This didn't long...M$ complaining about iTunes
This didn't take long
Choice...the problem is choice?
Kinda funny that Microsoft is complaining their users want choice. That and WMA is a horrible audio format. Again, Apple is AAC=Open source. Apple is definitely painting a great picture with Windows users as the company that provides great products and services and doesn't lock them into anything. This is putting M$ more and more into a "big brother" position that locks everything down, eliminating your choice of options. And with the Pepsi and AOL alliance, this could prove a major turning point for Apple. They aren't making any money off ITMS, so they are doing this to provide a fantastic service...and sell more iPods.
Choice...the problem is choice?
Kinda funny that Microsoft is complaining their users want choice. That and WMA is a horrible audio format. Again, Apple is AAC=Open source. Apple is definitely painting a great picture with Windows users as the company that provides great products and services and doesn't lock them into anything. This is putting M$ more and more into a "big brother" position that locks everything down, eliminating your choice of options. And with the Pepsi and AOL alliance, this could prove a major turning point for Apple. They aren't making any money off ITMS, so they are doing this to provide a fantastic service...and sell more iPods.
Comments
Originally posted by rok
am i just being biased, or does that sound like fear in his comments?
Really...he does sound scared. Kinda like someone thinking they are so cool because they have a convertible...then you pull up in your Audi TT or BMW Z4 Roadster and they try to make theirs sound better (Lets not make this another "Apple is like BMW" debate though),
Originally posted by rok
am i just being biased, or does that sound like fear in his comments?
Yup, with a little bit of uncertainty and a dash of doubt sprinkled through it.
My thoughts are this:
iTunes is software that easily gets an A for a grade. I am currently in the process of re ripping CDs so that I can play them in iTunes (because I originally ripped in ogg and I want to rip at a higher VBR in mp3). So lets see, here is a user who is willing to rip 100 CDs or so just because of better software. Who needs options when one is better than all the others? It is worth it to just conform to whatever the best option is.
Secondarialy, iTunes is hands down the best software out there for the PC. I can browse my coworkers shared music at will and listen to it if I want to. Any other players do that as well? No. Any other players have as good a UI? No. MS can have all the choice it wants, but if all the other programs get a B or a C for a grade, then why wouldn't I go with the program that gets the A? You can't make a grade A end user solution from a bunch of grade B products. In other words, what is the point to having lots of choices if most of them suck? This is really clearly demonstrated by the mp3 players. Most of them suck so horribly that I would never consider buying them (too large, bad UI). Why do I need five music services if one of them can be clearly better than the rest.
It really is the case that Apple is ahead in all areas and as such the burden of conforming to their hardware and software is not so great because you get the best in everything. MS is assuming that one vendor will have the best jukebox application and another vendor will have the best portable mp3 player and another vendor will have the best online service. This is pretty clearly not the case right now and it is obvious to everyone who has used Buy Music/iTunes or has looked at a Nomad in comparison to an iPod.
Look folks, Apple has MADE the online music business respectable and usable (hence their 70% marketshare) and has MADE the portable mp3 player market a reality (hence their 30% marketshare and 50% revenue share). Let everyone else cobble together some Frankenstein monster from various services, jukeboxes, and players. Apple has the right approach and its seamlessness is what works best for it, and that is why they are winning.
Go Apple! Keep up the innovating! Besides, MS is probably just angry that they couldn't make a vertically integrated solution like this.
If MS is talking about how their advantage is that they offer choice, then in all honesty, hell has frozen over twice in two days.
i mean, THINK about that mind-bending, paradim-shifting concept for a second. it's practically ARTISTIC.
microsoft doesn't understand how to compete with a service or company that has no intetnion of breaking even. sure, microsoft has been known to take that stance over the short term - e.g. taking losses on the xbox for the next couple of years - but they plan to make money on it eventually. everything they do is geared towards making more and more and more f'n money.
and i bet buymusic and musicmatch and napster/roxio are all looking at apple and saying "b-b-but, you mean you don't WANT to make any money selling music???"
that's right guys. now compete wwith THAT.
Originally posted by rok
am i just being biased, or does that sound like fear in his comments?
It is called FUD. It means:
Fear
Uncertainty
Doubt
The idea is to scare people by making them think that a competitor has a bad solution or that they are going to die and go away and then where you be?. MS pioneered this strategy for dealing with various competitors. Fortunately, most of Apple's customers for iTunes don't check up toomuch on the official MS line (FUD really works best on IT managers and CIO's, neither of which determine how people download music). Most geeks and those in the know are downloading iTunes even as we speak, so it is a losing attempt at FUD. Pretty shameless because MS would do the exact same thing as Apple if they had an ounce of creativity and the ability to actually ship OS upgrades with any regularity.
Half of the stars of "Predator" have been elected to office.
Steve pushing Pepsi's sugar water.
Microsoft pushing for choice.
The Seventh Seal, people, the Seventh Seal!!!
Anyway, what would kill Microsoft's argument dead? A third party developing a digital music player that supports AAC.
Game over for that particular argument.
Microsoft is pushing hard, desperately hard, for WMA to become the media standard (including next generation DVDs no less). Scary.
Screed
Originally posted by Yevgeny
It is called FUD. It means:
Fear
Uncertainty
Doubt
The idea is to scare people by making them think that a competitor has a bad solution or that they are going to die and go away and then where you be?. MS pioneered this strategy for dealing with various competitors.
No they didn't. IBM did. Bill's just reading from their playbook, verbatim.
MS isn't even innovating there.
Originally posted by Amorph
No they didn't. IBM did. Bill's just reading from their playbook, verbatim.
MS isn't even innovating there.
I can feel your love for MS Amorph ...
Originally posted by Amorph
No they didn't. IBM did. Bill's just reading from their playbook, verbatim.
MS isn't even innovating there.
True, but MS really popularized it by making it the standard way of dealing with competitors. Remember all the MS FUD over how Unix was going to die in the datacenter? MS FUD over wordperfect (sadly came true because WP was utterly incompetent). MS used FUD like mad, far more so than IBM.
Originally posted by filmmaker2002
Yevgeny for President! Seriously...your first post on this thread should be required reading for ALL windows users considering buying their music online.
And best of all, I AM a Windows user. I don't own a Mac. I think that Apple is delivering the best top to bottom solution in every area and that this negates the fact that it is all Apple.
Originally posted by Yevgeny
True, but MS really popularized it by making it the standard way of dealing with competitors. Remember all the MS FUD over how Unix was going to die in the datacenter? MS FUD over wordperfect (sadly came true because WP was utterly incompetent). MS used FUD like mad, far more so than IBM.
Yep, but the intent of Amorph was to pointed out the total lack of imagination of MS
Originally posted by Powerdoc
Yep, but the intent of Amorph was to pointed out the total lack of imagination of MS
Oh, agreed. MS however made FUD such a platform of their marketing that it was just incredible to read their brochures.
Originally posted by Eugene
He doesn't sound scared. He sounds ready to launch a smear campaign.
Bingo, hopefully it's too late.
Originally posted by Yevgeny
True, but MS really popularized it by making it the standard way of dealing with competitors. Remember all the MS FUD over how Unix was going to die in the datacenter? MS FUD over wordperfect (sadly came true because WP was utterly incompetent). MS used FUD like mad, far more so than IBM.
Anyone have some old examples of MS FUD? Like to see a real example. No that I don't believe you, just interested.
Originally posted by iPeon
I'll bet the next Windows update will cripple iTunes for Windows. Just watch.
Microsoft must protect vulnerable users from the restrictions in freedom!