Apple is pushing its campaign to get “the other 95%” of the computing world to switch to the Mac. The company is pushing a new ad campaign featuring Windows converts, and it is considering including Windows XP demo units in its Apple Stores for side by side comparisons with Mac OS X.

Steve Jobs even went as far as to say about Microsoft : “What’s a few market-share points between friends? It wouldn’t matter to them, and we would be eternally grateful.”

If you are reading this post, you probably think that the Mac platform (Classic or X) is the best computing platform on the planet for most people.  That said, is it finally time for Apple to start pushing Windows people to convert?

I strongly think so.  Mac OS X is solid, the hardware offerings are solid, and Apple is firing on all-cylinders. Better yet, Microsoft is seriously screwing up on a number of fronts, and there have never been so many dissatisfied Wintel users.

If Apple is wrong in its timing, however, it could blow its only real opportunity to go after Windows users; the company can’t mess this up and try it again in a year or two.

The timing is probably as good as can be.

MacOS X has matured enough to make it a viable replacement for Classic MacOS. It isn’t perfect yet, but it’s come a long way from the public beta days.  The UNIX base, open-source software, multitasking and protected memory should be an added bonus for any “serious” Windows user.

The software houses got on to the OS X bandwagen big time. Unlike Linux, the Mac has a healthy selection of “market standard” apps available, making it very attractive for your average Windows user. Add the (FREE) iApps to this mix, and buying a MAc becomes a lot more attractive than four years ago.

It’s also easier to use than Linux or a Windows box (well, on a good day, at least ). And of course, MacOS X looks cooler than a Penguin frozen in liquid nitrogen.

Apple has the most beautifully designed computers ever. This should appeal to the style conscious among the “Unwashed Masses”. 

I’m happy Apple is finally getting out of its entrenched position again. Remaining limited to those markets would have killed them off eventually. With this campaign and the Xserve, Apple has proven that they mean serious business.

Good show, Apple!

As good a time as any!

Aside: not sure how 2 posts constitutes a “Hot Topic”, but anyway….

A good friend of mine who once worked for The Devil, er ... I mean, Microsoft, is now considering switching. He’s a creative type, so I never quite understood his attachment to Windows except, perhaps, as a job security thing.

Now, he wants to get into video editing, learn Flash, etc.  When I told him about the eMac, he was legitimately interested. I have always bought Macs out of zealotry, but I am the first to admit that, as I said to him, “the eMac is probably the first Mac that actually makes sense.” Plenty of power, beautiful display (I have the standalone version on my desk at work), and a price that can’t be beat.

If that’s not enough to tempt Windows users, Apple will be forever relegated to it’s current 3% market share.

I’m not sure I agree with Bryan’s assertion that if this doesn’t work Apple won’t be able to try again in two or three years. Can you expound on that point a bit?

Absolutely

Sure, Apple should try to up that market share. The ONLY way this will happen is to attack the myths, and do it with gusto. Saturate the airwaves with facts about software, speed, compatibility, and UNIX reliability. Until people get the facts, they won’t care how ergonomically designed a Mac is. C’mon Apple, stop pulling your punches!

I think (yes, Intel users think…  ) that going after market share is a good idea when you’ve got the product.

Right now, Apple has the product.  OSX is stable, (somewhat) easy to use and pretty easy to maintain.  Windows is the big dog.  Almost every app wants to be compatable with Windows because they are the 95% market share.  Only apps that want to stay in a niche market go apple only.  Whether this is out of ‘zealotry’ or whatever reason is their own business decision.

Steve Jobs had a BIG decision to make.  Does he think OSX can go toe to toe with XP?  He obviously does or he wouldn’t have made the statement.  It’s a good all-around ad campaign.  My personal favorite (and Photodan’s going to shoot me) is the scroll-wheel mouse bit in the switch campaign.  I’ve used a three button mouse since 1986.  Why on earth would I want to buy a computer, just to turn around and buy another mouse so that I can have a scroll wheel?  One mouse button just doesn’t make sense to me.

Windows XP is stable.  Not nearly as stable as NT 4, but give it a few service packs.  OSX has its bugs right now too.  I will always be loyal to Intel.  I like microsoft, I like the platform.  I like being able to choose my own hardware from any maufacturer I wish.

I hope just for Microsoft’s sake that Apple does take some market share.  MS will be forced to actually compete, prices will even out and our wonderful US government might no longer consider MS a ‘Monopoly’.  In the end both MS and Apple will have better products and better companies.

[quote author=“yadda yadda”]Aside: not sure how 2 posts constitutes a “Hot Topic”, but anyway….

Aah, but our wise and fearless editor-in-chief knows that declaring HFT on the home page makes it so….

It’s always time for Windows users to switch. Now, finally, Apple is telling them why they should. I’ve been screaming (in my head) at Steve Jobs for several years to try and actually relate to the average computer user. Some of the recent advertising campaigns I’m sure have been nothing more than a curiosity to the overwhelming majority of computer users out there. The effort seemed to be focused on setting Apple apart, and it did - way apart, too far out there, too Different. And I’m sure at times Apple has even put people off with an almost ‘holier than thou’  elitist portrayal of the Macintosh minority. Yeah, harsh, I know, but these have been some of my personal reactions as I’ve tried to see Apple’s marketing through other’s eyes.

The vast majority, the average computer user, has had no real reason to even think about doing anything Different. There is much more myth and honest ignorance to overcome out there than there is animosity or intelligent objection.

I welcome this new marketing thrust with open arms - real people with real lives who have real reasons to use and prefer a Mac. It’s a breath of fresh air to me. And, as Eindvijand pointed out, there are many new reasons that make switching at this point in time a better time than any in the past.

Sure the time is now! Go Apple!

I too think that this is the perfect time. In January, I wasn’t sure, but I think now is about right.

Most, if not all the major consumer/prosumer applications are available on MacOS X; many of the majors were still missing in January. The iMac is in volume now with a stabilized price, and is still a hot commodity. The eMac is a great value, and is bound to tempt consumers with it’s low price point, and rich feature set.

Apple also now has the Xserve catering to a much wider market than it was a few months ago, as well as refreshed laptop lines.

Apple also has a decent network of retail chains, something I hope they continue to expand steadily in the coming year.

I think there are still a few areas the Mac falls down on, but the ad campaign gives me some confidence that we’ll see new products to fix those deficiencies in the next few months. If Apple tells people to switch now, increasing awareness of their products, then brings out an improved PowerMac, Jaguar, and whatever else, the public will certainly be more consious of those improvements, and help encourage them to consider Apple products.

The wrong question is being asked.  The real question is, “Why wasn’t it the right time for Windows users to switch earlier?”

And as others have already pointed out, the answer is because previously Apple didn’t have everything in place to entice them to switch.  It’s only very recently that Apple has everything they need to make a compelling argument—the hardware is stylish and price-competitive with Wintel PCs, MacOS X is robust enough to seduce developers while remaining usable for grandma, and the iApps give customers compelling Mac-only software to keep them there (I still say iMovie alone is enough of a reason to buy a Mac ).

[quote author=“ERNesbitt”]My personal favorite (and Photodan’s going to shoot me) is the scroll-wheel mouse bit in the switch campaign.  I’ve used a three button mouse since 1986.  Why on earth would I want to buy a computer, just to turn around and buy another mouse so that I can have a scroll wheel?  One mouse button just doesn’t make sense to me.

  I just want to pick on this one a bit.  Why on earth do people who buy a $1000-plus computer pick on the $20-30 part which will never ever be exactly what everyone wants anyway?  They throw a nice mouse in the box to make sure you can use it that way if you like.  People who are so inclined can add their own.  Most people who are so inclined would add their own *anyway* even if the mouse was two-button and wheel, because they would want this or that specific kind.  So it’s either offer 2 or more mouse choices or leave it this way.  The former while potentially a good idea is an inventory and packing/shipping nightmare.

Here’s why.  Right now, everything you can build to order is in the computer unit itself.  If you BTO mice or keyboards, then you have to add opening the accessory box to the process.  It sounds minimal, but it is a big deal.  These boxes are packaged so that they’re all the same for each model (one for iMac, one for PowerMac).  In the BTO process they’re adding the stuff to the Mac before it gets boxed, then putting the already packed kit in there.  Just adding a layer to that makes it harder.  Not that it couldn’t be done, just pointing that out.

It’s actually much worse from a retail boxed point of view.  Just having one more mouse choice in the retain channel would double the choices.  If it wasn’t a choice on all models, you’d still be whining.  If it wasn’t in the retail channel, you’d still be whining that you have to BTO from Apple to get the other mouse (and possibly the resellers would whine a bit about that too).

And a wholesale switch to a single more complex mouse?  I don’t think so yet.  There is a value in keeping it simple for new users.  Trust me on this.  Many really novice users do not bother with the extra button, even on Windows.  I’ve seen it.  I think Apple continues to make the right choice here.

this is definitely the time

Let me get this off my chest… I am a Windows and Linux user on the x86 platform. I am used to Windows and am partially adequate with Linux usage as well. I’ve gone through so many other different OS’s (FreeBSD, BeOS, QNX, DOS, Windows 95 to Windows XP, Red Hat since 5.2, Slackware 8.0, Mandrake since 7.1, Debian 2.2r3). Enough typing. That’s not some sort of bragging act there folks. I do this because I am a Computer Science geek. An absolute nerd. But with all this OS “experience”, each day I open up Mozilla, the last site I go to is http://www.apple.com (hey, save the best for last). I’ve been looking at getting an iBook ever since the new model came out last year. I’m saving up to buy one when the next iBook upgrade comes. The reason I’ve finally decided on the iBook (the battle was over a Dell Inspiron 4100) is the recent ads. It only took 1 and a half hour of reading last night on all the “myths” and “how-to’s” to get me to decide. So there’s my plan. Buy an iBook. Save and buy Photoshop 7. Wait for an Aqua version of OpenOffice.org, and I have everything I need. I’ve actually shown and had my friends try out an iBook and a PowerMac G4. They loved it. The only sore point with them is games and the price. Yes they are a little immature, and so am I. But hey, the only games I play on Windows is Civ3, Virtual Pool 3, and Minesweeper! So basically I keep my PC for all my development needs, gaming needs, and other stuff that’s not really important to me. The iBook is going to be for my writing, my little “art” with PS7, and my music. Can’t live without my music. So there. just proof that those ads did actually work on someone. It won’t work with people like my boss (who believes that everything should be MS, yet swears at the little Office XP feature that hides menus and (with 6 years computer usage) still can’t seem to find the My Computer icon. He also swears at me, but I swear back so no problem.) But it will work for someone who cleanly knows his needs and wants, and knows that life is better with a BMW than with a Hyundai.

Reply to Anonymous…
Like you I work with windows, various flavor of UNIX, and Macs; unlike you, I bought myself an iBook 6 months ago.  All I can say is you won’t be disappointed.  It’s a great little computer on the go for the budget conscious.  iTune/iMovie/iPhoto added so much value to the computer for me, that the ~$1500 is a bargain. 

I also use it for development work when I am away from the office.  It can do with more screen real estate; but it’s not that much worse than my office machines running jbuilder or MSstudio project under one window.  Having the choice, I still would rather not trade off the compact size of the 12” ibook for the 14” model.

Yeah, I probably will get Photoshop 7 at some point.  But PS 6.0 runs quite nicely in classic mode(to my surprise) that I don’t feel the pressing need to upgrade yet.  I don’t really play games.  But I have run the Alice demo and Harry Potter quite nicely on it.  So my guess is that Civ3 shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Well, enjoy your ibook when you do get it.  You may be surprised (as I have with mine) that it may do more than just writing and a little “art” for you.

I have to say firstly that the change to Mac at any time is good.  I personally would not work on any other platform.  I just spent an hour trying to reload the software for an ISDN modem on an old Packard Bell and it wasn’t nice especially when my stepson who has done PC maintanence courses (hates Macs) and refused to do the fixing as he was not being paid (Nice?!) He said it could not be fixed. The machine was too old Bla Bla Bla.  Muggins here fixed it and I am not even a geek.

Now here is where I have to add a note of caution about the opptomism of converting Wintell users.  The above named PC belonged to my partner who has always worked on this platform.  before Xmas she decided to buy a laptop and decided to buy a Mac for a change.  I did some thinking for her relating to compatibility etc. as things like printing would have to be done on the laser (PC only, low budget hence no big spending on new Mac comnpatible laser printers). 

Everything works fine.  Any technical hicups from her point of view and I am a phone call away.  There are a few small niggly things though that are annoyiny and these throw the compatbility of PC/Windows and Apple/OS X into diseray.  Now those MacLink Translators for Appleworks are fine but they often will not add a .doc appendage.  So buy MS Office then?  Sorry we don’t have the dosh.  Now I will re-itterate this I don’t really care.  I will happily opperate in my Mac vacumn thank you very much.  Unfortunately a lot of others can’t ,  like my partner. 

Here is wher it gets interesting.  I think this BooBoo on Apple’s part may only apply to us International English users of OS X (Irelang, UK etc)

1.  This version of OS X does not default to A4 paper size in page setup.
We get US Letter

2.  Apple has not fixed this yet?.  ( They may have but since I have the hack mentioned below on our Macs and therefore can’t acertain what has or hasn’t been corrected)

3 With Rod Yager’s (Australian) hack we can fix this so why can’t Apple.

4. Either Rod Yager’s hack or Apple have a differnt concept of what A4 is.  I have investigated this I ve an old version of Claris and the margins by default are differnt in this classic app compared to OS X carbon/cocoas.

What am I getting at here. Well lets say a colleague sends the Mrs a MS Word file via email. A nice pressentation lets say. She opens it on her Mac. Yes we can legibly read the content but hang on a minute what about the formating.  Sections of text running onto the next page where they shoudn’t be pushing page number or haeder down the page a bit. 

This is irritating and I have to say a good enough reason for somebody not to change platform.  OS X is far superior but why go through such grief on day to day chores.  Are their no standards in the industry. 

This illustrates the pitfalls.  There are many others in the OS X cauldren but this post would get very long.

Yes iPhoto and iCat are nice but your at nothing if you can’t get the simple things right.

 
What a great topic. Here we are visiting the MAC OBSERVER asking if it is time for Windows users to switch. My bet is every one of us Mac users will say “No, the timing isn’t quite ready, I think Windows users should go on doing their thing. After all, it is the superior platform.”

...course, it reeled me in didn’t it???

Like, duh?

Ok, the topic may be a silly question, but it generates such good thought and response. Of course it is time to switch. Did you see the story about Microsoft sending their own developers in Korea the NIMDA worm virus? How’s that for public relations?

And it looks like the folks at Apple have finally realized that if you put the machines in front of people’s eyes, they’ll get used to it, then the next time they need to buy, they’ll consider it.

Case in point. Barbara Walters was using an iMac on her special tonight. I don’t just mean she was showing one off, she was actually USING IT ON THE SET as her prompter and email source.

Of course, the Apple link to Disney makes it easy to see why this happened, but the point is that it happened at all. They could have had a G4 off screen with any standard VGA flat panel plugged in. But somebody actually THOUGHT about this and put the whole machine right there on her desk with the silver Apple logo facing the camera.

We’re not talking subliminal. We’re talking barebones, in your face product placement.

What took so long????????????????????????????????

it was time in 1990

if you can barely run windows (like one posters boss) at least you have a fighting chance on the mac. Granted there are some annoying things with Os X (like umax scanners half baked usb trick that makes their scanners invisible to osX)(they planted a serial to usb converter inside the box)and epsons refusal to write drivers for all its printers.but the facts are that new periferals can be bought cheaply enough.sooner or later theise things will work out. I talked my boss into an i book about 1 year ago and he went and bought a pod as soon as they came out.the fellow having problems with clarisworks not properly formating word documents should remember word does not always format word documents well. his problems are probably caused by the platform differences in type sizes (windows needs them bigger to not look jaggy.antiailiasing has never been a windows strong point. my problem is that everybody i encourage to switch (wether they actually switch or not)calls ME for tech support.it goes like this….
THEM"I can’t get my mail!! it worked yesterday but not today
ME “get a mac”
THEM “very funny but how do i get my mail”
ME “did you change any settings on your pc?”
them ” No but when i started up windows detected 2 gigs of file strings that it said might lead nowhere and although they may be needed by various undetected programs in windows opinion i should delete them)
ME “did you delete them?(not really knowing what they were)
them “yes”
Me “get a mac”
them “very funny how do i fix it”
and sooo it goes.
the bad part is they manage to do stuff with their macs when they get them i have not seen in the 9 years i have been using mine.wetware errors will travel cross platform faster than a pc worm.let them keep their pcs.
I say let them eat microsoft tec support

I switched myself just before the new ad campaign began. I was sick of the blue-screens-of-death, and my PC could no longer connect to the internet because of it.

The biggest compelling reason had to be iMovie & iDVD. I’d used a Broadway MPEG-1 encoder card since ‘98, which worked fine for video-CD’s. (It produced better video than the current generation of Windows machines.) Unfortunately, I upgraded to Win 98 in 2000, which somehow left my encoder card non-functional. Even my brother (the resident digital guru) couldn’t resolve the problem.

Also, the tech-slaves at Best Buy weren’t able to get my digital camcorder to work with my PC firewire card. (Not much point to selling it as a bundle, isn’t it?)

Within 24 hours of using a dual-1ghz mac, I had edited a small movie and transferred it to DVD-R without a single computer glitch. Now that was cool!!! With Windows, I’d still be wrestling with drivers & compatibility issues on a Pinnacle DV500 and Adobe Premiere 5.1/6.0.  It makes a world of difference.

-Dan McCormick
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