RSS'Hello, I'm a PC:' Microsoft's perception problem persists
By Tim Conneally | Published September 18, 2008, 11:44 AM
In its third week in the wild, Microsoft's outwardly pointless advertisements will tonight be making their first statement, and it's one we're now familiar with: I'm a PC.
In the wee morning hours today, Microsoft's Steve Clayton posted a brief blog saying he'd seen the ads that will be airing tonight, and provided a link to the New York Times' fresh analysis, along with a picture of a diver in a shark cage holding up a tablet displaying the once-derisive slogan "I'm a PC."
The second phase of the campaign is expected to keep Bill Gates, but at least for this phase, substitute Jerry Seinfeld with a rotating cast of celebrities. As Senior Vice President Carmi Levy of AR Communications predicted before the first ad even ran, Seinfeld was just the first step on the road to image recovery paved with high-profile marketing announcements. Future ads will include the likes of actress Eva Longoria and Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes as well as "regular people" -- the same that appeared to be completely incompatible with Gates and Seinfeld in the first ads -- as "the PC."
Co-opting the negatively loaded statement by Apple and turning it into one of empowerment is a linguistic trend that author Randall Kennedy calls "flipping." In the last twenty years, the tactic has been employed on racial and socioeconomic epithets to dull their cutting edge.
But it would be remiss to liken Microsoft to an oppressed minority, since current stats from hitslink give Windows a 91% market share. The various flavors of Mac's OS X do happen to be the closest competitor, but at a paltry 8%. If anything, saying "I'm a PC" is an unabashed show of hubris. "You're damn right I'm a PC, what are you going to do about it, use Solaris?"
While this series of advertisements has already been called an attempt to re-construct Microsoft's tarnished image, it appears to be more an attempt to control the public dialogue that MS lost its grip of with Vista, and maintain that control into the future as the role of software loses precedence to Web-based services.
We'll see if it still tries to be funny.
mac vs pc, intel vs amd, ie vs firefox, democrat vs republican, christian vs muslim, blah blah blah. pick your side and fight each other!
it does make for some amusing reading... foxfyre reminds me of stewie from family guy. keep it up, you're a star
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|Every time I have to fix a MAC I hate them more and more!
parts are way too expensive!
tech support is useless!
MAC's are the worst POS ever made!
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|Here is some wording from an advert I designed some years ago.
By the way I'm a Windows user ;-)
"PC used to mean Personal Computer ...
and my Personal Choice ... is a Mac"
(C) 1991 SteveJohnSteele
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|the issue with being a pc is that it can be one with linux, ubantu, warp, etc...
and from a perspective of a computer illerate, a "mac" is also a personal computer as well.
the ads failed to encourage them to storm out of their mobile homes to their local computer store.
the ad's simply implied microsoft by the virtue of having bill gates do tricks in them, like shake his butt or do the robot. further, the ad's implied humor by the virtue of having seinfeld.
unfortunately, the ads were not funny nor did they exemplify the value of a pc with a microsoft operating system.
clearly the ads were targeting an audience don't have pc's because they do not understand the benefits of them.
perhaps, it would have been better to have a trained chimped in the ads that was slamming down on a keyboard and video chatting with other trained chimps on the other side of the world.
not only would it have been funnier than bill and jerry, but would have encouraged the computer illerates that if a monkey could use a pc then so could they.
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|Well I've seen the new I'm a PC ad on youtube and it's great! It shows the real people who really use PC's tells what they do. I got it. The rectangle glasses, black turtleneck, and ponytail crowd will still want to use Mac's, but real people use PCs.
It's also clear now that the 3rd Seinfeld ad is in the can and is not going to be released. So Microsoft's basic problem of compulsive insincerity is still front and center.
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|Actually, the commercial said "I'm a PC and I [do this]." Sometimes it was "I wear glasses" or something else. Half of them didn't even seem to have anything to do with a computer-related task.
Secondly, it doesn't convey -why- their PC, just that they are, which seems to say "You should be too, because we are". There's absolutely no reason given as to why the PC model should be chosen.
And on top of that, Windows is only at the very end of the commercial, in a tiny logo.
If anything the question of "Why I should choose a PC" was not answered at all.
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|Why choose a PC?
The Mac IS a PC. In fact, it is more compliant with the Intel Roadmap than other regular PCs that only employ a proprietary 3rd party BIOS whereas the Mac comes native with the Intel 64 bit BIOS designed for the 64 bit Itanium.
The question is, do you want a PC that only runs Windows and Linux and a few other marginal environments, or do you want a PC that runs the full range of available environments and is limited ONLY by what you want to run, not by what the hardware can run.
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|I'm not looking for a sales pitch for the Mac in the new MS commercial. Quite the contrary, I already own a Mac.
What I feel the commercial lacks is a way to convince me that I should use a non-Apple PC. The only message it carries seems to be passive-aggressive peer pressure. "We all have PCs. Why not you?"
The commercial does not attempt to inform any Mac users (or anyone on the fence about a new purchase) -why- a PC with Windows should be the preferred choice.
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|If the answer to that last question is "No", which would be the case for the vast majority of users (Running multiple OSes is a fringe, "enthusiast" or IT desire), then the "Windows PC" is the obvious choice.
The question is, do you want a PC that only runs Windows and Linux and a few other marginal environments, or do you want a PC that runs the full range of available environments and is limited ONLY by what you want to run, not by what the hardware can run.
IOW: Windows PC = Full range minus one.
If you don't need/want the 'one', why bother?
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|That was my point exactly.
They still talk as if a Mac is other than a PC.
The fundamental issue that is avoided entirely is that they make no distinction regarding capability - which IS the issue.
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|Then buy it simply for use as a Windows machine. Or are all of those clueless folks for whom Windows does more than they will ever need or understand all out building their own boxes? LOL!
Or if they are a student and WILL interact with colleagues who have Windows, Linux and Macs? What would the use of having full compatibility be?
Or for that matter, if someone is not familiar or intimate with troubleshooting and configuring Windows, the Mac is still more user friendly.
Its amazing how someone can argue against having more choices, even if the immediate need is not apparent. But then, if one is clueless as to some of the other choices, that's rather a foregone conclusion, and ignorance is indeed bliss. I guess we should be quieter here, as we certainly wouldn't want to disturb the oh so blissful folks here.
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|Buy a Mac to use as a Windows machine...
Right.
When that one additional choice equals more cost for effectively zero use? Hell yes I will argue for "less choice".
Paying more for functionality and features you will *never* use is about as dumb as one can get.
but you'd rather paint that as, 'they don't use it because they're dumb".
*laughing*
The better platform is *not* always the better choice. If it was, we''d all be using SPARC workstations and UNIX... But you'll never understand that.
But really, it isn't even a platform issue. If Mac Pcs didn't require a TPM to operate, this would be a non-issue.
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|What do the Mac commercials do? They have two guys, ones a Mac and ones a PC. MS isn't changing that, their just going with it. Their showing a vast amount of people with different jobs and different life styles have PC's. Their also saying saying that people who are "green" use PC's, Nasa uses PC's...etc.
I think its a smart ad and I hope the rest of them are done just as well. Their not bashing Mac (so far) like the Mac ads did to the PC. The Mac ads took a politician type ad campaign where they bashed PC's and bent the truth (Macs do get viruses, macs do crash (instead of the blue screen of death Macs have the spinning cursor of death). Lets see where MS goes with it, so far their being light and fun.
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|No Tool, I perfectly understand that most of the users of which you speak have only a need for video and MP3 player. And I dont' care about them. But its nice that this is where you want to position yourself and to argue for Windows.
You see, everyone does not need a Mac, or a PC for that matter! But many would benefit from the additional options it affords. Confusing to Windows only folks, isn't it?
Equally ludicrous is your circular reasoning where you vacillate between machines and people who don't need the power and capability of OSX and then complain that you are unaware of the advantages that such features offer.
In the slightly more advanced environments where actual productivity is important, additional capability amongst prebuilt machines is an advantage.
And this penchant for representing the world as building their own machine is fascinating but also absurd.
But chose to intentionally ignore the larger world where folks actually buy prebuilt computers - and where they interact with various environments - a feature which become increasingly common as the demands of the environment become greater.
And yes, a good case can be made for using a MacBook and running VMWare Fusion and living primarily in Windows - if that is your environment of choice! But probably not for your typical Windows user (that you continue to reference) whose only real conundrum is whether to buy an iPod or a Zune - the real choice they should be debating rather than which OS to use.
But I am glad your Hot Wheels suit your needs.
And SPARC would not be the processor of choice.
But, aside from your simply enjoying the process of debate, you know that. ;-)
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|I love how you equate the norm with the exception. After all, its all the same, isn't it?
LOL!
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|But its nice that this is where you want to position yourself and to argue for Windows.
Why wouldn't I? Why wouldn't anyone? This is what most desktop computers are used for. Arguing from any other perspective is effectively off-topic. You claim Mac is better because it can do things the majority of users don't have a need to do. ...and you cannot seem to see how painfully little sense that makes.
But many would benefit from the additional options it affords.
Many? Hardly. most consumers would not benefit from *any* of the "additional functionality" you listed...native UNIX communication...yeah. right.
and then complain that you are unaware of the advantages that such features offer.
Heh... Not a complaint. I merely forced you to expose your idiocy regarding those "benefits" and how you seem to think they'd apply to anyone but enterprise IT folk (or their users).
In the slightly more advanced environments where actual productivity is important, additional capability amongst prebuilt machines is an advantage.
Funny how we're quite productive here with only 3 Macs. Would there be a benefit? Possibly. Would it be worth the cost? Hardly.
And this penchant for representing the world as building their own machine is fascinating but also absurd.
I wonder who came up with that one? I certainly never said it.
But chose to intentionally ignore the larger world where folks actually buy prebuilt computers - and where they interact with various environments - a feature which become increasingly common as the demands of the environment become greater
Like you choose to ignore that the world you imagine here doesn't exist? You're full of it. Seriously. People interact online. It doesn't matter to Java/AJAX, or HTML which OS you are using.
But probably not for your typical Windows user (that you continue to reference) whose only real conundrum is whether to buy an iPod or a Zune - the real choice they should be debating rather than which OS to use.
...and again, this is the majority of Windows users. Why pay the extra if it affords them *zero* benefit?
But I am glad your Hot Wheels suit your needs.
*yawn* You've stated yourself a PC is a PC is a PC. Because *mine* can't run an OS I wouldn't use anyway makes it a "HotWheels".... Your absurdity knows no bounds.
And SPARC would not be the processor of choice.
But, aside from your simply enjoying the process of debate, you know that. ;-)
Good of you to recognize tongue-in-cheek at least occasionally. ;)
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|"Or for that matter, if someone is not familiar or intimate with troubleshooting and configuring Windows, the Mac is still more user friendly."
As opposed to the typical Mac users who are intimately familiar with with troubleshooting and configuring Mac OS X or their hardware?
Better not tell all the "Mac Geniuses" that they're no longer needed!
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|Real compliant, and that's a good thing, especially when taking into consideration Mac OS X's oh-so-robust 64-bit support!
*laughing*
I'm sure it's just a happy coincidence that they're more compliant. I mean, it's not like they're Intel-exclusive now or anything.
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|I want something I can run correctly myself, and fix on my own. Now with having to call an over rated and over priced tech support.
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|A TPM for lack of a better comparison sounds like a demented version of a EULA.
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|I love how you can't take it when a valid point is made.
LOL!
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|MAC Pro
$2,299.00 (2.8GHZ Intel Quad Core)
2GB RAM
320GB 7200 HDD
ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB
One 16x SuperDrive
- -
Dell XPS 420
$1,249 (2.66GHz Intel Quad Core)
4 GB RAM
500GB 7200 HDD
ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB
16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) Dual Layer
- -
In the end... Im going to choose to be a PC and save a grand while doing it ;)
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|Your Dell runs Windows. The Mac Pro runs OSX and Windows (if you want).
Point Apple.
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|Just because Apple doesn't allow it, doesn't mean people can't run OS X on a Dell if they really want it. It's just like jailbreaking the iPhone.
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|So you're saying we should pay an extra grand for an OS we won't use?
That makes sense...
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|I could not find that pricing on dell.com. Here is what i found:
iMac, 20-inch, 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Part Number: Z0FE
2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2 GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1 GB
750GB Serial ATA Drive
ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB
Apple Mighty Mouse
Apple Keyboard (English) + User's Guide
Accessory kit
$1649.00
Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Processor Q9450 (12MB Cache,2.66GHz,1333FSB) edit
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate w/ Digital Cable Support SP1 edit
MEMORY 3GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz - 4 DIMMs edit
HARD DRIVE 750GB - 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache edit
OPTICAL DRIVE Single Drive: 16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability edit
MONITORS Dell SP2009W 20" Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor with Webcam edit
VIDEO CARD Radeon ATI HD 2600 XT 256MB edit
SOUND CARD Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio edit
SPEAKERS No speakers (Speakers are required to hear audio from your system) edit
KEYBOARD Dell USB Keyboard edit
MOUSE Dell Optical USB Mouse edit
BLUETOOTH AND MEDIA READER Dell 19 in 1 Media Reader with Bluetooth
$1599.00
So the Dell will save you $50. Amazing how things price when you actually price out a comparable machine, but you knew that...
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|These guys are too dense to understand that. Mac OS X by it's self is worth $5,000.
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|You really think these are compatible systems?
Core 2 Duo ==> Core 2 Quad?
2 gig ==> 3 gig?
video ? ==> 256 MB video card?
sound ? ==> 7.1
I see this as drasticaly different. I would never buy a computer with only 2 gigs of ram.
Maybe you just didn't write up all the detail on the mac.
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|What an IDIOT
So you are accurately representing a MacPro huh?
So a simple Intel Quad Core processor is equivalent to a Quad Core XEON processor?
And simple DIMMs are equivalent to ECC registered RAM?
And you think the DVD drive on the Mac is single layer?
Not to mention the additional incorporated capabilities of the OS compared to Windows???
Do you even know what the differences are? I seriously doubt it! And if you don't understand these fundamental differences, why do I not expect you to understand the differences in the OS or anything else?
And here is the base config for the dual processor MacPro, clueless.
Two 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Harpertown” processors
2GB memory (800MHz DDR2 fully-buffered DIMM ECC)
ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT graphics with 256MB memory
320GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7200-rpm hard drive1
16x double-layer SuperDrive
Free Shipping
$2,799.00
Your fraudulent misrepresentation is rather amazing, but not at all surprising.
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|No Tool. What it means is that you can use it for much greater applications if you have the need or desire.
If you only need a toy to run games, Windows will do you, as long as it stays up and until the registry becomes sufficiently corrupt to require reinstallation.
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|Strangely as soon as you need specialized software (and not talking about an integrated VT100 terminal...) the option is singularly Windows. That's what made me dump Macs to start with. One of the best purchase decisions ever. I don't give a damn if OSX is 100 times better than Windows. It runs nothing but a sub-set of commodity applications identical or better on Win. And then try to add some 3rd party hardware.
Mac my @ss - in your words.
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|A Dell doesn't run OSX because Apple uses a chip to make sure you can't. So your point is flawed.
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|Not to mention the additional incorporated capabilities of the OS compared to Windows???
...such as?
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|*laughing*
it means exactly what I stated, which is exactly what you stated in flowery terms.
If you don't need/want OSX, it's pointless.
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|You mean in addition to being able to natively talk to both Windows, Linux and 64 bit backend dominant UNIXes?
Or the ability to admin mixed environment Windows, Linux and Mac desktops with the free remote desktop admin software...and without licensing costs - or a full server config for a couple hundred bucks more - again without additional licensing costs...
Not to mention the ability to run all of the environments as needed for additional productivity on one machine...
Hows that for a start? ...Believe it or not, there is more to computing than simply playing games.
But then some are indeed satisfied with their HotWheels as opposed to larger more capable transportation.
I really don't care about those for whom Windows is already overwhelming or those who haven't even a clue that some things are possible, as either platform is overkill! But for those who have a greater need for more productivity, the Mac does offer the extra choice that can make a substantial and often strategic difference. Not to mention the irony that even for the clueless ones for whom PCs are incredibly complicated and intimidating devices, the Mac's elegant interface is more suited for them as well while offering them more power then many will ever need.
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|It does what YOU need? Not surprising considering your marginally sentient status.
Newsflash: Pre-Cambrian haploids prefer Windows!
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|Hows that for a start?
Crap is what it is.
None of that means *squat* to the average consumer buying a box to get online, email friends, chat, store pictures, and yes, even play a few games.
From a business standpoint? Native or not,t he connectivity is there and Dell's business line of windows computers (desktop and laptop) are *the* best price/performance/reliability out there. Mac isn't even glanced at sideways unless they need to support graphics/cad/etc...and even then, it's a headache for IT.
Tesla Motors is a better platform than Hyundai, to go to a car analogy, but that in no *way* makes it the best choice....for anyone.
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|Correct, what I need AND which Macs don't cut (I guess the sentence was too long for you with your brain busily processing all those meaningless words you are going to rant on the next few pages)
Even if I cared for OSX being a consumer brand Apple hasn't even a laptop meeting my spec reqs.
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|So if we don't *need* a Mac we're neanderthals?
Thank you. Your opinion on this subject officially means squat. ;)
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|The Pre-Cambrian haploid, and the room full of monkeys posts!
A built in VT100 terminal? LOL! You ARE clueless!
Yup, I can only imagine what your extensive laptop needs are that the MacBook Pro can't handle.
Obviously you have no use for enterprise 64 bit UNIX connectivity, and you don't do AV processing.
About the only thing that this leaves is that you are a CAD draftsperson whose system demands more RAM. Of course, a smart draftsperson would link to a remote dual quad core XEON server like a MacPro for the more reliable and robust mission critical files where a MacBook Pro and a MacPro can be had for about the same price as one of rhe very limited number of tricked out laptops.
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|If MS wanted to do the same type of ads as Mac they could have done one like this.
A person walks into a Starbucks type coffee place and sits next to a guy on his Mac and brings out his PC. He looks at the guy with the Mac and asks.
PC: What are you doing?
Mac: Playing a game.
PC: Oh yeah what game?
Mac: Gears of War.
PC: I didn't know they had Gears of War for the Mac.
Mac: They don't, I'm running Windows.
PC: So your running Windows on your Mac so you can play games?
Mac: Yup
PC: Do you go into your Mac OS?
Mac: Rarly.
PC: SO you paid more money for a Mac to run PC games?
Mac: (frustrated) Yeah.
BUY A PC.
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|Spoken like one who seldom if ever is even exposed to such an environment - which is actually rather common. You might want to try reading industry standards like InfoWorld as opposed to Dell's marketing brochures.
And don't wonder why the single most encountered query when Apple announced its moving to Intel at VMWorld and their national dog and pony shows - per VMWare - was will they be supporting OSX at the server and desktop level.
But those concerned primarily with downloading MP3 files wouldn't care, nor be aware, of that...
And the Mac is NOT a headache for anyone familiar with UNIX - but I can see how Windows folks who have even lost touch with a command interface and scripting would be totally lost. In fact, they are a snap to configure compared to the #@%$#@ Windows boxes that have an uncanny propensity to reboot themselves for no apparent reason!
You might want to stick to examples with which you are more familiar...
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|Spoken like one who seldom if ever is even exposed to such an environment - which is actually rather common. You might want to try reading industry standards like InfoWorld as opposed to Dell's marketing brochures.
no, spoken like someone who has but realizes he is in the minority of computer users. Unlike you, who seems to be under the impression we should *all* be using UNIX terminals.
But those concerned primarily with downloading MP3 files wouldn't care, nor be aware, of that...
...nor should they. You do realize this "stereotype" fits the majority of users out there, right?
And the Mac is NOT a headache for anyone familiar with UNIX
All three of us. ;)
but I can see how Windows folks who have even lost touch with a command interface and scripting would be totally lost.
Unless you have experience operating in those environments. Are you saying it's a bad thing?
In fact, they are a snap to configure compared to the #@%$#@ Windows boxes that have an uncanny propensity to reboot themselves for no apparent reason!
I would suggest checking an event log. There's always a reason.
You might want to stick to examples with which you are more familiar...
You might want to stick to articles and comments that actually concern the Enterprise environment...as you cannot seem to extricate yourself from that world into the one the rest of us live in...
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|CPU: (Quad-Core)Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Q9550 @ 2.83GHz 1333FSB 12MB L2 Cache 64-bit
MEMORY: (Req.DDR2 MainBoard)4GB (2x2GB) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory (Corsair or Major Brand)
VIDEO CARD: ATI Radeon HD 4850 PCI-E 16X 512MB Video Card (Major Brand Powered by ATI)
LCD Monitor: 20& quot; TFT Active Matrix LCD Display (Generic 20inch WSXGA TFT LCD Display)
HARD DRIVE: Single Hard Drive (750GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD)
Optical Drive: (Special Price) LG 20X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW DRIVE DUAL LAYER (BLACK COLOR)
Optical Drive 2: 16X DVD ROM (BLACK COLOR)
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
$1398 through CyberPower. You get more ram and a better video card.
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|You are correct again (besides not getting the finer points of sarcasm) But don't worry. Nobody expects it of you, so no pressure!
Indeed I am doing no such thing. Should I hypothetically do anything with UNIX, which I of course would never admit to, I had my bunch of monkeys (dudes like you, all the same, sad but useful) to service the systems - which would be out of the league of ANY laptop (you clown).
But between you and me - my real mission in the US is to take your jobs, your money and your women. And when I'm done take it all back to the EU and feed it into the socialist greater good. And I am doing exceedingly well at it. So rant on! Your bitterness is sad but perversely amusing on a Friday afternoon.
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|You really *are* an ass.
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|How about describing what you need? Just what exactly are foxfyre's daily uses for a computer?
You seem rather adept at dictating the needs of others. How very... Jobs of you! Ironic how you exhibit the very qualities of those you claim to despise so much! LOL
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|Nah, he just thinks he plays one on TV.
He's still miffed about losing out to Hugh Laurie for the role of House. Poor guy doesn't realize the audition's over!
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|Just thought I'd point out that the ad agency behind these Microsoft commercials DOES MOST OF IT'S WORK ON APPLE MAC COMPUTERS. ^__^
http://www.computerworld...5120&intsrc=hm_list
http://macdailynews.com/...p/weblog/comments/18511/
Bhhhhhhaaaaahahahahahahah, oh the parody is killing me!
By the way, I just saw the ad and it's worse than the Seinfield ads. Heres a great article about the new ad and the epic fail that is Microsoft:
http://forums.appleinsid...p?s=&threadid=91171
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|"epic fail that is microsoft"
hmmm, about 90 percent of the desktop market, endless billions in profits, yea that's a real epic fail
did neowin ban you, if not, go back itard7
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|"Just thought I'd point out that the ad agency behind these Microsoft commercials DOES MOST OF IT'S WORK ON APPLE MAC COMPUTERS"
No wonder you get the impression the ads are sh!t... Macs are for losers.
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|I'm really liking this Tim Conneally guy. His angle on tech news has been unique every time.
____________________
Still, the short-lived campaign was odd for its very lack of Vista placement. More entertaining would have been to show Steve Ballmer screaming 'stand up... wooooo!!!! standup! wwoooooo!' over and over while inviting a stroke.
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|Any link to this third ad? I actually really liked the second one. Here are the first two : http://droveby.com
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|It's supposed to air during The Office tonight on NBC at 9pm. I anticipate it'll run during the second commercial break, so I'd expect the ad to be ripped and on Youtube no later than 9:18pm EST...and not by me, of course ;) it's also most likely going to be on the windows site, (*Silverlight joke removed due to lack of funniness*)
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|Why is Microsoft even trying to compete with the Mac hardware? Their software runs on it. Why not just acknowledge that? They shouldn't say "I'm a PC", they should say "We're the OS that can run on whatever you use. Have a PC? Use Windows. Have a Mac? You can use Windows on that to."
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|They get licensing fees from pre-installed Windows sales. That's a volume market (which also benefits the customer with significant discounts). Macs can run Retail Windows, which is quite pricey. I doubt the majority of users sophisticated enough to run Win (even/especially) on a Mac don't know how to get and run pirated copies.
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|There is NO such thing as Mac hardware,
it uses the same components and none of them are made by Apple (they are made by Asus, WD, Crucial, Nvidia)
The only difference between a mac and a pc is a standard pc uses bios whereas a mac uses efi (though there are some pcs that do use efi) and the tpm model that locks out not trusted forms of hardware.
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|There is every bit a such thing as Mac hardware. The beautiful and gorgeous Mac that I am typing on now was designed by Apple. Asus, WD, Crucial, Nvidia, Intel, etc DID NOT make it. The world's best mouse, the Mighty Mouse, was also MADE BY APPLE.
End of story. Have a great day.
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|There is a difference between designed by, and made by.
There's a lot of things Apple 'Designs' and then they leave it up to everyone else to actualy make it work. Such as the MacBook Air. That was all Intel.
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|You truly are braindead.
Design!=hardware, genius.
They designed the platform, which is comprised of *commodity* hardware.
The *same* hardware you'll find in Windows PCs
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|Unreal.
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|Yes I own a Mac Pro and I like it too...but make no mistake: all of the Mac hardware comes from the same Taiwanese manufacturer as you mentioned above. That extra $1000 I paid for my Mac Pro is going into the Apple architect’s wallet and Steve Jobs retirement funds.
And by the way, that Mighty Mouse sucks a** and I got a Microsoft mouse instead
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|Now there's a PC selling point!
PC users have a need to know how to obtain pirated copies of Windows!
You are a Bozo!
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|You do know that a Mac is a PC running shiny linux, and Microsoft doesn't make PC's.So the whole mac/pc commercial series is based on lies.I geuss the smart/cool MAC people can't figure that out.
I am a Mac,i'm an OS-geuss the truth just sounds dumb......
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|I'm not a mac fan but the Mac / PC commercials are sheer genius. They're also having an effect when I can be on the bus and overhear two university students talking to each other and one of them saying he's trading in his PC for a mac.
Apple is a marketing company - that's it, that's all - but they do it WELL.
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|For once, I agree with you completely. :)
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|I think it's more of politicaly correct thing with college students.My nephew is going to a tech school and it's PC all the way.
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|Advertising that plays to snobbery can be both appealing and highly effective. Apple and Harley Davidson are two very good examples of this in action.
I cast no dispersions on the quality of their products, I am merely commenting on this style of ad campaign.
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|He's going to a tech school that uses PCs? Really? He must be going to a tech school in a 3rd world country. Any so called tech school that isn't using a Mac is a joke at best.
This is what a tech school is suppose to look like:
http://movies.apple.com/..._20080408_r640-9cie.mov
http://flickr.com/photos...1983/2428421578/sizes/o/
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|Anyone who graduates from a "tech school" that only uses Macs would be a joke as well. Who would hire them into a serious tech environment? What. To work on all those Macs in the data center? Whoa! That's a lot of Macs. (sarcasm)
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|Lets not forget all those Mac servers. ;)
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|ROFL!!! Again not even worth the breath. I don't even haft to try.
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|"I don't even haft to try."
I'm sorry but I try not to speak Ebonics if I don't "haft" to.
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|Yeah...like I really want to install that bloated POS Quicktime for the TWO .mov (ies) I'm going to watch over the next year.
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|Have you ever taken a computer class, seriously? Where do you get this stupid idea that techies only use Macs? Do you even know what's running the vast majority of servers on the Internet?
It's not OS X. It's Linux installed on: PCs.
Now, if you were talking about a graphic design school, then that claim would be fair, but graphics != tech.
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|Can't you even come up with decent arguments? Or are you trying to troll? Given the lameness of your comments and how unaffected you seem to be by most of the responses, you must be a farce.
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|No one axed you...
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|You are of course right, as anyone who takes the time to seriously learn to admin a system based upon UNIX would find no use for a knowledge of UNIX - not for Linux nor Macs nor the much more extensive world of backend 64 bit UNIXes that dominate the Oracle, DB2, SAP and associated enterprise envronments.
You simply display your complete lack of knowledge in the enterprise IT environment. Stick to playing games and debating which MP3 player is rad...
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|whats next beta news you will be hyping the next coke commercial. man this is a horrid news site
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|Well, it's in beta so forgive them. This is besides the point anyway with shining characters such as iw7 just below. And just wait until the next War of the Trolls starts!
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|Nobody is forcing you to read it. *wink*
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|MICROSHAFT = EPIC FAIL
Don't fool yourselves for one minute. Never forget what really inspires Bill Gates and where he gets his "innovative" ideas from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvskEGWMLp4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDNuq94Zg_8
End of story. Have a great day. :)
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|WOW, another Apple fanboy with no clue. Imagine that. And yes, I have used Macs and was a Mac technician for 5 years. And I use a PC. I can't believe anyone would want to use a PC after using a Mac, you say. Well it is true. Not all of us are lemmings.
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|Computer Gaming:
PC > MAC = End of story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjpn3L3bSJQ
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|Lol you are such an idiot you are not even worth the breath.
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|MICROSOFT = EPIC FAIL*
*EPIC FAIL = owning over 80% of the Desktop computer market.
At least in iTard7's delusional excuse for a "mind".
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|Yup,mister Gates is the whole reason we are even using computers today.
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|Nope, sorry... that credit should go to Chuck Peddle, the "Father of the Personal Computer".
Oh, how most forget the true pioneers of bringing the computer to the masses... Commodore.
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|I don't mean to sound rude, so I apologize if this comes off as such. Now, I use a Mac, and if asked, I'll tell people why, but I never tell people that they should use them. I've always believed in having informed decisions when making any purchase. How am I a Lemming for using a system that caters to my specific needs?
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|Wrong again! It was the Chinese, back in 4000 B.C. and the abacus. :)
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|LOL
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|internetworld7 = f**
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|Apple = Jim Jones
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|You should see the Redmond campus and his home on Mercer Island and his summer home on the Hood Canal. And, wouldn't you like to have just a little of his money. Never mind, that was a rhetorical question.
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|With the cash their blowing on this campaign they could make Windows 7 the greatest OS ever.
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|yeah, because a lack of cash is really what's holding MS back...
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|lmao..
Too true.
What will hopefully make Windows 7 great is their continued focus on modularity and building on the what is good in Vista.
Have fun trolling, guys!
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|Hahaha, good one.
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|Interesting how all the other news sources headline this story with "Microsoft drops Seinfeld Ads".
One ad one week and one ad the next is not a campaign, it's a sputter. You must want to fool yourself to see it any other way.
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|As Senior Vice President Carmi Levy of AR Communications predicted before the first ad even ran, Seinfeld was just the first step
If so, BN ain't the only one's. Perhaps *your* bias is coloring things?
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|I assume you work for an AD agency or something to know what a campaign is supposed to be. I suppose they are supposed to have 5-10 rotating adds that they put out all at the same time.
I have seen plenty of adds where there is some sort of story line, where there is a new add every couple of days to continue the line, kind of keeping people in suspense to see what comes next.
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|I don't work for an AD agency but I can add. I figure Microsoft paid Seinfeld 5 dollars for every person that saw one of those commercials.
Heck of a plan.
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|Yeah, that is funny. Let's put the New Coke spin on it...
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|We use iMac at work and I have a PC at home, honestly I liked both. However I LOVE Mr. PC on TV ads, he is adorabe and I know the ad is really selling iMac and putting down MicroSoft PC. Please don't drop him.......if it is working why change it???
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|Gee Tim, after reading your article I feel like I'm watching MSNBC. Getting a little biased are we?
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|Where?
Is 8% not paltry? ;)
(That was sarcasm, btw...)
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|All media is biased: Don't believe anyone.
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|Good advice, Tim.
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|"Pharell Williams of The Neptunes"
Firstly: Hahahahahahahahahaha. Oh dear God.
Secondly: Pharrell Williams is how it's spelt.
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|fixed, thanks!
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|LOL!
...reconstruct their image...my @ss.
Yawn.
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|Why all this anal fixation in recent days..?
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|