Apple responds to Microsoft ads: "a PC is no bargain"

[Boz]

The response from Apple doesn't surprise me. The company has always been acting like a spoiled little child, screaming insults and jokes calling it funny but when reality hits, they go on whining rampage trying to deny something that's obvious without a second thought.

Funny.

[kylejn]

Christ. Everybody needs to get off their high horse and just calm down for a second.

Look, I love my Mac. I also love my PC. Both machines are fantastic at what they do. That said, based on my experience working as a computer technician at my university, far fewer customers come in with Mac problems versus customers with PC problems. Now, this could be for any number of reasons: maybe there are fewer Mac users on campus, maybe they're taking their Macs elsewhere to get fixed, or maybe, just maybe, the Mac users are having fewer problems than their PC-using counterparts. I don't know, and I don't profess to know.

Assuming that a Mac has fewer problems than a PC, how much is that advantage worth? I don't think anybody can argue that a Mac at a certain spec is going to be the same price as a PC at the same (or similar) spec, but are customers willing to pay a few extra hundred dollars to deal with fewer problems over the life of the machine? I don't know, but I can say I've had far more customers with broken PCs saying that they're going to switch to Mac than customers with broken Macs saying they're going to switch to PC.

If you know what you're doing and don't have a particular attachment to OS X, you can definitely save some money by going with a PC. That said, if you love the Apple design aesthetic and the OS, or if you just aren't that comfortable with dealing with the problems that tend to arise more often on a PC versus a Mac, you should probably go ahead and get that Mac and just eat out a couple times less per month.

Personally, I buy Mac for my laptops and build my own PC desktops. Apple's laptops seem to have better battery life, weigh less, and are thinner than similarly spec'ed PC laptops. However, for a desktop, I enjoy playing games and can get the experience I want by building my own machine.

Finally, for people laughing at Apple for responding to Microsoft's ad, get a freakin' life. Companies attack one another and the targets issue retaliatory statements right back. It's just a part of business. If Microsoft didn't retaliate when Apple started their "I'm a Mac" ads, that's their own damn fault.

[Denholm]

I think that what Windows users need to realize is that Mac users have a different view on computing.

For instance, I like an OS built on Unix. I don't want an OS with 400,000 lines of code so that some old legacy software runs fine (thus impacting on the OS's stability and performance). I also don't want to be under a constant tirade of threats, malware etc.

Nearly forgot, I also actually don't want a generic operating system designed to run as many devices in the world, as possible. I want an OS that is tuned to a specific range of computers that are tightly supported.

I don't care if I can run 1,000,000,023 'apps' with Windows. I only really want and need about 40 that do the job damn well.

Plus the golden quote for any fanboy is this: 'Your hardware is only as good as your OS allows it to be.'

Windows never ran my hardware well. I always felt that Windows was doing it's own thing - at times, just when I rather it did what I wanted it to do.

So this silly quibbling over PC / Mac specifications, hardware etc.. See my quote in bold.

For those Windows fanboys who argue that PC is more secure and more advanced than any other OS on the market: Security Now 192: Listener Feedback 64 - have a listen to the opinions of a real security expert - not what flows from the bowels of Microsoft.

[Subject Delta]

Thats another laughable argument to say the least, and as with Macalicious your assessment would require that everyone has the same experiences with Windows that you do, and that everyone else thinks that Unix is superior in the same way that you do, which they obviously don't because there are a lot of people perfectly happy with how Vista functions with their hardware. I have a Q6600, 4GB of memory, and a 512mb ATI 4850, and I don't see any of the issues you claim (my rig is even overclocked). My games run fluidly and smoothly, with hardly any framerate spikes, I rarely if ever get any BSOD's or crashes, and I don't find any problems with the legacy compatibility built into Windows either.

For the record also, Malware is only an issue if you don't secure your computer properly, or are careless when using the Internet.

[BajiRav]

I think that what Windows users need to realize is that Mac users have a different view on computing.

For instance, I like an OS built on Unix. I don't want an OS with 400,000 lines of code so that some old legacy software runs fine (thus impacting on the OS's stability and performance). I also don't want to be under a constant tirade of threats, malware etc.

Nearly forgot, I also actually don't want a generic operating system designed to run as many devices in the world, as possible. I want an OS that is tuned to a specific range of computers that are tightly supported.

I don't care if I can run 1,000,000,023 'apps' with Windows. I only really want and need about 40 that do the job damn well.

Plus the golden quote for any fanboy is this: 'Your hardware is only as good as your OS allows it to be.'

Windows never ran my hardware well. I always felt that Windows was doing it's own thing - at times, just when I rather it did what I wanted it to do.

So this silly quibbling over PC / Mac specifications, hardware etc.. See my quote in bold.

For those Windows fanboys who argue that PC is more secure and more advanced than any other OS on the market: Security Now 192: Listener Feedback 64 - have a listen to the opinions of a real security expert - not what flows from the bowels of Microsoft.

Steve Gibson? Pfft. Don't you remember his scare mongering when XP launched? He is good but exaggerates a lot!

"I also actually don't want a generic operating system designed to run as many devices in the world" ????

News flash: OS X by your definition is a generic OS and only thing stopping it running on a generic computer is Apple's DRM and lack of drivers. Stop using it!

[soonerproud]

For those Windows fanboys who argue that PC is more secure and more advanced than any other OS on the market: Security Now 192: Listener Feedback 64 - have a listen to the opinions of a real security expert - not what flows from the bowels of Microsoft.

I have another security expert that says different and he is a Mac user to boot.

Why Safari? Why didn?t you go after IE or Safari?

It?s really simple. Safari on the Mac is easier to exploit. The things that Windows do to make it harder (for an exploit to work), Macs don?t do. Hacking into Macs is so much easier. You don?t have to jump through hoops and deal with all the anti-exploit mitigations you?d find in Windows.

It?s more about the operating system than the (target) program. Firefox on Mac is pretty easy too. The underlying OS doesn?t have anti-exploit stuff built into it.

With my Safari exploit, I put the code into a process and I know exactly where it?s going to be. There?s no randomization. I know when I jump there, the code is there and I can execute it there. On Windows, the code might show up but I don?t know where it is. Even if I get to the code, it?s not executable. Those are two hurdles that Macs don?t have.

It?s clear that all three browsers (Safari, IE and Firefox) have bugs. Code execution holes everywhere. But that?s only half the equation. The other half is exploiting it. There?s almost no hurdle to jump through on Mac OS X.

That is Charlie Miller, you know the guy that took the Mac down 2 years in a row first and in seconds.

Charlie Miller Interview on ZDNet

The fact is in the real world, OSX is far less secure than Windows when you look at the ease it takes to crack it open because it doesn't implement ASLR and other features properly.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

Get ready for a whole new level of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks when Microsoft releases Windows XP this fall. That's the prediction of security expert Steve Gibson in reaction to Microsoft's improved TCP/IP implementation in Windows XP

Sorry, did somebody call Steve Gibson an expert on something?

[KeR]

dont know if this was posted already, but its pure gold and true at the same time:

[9UnknownMen]

I love how this non-story is amplified. The iCabal in the media amplified a remark from an Employee/Spokesman and dubs it a rebuttal. Heck they don't even need ad's at this point. Hilarious to the say the least.

[Subject Delta]

Steve Gibson is nothing more than a scaremonger that uses people's security paranoia to sell his own services to people gullible enough to believe what he spouts.

The fact that anyone would quote him as an authoritative source on anything is just laughable

[Eric Veteran]

Sorry, did somebody call Steve Gibson an expert on something?

SpinRite is good. :)

[Solid Knight]

Even if Macs had a higher failure rate than Windows you'd still see more Windows machines due to huge difference in market share. Working in a PC repair shop and hardly seeing a Mac is not an indicator that Macs are superior. You can prove this with simple math.

[Andre S. Veteran]

Viruses? I thought those were one of the features that Microsoft cut out during Vista's development.

What do you mean ?

[DigitalE]

Generic? How is HP generic?

Apple has some balls, but not very big ones. First they go after MS...now they are insulting HP.

Pretty much anything that runs Windows is a generic computer.

[Richard Hammond]

I love my mac and i love my windows machine, but which is better........... theres only one way to find out.....FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT </harryhill>

[Denholm]

Thats another laughable argument to say the least...

Anyway. Just because there is more Windows PC's than Unix / Linux / Mac Computers doesn't mean that Windows is in any way better. It's just a 'no brainer' for most customers who couldn't care less what they run on their computer - as long as it works.

Edited April 18, 2009 by warwagon

[Reacon]

Pretty much anything that runs Windows is a generic computer.

I truely hope that was sarcasm.

[bbfc_uk]

And as the report describes, the bargain basement HP hardware isn't very compelling, with a wimpy battery rated for 2.5 hours compared to the MacBook Pro's eight, an extra 1.2 pounds of weight in a thicker case, and a far lower quality display with much lower resolution, 1440x900 compared to the MacBook Pro's 1920x1440

Of course a bargain basement PC is going to have crap specs, thats what you get choosing the 'Bargain Basement' option and people who chose this option are the people who know **** all about computers, and couldn't tell a Celeron from a Core 2 Duo!

Geez, go back to school Apple!!

Edited April 18, 2009 by bbfc_uk

[The Canadian]

Oh, and I suppose a Mac is a bargin..?!

[bbfc_uk]

Oh, and I suppose a Mac is a bargin..?!

A MAC is certainly not a bargain. I don't have ~?1000 to shell out for a basic mac, but I did have ?400 for a Dell laptop with pretty much the same specs.

[The Canadian]

A MAC is certainly not a bargain. I don't have ~?1000 to shell out for a basic mac, but I did have ?400 for a Dell laptop with pretty much the same specs.

I wasn't responding to your post, the one above mine...I made that reply in response to the OP's post on the first page.

[bbfc_uk]

I wasn't responding to your post, the one above mine...I made that reply in response to the OP's post on the first page.

Oh, my apologies. I was wondering what you meant by it! :)

[bob21]

Anyway. Just because there is more Windows PC's than Unix / Linux / Mac Computers doesn't mean that Windows is in any way better. It's just a 'no brainer' for most customers who couldn't care less what they run on their computer - as long as it works.

More stereotyping , Why am i not surprised i guess all mac users are smug and arrogant douchebags it works both ways . Our decisions to use PC's are every bit as valid as yours . Stop trying to claim that everyone who uses a pc is somehow inferior its nonsense.

Edited April 18, 2009 by warwagon

[Subject Delta]

Anyway. Just because there is more Windows PC's than Unix / Linux / Mac Computers doesn't mean that Windows is in any way better. It's just a 'no brainer' for most customers who couldn't care less what they run on their computer - as long as it works.

I didn't make that claim, but like I said, everyone who I know that uses Vista is very happy with it, and have encountered no issues. What is "better" is a relative term anyway, which depends on what a user wants from a Computer.

[Southern Patriot]

I also own a Mac Pro but I run Windows 7 on it! Apple is really a perfect choice for people that aren't very good with computers and do not want to know how it works. A Power user cannot really like a Mac...

I beg to differ (and I'm sure a lot of others here would too). Many "power users" absolutely love the Mac, with features like a true Unix shell, Applescript and Automator. The fact the a full development suite (Xcode) comes free with the Mac is a nice bonus as well.