Apple vs PC's and other Computer/Tech Messages
What the heck is Apple Computer thinking with these weird ads. You know the ones, they have a dumpy guy in a bad sports coat and tie to represent a PC and a guy in jeans, t-shirt and a hoodie to represent a Mac.
Okay the underlining message is that “Macs are cool, PC's are for nerdy accountant types”. Yes I get it, but why do they have to confuse the issue with misconceptions, half truths, omissions and plain old lies?
I find these ads amusing, if misleading, and I am not against using humor in ads, even ones for technical products. It does help in the entertainment value, it doesn't necessarily makes me want to buy the product, but I do feel entertained and I do watch them.
They are using old urban myths about PC's that were true back in the 1980's and 90's. Also they seem to leave out that the problems they attribute to PC's also happen to Macs.
There is the one where the PC is being upgraded, well they omit the fact that Mac's can't be upgraded without expensive technical expertise, and only by a certified Apple tech, if you are lucky enough to have one in your town, or by Apple Computers itself.
Another one that gets me is the one where they have a lady represent a new camera from Japan that works seamlessly with Mac but not with PC. Guess what most of the digital cameras I have owned never worked with a Mac, but did with a PC. Yes you have to load a driver, supplied by the manufacturer in the box, but how difficult is it to load a CD into a drive and let Windows load it automatically? Yet there are no provisions for the camera to work with a mac, and since they are USB the Mac software won't deal with them.
Oh yea did I mention the lack of software for the Mac, or how they have shut out the Freeware that is out there so you have to buy their expensive stuff (or expensive software from their preferred suppliers)? Yes I use a lot of Freeware/Shareware on my Windows machine and it works just fine thank you very much (like OpenOffice for my office suite, and The GIMP for image manipulation, which I was able to use in older versions of OS X, but not anymore thanks to Apple).
There is also that misconception that Macs are secure. Well they have just as many “Security Updates” as Windows. You just don't hear about them in the news as, well there is a lack of a user base so it doesn't register on any of the business shows or in the press.
Once upon a time there was a fundamental difference in the architecture of Macs and PC's. But that time is now over as Apple uses the same internal chips as PC manufacturers. The problem is that they haven't passed on the supposed savings o the consumer, keeping their units at the high end of the pricing structure. This makes many industry observers speculate that maybe Apple is trying to get away from the computer business with its low margins and transform into an entertainment business (Pixar, ipods, Apple TV and the Disney merger all seem to point this way)and just keep producing the computers for their ever loyal fan boys and girls. I am of the same ilk and it does make sense in these days where computers have all but become commodity items like Microwaves, TVs and toasters.
Don't get me wrong I have used Macs in the past and have enjoyed owning them. I always marveled at how comfortable the PowerBooks and iBooks were when using them. I thought OS 9 was a wonderful system, and OS X just seemed to take up the standard well. But they have tweaked it and taken out too much for it to be useful for my situation, so I am back to my PC. However their obsolescence rate is way higher than PC's so they are basically just nice conversation pieces.
What about the thing lurking in the shadow? You know its name as Linux. It has the same stability as OS X and works on PC's (in fact OS X is based on BSD which is similar to Linux in that both are UNIX clones). In fact on You Tube there is a series of videos parodying these commercials adding Linux into the mix and causing both Mac and PC great consternation. In fact this is the OS of choice for me, however it isn't for everyone as installing new software and utilities can be a headache, even when you know what you are doing. But someday a distribution will emerge that is as seamless as Mac and Windows OS's (possibly Novell as they are now partnering with Microsoft and have bought SuSe Linux).
But I digress...
Mahalo.
