Version: 2008

Comments on: New Microsoft ads directly target Apple

The software maker tries to show that Windows is not stuffy and old, but rather part of a diverse experience that empowers interesting people across the globe.

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by nonstopdesign September 18, 2008 9:53 AM PDT
Windows without Walls? Still trying to get my head around that.

Anyway, Apple works with all those devices they show in the roller coaster ad... And they also run Windows if that's what you want. I think they are barking up the wrong tree by claiming Windows is more 'open' than Apple.

Very strange to abandon the Jerry/Bill show at this stage - I thought they were just getting started. And I quite liked them.
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by jlhatch September 18, 2008 9:55 AM PDT
It seems to me that instead of spending $300 million on ads to boost the perception out there, MS should spend it making their product better. I'm not anti-Vista because of the MAC ads, I'm against it because I tried it for 3 months and found it didn't run most of my aps properly, or just crashed too often. MS is aiming at the wrong target to get us liking their product. Fix the product and user opinions will get more positive (and I might even switch back to it from XP again).
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by Seaspray0 September 18, 2008 3:02 PM PDT
The mac ads are partly responsible for this ad campaign. Public perception about microsoft today is based on what those ads showed. Do you really think apple had any intent of showing anything other than microsoft in a bad light? What do you expect when the public only hears half truths for months on end?
by ipv9 September 18, 2008 10:00 AM PDT
I was a PC for twelve years and decided to become a Mac after my friends over at Microsoft decided to release a bloated, annoyingly slow operating system called Vista. Yes. I used Vista for six months on a laptop and a desktop before making the switch. Yes. Both systems had 4GB of RAM, mid-range video cards and drives in excess of 300 GB.

With my Mac, I can use all 4GB of my RAM, run my Bootcamp Windows partition using VMWare Fusion and create professional quality movies, photo albums, etc. featuring our son without purchasing or downloading unintuitive applications that are built for the Pro's. Gaming? No problem. I just reboot into Windows using bootcamp.

My Mac arrived, I unboxed it, plugged in a few cables, it found my access point and I was online in less than 10 minutes. Try doing that with a PC.
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by Kwasiowusu September 18, 2008 10:10 AM PDT
"My Mac arrived, I unboxed it, plugged in a few cables, it found my access point and I was online in less than 10 minutes. Try doing that with a PC."

I have.
Did the same with my brand new HP Vista laptop..only I was oline in 7 minutes.
by compudoc318 September 18, 2008 2:47 PM PDT
wow, how computer illiterate are you then, i hook up 10-20 vista machines a week with no issues, even goes faster than xp since drivers are mostly automatic now on vista
by IllusionCrisis September 19, 2008 4:16 AM PDT
If one isn't computer illiterate, then you can get online in 5.

Mac OS isn't that much easier than Windows, you just have to have a LITTLE computer knowledge to use Windows.
by ScaryMonkey69 September 21, 2008 10:51 PM PDT
OMG! With Windows 64bit versions, I can access all 4 GB of my RAM too!!

With Windows XP 32 bit version, I can use VMWare Fusion and create professional quality movies, photo albums, etc, without a single problem.

Kinda sad you dont know enough to find an access point without your machine doing it for you.

Takes me about 2-5 minutes on a Windows Machine.

BTW- I've never had to Buy "applications". There's plenty of Free, Open Source Apps that do BETTER than what you pay for.

Again, sad that you dont know that.
by rcrusoe September 18, 2008 10:13 AM PDT
"So far the story that has been told about Windows over the past couple years has been very negative," Brooks said. "It's just not true."

Unfortunately for Microsoft shareholders, the story that has been told about Windows over the past few years is absolutely true. At least for businesses.

Otherwise large companies like Intel, IBM, and others wouldn't have "No Vista" policies.

Instead of paying comedians $5 million per commercial, Microsoft's customers would be better served if MS took a clean sheet of paper and started designing Windows 8. (W7 is already shaping up to be Windows Vista ME Edition)
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by IllusionCrisis September 19, 2008 4:18 AM PDT
"Windows Vista ME Edition"?

That makes little to no sense.
by zhakidd532 September 18, 2008 10:19 AM PDT
If you want to have complete control over what your computer does, get a PC.

If you want to buy something that works out of the box no questions asked, get a Mac.

Simple as that. I know people who just need their CPU to work, and they get Macs. And I know people who like to mess with their CPU and mold it to what they like, and they buy PCs.

Nothing wrong with either...
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by ipv9 September 18, 2008 10:33 AM PDT
I agree with zhakidd532.

If you are setting up a computer for a friend or family member who just wants to send emails and surf the web, get a Mac. I have plenty of stories about the hours I have spent removing spyware, viruses, etc from PCs that "just seemed to run really slow" for no apparent reason to the user.

If you are an enthusiast who wants complete control over the hardware, knows to stay clear from malicious sites and software and likes to spend hours fine tuning the system to do exactly what you want, build a PC.
by ddesy September 18, 2008 11:10 AM PDT
I mold my old Mac to what I like, too.

My old G4 tower has an upgraded processor, a non-standard video card for the system, a better drive controller than it came with, etc...

The motherboard, on the other hand, is the limitation.
by lyingfriar September 18, 2008 10:30 AM PDT
I'm so glad they have come out with an ad like this... Apple's whole ad campaign has pretty much been about slamming PCs instead of selling their own stuff (although they incorporate is eventually before the ad's over). Of course, right now PCs are the Fords and Chevy's of the computer market and hopefully they can practice what they preach and take Vista's reputation up to where XP is, if that's even possible.

And Bill has always seemed like a very personable and friendly guy whereas Steve has seemed really snooty. That's just the vibe I get.
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by close5828 September 18, 2008 10:34 AM PDT
I love to watch fanboys and zealots on both sides throw virtual feces at each other about who is better.

Apple's ad campaign has worked quite well for them, let's see how well Microsoft can do.

The Bill/Jerry ads were a bust....I like Seinfeld but I couldn't help but say "What was that?" after seeing it.

The first one was ok....haha....what's next... but the second one was just plain stupid.
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by bhushan bhaagii September 18, 2008 10:44 AM PDT
We spent nowhere near $10 million for Jerry (Seinfeld)," Brooks said. It was only 9,999,000.99!
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by protagonistic September 18, 2008 10:48 AM PDT
All of which goes to prove that all that money can't buy everything. In Microsoft's case, good advertising. That is part and parcel of the whole problem at MS, they have lost their ability to dream.
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by bhushan bhaagii September 18, 2008 10:48 AM PDT
We spent nowhere near $10 million for Jerry (Seinfeld)," Brooks said. It was only 9,999,000.99!
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by blue922 September 18, 2008 11:06 AM PDT
Since MS decided to can their best OS (XP) in favor of bloatware (Vista) I have finally found the best way to solve the Windows vs Mac question. Ubuntu.
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by Pishkado September 18, 2008 11:26 AM PDT
Microsoft as the underdog we should pity? Gimme a break.

They couldn't do a better job of reminding people of Apple's ads.
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by dragonbite September 18, 2008 11:28 AM PDT
Hi, I'm a Linux.
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by Seaspray0 September 18, 2008 3:06 PM PDT
Now that would be an interesting commercial to see.
by zarrik September 18, 2008 11:47 AM PDT
Microsoft never said the $300 million, multi-year campaign was strictly going to be Gates & Seinfeld. The purpose of the campaign is to try and polish Vista's tarnished image. Instead of picking apart ads which haven't even aired yet, let's wait and see. I suspect they will be entertaining.
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by zarrik September 18, 2008 11:50 AM PDT
Don't forget that Microsoft doesn't write these ads... They hired Crispin Porter + Bogusky for this campaign. Crispin is known for a lot of the off-the-wall Burger King campaigns like the Subservient Chicken.
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by johnqh September 18, 2008 12:05 PM PDT
I think Apple's ads are pretty boring, both the Mac-vs-PC and the iPod dancing ones.

However, good ads don't have to be funny or interesting. It has to stick to the message over and over again until people get it. How many of you know BMW's message? (Ultimate driving machine) How many of you remember any of BMW's ads? (I cannot remember a single one)

Apple's marketing message is consistant, and over the 3 years, people got the message.

What's MS's message? "Get connected"? That seems to be the message of Bill and Sienfield ads and would be a good message 10 years ago. I don't know how they can make it the message for today.
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by daedbird September 18, 2008 12:19 PM PDT
I'm a Mac....user, and I liked the Gates/Seinfeld spots, thought they were quirky and did somewhat they wanted, by rebranding Microsoft as less monolith conglomerate, with a public face. The problem is, my hatred had already waned ever since he created the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. I think the real problem is that every time they make a new version of Windows, it seems like they always seem to be building it from the ground-up. That causes glitches, and almost the feeling you have to upgrade. Apple makes it so you tend to upgrade every-other release, not losing too much. And the Windows system, below the everyday items, seems to still be to "techy" for the average user. Hey, XP is not that bad, which is why most people don't feel the need to upgrade to Vista, and its features are not too compelling to make the move.
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by IllusionCrisis September 19, 2008 4:20 AM PDT
I went to Vista because I like Aero :P
by ScaryMonkey69 September 21, 2008 10:54 PM PDT
YOU are the most SANE & intelligent poster so far!

I have to agree with you.

For someone who's not computer literate, like my parents, I'd recommend a Mac.
by LewTheDu September 18, 2008 12:21 PM PDT
oh man... i really hope google will hurry up and make a laptop / desktop OS so i can use a platform without having to be grouped into one of these ridiculous conversations about two items of technology that each proponent says works the best when in fact they both work just the same. it is amazingly childish how this has turned into a team sport.
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by IllusionCrisis September 19, 2008 4:21 AM PDT
Just use Linux.
by sythara September 18, 2008 12:31 PM PDT
I think that the entire ad compaign by M$ and Apple are completely misguided. Same goes for people who keep having the "mac is better than pc" (or vise versa) arguement. The ad compaign isnt going to change anything, its not going to make people go "ooh I like that commercial, I'm gonna go buy a PC now (or mac)" If thats how people are thinking in this country, then ladies and gentlemen we are all screwed.

You buy a machine based on what you want it to do. Same goes for any product out there (tv, car, stereo, guns, etc), unless you have unlimited ammount of money. If you're looking for a product to do video editing, publishing, or other multimedia then mac is a better option. While a PC is comperable in that department, macs seem to do a better job. Simple as that.

If you're looking to buy an uber gaming machine, you're not going to go into a mac store. You'll log to a computer parts retail store and build you own machine, or (gods forbid) go to a retail store for a gaming rig.

If you just need an email machine with a web browser you'll go and get an emachine.

The whole PC vs Mac arguement is idiotic. People that say that macs are more stable are actually clueless. It doesent matter what your OS is as long as the software it runs is written well. If you're using a program and have to restart because everything slows down, its not because Vista magically wants to screw you over, its because of poor programing on the software's end. Yes there are problems on M$'s end, but so are on macs. I cant tell how many times I had mac freeze and crash on me, just about as many times as pc does.
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by Seaspray0 September 18, 2008 3:10 PM PDT
Keep posting, sythara. I like the way you think.
by IllusionCrisis September 19, 2008 4:23 AM PDT
....and suffice it to say, "Mac vs PC" makes no sense whatsoever. PC stands for "personal computer"... so technically, Apple is waging a war against itself and windows/Linux users.

for such a large company, they really should have common sense.
by FlashMacGit September 20, 2008 10:26 PM PDT
Apple's 40% sales would have happened anyway then? If that's the case, MS is in more trouble than they appear to be. But of course the Apple ads have worked. The reason that's true is because they resonate with people's actual experiences.

Microsoft's ads on the other hand betray all the hallmarks of heavy-handed client intervention. There's no originality in any of them, they're over-long and say nothing. Some just suck like a drain. Others have a cringe factor off the scale and are clearly destined to be featured as the ads that were too bad to make the 100 worst ads list next year.

You say:
"You buy a machine based on what you want it to do." No. YOU bought YOUR machine based on what YOU want it to do.

I bought mine on the basis of a whole raft of criteria: Reliability, stability of the OS, resistance to malware, value for money, trust in the company that made it, design, it's ability to do a wide variety of tasks and price.

You also say:
"The whole PC vs Mac arguement is idiotic."

No it isn't. It's based on people's real experiences. MS has been a virtual monopoly for so long it's beginning to experience genuine resistance at last. The fact that Apple offer a better product at a lower price, that runs on better machines that also happen to be award winning designs, quite simply appeals to thinking people. Who are you to degrade people's responses to what's happened to them?

I've used all sorts of computers and operating systems. Only Mac OS X has everything I need and only Apple make a computer I'd want to have on my desk. So I've got iMacs and MacBook Pros. I'd hate to be part of the majority - the majority have no taste.
by theresafirehere September 18, 2008 1:08 PM PDT
"Hi, i'm not a PC, and i don't see the point in Microsoft's new commercials."

yes, thats me. i dont get it. why do this, people who like macs, like macs, and people who like pc's like pc's. get over it. osx is a better platform than vista, and, as i see it, until microsoft gets out a GOOD operating system newer than windows xp, osx is going to dominate it.
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