“Apple may offer lower-priced machines on Tuesday, but one top Microsoft official said Monday that Mac buyers will still be paying an ‘Apple tax,'” Ina Fried reports for CNET. “In a lengthy interview, Brad Brooks, vice president of Windows Consumer Product Marketing, argued that Mac buyers face hidden costs if they try to add Windows to their Mac or if they decide to forgo Windows compatibility.”
MacDailyNews Take: We’ve had 100% Microsoft-free machines for decades and always communicated with the Windows sheep just fine, thanks. In business settings, no less. Oh, sure, we had to give them file extensions for years because their PCs were too dumb to recognize what it was looking at, but it worked. Of course, for decades we also did not spend a single penny on anti-virus packages and their annual subscriptions and also avoided an OS that “rots” and requires semi-annual wipes and reinstalls due to OS design and coding incompetence:
• Microsoft: recovery from Windows malware becoming impossible; better to to wipe and rebuild – April 04, 2006
Fried continues, “‘It’s really a definition now between choosing something that is limited, and somebody chooses for you, basically the ‘i’ way, or actually taking it to a much broader scope, which is ‘your’ way, and defining it through Windows, and the experience that comes with the tens of thousands of partners that build applications, services, and content for the Windows platform every day,’ Brooks said.”
MacDailyNews Take: Macs can slum it with Windows natively or via fast virtualization, moron. Macs are OS-unlimited. All other PCs are OS-limited. Macs also run Office natively, a product made and sold by Microsoft; a product that Microsoft claims will “provide the document fidelity with the 2007 Microsoft Office system that our users need to stay connected with their friends and co-workers on PCs.” In fact:
• Fortune Small Business: The best PC for Microsoft Office is Apple Mac – August 08, 2008
Fried continues, reporting that Brooks said Microsoft is “‘understanding what is really involved with what we call the ‘Apple tax.’ There really is a tax around there for people that are evaluating their choices going into this holiday season and going forward.'”
MacDailyNews Take: What are you afraid of, Brad? Never mind, we already know:
• Those who dump Microsoft Windows for Apple Macintosh are inevitably happier – October 09, 2008
• Mac adoption in enterprise increases four-fold in less than two years – August 26, 2008
• Yankee Group: Business Mac acceptance and adoption highest since the late 1980s – August 05, 2008
• More consumers dump Microsoft’s Windows, switch to Apple’s Mac – July 11, 2008
• Axel Springer dumps Microsoft Windows, switches 10,000 employees to Apple Macintosh – July 05, 2008
• Yankee Group: 8 in 10 businesses now using Apple Macs – June 27, 2008
• 25-year PC vet dumps Microsoft’s Windows for Apple Mac, finds ‘digital heaven’ – March 31, 2008
• Oregon’s George Fox University dumps Windows PCs for Apple Macs – March 03, 2008
• SMU Cox School of Business dumps PCs for Apple Macs – October 30, 2007
• Boom! Largest automobile processing company in North America dumps Windows PCs for Apple Macs – July 16, 2007
• Windows to Mac switcher finds comfort in ability to run Windows, then leaves Windows behind – April 16, 2007
• Wilkes University to dump all Windows PCs, replace with Apple Macs – February 22, 2007
• Top Windows developer dumps Microsoft’s ‘pile of crap’ for Apple’s Mac OS X – September 12, 2006
• Apple Macs that can run Windows are bad news for Microsoft – August 08, 2006
• Couldn’t you just buy a Mac and run Windows? Microsoft CEO Ballmer: ‘No, we prefer real PCs’ – April 29, 2006
• Japan’s Aozora Bank dumps 2,300 Windows PCs for Apple Macs – April 03, 2006
Fried continues, “[Brooks said] ‘There’s going to be an application tax, which is if you want choice around applications, or if you want the same type of application experience on your Mac versus Windows, you’re going to be purchasing a lot of software. And even at that you’re not going to get the same experience. You’re not going to get things like Microsoft Outlook, you’re not going to get the games that you’re used to playing.'”
MacDailyNews Take: Again, Macs can slum it with Windows for games or any other piece of Windows software. By the way, Microsoft used to make Outlook for Mac, but they stopped in order to keep users locked into Windows. It didn’t work. And, in the mark of a truly fscked up company, one arm of Microsoft is denigrating another. Microsoft obviously crippled Office for the Mac in order to keep the sheep in the pen. That didn’t work either:
• Microsoft: VBA returns to future Office for Mac versions – May 13, 2008
• Beginning of the end for Office for Mac? Microsoft drops Visual Basic support in Mac version – December 09, 2006
Fried continues, “Brooks [said] ‘If people want a Windows experience, then start with a machine that was built for the Windows experience.'”
MacDailyNews Take: “Built for the Windows experience?” What, do buttons just randomly fall off or inexplicably stop working on such machines? Does the hard drive wipe itself and reinstall the OS every 4-6 months? Does the screen just randomly turn blue and the processors lock up at the drop of a hat? Those would be machines “built for the Windows experience,” Brad. Not these:
• Apple Macs run Windows Vista less awfully than PCs – April 17, 2008
• Apple MacBook Pro is world’s fastest Windows Vista notebook – October 30, 2007
• USA Today on switching: Apple Macs can also be screaming-fast Windows machines – March 15, 2007
• PC Pro crowns Apple Mac Pro fastest ‘PC’ – October 04, 2006
Fried continues, “[Brooks said that] it’s ‘a fallacy to think that Macs are somehow invulnerable, or impervious to virus, or phishing, or spyware. And we will tell you that based on our own data that you’re 60 percent less likely to get any type of virus…if you’re running Windows Vista versus Windows XP SP2.'”
MacDailyNews Take: Let’s see, 60% of 500,000 examples of Windows viruses vs. 0 for Macintosh… Oh, look:
• Head of Norton AntiVirus uses an Apple MacBook Pro – September 29, 2008
• Sophos Security: Dump Windows, Get a Mac – July 05, 2006
Fried: You mentioned that Vista is 60 percent less likely to be a victim of virus than XP SP2, but how does that compare with viruses on the Mac?”
Brooks: You know, it’s hard to get a direct comparison, Ina. I want to be very specific in any kind of the data or the information that I give you there is that you’re running one system versus another. The best way to really look at it is based on the Internet services, and what’s really going on out there in terms of things like phishing or other types of scams that can actually happen through your browser or Internet experience. That really is much more of a direct comparison.
MacDailyNews Take: Wha? Answer the question or shut up, Brad, you fool. Here’s a very direct comparison:
• Mac vs. Windows in business case study: Macs have 1/3 fewer problems that are solved 30% faster – June 02, 2008
Brooks: On a Mac… you can’t get Outlook, you can’t get Visio, you can’t get Project. And when you do get applications such as that, they’re usually stripped-down versions that don’t have nearly the amount of features, or the usability like the ribbon on Office. Those types of things just don’t come with a Mac… In the latest version of Office 2007 there’s a number of features, usability improvements, enhancements that are universally liked by our users, and really differentiate the product as being the next generation of productivity suites. Those are things that just don’t come with the Mac versions.
MacDailyNews Take: If you need clearer proof that Mac users should not buy Microsoft products because Microsoft are intentionally denying or dumbing-down Mac versions in order to maintain their monopoly position, then you must be a Windows sufferer.
The abject fear continues in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft is scared; as well they should be.
We shouldn’t say that we have the same, because we can run Windows. I don’t want stinking Windows. I don’t NEED 500 different FTP apps that don’t work. 1 is enough, in my case Transmit and it does work. I don’t need MS Project and I certainly don’t need the MS Office Ribbon. They are so overly proud of their ribbon. It’s a weak implementation of the Inspector.
Wholly cow, what a joke is this guy. They are really afraid.
Microsoft lies as easily as some Republicans. They are so far gone they don’t know or don’t care about the difference between the truth and a lie. And they’re running scared.
I find it humorous that he’s trying to use that scary word “tax” to scare people away from Apple products during an election season. Fearmongoring is so 2004….
@Ned Dunce
Pathetic little aside there, Nerd. Take a look at yourself in the mirror: Congressman Tim Mahoney (Dem) is the latest liar on the Hill, and the next to go.
“Love, friendship, respect, do not unite people as much as a common hatred for something.” — Anton Chekhov (1860-1904, Russian playwright and writer)
@Ned
If you think Democrats are any more honest than Republicans (I did not have sexual relations with that woman! – Bill Clinton), then you really deserve to use windows.
Also, I am a bit tired of having politics being brought into a discussion of computers. I really wish MDN would add any words relating to politics to their forum filters.
Isn’t Obama cutting this tax under his new tax plan?
The sad part is you have the media punters that eat this stuff up. And do no reporting they’ll just take MS word for it and present it as the facts.
Truth is for every Windows Program there is a Mac Equal and in most cases the Mac Equal is superior and at a lesser cost (if it’s a Microsoft title then the cost is even far less on a Mac). Windows developers are afraid to compete with MS so, they will not create a Visio, Project or Office competitor, why have MS put you out of business.
As for the Ribbon thing in Office everyone I know that uses the newest MS Office on Windows hates the stupid ribbon thing and most have reverted to the pervious version of MS Office.
For Mac Equals check out the superior replacements for Project (OmniPlan), Visio (OmniGraffle) and more at Omni Group
NOW I’VE LEFT ALL THE PROBLEMS TO THAT BUFFOON BALMER, I CAN TELL YOU THAT MICROSOFT IS SHIT SCARED… IT”S NO LIE.
“Perhaps you know Russian epic of Cinderella, if shoe fits wear it.” — Pavel Andreievich Chekov, (born c. 2245, Admiral, Starfleet)
If the MS people were smart they wouldn’t even begin to talk about Apple. Why would you constantly mention your competition? It doesn’t make sense. Now if you don’t consider them a threat, as they claim, you would just brush off questions about them. Or if an interviewer persists with the question simply give an answer that they each have their own business plans that they go by and leave it at that. It might make more sense if their market shares were equal in the OS realm but since MS still has around 90% share it doesn’t make sense for them to comment about Apple. Who is their public relations person because their executives need some serious coaching on how to answer these questions? MS just comes across as being afraid of Apple. If I was interviewing I would ask why MS feels it should have a monopoly and why they feel that there shouldn’t be any competition. I think that would be much more interesting than asking about Apple. Given their response every time about Apple they appear to be really frightened and that is not the image they should project. They should project confidence in their products and business plan. It would make their employees as well as their share holders feel better. The way the executives talk they expect Apple to overtake their market share in a matter of months and it shows a total lack of class. If they showed a hint of being graceful I might at least respect their management team but I have yet to see any.
Honestly. What do you expect a Microsoft product evangelist to say? Of course they’re going to blow any perceived disadvantage way out of proportion and spew forth as much FUD as possible.
Let’s face it, Microsoft is not going to just play dead. They need to maintain their monopoly – and these tactics are far more docile than those they’ve used in the past.
What Microsoft really should be doing is promoting Windows to Mac users. Maybe even come up with a special “Mac” edition, with a lower price to entice Mac users to dual-boot or run virtualization. That would be far more profitable considering that most PC manufacturers license Windows to sell with their machines at a small fraction of what a retail version would go for.
Fortunately for us, Microsoft is simply too stubborn to pander to the Mac using crowd. They should see the Mac using community and the switchers that abandon traditional PCs as an opportunity and not a liability.
The latest MS sound bites are simple Rovian politics. When you can’t win on merit, whip up fears and character attacks. Everyone hates the word “tax”, so we’ll just try to use that word whenever we mention the name Apple….
could MS truly be that desperate?
@war:
What I don’t understand is why they even accept Apple as their competition. Apple makes hardware, MS makes software. Both should be able to coexist.
What MS should say is this: “Apple makes nice computers which run our software very well. Now, a lot of Apple users do not use our software. To change that, our next versions will be better. I promise.”
“Isn’t Obama cutting this tax under his new tax plan?”
Wow what a great sense of humor 😀
Where on earth does CNN get these MORONS???
If you think about it, Microsoft has never really had to compete for market/mindshare and you can tell they don’t know what they’re doing when faced with a viable competitor.
During their growth, they didn’t have to compete with a consumer-driven Apple Computer, who was too busy focused on two markets (graphics and education) and being poorly led by Scully and Spindler. So they were basically competing with IBM and maybe Novell, two bastions of consumer product excellence.
Anyone who could give them trouble were small enough to where Microsoft could run over them or buy them.
They effectively got to where they are by default.
None of that applies anymore. They’re dealing with a large company that knows how to make better consumer products and knows how to better market them.
The only unfortunate thing about Apple right now is the same as 1985: there is absolutely no evidence they can continue this when Steve Jobs is no longer at the helm.
“On a Mac… you can’t get Outlook, you can’t get Visio, you can’t get Project.”
There are better alternatives, but this is the argument from IT that tries to shut down the Mac. But guess what? You can run Windows Natively or Hardware Virtualization. So that argument is B.S.!!!!!
elgarak,
Apple is a software company. They make hardware to complement their software, not the other way around.
Microsoft counts on hardware companies to serve them, settling for the puny margins hardware sales bring, while Microsoft reaps the higher margin software sales. If they were to embrace Apple machines running their software, they are effectively telling Dell, HP, Acer, etc., that they’re being cut out and being a Microsoft hardware partner and supporter is worthless.
Beautifully put MDN. Beautifully put. I have no more words.
Does anyone else find it funny that the programs he states as only available on Windows are programs (Visio, Project) that Microsoft purchased in an effort to control the market.
“We bought these companies to force you to use our crappy OS!”
There are several brand taxes in all kinds of markets. The BMW Tax, Mercedes Tax, Porsche Tax, Apple Tax, and all of them worth the extra price.
For years, people have been talking about the “Microsoft Tax” that PC Manufacturers have had to pay to MS even if they don’t put Windows on a computer they sell. For MS to claim there is an “Apple Tax” is the functional equivalent of either the “I know you are but what am I” or the “I’m rubber and you’re glue. Whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you” argument.
Add to it their confession here that MS purposely produces inferior products for the Mac.
MDN – Why do you even give Ima Friek any coverage? has it ever said anything worth repeating?
Actually, I read the transcript of the interview and (at least from this one) didn’t get the impression that Ina was somehow pushing Windows as the product of choice. I thought she asked some rather pointed questions, pushing it continuously even as the MS guy kept providing ambiguous answers.
Perhaps I have a bias, since I am a committed Mac user, but if I read that article as an “undecided,” there is nothing in it to push me to Windows.