If there's one thing Microsoft can't build right...

[Reacon]

... It's brand reputation.

Geeks, let alone normal consumers, will never part with their old habit of typing out "M$", and regardless of their current tone of advertisement, Apple has already set in our minds that Microsoft products are insecure and prone to viruses.

For the better part of the decade leading up to the release of Windows 7, Microsoft have steadily lost their brand respect, while Apple have been working on quite the opposite. The change was gradual, but a combination of buggy drivers, being the majority target of malicious software, and the association with business and work eventually lead to being labelled as simply "uncool" and "bad". Surely Microsoft did not intend for this to happen, and while it is certainly not entirely their fault, it definitely happened.

As positive to Microsoft as this forum tends to be, it is not reality - we are not the majority. We are knowledgeable enough to judge a product based on its performance and quality, rather than its brand. But given the fact that even a layperson tech enthusiast these days holds a negative opinion of Microsoft, it would seem that the damage is too fargone at this point. Perhaps I can elaborate on why.

Let's rewind to a decade long past, when the computer finally makes its jump from business, to home and recreation application. The start of the information age.

In a burgeoning market for personal computing, computers still require a small amount of knowledge to use. A basic understanding of what more RAM actually does, for instance. By relinquishing hardware decisions to the customer, Microsoft offered a degree of freedom to ice their new, intuitive GUI cake. The market of the mid-late 90's welcomed this freedom of choice, and they monopolised this tidal wave to ride it straight to the top.

Fast forward to the mid 2000's, and Microsoft have not only paved the road, but has driven computing right up to the doorstep of daily first-world life. It is no longer acceptable to lack internet access and a PC of your own. The PC is now no longer an opt-in for those with an enthusiasm for technology. The PC has become a necessity.

With computers now being force fed into the households of any who wishes to make it in today's world, the consumer no longer cares about performance, about versatility and modularity. The consumer merely wants her browser to work so she can check her email and Myspace. She doesn't have time to care about and understand why Sims is very choppy - she wouldn't be on a computer if it were still an enthusiast device, but now she can't imagine living without it. Unfortunately for her, there are not only performance problems and pesky Windows updates to contend to, but there are certain groups that take a mal-intented interest in the average, helpless user's PC.

Enter Apple. Now that personal computers have broken into the mindless majority market. With an "invulnerability" to viruses, a reputation for being bug-free, and a controlled hardware ecosystem, the new target market for personal computers welcomes them with open arms. Price is of no obstruction to them, because Apple tell them they are state of the art machines years beyond any buggy "PC". But most importantly, to the user, the machines "Just Work," and seldom malfunction.

As such, by the means of their own rise, Microsoft begin to decline. If Microsoft manage to soar with fifteen years of dead weight on their brand, it will certainly be the success of the decade. But I guess we'll see come the quarterly report.

So let's face it: Despite being technologically superior in nearly every way, the Surface will not make a sizeable dent in iPad's sales. Despite raving reviews, the consumer is still highly sceptical that it won't catch a virus and fall apart in their hands.

Windows Phone 7 was largely unattractive to the cell phone market in America due to "Windows" branding, and nobody ever cared to buy a Zune over the likes of an iPod.

Such is reputation.

[Dot Matrix]

Huh?

[Reacon]

Huh?

It just amazes me the amount of deluded positivity that inhabits this forum, when just about everywhere else in the world it's the exact opposite.

I'm sure you're enjoying your Windows Phone and Windows 8, but the fact is that the majority will never know about the true capabilities of either.

[vcfan]

same delusional nonsense from apple fans.

if what you said was true, then macs wouldn't have %4 marketshare, then Microsoft wouldn't have sold 750 million windows 7 licenses in a few years. Microsoft wouldn't have sold 4 million upgrades only to windows 8 in 4 days.

So you've just proved what others who want to appear like they are educated in technology and its history have, that you get your tech info from blogs like engadget and the verge. you guys have no real idea of the market. go into a best buy and watch the swarm of people in the windows computers section.

oh I know whats going on. apples had the ipad out for a few years now without Microsoft ,who has been developing their product in that time, and all the apple cheerleaders are running around saying we won without actually having a competitor in the race. so enter Microsoft,and now all you guys know whats coming,so to make yourselves feel better you go around all the Microsoft forums and blogs and try to spread your BS to try to distort reality and what is going to happen very soon.

all I gotta say is enjoy your posts like these for the short term,because you guys will be sent back where you belong, %4 marketshare enjoy.

[Reacon]

Still hearing only what you want to hear, eh Neowin? Note just to the left, that I use Windows as well. I can't stand Apple, but I'm not going to ignore the truth about where Microsoft is headed.

"Too little too late" in the phone and tablet market, when the computing is transitioning largely to more mobile platforms. Fewer and fewer people are sitting at home on their desktops like we are now. Microsoft may hold a majority in the x86 market, now and probably until the architecture dies (due to the software ecosystem), but I'm convinced that's just not where the world is headed. We see Microsoft, late to the party with little in the way of true innovation (kickstands and covers, as nifty as they are, do not count).

They made a damn good product, but they didn't shake the industry like Windows 95 did, of which no less is required to make an impact in an already saturated market.

[linsook]

cool. i don't really care, i'm sure many don't either unless they have vested interests in microsoft or a fanboy.

[Digitalfox]

Ok I'll bite. :)

I'm a iPhone user since 2008, and because of that I tend to be a regular in Apple news sites, say AI, MR, iC, iM, etc...

I like to know what new updates are coming and when and of course new technology. Like jailbreak's etc...

Neowin, might be a "fanboy" home for many Windows folks, but there's still good points on favor and against Microsoft stuff around here. On those sites?

My god Apple is like a GOD that can do no wrong, no matter what stupid decisions or even when ripping people of. I like to read those forums just to make sure I'm still in the possession of my brain.

And to be honest, I do believe (even if I dislike a lot Metro, see I can say what I like or dislike around here) it's the right track what Microsoft is doing.

I also believe Microsoft has give a dolphin bite to Apple with Surface that could became a shark bite (This recent management changes are more than meet the eye). "Oh but it's still no where near the iPad sales". Right, but do give it some time and let's see.

[HawkMan]

... It's brand reputation.

Geeks, let alone normal consumers, will never part with their old habit of typing out "M$", and regardless of their current tone of advertisement, Apple has already set in our minds that Microsoft products are insecure and prone to viruses.

Geeks and normal consumers don't write MS, anti fanboys do, mostly of the tweenage FOSS variety. Though some of the Mac variety do as well, but that's just funny, like the split and beam thing.

[+pmrd Subscriber²]

Please give me your dealer's number, this is some powerful **** you're on!

[rfirth]

"Too little too late" in the phone and tablet market, when the computing is transitioning largely to more mobile platforms. Fewer and fewer people are sitting at home on their desktops like we are now. Microsoft may hold a majority in the x86 market, now and probably until the architecture dies (due to the software ecosystem), but I'm convinced that's just not where the world is headed. We see Microsoft, late to the party with little in the way of true innovation (kickstands and covers, as nifty as they are, do not count).

The desktop isn't dying. It isn't going anywhere. But x86 and x86-64 might. But when the desktop market shifts gears and moves over to ARM, Microsoft will be ready and waiting with Windows RT. Windows RT (Windows 8.5/9 RT) is only going to get more powerful as ARM processors get better and built into more devices like laptops, desktops, and servers.

And there is no "too late". You have to think long term. This isn't a race to a finish line. There is no finish line.

[WinRT]

meh

[HawkMan]

Also people didn't not buy the first gen WP sets because of Window, 99% of them didn't even know they had anything windows on them. They sold bad because of salesmen who didn't care about the customer, but about selling their favorite phone systems.

[Circaflex]

... It's brand reputation.

Geeks, let alone normal consumers, will never part with their old habit of typing out "M$",.

quit reading after this.

[Eric Veteran]

[Thread closed]

In the future, if you're going to post an opinion piece don't' start it out by trolling with your first response.