Comments on: Where Apple fails

So Apple's turning 30--CNET News.com's Michael Kanellos wants to know what the big deal is about.

[Mergeculture]

Better Company, Better Product, hands down.

It comes down to a better product, and better customer service,
today. This article should have been written at thier 20th
Anniversary, when Apple was really in the toilet. There have
been ups and downs in the company, John Sculley pretty much
ruined the place until 1996. Bottome line, Apple was the first to
release the Graphic User Interface, they are still using open
source technology, so they will continue to have a better OS. Its
like if you were driving a Yugo for years, and someone let you
drive thier BMW. Well the BMW is just luxurious, and everything
works, easier and smoother. But you were just so used to the
Yugo, I mean you had been using it for 15 years. My point is,
that because I have used PC's and now I use a Mac, I understand
they are simply better, smoother, faster, and more luxurious.
The public is uninformed about Apple because of articles like
this. Apple turning 30 is a big deal? It is the company that
started the whole personal computing thing. Look into the
history and examine the timeline. Then write another article.
Apple offers a program in thier stores called ProCare. For $100 a
year you can have personal training on any software for one
hour - one on one session a week, for 52 weeks. If you want to
produce a movie, you can be taught by the company that makes
the software. Anything at all. I think there should be an article
just on that. What other company can give you that? Computers
are technology, the average consumer has no idea how to use it,
well Apple is showing what they know. And I have not ever had a
virus on my computer either. Also on the new intel Macs, I have
personally opened all of the applications on the machine in 40
seconds, find a PC that will do that. Check this out, http://
homepage.mac.com/mergeculture/Picture.png

[Jonthin]

Trabant or Mercedes?

Fine, everyone in the USSR could afford a Trabant, and it did the
job, badly. 90+% of cars were Trabants. So, read Windows and
you have the equivalent.

And Mercedes for example, its global market share? Just 2.5%.
Does that make it anything other than an extremely desirable
brand? So for Mercedes read Apple.

Apple will continue to do extremely well and its growing user
base will still be loyal, productive, secure and well served...in
other words EVERYTHING that MS and Windows doesn't give its
users.

[john55440]

Apple Changed 2.3% of the World! :-)

With it's tiny share, Mac is a marketplace failure.

[rhett121]

Or is it?

After reading all of these comments (and a great number of
them are just ridiculous) I found yours to be the most ludicrous.

"With it's tiny share, Mac is a marketplace failure"

I think it is often overlooked that Apple has a different target
market. So they have a 2.3% share of the global computing
market. This is far greater than MANY companies enjoy. What's
more important is that this 2.3% share is FANATICALLY LOYAL!!
Most people use Windows, big deal, most people are stupid...
and cheap!
Companies and IT departments are even worse! There is
absolutely NO brand loyalty going on (in the business IT world)
unless there is a special purchase agreement made, and then it
only lasts until a better deal comes along. Why? They all run M$-
Windoze and Widnoze will crash just as easily on a Dell as it will
on a Gateway, HP, Compaq or any home brew garbage (and as
stated before, Windoze guarantees IT employees a long and
prosperous future in support issues).
The big deal with celebrating Apple's 30th birthday is that
Apple has been innovating and advancing the personal
computing industry more than ANY other company for the past
30 years! Sure they've had ups and downs, and put out some not
so great products, but over all they've been THE leaders in
innovation.

Would you rather be reading this on a monochrome command
line from a big beige box?

[Tracy Valleau]

Wait! You forgot....

Unocal
Avon
Safeco
EchoStar
US Air
Gannett
Amazon.com
ITT Industries
Southwest Airlines
Cox Communications
Unisys
Monsanto
Black & Decker
Harley-Davidson
Dole Food
Starbucks
McGraw-Hill
Kerr_McGee
Mattel
AMD
Qualcomm
Hormel
Goodrich
Brinkg
CIT Group
Charles Schwab

-ALL- these companies are smaller than Apple... No "sky is
falling" stories about them! You know, after 30 years of
listening to this kind of mindless, rabble-rousing BS, it's gotten
predictable and boring - Want to stir something up instead of
doing some real reporting? Just tweek the company no reporters
understand... proving yet again that the American press has its
head firmly planted in a nice, dark, space...

[technewsjunkie]

Quite philosophical, Michael.

Ah, you ARE an Apple user;-)

[ricardosai]

just another story...

Well, maybe I'm too simple to appreciate the finer detail of the
discussion; I don't own neither Apple or MS shares, but I've been an
Apple user since 1987 and have never wished I had a PC. If I have
to use a PC I would (It's not such a big deal), but then I wish I was
using an Apple...

Perhaps I've been conditioned to using inferior products, but they
seem to deliver, and they just work, feel and look nice

[ricardosai]

just another story...

Well, maybe I'm too simple to appreciate the finer detail of the
discussion; I don't own neither Apple or MS shares, but I've been an
Apple user since 1987 and have never wished I had a PC. If I have
to use a PC I would (It's not such a big deal), but then I wish I was
using an Apple...

Perhaps I've been conditioned to using inferior products, but they
seem to deliver, and they just work, feel and look nice

[jbelkin]

Companies are EXACTLY like people ...

Each company has its own personality - sometimes it's exactly the right company at the right time but in other times, it's all wrong - just like us people. Most of us could take gov't jobs for security or many of us could be on Wall Street caring about nothing but money but we don't all choose the most obvious path - Japanese companies plan for a thousand years - now that might be a far reaching for our quarterly numbers culture but there will be up & downs and fallow periods and not every company - no matter how hard they try will fail at something or mis-read something. Thomas Edison basically invented the photograph but couldn't see much of a market for it while believe it or not, there were others who saw his light bulb and thought - me'h. That's nothing.

Apple is Apple - yes, I'm a machead since 1986 but like any other caompny, they make products I have wouldn't buy but overall, they are pretty damn interesting. THey are Porsche.

[M C]

No, Michael, Apple simply made it possible for you to make money...

...by writing crap like that. You should kiss Steve Jobs' shoes.

[mammalthedog]

cute

very cute

[junaluska]

Size of Apple Computer

Sidewalk hawking is about right.

[Clues]

Pure Bull Shit

This article is a steaming pile of ****.

How could anyone as misinformed as you Michael Kanellos
consider yourself a writer! I can't imagine you actually have a law
degree. The single thing being a lawyer qualified you for is
pathologic lying.

Apple has and will continue to accomplish great things. It's lead
the computer industry for thirty years and the media industry for
five.

The stupid will always spew their FUD because they're to stupid
to use a Mac and figure things out for themselves. Instead they
rely on myth, lies and FUD to make their decisions and in your
case find an audience. Michael Kanellos is clearly one of the
ignorant herd.

Who would ever listen to this moron but the equally ignorant
and who gives a **** about them. We have Apple and are
perfectly happy to watch the moron class spin in the wind
fighting the constant battle of using the virus platform.

David vs Goliath

Microsoft stronghold on motherboards fabricants made it
impossible for a single company to develop an alternative
platform and try to get Microsoft partners to have a look at
Apple integrated platform.

On the software side, Microsoft develops average products but
always programmable by newbies and they respect customers by
updating and keeping a direction over the years.

So Apple has a great piece of software, now rooted in open
source, which opens up the range of technologists available for
writing new products. What was missing was an edge to
compete on the hardware front with such a small market share.

With the adoption of Intel motherboards, Apple can now
concentrate on building a stable platform client and server. They
have media people and educators, if they want enterprises they
need a good server software, an Exchange clone that provide
email and agenda for thousands of users, a programmable
Office equivalent and an easier programming language than they
currently propose (they should buy RealBasic).

If they don't address enterprises concerns, they will stay in the
small league.

[Jambi3]

In interesting perspective

Here's an interesting perspective of Apple's "failing plan" written
by John Martellaro, senior scientist and author:

http://www.macobserver.com/columns/hiddendimensions/
2006/20060403.shtml

J

[keeperplanet]

nice piece

I thought the article complimented Michael's piece with a bit more of a strategic perspective, i.e., that Apple is not done yet. In competition (and war)every player has a vote. Good stuff, Thanks.

[briantmeyer]

Please dont post troll articles

I do not understand the logic of "if they are so successful, why
are they so small." They are successful because they have
individuals that are good designers who understand what
customers want. They are successful because they keep margins
high enough to keep them profitable with a smaller market
share. They run their company like Mercedes or a BMW, and not
like Ford or GM. Is mercedes doing poorly. I think your article
shows your personal preferences in computers. They are
successful because they make things customers want. I really
hope that this article was not just an attempt to drum up
responses from mac fanatics.

I am disappointed in the editors at Cnet for not presenting a
more balanced view of things. Or at least get an editor to review
articles that has taken a college level logic course. There are
failures all around the computer industry, for companies like
microsoft (whose os we are still waiting for) they are routine.
What market share does CNET command in the news market,
and the web news sites. How do you compare to CNN, MSNBC
and Fox News. Does that mean your articles aren't any good and
you have bad writers. Do you know what percent of your
readers use a mac? i would honestly like to know but i am
assuming it's small relatively. But regardless of these facts i
think it is irrelevant.

I remember when lcd displays went for about $1700. Apple
release theirs and if i remember correctly ( i am not sure as the
exact numbers as it's been years) for about $1400. A week later
all of their competitors lowered their prices to about $700 to
$900. I don't think apple is creating the premium, i think the
customers will choose apple if price was not an issue, so apple's
competitors know they have to ensure price is an issue. The
ipod's competitors never figured this out and gave apple the
whole market.

Apple now knows what their business model is, and how to
succeed. They know how to innovate new products, and do it in
a way that customers want. Apple lost it's way when they tried
to turn themselves into a pepsi mass market brand under
Sculley. Sculley thru Amelio were trying to become gateways or
dells. The computers got cheaper, clones showed up. Apples
biggest mistake was getting rid of Jobs. Amelio's biggest
mistake was bringing him back.

(and for the record, the cube was tried again and the mini is a
success)

Apple is a premium brand and they cannot survive in any other
way.

Another issue with your argument is that there is an established
Monopoly named Microsoft, who has been called such by a court
of law, and only escaped being broken up by the election of the
current president which resulted in a slap on the wrist.

Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt seem almost like they are accepted
marketing practices, when they are immoral and the companies
that exercise such games should face scrutiny by both the press
and the federal trade commission. The press seems to almost
respect these skilled PR professionals who spin everything
whichever way they want. When i read about the features of
Microsoft's next OS they make me want to go out and buy it
right now. Then as the release date nears, feature after feature is
dropped and what ships is no where near what originally showed
up in the press. The press touts the features and fails in their
responsibility to their readers to not be the puppets of
corporatate PR departments.

Microsoft has a long laundry list of companies it's either
crushed, or put the pressure on. Apple even has had to fight
them over some of apple's source code winding up in windows. I
think the only companies who have survived and prospered after
the microsoft attack's are aol, apple and intuit.

If you think about it, apple is microsoft's main competitor, and if
"Fair" market forces were allowed to operate, apple market share
should start to increase. Without apple, there is no reason for
microsoft to even try to innovate. Look at the browser market,
explorer hasn't gotten updated in years and is now getting
attention again, only with firefox nipping on it's heels.

Where is the next fundamental change in the way we use
computers going to come from, Redmond or Cupertino?

If you judge by numbers, which do you think is better, humanity
or cockroaches?