“Jim Allchin, Microsoft’s group vice president for platforms, looked at my Apple PowerBook and smugly pointed out that the number of copies of Windows sold this year will be more than all the Macintosh computers used worldwide. By the end of 2005, he proudly noted, over 730 million people will be using Windows. ‘Business is good,’ he said, as he began to quickly page through his elaborate PowerPoint presentation,” David Kirkpatrick reports for Fortune.
MacDailyNews Note: Those Microsoft VP’s sure are “smug,” aren’t they? Too bad his elaborate PowerPoint presentation is blown away daily in quality and aesthetics by 6th-graders using Apple’s Keynote.
Kirkpatrick continues, “Allchin, a wiry-built 54-year-old who has been in charge of Windows for almost a decade, is admirably blunt about his own frustrations using the current operating system. It annoys him, for example, that the adjustments necessary to move a laptop from a work to a home network aren’t obvious. Longhorn, he said, will make that process easy, along with many other common tasks [MDN Note: Just like a Mac works already]. If you want a Longhorn machine to automatically configure itself so you can work in a coffee shop, it will [MDN Note: Just like a Mac works already]. If you put in a DVD, the volume will automatically adjust and the video will just start playing full screen [MDN Note: Just like a Mac works already]. “You shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time struggling with things,” Allchin said, adding that the number one design goal for Longhorn has been: ‘It just works.'”
MacDailyNews Take: Allchin should be more truthful and state the real goal – “Just try to make Longhorn function like a Mac works already.”
Kirkpatrick continues, “Much has been made in the computer press recently of the surprising similarities between Longhorn and Apple’s upcoming new Macintosh operating system, Tiger… But Longhorn won’t be released for another year and a half. In the meantime, Microsoft has to contend with Apple’s Tiger as well as with Linux’s open-source operating system. Linux is making significant inroads into Microsoft’s markets, especially on servers. And many people, including me, consider Apple to have a superior operating system. But Allchin doesn’t seem to be worried.”
Kirkpatrick writes, “A major ad campaign slated to start in coming weeks will trumpet the notion that you can do many great things using Windows.”
MacDailyNews Take: Apparantly, one of the great thing you can’t do using Windows is create Windows ads, for that, you need to use a Mac. More info: Microsoft launches Windows XP campaign with ad made on Apple Mac.
Kirkpatrick continues, “Allchin called it a ‘celebration.’ But the company will launch an even bigger campaign next year in support of Longhorn. ‘We’ll put massive emphasis on this in terms of marketing and dollars,’ Allchin told me. Windows is only getting started, as far as Allchin is concerned.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Allchin must be an idiot. He certainly sounds like one. He’s been “in charge of Windows for almost a decade.” ‘Nuff said. Oh, one more thing, where’d he get the phrase, “it just works?” Straight from his number one supplier of ideas, of course, Apple Computer: http://www.apple.com/switch/whyswitch/. Stay out of those Apple “Switch” pages, Jim. We know you want to — and who could blame you, being so frustrated by your current operating system — but it’d probably be a tad detrimental to your job security.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Apple CEO Steve Jobs on Microsoft’s Longhorn: ‘They are shamelessly copying us’ – April 21, 2005
Apple shows off Mac OS Tiger in Microsoft’s backyard while Microsoft previews Windows XP ad push – April 19, 2005
Apple’s Mac OS X reality vs. Microsoft’s Longhorn fantasy – April 19, 2005
Microsoft’s Windows Longhorn will bear more than just a passing resemblance to Apple’s Mac OS X – April 15, 2005
Analyst: ‘Microsoft’s Longhorn is going to have hard time upstaging Apple’s Mac OS X Tiger’ – April 13, 2005
Analyst: Apple in ‘position to exploit Microsoft missteps, claim leadership’ with Mac OS X Tiger – April 13, 2005
Apple’s Schiller: Mac OS X Tiger ‘has created even more distance between us and Microsoft’ – April 13, 2005
Will Mac OS X Tiger add fuel to Apple’s recent momentum in the computer business? – April 13, 2005
Why doesn’t Apple advertise Mac OS X on TV? – April 12, 2005
Analyst: Tiger proves ‘Apple is light years ahead of Microsoft in developing PC operating systems’ – April 12, 2005
Apple to ship Mac OS X ‘Tiger’ on Friday, April 29; pre-orders start today – April 12, 2005
Apple Announces Mac OS X Server ‘Tiger’ to ship Friday, April 29 with 64-bit application support – April 12, 2005
Analysts: Apple’s new Tiger operating system could really impact Mac sales – April 12, 2005
Piper Jaffray raises Apple estimates on Mac OS X ‘Tiger’ release news – April 12, 2005
Apple’s Mac OS X ‘Tiger’ vs. Microsoft’s Windows ‘Longhorn’ – March 31, 2005
New Microsoft Longhorn chief was former Pepto-Bismol brand manager – March 18, 2005
Microsoft’s Longhorn fantasy vs. Apple’s Mac OS X reality – September 14, 2004
Is Microsoft’s stripped-down ‘Longhorn’ worth waiting for? – September 10, 2004
Silicon Valley: Apple CEO Steve Jobs previews ‘Longhorn’ – June 29, 2004
PC Magazine: Microsoft ‘Longhorn’ preview shows ‘an Apple look’ – May 06, 2004
Microsoft concerned that Longhorn’s look and feel will be copied if revealed too soon – August 25, 2003
Windows ‘Longhorn’ to add translucent windows that ripple and shrink by 2005 – May 19, 2003
