Microsoft is McCain

[Cronopio]

A lot of projection going on in Redmond.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081015/tec_techbit_microsoft_apple.html?.v=2

SEATTLE (AP) -- Tactics reminiscent of a close presidential race seem to be popping up in Microsoft Corp.'s rivalry with Apple Inc.

Just a few weeks ago, the software maker, tired of being the butt of Apple attack ads, launched a positive series of commercials highlighting the diversity and coolness of Windows users. But then in the hours before this week's product announcement from Apple, Microsoft went negative.

...

Microsoft laid out its talking points -- among them that Windows PCs come with more power and features for lower prices, while Macs are even pricer than they look because they don't come with enough software.

In true political style, Microsoft trotted out a hidden "Apple tax," an extra $1,000 or more Microsoft says people switching from PCs to Macs must pay to "rebuy" software and hardware for their new system.

And what's more, "Macs, due to their high upfront (prices), won't sell in a more conservative market."

[meegbear]

1. Linux users are true Americans!

[dkofos]

10. Indeed. FREE IS BETTER

[wtmusic]

2. What about the hidden "blue screen of death" tax

every time my PC crashes or comes up with some stupidass popup error?

$1,000 would be a bargain.

[Cronopio]

6. Your sig image.

:rofl:

Although putting the word "humanity" in close proximity to "McCain" and "Palin" might be stretching it a bit.

[TahitiNut]

3. True conservatives stick with CP/M

:dunce:

[Marsala]

4. I heard Macs palled around with terrorists

Why would they do that if they love their country?

[Cronopio]

11. Microsoft needs a new TV ad campaign.

Osama bin Laden (or someone that plays him on TV) sitting in an lavish, wood-paneled office with a MacBook Pro. He taps on the keyboard.

Quick cut to a 737 crashing into the US Capital building.

Cut back to Osama. A slow smile comes to his face. Cut to black.

Title card with the words "Apple scares us." with the Microsoft logo below it.

That should go over about as well as the Seinfeld ads did.

[Greyhound]

5. It was thoroughly evil when Gates ran it, but now that Ballmer has the reigns

it has become a bad joke even among the micro-serfs that rule IT.

We need a new name, since M$ has produced crap that is orders of magnitude beyond bloatware.

[MichellesBFF]

7. That's great!

I just spent me $1300 on my new Obama laptop! Getting me one of those new Macbooks.

How's that for some economic stimulus...

[Progressive_In_NC]

14. Mines been back to the apple store three times

New Hard Drive, New motherboard, cracked case.

They have to replace it on their dime, but it's still frustrating.

[Greyhound]

18. Almost every company, now including Apple, has outsourced their laptop manufacturing

to China and you can expect to get really shitty products no matter how much you spend. If you get a good one, it should be fine for a couple of years before it dies, but if you get a bad one, it will just go back and forth to the service center until the warranty expires and then you can go buy another one.

The only possible exception I'm aware of is the Asus Eee. Still not made in the US, but Japan still makes quality components and since Vista is such a terrible POS that could bring a Cray to it's knees, they offer a LINUX OS that will also save you a couple hundred bucks. The downside is that is is very small, 9.5" display, IIRC.

[amdezurik]

8. just a wee bit of over-reaction

sorry but Apple's are not heaven-sent, that being said if you do have to pay a lot more for an Apple box (true) then a Windows compatable, and commonly need to purchase added stuff (true) how is that "negitive"? Having a preference for a platform does not equal all non-insulting mentions of a competeing one is an attack. Now calling it a tax may be a bit below the belt, but at no time is the thrust of the MS ad's debunked, only disputed with no contrary evidence.

[wilt the stilt]

9. all you need to know

http://blimptv.blogspot.com/2007/11/vista-sucks.html

[qanda]

12. Vista SP 1 is actually very good

Microsoft should have stayed positive because they certainly have improved their product and people should know.

[Greyhound]

20. No, it's not. It is bloated, slow, intrusive, unsecured, and does nothing that

even XP can already do. They tout "new features" which are nothing but a poorly ripped off versions of functions that LINUX did over 10 years ago with 1/10 of the system resources.

Oh, and LINUX 32-bit has been able to "see" 14GB of RAM since it was introduced while Vista can only address 3.12GB, the 64-bit version of LINUX can address up to 4TB of RAM.

Even M$ executives will privately admit it sucks and was rushed out long before it was ready at Ballmer's insistence to placate the shareholders. He is a marketing guy that has surrounded himself with other marketing guys, none of whom have a clue of how computers work.

Talk about a pig with lipstick. Even the so-called "sleek new interface" looks like a website from the mid 90s.

[LanternWaste]

13. Pepsi v. Coke, redux...

Pepsi v. Coke, redux...

My opinion of the computer wars...

[ContinentalOp]

15. Yeah, exactly.

Pepsi sucks.


:P

[LanternWaste]

16. Almost as bad as coke...

But then again, I don't care-- I'll drink either one while watching BP's of the Faithful (or Faithless) rise... :)

[darkism]

17. So VMware Fusion costs $1000?

Who knew?
Hell, Darwine is free if you're strapped.

[ThoughtCriminal]

19. McCain is Windows ME

No way am I going to install that.

[Captiosus]

21. Microsoft: "Apple Tax" ur doin' it wrong.

If you want to talk about the "Apple Tax", you don't talk about software.

Apple links to plenty of freeware software which makes Macs just as competitive as Windows. Of course, most of this freeware, and sometimes open source, software is also available to Windows platforms. See: OpenOffice.org.

No, if you want to talk about the Apple Tax and have any form of credibility, you need to show a hardware comparison.

Here, MS, let me show you how to show an "Apple tax" biased toward you.

Step 1:
http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/17-inch/specs.html: 17" MacBook Pro, $2799.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8892825&st=gateway+p&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1211587727985: 17" Gateway P-7811FX, $1499.99
(Optionally, you can compare the Gateway to the new 15" MacBook Pro, which is $2499: http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs.html)

Ok MS, got that? That's step one.

Step 2:
Now that you've compared the two, make sure you keep quiet about the problems with Vista, the problems with Vista compatibility, the problems with plug and play hardware on Vista, the lack of ease of access on Vista, et cetera. You know, all the things OS X whips your ass on.

I'm Captiosus and I'm a Microsoft Certified Propaganda Technology Specialist on Vista with multiple Microsoft Certified Propagandist Professional certifications ranging from NT through Windows XP and I use a Mac. And I approve this message.