way to cram us all into a convenient, outmoded stereotype. I can code my own web pages. I feel comfortable mucking with hardware. I write for a major PC (Windows-centric) publication. I eat meat. And I own a Mac.
I won’t say I was insulted, per se, but the ad just seemed so strange. For one, it suggested that Mac users buy Macs just for image. Um, no. I own a Mac because I prefer the way it works. I’m sure there are some Mac users who *do* buy one just on the basis of cool, but my gut feeling is if you asked random Mac users on the street, most of them would say that hey bought the Mac for the way it works, not for coolness.
And while I know the “just not cool enough” quip was meant to be a sarcastic jab, I agree with what one of Macworld’s bloggers have to say on the topic:
“Microsoft’s backhand shot at “coolness” is just trying to reinforce the view that Mac users are simply stuck-up snobs who pay too much attention to such mundane things as how good a computer looks—but I think it might just come across as an admission of inferiority to the casual observer.”
(linky: http://www.macworld.com/article/139691/2009/03/microsoft_ad_declares_that_macs_are_too_cool_for_their_customers.html)
MS is onto something with the message that you can get a PC for less than a Mac (at least initial cost), I think they could’ve taken a slightly different approach.
March 28th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
And another thing: I’ve just gotten so sick of the whole platform war. I have Mac-using friends and colleagues, and Windows-using friends and colleagues. I worked at a computer store for two years, and sold computers with Apple logos, Dell logos, Lenovos, and so on. And guess, what? I don’t care what people use, as long as they use the system that would work best for them.
Why people insist on making it a class war/holy war is beyond me.
March 28th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Yeah, the holy war is pretty lame. Even stupider are the people that still say crap like “Oh, Mac is only good for graphics.” *yawn*
March 28th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Offensive? You’ve got to be kidding me! The “light hearted” Mac ads made PCs users out to be pudgy balding guys who dig spreadsheets. Nothing but laughs there… So now an ad comes along that says, in essence, I got a computer with the specs I wanted for the price I wanted. Oh right, I forgot the snarky comment. I do feel your pain. Why don’t the offended Mac folks focus their outrage on the fact that poor Lauren can’t afford a Mac. Surely there’s a social justice issue there.
March 28th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
“Generally speaking, people who use Macs are less computer literate”
I’m offended. I’m a Mac user and a scientist. I like my presentations to LOOK GOOD. Got a problem with that?
Ron: When’s MSFT gonna discover UNIX? OS X has been on UNIX–what– eight years? Windows: still waiting………..
March 28th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
No matter how objectively I view it, I have a difficult time finding this ad offensive to anyone but die-hard Apple evangelists. Certainly I have great difficulty finding it to be any more offensive than Apple’s (often factually dubious) “Get A Mac” ads of the past three years.
Regarding your specific concerns, you’re being a bit factually loose yourself. Yes, she says “Mac store”, but there’s no doubt what store she’s entering. If I were a non-techie, I might call it the ‘Mac store’ or ‘iPod store’ or ‘big shiny aluminum cube’ if I felt like it, and I am certain that someone like my little sister (if she were looking for a laptop) would very likely call it the Mac store. It’s a minor point, not a “red flag”, and possibly only done to avoid trademark infringement or some such thing, the closest thing Microsoft does to labeling Apple ‘Brand X’ as in commercials of old. (Apple never says ‘Microsoft’ in their ads, either – conspiracy? Doubtful.)
Regarding the uproar over her ‘cool’ line… Well, and? After three years of relentless (if usually amusing) ads in the Get A Mac campaign, Apple has done far more to stereotype Windows users with their spreadsheets and calculators than merely accusing them of an excess of cool. Yes, her delivery was serious, but given her criteria (a 17″ laptop under $1000) and the massive price difference between her budget and Apple’s offerings, is she not allowed to feel dismayed? I also hardly think one can get offended by how she ‘almost’ said something.
Next, you get your facts wrong. The computer she purchased (identified by several sources as this one: http://tinyurl.com/d4v9v2 [an HP dv7-1245dx]) features Vista Home Premium, with Aero fully capable and functional. Vista Home Basic, the stripped-down Vista that got Microsoft in trouble, hasn’t been sold with many mainstream laptops for a while now, since all but netbooks and sub-$500 laptops have hardware capable to run any of Vista Home Premium’s features. Vista Home does not equal Vista Home Basic. Yes, it comes with DDR2 RAM – Just like the least expensive (and still $300 pricier) MacBook, only Lauren’s HP will have 4GB instead of the 2GB-equipped MacBook. Similarly, her HP will have a 320GB hard drive instead of the MacBook’s 120GB, and Microsoft Works preinstalled compared to the MacBook’s $49 extra for iWork. You’re right about the battery life on the HP being skint, that I’ll concede. She might be an actress, but does anyone expect ‘real’ people in any kind of advertising these days… and, for that matter, don’t actresses need laptops too? Maybe she’s just an extrovert. I can’t say how ‘real’ she is, since I don’t know if she was ‘found’ or hired for this as, but it’s *possible* she’s still ‘real’.
Bottom line, though? With so many people living ‘in the cloud’ these days, it’s getting harder to justify the Apple premium. Yes, they’re more beautiful machines. Yes, they’re better-designed. If 90% of what we do is inside Firefox or the cross-platform iTunes anyway, however, at what point does that no longer matter? Lauren’s $699 laptop obviously doesn’t compare to its only direct Apple analogue, the $2800 17″ MacBook Pro, but those are clearly two completely different markets. How many trips to the Genius Bar would it take for Lauren to justify even the cheapest Mac’s price differential? We know nothing of her real needs beyond ‘speed, 17″ screen, comfortable keyboard’, so it’s hard to say. What’s misleading about the ad? Upgrading to Vista was painful, but a pre-installed system is perfectly usable – what’s Lauren missing here that obviates the $300+ price bump to a Mac laptop?
March 28th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
@Ron
Fuck off.
I’ve been using computers since 1979 and the Mac is the best user experience currently available – to any computer user. By that I mean a machine that is used to create stuff. Stick to your fucking pc and just piss off.
March 28th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
The Mac may be more expensive, but I earn more money in less time with more fun.
Let all the people who want it cheap stick with Windows and loose their time, concentration and inspiration. The new Windows 7 again is just a cheap copy, profoundly unesthetic. Have You already noticed the difference of web pages dedicated to Mac users and the ones for PC (shareware, etc)? I admit, that MS has some advantages in functionality (Explorer) and for traditional Offfice folks more software choices, but that’s about it.
March 28th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
@Ron I have actually found the opposite of your argument to be true. Most of the people I know who use macs (many of them are developers) do so because they know they are getting what they pay for because they ARE computer literate.
I also know a lot of people that buy cheap PCs because they don’t realize that they are buying a product that just isn’t going to hold up. Look at Lauren in the ad.
I am a Mac user and in no way feel like I am too good for a PC I just find that Macs work better with less hassle for me. Sure, you can get a decent PC, but you are going to be paying more for it too.
March 28th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
“Mac users are jerks” … sadly in my experience this happens to be generally true.
March 28th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
…obviously with exceptions to the rule as always.
March 28th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Ron’s comments caused me to experience many lolz.
March 28th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
This ad is “offensive” and all the “I’m a PC” “I’m a Mac” ads aren’t ???
what a hoot!
The entire business model of Apple has been built on the image of “cool” for years. They invented tech evangelists for gods sake. They ran the offensive PC/Mac ads promoting the “cool” factor. And they succeeded in creating a snobbish presumptuous customer base – which has no problem with spending extra bucks to maintain their self image. Pretty sick if you ask me.
But this killer ad has knocked their legs right out from under them! Hit Mac freaks right where it counts – their “coolness” factor. How sweet!!
March 28th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
I believe Microsoft is telling America not to spend more than $700 on a 17″ laptop.
If I were HP, Dell, or Best Buy, I’d be pretty hacked-off, since my profit comes from the more expensive machines.
But what does Microsoft care? They make the same on any machine.
Microsoft needs to tread carefully here …
March 28th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
No, Mac users are not, as a rule, jerks, except maybe for rattyuk, who succeeded in perpetuating that priggish element of the Mac user image.
March 28th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Hey Ron. Thanks for trolling.
I bought my first computer (a Vic 20) in 1982. In the subsequent years, I have owned a C64, an Amiga 500, a generic PC and four Macs (currently saving for a new Macbook).
I have been providing PC (not Mac) support in my workplace for 19 years. Why the hell would I want to put up with all the attendant problems at home. While they are not perfect (nothing is), mostly Macs do work as advertised. My long experience supporting PC’s in a large installation says that the same cannot be said for computers running Windows.
Your comments are not just ignorant, but demonstrate the arrogance that Mac users are so often accused of.
March 28th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
What is all this ‘extra time’ people keep saying it takes to do stuff on Windows? I write a lot – and I just click on the Word icon in my quick launch bar and start writing. It’s almost instantaneous! If I want to ftp something – I click on the Filezilla icon and start uploading my files. I click on the Photoshop Elements icon to do my image editing. Firefox also opens whenever I click on its icon. I can then go to any web site I want by clicking on a bookmark or typing in an address. I usually use Songbird to play music, and it too is just a click away.
Those programs are all available on Windows and Mac OS X, by the way, and work pretty much the same in either environment.
Yeah, I need anti virus software running quietly in the backbround, but it updates itself every day without my help (and it’s one of several free options).
I think Os X is a superbly designed and intuitive operating system, but Windows XP and Vista work well enough for most people, and Mac evangelists have oversold the ease-of-use argument that was probably once a lot more relevant. If you want a Mac and can afford it, go for it. But don’t get OFFENDED when Microsoft tries to convince potential customers that Windows is a valid choice.
March 28th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
I’d heard she was an actress but was judiciously skeptical until it was substantiated. I’ve had good times with both Mac and Windows but the overall Mac experience wins for me. I also went into details about what doesn’t make sense about this ad, and why a lot of the Mac vs. PC conflict is artificial and doesn’t matter: http://tr.im/macpc
March 28th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
@Badooble: Installing a Windows PC and configuring it well took me usually one day, the Mac two hours. In case of a problem i bring it to my dealer and have it repaired either right now or in the next two days (I can rent a machine), the salesmen are all competent.
Daily work : a lot of intuitive shortcuts, a true object oriented OS, system wide configurations (one example : I have a french machine with an english system and write also a lot in german), Spotlight, Gestures Trackpad, Exposé, Dashbord, all seemlessly integrated, no bullshit apps.
One example : I drag the icon in the title of a Finder window onto my text editor and he shows all the files in it in a side bar.
Another example : Setting up TimeMachine with a mixed Ethernet / Wifi LAN takes about 3 minutes.
I’ve been working on Windows for about ten years and had a hard time to switch, as developer I work pretty close to the system, but in no way I’d go back. Just compare the Ssytem preferences Panels of Windows 7 against the one in OS X, the Mac one is readable ata a glance, the windows one requitres my full attention.
March 28th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
As noted, basically MS is preaching to the choir – why pay more than $699 for any PC and all brands are the SAME ..
http://www.acmeplex.com/2009/03/28/new-microsoft-ad-all-pcs-are-the-same/
March 28th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
One neglects the fact that not every one can afford a mac. It’s a fact. I can afford them so i own several, it’s not a coolness issue, they’re just better. However that being said, we’ve berated pc’s for their many many flaws for soooooo long, must we be so defensive when the pc community points one of the few flaws that are persent in the apple world. And lets be real they could make a more affordable mac that would run very well, christ i’m typing this on a 5 year old powermac that seems to function at almost the same speed as my brand new macbook. If you doubt this google “nvidia ion” and you’ll see what i mean.
March 28th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Anyone that thinks the commercial wasn’t scripted to some degree is just plain nuts. Clearly she had either been fed some things to say or it was entirely scripted. Either way, it wasn’t what it appeared to be or was portrayed to be. The merits of the argument and the offensiveness of it are all subjective, but nonetheless the tact Microsoft is making seems odd.
Oh, and the comment that Mac users are not technical was just pathetic. Grow up!
March 28th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
I think that it’s a great ad! Apple has been beating Microsoft around for years with the “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” crap. I have a custom built Dell mobile workstation that I designed just as my business partners MacBookPro. My system was only $400 less than his; mine did have a faster processor and the next step up in HDD. Really the only difference is the OS, I had mine built with XP Pro. I just didn’t want to deal with Vista at that time. When it comes to performance, they are pretty much equal, as they should be. The big difference is that he has had some major quality issues like a dead motherboard, then a dead DVD module, next was a dead Firewire card, and the worst was the swelling battery that rendered the keyboard useless and a major repair was done. All this happened within the first 16 months! All but the motherboard happen just after the warranty ran out. For me, I’ve had only one issue and that was with my DVD module. Dell sent me a new module by next day service, plugged it in and no problems. So, what I’m saying is, the two systems are pretty much equal when you are pricing oranges to oranges. Even though I’m a Windows PC user I feel that Apple has the best OS but that’s really all. When Windows 7 gets here, things may get even closer. I’m just sticking with my Dell mobile custom workstation. It’s an awesome machine! Just as awesome as any MacBookPro.
March 28th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
“. . . people who use Macs are less computer literate . . . Macs are beautifully designed no-brainer machines. This is a good thing for people like graphic artists . . . ”
Sorry to pile on, Ron, but you also clearly don’t have much of an idea of what’s involved with doing graphic arts, as you call them, on the Mac or any other platform – let alone serious professional design and production, especially for print – and to have pushed the boundaries of the technology for the last two decades.
First of all, once print design and production started to migrate away from the drafting board in about 1987 – and finishing the conversion in about 1994/1995 – the art directors became the MOST computer-literate people in any creative organization. And we were all self-taught – the software courses didn’t exist.
From day one, we were constantly manipulating bigger files than whatever machines we were working on could really handle. And we were recovering from the inevitable crashes – often at 3 am the night before a major presentation, with no tech support available by phone or any other way (remember there was no internet.)
In fact, if we were in any sort of corporate environment, the knowledge of the tech support folks about our particular problems was often laughable. What did they know about Quark or the early versions of Illustrator or Photoshop? What did they know about font conflicts, or that hangs and freezes meant we needed more memory – when an extra few megs cost hundreds of dollars?
Did the help-desk folks have to attach stacks of external hard drives, including removables with exotic brand names like Bernoulli and Syquest, so their other users could transport huge (in the day) 40- and 50-mb files to printers? And let me tell you how we attached those drives to each other and our Macs: SCSI. Big, thick cables with connectors the size of half a deck of cards – no hot-swapping, and please remember that you have to add a terminator to the first and last device on your daisy chain, or nothing will work.
Now, it’s true that for normal people (not us pixel-pushers) a modern Mac OS X notebook or box will almost never crash, and earlier Macs were more reliable than PCs, we designers have always had to watch our tendencies to overtax whatever hardware we have in front of us. Back in the day that meant not having too many fonts in a document, or too many text boxes, lest the file not print. Today – actually about a month ago – I discovered I can still break Illustrator. (Just run it after installing free fonts. I didn’t go so far as to use the fonts – they were just sitting there in the font menu!)
And who do you think was first in line to try out any time-saving utilities, or anything that would maybe make a machine run a little faster? Yup. We art directors/designers. And sometimes they’d bite us in the butt with a big old extension conflict. So we’d be doing the dance, as I called it – I’ll grant you that my one friend on the help desk had a more technical name – binary substitution? I must say, a mundane feature of the Mac OS was invaluable for that – the ability to color the file icons. I could color half of the extensions red before uninstalling them, then put recolor the half I was putting back.
Ron, how many of your supposedly more serious computer users routinely manipulate 100-mb files even now (granted, video files get that big and more, very fast), when most entire web sites rarely get that big? How many records would a sales database have to have before it got that big?
Another note from history: Let’s remember why print design has stayed on the Mac. For the first decade, if we tried to do full-color print work on the Windows platform, the color-management technology was poor to nonexistent. So a brochure, for instance, could look great onscreen – but at the printer, the CEO’s face could wind up purple on press – or green.
Finally, I couldn’t help letting out a guffaw at the idea of an art director paying the Apple store for service. Maybe some do. (My attorney would if I let her. But she’s an attorney.) (And our family did conclude, recently, that soldering motherboards is perhaps better left to the pros.) But I bet more of us get under the hood ourselves, especially for simple component upgrades, like memory and storage.
Now, of course, print design troubleshoots itself, and the hardware on both platforms is finally at least as powerful as it needs to be to put out a full publication.
And designers have added the web to their box of tricks. You know, in learning to write CSS and HTML; getting up to speed ton the social web – Facebook, Twitter, Friendfeed and more; and learning just enough to be dangerous about the various scripting languages – it never once occurred to me that web design was a fitting profession for the computer-phobic.
Less computer literate?
Writers? Maybe. Art directors? Are you mad?
March 28th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
Mary,
First of all, lets everyone get it straight, PC’s are just that, personal computers! There are are Apple PC’s, Windows PC’s and Linux PC’s, etc. Secondly, I’m the founder and CEO of Mountain Trail Press and not only am I the original prepress tech/photographer I still do most of the design and prepress work. From 1999 on I’ve been on a Windows based PC publishing books and calendars. I’ve not, even one time, had any problems with color control. I can also tell you that we put out some of the highest quality products in the industry. We deal with nature photography projects so we know color control. Oh, and we are professional photographers as well. All of our printing is in Asia, Hong Kong and Korea. We now print all of our proofs in house and send them over with our digital files. Our printers request only high resolution PDF’s for CTP printing and it’s a piece of cake! So stating that Windows PC’s are a problem in grapics is really a non-issue. Again, my Windows PC will do anything that a comparable Apple PC will do and just as fast. The problem is that people compare a $700 Windows PC to a $2,700 Apple PC. If they compare similar units they will get similar results every time.
http://www.mountaintrailpress.com
March 28th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Oh, and 100mb files, my last book project was 5.6GBs when finished. I routinely work on photographic files that are as much as 1GB in size. They are from drum scanned 4x5in transparencies and our digital files are getting up to over a 1 GB now. Oh, and I’m now doing all my work on a docked Dell Precision mobile workstation.
March 28th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Terrible article Ed. The apple ads are more offensive than this one because they don’t use facts, this one does.
March 29th, 2009 at 1:10 am
Stop sucking Jobs’ dick you dumbass Mactard!
March 29th, 2009 at 2:15 am
Ha ha, now you say Apple ads are not offensive. May be I’m not cool enough to understand you.
March 29th, 2009 at 2:55 am
The irony is that “Lauren” herself uses idiotic selection criteria – “the look of that one is drawing me” – and seems to have scant idea of what underlies the summary specifications (she is just a 17” size queen). For the record I’m a die-hard Mac user, but think the ad is good! It’s no more “snarky” than the “I’m a Mac/PC” ads by Apple. Would it convince me to buy a Windows PC…lol.
March 29th, 2009 at 4:02 am
No offense dude, but with the personal attacks guys Jobs & Co. kept making on Windows and even Bill G. all the time, the implications of Vista copying Mac on technologies that Microsoft deputed over a decade ago as demonstrations (unlike Apple’s paltry millions customers, MS has billions–even a tiny gaff or break, such as those in Vista, is a big deal: they don’t release a lot quickly without MUCH work), etc., there’s no room to talk in defense of Apple on this.
Nor is Ron’s comment above incorrect people: and neither is Apple uncandid: they sell with the expectation of making nose bleeds, so I don’t know why fanboys try defending Apple on this: and why should we complain about it, it’s their product? Let consumers decide, and if Apple at some point has too much pressure from avoidance, they’ll be forced to drive prices down.
As for “you get what you pay for”, not with Apple: they definitely overcharge–one can assemble far superior hardware configurations for much less, and apple’s aluminum frames don’t justify it either: they’re cheap where one places a disk in the optical drive, and internally they’re poorly assembled–not unoften with tape!
So yeah, no offense: take this from a buy who’s even been considering getting a Mac. : )
March 29th, 2009 at 4:12 am
The ‘weird’ thing about the advert, and previous Microsoft adverts, is that they never mention the Windows operating system. They’re to busy advertising other company’s hardware. They show the Windows logo at the end of the advert almost incidentally.
All the original Apple Ads were comparing PC’s ‘as a whole’ and never once mentioned Windows. They could as easily have been showing how easy it was to use a Mac compared to installing Linux (although we know they weren’t).
Microsoft would be better pointing out that ‘their’ operating system can be used on a PC ‘and’ a Mac but OSx can’t.
March 29th, 2009 at 5:09 am
“Less computer literate? Writers? Maybe. Art directors? Are you mad?”
epic seventh grade godlike computer skillz of html scripting
macn00b, plz
March 29th, 2009 at 5:14 am
Get ready for this shocker- the two guys that play the mac and of on the apple commercials are actors too!! Yeah I know it’s hard to believe, but sometimes they use actors to portray real live people! I hope that didn’t just bring your whole life crashing down. But the truth is that the commercial has a valid point. Apple machines cost more than comparable PCs. I’ve been a mac user since before it was cool, but I can see that for people making the choice between platforms, cost can play a huge role. And not everybody needs a top of the line computer. For most users, the increase in price for performance is not worth it. Especially when most people only browse the web, send the occasional email and maybe write documents with microsoft office. You don’t need a perfect screen or blazing fast ram for simple tasks like these.
March 29th, 2009 at 5:41 am
And the guy that plays PC said that the commercials are bullsh** and the info is totally not true.
But does it really matter? Generally speaking, Windows-based computers are cheaper then macs, but not always. Do direct comparisons and price differences won’t be that crazy.
Or, you could solve all problems and get Linux.
March 29th, 2009 at 6:14 am
well, what should u expect, ms marketing …
March 29th, 2009 at 6:15 am
I’m assuming that this article was meant to troll for comments (and it has worked), because only a fanboy or someone trying to stir the pot could view one commercial with such sensitivity, and yet find the others to be humorous. Huh?
At least from some of the comments above, I’ve learned that I must be one of the more careful and delicate users out there when it comes to the PCs in my inventory. After reading the comments about how they won’t hold up, I’m thankful that every PC I have ever owned has only been retired when it doesn’t make financial sense to upgrade it any more. I feel sorry for the legions who have their PCs falling apart left and right.
March 29th, 2009 at 6:20 am
@ Jared.
And the irony of course is that Justin actually uses a PC and John Hodgeman is an avid Mac user.
March 29th, 2009 at 6:22 am
Err… Blame the ad agency?
March 29th, 2009 at 6:23 am
Generally speaking, people who use PC’s are less computer literate (no offense intended) because PC’s are adequately designed virus prone machines. This is a good thing for people like IT pros, liberal techno-posers, monetary-sensitive female college students, and really old people – who don’t like to be bothered with technical details, logical thinking, or the pain of hacking through computer problems. Someone hacked your registry? Wipe the hard drive and re-install Windows. Some .dll file get corrupted? Wipe the hard drive and re-install Windows, etc… oh yeah, coming to a PC near you soon – conficker!
Want to see how many of your PC friends are “computer literate”, try this: When they are not looking, download a “blue screen of death” pic off the web, set it as the desktop pic and then hide their desktop icons. LOL
@ work my company has made it mandatory that our screen savers lock us out after 10 minutes of inactivity, forcing us to log back in. We are not allowed to change this. So I scheduled a re-occuring task (running a me) to open the Calculator every nine minutes, stay active for a minute and then close. According to our “IT professional” this causes viruses. REALLY!!
Back on topic, I think this is a good ad. MUCH better than the Seinfeld ads. The day I can buy that HP laptop and install OS X on it (legally and without any hassles) will be a great day. I am NOT anti-PC, just anti-M$.
March 29th, 2009 at 6:43 am
The funny thing is that the data (rather than anecdotes from Mac fanbois) indicates that there is no real difference in reliability of HP vs Apple laptops. See the data from Consumer Reports: http://cybernetnews.com/2008/05/08/the-most-reliable-laptop-is/
In fact, if you notice, of the laptops listed, Apple requires the MOST repairs (but the delta isn’t statistically significant).
Additionally, some people seem to have qualms with Lauren for not buying the top of the line for whatever she is getting. That is almost always a mistake in the tech industry, even for laptops. This is due to the fact that it’s almost always cheaper to upgrade in a couple of years once you realize that you need said feature. For example, why spend $2k on a MBP today, when you could buy another HP in two years for probably $500 that would absolutely blow the doors off of these machines (probably quad-core if not six cores — 8GB of RAM running Win7 SP1, etc…).
If you’re a techie who’s identity is intertwined with having the cutting edge gadgets then it may make sense to spend more today. But for most people, including Lauren, you really want to get the minimal feature set that will likely meet your needs over the next year or two. I think she did that, unless it turns out she’s a developer, video editor, or hardcore gamer.
March 29th, 2009 at 6:59 am
honestly, can’t you people find something worthwhile to get upset about!?
March 29th, 2009 at 7:05 am
Ed, thank you for your take on the ad. I think you offer some insights others have missed.
The ad clearly shows MS taking the low road against Apple, echoing Ballmer’s rant on the $500 logo. (Must be the poor results of a closed-door focus group.)
OTOH, lessons I take from the ad: (1) The Apple Store is the first place to go when you want to buy a computer. (2) If you can afford them, Apple is clearly the way to go. (3) If you have money for a premium computer, (whether Apple, Vaio, Adamo, or the like) you are cool. (4) If you have to buy HP you aren’t cool. (5) PC brands are all the same, the only criteria to consider is which is the cheapest.
Ed, I agree the ad has a number of offensive elements. But its implied statements against HP and other PC hardware manufactures are the most offensive.
March 29th, 2009 at 7:07 am
@Ken
“In fact, if you notice, of the laptops listed, Apple requires the MOST repairs (but the delta isn’t statistically significant).” Yea, Apple @ 23% vs HP @ 22%.
From the article you linked to:
“While Apple ranked on the bottom of the list with 23% of owners needing a serious repair in the chart above, Apple ranked on the very top for the number of people satisfied with the laptop tech support they received from the company. Coming in at the bottom of the list for satisfied customers after they needed tech support was owners of HP laptops.” Nuff said.
March 29th, 2009 at 7:35 am
Ed writes: “So, Microsoft, apparently now bankrupt with ideas on how to fight back, needs to take it there. While yes, Apple’s ads poke fun at Microsoft/PCs, it has always been in a lighthearted manner that was funny.”
Ed, seriously, how old are you? 15? 19? You’re “offended,” this ad by Microsoft has insulted you in a way that attacks your values, ethnicity, sensibilities? But a chubby guy with glasses — who is supposed to represent the Windows universe — is “lighthearted” and “funny”? I would like assume that you wrote something intentionally provocative but really don’t believe it. If not, be patient: someone will be along to give you a pacifier and change your diaper.
March 29th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Wow, I thought I had heard it all in the growing trend of political correctness, but this definitely takes the cake. A computer user complaining about an ad… from the competing product?
Get a grip! Mac ads have consistently portrayed PC’s (and by extension their users) as monotone and boring. PC users didn’t care, because they were busy using their computers and not taking part of this “mac” culture.
And by the way, when you talk about price, I have a challenge. Go onto the Mac website and check how much the new 17″ MacBook Pro is. Then go on to any customizable PC laptop site, and spend ~$2800 customizing. I guarantee you you will get twice the ram, twice the video capabilities, twice the storage, and a hard protective case, not to mention a screen with higher resolution capabilities.
Sure, Vista sucked. We all know that, it was a major error on Microsofts part, but I’m using Windows 7 right now and there is a huge difference, and Mac is going to have a lot to compete with. Macs are overpriced, and I guarantee you Macs are going to start coming down in price once Microsoft becomes competitive with it’s OS.
March 29th, 2009 at 9:15 am
I’ve used Macs exclusively at home for business and personal tasks for the past twenty years, and you couldn’t pay me enough to use PCs and Windows!
Never had a single malware issue, never wasted so much as a single cpu cycle on anti-virus software running various iterations of the Mac OS, and reliability of Macs have been excellent (have owned Mac SE, original iMac, G3 iBook, PowerMac G4 tower, PowerMac G5, Macbook Pro, and two Mac Pros).
By the way, I have plenty of experience through various jobs using Dull PCs (and Windows), so I know what it’s like to use both platforms. I’d bet 95% of Mac owners have significant experience on PCs, while perhaps 5% of Windows fanboys have any experience whatsoever on any Mac OS.
Oh, and I’ve never chosen any Mac I’ve purchased based upon monitor size.
March 29th, 2009 at 10:16 am
This commerical isn’t “crap”, and I think it raises a good point.
In fact, I think a lot of people miss the point of this ad. Its purpose is to point out that Apple doesn’t offer machines that fit the needs of most customers.
In “Lauren”‘s case, she wanted a laptop with a 17″ screen, probably for watching movies on a larger screen and other basic tasks. Not gaming, design work, or other intensive tasks. Yes, the 17” MacBook Pro is a far better machine, but most likely she doesn’t need a super high-res screen, lots or RAM, or long battery life.
Of course she’d be happier with a MBP, but that doesn’t matter. The MBP isn’t targeted at people like her and is out of reach of her, because she is an average customer.
Lauren may be an actress, but she represents the many people who, for instance, want a large screened mac portable without paying $2000 and don’t care about the smaller details of CPU, etc. Most people plug their laptops into the wall at home most of the time and use little more than a web browser and word processor. Many mac users are responding to this ad by comparing specs and operating systems, when specs and operating systems don’t matter to the customer that this ad targets.
March 29th, 2009 at 10:18 am
I am simply amazed (after reading some of these comments) that companies seem to be able to accomplish so much without using MACs.
Personal computer use is just that, PERSONAL! People may use whatever hardware or software they prefer. It has been my experience that the average user runs two or three programs (that they generally learn at work) play games, send e-mails, and blog. He/she is not out there trying to save the world with a computer.
Industries and individuals who require or prefer whatever perceived advantage they get from having a MAC (Music, graphic, development, no virus scans, etc.) use them, but the rest of the business world uses the tired old PC many of them running Microsoft operating systems and they are doing just fine.
I provided IT support for architects here in Atlanta, and I watched them Design and Construct Olympic Venues (Including the Olympic Village at Georgia Tech)and it was all done on PC’s.
Our Military uses PCs, our banking institutions us PCs. College students are using PCs and they manage to produce enough work to graduate (some of them even graduate with honors) from universities and colleges that have PCs and OS that are not OSX.
Give it a rest. Microsft and Apple both have the same goal: Making Money. And as for retailers, well let me tell you this, retailers like Best Buys deal in volume sales. If they are selling 20 PCs to every 3 Macs, their money is not coming from Mac sales.
March 29th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Regarding all the “work” companies get done using PCs, just ask the French Navy, the British Navy, the Vancouver school system, etc. how that has been going for them recently. They’ve all had malware take down significant systems in the past few months. Nothing similar has hit Mac users ever!
March 29th, 2009 at 11:12 am
After doing all my home computer stuff only on Windows-based PC’s and having each one hit the dumpster after just a couple of years, I am trying my luck with an iMac.
So far, so good.
No need to update the AVP nearly every day because… surprise, most viruses target Windows. Indeed, I’ve not even installed an AVP yet. On the Windows PC’s every time the AVP subscription ran out, the computer would crash because those viruses are constantly trying to impose themselves onto the Windows PC’s.
As for the price, a reasonably good iMac goes for 1200. The last PC I got in a similar package went for … 1600. That’s 400 Best Buy doesn’t get.
March 29th, 2009 at 11:20 am
@Wilbur, if your point is that Macs have better technical support when they go wrong, which they will at a rate equal to that of other laptops, if not slightly more, then I fully agree. The genius bar is great when your Mac breaks down. No disputing that.
March 29th, 2009 at 11:51 am
As a Mac user, I find it offensive to PC users. She wants a Mac, but she’s too poor. The way she purchases a computer is to go into a big box, read a 2×4 card of specs she doesn’t understand, goes for the shiny one (even though the entire Pavilion dv line is extremely shoddy — years worth of dvs with AMD procs and Nvidia graphics are highly prone to failure because of cheap solder on cheap mobos), and she’s done in 5 minutes. No real understanding of software, no real understanding of specs, no true comparison shopping (a few minutes and excepting the advice of a Best Buy lackey), and really she wanted a Mac all along.
If I were a PC user, I’d be offended.
March 29th, 2009 at 11:54 am
“…accepting the advice of a Best Buy lackey…”
Damn, that brain fart really pisses me off, even if I’m prone to it.
March 29th, 2009 at 11:55 am
i dont think they are offensive, just annoying. MICROSOFT WE GET IT MACS ARE EXPENSIVE!!! We got that long before osX came out. But we still love our macs.
March 29th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Have you lost your mind?
$2,500 for a computer? Add on those extras, then the tax.
$3,000 — FOR A COMPUTER?
I don’t care if it lasts four years. I don’t care if it “gives you a good experience” as filthy as that sounds.
For people who don’t need a computer to do work they get paid for, anything above 400 or 500 dollars is an idiotically high price.
But I suppose that’s what Apple marketing is all about, and why they have all these Mac idiots brainwashed. I’ve never seen such a bunch of whiny crybabies.
Waaaah. Clicking on applications is sooooo haaarrrddd. The computer almost locked up on meeeee when I was transferring a fiiiile. The experience isnt the saaaaaame. I have to have things a CERTTTAIN WAAAAaaaaYyyyyyy.
The $300 netbook of today is the $3000 Mac of 5 years ago and more so.
Don’t you think Apple execs realize that so called “el cheapo” computers available now actually do a ton of stuff that “cheap” computers had no way of doing just five years ago?
If people realize that, and free their minds of this brainwashing, then there is no more need to spend a ton of cash.
Don’t you think Apple publicists skulk through these pages all the time and drop BS about the “Mac Experience” justifying the ridiculously high cost? If they didn’t have these Mac idiots lulled into a state of unconsciousness about how much money they’re being ripping off of, Apple would lose their profit margin business strategy and dehydrate.
People don’t like it when they get called up on the fact that they’ve been fooled and cheated out of their own money. Build quality, my ass.
March 29th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
“The sad thing? A lot of consumers will probably fall for this crap.” … and in the long run this will hurt Microsoft, unless their $9 billion annual R&D budget actually comes up with a shipping product and provides some, you know, ROI – stuff that decent business needs to survive the long term.
March 29th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
If you watch the ad carefully, you can see the passer-bys have moved about three feet in the time she’s “in the store.”
March 29th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Here are a couple of links to stories regarding malware taking Windohs computers to their knees. The school system in Vancouver has 10,000 CPUs that need individual attention to be brought back in service. So, how much cheaper are ‘dohs computers now?
http://www.vancouversun.com/Technology/story.html?id=1237589
http://www.businessinsider.com/2009/2/windows-virus-grounds-french-air-force-msft
March 29th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
I don’t get the point.
Who cares if you’re offended or not?
Honestly, what difference does it make?
March 29th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Mac users are jerks. Grow up.
March 29th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Mac users ARE jerks, so it’s nice to see someone say it. They tend to be gay too, not that that’s bad, but it tends to be true. Macs are feminine computers, great for girls, and well, you know.
March 29th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
@Bill and me,
I want what you two are smoking.
March 29th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
I think the ad was marketing brilliance on the part of Microsoft (and I’m a Mac person!). Let’s see: What’s the only thing that makes the HP Pavilion better than a macbook? Oh yeah, it’s cheap. There’s absolutely no way that Apple can fight back on that argument. Let’s put a cute girl in a commercial and make the commercial reek of trendy viral marketing and we’ve got ourselves an extremely effective ad.
Not looking for a flame-war here, but I do have to say that Macs are definitely the prevailing winners of the user experience (interface R&D, simplicity, overall design) AND MacOSX Unix-based, which inherently makes their operating system more secure. But yes, they’re *WAY* more expensive because they’re intended to be a luxury product: not something that your everyday non-engineering college student needs.
March 29th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Five years ago, I bought a Mac because I thought I was too stupid to own a PC. I’d just opened my own business and couldn’t afford to hire computer help. Five years later, I have the same computer, which upgraded nicely along the way. I’ve rarely needed help–well except for the one-on-ones to learn Garage Band, Video Editing, iMovie and other programs. All of which run on my computer without a hitch. So, sorry Lauren, ya shudda bought a Mac.
March 29th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Anyone know why Microsoft is urging its OEM’s to race to the bottom. Dell is fuming because it spending tons on ads doing exactly the opposite of the MS ad. I smell a war between Dell and MS.
March 29th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Hahaha whatever I love the new Microsoft commercials. Rock on!
March 30th, 2009 at 12:58 am
I wrote about the flip-side of the coin two years ago.
http://paralleldivergence.com/2006/10/13/mac-vs-windows-yet-another-parallel-divergence/
It’s good to see Apple have made a dent in the market share a bit since then.
March 30th, 2009 at 7:55 am
The Mac ads are saying that windows is for uptight coporate tools and macs are for cool friendly folk, plus Windows isn’t not very good.
The MS adds are saying that Mac users are elitists and overpaying for brand name and cult status.
They are just ads, neither more or less acurate or misleading. It’s just that Microsoft finally has hired an agency that’s making a little buzz after years of being smacked down by Apple. But to be offended by either? Seriously?
March 30th, 2009 at 8:01 am
lol… wow, I wrote about this just yesterday. Mac fanatics really need to take a chill pill. Considering the fact that this commercial, actor or no actor, script or no script, recognizes the real scenario that many are facing in a tough economy, it’s got a point, just like the Mac vs PC ads had an honest point a while back. It’s an honest jab. I would point right back to the Mac vs PC ads, and say they are offensive by making fun of PC users, but then again I run Ubuntu so I don’t really care. 😛
March 30th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Man, based on your response to the ad the only thing I can say is that you need therapy.
The ad was not, in any way, more “offensive” than any of the bazillion Mac vs. PCs that preceded it. It isn’t any less accurate (actually, it looks to me way more strict to the facts than many of the Mac vs. PCs ads, as the only error was an irrelevant one about the name of the store, while Mac vs. PC ads had plenty of factual claims that were wrong), it doesn’t insult anyone and it only makes one joke, that is a direct but very light response to more of an insult perpetrated by the Mac ads (if you are a PC, you are uncool and boring).
So if you are considering this ad offensive and though the Mac vs. PC ads were not, you really need to have your head examined. Seriously.
March 30th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Oh, and for someone talking about disinformation, you seem to be pretty disinformed. Vista Home runs aero, and so does that laptop. And the “slow” DDR RAM produces a performance impact of about 0.5% in real use. 0.5% of performance doesn’t seem like a big sacrifice when we are talking about an 80% reduction in whole computer cost.
March 30th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Oh, come on. The PC community has taken it on the chin with the Mac (excuse me, Apple) ads that have been HIGHLY OFFENSIVE (to use your language) to me for years. I don’t find them funny. In fact, i use my handy remote to bypass them on my VISTA Media Center PC–which works just beautifully, by the way.
Grow up, people. It’s an ad. It’s meant to drive home a point. Macs are not godlike devices. They’re computers. Steve Jobs isn’t a God, either. He’s a gifted designer and a better marketer.
Get a life. Use what you want to use and let me use what i want to use. This Microsoft ad was no more offensive than any Apple ad. Thicken your skin, man.
March 30th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
The commercial isn’t offensive to me, a Mac user. It is in my opinion stupid and stereotypical.
March 30th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
First, the price difference is over 2000$ between what Lauren got and the Mac Pro 17″. Second, the real world application of ddr3 vs ddr2 is negligible, unless the user is a gamer or in the 3d digital art world, and moreover, for 2800 Lauren could have gotten a 17in laptop with ddr3, a ssd (solid state hard drive), and blu-ray!just to mention a few items. Also, the computer does have vista home, thats vista home premium 64bit os. Seriously, the author of this article needs to stop misleading people and start getting his facts correct.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:01 pm
“if you asked random Mac users on the street, most of them would say that hey bought the Mac for the way it works, not for coolness”
You’re not cool if you’re doing something to be cool.
So, duh.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Hold on – why is it “funny” to call PC users bland and unsophisticated and lacking in style or grace or that “they get what they paid for” – but “not funny” to say Macs are overpriced and that people who own them are smug and egotistical?
Double standard here or what?
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:37 am
@ Ron – Your comments made my day, I mean seriously I shot coffee outta my nose laughing at your idiocy! You think that Mac users are LESS computer literate than PC users? WTF! Any loser hillbilly with $300 can got to Walmart or Best Buy and purchase a PC. I believe this tips the scale of computer illiterates in your favor, based merely on numbers…
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:28 am
“…liberal techno-posers…”
WTF is that?
I remember when “uh-huck uh-huck” was the phrase signifying a dolt; now its misuse of the word liberal (pronounced by slackjaws as librul)
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:11 pm
lol
April 10th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
I recognize that Macs and PCs each have their strong points. I use both for different things.
It’s a fact that some humans are willing to pay more for brand identity. This is present in virtually every industry, and there’s no reason for the computer market to be immune. Some – perhaps many, perhaps only a few – of the population of Mac users need the special capabilities a Mac has. For some, it’s largely a brand identity thing. For some – perhaps many – it’s a combination of these factors. The thing is, nobody wants to think of themselves as the guy or girl who flushed a few hundred bucks or more for the purpose of having a machine with a certain logo on the back. That’s not cool no matter who you are. That’s part of where some of the flakier excuses for Mac use come from (and I recognize that not all reasons for Mac use are flaky excuses!) – stuff like “inspires my creativity” and “spend time getting stuff done instead of on computer maintenance”. I respect both Mac and PC use, but people really need to look at what they’re actual requirements are before purchasing things. (Brand snobbery – in either direction – is not a wholly illegitimate purchasing direction force, but it’s probably one that most people probably don’t want to make part of their decision if they’re actually sitting down to think about it.)
April 29th, 2009 at 7:35 am
derp de derp. Derp de derpity derpy derp. Mac the derpa derpa derpaderp. Derp de derp. Da teedily dumb. PC Der, and Tum Ta Tittaly Tum Ta Too, Da Derp Dee Derp Da Teetley Derpee Derpee Dumb.
I’m sorry i bothered looking into this thread.
May 3rd, 2009 at 12:34 pm
How dare a major corporation like Microsoft hire a beautiful young girl to advertise their product! How dare an actress take money to act as though she is in full support of a product! Are you guys really all that shocked and appalled at this commercial? How is this any different from all those athletes that advertise for sodas and candy bars? Do you really think that athletes consume that crap on a regular basis? I’m a Linux and I’m not freaking out over this. Why’s it such a big deal? Anybody know where I can get a copy of 99 Pieces?
May 4th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
At apple we aim for the not so savvy computer folks and less literate about computers. That why we provide a blackbox solution. Use it and throw it. With PC folks need to be more educated
June 10th, 2009 at 5:43 am
Guys, c’mon, PCs are cheaper than MACs, case closed.
Don’t get me wrong, I think MACs are great computers, but you pay a hell of a premium for the operating system.
I think MACs are great for old people or young people who are first using PCs. Otherwise, if you just over being a novice, you can get a MUCH better deal with a PC, that is a fact not an opinion.
August 9th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
I think it is funny how people get so upset over a commercial. Commercials are designed to sell a product, one way or another. To make such a big deal over how they choose to present their computers or any overtones that you may infer from it is just childish. Aren’t there better things to put your energy into, or is it really that important to make the advertisers out to be liars and somehow out to cheat the public. I mean, does anyone really think there are actually ethics in the advertising world??
-Chris
August 16th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Sure the ads is one-sided, just as the MAC ads are one-sided in arguing that the PC is comehow incapable of creating web pages or editing videos.
The video also does a great job of showing that for anyone looking for a cheap, low-end laptop has FAR greater range available in PC’s
August 30th, 2009 at 10:59 am
eh.
what’s all the fuss about!
mac types are all mad she’s “really” an actress? and everyone else is ticked that iPhones are spontaneously combusting (while steve jobs says apple’s not at fault – pfft!)
look.. the ads are not talking to died-in-the-wool mac-addicts – they’re targeted to ppl w/ money in their hands, ready to buy a computer… right NOW – and they’ve got two choices
and.. its a recession on right now
so? you can get “a computer” for $700 – it runs windows, not mac
big deal
MS scores some points – deal with it!
*sigh*
October 6th, 2009 at 11:55 am
look at this http://www.macmod.com/other/1951-microsoft-lauren-sues-microsoft-a-best-buy
microsoft had to pay for her used macbook pro
June 29th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Can dish it out but can't take it. Boo hoo.
January 10th, 2011 at 1:07 am
hiya, perhaps this post can be a bit off topic but in any event, I have been surfing around your web site and it also looks truly tasteful..I’m setting up a new blog and now im hard-pressed to make the idea appear great, and supply top quality content. I have learned quite a lot here and I wait for more updates and could be returning.
January 12th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
I don't see what's so bad about this. Mac has been trash talking Windows for a long time now, doing everything short of saying that PCs are worthless trash compared to Macs. To add insult to injury, most of what they insinuated was downright untrue, and the fact that they tried to dress up their lies as "light-hearted" "jokes" makes it even worse. If you ask me, Microsoft's ad wasn't nearly as bad. They pointed out that Macs are expensive. True. They pointed out their large selection, and that you can pick up a PC for cheap. True. They used Apple's own "cool" "hipster" garbage against them instead of making things up. Where's the comparison? Just be happy they won't lower themselves enough to resort to the sort of thinly veiled libel that Apple uses on a regular basis.
January 12th, 2011 at 5:52 pm
As for the technical debate between the two… well, I haven't touched a Mac since I was introduced to Windows. Mac had too many limitations for me–too many things I couldn't do. I never experienced a crash, which I did with my PCs in the old days, but nowadays, my PCs literally never crash. I can't imagine a more stable operating system than Win7 64 Pro, because I've literally never had any issues with it. It was fully functional from the get-go, no drivers needed, never any stability issues, even with the CPU overclocked by 43%. I plug in an ethernet cable, and the internet works. I click the "Internet" button, and the internet works. I put in a CD, and the installation disks painlessly guide me through any and all installations.
To be honest with you, I can only see 3 possible reasons why anyone would think a Mac is better. One, everyone who cares about being hip thinks they're hip. Two, everyone who is afraid of technology has been convinced by Apple that Windows is some kind of scary technical nightmare. Three, Macs have such a small market share that nobody bothers to write malware for the platform.
Truth be told, I can do anything I can do with a Mac with a PC, just as easily… and then some. If I don't want to be technical, I don't have to be. If I get the itch, hell, let's screw around with the registry or download some crazy piece of freeware into a Windows VM. Still itchin' for more? Let's open up Visual Studio and write my own software. Personally, I don't know of any operating system that offers such a blend between ease of use and functionality. Linux sounds like it's getting there, but from what I've seen and heard about the Mac (admitting i've had no first-hand experience in the last 10 years aside from watching friends use their Mac laptops, which, by the way, they say are great chic magnets–straight from the mac user's lips) it doesn't have anything to offer me except for a reduced malware threat. And in return, I lose compatibility with… almost everything.