Who Says Macs Aren't Used In Businesses?

Great story. I don't mind the computer makers either. I can't stand MS's products.

Same here. I switched to a 17" PowerBook 3 years ago to conduct all of my business on based on the fact I don't like what Microsoft has to offer. I would have bought a ThinkPad if it ran Apple's OS X. Now that I've been using a my PowerBook for three years, I don't miss the headache of dealing with Microsoft. You can rest assured when it comes to buy a new laptop, I will go straight to the Apple store and plunk my money on the counter with a smile!

I wonder if enough x86 cloners bugged Apple they'd finally open the floodgates to a larger market share…

Sure, the whole Mac clone experiment in the mid 90s was a catastrophe, but with the combined selling power of the current major manufacturers, combined with the growing panache of the slick Mac OS, I can't help but wonder whether or not it could be a success this time around.

I can't imagine the people in Apple not gaming out the possibilities, and the potential gains seem to outweigh the negative impact on the business now that they have other market segments in their pocket.

This is the hard thing about being in the Windows-PC business. No matter how hard you try, no matter how low your prices or what crapware you bundle, at the end of the day your machine is

a) only as good as the other Windows-PC's
b) only as good as Microsoft Windows can be.

Trying going to a physics or astronomy conference. I regularly count 50% Macs at those, up from 25% a few years ago. And lots of the ones who don't have Macs tell me it's because of some overall IT policy mandated from on high, that if it were up to them, they'd get Macs.

"...of the error of your ways."

omg... if he wants to see an error, he should open and close the lid of his HP-notebook a couple of times while the machine runs... I bet it shows a blue screen by then... and of course, that's with Microsoft too... Now if they start making HP-notebooks with Ubuntu, which saves an expensive license as well they might be on to something... until then, don't even bother to compare a HP-notebook with a Mac.

(I'd die to see the face of these guys if I'd take my green ibook (click on my name to see it) out of my bag...) ^_^

By the way, no Macs in business? since when is the creative industry not regarded to as business?

Amazingly gauche attitude by the HP people.

I love Microsoft software because by using my Macbook Pro & OS X, I have a competitive advantage in my industry. :)

Though I do love my Microsoft split-key keyboard.

Thank you for this story. I often have this same thing happen to me when meeting with Structural Engineering firms. Since the civil engineering world is dominated by AutoCAD, and therefore PCs, its quite refreshing to see a Mac.

Thanks again.

Yes I work amongst 26,000 PC's as well and get needled about my MacBook Pro at the corporate board meetings. I work at a major telco and in meetings that involve Netmeeting I always bow out and say "Netmeeting does not work on a Mac". What follows is comical ten minutes of PC users trying to connect via Netmeeting to which I reply and it looks like it does not work on a PC either. Other than Netmeeting I get by on the Windows network, using VPN and Office without any issues at all.

I see more and more MacBook's (of all kinds ) popping up in the most pc-centric of places. I guess when people have the choice of running Windows in "Sandbox" mode (inside Parallells or VMware) they feel more productive and secure, while still having full compatibility with their Windows-breathing brethren. This is just the beginning.

When I have to use a PC at work, desktop HPs (xw8000) are the best. But after a visiit to Best Buy and looking at the PC selection there, the HP Compaqs look like they were hit by an ugly stick and poorly manufactured as well. It seems like you get decent engineering only on the very highend HP products. I would only consider a very high end HP laptop and if I'm going to spend that kind of scratch, I'd rather go Mac Book Pro.

Arik,

You wrote: "saying he "hoped to visit with you and convince you of the error of your ways."

Nice. Start a sales approach with an arrogant comment. Great approach, Todd."

Come on. Todd was not being arrogant. He was trying (remember he is a VP at an old-line company) to be humorous. Give the guy a break.

Geez. I use that line with all the deluded Windows people that I know when telling them about the transcendent beauty of Macs and Mac OS X.

,dave

I didn't realize there was so much anti-Apple effort on the part of "PC" makers. And I'm a little surprised to see it from HP, who carried iPods not that long ago, acting like that.

But it is true for allot of people. It's MS's OS that people are sick of.

For the few programs that are still Windows-only, I have been using the new Parallels software. I now run any Windows application needed, right on my MacBook Pro right inside Mac OSX. That's Bloomberg, Bridge, etc. XP Boots faster and runs faster, yes faster, in Parallels on my MacBookPro than on any Windows-only PC I have ever had. Moving easily between WindowsXP and the MacOS applications, it is quite amazing. And yes, Apple does build a more durable laptop than any Dell, Thinkpad or HP laptop I have owned. I suspect you will be seeing lots more MacBookPros in "business" meetings.

HP are probably already taping their phones as we speak. ;)

Microsoft's Windows is the problem. But HP's arrogance and additude towards Macs and Ms. Cross show the immature nature of the Windows world towards the growingly competative force by the name of Apple Computer.

It's a funny story - as it's always been Apple's way to start a sales approach with an arrogant comment.

It also illustrates the problems PC manufacturers have had since they abandoned control of their operating systems - it's difficult to make a USP out of a commodity. (Same thing happening in the server market as Linux crowds out the other Unix systems).

We're told that commoditisation is good for consumers as it lowers price and increases 'choice' but in the end it becomes false choice - and innovation suffers.

(I mean if you look at areas of progress on the PC side they have been down to the Intel / AMD and ATI/NVidia competition. Historically, the lack of competition in these areas on the Mac has been a significant problem for Apple owners).

HP's comments are very sad but not surprising. It's sad to see high-level managers who couldn't sell their way out of a paperbag.

I worked for HP for 10 years in sales and marketing and was a customer for even longer before that starting with my first HP 21 calculator in the 70s when I was 12. I was a hardcore HP believer. I left HP in 1999. The company has gone down hill over that last decade. They no longer "make" 95% of their products - there is no "HP Inside" anymore. The brand is a zombie that doesn't know it's dead.

As the director of supply chains told me just before I decided to leave: "We'll let Intel do our hardware R&D, let Microsoft do our software and we'll own the supply chain". As if! They've succeeded in achieving that and now having 3rd rate products build with technology, design and manufacturing they don't control. My colleague just had his HP laptop fry less than a year after purchase. You couldn't pay me to own an HP laptop and I used to be an HP techie insider. I have a G4 Powerbook and an IBM T43 now. This alpha geek's next laptop will be a MacBook Pro.

Mmmmm...a demonstration of the blind arrogance of the PC ecosystem.

HP's playing defensive, it's feeling the heat.

Hah... everytime I read this I find it funnier and funnier.

Personally, even as far as windows computers go - and while I love my mac, I've no particular problem with a well taken care of windows system....

I'd never, ever, ever buy an HP. A Dell or a Gateway, or even if I wanted to blow a lot of cash - a sony. But an HP? Those disasters are what my parents, friends and relatives always buy, and the things I'm always fixing. Never in a million years.

I understand they are #1 in the comp business now. Good for them. But being #1 has no relation to quality, just indicates it's 'good enough' and used to regularly sell their computers for 200 bucks bundled with a dishonest offer from MSN.

Nice pda's and printers, though! :)

I'm amazed sometimes by the arrogance of some people, particulary executives who surround themselves with yes-men. They really have no idea how unhappy the average customer might be with their products, or the reasons for it. I have nothing against HP, and would have certainly considered buying one of their printers or cameras, but as long as they continue to include a Microsoft operating system (and don't give us a choice about it) I wouldn't even be able to consider one of their notebooks for myself or anyone in my organiztion.

It too bad HP, Dell, toshiba, won't make a really good case for linux (ubuntu? Really get behind it, fix it, promote it to the consumer. MS has us and we have very few alternatives.

Great article!

That is what keeps us alive and kicking!!

We help businesses and individuals slide over to the Mac:

http://www.maccompanion.com

I am interested in that "Java-based Reuters terminal application." Any idea what it was called and if it is open to the public?

Unfortunately, the arrogant comments display the attitude of who your dealing with, short-sighted execs pushing a subpar OS on arguably subpar, but definitely OS-limited laptops. Consumers inherently want a great value and effectiveness out of products, yet will often follow sales advice blindly instead of researching an item, but, when making a knowledgeable choice, more and more will choose quality items. There weren't more Macs there probably because others were afraid to use them in front of management, or simply ignorant to its usefulness. I applaud Miss Cross for her intelligence and assertiveness.

"hoped to visit with you and convince you of the error of your ways." I can't believe he said that! what an arsehole! Why does he think PC is so supreme compare to Apple? Is he really that hollow headed? Will someone sling a macbook pro at his head for me please?

Wow, that Todd character sounds like a complete putz. Is he a Carlie holdover?
-jcr

Switched to a MacBook Pro, running Paralells and WindowsXP for those applications that I need to use at work.

I will never, ever, ever own a PC ever again.

2 months without viruses and all the other related garbage that goes along with PC ownership was enough for me.

I work on Macbook regularly, and I can only explain the scant presence of Macs in the workplace with the fact that IT departments do not offer a choice to people. Macs are very good at handling your digital life (music, pictures, etc.) but that does not mean that in productivity terms they lag behind Windows boxes. On the contrary, your productivity increases just because of Expose' and its brilliant way to handle multiple documents open at the same time. The Services menu, not very important during home use, becomes a very strong productivity tool while working.

Last but not least, how do you measure in productivity terms the lack of crashes, spyware, virii, and all the good stuff that permeates the Windows experience? Unless I am missing something, the presence of those serious threats only serves the job-security interest of overstaffed IT Departments.

I run a trade industry publication, and I switched to the Macbook Pro for the same reasons about 4 months ago -- I can't stand Microsoft Windows. Even though I still use some windows only applications on the Mac (which run flawlessly), it is far better than having the Microsoft Minder constantly tweaking and interupting my work.

I left HP in 2004 to launch my own business. As soon as I found out I was leaving, I purchased an Apple Powerbook and a Canon printer. HP gutted its R & D during Carly's tenure and just stopped paying attention to the development teams they still had.

Marketing gurus who insist "it's all about the brand" forget that the brand is just a descriptor. Without all the stuff that created the brand equity in the first place, it soon becomes an empty shell.

I'm glad they've done well under Mark Hurd but it will be a long time before I myself purchase one of their products.

Why have I heard that macs are so superior for all these years? All the mac-heads said that they had the best operating system by far- But then for some reason the "world's most perfect operating system" was ditched for a unix OS... And somehow the idea that ALL your software was now obsolete didn't ranckle the mac-community at all... "Hey, the prophet Steve said it would be better, so I will obey!" But it's okay, I heard, because Macs still have the best processors by far- the G4 and G5 are SO superior to any intel chips.... oops- I guess apple missed something there too...
I worked in a office where believe it or not, the majority of computers were macs ( I had the only PC) and the concept that macs don't crash is B.S.
I don't know how many times we had to change gears because a mac crashed, or was incompatible with the software or hardware we were presently using... If I had a dime for everytime someone asked me to open a file or run something because their mac couldn't....
All you mac-cultists; wake up!

When my personal Linux laptop was stolen (the day after file backup, really), it was A Sign From God. I go to a lot of conferences and meetings with hardcore Linux techies, and the phenomenon of a drastically growing number of Powerbooks (at the time) was an obvious homage to Apple switching to an OS techies can love: OS X. Bought a G4, and an iMac G5, and never looked back.

A friend bought a high-end HP laptop for her design business; she's now on her third motherboard. Were it not for the extended warrantees, the thing would long since have been binned.

J Grusynski's quote from the director of supply chains illustrates the failure of Carly-style management: her choices slashed R&D and demoralized engineers to the point where many of them don't care about HP any more, yet the company acquired *two more* Gulfstreams to schlep her around.

Exactly. The problem isn't the hardware- Apple's conversion to Intel has shown that. It's always been about the software.

I've been using windows since day one - I remember installing 3.0 with 16 floppies. I've used, maintained and administrated Windows for many desktops over the years as a sysadmin.

I like Windows Applications.. the thing that get's me down about 2k/XP is that the more you use it and the longer you use it the slower it gets. I've got a 3.2 ghz machine here with a gig of ram.. it should scream through XP. But after a few months of installing and uninstalling apps (that's my job, I test software and write about it) sure enough.. it slows down.

Linux does not give me the apps I want.. sure there are things that will basically do what I need to get done but without the finesse and ease that I had in windows.. So why not a Mac?

I refuse to take my computer to a 'genius' when it breaks or something goes wrong because the hardware or bios / controllers are protected under a cloak of protective muck... I know how to fix it - and I also like picking out the components in my machine and having it all sing together knowing I built it. It makes me feel good.

So Vista is here to make it all right and really show me what my hardware can do.. Bahhhh.. Vista is letdown.. so much so that just for fun I downloaded a copy of something called OSX86 Jas 10.4.8 that I saw featured on a bittorrent site one fine day about 3 months ago. It tooke me a while to dl the dvd image..I burned the dvd, found a wonderful install guide at osx86.org and setup my drive with an extra partition to try this bugger (osx) out on never expecting it to do more than twinkle and putter out half way through the install..

I was Wrong. I don;t care for macs.. but I LOVE OSX. I have a 450 usd PC that benchmarks as good as a MacBookPro Core 2 Duo.. and I have a desktop with a Pentium 805d overclocked to 3.2 ghz..

I since have moved my install over to it's own 80 gb drive and I hardly ever boot into XP unless it is for the express purpose of testing something there. I have all my mail moved over to Mail, MS Office 2004 keeps me straight with all my PC (haha) coworkers out there.

This post is way to long, run don't walk to the HCL on the osx86 wiki to see if you hardware if a good fit. Mine it would seem is :)

Thanks Apple.. if you would ike to sell me a copy of OSX I'm happy to give you 40 bucks :) along with a few hundred million other people. Think about it.

I am a financial planner and I run my own brokerage. I am happily using a Macbook pro for all my day to day work activities, plus a little fun in between.

Sadly, all of my insurance quotation software is PC only, so I use Parallels Desktop, which allows me to run them simply and elegantly, right on top of my OSX desktop.

My beef is also with Microsoft. I have lost so much productivity trying to clean up Malware, adware, and the frustration of an operatating system that slows down the longer you use it.

My Macbook pro is amazing. My mother, an accountant, recently purchased a Macbook for herself. She loves it too.

So, here's 2 more business people who use and love their macs!

I'm a computer consultant and therefore have to be able to run whatever OS the client demands. I used to have three computers, I now have one Mac Pro laptop. With OS X and parallels there is no reason for me to look at any other computer.

You're darn right that notebook is a problem! Apple has come on in the past year like a freight train they didn't see coming and they have absolutely nothing to counter with. HP and the other PC makers are trapped on the tracks in the Microsoft bus and it's moving really slowly.

Mike has reason to be concerned about another competitor in a tight space with an unstoppable brand and true product differentiation.

**** MEMO ****

To Ms. Cross: Point taken. Point accepted.

To Mr. Hurd, Mr. Bradley: Point Disputed. Please account for results from 19th Annual Reader Satisfaction Survey on notebook computers. Expect scrutiny on static year-over-year progress.

"....Acer's overall score is average. Averatec's is worse than average. HP/Compaq, the other worse-than-average vendor, seems to have a particular problem with reliability. "

yours truly,

The Consumer.

PC Magazine, 19th Annual Reader Satisfaction Survey:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2006499,00.asp

I totally agree. I have a high-end PC and a high-end Mac. I do 90% of my work (design work) on the Mac and the remaining 10% (and gaming) on the PC. I have found that the PC is not a problem as long as I keep all of my internet activity on the Mac. The only time the Windows machine touches the internet is while gaming or installing updates. It never sees the internet otherwise - ever.

That's not a very reasonable choice for someone who does not own both systems. I look forward to a day when Microsoft is more secure, stable, and not covered in chrome and face paint. But I'm not holding my breath.

What value does HP add to a notebook? What have they done in innovation? Macs are loaded with all sorts of software that is very useful right out of the box while Dell and HP load your computer with only junk software (either poorly done or limited feature sets) as well as adware on top of Windows. It's just another cheap plastic case of thrown together cheaper components and a mish mash of other people's software. Mediocrity.

Has Hurd actually used one of his own machines lately?

Has he actually tried to use Windows will all of the OEM crap on it?

The MacBook Pro is a wonderful machine--hardware and software. With Parallels, it runs Windows better than many "Windows" laptops. Thank goodness for the MacBook alternative in hardware and software!

If shes knew how to properly maintain a computer she wouldnt have to worry.

So Hurd is mad that his rootkit that he got from Sony wasn't working on all the victims he had targetted? Was that the story?

Sorry, but hearing a complaint from the Apple side of the aisle about an "arrogant comment" rings more than a little hollow...

Typical Corporate bullshit; intimidate and pressure people in a public setting to get them to conform.

Have you ever tried to play a move that you bought, say at Walmart for $18 on an HP notebook. Mine is a Pavilion widescreen zv5340us and to this day about only 10% of my movies (legitimate recently purchased dvd movies, I have about 200) can be played on the notebook.

HP's support is fabulous, having replaced my motherboard, display, keyboard, top and bottom case free of charge when out of warranty), but the DVD-RW (NEC) won't play movies. That is a MICROSOFT issue with DRM that HP failed to send the legal guns after. They HP capitulated to the RIAA and Microsoft and Apple is cleaning up. Good for Apple.

While mostly it has to do with the Windows OS, Apple computers feel more solid than Dell or HP products. I've had to use dozens of Dell computers at my job and they have awful keyboards and touchpads. And all of the Dells and HPs are bulky.... and who would really want to stare at an HP or Dell laptop because of it's design?

From the HP executives comments, their brand is now much less appealing... Canon makes great products now, so I would rather chose them instead.

I'm a Mac user myself, having converted two years ago. Not only can I run all my apps on it, it's actually friendly to use. I really disliked using Windows and did not think of a Mac alternative until I saw it in action. Great, great machines and software, though not without its flaws.

It is not really a Microsoft problem, rather an HP problem. Recently purchased one, that was supposed to come with a remote control, which they did not package when they refurbish it to sell it as new, and which after 2 moths of customer service calling to India, still has not arrived.

So will HP take up this challenge, and release a product which runs a good, secure and stable OS preinstalled?

I doubt it, even though it would cost nothing to preinstall Linux. HP is a leader only in hardware.

As far as I know, the only best-of-breed software that HP ever published is gradually being phased out. I'm referring to Tru64 Unix, and I'm sure this remarkable OS was purchased from DEC mainly because it was a true threat to HP's own bug-ridden, unstable, 32-bit HP-UX whose print spooler could be crashed by HP's own printers.

Is a known fact that the Macbook Pro is a great, slick, and beautiful piece of hardware.

Surprising on such a techie-heavy thread that nobody's yet brought up the point that Mac's increasing market share will eventually lead to the loss of many of the very benefits that now make owning a Mac advantageous.
The reason that Macs are not subject to virii, spyware/adware/malware, etcetc, is not that they have inherently superior security. It's that, with market share of not more than, what 4% maybe, it's just not worth the time/energy of teh Bad Guys to go after the Macs.
In much the same way that any naturally beautiful part of the world inevitably brings on its own despoliation, the Mac advantage will eventually create its own downfall. But until that day, the already-converted will still enjoy the benefits.

Great story. For the all people from HP: USE LINUX on your desktop, not windows crap.

The sheer insufferable unwarranted smugness of Apple zealots never fails to disgust me.

I'm an IT tech and the biggest issue I see is not windows itself, it is infact the user. Give a user some education, and you'll find your problem fixed.

Just remember Macs do have forms of spyware and viruses poping up atm.

"Concern about viruses, spyware and the many hours of lost productivity that derives from them was the reason for her choice."

riiiight...please give me a break with the spyware, viruses and lost productivity"

When application vendors start withing back office apps for OS X then we'll have something to talk about. A few analysts using MacBooks? Whatever.

I manage hundreds of Mac in a large enterprise and it's quite a challenge. It's much easier to deal with MS systems believe it or not. Apple really isn't much of an enterprise partner.

The Mac is a better office compute than a PC. The applications are a lot less clunky, and the mac is more reliable. You don't have to worry about losing hours++ of work from your computer locking up.

Nice Response from Cross. I would've use the same statement. Very Bold of her to enter the tigers mouth.

Nice Story!

It's definately true. I just came back from school in Australia. Whilst my friend were connected to the network with their PCs and constantly fixing them of all the spyware, I never had a problem once with my mac.

I converted a few over to my side too. Boo-urns microsoft

If I were HP, I'd be putting a little pressure on Mr. Jobs to be able to offer OS X as an option on my machines.

I had a HP desktop, purchased about 4 yrs ago I never had any problems with and was alternating between that and my Mac iBook.
Used the HP primarily for my now defunct small business. Still used it for a few Windows apps, primarily Quicken since I cannot stand the Mac version.
Now have my iBook and my Mac Mini, though I feel shamed for still using my HP monitor. Bought the Mac Mini specifically so that I could run all of my programs on one computer. Love using Parallels software. That really beats the old Virtual PC that I used for a time on my iBook.
Now I have owned my HP desktop, 2 Compaq laptops, 1 Fijitsu laptop, 1 iBook, and my Mac Mini.
Hardware wise the only problems that I have had was battery lifespan with my Compaqs and I will admit my hard drive on my mac mini failed. But I have worked in retail long enough, trouble shooting and selling these things that I know that that can happen, nothing is ever 100% guaranteed to work forever. Got it replaced and no problems since then.
Most of my computer problems have always been more software related and more often than not on my Wintel machines.
Seems kind of funny that I get better perfomance out of Windows on my Mac. Of course installing Windows on Mac is as pure of an installation as you can get. No shareware, no demos, none of that other garbage that comes installed on Wintel boxes.

is that it? is there a point to this story?

I was in the market for a new notebook and after a month of researching my choice was between a MacBook & a Dell M1210 (my requirements were for a fast, yet portable laptop). I stopped by a local Apple store to "test drive" the MacBooks; I was there for over an hour using the MacBook & MacBood Pros. While they looked like fine machines, I didn't care for OS X. There's nothing wrong with the OS per se, but I'm a techie who's used Windows and Linux and I like the ability to pop-open the hood customize my OS.

I've never had a virus or any stability problems with Windows because I have the necessary utilities running on my system to protect it. To me, OS X is like a self-contained appliance (which for some people is great), but I'd rather be able to tweak my settings. I could be wrong concerning the ability to tweak OS X since my experience with it is limited. Maybe I'll try running OSx86 on my VMware server.

"My problem isn't with HP notebooks," she said. "It's with Microsoft."

Exact same problem here. If HP offered a high-end Ubuntu laptop (or spent the time to get Fedora working well on a HP laptop), I'd buy one. But since they didn't last time I went laptop shopping, I have an apple.

Would the HP exec been as 'miffed' if the analyst had used a Dell or Lenovo laptop? They see Macs as a thread because a customer lost to Apple will likely not come back to HP on her or his next purchase, any Dell owner might is much more likely to buy an HP next time.

Personally, while I do like Apple's physical design, I butt heads with its operating system and software packages. It's just too 'user friendly' for me, I guess. I own an HP laptop (which I love, and haven't had any problems with), and have had an equal proportion of problems on Windows and Apple machines, both hardware and software. I will admit that an uneducated user is Window's worst enemy, but as an educated user, I like what I can do with Windows, and the greater software opportunities, as well as games. In my mind, Apple's best move was making the iPod Windows compatible, to show the rest of us that Apple makes nice things. Just waiting for them to get a gaming market share (can't be too long now), and to show me a less 'friendly' OS.

I love the Mac. I’ve been using one since the IIci. However, I’m forced to think more and more about migrating to windows in our business (lumber yard/ retail). Currently we are using system V software and we are looking to replace our old UNIX system. However, most of the Point of Sale software providers are moving from legacy UNIX to windows only. A lot of our suppliers provide pricing cd's, bidding programs, and ordering devices, but they are only windows compatible. Many of the websites I need to communicate with only work with IE and windows. I think Apple needs to offer some sort of business priced computer system for businesses only. They also need to somehow convince business software developers to start including Mac OS X support. A lot of them offer Linux programs, why can’t Apple get them to port their products to Mac OS X. Apple clearly has the best operating system and I would love to switch our whole system to Imacs, but at $1200 each for at least 50 computers and $300 each for windows…. I don’t think the powers that be will be willing to go with Apple regardless of the benefits.

Ok guys, here's the thing...If Bill is bad because everything he does, how is Steve any better?
Apple ties you down with both, hardware and software. In the essence, you are really buying a piece of disposable technology and not even a very good one at that!
Arrogant marketing that works only in Northern America (nobody else is using Apple - for a good reason which I'll come to in a sec!) and very misleading as well makes me resent them and never even think about getting one.
For example:
Innovation

What did they invent!?
MP3? No.
MP3 players? Of course not.
The one thing, however, they did invent is a perfect trap....you spend your money to purchase a bad quality song off of iTunes (128 - bit rate - radio quality - especially with the AAC standard!) and you end up with something you can play only on a worst player of them all - no features, no quality, disposable (the battery issue).
Then take their computers...stating how they are the fastest and the best ever produced (Power PC G5) and not two weeks after that they release the Intel based G5 and say that it is up to 6x faster than the PowerPC G5 - meanwhile, PC computers have been using the exact same Intel chip for a year at that time.
You really have to be ignorant and computer-illiterate person not to see through their deception.
Ease of use!!!
Yeah, right!?!?
Here is the outcome of a little experiment I conducted. I purchased an iBookG4 1.4GHz and an Acer Ferrari 3400+ AMD based laptop running XP (it is not even worth mentioning Acer outperforming Apple by far and far in every single application!) I put both of the laptops in front of my parents who never used a computer prior to this experiment and told them to get to the internet.
PC
After glancing at the screen they went for 'START' button and clicked on the Internet Explorer. Not 10 seconds it took them.
APPLE
Needless to say that the blue apple logo did nothing for them...nor did the illogical placement of the icons and badly chosen names for the applications....Safari!?
After starting quite a few of the applications that had nothing to do with Internet and getting the spinning wheel (beach-ball) in the process (talk about speed!) they eventually managed to get on the internet not missing to comment on a poor design of the interface.
Meanwhile, Apple is commended on their 'user friendly GUI'! I believe this needs no comments!!!
CHOICE
Everyday user needs a very little from their personal computer. Go on the internet, check their email, perhaps write something in any word processing application and that is it. With laptops being so affordable...let me rephrase that, with Windows based laptops being so affordable these days (around $500) most of the average users opt for one instead of a bulky desktop. Now, while everything they need a mere PII would do, advances in technology make them buy something more up-to-date. With so many companies manufacturing Windows-based laptops they can express themselves with choice of colour, shape, screen size very easily. On the other hand, they could spend 2 or often 3 times more money on an Apple laptop that first of all is not unique, second - is slow and underperforming, and third - conveys an image of a follower (iFollow, iSheep) rather than a leader of the herd.
Now, my question is why would anyone in their sane mind go for something like that. And before you mention anything about virus and spyware, please use a pc first and then make a comment.
MORAL CONCERNS
While MS is charging a loads of money for their software, they are taking money from people who have it - big corporations, rich developers and such whereas Apple uses poor children of China to build the red iPod in order to give a small portion of the profit to poor children of Africa. How does that make one feel.
The other issue I have with Mr. Steve Jobs is that even though his company is considerably smaller than Mr. Bill Gates' his financial circumstances are certainly not bad so how come than, that Mr. Steve Jobs does not give to the charity the way Mr. Bill Gates does?
That is why I have no problem paying for MS products while with Apple it's another story.
For all you Mac users...once you get over splurging your life savings on a piece of disposable technology, ask your smarter pc friends to show you the light at the end of the tunnel.

My wife has the only MacBook Pro with an IRS e-file sticker that I have ever seen! And it works better than her old Gateway POS laptop.

To: Cika Rizo

You're funny. You remind me of every other wild eyed activist.

You are blabbering :)

This was the part that stood out for me: "...concern about viruses, spyware and the many hours of lost productivity that derives from them was the reason for her choice."

My wife has a Dell (with an Apple sticker on the back!). All of the Law students at our University have (by requirement) PCs (although she'll be using her powerbook for her last semester -- there have been a few Macs pop up at the law school). While hanging out at the law school, I'm constantly overhearing people complain about their computers, especially tech support issues, like broken monitors, crashed hard drives, etc. Of course, Dell's big suggestion is always to "reformat" which is like death to a time-starved law student, yet several students I know have had to do just that. The other thing I often hear is people talking about virus software, worries about getting viruses, or, like in my wife's case, actually getting infected with spyware so bad that the only option left is to... well, reformat.

Now, as a student abroad in Europe, I have been surprised at how many Macs I see in the common laptop area. I'd say at least one in 3 computers is a mac - and these are often European students - many of them law students. What's more is that the PC students are often going to the Mac students for help with computer stuff. (One of the most common is to print a document to PDF, which is not possible on a standard PC - or at least it's not obvious.)

Ironically, most of my "lost hours of productivity" have been from trying to keep her Dell running! The Dell is now 2 1/2 years old and it feels like a dinosaur. Since I got a new MBPro, I handed down my 4 year old powerbook, which she now uses daily, with pleasure. Oh, and the Dell is collecting dust on our shelf back home -- still infected with spyware! My guess is that over half or perhaps two thirds of the law students who had to buy a new PC when starting law school, will be buying a new computer when they finish law school, feeling that their "old" computer just can't keep up any more.

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It is nice to see more Macs being picked up in business. I especially like Shannon Cross' reasons for using a MacBook. Interesting how 'slick' (Todd Bradley) seemed a little ham-fisted with the sales-pitch -- but then again, looking at those glossy, slick laptops in Best Buy, one understands why. HP is desparate.

As a 19-year Mac user (and a 15-year Windows user), I am of course pleased to see businesses outside of advertising and graphic arts adopting the Mac. Re: virus vulnerability, however, the Mac faces a conundrum. Though Apple would like us to believe that Mac's are inherently less vulnerable, the illusion of (relative)invulnerability is one that would likely disappear if Mac picked up more than it's current miniscule market share and more hackers started trying to take a bite out of the Apple.

Personally, while I do like Apple's physical design, I butt heads with its operating system and software packages. It's just too 'user friendly' for me, I guess.

So strip off the GUI and run the entire thing via Unix command line ;)

Seriously that is the most bizarre complaint I've seen with Mac. I don't find Windows less "user friendly" so much as obtuse and buggy. Windows is very easy to use from a just-Microsoft-Office-and-IE point of view, the problem is it's just a horrid experience and there's none of the fun and beauty of the Mac OS.

It seems quite a few on this comment board are "techies", and your primary complaints are those of someone who interacts with computers from that perspective. The problem with your comments is that 98% of the world aren't "techies". They don't want to H4X0R their boxes or have to perform a system registry cleaning every 3 months. They want to sit down at their computers, surf the Net, do some email, write a paper, listen to some music, and then do something else with their lives. When things go wrong (as can happen with any computer), they want to be able to fix it easily. Macs serve that purpose dramatically better than Windows-based PC's. I have 20+ years of experience with both systems and own both; I have re-coded Windows Registry by hand; I've seen all sides of the debate here. 98% of the world has no interest in downloading Jas or Fedora, or overclocking their processor, or tweaking their Registry, or anything of the sort. 98% of people want the "appliance" that one poster criticised; and for that 98% of the population, the Mac is their better solution.

I have only owned pcs but i am really loking into getting a mac after having to reinstall xp at least 2 times a year and i think vista will be a little better but i dont think that it will be as good os x. Please advise me Vista something or Mac OS X. Please reply