Here's a big number: 20 percent of Microsoft Office's U.S retail sales are the Mac version, according to NPD. Here's another: Mac users account for 10 percent of retail Windows Vista Business and Ultimate sales. Those startling statistics are yet another sign of the Mac's resurgence and of the huge opportunity it creates for the largest Macintosh developer outside of Apple. Microsoft produced Mac versions of Excel and Word long before the products went to Windows. Apple's resurgence is an opportunity for Microsoft to recall those early glory days.
But should Microsoft want to? After all, Macs compete with Windows PCs. Does Microsoft really want to be in the business of supporting a competitor? "Twenty percent of all the versions of Microsoft Office sold at retail are the Mac version," said Chris Swenson, NPD's director of software industry analysis. "Office 2004 for the Mac is selling like hot cakes." Swenson quoted numbers for U.S. online and in-store retail.
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News source: MS-Watch
But should Microsoft want to? After all, Macs compete with Windows PCs. Does Microsoft really want to be in the business of supporting a competitor? "Twenty percent of all the versions of Microsoft Office sold at retail are the Mac version," said Chris Swenson, NPD's director of software industry analysis. "Office 2004 for the Mac is selling like hot cakes." Swenson quoted numbers for U.S. online and in-store retail.
View: The full story News source: MS-Watch
I thought the same thing: "Microsoft ... Big Macs ... in the same sentence?"
Then when I read it I was
Last edited by redeemed on 09 Oct 2007 - 10:34
Glassed Silver:mac
I remember the really annoying woman who was head of microsoft's apple BU talking about in in a previous macworld.
-Spenser
MAc users who generally constanltly complain about anythign MS, and how they mate MS and thats why they have a mac, and how much better osx is than any windows, yet they still stick windows on their MAC's
it comes down to the old story yet again
it looks pretty so they buy it. the apple users that go vista just prove the point to the rest of us, they bought a MAC cause it was really pretty.
But for a someone who loves to summarize his notes at college (and soon university) and who works in the domain of science, I need something with mathematical expressions... for now, the only best way to work with them is with Office 2007, it's never been more simple. That's why I am eager to see how Office 2008 will become, and if Math's integration will be as good as it is on Windows.
If there is any other Mac app for such use, please let me know though
Edit : Found out something with grapher.... Edit -> Copy -> As PDF equation
Downsides : Not built-into Pages, you need 2 applications opened, it's really not as good as in Office 2007...
Last edited by PsykX on 10 Oct 2007 - 04:11
haha, I'm just kidding, I know the reason
however, I do like the idea of getting a free Big Mac with every copy of Vista sold...hmm
I would imagine that it comes preinstalled most of the time.
office pre-installed?????
by who and on what platform, i haev NEVER seen office pre-installed with any computer
In terms of real numbers, it's still 10% of "jack squat" sales and almost nothing of almost nothing is still less that almost nothing.
And let's not forget that as long as Apple and OS X exists, Microsoft can avoid being classified as a monopoly, and all the regulation and oversight that implies. So, that's enough reason to throw whatever bones are necessary to keep Apple a viable "competitor". And Apple has shown it has no problem accepting the niche position, since it still means it's a multi billion dollar computer company.
Wow. Who hired this guy?
Offering up Office on Mac is only good for Microsoft because it increases their marketshare in office productivity software and of course their revenue. This way, whether a user is on PC or Mac they have the option to use Microsoft's office software.
Even if this enabled some of their customers to ...shudder... switch, one of Apple's highly advertised selling points of Macs is that they run Windows.
Microsoft is primarily a software company. So, if they can sell their software on two platforms (Mac and PC) rather than just one (PC) this will open their target market, marketshares, and revenue. Whether you're Mac or PC you can run Windows and Office.
Apple on the other hand is extremely limited because almost all their software runs only on Macs (which have a very low marketshare and therefore a much smaller target market). This isn't necessarily bad for Apple since they don't want their software open to the whole world, just those who use their Macs.
The mac was originally primarily a graphic design computer, windows was for games and well everythign else, now windwos is just as good as apple in the graphic design stuff, adn MAC still doesn't really compete on any of the other stuff , so wheres apples market again (besides pople that like things to be pretty and expensive)
The mac was originally primarily a graphic design computer, windows was for games and well everythign else, now windwos is just as good as apple in the graphic design stuff, adn MAC still doesn't really compete on any of the other stuff , so wheres apples market again (besides pople that like things to be pretty and expensive)
Since when were Macs originally for Graphic Design? It started out as more of a gaming platform with games such as Myst and Zork before it reinvented itself. Heck, my father's engineering department were using Macs for their work back in 1990. Halo was originally supposed to be released for Mac but Microsoft bought Bungie and it became a Xbox Launch title.
Scirwode
The mac was originally primarily a graphic design computer, windows was for games and well everythign else, now windwos is just as good as apple in the graphic design stuff, adn MAC still doesn't really compete on any of the other stuff , so wheres apples market again (besides pople that like things to be pretty and expensive)
Since when were Macs originally for Graphic Design? It started out as more of a gaming platform with games such as Myst and Zork before it reinvented itself. Heck, my father's engineering department were using Macs for their work back in 1990. Halo was originally supposed to be released for Mac but Microsoft bought Bungie and it became a Xbox Launch title.
Scirwode
Ok if you want to be exact and perfect and pedantic, then yeah it may not have been originaly designed specifically as a graphic design machine, HOWEVER most people consdier the mac to be a graphic design machine and most consider PC's to be gaming, i am not sure when MAC was ever considered a gaming machine as you say, even by the macophiles or anyone i have ever met, and yes i used to work for a firm that used macs and by boss was one of the biggest fanboys i have ever met. they used them primarily for graphic design.
You say your dads engineerign department used them, umm what did they use them for ??? p.s. engineering is such a broad field nowdays, everyones some sort of engineer, i.e. sanitation engineer.
my Point is MACs have long been considered the best for graphic design etc and PC's for gaming, if you want to argue that then i can argue the point all day and you will not win. Nowdays however The macs are not that much better at the whole graphic design thing, yet MAC's still fail miserably when it comes to gaming.
The mac was originally primarily a graphic design computer, windows was for games and well everythign else, now windwos is just as good as apple in the graphic design stuff, adn MAC still doesn't really compete on any of the other stuff , so wheres apples market again (besides pople that like things to be pretty and expensive)
Since when were Macs originally for Graphic Design? It started out as more of a gaming platform with games such as Myst and Zork before it reinvented itself. Heck, my father's engineering department were using Macs for their work back in 1990. Halo was originally supposed to be released for Mac but Microsoft bought Bungie and it became a Xbox Launch title.
Scirwode
Ok if you want to be exact and perfect and pedantic, then yeah it may not have been originaly designed specifically as a graphic design machine, HOWEVER most people consdier the mac to be a graphic design machine and most consider PC's to be gaming, i am not sure when MAC was ever considered a gaming machine as you say, even by the macophiles or anyone i have ever met, and yes i used to work for a firm that used macs and by boss was one of the biggest fanboys i have ever met. they used them primarily for graphic design.
You say your dads engineerign department used them, umm what did they use them for ??? p.s. engineering is such a broad field nowdays, everyones some sort of engineer, i.e. sanitation engineer.
my Point is MACs have long been considered the best for graphic design etc and PC's for gaming, if you want to argue that then i can argue the point all day and you will not win. Nowdays however The macs are not that much better at the whole graphic design thing, yet MAC's still fail miserably when it comes to gaming.
I have no idea why you want to argue with me when what I say is true. My first experience with an Apple was an Apple II back in 1986 and it was primarily used by my father for Robotics and Mechatronics. My father is a Professor at one of the prestigious local universities here in Malaysia and he will not take too kindly to your comments. Then again, not many here knows the definition of respect these days.
I'm not saying you were wrong nor am I insulting you in any way. All I said that before Macs were considered to be strong in the Graphic Design area, it had a different target audience and a different approach. Basically, when it was conceived, it was to bring cheap PC's to the masses. Look at Microsoft, it was basically a software company before venturing into other things. I'll admit by 1990, it was already considered to be a norm to see one in a Desktop Publishing business.
I understand your point nor do I contest it but insulting someone's intelligence without prior knowledge of the person is demeaning and rude. Good day.
Scirwode
I'm not saying you were wrong nor am I insulting you in any way. All I said that before Macs were considered to be strong in the Graphic Design area, it had a different target audience and a different approach. Basically, when it was conceived, it was to bring cheap PC's to the masses. Look at Microsoft, it was basically a software company before venturing into other things. I'll admit by 1990, it was already considered to be a norm to see one in a Desktop Publishing business.
I understand your point nor do I contest it but insulting someone's intelligence without prior knowledge of the person is demeaning and rude. Good day.
Scirwode
I don't really want to argue. and i really don't get where i insulted your inteligence or especially your fathers (if it was the everyones an engineer nowdays coment then do some research, it seems most people are), i am sure you are telling the truth, besides the macs being ever considered gaming machines, but just becasue your dad used one years ago for somethign other than graphic design then it doens't mean thats what everyone used them for (and as i stated before all you said was he used it for engineering, i was simply curious as to what engineering it was used for), and if that makes your dad mad then he has some major issues and the word fanboy comes to mind.
if you do actually read the first post i said they were " primarily a graphic design computer" primarily means the main purpose, not the only purpose!!
it's helpful, but somewhat not REQUIRED...
in fact, in business world you don't make use of those new features added in 2007 or 2003 even...
mostly I only see students with slight experimental madness do that and then they are like... whoops, where did those super animation bubble hubble crubble go? oooh, look, its an old office version...
im saying, office 2000 was the best version for standard business matters... for special stuff like graphs etc, you could go higher and higher and improve...
Glassed Silver:mac
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