as for the folks that said "they should do an I'm a Mac ad" it's not likely to happen. Justin is very likely off contract and no way would he settle for the cheap deal they got last time. better (in the eyes of the bean counters) to go a new route.
What, are you his agent now? Not everything people do in their career is just about the money. Sometimes it is just damn fun to do, regardless of the coin of the realm.
This is a puzzling statement. I prefer Leopard myself, and can't think of a single aspect of it that makes it worse than Tiger. Perhaps it is a worse user interface, but for you to say that it's much worse doesn't seem reasonable.
Yes, "much worse" is what I said. Just read some of Ars Technica's review on Leopard and you probably get the glimpse of what I'm trying to say. (Not that I totally agree with the whole article.)
Also, the color contrast used in Leopard and recent iTunes is pretty messed up, many times making the selected object less obvious while making the unselected obvious. Take this snapshot in this link as one of the examples how Apple has messed up the UI design. If you still can't tell what's wrong with the snapshot, then I'm not going to argue with you further.
Just read some of Ars Technica and Daring Fireball's review on Mac OS X and you probably get the glimpse of what I'm trying to say.
Also, the color contrast used in Leopard and recent iTunes is pretty messed up, many times making the selected object less obvious while making the unselected obvious. Take this snapshot in this link as one of the examples how Apple has messed up the UI design. If you still can't tell what's wrong with the snapshot, then I'm not going to argue with you further.
Isn't that a screen shot of the PC version of iTunes?
The extra cost of programs in Windows was something I had completely forgot about after using a mac for a few years. I recently built a PC because Apple didn't have what I wanted (HTPC with blu-ray and gaming capabilities). I was quickly re-introduced to the concept. The only program that will play blu-rays on my pc is the power dvd player that came with my blu-ray drive, but it wont output 5.1 sound unless you spend $100 on the "pro" version. Given macs don't do blu-rays right now, but when they do, I wont need to spend $100 to get a player with full functionality. When I switched to a mac, noticed my pirating went way down. I am remembering why now, and it has little to do with me becoming more honest. I find that macs typically have what you need or there is an excellent free program that can be downloaded, more so than with windows.
Then there was the whole problem with having to find the 64 bit codecs for windows media player so I could actually watch my ripped dvd's in media center. That wasn't a cost problem, but it was a pain. The need more codecs installed standard.
Hey look, it's the internet classic, "you must live in your mothers basement." Well done.
But ironic, since you come off like an unusually pompous 14 year old. At the very least, someone who has precious little experience with the real world and believes that folks divide neatly up into "creatives" and "merchants", and purchase their computer hardware accordingly. It sounds like something you overheard your father say that struck you as wise.
And, "bud": it's pretty well understood, at this point, that anyone who relies heavily on "fan boy" as a characterization is probably dumb as a fucking stump and has little to no argument to make.
You want to talk about Apple plusses and minuses, in a forum you are new to, like a reasonable fellow? Dial back the douchebaggery from 11.
I suppose living in the real world is posting over 8K on Apple Insider. True I am new to the forum but not to the real world.
Interestingly I am being criticized by a fellow who claims I am not using facts on this forum, and he himself provides nothing but insults.
And anyone proud to have the inside "handle" on forums probably does live in their mother's basement. That isn't a knock on your intelligence just on your "real" world experience.
So if you aren't a "fanboy" what are you. Are you posting anywhere but here. If so you must have over 20,000 posts. So much for the real world fanboy.
I don't see how the implementation of a particular app on another platform is an indictment of the originating OS.
Is how Office looks on a Mac a problem for XP or Vista?
Dude, that's an iTunes Store snapshot. iTunes Store displayed on Mac and PC look 99% the same if not all the same. Don't you know that the contents of iTunes Store are web based? That makes your example of Microsoft Office totally inappropriate.
It seems to me that you don't know what the problem of the snapshot is. If you know, then you should be able to see the same crappy UI element that is on Leopard.
Dude, that's an iTunes Store snapshot. iTunes Store displayed on Mac and PC look 99% the same if not all the same. Don't you know that the contents of iTunes Store are web based? That makes your example of Microsoft Office totally inappropriate.
It seems to me that you don't know what the problem of the snapshot is. If you know, then you should be able to see the same crappy UI element that is on Leopard.
OK, after hunting around for a while I was able to reproduce the somewhat special case of an iTunes Store file with both video and audio components, which gives you the unfortunate darker active tab.
However, on the general subject of "How the Leopard UI is going to hell in a handbasket", this seems pretty slight.
Microsoft has come out with an ad that completely avoids mentioning the main product of Microsoft (Vista). Quite obviously, they avoid mentioning Vista for a reason - they dont want to play up Vista too much, because it has very bad image in the market.
So they decide to focus on a partner's (HP's) product, and a competitor's product.
But wait a minute -- HP's machine runs the very same Vista that even Microsoft is too ashamed to associate with! Why on earth should anyone buy a computer with Vista on it, if the company that made Vista is too ashamed to be associated with Vista?
I think this is the question people should consider first. I think once this question is answered, the choices become more obvious - HP, DELL, etc. also make Linux computers. So maybe the real choice for people is, Linux if you dont have the money, or if you have the money and the time to deal with all the handholding involved with Linux, or Apple if you have the money. If you dont have the money, you can still stretch and go with Apple if you want a computer that just works out of the box.
I cant see how this ad actually "helps" Microsoft. I just hope Apple comes out with a proper response focussing on this point - and just crushes MS.
Um... maybe because every HP/Dell/Sony/... comes with preconfigured Windows, license paid to Microsoft by manufacturer (and built in the price)..?
Or maybe because MS is advertising platform..? XP, Vista, W7... doesn't really matter, same hardware, same software (OS aside) will work on any..?
Eventually, it is an ad, and as such it is not necessary completely true, or completely realistic, or... when you think of it, Apple was advertising Mac computers, yet majority of their ads were boiling down to OSX vs. Windows. Reason simple - ad that would start with "Hi, I'm a Mac and I have 1GB of RAM and dual core CPU for only $1200", followed by "And I am a PC, with 4GB of RAM and Quad core for only $800" wouldn't sell too much boxes, now, would it..?
Same thing the other way around - MS knows Apple can compete on software level, so they put emphasis on a level where Mac is in a bit bigger trouble - hardware.
It is not just software, or just hardware advertising war - it is a platform war. Mac platform is, coincidently, supported by Apple on both hardware and OS level, while PC platform is supported by a "syndicate" with MS and hardware manufacturers; I don't see anything illogical in the fact that MS has formed common front with their business allies. If Apple grows stronger, they all lose. If they reduce or even stop Apple's market share growth, they all win.
Yes, "much worse" is what I said. Just read some of Ars Technica's review on Leopard and you probably get the glimpse of what I'm trying to say. (Not that I totally agree with the whole article.)
Also, the color contrast used in Leopard and recent iTunes is pretty messed up, many times making the selected object less obvious while making the unselected obvious. Take this snapshot in this link as one of the examples how Apple has messed up the UI design. If you still can't tell what's wrong with the snapshot, then I'm not going to argue with you further.
I know you wrote it, I just don't agree with it. And I also don't really care what Ars Technica has to say either.
No point in arguing further, I added you to my ignore list, along with Teckdud and Italianskid.
I think it is also worth noting that the useful life of the MacBook Pro will far exceed the usefulness of the PC Notebook. I would contend that due to Window OS inefficiencies and built in obsolescence the PC user will replace their PC notebook 3 times as opposed to the Mac user. I wonder if this is a good topic for a "poll".
That is hardly true. User who is happy with XP has no reason to change laptop to one capable of running Vista; unless he is not into "I must have latest and greatest" life philosophy, he can stick with old hardware for quite some time.
Hardware itself, again from my experience, is nowadays very reliable in general. Most of our bigger customers will replace machines every 5 years (this is New Zealand - maybe US organizations are more vigilante). They will start cycle with majority of basic business grade notebooks and desktops (with a few higher-end units for management) and to my knowledge frequency of hardware faults will not grow much - in fact, after first couple of months where eventual factory faults usually show, line will be very steady till the end. In that period, most companies will try to avoid upgrading OS, but most will also try to stick with same version of Office if they can; only their specific business apps are likely to change regardless of hardware.
What, are you his agent now? Not everything people do in their career is just about the money. Sometimes it is just damn fun to do, regardless of the coin of the realm.
Not after you play Bruce Willis sidekick in Die Hard 4
Anyway, so many people agreed that PC guy was stealing the show... Apple can probably find more likeable dude for Mac guy... \
1) Most PC users worth their salt know that there are plenty of freeware AV programs out there. I personally use AVG Free, but there's also Antivir, Avast, and countless other programs that you DON'T have to pay for and work just fine.
They are passable for computer experts, but not for regular users. The free solutions do not work just fine. They allow far too much malware?especially zero day malware?onto the system. The article also didn't address the fact that none of these anti-virus clients do even a passable job of stopping ad/spyware. If you want good anti-virus you've got to get something like Nod32 which, while more affordable than Norton or McAfee, still costs.
Additionally, with a PC you have to factor in the cost of repairs when running into Malware (hundreds for casual users, plenty of time for computer experts). I can remove any virus that infects a Windows computer, but the time I lose doing it is unacceptable. I guess it is fine if you don't mind wasting your time cleaning up after a virus. It also isn't cool to have to worry about such a thing whenever you need to explore the depths of the internet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazda 3s
2) As for the other software titles, you can find freeware versions of just about any kind of program that you need to use on a PC (I use mostly freeware stuff on my Lenovo ThinkPad).
There's no competing with iLife. Period. You can find freeware programs that do those things, but none of them?even mid-range paid software for three times the price?performs anywhere near as elegantly or reliably, nor do you enjoy cross-program integration. I don't use iLife myself (I use programs like Aperture instead), but if I were a home user those programs would be amazing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazda 3s
Microsoft had better not f**k up with Windows 7 or Apple is gonna be all over them like flies on s**t.
Windows 7 is coming along much more nicely than Vista, as you probably know if you've used the beta, but it is still only a glimpse of what Vista should have been?and it is still much much slower than Windows XP.
I'm not sure why Apple bothered to "respond" to those pathetic Microsoft ads. Only to try to set the record straight, I guess, but unnecessary.
Still, it was a well reasoned, measured and professional response that hit all the key points. MS is basically full of shit and most everyone seems to know it at this point.
Why do so many PeeSea trolls come crawling out of the sewers to pollute Mac blogs is beyond me. Mac users can't be bothered to do the reverse.
I've heard there are treatments available for Windows induced Stockholm Syndrome.
I tell my PC friends the same thing about cheap components and price of software and resolution, but they are happy with their cheap shit.
It's like trying to get someone to go into a wine shop and select a $50 bottle of wine, when they are just as happy with a $10 bottle from the grocery store. It's just not worth the effort.
I think your comparison is a bit off. A $12 bottle compared to the $10 is more realistic. Only the $12 one is bought on the recommendation of a wine expert and the $10 one is bought off the shelf and when opened is corked.
...and Microsoft needs to build a better, more stable OS.
Edit: Yes - Classy response.
Microsoft has recently hired freeBSD developers due to them buying Danger (the maker of the sidekick) it's a shame they don't just make a new os based on bsd, and maybe throw in a free virtualised version of XP in the mix..
This response is pathetic. His arguement could have been simple and just stated the capababilities of a Macbook. All of this on and on about BS and fees just isn't true. There is great protection on a pc for free if you are not an idiot. Let's face it, macs are for people in design, people who like cutting edge high end toys, and idiots.
Cheap
Portable
Multi OS
Stable
Free Features that support expression
Free Features that prevent disaster and mitigate recovery
They do need to own up that it sucks for business. And should just state or even package xp and virtualization to a business class. So many people do OO or iWork and then hate their mac.
I love my mac. I runs Bootcamp XP great. I can hook it up with DVI to my home ent system and use it as a media center.
But the company is getting too proprietary and that will be the downfall. No one knows about media center PC's but they kick ass compared to iTunes.
SELL APPL if Jobs doesn't return. He is a genius but his mgmt team is a group of visionless San Fran snobs.
You say-"Let's face it, macs are for people in design, people who like cutting edge high end toys, and idiots."
Fine job of insulting 99% of the posters on this board. Surely there is a reason for this pointless banter. Why else would someone just throw in the word "idiots" when referring to a certain group of users? Typical unsubstantiated babble!!
I think your comparison is a bit off. A $12 bottle compared to the $10 is more realistic. Only the $12 one is bought on the recommendation of a wine expert and the $10 one is bought off the shelf and when opened is corked.
I think it's more like the $12 bottle can only be opened with a proprietary bottle opener, it can't be poured into all kinds of glasses and while the bottle looks fancy, the contents aren't really all that great.
When it comes to laptops, Macbooks have a lot going for them but they are also lacking in some areas. The whole display adapter thing is just an annoyance because not all of them work properly (like the dual DVI adapter) and not all connections are covered. The laptop displays could also be a lot better.
Both Apple and Microsoft should stop bashing each other's products. How about standing on your own strengths? Personally I feel that at this point Win7 is in many way more pleasant to use than OSX Leopard. We'll see if Snow Leopard tips the scale the other way.
Comments
as for the folks that said "they should do an I'm a Mac ad" it's not likely to happen. Justin is very likely off contract and no way would he settle for the cheap deal they got last time. better (in the eyes of the bean counters) to go a new route.
What, are you his agent now? Not everything people do in their career is just about the money. Sometimes it is just damn fun to do, regardless of the coin of the realm.
This is a puzzling statement. I prefer Leopard myself, and can't think of a single aspect of it that makes it worse than Tiger. Perhaps it is a worse user interface, but for you to say that it's much worse doesn't seem reasonable.
Yes, "much worse" is what I said. Just read some of Ars Technica's review on Leopard and you probably get the glimpse of what I'm trying to say. (Not that I totally agree with the whole article.)
Also, the color contrast used in Leopard and recent iTunes is pretty messed up, many times making the selected object less obvious while making the unselected obvious. Take this snapshot in this link as one of the examples how Apple has messed up the UI design. If you still can't tell what's wrong with the snapshot, then I'm not going to argue with you further.
Just read some of Ars Technica and Daring Fireball's review on Mac OS X and you probably get the glimpse of what I'm trying to say.
Also, the color contrast used in Leopard and recent iTunes is pretty messed up, many times making the selected object less obvious while making the unselected obvious. Take this snapshot in this link as one of the examples how Apple has messed up the UI design. If you still can't tell what's wrong with the snapshot, then I'm not going to argue with you further.
Isn't that a screen shot of the PC version of iTunes?
Isn't that a screen shot of the PC version of iTunes?
Does that matter? After all, it is Apple's fault for bringing that Leopard's UI crap to iTunes.
Does that matter? After all, it is Apple's fault for bringing that Leopard's UI crap to iTunes.
I don't see how the implementation of a particular app on another platform is an indictment of the originating OS.
Is how Office looks on a Mac a problem for XP or Vista?
Then there was the whole problem with having to find the 64 bit codecs for windows media player so I could actually watch my ripped dvd's in media center. That wasn't a cost problem, but it was a pain. The need more codecs installed standard.
Hey look, it's the internet classic, "you must live in your mothers basement." Well done.
But ironic, since you come off like an unusually pompous 14 year old. At the very least, someone who has precious little experience with the real world and believes that folks divide neatly up into "creatives" and "merchants", and purchase their computer hardware accordingly. It sounds like something you overheard your father say that struck you as wise.
And, "bud": it's pretty well understood, at this point, that anyone who relies heavily on "fan boy" as a characterization is probably dumb as a fucking stump and has little to no argument to make.
You want to talk about Apple plusses and minuses, in a forum you are new to, like a reasonable fellow? Dial back the douchebaggery from 11.
I suppose living in the real world is posting over 8K on Apple Insider. True I am new to the forum but not to the real world.
Interestingly I am being criticized by a fellow who claims I am not using facts on this forum, and he himself provides nothing but insults.
And anyone proud to have the inside "handle" on forums probably does live in their mother's basement. That isn't a knock on your intelligence just on your "real" world experience.
So if you aren't a "fanboy" what are you. Are you posting anywhere but here. If so you must have over 20,000 posts. So much for the real world fanboy.
I don't see how the implementation of a particular app on another platform is an indictment of the originating OS.
Is how Office looks on a Mac a problem for XP or Vista?
Dude, that's an iTunes Store snapshot. iTunes Store displayed on Mac and PC look 99% the same if not all the same. Don't you know that the contents of iTunes Store are web based? That makes your example of Microsoft Office totally inappropriate.
It seems to me that you don't know what the problem of the snapshot is. If you know, then you should be able to see the same crappy UI element that is on Leopard.
That was software , this is hardware? Hello? Are you so daft?
I didn't know PC was a software
Dude, that's an iTunes Store snapshot. iTunes Store displayed on Mac and PC look 99% the same if not all the same. Don't you know that the contents of iTunes Store are web based? That makes your example of Microsoft Office totally inappropriate.
It seems to me that you don't know what the problem of the snapshot is. If you know, then you should be able to see the same crappy UI element that is on Leopard.
OK, after hunting around for a while I was able to reproduce the somewhat special case of an iTunes Store file with both video and audio components, which gives you the unfortunate darker active tab.
However, on the general subject of "How the Leopard UI is going to hell in a handbasket", this seems pretty slight.
Microsoft has come out with an ad that completely avoids mentioning the main product of Microsoft (Vista). Quite obviously, they avoid mentioning Vista for a reason - they dont want to play up Vista too much, because it has very bad image in the market.
So they decide to focus on a partner's (HP's) product, and a competitor's product.
But wait a minute -- HP's machine runs the very same Vista that even Microsoft is too ashamed to associate with! Why on earth should anyone buy a computer with Vista on it, if the company that made Vista is too ashamed to be associated with Vista?
I think this is the question people should consider first. I think once this question is answered, the choices become more obvious - HP, DELL, etc. also make Linux computers. So maybe the real choice for people is, Linux if you dont have the money, or if you have the money and the time to deal with all the handholding involved with Linux, or Apple if you have the money. If you dont have the money, you can still stretch and go with Apple if you want a computer that just works out of the box.
I cant see how this ad actually "helps" Microsoft. I just hope Apple comes out with a proper response focussing on this point - and just crushes MS.
Um... maybe because every HP/Dell/Sony/... comes with preconfigured Windows, license paid to Microsoft by manufacturer (and built in the price)..?
Or maybe because MS is advertising platform..? XP, Vista, W7... doesn't really matter, same hardware, same software (OS aside) will work on any..?
Eventually, it is an ad, and as such it is not necessary completely true, or completely realistic, or... when you think of it, Apple was advertising Mac computers, yet majority of their ads were boiling down to OSX vs. Windows. Reason simple - ad that would start with "Hi, I'm a Mac and I have 1GB of RAM and dual core CPU for only $1200", followed by "And I am a PC, with 4GB of RAM and Quad core for only $800" wouldn't sell too much boxes, now, would it..?
Same thing the other way around - MS knows Apple can compete on software level, so they put emphasis on a level where Mac is in a bit bigger trouble - hardware.
It is not just software, or just hardware advertising war - it is a platform war. Mac platform is, coincidently, supported by Apple on both hardware and OS level, while PC platform is supported by a "syndicate" with MS and hardware manufacturers; I don't see anything illogical in the fact that MS has formed common front with their business allies. If Apple grows stronger, they all lose. If they reduce or even stop Apple's market share growth, they all win.
Yes, "much worse" is what I said. Just read some of Ars Technica's review on Leopard and you probably get the glimpse of what I'm trying to say. (Not that I totally agree with the whole article.)
Also, the color contrast used in Leopard and recent iTunes is pretty messed up, many times making the selected object less obvious while making the unselected obvious. Take this snapshot in this link as one of the examples how Apple has messed up the UI design. If you still can't tell what's wrong with the snapshot, then I'm not going to argue with you further.
I know you wrote it, I just don't agree with it. And I also don't really care what Ars Technica has to say either.
No point in arguing further, I added you to my ignore list, along with Teckdud and Italianskid.
I think it is also worth noting that the useful life of the MacBook Pro will far exceed the usefulness of the PC Notebook. I would contend that due to Window OS inefficiencies and built in obsolescence the PC user will replace their PC notebook 3 times as opposed to the Mac user. I wonder if this is a good topic for a "poll".
That is hardly true. User who is happy with XP has no reason to change laptop to one capable of running Vista; unless he is not into "I must have latest and greatest" life philosophy, he can stick with old hardware for quite some time.
Hardware itself, again from my experience, is nowadays very reliable in general. Most of our bigger customers will replace machines every 5 years (this is New Zealand - maybe US organizations are more vigilante). They will start cycle with majority of basic business grade notebooks and desktops (with a few higher-end units for management) and to my knowledge frequency of hardware faults will not grow much - in fact, after first couple of months where eventual factory faults usually show, line will be very steady till the end. In that period, most companies will try to avoid upgrading OS, but most will also try to stick with same version of Office if they can; only their specific business apps are likely to change regardless of hardware.
What, are you his agent now? Not everything people do in their career is just about the money. Sometimes it is just damn fun to do, regardless of the coin of the realm.
Not after you play Bruce Willis sidekick in Die Hard 4
Anyway, so many people agreed that PC guy was stealing the show... Apple can probably find more likeable dude for Mac guy...
1) Most PC users worth their salt know that there are plenty of freeware AV programs out there. I personally use AVG Free, but there's also Antivir, Avast, and countless other programs that you DON'T have to pay for and work just fine.
They are passable for computer experts, but not for regular users. The free solutions do not work just fine. They allow far too much malware?especially zero day malware?onto the system. The article also didn't address the fact that none of these anti-virus clients do even a passable job of stopping ad/spyware. If you want good anti-virus you've got to get something like Nod32 which, while more affordable than Norton or McAfee, still costs.
Additionally, with a PC you have to factor in the cost of repairs when running into Malware (hundreds for casual users, plenty of time for computer experts). I can remove any virus that infects a Windows computer, but the time I lose doing it is unacceptable. I guess it is fine if you don't mind wasting your time cleaning up after a virus. It also isn't cool to have to worry about such a thing whenever you need to explore the depths of the internet.
2) As for the other software titles, you can find freeware versions of just about any kind of program that you need to use on a PC (I use mostly freeware stuff on my Lenovo ThinkPad).
There's no competing with iLife. Period. You can find freeware programs that do those things, but none of them?even mid-range paid software for three times the price?performs anywhere near as elegantly or reliably, nor do you enjoy cross-program integration. I don't use iLife myself (I use programs like Aperture instead), but if I were a home user those programs would be amazing.
Microsoft had better not f**k up with Windows 7 or Apple is gonna be all over them like flies on s**t.
Windows 7 is coming along much more nicely than Vista, as you probably know if you've used the beta, but it is still only a glimpse of what Vista should have been?and it is still much much slower than Windows XP.
Still, it was a well reasoned, measured and professional response that hit all the key points. MS is basically full of shit and most everyone seems to know it at this point.
Why do so many PeeSea trolls come crawling out of the sewers to pollute Mac blogs is beyond me. Mac users can't be bothered to do the reverse.
I've heard there are treatments available for Windows induced Stockholm Syndrome.
I tell my PC friends the same thing about cheap components and price of software and resolution, but they are happy with their cheap shit.
It's like trying to get someone to go into a wine shop and select a $50 bottle of wine, when they are just as happy with a $10 bottle from the grocery store. It's just not worth the effort.
I think your comparison is a bit off. A $12 bottle compared to the $10 is more realistic. Only the $12 one is bought on the recommendation of a wine expert and the $10 one is bought off the shelf and when opened is corked.
...and Microsoft needs to build a better, more stable OS.
Edit: Yes - Classy response.
Microsoft has recently hired freeBSD developers due to them buying Danger (the maker of the sidekick) it's a shame they don't just make a new os based on bsd, and maybe throw in a free virtualised version of XP in the mix..
This response is pathetic. His arguement could have been simple and just stated the capababilities of a Macbook. All of this on and on about BS and fees just isn't true. There is great protection on a pc for free if you are not an idiot. Let's face it, macs are for people in design, people who like cutting edge high end toys, and idiots.
Cheap
Portable
Multi OS
Stable
Free Features that support expression
Free Features that prevent disaster and mitigate recovery
They do need to own up that it sucks for business. And should just state or even package xp and virtualization to a business class. So many people do OO or iWork and then hate their mac.
I love my mac. I runs Bootcamp XP great. I can hook it up with DVI to my home ent system and use it as a media center.
But the company is getting too proprietary and that will be the downfall. No one knows about media center PC's but they kick ass compared to iTunes.
SELL APPL if Jobs doesn't return. He is a genius but his mgmt team is a group of visionless San Fran snobs.
You say-"Let's face it, macs are for people in design, people who like cutting edge high end toys, and idiots."
Fine job of insulting 99% of the posters on this board. Surely there is a reason for this pointless banter. Why else would someone just throw in the word "idiots" when referring to a certain group of users? Typical unsubstantiated babble!!
I think your comparison is a bit off. A $12 bottle compared to the $10 is more realistic. Only the $12 one is bought on the recommendation of a wine expert and the $10 one is bought off the shelf and when opened is corked.
I think it's more like the $12 bottle can only be opened with a proprietary bottle opener, it can't be poured into all kinds of glasses and while the bottle looks fancy, the contents aren't really all that great.
When it comes to laptops, Macbooks have a lot going for them but they are also lacking in some areas. The whole display adapter thing is just an annoyance because not all of them work properly (like the dual DVI adapter) and not all connections are covered. The laptop displays could also be a lot better.
Both Apple and Microsoft should stop bashing each other's products. How about standing on your own strengths? Personally I feel that at this point Win7 is in many way more pleasant to use than OSX Leopard. We'll see if Snow Leopard tips the scale the other way.