“Mark Oct. 22 on your calendar. That’s the day that Apple’s classic ‘I’m a Mac. I’m A PC’ attack ads are going to cease to be humorous,” Steven Burke writes for ChannelWeb.
MacDailyNews Take: We have a feeling that Apple’s ads were never humorous to Steven. Having a stick up your kazoo makes laughing painful, so does being told that you made the wrong choice and blew hundreds of dollars on some POS PC when you could’ve had a vastly superior Mac if you were capable of thinking things through for at least a second. And, the ads are actually part of a campaign titled: “Get a Mac.” Which Steven obviously has yet to do.
Burke continues, “Oct. 22 is, of course, the formal release date of Windows 7… Here’s what I believe will happen: The Windows 7 launch will take those market-share gains Apple has seen over the past several years and make them disappear.”
MacDailyNews Take: Not according to people with brains, Steven:
• Apple unconcerned about Windows 7 release: ‘At the end of the day Windows 7 is still just Windows’ – October 15, 2009
• Stats show Apple immune to impact of Windows 7 release – October 12, 2009
Burke continues, “How frightened is Apple that its about to be whammied by Windows 7? Well, BusinessWeek is reporting that Apple is planning to launch a marketing blitz aimed at convincing PC buyers to instead choose a Mac.”
MacDailyNews Take: Planning a marketing blitz to get even more Windows PC to Mac switchers proves that Apple is frightened? How so?
Burke continues, “BusinessWeek says that Apple will likely make the case that Macs are more susceptible to viruses. A flat-out false claim.”
MacDailyNews Take: We agree with that statement 100%, Steven; although, in keeping with your overall theme of hit-whorishness, we think you meant “less,” not “more.”
Burke continues, “There are a bunch of Mac myths. And better security than Windows is the biggest one. Security experts say that if Mac users are less susceptible to attack, it’s simply due to the fact that there are fewer viruses written for Macs than for Windows.”
MacDailyNews Take: Apple-C, Apple-V: Yet again, for the umpteenth time — sigh — it is utterly illogical to state or imply that the Mac platform is secure via obscurity. Why, if obscurity means security, in April 2007 was there a virus for iPods running Linux (a few thousand devices total, to wildly overestimate, in all the world), but there are no viruses in nine, yes nine, years for the over 30 million Mac OS X computers that are currently online? When we hit a nice round virus-free decade will abject morons like [Steven] finally wise up? And, why would criminals not target the most affluent personal computer users, the tens of millions of Mac users around the world?
We’ve asked those and similar questions for years, yet the silence remains deafening and telling. Instead we get a steady stream of lies and/or ignorance from the likes of [Steven Burke].
The idea that Windows’ morass of security woes exists because more people use Windows and that Macs have no security problems because fewer people use Macs, is simply not true. By design, Mac OS X is simply more secure than Windows. Period. For reference and reasons why Mac OS X is more secure than Windows, The New York Times’ David Pogue, provides a concise mea culpa on the subject of the “Mac Security Via Obscurity” myth here.
Simple logic is certainly not what AV software peddlers, Windows PC box assemblers, and the leeches affixed to the Windows ecosystem want people to hear. Fear is what they’re after and they love bullshitting to the [Steve Burkes] of the world. The sheep must be kept in the Windows pen, no matter the cost to reputations, reality, productivity, sanity, etc. Far too many have far too much invested in Microsoft Windows for them to stand idly by and let it all slip away due to a vastly superior, vastly more secure solution from Apple. But, slip away it does nonetheless.
Every single time there is a Windows virus outbreak or a new OS release, the “Security Via Obscurity” myth gets trotted out. This is done for a reason, even though it gets more ridiculous with each passing year.
“Security via Obscurity” is a defense mechanism for the delusional and also tool for Microsoft apologists and/or those who profit from the Windows economy that’s designed to be used when attempting keep Windows sufferers from straying. 30 million Mac OS X installs is not “obscure” at all, but nine (9) years of Mac users surfing the Net unimpeded certainly is “secure.” Besides social engineering scams (phishing, trojans; no OS can instill common sense) the only thing by which Mac users are really affected are large swaths of compromised Windows machines slowing down the ‘Net with spam and nefarious botnet traffic targeted at exploiting even more insecure Windows boxes.
The. Problem. Is. Windows. Get a Mac.
Burke continues, “BusinessWeek also claims Apple will make fun of Microsoft for making Windows XP owners go through what is by all accounts a cumbersome process to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7. Talk about a canard. That duck just don’t fly. No one in their right mind would even think of upgrading a Windows XP system to Windows 7. That’s an exercise for unemployed nerds with too much time on their hands. It simply doesn’t make sense. Windows 7 is a cause celebre to look at buying a new system. It is not a reason to look at upgrading a well-running Windows XP system. You wouldn’t upgrade a well-running Mac system either. Get a life.”
MacDailyNews Take: Okay, this just has to be satire. Nobody’s really that stupid, are they? We’ve intentionally switched Macs in order to post this article via a 17-Inch MacBook Pro (Late 2006, MacBookPro1,2, 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo, 2GB RAM, user-upgraded 320GB hard drive) which came with Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, was upgraded to Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, and then upgraded again to Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard without incident and in under 45 minutes each time. This Mac is still used heavily and daily by MDN staff. It’s paid for itself several hundred times.
Burke continues loading our iCal, “Yes, the Mac has had a great run for the past couple of years. Gartner says Apple’s share of the U.S. computer market for the third quarter amounted to 8.8 percent, up from 8.6 percent in the year-ago period. My bet is that market share is going to drop below 5 percent by the end of 2010.”
Full hit-whoring mess and/or intentional satire – either way, Think Before You Click™ – here.
MacDailyNews Note: Burke has been iCal’ed and you can bet your Mac that we’ll check on the accuracy of his crystal ball at the end of 2010.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Doug S.” for the heads up.]
Why would anyone root against Mac market share gains? Is it hurting Microsoft in any way? Is 85-90% market share, with a monopolistic hold on the PC market, not enough for these people? Why does Microsoft need 100% of the market in the eyes of Steve Burke?
WOW . . . just WOW
My PB 12″ G4 is running Leopard just fine. Sure, it’s a bit slow, but it’s also 5 1/2 years old. Find me a Windows laptop accomplishing that task.
My iMac 800MHz G4 is also running Leopard just fine, even though it is one model below the system requirements. My kids use it constantly. Flash games are slow on it, but no surprise there.
My eMac 1GHz is again running Leopard just fine. Kids use it all the time.
I’m going to upgrade my wife’s perfectly running MacBook Pro 15″ to Snow Leopard as soon as I find time to back it up before I start the upgrade process (hey Microsoft, you might want to take notes!).
The only reason I’m not upgrading my 20″ iMac G5 is because Snow Leopard doesn’t support PPC. Otherwise it would be upgraded as well.
By the end of the year, I’ll be buying a MacBook Air and probably a new iMac. Those will be upgraded as new versions of Mac OS X come out.
I guess this guy’s still running Windows ME on some machines? Oh wait, those PCs probably melted 7 years ago.
Apple will not lose marketshare anytime soon. The race to the bottom with pricing is over. When markets mature to the point where we are with the computer market, quality becomes the deciding factor.
Advantage Apple.
@Bizlaw,
My Cube (450 MHz) runs better on Leopard than it did on Tiger despite not being supported.
you have got to be kidding……did he say that you shouldn’t upgrade to win 7? and that us mac users would never upgrade a working system? well that is sorta true, we upgraded to a better os. and we will continue to do so BECAUSE WE CAN! I put vista on a “vista compatible” pc and 24 hours later and a lot of cigarettes later I had a slower, worse PC. So if you buy a PC your stuck with that os, you will never get to use the new features, No security update that the new os brings, you have to buy another PC with the os on it to have it work. but going form os9-osx-and the rewrite osx snow leopard is no problem. I like this article makes me happy I bought a mac last week even more. best of luck Microsoft.
@Joe
Windows 7 is a “better” UI over the top of Vista.
This is similar to a pig with lipstick.
– gws
This is possibly, even hopefully true. Consider that Windows 7 might GROW the market. It doesn’t mean that people will swap Macs for Windows. It means that new computer users might opt for Windows 7, or people holding off purchasing computers might opt for Windows 7. Any movement in this market is welcome.
@R2… excellent point.
Does Microsoft really have to own everything? Apparently they think so and even to the detriment of the company.
Everyone I know who has switched to the Mac (and people I worked on for years to switch) can’t believe what a difference having a Mac has made. Some say they’ll never use anything from Microsoft ever again. Now THEY are evangelizing their Windows-suffering friends Talk about converts! This includes some family member’s who were militantly die-hard Windows users and Windows software developers!
After my sister finally broke down and got a MacBook, my brother-in-law, one of the most technophobic people I know, actually bought himself a new MacBook. He said: I hated computers, but I LOVE my Mac!
How does Microsoft expect to pull people like that back to Windows?
@ zero — that was hilarious
The bottom line on security for me continues to be this: As I’ve said here before, I don’t care if OS X is safer because of its underpinnings or that a hampster on a treadmill in SJ’s office is spinning at just the right speed. It simply is safer-on a day to day basis; it DOESN’T MATTER why. It just is.
Why always argue about it? You will NOT change anyone’s opinion.
@MDN
Again I suggest a different example of a virus for a small platform (perhaps a cellphone virus or Mac OS 7/8 virus?)
The only “Virus” for iPods running Linux is a “Proof of concept” manual-install trojan, the user had to install it in order for it to run, while it could have been packaged with another package it never was so the person had to knowingly install the trojan for it to work… it’s exactly like the trojans that we have for the Mac, it’s not a Virus.
Other than that, right on.
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The new Mac ads should be: “I’m a Mac. I’m *still* a PC.”
PC should wear a beanie cap sporting a spring-mounted number 7 on top. Mac should wear a Snow Leopard t-shirt.
Joel – I’m sorry that you have had trouble with your Mac. Which model of Mac? Have you been to the Apple Store to address your issues at the Genius Bar? Apple is not perfect, and neither are their products. However, according to Apple’s customer satisfaction ratings, most people seem to be successful in working out their issues with the company.
the next I’m a Mac ad will be the last! Finally PC switches!
When “market share” is limited to new sales and ignores established base, then it’s quite possible that there will be a surge in purchases of new PCs with Windows 7 pre-loaded, showing a shift in market share. There will be extremely few purchases to upgrade an existing XP (or older) computer since (a) the hardware probably isn’t up to the requirements of 7 and (b) PC users rarely upgrade, they replace. [I think it’s safe to say that Mac users buy *additional* Macs, the old one usually gets another job, rather than be disposed of]
New Macs will be bought this season, too, but the bulk of Apple sales will probably be iPhone/iPod sales since they make good stocking stuffers… Although if Apple is *finally* going to make a quad-core iMac (and hex-core Mac Pro) that could boost desktop sales.
Businesses, which are the bulk of Windows users, will probably continue their continuous purchase of hardware on a regular 3 or 4 year recycle plan and any increase of market share here will be simply reflecting typical PC sales (assuming they don’t purchase with XP pre-installed, or purchase with 7 pre-installed then wipe and install XP, *that* _shouldn’t_ count towards 7 market share, but you know it will). I’d be very surprised that businesses will upgrade workstations, instead I expect 7 will be gradually introduced as new machines replace old ones. Moving user data and applications is very time consuming…
@ KingMel
Paragraphs 1 & 2: LOL
Paragraph 3: Compassion — nice; thanks
Steven Burke writes for ChannelWeb and is a joke.
New Apple Ad idea –
Bells, whistles and bows on the PC guy with a new Windows 7 sign on his chest.
A tech guy stands next to the Apple guy.
The apple guy says “Oh something new PC?”
The tech guy says ” No, it’s still Windows.”
This comment needs repeating.
99.999% of Mac users surf the Web without any protection. How about it Windows users? Ready to put your money where your mouth is on Windows 7 and toss that condom you’ve been forced to wear? Of course not…because you know darn well you’d live to regret it…like 3 minutes later.
Oh… and we know the song well!
♪♫
Steven Burke is a moron
Billy Gates is a moron
Eric Willard is a moron
Steve Ballmer sniffs recently sat on chairs
♫♪
Windows 7 will probably be successful for Microsoft and steadily become the dominant form of Windows afflicting non-Apple PCs, during the next two years.
However, that does not mean Apple loses market share. Microsoft might eventually have a majority of remaining Windows users using Windows 7, and that would be a great financial success for Microsoft. But at the same time, Apple can capture the next 10%.
Windows 7 will give a large number of consumers and small businesses still using XP an excuse to buy new hardware. Since the interface for Windows 7 is so different from XP and they have to migrate their data anyways, this is an excellent opportunity for Apple to convince even more people (in numbers and percentage) to “Get a Mac.” Microsoft will probably help out by running ads that actually remind consumer to go to the “Mac Store” and take a look at those “too cool for me” Macs.
All of the stupid of ZuneTang, but none of the funny.
His ignorance regarding the upgrade habits of the typical Mac user are apparent to all, but the contention that nobody in their right mind would consider upgrading a system from XP to 7 shows that this guy has no contact whatsoever with enterprise either.
What an idiot stating:
“You wouldn’t upgrade a well-running Mac system either. Get a life.”
I’ve upgraded EVERY well-running Mac system I’ve ever owned with no exceptions to any upgrade as soon as it comes out. What an idiot! He thinks and speaks Windonese. By that statement alone, you can tell he has no clue about Mac users and has had horrific problems every time he upgraded. So he’s scared of upgrades and knows his friends and co-workers are too. Which is a symptom of using Windows. Mac users WELCOME updates. We stand in line and can’t wait for the next update, and our computers are all running just great, thank you.
Joel,
Some people just aren’t cut out to be Apple customers. I suggest you list your Mac on eBay and get 90% of your money back, and then just go buy a netbook with Windows on it so that you can check your hotmail account and surf the web looking for the Jerry Springer Show schedule.
@ Joe,
“Can anyone here enlighten me as to what the big difference is between Windows 7 and Vista or even XP?”
The difference simple. It’s all in the name. Windows 7 drops the airy, fairy Windows word designation that was used with Windows Vista.
They were going to go back to the lettering designation that was used with ME and XP but they decided to get all the way back to Windows real roots.
They decided to call it Mac OS, but copyright reared it’s ugly head.
They then decided to go back to the original numbering designation used with Windows 1, 2, 3, 95, 98 and 2000.
Who knew, in the new math, that 7 comes after 2000.
Anyway the biggest change between Windows 7 and XP, besides running slower and needing more horsepower, is the new, old naming designation.
So funny your article @ MDN , didn’t know that Steve….He’s a firm believer in his own kind but I think he’s a bit out of his mind.
Thanks for your humor!
MS puts out crap and tells you that its better crap, sorry for selling junk last time but this time everything is great ( they tell buyers).
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Mac sells great products, and when there are newer versions, the user is going to upgrade because they want to. OSX6 was a great example, where Steve explained who could benefit from the new os, and how little did it cost? Hmm. In fact OS upgrades on a Mac is so easy… Fresh install or reinstall keeping your files… wow. MS reinstall is messy and faulty..
Windows 7 will drive Mac market share higher!