July 12, 2002 2:05 PM PDT
Are Mac users smarter?
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Apple's 'Real People' ad seeks PC crowd
June 9, 2002
Those who surf the Web using a Mac tend to be better educated and make more money than their PC-using counterparts, according to a report from Nielsen/NetRatings.
The study also said Mac users tend to be more Web savvy, with more than half having been online for at least five years. And the Mac faithful are 58 percent more likely than the overall online population to build their own Web page and also slightly more likely to buy goods online, according to the report.
"With above-average household income and education levels, the Mac population presents a very attractive target for marketers, both online and offline," the research group said.
TS Kelly, director and principal analyst at NetRatings, said that his company decided to publish the study after noticing the differences between the demographics of Mac owners compared with overall PC owners. Kelly said Apple Computer is a client, but he said Apple did not commission the study nor was it made aware of the results prior to the report's publication.
Kelly said the greater affluence and education level of those who surf using a Mac is attributable in part to the company's comparatively pricier machines, as well as to their perception as a status symbol and their greater market share among those in the publishing and design industries.
"Any time you lower a price point you always see a broadening of the audience that is probable to buy it," Kelly said.
"Apple customers may be educated, but our customers are smart enough to have chosen Gateway, which offers the best value," said Brad Williams, a spokesman for the PC maker.
Apple has been aggressively targeting PC owners in its latest ad campaign.
Although Apple sales typically represent less than 5 percent of the overall U.S. personal computer market, 8.2 percent of Americans who surf the Web at home do so using a Mac, according to the study. Nearly all the rest of those who go online--89.4 percent--do so using a Windows-based PC.
Nielsen/NetRatings said that 70.2 percent of Mac users online have a college degree, compared with 54.2 percent of all Web surfers. That, combined with their longer surfing histories and their greater willingness to buy products via the Web, makes Mac consumers a prime catch for marketers, Kelly said.
"In many cases that is a market advertisers are looking at when they are promoting new products or upscale products," Kelly said.
A representative for PC maker Dell noted that it doesn't seem to be lacking for customers and that half of those customers buy their PCs over the Web--a sign that Windows users are also adept online.
The study notes that although there are clear benefits to marketing to Mac owners, it can be tough to target them specifically.
Once upon a time, marketers could target personal computer users as a whole to reach a more-educated, higher-income base, however the demographics of those with a personal computer have become more similar to the demographics of the overall population as personal computer penetration has grown. Kelly said advertisers can still reach upscale crowds in other ways, such as targeting those who have a broadband connection.
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"Nielsen/NetRatings said that 70.2 percent of Mac users online have a college degree, compared with 54.2 percent of all Web surfers."
Out of 100 people, 54 of them have college degrees. And of that 54, 3 are Mac users (70.2% of 8.2% of 54.2%). 51 college graduates use PCs (Windows or UNIX-variant) vs. 3 Mac users.
Out of 100 people online, 8 (8.2%) are Mac users. Of those 8, 70.2% -- 5.6 -- have a college degree. That means of the number of people online that have a college degree -- 54 (54.2% of the 100 people) -- 5 or 6 are Mac users, and 48-49 are Windows users.
I'm a PC user and even I understand this article.
intelligent than others is just plain insulting. With results such as
these, how can they say that Mac did not pay this publication?
Here is a question for you: how many Mac users know what's in
their mac? how many mac users built their machines from
scratch? How many mac users know how t decide on different
components?
mac is tailored, quite simply, for metrosexual idiots and college
students who don't know any better. They are simple,
sttraightforward, block out a lot of power user features, and will
automatically fit themselves to what they think is best for you.
They don't leave a lot of choice, the models are few and limited,
and the hardware is comparable to a mid-range PC, but for twice
the price. So far, i don't see anything that makes mac users
smarter, just more gullible.
That's even more insulting than the assertion made by this author, who is simply using facts to highlight demographic trends. He's not saying they ARE smarter, he's just highlighting that the ratio of well-educated users to not-so-well educated users is higher for Mac users than PC users. It's just an observation of FACT.
Now, compare his statement to yours:
"mac is tailored, quite simply, for metrosexual idiots and college students who don't know any better".
Clearly, if Mac users are statistically smarter, I can see why you use a PC.
Although, ironically, I agree with you. I just think you're a total idiot.
Actually trends show that PC users are more Gullible as well ;)
PC == Personal Computer
Why is a Macintosh computer not personal? Asking a question like "Do you have a mac or pc?" is like asking "Do you have a pc or a pc?"
Also, macintosh computers can crash like that if I ran a crappy version of windows with bloatware that starts at startup. It is mostly the operating system that sucks. If you ran OSX on that computer that crashes every 5 minutes, maybe it would be more stable.
smarter to use your time wisely.
Think about it, if you have the capacity.
totally flattering, I'm in agreement with you other folks that it's
bullcrap. There isn't any doubt that the different comps are used
by different subgroups though. Personal experience; PC is the
default computer people buy, just because it's cheaper, the guy
at the counter is more likely to sell it to you, and it's hard to
make the transition from windows to osx because of all the little
niggling differences (it was extremely hard for me, and now that
I've switched over, I find myself a bit lost on windows). You can
see the different mac/pc clientelle just by visiting college
campuses. In a liberal arts setting with a majority of creative
artsy folks; video, music, art, that kind of stuff, macs are
extremely popular. Damn, but macs are nice for editing audio
and new media. You don't need to know much about the inner
workings of the computer to create amazing things, and the
whole interface gorgeous, with a great batch of programs. for
example, in our film program, 20 out of 22 have macs. I visited
MIT, and kind of expected macs to be big too, (assuming it was
a college thing). Nope. All pcs and Linux. These guys are SMART,
and they are techies. No doubt they find mac too pre-packaged,
and they clobber together these souped up machines from the
bottom up. really neat stuff that is totally beyond me. Finally,
when you visit a school that isn't polarized towards computer
hackers or avant-garde geeks, you find the normal ratio of pcs
and macs. So this whole "mac users are smarter" is reaallly an
absurd headline. But then, it might be easier to market whatever
their products are to liberal arts folks than programmer folks, so
I guess I see why they did the "survey".
-<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.macfixit.com" target="_newWindow">http://www.macfixit.com</a> here you can find thousands of people having problems with: logging on, drag and dropping, Keys not working in lower case. if every thing works there would be no need for a tech support.
2. You can make amazing stuff.
-Yes you can make amazing stuff on a Mac with Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia products, but these programs are also available for the PC as well. Mac portraits these things as if they are not available for the PC.
3. Everything-ready.
-If you buy a PC from Dell you get the same damn thing you are going to get if you bought a Mac, its not like Dell if going to make you install everything when you get it. Yes if you build your own PC you have to but big deal. if you install the programs you will learn how to do it YOURSELF witch would make your brain have to work. If you know how it works, odds are you will know how to fix it.
4. 114,000 viruses? Not on a Mac.
-No one is going to make a virus for an operating system that no one uses. this only applies to Mac OS X users not to XP or Vista users. but, if every one gets a Mac, hackers are going to start making more viruses for Macs.
5. Still the most advanced OS.
- Windows has Vista duh, yes right now Vista sucks but when OS X first came out there were holes in the program too. This goes for every thing that uses technology. What about X-Box, X-box 360, PS2, PS3, the Wii. all of these had problems first starting out, they got better. not so much for the PS3 but that b/c it is $600.
6. The latest Intel chips.
-Intel makes chips for Windows at the same rate for Macs. and Intel isn't the only chip for computers AMD makes are very nice chip. Mac uses Intel for a reason. People who don't know jack about computers will not know about AMD. AMD chips are used in the X-Box 360.
7. No hunting for drivers.
-it is not that hard to find a driver. when you buy a pice of hardwear %99.99 of the time the hard wear will come with a driver. if you lose the disk go to there web site and you can find it there.
Design
8. Design that turns heads.
-Apple has built there Mac's like a piece of art. WOW look its sooo........ white, MACS ONLY COME IN ONE COLOR! Oh wait there were the old iMac's that had the computer in the monitor but those very pricey. the fact is your not going to show off a white cube. People who have built there own PC's have Glass/Silicon cases with LED's in them with fans that change color, they look like a computer not a piece of art.
9. Instant video chats.
-....if i am going to talk to some one that i would want to look at i would call them up and say "Hey man wanna go see a movie?" not talk to them using a camera. now if it is a business call i could understand, but most business would have a secure line they would use, or they would meet in person.
10. More fun with photos.
-If you need a program to organize your photos then you don't know how to create a new folder.
11. Hollywood-style movies.
-Lie. iMovie will NOT produse a movie that will compare to any movie that comes out of holly wood, maybe a porno but not a movie like 300 or MI-3. there are programs that you can get that do much more then iMovie can.
12. One-click websites.
-if you could make a website in one click, why did i have to take a 2 year class to learn how to. it is not that easy and if it is you website will look like crap and will lack originality. And again, there a programs to fix this Dreamweaver is one of them.
13. Amazing podcasts.
-www.youtube.com free iTunes podcast $$$$$$$$$
14. Rock star tunemaking.
-the reason why Mac's are so easy to use and favor musicians and artiest are because they don't have the intellect to use PC's thats why their professions are so basic.
15. Awesome out of the box.
-really? will all the games and 3rd party programs and want to use be already installed.... no. Apple is sugar coting this you still have to install all of you 3rd party programs. but you can just take the Mac right out of the box and plug it in then your set. The speakers on the Mac's are not the best. i would never want a computer with a built in camera to many hackers.
On top of all of this Mac are a pain in the @$$ to upgrade your hardware inside. you have to take it some were for the warranty not to be voided.
So stop with the saying Mac's are better and PC's are for boring people. Mac = n00bs PC = 1337!!!1one
For people who dont under stand what i just said
Mac = People who dont understand what is going on around them but think they know alot, but they dont know what they are talking about. PC = People who know about computers and will have more fun than Mac users.
Thank you <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/" target="_newWindow">http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/</a>
stuff like that.
You said that Macs come out of the box with applications.
Your completely right, but then again, its better than Windows
"ESPN TV" or "Dell Virus Cleaner". Who would want those. If you
want applications go download them.
You can't hack an iSight camera, and have you ever used web conferencing? It's quite more interesting than you think.
You can upgrade Macs, I'm typing this on a 9 year old G4 thats
been upgraded to have more RAM, USB 2 ports, and bigger hard
drive. It's still the same 500Mhz processor and it's running
10.4. Can a 9 year old Windows machine rune Vista?
You said artists and musicians (you need to learn how to spell),
are to stupid to use Windows? I think you have your ideas
backwards.
You said there aren't to many viruses out there for Macs. There
aren't because UNIX doesn't just launch something because it
feels like it, unlike Windows. I've downloaded viruses before, but
of course they couldn't do anything.
So yea, theres my response to you, and my Mac is Graphite
colored.
1. You only posted 1 site, is that the best you can do? there are more than 100 websites reporting PC users having much worse problems including the BSOD
And I have owned both Macs and PC's and Macs are better and most of the time THEY DO JUST WORK and that is because there is better software and hardware compatibility, which is non-existent in Windows
2. "You can make amazing stuff -Yes you can make amazing stuff on a Mac with Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia products, but these programs are also available for the PC as well. Mac portraits these things as if they are not available for the PC"
Again, post facts, you are proving yourself to be biased and you have not posted any facts, if you didn't know, Apple makes the most used film making software in the world called Final Cut Studio and it's Mac only, we also have Logic Studio which is also Mac only and most of the things any person would want to do that is editing related can be done in a Mac without having to buy anything, if your intelligent enough, you would know that iMovie is much better than Windows Movie Maker because it has more features and iTunes is better than Windows Media Player because iTunes keeps your files more organized so the answer to your argument is that Apple portraits things as if they weren't because they actually aren't IGNORANT.
3. Yes, everything is ready, I switched from PC to Mac and i don't regret it at all and I DO know how to fix computers and work with them and if you have to it doesn't make you any smarter, it just means that you had to open your computer to troubleshoot problems (something that you have to rarely do on a Mac) meaning that the PC is a piece of crap, the average computer user doesn't want to open their computer and troubleshoot because they find it too technical.
4. (you were really showing your ignorance on this one). How come it be that when Mac OS 9 was out it had about 2% of the US market share but there were still about 80 to 100 viruses for it and now we have 11% and we have none so far??? The answer is simple, we have UNIX which is much more secure and second, we use HFS which is a file system that viruses don't recognize meaning that they can't spread. Btw, 50% of people that are buying a mac are switchers (meaning that there are a lot of people angry with Windows)
5. Windows Vista still sucks and i can prove it: first of all, it's darn slow, it lags on 1GB of RAM and it has very high system requirements and btw, when Mac OS X came out in 2001 it was competing against Windows XP (which copied) which had a lot more bugs than the first version of OS X, Vista came out to compete with OS X Tiger but then Apple released Leopard to compete with them (I'm running Leopard now) and Leopard just came out about 6 months ago and i am yet to find a bug on it and it runs smoothly with 1GB of RAM and you may be happy to know that the PS3 has the least failure rate of all consoles, 0.2% to be exact, the Wii has 1% failure rate and the XBOX 360 has 11% failure rate (which is very high). PS3 now costs $400 so your argument is non-valid anymore.
6. The XBOX 360 doesn't use neither AMD or Intel Chips, it uses the IBM PowerPC processor (which was made for Macs by Apple and IBM) and all of the consoles out now use a PowerPC processor (including the Wii and PS32 too), do some research before you post.
7. I don't want to download drivers, i just want the darn thing to work, which is why Mac OS X comes with many drivers for many different products, btw, did you notice that all versions of Vista except Ultimate are 32-bit and therefore can only address about 3GB of RAM and Vista Ultimate costs a lot more than Leopard and Mac OS X has had 64-bit support since 10.3 Panther (made in 2003)
8. Apple cares about how their products look like and they care about the environment unlike most PC manufacturers, that's part of the reason why they make everything so minimalist, including boxes, like i said, they like to help preserv the environment while making products that look great, why don't you try making a PC that has a case that looks like the Mac mini's??? And the reason they use white color in almost everything is because that's the color that represents the company and your cases argument is just soooo old and stupid, that just makes the computer look childish and unprofessional.
9. with the video chat they want people to be able to look at each other and because it's a better way to communicate, if my family went on a trip I would like more to be able to look at them and hear them than just typing words like a dumb***
10. Im not even gonna go into that one, your argument was laughable
11. What they mean with that is that with the editing tools iMovie provides, it's easy to do so and make many changes, making it look like a great movie, can't you interpret things???
Btw, Windows Movie maker can't produce a good movie at all and that's because it lacks so many features.
12. WIth 1 click websites they meant that you can select the layout of it with just one click, are you too dumb to interpret things?
And no, on iWeb you don't need to get a 2 years class unlike in Front Page, Apple makes things easier to use
13 is too stupid and you failed to prove a point
14. Like i said, people shouldn't have to learn how to use a computer, Apple makes it so that you can just use it without any problems
15. Computers were not made for gaming to begin with, they were made for work and simplicity, gaming consoles were intended to be used for games unlike computers and with awesome out of the box Apple means that you don't have to waste time setting up things and that it has lots of multimedia programs. Btw, My mac mini is easy to upgrade, the only thing you need is a putty knife, that's it and i can upgrade the RAM, HDD, Optical Drive and the processor and I would bet that the new iMac is the easiest computer to upgrade the RAM on (apart from the Mac Pro)
The only one that has been proven wrong here is you, you are a Windows fanboy and you are an ignorant, once you use a Mac for a week then talk so please don't post crap like this on a popular site like this, your just annoying people and btw, what you said about Mac users doesn't reflect in many polls and surveys that have been made, maybe it's just that you were stupid enough to buy a computer with a crappy operating system and that has cheap hardware
Are you so ignorant to not realize that all technologies will always have problems? Apple doesn't mean that Macs work and they'll keep working and they'll never stop working, they mean that Macintoshes have far less technical problems than Windows PCs do.
2. You can make amazing stuff.
I'm pretty sure they are referring to iLife.
3. Everything ready.
Apple is not talking about building computers. They are saying that most Windows PCs require that you connect the tower, monitor, etc, whereas on Macs (excluding the Mac Pro and Mac Mini) you just need to plug in the keyboard and mouse (excluding laptops), plug the Mac into the wall, and you're ready to go.
4. 114,000 Viruses? Not on a Mac.
I'm ignoring you on this topic, considering you made yourself look like a self-contradicting idiot. ("for an operating system that no one uses [Mac OS X]. this only applies to Mac OS X users"
5. Still the most advanced OS.
Mac OS X originally had problems, yes, but the message is referring to the present and close past.
6. The latest Intel chips.
Using a Mac =/= Knowing jack about computers. On the topic of AMD being "better" than Intel, the best AMD CPU available on Newegg.com is a 3.2 Ghz Dual-Core. An even better Intel chip is available- the 3.2 Ghz Quad-Core "Nehalem," currently used in the latest Mac Pro.
7. No hunting for drivers.
Whatever.
8. Design that turns heads.
Tell, me how does a glowing, color-changing metal box look less like art than a Mac?
9. Instant video chats.
Would you rather be able to see and hear who you're talking to or just hear their voice? I'd go with the first.
10. More fun with photos.
iPhoto is not photo-organization software. It's more a digital center, where you can download photos and videos directly from your camera. You can also edit photos within the program, and all pictures/videos are automatically sent to the iMovie library in case you need them there.
11. Hollywood-style movies.
Well, maybe not LITERALLy Hollywood-style, but iMovie can make videos faster and better than what i've seen in Windows Movie Maker.
12. One-click websites.
It means that the Mac already comes with website-making software
13. Amazing podcasts.
I don't even know what you're point is here.
14. Rock star tunemaking
Musicians are definitely NOT idiots. Well, maybe quite a few rock stars are, but most musicians (like my uncle, a Mac Pro user) are definitely not idiots.
15. Awesome out of the box.
No, you idiot, 3rd-Party Software and Games will not be installed on a Mac, or for that matter, a PC, unless they specifically offer it. That's why it's called 3rd-Party (Third-party developer, hardware or software developer not directly tied to the primary product that a consumer is using). And, you contradicted yourself AGAIN, stating that you don't want to be using a computer that someone is most likely to hack and watch you through the camera, when in fact earlier you stated nobody is going to bother hacking a Macintosh!
If someone really wants an upgradeable mac, they'll buy a Mac Pro.
As far as your analogy goes (Mac = n00bs PC = 1337!!!1one) anyone who uses leet-speak or spells a ! as 1 or one shouldn't be on the internet.
Apple invented the movie industry. They didn't however invent the movie industry with iMovie. There is not one PC user in this thread who has actually USED a Macintosh. Also, to the other poster who was going on a rant about 'PC's being Macs' that made no utter sense. Yes a Macintosh is a personal computer but, it is called a Mac as it is a sub-group.
I.e. There is chocolate and there is Cadbury chocolate. If I were to compare the two, I would not be comparing 'apples and apples', I would be comparing a sub-genre with a larger containing genre.
-Mac user
Apple invented the movie industry. They didn't however invent the movie industry with iMovie. There is not one PC user in this thread who has actually USED a Macintosh. Also, to the other poster who was going on a rant about 'PC's being Macs' that made no utter sense. Yes a Macintosh is a personal computer but, it is called a Mac as it is a sub-group.
I.e. There is chocolate and there is Cadbury chocolate. If I were to compare the two, I would not be comparing 'apples and apples', I would be comparing a sub-genre with a larger containing genre.
You can never end an argument with something similar to 'Millions of people just need to understand that they are wrong and that I am right so that this argument can be put to rest'.
Also you aren't some wise, enlightened one by using 7337. A lot isn't one word either.
-An average Mac user
away my PC. I have both which must make me a super genious!!!
Reading this and the responses to it have made me feel really
good. Seriously, for what I use a computer for, I like the mac better.
If this makes me smarter, thats good too.
windows provides a system that is FAST, leaving organization to WETWARE(user brain), and is compatible with multiple types of hardware
thus, the REASON for the monopoly. Windows is like a POLYMATH, speaking multiple languages
it is thus inherently more INTELLIGENT because is has built in CAPABILITIES to interact with infinitely more hardware situations (and software situations, because the generality and cheapness(often pirated) of it engenders more SOFTWARE development for it)
the mac os is MORE SPECIALIZED and LIMITED. its users have to show more variety to offer quality information because the machine is LESS INTELLIGENT.
The purpose of a computer is to provide QUALITY INFORMATION. how the LOAD is BALANCED in this task is up to the ratio between USER and MACHINE CONTRIBUTIONS.
Thus, mac users might be smarter than windows users, in the default situation.
the hope for pc users? DUMB DOWN YOUR MACHINE. SPECIALIZE IT.
also, if lazy windows users were able to elevate the quality of their own output to that of Mac users (be more intelligent) then they would be at an advantage because their machines are more POWERFUL
BUT most people aren't interested in being more intelligent (THINKING).
that is why, to own an Apple is to said to be to THINK DIFFERENT, in the default situation.
something you don't like happens, you get upset(nice touch on the
BIG words to sound smart).
folks do for the same setup.
They upgrade constantly (true mac fans) for the same computer
with faster memory and 200mhz faster for the chip. Once again
its cheaper then purchasing a more powerful processor.
They use an OS that is based on unix that can do tricks that
linux can do for free. But its Apple and I'm surpriesed Cnet is
even asking this, they should just do apple and sony stuff and
screw everything else.
This statement is wonderful - this is an example of smarter Mac users?
Brilliant.
Let me tell you what webterractive;
We both have 2000$ to spend - you go and buy a mac with yours, and I will build a PC with mine, and then we will run a benchmark test to see who is faster.
The reason PC users upgrade constantly is because in case you haven?t noticed, hardware is constantly changing - contrary to your belief, the mac does not come 'future proof'. And on top of that - at least we CAN upgrade something on our PC's besides the RAM -
There is too much to write here to even try and justify this articles' ridiculousness.
As far as I?m concerned, if overpaying for hardware and having limited compatibility with 75% of software available to computer users is smart ? I will stay dumb.
Having always built my own pc through my first install of XP, I am not what most would call the stereotypical "mac fanboy". I have used and managed Windows extensively (2000 certification) as well as various flavors of Linux and Solaris. Believing Macs to be one trick ponies that excelled at graphics design but lagged behind elsewhere, I bought my first Mac as part of a "digital darkroom" a few years ago. That little underpowered mini was so much easier to use and so much more advanced in its rich feature set than my Windows computer that it soon replaced all but gaming. Once I bought a Mac Pro (quad core, tons of memory, excellent gpu) my Windows box was no longer necessary. I've been thrilled with the performance on everything from graphics and movies to daily internet related tasks to online gaming.
Does this make me smarter? Of course not. These statistics probably say nothing at all actually in my opinion. A statistical coincidence does not necessarily prove a causal relationship.
A statistic I've personally seen, however, that is somewhat significant is everyone I know who has tried a Mac has realized very quickly for a variety of reasons that the platform is far superior. Every time.
From a marketing standpoint, a statistic that is interesting is Macs do tend to be used more. Mac based internet traffic is a higher percentage of overall use than the Mac share of the computer market.
I will admit, I use Microsoft Office for Mac, but only because it is the de facto standard for word processing. strangely, even this Microsoft software is better on Mac.
Things just make more sense on the Mac OS. The user can see the file structure of the OS. Applications (that would be "programs" to Windows users) can easily be found. Documents and multimedia can easily be organized and integrated into nearly any application. The operating system is more powerful and intuitive. The best part is that I have yet to get a virus on my Mac despite running no anti-virus software and accessign the internet everyday. Try that on a Windows-based PC.
The best feature that exemplifies the Mac's versatility is the fact that you can have multiple operating systems. I have put a Linux partition on my hard drive. I have since removed it, but it is more than possible. Currently, I have a Vista partition on my hard drive. I have two computers in one machine.
From a hardware standpoint, dollar for dollar, Macs are the same or better than any PC that you will find. I am a college student with a campus job. My job is fixing Mac computers. I will be the first to admit. Macs have hardware and software problems, but the moment you find ANY computer model that will remain free of hardware or software problems for four years we shall all throw our hands up in the air and sing a song of jubilation! When we do see issues with Macs, it is easy to diagnose the problem because the OS is so closely tied to the hardware. We can use more problem-solving steps and solutions to fix the problems.
NOW, I am not saying that I am smarter than PC users just because I use a Mac. I have, admittedly made a wiser choice in purchasing a Mac, but that does not make me smarter. My suggestion to you is to get a Mac and give it a month. I think you will find that it is easier to use than any other machine. However, please be warned, it may even be difficult for you to want to go back to Windows.
The hotter it is, the more ice cream sales there are. The hotter it is, the more shark attacks there are. This does not mean that the more ice cream sales there are, the more shark attacks there will be.
you say, "Wealthier people buy macs. Wealthier people are more likely to be educated. This does not mean people who buy macs are more likely to be educated."
and then compare that statement to,
"The hotter it is, the more ice cream sales there are. The hotter it is, the more shark attacks there are. This does not mean that the more ice cream sales there are, the more shark attacks there will be."
So, for the computers, Yes it does mean that, because Wealth is almost without fail caused by education. The more education you have the more money you are likely to make.(ex. a doctor compared to a macdonalds employee) The more wealthy buy macs and the more wealthy are usually more educated(remember, in order to make more money) so it is not an outlandish statement to say that more educated people generally buy/use macs.
Now the shark attacks, (admittedly I am pushing it on this one but I am bored.) a similar principle can be applied. The hotter it is the more ice cream is sold (you have already stated this). The hotter it is the more people go swimming, the more swimmers the more shark attacks. now you state that it does not make sense to say that the more ice cream that is sold the more shark attacks there will be. and to a certain extent this is correct, However, you forget that there is still a positive correlation between ice cream sales and shark attacks so it is possible to assume that when more ice cream is sold there will also be more shark attacks.
Hopefully you get the point
The big point is that just because someone with more education and more wealth has NOTHING to do with how good of a decision it is to buy a mac. Nothing. If someone makes more money as a doctor, but know little about computers, and then turn around and say, "Wow, I have lots of money because I'm educated. Therefore, if I buy this more expensive computer, the mac, it will mean I made a more educated choice because I am smarter". None of that works. Like I said before, it's just like a doctor who makes a 1/2 million a year can maybe afford an expensive car. It doesn't mean he knows anything about those cars other than he can afford them. And just because a computer costs more, doesn't mean it's necessarily better and so on ...
All this article is stating is that the relative expense of Apple products mean that it is more likely the owner is from privileged background, and therefore more likely to have had a better education, not necessarily smarter. Much like you would find if you compared Bentley drivers to Toyota drivers, one is more likely to be wealthy (hint: not the Toyota driver). The amount of rage that seems to get generated over the Mac vs. PC debate is comical. It seems to be the tech version of "My daddy can beat up your daddy".
systems.
Yes stability has been a issue at times, but the Windows operating system has made me a more computer smart user over the years. It also has improved by leaps and bounds since Windows 95 and 98. I'm looking forward to using the new Windows 7 on my PC.
Mac's are probably good for some who are not desiring to go into in depth computer understanding. but still want to use computers with style. PC's are for the people who want a tool at an affordable price that they can open the hood and work on themselves if needed to. For people who wan the freedom to customize, optimize and not be bound by a cookie cutter.
I prefer to have the ability to buy any hardware (not just the ones that are sold at the apple dealership/website) and then run it on another company's software. The software can be WindowsXp, MacOSX, Redhat or Fedora Core. This may lead to instability, but nothing I haven't seen or solved before.
I have seen the specs for Mac Pro (8 cores for ~$3600), quite good; but the price is high. I can build a system (anywhere from 4 to 8 cores) and overclock it to function better than the Mac Pro (8 cores) and it will still not cost me more than $3000.
Mac seems like a good option for my parents (who need stability over function). They don't care what is in the computer, and they only use the computer for checking mail and browsing internet, and hence a system based on the vertical integration (which is inherently slightly more stable than IBM architecture) model suits them. But Apple does not have answers for me.
Meanwhile, the Mac user spends $1,952.34 and gets an OS that works, never gets a virus does all his graphic work done. Really likes his machine and keeps all the Microsoft users at bay with his Mac Book.