“Microsoft is losing consumer operating system market share to Apple for many reasons, but most of those reasons can be oversimplified thus: Mac OS is simple, and Windows is complicated,” Mike Elgan blogs for Digit.
“That’s why it may be such a costly error for Microsoft to make the Vista upgrade such a confusing mess,” Elgan writes.
Elgan writes, “Until today, even experts couldn’t tell you off the top of their heads the differences between each of the many Vista versions — or even how many versions there are — or what the basic requirements are for the Upgrade versions. Ordinary consumers are baffled to the point of paralysis.”
“Windows Vista launched with 10 — count ’em, 10 — versions. Instead of giving us a simple new upgrade path to the future, they instead gave us a homework assignment,” Elgan writes.
Elgan writes, “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Don’t buy Vista yet. But if you really must, consider only two of the 10 versions: Nontechnical consumers should buy the full version of Windows Vista Home Premium, and power users should buy the full version of Windows Vista Ultimate.”
MacDailyNews Take: $399 for Windows Vista Ultimate?! (Hint: Get a Mac).
Elgan writes, “It’s obvious that Microsoft decided to extract maximum cash from consumers by micro-segmenting the market and trying to provide a different version for each. But they may end up with the opposite result. All this confusion over versions and upgrade policies will motivate unknown millions of consumers to simply stick with Windows XP or move to a Mac.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Macaday” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
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Gartner: Apple’s U.S. Mac shipments up 30.6% year over year – January 18, 2007
Net Applications: Apple’s Mac market share continues rise, now at 5.39%, up 31% year-over-year – December 01, 2006
Apple’s Mac market share surges, up 35-percent year-over-year as growth accelerates – November 01, 2006
Analyst: Apple has ‘real shot at dramatically expanding Macintosh market share’ – October 31, 2006
Analyst: Apple Mac gains market share, the reason why is significant – October 26, 2006
IDC: Apple Mac attained 5.8% of U.S. market share in Q3 06 – October 18, 2006
Gartner: Apple Mac grabbed 6.1% of U.S. market share in Q3 06 – October 18, 2006
Free online guides for Windows to Mac switchers – February 05, 2007
Apple attacks Microsoft’s Windows Vista with ad campaign, new ‘Get a Mac’ pages – February 02, 2007
Bill Gates has lost his mind: calls Apple liars, copiers; slams Mac OS X security vs. Windows – February 02, 2007
TIME Magazine: Microsoft’s Windows Vista ‘an embarassment to the good name of American innovation’ – February 02, 2007
Microsoft’s Windows Vista: Five years for a chrome-plated turd – January 30, 2007
Those unfamiliar with Apple’s Mac OS X may be impressed with Windows Vista – January 29, 2007
Digit: ‘Microsoft’s Windows Vista may be the best reason yet to buy an Apple Mac’ – January 29, 2007
Pioneer Press: Windows Vista shows ‘Apple is an innovation engine; Microsoft, not so much’ – January 29, 2007
Windows Vista disappoints, so get a Mac – January 29, 2007
Microsoft emails reveal serious Mac OS X Tiger envy – January 26, 2007
Analyst: Microsoft’s Windows Vista could be an opportunity for Apple – January 26, 2007
CNET Reviews Windows Vista: Is that all? Clunky and not very intuitive vs. Mac OS X; warmed-over XP – January 24, 2007
Mossberg: Microsoft’s Windows Vista offers lesser imitations of Apple’s Mac OS X features – January 18, 2007
Windows Vista disappointment drives longtime ‘Microsoft apologist’ to Apple’s Mac OS X – January 17, 2007
InformationWeek Review: Apple’s Mac OS X shines in comparison with Microsoft’s Windows Vista – January 06, 2007
NY Times’ Pogue reviews Microsoft’s Windows Vista: ‘Looks, Locks, Lacks’ – December 14, 2006
Unlike Microsoft’s Windows Vista, Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard will create no new jobs – December 12, 2006
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$399 for Windows Vista Ultimate?! (Hint: Get a Mac) – August 29, 2006
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Windows Switcher:
If you click on the Finder icon in the Dock, it will bring to the front any open Finder windows. If there are no Finder Windows currently open, it will open a new one for you.
No keystrokes necessary. Just a single click. (just one of thousands of examples of the Mac’s ease of use)
You can also set the Finder’s preferences to open new windows to a particular spot.
Enjoy, and welcome aboard.
More helpful info for you beleaguered Windows Switchers:
http://switchtoamac.com/guides/
Windows switcher:
Here’s a fast way to get a new Finder window from anywhere:
Hold down the Command key then click on the Finder icon in the Dock.
Your Mac should switch to the Finder and open a new window.
As I told a friend the other day, Windows Vista was doomed just because who wants to figure out which version they need out of the four?!?
I like to think I’m pretty computer savvy and I still had a hard time deciphering what all the mumbo jumbo from the M$ camp was about.
“…not the right place to post technical questions… because they may end unanswered…” ???
well I got a few answers within 10 minutes
thanx
So as a sales outlet for HP, Dell, Sony, Acer, etc etc, how do we know which version of Vista to bundle with a system? What if customer A wants a Dell laptop with only Home Basic, yet another wants the same laptop with Vista Ultimate, how do we deliver? Is the said laptop only supported with a pre-determined version? Can I choose, or must I get the “higher model” laptop to use Ultimate? Will the sales outlet install the OEM Vista of my choosing, or do I have to choose the OEM hardware to match my Vista needs?
I am so confused. If I were to buy a Mac, then I’d be getting OS X 10.4.8 (or wait until Leopard).
Oh what should I do?
Now this is arrogant – MS has gotten to the point where they rub the utter obserdity of their product in the faces of their own customers, and they do it because they know the dupped masses will just keep coming back for more.
Its just too painful to watch.
Windows Switcher this link should help. Also I have a ton of links to help you find your way with your new Mac. I haven’t got a Mac yet (due to funds) but I have been researching the switch for more than 18months. Can’t switch until I have the cash to plonk on the counter of an Apple Store.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75459
Sarmona
Can you or anyone else here, recommend a forumn for new switchers to use to ask newbie questions
(that includes me)
once you go Mac, you never go back!!
WhyTF did it take me so long
Switcher – welcome
hold down the command () key and tab to finder
hit -N
I don’t know of a single keystroke that opens a finder window from another application – if you provide context as to what you’re doing, there might be a simpler way.
again, welcome
@ Windows switcher: As others mentioned, Cmd-Tab works well, and then you may need to hit Cmd-N to create a new window if none are open.
Another way is to go to the Keyboard & Mouse preference pane, go to the Keyboard Shortcuts tab, click the box for “Move focus to the Dock” (and optionally change the shortcut if desired). Then all you have to do is hit the shortcut key (^F3 by default) and then (assuming the Finder is the first item in your dock) hit enter. The advantage of this method is that it automatically creates a new Finder window if none are open. It’s also pretty fast, and being able to change focus to the Dock via the keyboard is potentially useful in other scenarios as well.
“The Upgrade version requires you to install both XP/2000 and Vista every time, doubling the already massive amount of time it takes to do a reformat/reinstall.”
So, Vista is only an upgrade of XP!!!
Hey minority Mac users…I am now one of you! And I am one of many, many more undoubtedly on the way.
I bought an iMac yesterday. This is too easy…and fun.
Why didn’t make the switch sooner?!
Anyway, add one more to the minority.
hotinplaya –
the discussion boards over at apple.com are excellent, and OSX Hints is also a great reference.
Oh, and the reason I switched was the potnetial outlay of cash for Vista, that might or might not have run on my two year old HP.
Did anyone see the new Get a Mac ad this morning? Take off on Vista, PC guy has a spy looking agent security guard type standing next to him translating everything, and has to ok communications back and forth between PC and Mac. PC says something along lines of it was necessary after doing the Vista upgrade.
I don’t remember seeing this one before and don’t see it on the Apple website.
I posted this earlier on another thread
“”I talked with a friend in Texas, he was all excited, had just bought Vista home Premium and was in the process of DL it, his wintel is 8 months old, went thru the ms tester?? for Vista, said his machine was fine for Vista
called back a few hours later to see how it went, he told me it kept freezing up during down load, and that he had re installed XP.
I called yesterday, he wasnt home, I asked his wife if he had re-installed Vista, she told me he couldnt even re install XP , and the tower was sitting on the kitchen table so he could take it into the repair shop!!
If I didnt want to rub it in, I would suggest he enter MS “show us your WOW contest”
Enter the “Show Us Your Wow” competition
When did something leave you awed and exhilarated? Something that made you go “Wow?” Pick your own videos or photos and show the world your “Wow.”
I am sure he said more than WOW !!!! WTF !!!!!! more likely”””
now the update, the repair guy told him his video card is shot, is that just coincidence (it was working fine) or could the Vista install done something??
I can’t believe that if I “built” my own PC, as so many of the “techies” claim to do, I would have to pay $400 extra to get a license to run Windows Vista. I thought the whole point was to maximize performance and minimize cost. With Windows Vista, you’d be minimizing performance and maximizing cotst.
Microsoft sold out to the enterprise a long time ago and who could blame them? They have all these companies locked in (for life?) and can ride the gravy train for years to come. With Windows, there is little personal about the “personal computer” anymore. Whereas, Apple has catered to small business and home users.
Very simply, if you use a computer at home, get a Mac. Windows is focused on business and you’re not a business. You’re just some poor guy trying to check out some porn. 😎
Seriously though…For you aspiring doctors out there..if you want to learn about Cancer and how it spreads, you might want to study the “popular” MS Windows as it is the biggest cancer on the face of the earth.
I don’t understand Zune Tang and other Windows fanboys reference to OS X and Unix being a “Toy”
No Apple user will deny Window’s 90 % on the business desktop and home use.
But why won’t they admit that the “real entrprise” infrastruture is not Windows.
Webservers are 60 % Apache (Apple built in webserver) Unix and LInux.
Wall street and financial instituitions backends are mostly Unix.
Most large companies HR packages, email and ERP systems are Unix.
Servers that run train scheduling systems, City’s municipal infrastructure and 911 systems are Unix.
I can’t count how many hotels I’ve been too that use 3270 emulation on a Windows machine to acces Unix
servers that manage reservations and room charges.
Many of the DNS servers in the world are Unix.
Apple’s presence in the Hollywood movie and music business is prevalent.
Even if you go to the top 50 world super computers Apple has two spots and Windows none.
I don’t get it?
I like MacNN forums. The help there is pretty good.
Window switcher – switching to MacOS should be pretty painless, but since the approach that Apple takes is sometimes slightly different than Windows, it can be a bit disorientating.
Of all the suggestions, clicking on the Finder icon works best for me. I use that more often than expose. But the cool thing about MacOS X is that there are usually more than one way to do things.
Opps, I mean 3270 to Mainframes not Unix.
sorry!
2 Percent and climbing. woof.
Switchers in general…
Go here for every keyboard shortcut you can think of, including some which are now redundant.
This multi-multiple version scenerio is the Homer Simpson of all Homer Simpson’s.