We're spoiled perfectionists. We all know Apple makes the coolest products out there. Apple's ability to hold on to it's loyal customer base is due in part to continually producing innovative stuff.
This in turn triggers dreams of possibly even greater and more powerful products.
As far as comparing ourselves to the PC World, it may have to do with getting respect. It's not so much about converting PC users to the Mac world, but getting acknowledgement that we not only exist, but in fact are better in many ways. Also, it like when you buy a cool new sports car, you want to be noticed.
<strong>I'm really sick of hearing about the average Joe. You can't use him to explain consumer behavior. What you're basically saying here is that all Americans think like some steriotypical hick from Arkansas. People don't automatically go out and pick the PC the largest number after the name. Believe it or not consumers do have brains. There are plenty of other reasons why they may not want a Mac. Don't use a stupid steriotype to generalize something you obviously haven't spent much time thinking about.</strong><hr></blockquote>
obviously you haven't thought much about it. the sad fact is the majority of people buying computers no absolutely nothing but look at the highest numbers. one of the few things nearly everyone will ask for when buying a computer is how many Mhz. even if they have no clue what Mhz relates to or whatever.
obviously you haven't thought much about it. the sad fact is the majority of people buying computers no absolutely nothing but look at the highest numbers. one of the few things nearly everyone will ask for when buying a computer is how many Mhz. even if they have no clue what Mhz relates to or whatever.</strong><hr></blockquote>
As unfortunate as this may be, he is absolutly correct. I worked for Wal-Mart many years ago, and the one thing the was constantly asked of me was "Is 600MHz fast??"
Unfortunatily, we live in a world of numbers folks. We just can't do away with them. For too many years people have unwittedly figured MHz = Speed. What was unfortunate is that Apple didn't combat it earlier (or didn't want to). It is up to them and AMD to take the charge and show that MHz is not a real indicator. This is what it is going to take in order to get through to customers.
As unfortunate as this may be, he is absolutly correct. I worked for Wal-Mart many years ago, and the one thing the was constantly asked of me was "Is 600MHz fast??"
Unfortunatily, we live in a world of numbers folks. We just can't do away with them. For too many years people have unwittedly figured MHz = Speed. What was unfortunate is that Apple didn't combat it earlier (or didn't want to). It is up to them and AMD to take the charge and show that MHz is not a real indicator. This is what it is going to take in order to get through to customers.</strong><hr></blockquote>
True, but I'm saying it's not the only reason. Many people stay away from Macs because they are worried about compatiblity. They may think they're too expensive, or the 1 year warrenty may be too short. I remember when I first purchased a G4 and was bragging about it at school. A kid walked up to me and said "Yeah, I heard those G4s are three times faster than PCs in graphics applications." What I'm trying to say is you can't use Joe to steriotype all consumers. There is a real mix of people out there. Granted, many think MHz = speed, but more than a few do know not buy purely on clock speed. Tons of consumers are a bit better educated. They may still not buy the Mac, but they will pick to "slower" PC instead of the "faster" one because it has a FireWire, or a CD-RW. Don't kid yourselves. Apple isn't gaining market share simply because Joe thinks Macs are slow. If it was that simple, all Apple has to do is call the 867MHz PowerMac G4 the PowerMac G4 1900+. MHz is not as big a worry for Apple as some other things I can name, mainly Microsoft, but the list goes on.
I actually agree with Keeksy's last post. Here at NC State (a *big* engineering school, 28000 students) everyone I know likes my PowerMac. The guys I roomed with last year didn't know much about computers, but when I moved in this past semester everyone in my suite was asking about my Dual 500 G4. They all thought it was a great machine and would love to have one, but why don't they? They want to ensure compatibility with all their software and they can build a good PC for a third of the price. For these guys, marketing doesn't mean a thing. Compatibility and price do.
But as for Joe consumer, yeah, the average buyer is an idiot.. I know this OH TOO WELL from personal experience. I have tried and I have tried to explain to people at my office and my mother's office about computers. Now, I'm not necessarily trying to force them into buying Macs; I just want them to get a good, reliable computer for their money, even if they want a Windows PC. Does my talk matter? It doesn't seem to. Do they understand me when I explain that an Athalon is better than a P4 even though the numbers are lower? I don't think so. Do they have a clue what a bus is? They think it's a mode of mass transit. Shoot, I have a hard enough time trying to explain why you would want more RAM. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
Educating the consumer will not work when it comes to specs and numbers. These people need to see Apple computers first-hand and see real-world applications, even something like Steve's infamous Photoshop bake-offs. These people need word-of-mouth testimony to comfort them and know that they are getting a good computer. The Apple Store chain is the only feasable way I can imagine doing this. When the US picks up from the recession, Apple should be poised to make some great sales from those stores if managed right.
First of all, there actually was a more or less platform independent way of indicating the performance of a chip: MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second), this is even better then FLOPS, since FLops only focus on floating point performance, which important, but not for all the apps out there. Word doesn't care much about the FPU.
And for gods sake, stop calling the Athlon Athalon, it degrades you right into the mass of John Does who have no clue about what they're saying, buying or using. It's Athlon, as in Athletic, not Athaletic.
<strong>First of all, there actually was a more or less platform independent way of indicating the performance of a chip: MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second)</strong><hr></blockquote>
MIPS is a joke.
Here are some questions for you (and if you can answer these, you'll understand why MIPS is a joke):
(1) What is an instruction?
(2) Do the PowerPC, Pentium, and Alpha use the same instructions?
<strong>First of all, there actually was a more or less platform independent way of indicating the performance of a chip: MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second)</strong><hr></blockquote>
MIPS is a joke.
Here are some questions for you (and if you can answer these, you'll understand why MIPS is a joke):
(1) What is an instruction?
(2) Do the PowerPC, Pentium, and Alpha use the same instructions?
[quote]EXACTLY! They will se 667 and say, "cool a 1ghz will be better!" or "As usual, Apple is a bullshit computer brand lying as they always do."<hr></blockquote>
Maybe, and maybe not.
People default to MHz because when they walk into Best Buy, that's the only real differentiation there is between machines besides the cases.
What they really want is something that works, both in terms of reliability and compatibility. Apple can reach them by advertizing what their machines can actually do, and demonstrating it. First-hand experience trumps anything else. If Apple is careful to mention that the reason the PowerBook can do real-time editing is because of things that are only available on Macs (OS X, FCP) then it doesn't matter what the numbers on any other notebook say.
Of course, higher MHz numbers won't hurt anything, and I support Apple's push to get higher-clocked as well as faster processors out the door faster. But in the end, Apple can gain a lot of ground just taking advantage of the level of frustration and defeated expectations that most people have with Windows PCs, no matter what the MHz rating is.
[quote]What they really want is something that works, both in terms of reliability and compatibility. Apple can reach them by advertizing what their machines can actually do, and demonstrating it. First-hand experience trumps anything else. If Apple is careful to mention that the reason the PowerBook can do real-time editing is because of things that are only available on Macs (OS X, FCP) then it doesn't matter what the numbers on any other notebook say.
<hr></blockquote>
true, to an extent. but do you really think that advertising/marketing is good enough to sell someone a 3-4k computer setup that they have no experience with? i don't. i'm sorry, but i don't think that people trust advertising all that much. or that if they go into an Apple store they'll say "hey, that salesman could do it really easily, let's drop a few grand on a machine we know nothing else about"
sure, it'll happen on occasion, but not often enough to make a real impact. if you want to get people to buy macs, you have to force people to use macs.
Apple knows this, and this is why they went after the school/education market. they figured they'd get them as soon as possible and then all these kids would want macs.
good idea in concept, but it has a few problems.
1. kids have to do work on those computers at school. kids want games not work. you do work on the apple's at school, then head over to jimmy's house and play 3 hours of CounterStrike. guess which one the kids gonna want?
2. last time i checked, most kids don't have a few grand sitting around. this means that they have to go through their parents to get what they want. so even if the kids want a mac, that doesn't mean jack. they have to convince their parents that they should have a mac. Dad or Mom isn't going to buy a $3,000 computer because Junior wants one. or even $1,000 for that matter. why? because that's a damn expensive present for your kids.
edit: 3. (oops, almost forgot this one) schools are famous for having really, really old technology. so most of the experience that kids have with macs are on crappy, old versions. so they end up thinking that macs suck in general.
so once again, you come back to the problem of getting the computers into the hands of adults. and once again, i feel the only way to do that is for apple to make their computers so much cheaper to do important tasks that businesses will have no choice but to buy one.
did you know that at one point, Apple had a 25% market share? what are they now, 5% tops? they had that 25% market share when they were the only affordable solution to desktop publishing. the reason was that businesses didn't give a shit what OS they were using, they could save $20,000 by buying a Mac over the other alternative, so you either buy Macs or your competition puts you out of business. so what happens then? business owners and their employees end up with tons of hands on experience with Macs and how they work. what happens? when they go to buy a computer, they have one that they're very familiar with, one that they're comfortable with, and one that they can justify as a learning tool for work. so they actually go ahead and buy a Mac.
if apple doesn't push after the business market, they will not survive.
[quote] People don't automatically go out and pick the PC the largest number after the name. Believe it or not consumers do have brains. <hr></blockquote>
LOL, I agree with your point--Apple faces more problems than MHz, like compatibility concerns, cost, and the simple fear that most people have of learning something new and different.
But I think you're wrong about consumers with braings. It is impossible to overestimate the stupidity of the general public. One need look no further than the man elected to lead our country, to see that the general public has little brainpower, little respect for intelligence, and little desire to think for themselves.
When someone buys a wintel, they often are staying in the comfort zone established by their work computer. They know Windows already, and since most people are afraid of computers and technology, they fear having to learn a new OS (not that they even know what an OS is, you see, they don't even know what they fear, that is the depth of their ignorance). When someone is afraid of something, they will do anything to rationalize a decision based on fear, so that they don't have to acknowledge that part of their life is run by fear.
Example: A person is afraid to learn how to use a Mac. So they use excuses for not buying one; compatibility issues, MHz, cost, app availability, ect. I've even heard people say that they couldn't buy a Mac, because their relatives have Windows and they want to
"talk" with their relatives computers! WTF does that even mean? Apparently they believe that mac email doesn't work with windows.
Apple is fighting more than MHz--they are fighting a cultural perception of Macs being "outcast" computers, in a society where conformity is valued above all else.
True, but I'm saying it's not the only reason. Many people stay away from Macs because they are worried about compatiblity. They may think they're too expensive, or the 1 year warrenty may be too short. I remember when I first purchased a G4 and was bragging about it at school. A kid walked up to me and said "Yeah, I heard those G4s are three times faster than PCs in graphics applications." What I'm trying to say is you can't use Joe to steriotype all consumers. There is a real mix of people out there. Granted, many think MHz = speed, but more than a few do know not buy purely on clock speed. Tons of consumers are a bit better educated. They may still not buy the Mac, but they will pick to "slower" PC instead of the "faster" one because it has a FireWire, or a CD-RW. Don't kid yourselves. Apple isn't gaining market share simply because Joe thinks Macs are slow. If it was that simple, all Apple has to do is call the 867MHz PowerMac G4 the PowerMac G4 1900+. MHz is not as big a worry for Apple as some other things I can name, mainly Microsoft, but the list goes on.
The avg Joe doesn't have software. The avg Joe doesn't own a computer. There are other consumers that add the the mix, but they aren't avg. They are current pc owners who have their own fears or reasons for not switching. I am speaking of non computer users or consumers who just recently bought a pc and are still considered avg.
I convinced my parents to get an iMac. My mom would tell her friends that I told them to get an iMac and she would here from more 'avg Joe's' that "a mac, why? They are just for graphics" and "but you can't surf the net on a mac" and "I won't be able to email you". Well, after my mom got the iMac and began emailing and replying her friends were all saying "I didn't know a Mac could do that". Never did speed become an issue. Only was the model iMac I recommended fast. The price is only an issue when comparing the towers. Even then, it's moot when you comparea good brand (not built in someone's garage) and add all the extras to it. The 'avg Joe' needs to be educated that Macs can do it all. I don't think I;ve ever heard someone say "only a 1 year warantee?, **** that"
The best way to get people to use Apple computers is to make Apple computers the most cost effective method of doing a specific/important task.
...
That being said, the major purchasing factor in a majority of end-user computer buyers is what kind of machine they have a work.
...
That being said, the other market Apple needs to chase after is the gaming market. That's the other big reason people buy computers, whether they admit it or not. Get games, and get them first on the Mac and you'll see sales take off. If a few big titles play better on Macs than on PC's, I am positive you would see a huge upswing in Mac sales to home users.
...
-Alcimedes</strong><hr></blockquote>
Yes. Well said. Your points (in your later post) about schools with old macs are valid, too.
Apple is on the right track by marketing their machines as solutions, not as numbers. I think you're right: they need to go further.
They need to offer viable, cost-effective solutions for, among other things, average businesses and people who play games (college students come to mind). Notice, by cost effective I'm not suggesting that Apple lower the Mac into the commodity PC market (Dell's already got a stranglehold). All I'm saying is that they need to expand their target audiences beyond grahics and grandmas.
It could be something as simple as giving the iMac an upgradable video card.
Or introducing a business-level modular workstation. Something like Compaq's iPaq comes to mind (not the PDA).
Of course, they'll need the marketing to go with it. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
Comments
We're spoiled perfectionists. We all know Apple makes the coolest products out there. Apple's ability to hold on to it's loyal customer base is due in part to continually producing innovative stuff.
This in turn triggers dreams of possibly even greater and more powerful products.
As far as comparing ourselves to the PC World, it may have to do with getting respect. It's not so much about converting PC users to the Mac world, but getting acknowledgement that we not only exist, but in fact are better in many ways. Also, it like when you buy a cool new sports car, you want to be noticed.
<strong>I'm really sick of hearing about the average Joe. You can't use him to explain consumer behavior. What you're basically saying here is that all Americans think like some steriotypical hick from Arkansas. People don't automatically go out and pick the PC the largest number after the name. Believe it or not consumers do have brains. There are plenty of other reasons why they may not want a Mac. Don't use a stupid steriotype to generalize something you obviously haven't spent much time thinking about.</strong><hr></blockquote>
obviously you haven't thought much about it. the sad fact is the majority of people buying computers no absolutely nothing but look at the highest numbers. one of the few things nearly everyone will ask for when buying a computer is how many Mhz. even if they have no clue what Mhz relates to or whatever.
<strong>
obviously you haven't thought much about it. the sad fact is the majority of people buying computers no absolutely nothing but look at the highest numbers. one of the few things nearly everyone will ask for when buying a computer is how many Mhz. even if they have no clue what Mhz relates to or whatever.</strong><hr></blockquote>
As unfortunate as this may be, he is absolutly correct. I worked for Wal-Mart many years ago, and the one thing the was constantly asked of me was "Is 600MHz fast??"
Unfortunatily, we live in a world of numbers folks. We just can't do away with them. For too many years people have unwittedly figured MHz = Speed. What was unfortunate is that Apple didn't combat it earlier (or didn't want to). It is up to them and AMD to take the charge and show that MHz is not a real indicator. This is what it is going to take in order to get through to customers.
<strong>
As unfortunate as this may be, he is absolutly correct. I worked for Wal-Mart many years ago, and the one thing the was constantly asked of me was "Is 600MHz fast??"
Unfortunatily, we live in a world of numbers folks. We just can't do away with them. For too many years people have unwittedly figured MHz = Speed. What was unfortunate is that Apple didn't combat it earlier (or didn't want to). It is up to them and AMD to take the charge and show that MHz is not a real indicator. This is what it is going to take in order to get through to customers.</strong><hr></blockquote>
True, but I'm saying it's not the only reason. Many people stay away from Macs because they are worried about compatiblity. They may think they're too expensive, or the 1 year warrenty may be too short. I remember when I first purchased a G4 and was bragging about it at school. A kid walked up to me and said "Yeah, I heard those G4s are three times faster than PCs in graphics applications." What I'm trying to say is you can't use Joe to steriotype all consumers. There is a real mix of people out there. Granted, many think MHz = speed, but more than a few do know not buy purely on clock speed. Tons of consumers are a bit better educated. They may still not buy the Mac, but they will pick to "slower" PC instead of the "faster" one because it has a FireWire, or a CD-RW. Don't kid yourselves. Apple isn't gaining market share simply because Joe thinks Macs are slow. If it was that simple, all Apple has to do is call the 867MHz PowerMac G4 the PowerMac G4 1900+.
[ 12-08-2001: Message edited by: Keeksy ]</p>
But as for Joe consumer, yeah, the average buyer is an idiot.. I know this OH TOO WELL from personal experience. I have tried and I have tried to explain to people at my office and my mother's office about computers. Now, I'm not necessarily trying to force them into buying Macs; I just want them to get a good, reliable computer for their money, even if they want a Windows PC. Does my talk matter? It doesn't seem to. Do they understand me when I explain that an Athalon is better than a P4 even though the numbers are lower? I don't think so. Do they have a clue what a bus is? They think it's a mode of mass transit. Shoot, I have a hard enough time trying to explain why you would want more RAM. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
Educating the consumer will not work when it comes to specs and numbers. These people need to see Apple computers first-hand and see real-world applications, even something like Steve's infamous Photoshop bake-offs. These people need word-of-mouth testimony to comfort them and know that they are getting a good computer. The Apple Store chain is the only feasable way I can imagine doing this. When the US picks up from the recession, Apple should be poised to make some great sales from those stores if managed right.
And for gods sake, stop calling the Athlon Athalon, it degrades you right into the mass of John Does who have no clue about what they're saying, buying or using. It's Athlon, as in Athletic, not Athaletic.
G-News
<strong>First of all, there actually was a more or less platform independent way of indicating the performance of a chip: MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second)</strong><hr></blockquote>
MIPS is a joke.
Here are some questions for you (and if you can answer these, you'll understand why MIPS is a joke):
(1) What is an instruction?
(2) Do the PowerPC, Pentium, and Alpha use the same instructions?
<strong>First of all, there actually was a more or less platform independent way of indicating the performance of a chip: MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second)</strong><hr></blockquote>
MIPS is a joke.
Here are some questions for you (and if you can answer these, you'll understand why MIPS is a joke):
(1) What is an instruction?
(2) Do the PowerPC, Pentium, and Alpha use the same instructions?
Maybe, and maybe not.
People default to MHz because when they walk into Best Buy, that's the only real differentiation there is between machines besides the cases.
What they really want is something that works, both in terms of reliability and compatibility. Apple can reach them by advertizing what their machines can actually do, and demonstrating it. First-hand experience trumps anything else. If Apple is careful to mention that the reason the PowerBook can do real-time editing is because of things that are only available on Macs (OS X, FCP) then it doesn't matter what the numbers on any other notebook say.
Of course, higher MHz numbers won't hurt anything, and I support Apple's push to get higher-clocked as well as faster processors out the door faster. But in the end, Apple can gain a lot of ground just taking advantage of the level of frustration and defeated expectations that most people have with Windows PCs, no matter what the MHz rating is.
<hr></blockquote>
true, to an extent. but do you really think that advertising/marketing is good enough to sell someone a 3-4k computer setup that they have no experience with? i don't. i'm sorry, but i don't think that people trust advertising all that much. or that if they go into an Apple store they'll say "hey, that salesman could do it really easily, let's drop a few grand on a machine we know nothing else about"
sure, it'll happen on occasion, but not often enough to make a real impact. if you want to get people to buy macs, you have to force people to use macs.
Apple knows this, and this is why they went after the school/education market. they figured they'd get them as soon as possible and then all these kids would want macs.
good idea in concept, but it has a few problems.
1. kids have to do work on those computers at school. kids want games not work. you do work on the apple's at school, then head over to jimmy's house and play 3 hours of CounterStrike. guess which one the kids gonna want?
2. last time i checked, most kids don't have a few grand sitting around. this means that they have to go through their parents to get what they want. so even if the kids want a mac, that doesn't mean jack. they have to convince their parents that they should have a mac. Dad or Mom isn't going to buy a $3,000 computer because Junior wants one. or even $1,000 for that matter. why? because that's a damn expensive present for your kids.
edit: 3. (oops, almost forgot this one) schools are famous for having really, really old technology. so most of the experience that kids have with macs are on crappy, old versions. so they end up thinking that macs suck in general.
so once again, you come back to the problem of getting the computers into the hands of adults. and once again, i feel the only way to do that is for apple to make their computers so much cheaper to do important tasks that businesses will have no choice but to buy one.
did you know that at one point, Apple had a 25% market share? what are they now, 5% tops? they had that 25% market share when they were the only affordable solution to desktop publishing. the reason was that businesses didn't give a shit what OS they were using, they could save $20,000 by buying a Mac over the other alternative, so you either buy Macs or your competition puts you out of business. so what happens then? business owners and their employees end up with tons of hands on experience with Macs and how they work. what happens? when they go to buy a computer, they have one that they're very familiar with, one that they're comfortable with, and one that they can justify as a learning tool for work. so they actually go ahead and buy a Mac.
if apple doesn't push after the business market, they will not survive.
[ 12-08-2001: Message edited by: alcimedes ]</p>
LOL, I agree with your point--Apple faces more problems than MHz, like compatibility concerns, cost, and the simple fear that most people have of learning something new and different.
But I think you're wrong about consumers with braings. It is impossible to overestimate the stupidity of the general public. One need look no further than the man elected to lead our country, to see that the general public has little brainpower, little respect for intelligence, and little desire to think for themselves.
When someone buys a wintel, they often are staying in the comfort zone established by their work computer. They know Windows already, and since most people are afraid of computers and technology, they fear having to learn a new OS (not that they even know what an OS is, you see, they don't even know what they fear, that is the depth of their ignorance). When someone is afraid of something, they will do anything to rationalize a decision based on fear, so that they don't have to acknowledge that part of their life is run by fear.
Example: A person is afraid to learn how to use a Mac. So they use excuses for not buying one; compatibility issues, MHz, cost, app availability, ect. I've even heard people say that they couldn't buy a Mac, because their relatives have Windows and they want to
"talk" with their relatives computers! WTF does that even mean? Apparently they believe that mac email doesn't work with windows.
Apple is fighting more than MHz--they are fighting a cultural perception of Macs being "outcast" computers, in a society where conformity is valued above all else.
<strong>
MIPS is a joke.
Here are some questions for you (and if you can answer these, you'll understand why MIPS is a joke):
(1) What is an instruction?
(2) Do the PowerPC, Pentium, and Alpha use the same instructions?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Check <a href="http://www.scl.ameslab.gov/HINT"; target="_blank">http://www.scl.ameslab.gov/HINT</a>;
HINT is the best computer benchmarking tool I've ever seen.
Last year he has done an Altivec HINT benchmark (what I allways wanted to do since the G4 was released)!
<strong>
True, but I'm saying it's not the only reason. Many people stay away from Macs because they are worried about compatiblity. They may think they're too expensive, or the 1 year warrenty may be too short. I remember when I first purchased a G4 and was bragging about it at school. A kid walked up to me and said "Yeah, I heard those G4s are three times faster than PCs in graphics applications." What I'm trying to say is you can't use Joe to steriotype all consumers. There is a real mix of people out there. Granted, many think MHz = speed, but more than a few do know not buy purely on clock speed. Tons of consumers are a bit better educated. They may still not buy the Mac, but they will pick to "slower" PC instead of the "faster" one because it has a FireWire, or a CD-RW. Don't kid yourselves. Apple isn't gaining market share simply because Joe thinks Macs are slow. If it was that simple, all Apple has to do is call the 867MHz PowerMac G4 the PowerMac G4 1900+.
[ 12-08-2001: Message edited by: Keeksy ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
The avg Joe doesn't have software. The avg Joe doesn't own a computer. There are other consumers that add the the mix, but they aren't avg. They are current pc owners who have their own fears or reasons for not switching. I am speaking of non computer users or consumers who just recently bought a pc and are still considered avg.
I convinced my parents to get an iMac. My mom would tell her friends that I told them to get an iMac and she would here from more 'avg Joe's' that "a mac, why? They are just for graphics" and "but you can't surf the net on a mac" and "I won't be able to email you". Well, after my mom got the iMac and began emailing and replying her friends were all saying "I didn't know a Mac could do that". Never did speed become an issue. Only was the model iMac I recommended fast. The price is only an issue when comparing the towers. Even then, it's moot when you comparea good brand (not built in someone's garage) and add all the extras to it. The 'avg Joe' needs to be educated that Macs can do it all. I don't think I;ve ever heard someone say "only a 1 year warantee?, **** that"
<strong>
The best way to get people to use Apple computers is to make Apple computers the most cost effective method of doing a specific/important task.
...
That being said, the major purchasing factor in a majority of end-user computer buyers is what kind of machine they have a work.
...
That being said, the other market Apple needs to chase after is the gaming market. That's the other big reason people buy computers, whether they admit it or not. Get games, and get them first on the Mac and you'll see sales take off. If a few big titles play better on Macs than on PC's, I am positive you would see a huge upswing in Mac sales to home users.
...
-Alcimedes</strong><hr></blockquote>
Yes. Well said. Your points (in your later post) about schools with old macs are valid, too.
Apple is on the right track by marketing their machines as solutions, not as numbers. I think you're right: they need to go further.
They need to offer viable, cost-effective solutions for, among other things, average businesses and people who play games (college students come to mind). Notice, by cost effective I'm not suggesting that Apple lower the Mac into the commodity PC market (Dell's already got a stranglehold). All I'm saying is that they need to expand their target audiences beyond grahics and grandmas.
It could be something as simple as giving the iMac an upgradable video card.
Or introducing a business-level modular workstation. Something like Compaq's iPaq comes to mind (not the PDA).
Of course, they'll need the marketing to go with it. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
-mithral
[ 12-10-2001: Message edited by: Mithral ]
[ 12-10-2001: Message edited by: Mithral ]</p>
Try this one:
<a href="http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/G4ZONE/HINT-7400vs7450/HINT_7400vs7450_CPUs.html"; target="_blank">http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/G4ZONE/HINT-7400vs7450/HINT_7400vs7450_CPUs.html</a>;