On Monday, January 24, 2005, MacDailyNews covered an article by CBS News’ Larry Magid. Earlier this week, we received an email from Larry Magid. As you might imagine, it’s not an uncommon event for us to get email from writers regarding our comments on their work. In this case, Mr. Magid found our “Take” of his review of the Mac Mini a bit puzzling. So, as is our standard operating procedure, we went back and read what we had written and found that we were puzzled by our “Take,” too!
We could claim temporary insanity or the fact that we were being pummeled left and right at the time by other articles that focused solely on the Mac mini hardware when comparing it to a Windows PC, but the fact remains that we were wrong. Our “Take” on Magid’s article was ridiculous.
Here are the excerpts of Magid’s article that we chose to comment on and a new “Take” that we hope is better than the last go ’round:
“Hearing the hype about Apple’s new $499 Macintosh gave me pause. Could Apple, which is known as the BMW of computer companies, really come out with a machine cheap enough to tempt Windows users yet still ‘Mac’ enough to satisfy Macintosh aficionados? After unpacking and setting up the new machine, the answer is a qualified yes,” Larry Magid writes for CBS News.
“I cannibalized some of my old Windows PCs to come up with a Gateway monitor, a Dell mouse and a Compaq keyboard, all of which worked perfectly with the new Mac. That’s no accident. Apple hopes to win over frustrated Windows users who already have these peripherals connected to an old PC,” Magid writes.
“In keeping with the theme of encouraging Windows users to switch, I configured the Mac Mini to access files on my Windows network and copied over hundreds of digital photos, Excel spreadsheets, Microsoft Word documents and music files. The Word files worked fine with the version of Mac Word while iPhoto did a fine job handling my PC’s pictures. iTunes, as advertised, works on the Mac, just as it does on the PC,” Magid writes. “While the Mac Mini won’t suddenly make Macs a more popular platform than Windows, I think it may tempt many Windows users who are curious about the Mac and/or frustrated with Windows which is far more prone to spyware, viruses and security problems. Some Windows users might wind up liking the Mini so much that they wind up becoming life-long Mac users while others may use it as their second computer — perhaps to surf the web, check email and edit digital photos. Now my home office — with its Widows machine and Mac Mini — is a little like my friend Peter’s garage that houses a Mercedes and a Ford. I’ll leave it up to you to decide which computer most resembles which vehicle.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Magid runs the Mac mini through its paces and finds that this tiny and inexpensive new Mac is as much a Mac as any other. We agree with Magid that “some Windows users might wind up liking the Mini so much that they wind up becoming life-long Mac users.”
We don’t understand why Magid felt the need to throw in the good old “it won’t suddenly make Macs a more popular platform than Windows” statement. That seems self-evident; so obvious that it almost seems to be just wedged in there to comfort Magid’s Windows-only readers. Really, what’s the purpose of this sentence other than to comfort Windows users (or Microsoft share holders) who might feel threatened for some reason? After all, most Joe and Jane Six Packs use their computers to surf the web, trade email, do a little word processing, maybe play with some digital photos, and run iTunes, all of which the Mac does better than Windows. For most people the Mac would be better for them than Windows. In a perfect world, the Mac mini would suddenly make Macs a more popular platform than Windows. It’s certainly a good start, at least.
Magid does a good job of covering Mac mini’s excellent included software bundle, the Mac’s seamless compatibility with MS Office’s Word and Excel files, and correctly recommends that Mac mini buyers dole out for the extra US$75 for 512MB of RAM – they’re going to want it. And winding up the article, one which will be read by a large audience, by comparing the Mac mini to a Mercedes and his Windows machine to a Ford is always a nice touch.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
CBS News: Mac mini cheap enough for Windows users, still ‘Mac’ enough for Mac aficionados – January 24, 2005
Thanks for the “retake,” MDN. Much better!
Whatever……
I read the original article and thought MDn was being overly picky. It’s nice to see it addressed so forthrightly. Kudos!
magic word: “better”
Hmmmm…. I’d be curious to know what Magid wrote to MDN that would cause a complete re-post of his story & MDN’s take. Granted, yes, the first “Take” towards that article was rather vitriolic, but just what exactly did Magid say? Do you supposed he would allow MDN to post it here or not?
Never hurts to take a second look every once in a while – but I’m instantly curious to know what words from Magid caused MDN to make, well, a “take two”.
Glad to see you folks are back on your meds. Your over-the-top picking of nits is not very welcoming to the potential (or actual) switchers that MDN recently suggested we try to help transition into the Mac community. Almost by definition, a switcher is going to have misconceptions and general ignorance of Macs. Harping on anything but an encyclopedic knowledge of Apple’s products, history, strategy, and roadmap is only going to reinforce the idea of Apple fans as elitist, cultish snobs.
If you read the comments to the first take, MDN got taken to task then too by it readers. It takes a very big person to admit when they were wrong. Kudos to MDN on their willingness to do so.
PLEASE FIX THE WINDOWS-LIKE MAWPUP!!!
(MAgic Word Pop Up Problem)
Thank you MDN for your humility and willingness to redress this.
Ford, atrocious as they have been as far as I can remember, is way ahead of Windows in terms of usability. Think about it: If a car gave you the same amount of problems, relatively speaking, as Windows, it’d be a complete lemon — worth suing about. The difference is that the automotive market is much more competitive than the personal computer market.
—it may tempt many Windows users who are curious about the Mac and/or frustrated with Windows which is far more prone to spyware, viruses and security problems.
No comparison: Macs aren’t prone to malware, Wintels ARE very prone to malware. Just because Magid is a Windows user means he can’t help but downplay, unconciously maybe, the issue of malware. Make no mistake: Windows is broken; kaput, roto, cassé, kowareteru, huaile … pffft. Only fools can’t see it.
It takes a strong person to admit they were wrong.
Perhaps there’s something that we can all learn here:
Humility.
brought to you buy the magic word “direct”
MDN IS SOMETIMES A BIT OVER REACTIVE
Eductate, not humiliate!
Make LOVE, not WAR!!!
I catch Magid on the radio sometimes and used to be irritated at the lack of depth to his reporting… particularly when he was speaking about the Virus of the Week and didn’t mention that it only impacted Windows users.
Then I realized that his audience was the non-technical person, and his air-time very limited. Still irritates me, but at least I understand more that it’s not bias, laziness or willful blindness, but simple time constraint. I didn’t read his story on the Mac mini when MDN first covered it; I merely assumed it also lacked depth.
Nice to see that I was mistaken, and nice to see MDN step up and correct itself too.
You got my respect MDN.
MDN: Kill the windows lovers! Then lovingly appreciate their rich, red meat.
Americans that admit a mistake?
Now there’s a new take. Good job MDN.
NOT SURPRISED. MDN SHOOTS AT ANYONE WHO GIVES AN OPINION THAT DOESN’T PLEASE THUS THEM MAKING THEM PATHETICALLY SILLY AND IMMATURE.
Oh, and this also applies to the poodles who just write before they think.
I think the rediculousnous of the original MDN take was so obvious they were called on it, and MDN had to retract. Clearly, the people who posted and commented on the original take had read the CBS article instead of the highly selective excerpts by MDN.
It is so tiring reading all the bashing out-of-hand. And it gives absolutely no credibility to MDN. We’re so critical of tech writers who don’t check facts, yet MDN act in the same regard. No wonder Andrew Kantor wrote what he did about MDN (and rightfully so). MDN and it’s readers acted even more silly and immaturee.
Nice to see a new “approach.”
the compaq keyboard worked?
Hmmm…
Magic word popup? WTH are you talking about? I browse MDN on my (@#$%ing) XP laptop at work, with IE. Surely, if there was a popup, I’d be getting it, wouldn’t I?
FINALLY – those bloody ad pop-up’s from adserve have been removed!
I wanted to comment about MDN’s reaction to this article when they first posted it, but the damn adserve thing made me give up in frustration.
I am dissapointed MDN doesn’t have the GRACE to give an UNCONDITIONAL apology.
This writer FULLY gets that it is about the OS, and software. The comment about the Mac mini not changing the world to make Macs more popular than windows is just that a comment.
Why MDN has to read into it psych 000 style to make it some sinister, or Windows PC user coping mechanism, actually says more about MDN than the writer.
Let me Psych 101 MDN. Your need to pick some fault in the writeings of “windows” tech writers reviews of Mac products (particularly when they are AGREEING with what you argue) shows a lack of confidence in your arguement. It is a way to always make these people look inferior to you for PREVIOUSLY having an opinion that is different.
I also note that MDN did NOT post (or even reply to me) when I suggested article (I sent them the link) by a Windows tech wrtier here in Australia.
This writer had clearly understood the advantages of a Mac (ie OS X and software), and clearly recognised the value of the Mac mini.
I was suprised, as this writer did make himself a MDN target for scorn for mentioning the 2% market share of the MAC.
However he went on to explain that the Mac mini is a 2nd PC for a windows PC user family. He even goes so far as to suggest that due to adware, spyware POP-UPS!!!!, viruses etc you may consider using the Mac mini AS YOUR INTERFACE TO THE WORLD.
Even more enlightened:
“What we mean by all this is that you should continue to use your Windows computer and all those programs you’ve invested in over the years for which there’s no Macintosh alternative. But give yourself the treat of using a Mac, which is unrivalled for its ease of use, its infinitely better security, and its package of free programs”
AND:
“But we think the price of this new Mac makes it an ideal second PC. A mere $799 gets you the entry-level Mac mini. It’s got a 1.25 MHz G4 processor, 256 MB of RAM, and is “headless” and “fingerless”, in that it doesn’t have either a keyboard or mouse. But with a KVM switch, you can share the PC’s screen, keyboard and mouse. In our opinion, THAT’S A REASONABLE PRICE TO PAY FOR THE ELEGANCE AND FUNCTIONALITY OF OS X (CAPS – my emphasis), which is essentially a graphical user interface to Unix – albeit a greatly enhanced version of Unix – and for all those applications and the FireWire 400 bus”
HOWEVER the most telling point of teh article has to be (and are your reading this MDN and the other MAC FanaticFull boys):
“At this price, the sheer joy of making your second computer a Mac seems to us irresistible. Even if the next time we say something less than complimentary about a Mac or Apple – which, let’s face it, isn’t perfect – our inbox completely fills up.”
Full article here:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/The-Edge/Time-for-a-switcheroo/2005/01/19/1105810923079.html
Please excuse spelling errors! I really wanted to get that off my chest!
PS – $799 price tag is AU$ including 10% sales tax (approx. US$615)
Yes us Australians notice the price differential!! To me US$499 + 10% = US$550 = AU$713!
Apple Australia profiteer off Apple US all the time!!!
I know someone will bring up freight, but Australia is a LOT closer to the asian factory churning out these things than the US is.
These differentials only annoy me, as it helps people here to maintain that Apple products are still pricey.
Magic word is ever – as in will Apple Australia EVER get that they are part of the problem, not the solution?