Comments on: New Apple ads tweak Microsoft marketers

Two new Mac vs. PC commercials starring John Hodgman and Justin Long play on recent Microsoft marketing moves to reclaim its image while hitting back at Apple.

[bbabadu]

uh, It's a good thing no one is paying either of you guys to be in advertising.

[rugisis1]

Speaking of adds please take that INTEL add off the first page... i doesnt have a close button and its huge!

[ikramerica--2008]

My dad and his wife are switching. My Dad's been a PC Guy since before the PC! Seriously, before the IBM PC was released. But he's had enough.

That said, I am installing Fusion and XP Pro SP2 on his machines, as they work quite well. He still has some legacy stuff that will run just fine.

And the kicker? You can use the install disks from your old PC to install Windows, including the activation code, in Fusion. Done it with old Dells. Used the Dell disks, despite the claim it won't work. Dell SP 1 disks, BTW. Installs fine, runs under Fusion, upgrades to SP2 just fine, works like a charm. Zero cost!

As for Vista? I think it's pretty good but still problematic as many POS and business packages are not Vista compatible, so those companies who use them are having a tough time, even in fall 2008. Reminds me of the whole Windows 2000/ME thing. For most people, 98 was better until XP came along, and I think this will be true with Vista. For most people who were running XP, Vista will be a skip over event and Windows 7 will be the next OS they use?

[ppgreat]

"Vista is just fine. (Ask the 180 million PLUS people that use it. {compared to maybe 8 million OSX-Leper'd users) This is all marketing hoo-ha. Apple is still a single digit marketshare also-ran, & Microsoft still entertains a 90%+ marketshare."

Wow. What a ringing endorsement. "Vista is just fine." Not exciting. Not excellent. Not cool. Not mind blowing. Not productive. Not innovative. Not revolutionary. Not 'Wow is Now!'

Just "fine". And always the MS argument of quantity over quality.

If Apple is such an also-ran, why is MS spending over $300 million-plus just to counter ONE Apple ad campaign? Why is MS running around with the Mojave Experiment? Why is Steve Ballmer flying around the world decrying everything Apple is doing?

The Apple ads hit at the simple truths that Windows users have complained about, that the tech pundits commented about, and forums debated about. All MS did was try to counter Apple's ad campaign by parroting a portion of the phrase used: "I'm a PC."

I run XP in Parallels on my Mac Pro laptop. Runs fine. I play in Windows maybe 2% of my total computing time. I personally find Windows to be non-productive or, in other words, "why use 4 clicks to do something when 1 or 2 will suffice?"

I went through the exercise of installing Vista SP1 in Boot Camp after I saw how it dragged my fully tricked out laptop to a crawl in Parallels, and watched as it chewed up all my resources. My first impression remained unchanged over the weeks I used it before blowing it out and going back to XP in Parallels: it was a themed-out version of XP.

I still had to click 4 times to do something that I can do with 1 or 2 in OS X. It was slower overall and I'm running a Core 2 Duo with 4 G RAM. It chewed up more HD space and CPU than XP.

More eye candy and security features turned on by default is not enough of a compelling reason for me to slow down my day and use it as a substitute for XP or OS X. The eye candy in OS X contributes to the functionality of the user experience. Not the case in Vista.

Looking to the future: Snow Leopard will actually have LESS of a footprint and be better optimized to run on Intel architectures. They are actually working to standardize their coding and remove the bloat. Windows 7 will essentially be Vista SP 3. So, if people don't have much patience for Vista, how is Windows 7 going to satisfy the naysayers?

Anybody out there have any figures as to how many people 'downgraded' to XP?

[jessiethe3rd]

Vista is just fine - I think the point here is that it's just fine meaning there isn't something actually "WRONG" with it to begin with. It's so interesting how all this hype builds up that Vista is broken or doesn't work when it actually it works "fine". As far as innovation and click usage I have to say that Vista is definitely quite productive. It leverages the same type of Windows inspired interface as XP but it puts a bit more eye candy on it.

Since I have basically the same set up as you I can honestly tell you that Vista is fine - I parallel it and it runs very smoothly (alias a bit slow at times when too many things are running on my Mac OSX side.)

[docparkny]

Ever try to create a home network using Windows? Every try wireless printing in Windows? Ever try to make a movie in Windows? I tried -spent thousands of dollars on Windows laptops and networking gear -getting something to print was something done after fidgeting and poking, rebooting and unplugging and plugging in. After switching to Airport and two Macs, MY WIFE IS PRINTING WIRELESSLY BY HERSELF! When I switched virus programs, the antivirus program that was getting replaced became a kind of virus! The offending Windows machines kindly killed themselves after the 3 year warranties expired (wonder why?) All that Windows stuff is now in my basement ready to get recycled. So no thank you Microsoft. Goodbye buggy cell phones with a gazilion menus and programs that you can't quit out of (Windows Mobile). Goodbye Norton (like a crazed Zombie when you try to get rid of it), Goodbye MacAfee.

[goodspeed8701]

Why dont you just admin you know nothing about networking. if mac is so good in networking where are their computers in offices and servers?

[shycelticwitch]

goodspeed.... I can tell you where some of them are... NASA. And since my brother works for NASA in their IT department... I'd say the information is reliable. According to NASA, they use Apple because they can't afford to "CRASH & BURN"

[D3vildog699]

Hello dead end computing with Macs, and without a source to prove that NASA uses macs, you saying that is just not reliable.

[jessiethe3rd]

well... I have a HP networked printer and to be honest it was as fast to hook it up and use it on my Vista machine as it was my Mac machine. Seriously no difference. As far as NASA - dude... NASA uses every kind of computer known to man... they are NASA.

[superswiss]

The fact that you couldn't create a home network using Windows says more about you than Windows. Seriously, setting up a network in Windows is not easier or harder than on a Mac. Now if you tried it with Linux and failed your post would have more credibility.

[blinkdt]

Setting up a network in Vista is the easiest no-brainer you have ever eXPerienced. And FYI, brother of the NASA dude, they use Windows at CIA and NSA and Energy and State and DIA and the Pentagon and . . . the rest of the Federal Government. And Office. There might be a Mac or two squirreled away here and there, but I've never seen 'em. Oh, the Apple hype, no go play with your iDiot computer.

[Penguinisto]

@docparkny: It can be done. That said, I prefer to spend my time @ home messing around with the computer, and not spending it in beating the home network into submission. I also prefer doing fun things with the missus, and not constantly fixing her computer setup. :)

This above many other reasons (e.g. her asking for one) explains why she's getting a new MacBook for Christmas...

[jgoto]

I have to admit that setting up a network printer on Vista is really easy and simple. I highly recommend it.

[jessiethe3rd]

Call me a fanboy but my Vista works perfectly fine.

[rtripathi]

Purchased a dual core HP Laptop from Bestbuy for my Son which came with Vista. It took 45 minutes to burn a CD with about 30-40 photos. It took less than 5 minutes on my other XP PC. Every file copy and any other operation took forever. Vista is Junk. Had to format and install XP and everything is fine now. I've now purchased a XP based Acer Aspire One Netbook as I want to use Windows but don't want to touch Vistha.

[blinkdt]

Your first mistake was buying an HP laptop at Bestbuy ("worst rip-off"), doubtless an underpowered paperweight. Try spending a grand on a machine like mine: Dell Studio 1735 Core2Duo@2.5GHz (T9300) w/ 4GB RAM and two (2) 7200 RPM Seagate Momentus hard drives. Vista? This machine slices it like a hot knife through warm butter. Adobe Photoshop CS3? Let me check . . . loads up quicker than you can say "one-mississippi." Try that on your XP box. Please, go buy a Mac . . . price it . . . I think you'll understand that you need to pay to play, but you don't need to be ripped off (by buying Apple).

[Pickyru2]

Vista isn't junk. HP is the problem. Next time buy a Dell

[jessiethe3rd]

The thing I find interesting in Apple's marketing tactics is they focus on the one to one while Microsoft has tried to push open to everyone. That's also the difference in the way that Apple approaches the market versus Microsoft - exclusive versus everyone allowed... in deeper analysis Apple does the same thing with their product lines... "we will dictate what you do and do not need - no choices here except our choices." I find these videos entertaining because to be honest as of TODAY owning both my MacBook Pro 17" and my Lenovo T61p running Windows Vista Enterprise I have to say that my PC gets a lot more WORK and my MacBook gets a lot more PLAY.

When it comes to games I just assume turn on a game console then sit in front of a computer screen.

Now what can my PC do that my Mac can't? It has a lot to do with the Office Suite - everything feels at home in my Windows Vista enviroment with Office 2007... it just feels right - they work well together. Face it - if you are in the corporate world Macs just aren't the answer. The most valued and used universal application for a PC is the Office Suite... unfortunately it just doesn't feel 100% right with my Mac (delay for email in Entourage and the qwirky interface.)

[McPlot]

I got Vista when it was released. The ONLY problem I had was not from Vista, it was from the poor hardware support for it. My Lexmark printer did not work, the nVidia graphic card had issues. It seemed that the hardware makers thought they could use XP drivers for Vista, like you could use Win 2K drivers in XP. Now that good drivers have been out for a LONG time now. Vista ROCKS! If... You have at least 2gb of RAM and the Aero interface. When people see my computer, they say "Wow, that was cool" and asked what add-on I have. They are suprised to find out it is Aero and I am running Vista. Most people who complain about Vista, NEVER USED IT!

[jessiethe3rd]

They've either NEVER used it or they got caught up in the "heard" mentality. Consumer says, "Vista sucks..." XP user says.... "yeah... Vista sucks - I'm not going to it!" everyone says, "yeah... VISTA IS TERRIBLE" Just like other things - do your research or for goodness sake spend some serious time with it before you start blabbing off about how much it sucks. I agree too - Vista totally rocks... there was the same emotional reaction to XP - lots of crying and sobbing about its release and now well goodness sake... Windows XP is the greatest thing since sliced bread!

[rtripathi]

I've used Vista on HP Laptop and it's Junk. I had to reformat and install XP. Everything is fine now. I've many friends frustrated by Vista and few of them moved to Apple. I got XP on Acer Netbook.

[blinkdt]

@rtrpathi Dude, you are correct, you bought an low-end HP laptop and it is junk. It will run XP and/or Linux, but it is not up to the task of Vista or (if it were possible) OSX. You need good hardware to support modern OSs (sorry, Linux does not fall into that category). So your friends were dissatisfied with their $600 laptops and moved to a $2,500 laptop and now they are happy? There's a shocker. Too bad, they could have saved $1,500 and experienced the "wow" that is Vista.

OK, I think I'm done here for now. Thanks for listening.

[Groucho6]

Sitting side by side -- a brand new HP, and a brand new Mac Pro. Time spent "fixing," "rebooting," and otherwise managing Mac OS X?zero minutes. Time spent rebooting to cure freezes, clicking off "your program has stopped working" boxes, and OKing endless cryptic error messages in Vista Home Premium?I've lost count. Hours? Weeks? Feels like years.

Oh and my Mac Pro runs World of Warcraft a lot better than your PC, game boy. You can have Lolhammer and Age of Boredom, if your machine will even run it at more than 5FPS.

[jessiethe3rd]

Seriously dude... spend as much as you did on that Mac Pro on a PC and there is no doubt your Mac will be out ran by the PC. Simple logics here - superior hardware with superior memory equals better experience. HP sucks BTW - try a manufacture who doesn't load your machine with spyware and a bunch of other crap. Gaming? Alienware/Dell/Sony.... all make very solid multimedia machines

[daveschinkel]

what's wrong with Vista
I like it
I think Apple should fix thair own problems
like the IPhone problems
and ITunes piece of sh**

I don't have any problems with Vista
after installing SP1 and I like it, even as a developer

[walletless]

They have nothing good to talk about their own product, so rather, they mock fun of competition.
Notice how neither of the two ads do not talk about Mac at all!

Microsoft, on the other hand, talks about their products rather than attacking others. They talk about how different Windows products talk to each other (Life without walls), how there are millions of people around the world who get stuff done with PC, but are stereotyped as being uncool ("I am a PC" ads, Mojave experiment), etc. The only wrong thing I see is the untoward publicity that MS spend 300 million for the ad campaign - almost every AD that we now see from Microsoft will make us think "Was that really worth the price tag?" now.

[daveschinkel]

I think, Apple has real balls to put a marketing campaign out like this when their OS is having so many problems on the IPhone as well as security holes in their main OS. Just because more people are using their software, now people see that software companies cannot be perfect

[daveschinkel]

Hey Apple, My IPhone crashed today. Can I get a refund?

[superswiss]

The biggest problem Microsoft has is the OEM model and they are slowly realizing that. Here's the thing with all these stories from people saying that their Mac worked out of the box, but their Vista PC crashed and burned. Here's why. Every PC I've ever bought came with outdated drivers and crapware loaded. The OEMs just don't pay the attention to details like Apple does when putting together their systems. It gets worse the cheaper the PC you buy. At least if you buy a high end system, you get high end hardware and you will have a lot less issues. Then uninstall all the crapware the OEM vendor preinstalled or wipe the disk and do a clean install with the latest drivers and you will have an eye opening experience. Most mainstream PCs are cheap patchworks. You get what you pay for. That's the real issue here.

[goodspeed8701]

Apple fanbois thinks they use the mac for real jobs like modeling. i will post some links on a very successful animation films and tell me if you see any mac computer doing any work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jksOEwwabM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1KMnO7HAcM
If you have any link for videos that shows mac doing work let me know by posting it.

[Penguinisto]

That's easy - hunt down YouTube for the Windows Gates-Seinfeld commercials: those were produced and edited on Macs. ;)

/P

[y_p_w]

You do realize that the most successful computer animation studio in the world had a CEO named Steve Jobs, who is currently on the board of their parent company - Disney. There was a reason why WALL-E featured shiny white robots reminiscent of Apple products and where the title character had that distinctive Mac chime when his battery was fully charged. Besides that - DreamWorks Animation uses Linux boxes.

http://renderman.pixar.com/products/tools/rfm_webinfopage.html
http://www.macobserver.com/article/2002/05/10.12.shtml
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aja2JwdkfI0

[rtripathi]

Vista is really Vistha (Turd in Sanskrit)

[wolivere]

Actually almost all gaming companies find it harder to support mac, and looking at games like wow that have a MAC client the mac just sucks as a gaming platform,.

[Perry_Clease]

That is a Mac client not a MAC client.

[D3vildog699]

Really dude.. thats your reply, correcting his grammar?

[Vegaman_Dan]

John Hodgeman is in a great position. Apple must be paying him a ton to keep him loyal to Apple. With all that cash Microsoft has, they could afford to keep offering those actors more and more, forcing Apple to up their pay to keep them. Who knows, it may be happening now.

Go for it- I hope the actors get as much as they can for as long as they can.

[iConquered]

I can speak personally, in saying that I have yet to install Windows XP or Vista on my Mac. I recently returned to the Mac fray, after a very long sabbatical (my last Macintosh was the Apple IIe, before I acquired my BlackBook). I can honestly say that I have never had a moment where I said "man...I really miss <insert program> that I had for Windows XP." It just hasn't happened. Then again, I don't play video games, which in my opinion, is the strongest feature available to Windows users.

What I have gained, is a great deal of efficiency. My Mac keeps my life and activities, very organized. Spaces is a rather genius adaption of the same longstanding feature, found in various Linux distros, and i'm glad to see that this has carried over to Mac OSX (which also runs a Terminal and other Unix functions). My boot times are swift, and the OS is very stable. Apple does mention these things from time to time in their ads, but they devoted so much time speaking about these issues in the original Switch ads, as well as the initial "I'm a Mac" ads, that I can't imagine their need to further express just how useful, Mac OSX really is.

[blinkdt]

Really? You're not spending your time picking your patterns, rearranging your rooms, and otherwise making yourself at home? 'scuze me, I have work to do.