Yah, I'm getting pretty upset withi Jobs' stubburness. I place this squarely on his shoulders. I have friends at apple that have suggested desktop series macs only to be "shot down from high up". I think it's pretty sad when one person can be so opened minded as jobs and at the same time be so closed minded towards other things. Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, there is definitely some team / work design issues over at Apple. One of my closer friends works there a TON of hours (more than 45 a week), is hardly ever home, hasn't had a vacation in quite some time, and hardly has any time to do anything. If i'm lucky I'll get him on aim a few times a month.
I really believe the whole Apple team is completel stretched thin with this iPhone, iPod, AppleTV, OS X, macs, and w/e else they may be planning. I think it's a little unfair to the employees. Apple needs to hire more people. Expand. They are a bigger company than 5 years ago. Quit punishing your employees and quit using old mac designs. Honestly it took them how long to update the iMac?? Over 1 year? The MBP had the same parts inside (besides the graphics card / harddrive) for how long before the iMac came out? The iMac and MB are the only 2 computers that have received true updates in over 3 years. Sounds to me like even if they WANTED to design a new desktop it'd still take another x amount of years just because they are stretched so thin... ran by slave master Jobs.
Although slightly off topic. I found that to be very true. In fact Apple are should rely a bit more on open source.
With the recent release of leopard, iPhone, Apple Tv and new ipod they have reach their work force limit.
And it is about time to hire more engineneer, I know quality engineer and programmer dont come easy. But they will need to them for the future.
But its mostly the same small group bringing up the issue. Most people on AI don't seem to care one way or the other.
No I have argued in the past that I see the usefulness of another Mac in the desktop line. At times the pro xMac people push their argument too far while ignoring other realities of the market and its direction. Only wanting to hear reasons that support the need for an xMac and going against any reason that an xMac is not necessary for Apple's future growth.
Maybe you think it's the same people, but on these blogs there were thousands of diggs.
Maybe you think it's the same people, but on these blogs there were thousands of diggs.
Still a small number in the scheme of the over all computer market. If I saw there were 2.6 million people around 10% of Apple's market. That emphatically stated they will not buy a Mac unless Apple introduced an xMac. Then that would be something Apple should probably listen to.
But I don't believe most people care either way. And of the people who would like an xMac most will buy the iMac or Mac Pro and live long ever after.
Assume 6000 diggs to be generous. Assume that each digg represents 100 buyers. Great...that's 1 qtr worth of sales. Now nearly 5000 diggs is very good for one story its small in comparison to the total number of diggs in a day (45K a day average with a peak of 360K diggs in a day).
Is there demand for an xMac? Yes. Is there DEMAND for an xMac? No one has shown that to be the case yet.
Assume 6000 diggs to be generous. Assume that each digg represents 100 buyers. Great...that's 1 qtr worth of sales. Now nearly 5000 diggs is very good for one story its small in comparison to the total number of diggs in a day (45K a day average with a peak of 360K diggs in a day).
Is there demand for an xMac? Yes. Is there DEMAND for an xMac? No one has shown that to be the case yet.
We've shown you that over 95% of desktops sold are towers, we've shown you that all in ones don't sell very well outside of Apple, we've shown you nobody outside the Mac platform buys a workstation for a desktop, we've shown you that Apple's desktop sales are completely stagnant despite a meteoric growth in laptop sales and still you don't listen to anything but Apple is perfect and everyone wants an all in one. You and those like you simply don't want to believe anything outside your own biases despite how overwhelming the evidence is.
Still a small number in the scheme of the over all computer market. If I saw there were 2.6 million people around 10% of Apple's market. That emphatically stated they will not buy a Mac unless Apple introduced an xMac. Then that would be something Apple should probably listen to.
But I don't believe most people care either way. And of the people who would like an xMac most will buy the iMac or Mac Pro and live long ever after.
Actually most of them are buying dell or have a Mac laptop with a PC desktop. And i bought that iMac. Amazing family machine. for me, I find it very limiting.
And of the people who would like an xMac most will buy the iMac or Mac Pro and live long ever after.
That's half right. Those who want less of a tower than the Mac Pro will rarely buy an iMac -- for many reasons that have been discussed. Like me, many will buy a Mac Pro. It will come from eBay however, not Apple. In fact, it's my next purchase, before long. It will replace the G5, which goes into the office. My current office G4 will not run Leopard.
^ and that does nothing to help apple. They just lost a sale.
That's exactly what have been said for "years" on any xMac thread.
I'm not here to help Apple, they are a billions dollars company, and I'll be lucky if I reach $30K this year.
Apple is here TO HELP ME: providing computers that fit my needs and my budget.
Are you going to buy an iMac because Apple needs to have better numbers for their desktop sales? Maybe you should add another Mac mini too (I've been told they are not selling well these days), and would you be kind enough to get an AppleTV (the 160GB model), please, please, please, it's to help Apple!
That is a cool looking Mac up there. I think for the basic configuration it's about perfect, but I think the processor could even be slower in the root configuration. I love the idea, and I think it looks nice too. It's different which is good.
Still a small number in the scheme of the over all computer market. If I saw there were 2.6 million people around 10% of Apple's market. That emphatically stated they will not buy a Mac unless Apple introduced an xMac. Then that would be something Apple should probably listen to.
But I don't believe most people care either way. And of the people who would like an xMac most will buy the iMac or Mac Pro and live long ever after.
Oh come on, you expect some obscure blog to get every friggin computer user to read his blog and go to the trouble of registering with digg so they can digg the article. I'd say the one blog that had over 4 thousand diggs is pretty good evidence of a vastly greater size market. It wasn't posted on Cnet for crying out loud.
Assume 6000 diggs to be generous. Assume that each digg represents 100 buyers. Great...that's 1 qtr worth of sales. Now nearly 5000 diggs is very good for one story its small in comparison to the total number of diggs in a day (45K a day average with a peak of 360K diggs in a day).
Is there demand for an xMac? Yes. Is there DEMAND for an xMac? No one has shown that to be the case yet.
If you haven't noticed, you both are in the minority here. And this is on an Apple centric website. I can only imagine what the numbers would be like on a website targeted at potential switchers.
You both can bring up all the arguments you like or the profit margins that Apple makes, but the simple fact of the matter is that AIO computers and ultra small Mac mini computers represent a small niche market of computers and that for the most part consumers don't care about.
What consumers are interested in is Mac OS X. That's at least as important to what catches their attention as the sleek designs of Apple computers. Apple has artificially set up barriers to consumers purchasing desktop computers. Why, only Steve Jobs knows for sure. Profit margins, design philosphy, ease of use, we will never really know. Yet, the barriers exist for most consumers and Apple's desktop computers.
But they don't exist for Apple laptops and holy cow, lo and behold, Apple laptops are increasing in market share at unheard of rates. And Apple doesn't sell cheap laptops, they only sell on the higher end. And no desktop sales aren't falling off a cliff, this is a lame argument and very tiresome, desktop sales still represent a huge market, bigger than huge, it is only that latops sales are increasing faster than desktop sales.
If you haven't noticed..................... this is on an Apple centric website. I can only imagine what the numbers would be like on a website targeted at potential switchers.
You........ can bring up all the arguments you like or the profit margins that Apple makes, but the simple fact of the matter is that AIO computers and ultra small Mac mini computers represent a small niche market of computers and that for the most part consumers don't care about.
What consumers are interested in is Mac OS X. That's at least as important to what catches their attention as the sleek designs of Apple computers. Apple has artificially set up barriers to consumers purchasing desktop computers. Why, only Steve Jobs knows for sure. Profit margins, design philosphy, ease of use, we will never really know. Yet, the barriers exist for most consumers and Apple's desktop computers.
But they don't exist for Apple laptops and holy cow, lo and behold, Apple laptops are increasing in market share at unheard of rates. And Apple doesn't sell cheap laptops, they only sell on the higher end. And no desktop sales aren't falling off a cliff, this is a lame argument and very tiresome, desktop sales still represent a huge market, bigger than huge, it is only that latops sales are increasing faster than desktop sales.
That is a great post rickag. I couldn't agree more.
We've shown you that over 95% of desktops sold are towers,
This is not because towers and AIO have had an equal opportunity in the consumer market where consumers chose towers. Part of the reason is because AIO are not widely available. AIO are all most people need and don't know they are an option. Partly this is because enterprise wants towers that are easy to upgrade. Enterprise buys more towers than consumers so that is what is mostly provided.
Are you really surprised these computers did not set the AIO sales ablaze?
Quote:
Oh come on, you expect some obscure blog to get every friggin computer user to read his blog and go to the trouble of registering with digg so they can digg the article. I'd say the one blog that had over 4 thousand diggs is pretty good evidence of a vastly greater size market. It wasn't posted on Cnet for crying out loud.
I'd say that this article being on some obscure blog instead on larger media like CNET or PCWorld shows this is not a big issue.
Quote:
If you haven't noticed, you both are in the minority here. And this is on an Apple centric website.
We are only the minority on a thread of a small group that really want an xMac. Most people around AI don't post on this thread because they don't care.
Quote:
And no desktop sales aren't falling off a cliff, this is a lame argument and very tiresome, desktop sales still represent a huge market, bigger than huge, it is only that latops sales are increasing faster than desktop sales.
Its not a lame argument, its fact. The problem is that it does not support your argument for an xMac. Laptops surpassed desktops two years ago. Laptop sales are only pulling further and further ahead of desktop sales.
That's exactly what have been said for "years" on any xMac thread.
I'm not here to help Apple, they are a billions dollars company, and I'll be lucky if I reach $30K this year.
Apple is here TO HELP ME: providing computers that fit my needs and my budget.
Are you going to buy an iMac because Apple needs to have better numbers for their desktop sales? Maybe you should add another Mac mini too (I've been told they are not selling well these days), and would you be kind enough to get an AppleTV (the 160GB model), please, please, please, it's to help Apple!
Soon as I typed that I figured someone would take it out of context. I meant this from Apple's POV... as in if they HAD an xMac or cheaper tower... it would have been a new sale... since they don't... they lose a sale.
The problem isn't so much what the iMac can do, but my desk already has 2 monitors on it, and a Mac Pro is simply out of the question, and I would much rather have a Core 2 Duo or Quad Core Duo system that was also headless, and had easily accessible DDR2, non ECC desktop RAM slots, and at least one internal 3.5" HD bay. And an upgradeable video card too, but that might be too much to dream about.
If I cared more about saving desk space, and/or only had a single monitor, an iMac would be OK, but I'm just not a fan of AIO designs.
So I'm pretty much left with a Mac Mini, that Apple wants to now kill (for real), and replace it with an updated ATV, which I hope would be more like a Mini than ATV.
Maybe I'm a complete atypical PC user that actually doesn't have issues with PC's in general or Windows (Vista included), but would like a Mac system to play with, and that doesn't require gobs of money. I could run Linux if I wanted to (and have), but it really wouldn't the same.
I just find it funny that when I see threads on Vista/Windows bashing, about how bad it is, and the 'Buy a Mac' replies, but then you actually want a Mac, just don't complain about the lack of configurations, because Steve Jobs knows what and how people actually want to use their computer, and merely suggesting differently is a silly question.
This is not because towers and AIO have had an equal opportunity in the consumer market where consumers chose towers. Part of the reason is because AIO are not widely available. AIO are all most people need and don't know they are an option. Partly this is because enterprise wants towers that are easy to upgrade. Enterprise buys more towers than consumers so that is what is mostly provided.
I know you picked random examples, but there have been many many many many more AIOs than that. Everyone has tried them, since the 80s. They keep failing. They keep failing because they don't appease the common consumer / business. Emachines had an iMac look-a-like during the iMac boom. Their machine looked ALMOST IDENTICAL... but flopped... why? It wasn't windows... because windows 98 -> 2k was selling faster than anyone could keep them on the shelves because of the internet boom.
Quote:
Its not a lame argument, its fact. The problem is that it does not support your argument for an xMac. Laptops surpassed desktops two years ago. Laptop sales are only pulling further and further ahead of desktop sales.
Just because laptops are selling quickly does NOT mean the desktop market has shrunk. In fact it's grown, just not at the rate that laptops have. Everyone can't use a laptop. Everyone can't use a desktop. Everyone can't use a PDA. Everyone can't use a workstation. Everyone can't use a server. I'm sorry that an xMac doesn't fit your life style. It certainly fits more than you're seeing. If you take a look at all the computers in schools... you'll see 1 thing in common with 90% of them. What are they??? Form factor wise.
Comments
Yah, I'm getting pretty upset withi Jobs' stubburness. I place this squarely on his shoulders. I have friends at apple that have suggested desktop series macs only to be "shot down from high up". I think it's pretty sad when one person can be so opened minded as jobs and at the same time be so closed minded towards other things. Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, there is definitely some team / work design issues over at Apple. One of my closer friends works there a TON of hours (more than 45 a week), is hardly ever home, hasn't had a vacation in quite some time, and hardly has any time to do anything. If i'm lucky I'll get him on aim a few times a month.
I really believe the whole Apple team is completel stretched thin with this iPhone, iPod, AppleTV, OS X, macs, and w/e else they may be planning. I think it's a little unfair to the employees. Apple needs to hire more people. Expand. They are a bigger company than 5 years ago. Quit punishing your employees and quit using old mac designs. Honestly it took them how long to update the iMac?? Over 1 year? The MBP had the same parts inside (besides the graphics card / harddrive) for how long before the iMac came out? The iMac and MB are the only 2 computers that have received true updates in over 3 years. Sounds to me like even if they WANTED to design a new desktop it'd still take another x amount of years just because they are stretched so thin... ran by slave master Jobs.
Although slightly off topic. I found that to be very true. In fact Apple are should rely a bit more on open source.
With the recent release of leopard, iPhone, Apple Tv and new ipod they have reach their work force limit.
And it is about time to hire more engineneer, I know quality engineer and programmer dont come easy. But they will need to them for the future.
It's not the same small group. It has been brought up by people who merely sign up just to talk about it and chime in with their 2 cents.
There are lots of people who chime in with 1 or 2 posts, generally just to complain about something Apple has done or is not doing.
Of the people who post to AI regularly I see very few whom emphatically complain that Apple should make an xMac.
But its mostly the same small group bringing up the issue. Most people on AI don't seem to care one way or the other.
No I have argued in the past that I see the usefulness of another Mac in the desktop line. At times the pro xMac people push their argument too far while ignoring other realities of the market and its direction. Only wanting to hear reasons that support the need for an xMac and going against any reason that an xMac is not necessary for Apple's future growth.
Maybe you think it's the same people, but on these blogs there were thousands of diggs.
An Open Letter To Steve Jobs
http://www.sendmike2space.com/
Where?s the Mac?
http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/08/08/wheres-the-mac/
Maybe you think it's the same people, but on these blogs there were thousands of diggs.
An Open Letter To Steve Jobs
http://www.sendmike2space.com/
Where?s the Mac?
http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/08/08/wheres-the-mac/
And I'm sure MANY of us didn't even know about those articles, like myself.
Maybe you think it's the same people, but on these blogs there were thousands of diggs.
Still a small number in the scheme of the over all computer market. If I saw there were 2.6 million people around 10% of Apple's market. That emphatically stated they will not buy a Mac unless Apple introduced an xMac. Then that would be something Apple should probably listen to.
But I don't believe most people care either way. And of the people who would like an xMac most will buy the iMac or Mac Pro and live long ever after.
Maybe you think it's the same people, but on these blogs there were thousands of diggs.
An Open Letter To Steve Jobs
http://www.sendmike2space.com/
Where?s the Mac?
http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/08/08/wheres-the-mac/
Assume 6000 diggs to be generous. Assume that each digg represents 100 buyers. Great...that's 1 qtr worth of sales. Now nearly 5000 diggs is very good for one story its small in comparison to the total number of diggs in a day (45K a day average with a peak of 360K diggs in a day).
Is there demand for an xMac? Yes. Is there DEMAND for an xMac? No one has shown that to be the case yet.
Assume 6000 diggs to be generous. Assume that each digg represents 100 buyers. Great...that's 1 qtr worth of sales. Now nearly 5000 diggs is very good for one story its small in comparison to the total number of diggs in a day (45K a day average with a peak of 360K diggs in a day).
Is there demand for an xMac? Yes. Is there DEMAND for an xMac? No one has shown that to be the case yet.
We've shown you that over 95% of desktops sold are towers, we've shown you that all in ones don't sell very well outside of Apple, we've shown you nobody outside the Mac platform buys a workstation for a desktop, we've shown you that Apple's desktop sales are completely stagnant despite a meteoric growth in laptop sales and still you don't listen to anything but Apple is perfect and everyone wants an all in one. You and those like you simply don't want to believe anything outside your own biases despite how overwhelming the evidence is.
Still a small number in the scheme of the over all computer market. If I saw there were 2.6 million people around 10% of Apple's market. That emphatically stated they will not buy a Mac unless Apple introduced an xMac. Then that would be something Apple should probably listen to.
But I don't believe most people care either way. And of the people who would like an xMac most will buy the iMac or Mac Pro and live long ever after.
Actually most of them are buying dell or have a Mac laptop with a PC desktop. And i bought that iMac. Amazing family machine. for me, I find it very limiting.
And of the people who would like an xMac most will buy the iMac or Mac Pro and live long ever after.
That's half right. Those who want less of a tower than the Mac Pro will rarely buy an iMac -- for many reasons that have been discussed. Like me, many will buy a Mac Pro. It will come from eBay however, not Apple. In fact, it's my next purchase, before long. It will replace the G5, which goes into the office. My current office G4 will not run Leopard.
^ and that does nothing to help apple. They just lost a sale.
That's exactly what have been said for "years" on any xMac thread.
I'm not here to help Apple, they are a billions dollars company, and I'll be lucky if I reach $30K this year.
Apple is here TO HELP ME: providing computers that fit my needs and my budget.
Are you going to buy an iMac because Apple needs to have better numbers for their desktop sales? Maybe you should add another Mac mini too (I've been told they are not selling well these days), and would you be kind enough to get an AppleTV (the 160GB model), please, please, please, it's to help Apple!
Still a small number in the scheme of the over all computer market. If I saw there were 2.6 million people around 10% of Apple's market. That emphatically stated they will not buy a Mac unless Apple introduced an xMac. Then that would be something Apple should probably listen to.
But I don't believe most people care either way. And of the people who would like an xMac most will buy the iMac or Mac Pro and live long ever after.
Oh come on, you expect some obscure blog to get every friggin computer user to read his blog and go to the trouble of registering with digg so they can digg the article. I'd say the one blog that had over 4 thousand diggs is pretty good evidence of a vastly greater size market. It wasn't posted on Cnet for crying out loud.
Assume 6000 diggs to be generous. Assume that each digg represents 100 buyers. Great...that's 1 qtr worth of sales. Now nearly 5000 diggs is very good for one story its small in comparison to the total number of diggs in a day (45K a day average with a peak of 360K diggs in a day).
Is there demand for an xMac? Yes. Is there DEMAND for an xMac? No one has shown that to be the case yet.
See the above post I made.
If you haven't noticed, you both are in the minority here. And this is on an Apple centric website. I can only imagine what the numbers would be like on a website targeted at potential switchers.
You both can bring up all the arguments you like or the profit margins that Apple makes, but the simple fact of the matter is that AIO computers and ultra small Mac mini computers represent a small niche market of computers and that for the most part consumers don't care about.
What consumers are interested in is Mac OS X. That's at least as important to what catches their attention as the sleek designs of Apple computers. Apple has artificially set up barriers to consumers purchasing desktop computers. Why, only Steve Jobs knows for sure. Profit margins, design philosphy, ease of use, we will never really know. Yet, the barriers exist for most consumers and Apple's desktop computers.
But they don't exist for Apple laptops and holy cow, lo and behold, Apple laptops are increasing in market share at unheard of rates. And Apple doesn't sell cheap laptops, they only sell on the higher end. And no desktop sales aren't falling off a cliff, this is a lame argument and very tiresome, desktop sales still represent a huge market, bigger than huge, it is only that latops sales are increasing faster than desktop sales.
If you haven't noticed..................... this is on an Apple centric website. I can only imagine what the numbers would be like on a website targeted at potential switchers.
You........ can bring up all the arguments you like or the profit margins that Apple makes, but the simple fact of the matter is that AIO computers and ultra small Mac mini computers represent a small niche market of computers and that for the most part consumers don't care about.
What consumers are interested in is Mac OS X. That's at least as important to what catches their attention as the sleek designs of Apple computers. Apple has artificially set up barriers to consumers purchasing desktop computers. Why, only Steve Jobs knows for sure. Profit margins, design philosphy, ease of use, we will never really know. Yet, the barriers exist for most consumers and Apple's desktop computers.
But they don't exist for Apple laptops and holy cow, lo and behold, Apple laptops are increasing in market share at unheard of rates. And Apple doesn't sell cheap laptops, they only sell on the higher end. And no desktop sales aren't falling off a cliff, this is a lame argument and very tiresome, desktop sales still represent a huge market, bigger than huge, it is only that latops sales are increasing faster than desktop sales.
That is a great post rickag. I couldn't agree more.
We've shown you that over 95% of desktops sold are towers,
This is not because towers and AIO have had an equal opportunity in the consumer market where consumers chose towers. Part of the reason is because AIO are not widely available. AIO are all most people need and don't know they are an option. Partly this is because enterprise wants towers that are easy to upgrade. Enterprise buys more towers than consumers so that is what is mostly provided.
Are you really surprised these computers did not set the AIO sales ablaze?
Oh come on, you expect some obscure blog to get every friggin computer user to read his blog and go to the trouble of registering with digg so they can digg the article. I'd say the one blog that had over 4 thousand diggs is pretty good evidence of a vastly greater size market. It wasn't posted on Cnet for crying out loud.
I'd say that this article being on some obscure blog instead on larger media like CNET or PCWorld shows this is not a big issue.
If you haven't noticed, you both are in the minority here. And this is on an Apple centric website.
We are only the minority on a thread of a small group that really want an xMac. Most people around AI don't post on this thread because they don't care.
And no desktop sales aren't falling off a cliff, this is a lame argument and very tiresome, desktop sales still represent a huge market, bigger than huge, it is only that latops sales are increasing faster than desktop sales.
Its not a lame argument, its fact. The problem is that it does not support your argument for an xMac. Laptops surpassed desktops two years ago. Laptop sales are only pulling further and further ahead of desktop sales.
That's exactly what have been said for "years" on any xMac thread.
I'm not here to help Apple, they are a billions dollars company, and I'll be lucky if I reach $30K this year.
Apple is here TO HELP ME: providing computers that fit my needs and my budget.
Are you going to buy an iMac because Apple needs to have better numbers for their desktop sales? Maybe you should add another Mac mini too (I've been told they are not selling well these days), and would you be kind enough to get an AppleTV (the 160GB model), please, please, please, it's to help Apple!
Soon as I typed that I figured someone would take it out of context. I meant this from Apple's POV... as in if they HAD an xMac or cheaper tower... it would have been a new sale... since they don't... they lose a sale.
If I cared more about saving desk space, and/or only had a single monitor, an iMac would be OK, but I'm just not a fan of AIO designs.
So I'm pretty much left with a Mac Mini, that Apple wants to now kill (for real), and replace it with an updated ATV, which I hope would be more like a Mini than ATV.
Maybe I'm a complete atypical PC user that actually doesn't have issues with PC's in general or Windows (Vista included), but would like a Mac system to play with, and that doesn't require gobs of money. I could run Linux if I wanted to (and have), but it really wouldn't the same.
I just find it funny that when I see threads on Vista/Windows bashing, about how bad it is, and the 'Buy a Mac' replies, but then you actually want a Mac, just don't complain about the lack of configurations, because Steve Jobs knows what and how people actually want to use their computer, and merely suggesting differently is a silly question.
This is not because towers and AIO have had an equal opportunity in the consumer market where consumers chose towers. Part of the reason is because AIO are not widely available. AIO are all most people need and don't know they are an option. Partly this is because enterprise wants towers that are easy to upgrade. Enterprise buys more towers than consumers so that is what is mostly provided.
I know you picked random examples, but there have been many many many many more AIOs than that. Everyone has tried them, since the 80s. They keep failing. They keep failing because they don't appease the common consumer / business. Emachines had an iMac look-a-like during the iMac boom. Their machine looked ALMOST IDENTICAL... but flopped... why? It wasn't windows... because windows 98 -> 2k was selling faster than anyone could keep them on the shelves because of the internet boom.
Its not a lame argument, its fact. The problem is that it does not support your argument for an xMac. Laptops surpassed desktops two years ago. Laptop sales are only pulling further and further ahead of desktop sales.
Just because laptops are selling quickly does NOT mean the desktop market has shrunk. In fact it's grown, just not at the rate that laptops have. Everyone can't use a laptop. Everyone can't use a desktop. Everyone can't use a PDA. Everyone can't use a workstation. Everyone can't use a server. I'm sorry that an xMac doesn't fit your life style. It certainly fits more than you're seeing. If you take a look at all the computers in schools... you'll see 1 thing in common with 90% of them. What are they??? Form factor wise.