“Microsoft may be Apple’s 800-pound gorilla, but Apple’s got something Microsoft will never have: fanatical loyalty. So, in this battle for the hearts and minds of computer users everywhere, who’s got the edge? The smart money’s on Apple,” writes CIOUpdate columnist Richard Martin, president of Alcera Consulting.
“It is my contention that Apple is setting itself up for long-term success and even that rarest of things, corporate longevity. In short, I believe that Apple—with due regard to the authors of Built to Last, James Collins and Jerry Porras—just may be ‘built to last.’ Microsoft, on the other hand, has many characteristics which leave it vulnerable to attacks and threats from all sides,” Martin writes.
“What sets these two giants apart is nothing other than customer experience,” Martin writes. “So. You’re Apple’s competition. How do you compete against that? Do you tell customers your computer is more stable (which it probably isn’t)? Do you tell them your device is sleeker and more modern looking (hey, Apple’s is made in a hollowed aluminum casing lovingly carved by a laser beam)?”
Martin tellingly offers no answers whatsoever for Apple’s competitors, just some bad news, “Simply put, Apple could probably make a lot of marketing mistakes and screw itself up silly, and it will still be around in a hundred years.”
“I know this is going to sound like heresy, but I will say it anyway. Microsoft has a weak brand image. In some quarters, it even has a negative brand image. There, I said it… Users don’t feel any particular attachment to the Microsoft software they use. Many of them feel it is forced on them and dream of a more convivial workstation. Personally, I don’t see that much of a difference between the two computing paradigms, at least in terms of ergonomics, but I’m a nerd after all.”
MacDailyNews Take: Almost universally, in our experience, people who “don’t see that much of a difference between the two computing paradigms,” are Windows-only users. So, we’re pretty confident that Martin has never used a modern Mac for any meaningful amount of time, but, yet, commendably, he still “gets it,” even if he doesn’t fully understand it.
Martin continues, “We live in a long-tail world, to use Chris Anderson’s phrase. Apple certainly isn’t invulnerable to an upstart device maker from way down in the tail. However, it at least has some very strong defenses in the form of strong emotional attachment on the part of users and customers and a consumer-oriented business model that seeks to please people as people, and not as workers. Microsoft, on the other hand, is extremely vulnerable to competitive pressures by any number of upstart device or software producers.”
Full article – highly recommended – here.
MacDailyNews Take: Someday, the world will look back at the time when Microsoft’s OSes dominated the personal computer and laugh (and/or cry) at the sheer folly of it all.
We can almost hear them now: “Can you believe that, no so long ago, 9 out 10 PCs ran Windows?” “ROTFLMAO!” “In the end, you didn’t save any money, dummies, plus you lost what you thought you saved a thousand-fold!” “Bill Gates plunged a technologically-naive world into ‘The Dark Ages of Personal Computing’ with a rickety rip-off of Apple’s Mac and then used his ill-gotten proceeds to try to buy his way into sainthood. That didn’t work either; at least he was consistent.” “Thank God (and Jobs) for Apple!”
Now, Microsoft may very well last for a long time, most likely by running some online ad service or as a holding company or peddling games they didn’t come up with, but their dominance of the PC with a badly-executed copy of Apple’s Mac, was, is, and will continue to be a nasty mistake that costs far more in real productivity, time, and money than most are willing to admit. This mistake will be corrected over time. In fact, the correction has already begun.
“…seeks to please people as people, and not as workers.”
That is the difference.
Hey, come on. I’m fanatical! I give myself ten Thurrott-heads for Windows fanaticism.
Fanatical, yet anonymous!
Wow the jealousy and desperation from the MAC lemmings is at a fever pitch. I suggest we e-mail this moron’s editor to set the record straight. What’s next? Upstanding Repulican congressmen engaging in homosexual trysts in public restrooms? Ha!
The reality is Vista is enjoying phenomenal success while Leopard languishes in obscurity like every other Apple disaster. Face it MAC dorks: Apple lost and Microsoft won.
And MACs can’t play games. Losers.
Your potential. Our passion.™
Apple had a solid, committed following back when Steve Jobs was asked to leave. It took his successors just a few years to run the company nearly into the ground with their applications of “me too” computer design. Apple can certainly survive a few mistakes, here and there, but it can’t afford to become “just another PC” – even if it keeps its OSX superiority.
Apple will remain a minority player – even if its status rises to #1 around the world – because it needs to be a Premium Brand, an arguably “better” design, and focused on the User Experience. There’s a lot of growth left, before the Macintosh is #1, never mind “bigger than the rest – put together”. We’ll see #1. The Mac may already be #1 in its market segment. But … so much depends on Jobs’ vision – if not Jobs himself – leading the company.
Love the “We can almost hear them now” lines!
ZT, the “dorks” comment was uncalled for.
The rest was amusing.
There are people who have Fanatical loyalty to Windows as well… as masochistic as that may be… just look at the guy who got a Zune logo tattoo and wants to change his name to microsoft zune…
Good morning Zune Tang, always nice to see you have time for your incisive, informative comments. Keep ’em coming. Makes may day.
Apple needs to quit being scared of Redmond and do a better job at catering to their customers hardware needs.
With so many people installing OS X on PC’s to meet their needs, for matte screens, toughbooks, 7″ child computers etc., the market can no longer handle the limited hardware choices Apple offers.
Apple is advertising “Mac vs PC” but when people enter a Apple Store, they see just a few hardware choices.
The world is a lot bigger than that, Apple can own it if they quit being scared. Of Dell, of HP and of Microsoft.
DLMeyer the MDN post NAZI.
Zeig Heil!!!
The only competition Apple will face will come from Google.
There is two Zune Tang one has this ® attached.. hmmm so which one? Obviously not same person right?
ZuneTang,
Please refrain from referring to Republicans as engagers in “homosexual trysts”. It is deeply insulting to homosexuals everywhere.
I think in about 5-10 years you will see the market share thusly:
Apple=40%
M$=40%
Linux=20%
In my opinion, the way it should be.
“Did you mean: Sieg Heil ” ron, the spelling Nazi.
“Outwit, Outplay & Outlast.”
Survivor: Redmond.
Ballmer’s secret strategy is to eat his opponents. Gates has stolen the immunity idol and will lie and cheat about it until he wins. We now join our episode in progress where we see Monkey Man braiding Turtle Boy’s hair. They are whispering to each other about a plot to form an alliance with their competitors and then stab them in the back when they least expect it . . .
Amazingly, Microsoft does have loyalists as well. But it’s usually of the same mentality that used to drive the “Nobody ever got fired by recommending IBM” mentality, that of a follower rather than a leader. This just means the Microsoft decline will take longer, as these loyalists lack the faith that drives Apple fandom.
Only If…
Apple wakes up and realizes that a standard of being better than the worst is the wrong standard – that will result in consumers believing what they have always believed which is that Macs are for a niche market for the sissy fringe fanatics who are driven by irrational desire for cute music players and glitzy phones.
Until then, the real world – business and personal – will continue loging on to whatever Windoze version works for them.
MDN won’t let me register.
Is it my nationality, British?
Or my age, nearly 60?
Is it my ‘religion’ or lack of it? I’m an agnostic-Darwinist.
Whatever, my computer name is not Anonymous,
yours,
Gavron.
Microsoft has a headlock on big business. Microsoft certified IT weenies run the show and they have all been indoctrinated into the Microsoft good, everything else evil way of thinking.
Until the IT weenies are deprogramed, Microsoft will continue to rule. Don’t hold your breath on that Microsoft/Apple 40%/40% split.
Apple could get 14% to 18% of the US market and as much as 8% world wide and probably be quite happy with those figures. Let’s face it, the third world will never embrace paying for an OS, let alone buying imported Macs.
“Please refrain from referring to Republicans as engagers in “homosexual trysts”. It is deeply insulting to homosexuals everywhere.”
LOLZ.
I am the REAL ZuneTang…
hey ZT,
if macs can´t run games,then i guess pcs can´t make word document sound like iwork´s pages,one advice to you ZT,think before you click.
This article should be on the “Chicken Little” web page.
Just my $0.02