Switched On: The misguided marketing of PlaysForSure
by Ross Rubin 
posted Apr 27th 2005 at 3:40PM
When longtime industry watchers - some of whom rise before dawn to hear the unique mating calls of rare species of industries - look at Apple's iPod business, they are aghast that Apple's hardware is incompatible with so many music stores and formats and that Apple's music store is incompatible with so many other players. Has Apple learned nothing, they ask, from the history of the Macintosh which, according to business school case study cliches, would have become the dominant platform had it been licensed when it had a clear marketplace lead in graphical interfaces?
Perhaps Apple has not, but perhaps there isn't a relevant lesson for the iPod. While inexpensive Macs like the Mac mini are as competitive with Windows machines as they've ever been, let's envision a fantasy world in which Macs are almost universally perceived to be as cost-effective as Windows PCs, all Windows applications are available natively on Macs, and it rains chocolate milk. (The last bit isn't very relevant to the argument, but if you're creating a fantasy world, you might as well throw in everything you want.)
In fact, there�s only really one material difference between Macs and PCs in this world, which is that some companies offer all-you-can-eat PC software by subscription. (Why anyone would want to eat software when it�s raining perfectly good chocolate milk is a mystery, but it takes all kinds to make a fantasy world go around.) Software by subscription is of interest to a small group of customers, and Apple can offer that at any time it so desires should it start to prove more popular.
In this world, customers wouldn�t care whether Apple had 3 percent market share or 93 percent market share. Why? Because the hardware costs about the same and there�s no software availability penalty for buying an Apple product. This is essentially the world Apple now inhabits with the iPod. With PlaysForSure (which sounds like a series of stage productions starring Valley girls), Microsoft emphasizes the value of choice in music stores and devices. But choice in these decisions doesn�t resonate as long as the incumbent fulfills demand at least as well as the competitors do.
In the physical world, consumers choose stores based on price and convenience. The price competition among digital music stores is minimal as there isn�t much headroom for price-slashing and no online store has a significant convenience advantage. On the device side, consumers care about price and features. Again, no Apple competitor has undercut the iPod by a significant enough margin. While many players offer features that Apple does not, they haven�t been appealing enough to overcome Apple�s integrated approach.
The only choice that consumers really care about in digital music is choice in content. After all, consumers don�t pick their cable or satellite TV plan provider based on what kind of set-top box they�ll get. They choose based on the kind and number of channels available. And here again, no Windows Media-based store offers a significant choice advantage over the iTumes Music Store; device platform market share means nothing since, unlike with software, there is practically no incremental cost to support a player with a particular piece of content.
Indeed, Apple has courted the cutting-edge content of independent labels by, for example, working with CD Baby. And music sites that feature more independent artists such as emusic.com, garageband.com, and mp3tunes.com all work perfectly with the iPod given their support of the DRM-free MP3 file format.
If Microsoft thinks that the digital music player market will mirror the evolution of the PC market, it should start thinking about a different play � for sure.
Ross Rubin is director of industry analysis at NPD Techworld, a division of market research and analysis provider The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On, however, are his own. Feedback is welcome at fliptheswitch@gmail.com.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
crsh @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
why did i first read it as "pays for sure"? doctor, is it another freudian slip??
AJ @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Although I agree with some points about iTunes and iPods the real deal here is that there is a perception of coolness with the ipod which is its saving grace. Apple ipods are not very durable, I know many people with issues. And all mp3 players do wacky things on occasion, including the one in my car, when the encounter an unfriendly file.
Apple needs to protect themselves from becoming un-cool by releasing new products, shuffle, colors, mini and offering features the public wants, photo capability. It needs to keep doing this otherwise it will hit the swatch phenomenon and fall out of grace as other things enter with coolness of their own. Apple needs to integrate both fm transmitters and radio capability into their devices as I know many people whose ipods have broken, out of warranty, and they picked other players for features built in.
Last thing Apple needs to be recognized for their easy to use interface really other then telling people how to turn it off it's pretty self explanatory and easy to use.
Bob @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Let me just state for the record how much I despise Apple. I mean my frustration with this company, their products and policies, has grown. If I hear one more person say to me "I hate my PC, I'm getting an iMac" (or that frigging stupid Mac Mini) I'm going to flip. It's all marketing people!!! It does the same things as any Windows machine, maybe less, and costs twice as much. You have less expandability and flexibility. Software, hardware and accessories are hard to come by. Just because a computer looks pretty, or "artists" use them does not make a cause to totally abandon the PC world. And because PC users are too ignorant to learn how to properly maintain and manage their machines they blame everything on Windows and Microsoft. In my personal experience, I've been using PCs for over 5 years now, and never, ever, ever, has my computer crashed, locked up or "broken" in any way. I do photo editing, video editing and 3D animation on my PC and it works like a dream.
If you want to buy a Mac to be cool, or have an in with the hipster crowd, then do so. But don't dismiss an entire range of products because you're too lazy to learn how to properly use them. To the average user, Macs are all about image. To me, that's not a reason to buy a product. And don't try to convince me otherwise.
Fuck Apple. Fuck iTunes. Fuck the iPod. And superfuck the Mac Mini. What a piece of garbage.
TIMMAH! @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
I just took delivery of my Dell Dimension 3000 (2.8 Ghz P4, 256MB RAM, 80GB HD, 48x CD, free 17" flatpanel LCD, free color inkjet printer) for $394 delivered. (And you could get it for less in other states where Dell doesn't charge sales tax.)
"While inexpensive Macs like the Mac mini are as competitive with Windows machines as theyve ever been, lets..."
Uh, yeah...
francisco @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
"Macs are all about image"
Bob have you happened to notice the rest of the world? It's all about image and looking cool. Why do you think people wear retarded looking clothing that looks like some faux 80/70's mix and match? People are just sheep and will buy the latest cool thing even if they don't know why they like it or why they're really buying it.
Also people are techno-ignorant, so "expandability" or "flexibility" doesn't occur to them.
Anyway. Baaa
jg @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
although i have an ipod and think its a good product (for the most part, definitely has some quirks and the interface besides the wheel could be better). I have to applaud whomever posted number 5. apple gets a pass on many issues with microsoft getting alot of blame. what they have done with products like the .NET, tablet pc and media center is far more incredible then an ipod. They get hated on way too much. I've never had a problem with my pc, as long as I have had windows updates and a firewall on. It is not as if Apple is immune to viruses, its that nobody targets them!! anything can be attacked and vulnerabilities will always be found no matter what the platform.
jg @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
although i have an ipod and think its a good product (for the most part, definitely has some quirks and the interface besides the wheel could be better). I have to applaud whomever posted number 5. apple gets a pass on many issues with microsoft getting alot of blame. what they have done with products like the .NET, tablet pc and media center is far more incredible then an ipod. They get hated on way too much. I've never had a problem with my pc, as long as I have had windows updates and a firewall on. It is not as if Apple is immune to viruses, its that nobody targets them!! anything can be attacked and vulnerabilities will always be found no matter what the platform.
bill @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Bob
I'm far too lazy to learn how to properly use a PC
that's why i use a Mac
mveloso @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Ross (the author) is forgetting something key:
There are only two real music stores: the WMA one, and the AAC/Fairplay one.
There may be 10 instances of the WMA stores, but they shouldn't really be counted as such. If you have 10 record stores that charge the same for the same product, are there really 10 stores? Technically yes, but realistically no.
mveloso @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Bob,
If it weren't for Apple, we'd all be using DOS, WordPerfect, and working at real jobs that make goods instead of flipping bits and pushing paper.
Damn that Apple! Damn them!
gocarlo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Comment number 5:
Bob, you lost all credibility when you said that you've never had a crash or freeze or any kind of hiccup for five years. I know a lot of computery people who use all kinds of operating systems, and not a one of them has been able to avoid a freeze or crash here and there. It happens to the best of us and the best systems. No computer OS/hardware is perfect.
why force the masses to learn how to maintain their system to protect against viruses, spyware, etc, if a Mac already does all that right out of the box without having to learn how to maintain virus definitions and other defensive procedures. Doing all that is a waste of time.
Every computer company is out to make money. Some squeeze their customers for cash more than others do... Microsoft has a reputation for that - that plus insecurity and the poor quality and bloated nature of their software is why so many people have begun moving from the PC to alternative systems (linux, Mac, etc).
Most people don't give a shit about virus definitions and spyware protection software... who can blame them? Don't you wish you could be free of that too?
Some people need a PC to do the work that they do, so they must use a PC. For the rest of us who have the option of choosing a system, let us do our thing.
People want options. What kind of world would this be if we could not excercise a little personal choice.
grey @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
"But choice in these decisions doesnt resonate as long as the incumbent fulfills demand at least as well as the competitors do." Sure Apple can be the coolest device maker for awhile. The Mac was cooler than anything else for awhile. But eventually its features will be mimicked or superseded or matched at a lower price by some other hardware manufacturer, and when that happens the only thing Apple has going for it is all the suckers who won't want to switch to the cooler Nokia/Motorola/Dell/whomever multigadget wonderdevice because they've sunk too much money into iTunes music, which they can't port because Apple has a business model it wants to feed. Microsoft can afford to make (or lose) money creating software. Apple has tied alot of its cashflow to being the dominant device. It's a much more precarious position.
sinisterdesign @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
wow, like i totally love my G5, daddy-o. i've been a part of the cool, hipster crowd for 15 years now and i couldn't be cooler or hipper.
w/e
i'm not going to say that the PC world doesn't produce some great hardware, it does. i'm totally jealous of the gorgeous LCD on a HP laptop that i saw recently, but you can't say that Macs suck or Apple users are sheep just b/c we like a machine/software that not only is fun and easy to use (who the $&#^ wants to have to LEARN how to use a computer?), but is also easy on the eye.
i'm a designer, i don't buy things based soley on specs, appearance is a huge factor (otherwise i would have bought a Subaru instead of a BMW).
so good luck to Windows w/ their "PlayFerSher" attempt at domination. maybe having that logo on there will suddenly make those MP3 players have the cool factor that makes iPods fly off the shelves by the truckload...
Goodman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
>Software by subscription is of interest to a small group of customers, and Apple can offer that at any time it so desires should it start to prove more popular.
I think the verdict isn't in on that. There's two problems with bringing music subscriptions to the iPod. 1) It won't be backward compatible, since it will require a hardware change (which is also why so few players support Napster-To-Go). 2) Apple doesn't make changes unless Steve Jobs thinks changes are needed... and he's a stubborn cuss. The reason he was fired the first time around was he thought the Apple was fine just the way it was, and there was no need to add unneccessary features... like color and expandiblity. I mean, for crying out loud, they just released their first really low-cost Mac last week practically.
Oh, and I love music subscriptions. I mean, I'd much rather pay a flat rate for cable and watch whatever I want then pay for each individual show separately. I've been listening to Napster all day, with bands I've never heard of, and hearing good stuff. I wouldn't have paid a buck a track to experiment that way though. I think as more folks become familiar with the concept of music subscriptions, they'll get onboard. It doesn't preclude BUYING music too, but it gives you the option to affordably try EVERYTHING.
Josh @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
I'm not entirely sure how having sex with Apple and it's products helps you Bob, but to each his own I guess.
Andy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Fuck Bob. Don't buy a fucking Apple if you don't fucking want to and let the rest of us fucking buy a fucking Apple if we fucking want to, fucker.
Your fucking argument is really fucking fuckcredible because you use the word fuck. Maybe I'll stop using my fucking Apple fuckbook.
Andy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
P.S.
I used Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, and XP, and they all fucking sucked. You're probably one of those fuckers who have never touched a fucking Mac in your entire fucking life. I use a fucking Mac and my digital life is now fucking fuck-me-in-the-ass-because-my-fucking-fuckdows-machine-isn't-fucking-working-free.
John @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
To the author of comment 5 (Bob)
If Microsoft and the PC world could produce a product that worked as well as the Mac, then the Mac would not still be around today. Notwithstanding Apple's low market share, the Mac has remained on the market simply because they offer something that no one else does. For some people, it is ease of use; for others, it is innovative design. Like many people, even though I have a PC, a Mac suits all my needs and I use it exclusively.
Regardless of your experience with your PC, not everyone is as technical with PCs as you may be. The difference between Apple and the Microsoft/PC industry is that Apple sells a product that doesn't require extensive knowledge on how to properly maintain it.
In light of that, the argument that people shouldn't blame Microsoft and the PC world for their woes because they are too lazy to learn how to use PCs properly means little. If Microsoft and the PC Industry made computers that didn't require such extensive knowledge in the first place, than consumers wouldn't be buying Macs when they get fed up with trying to fix their PC.
My time is valuable to me. I am willing to pay a premium on a Mac computer over a PC for the convenience that I don't have to waste my time "maintaining" a PC. Walter Mossberg from the Wall Street Journal recently published an article that provided advice on maintaining a PC, such as buying anti-virus, anti-spyware, and anti-mal-ware programs. Many people don't have time to do all this, I sure don't. That is why many of us use a Mac.
Perhaps the difference between you and the Mac user is that a Mac user has better things to do than maintain his or her computer.
jimbob @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
I'm also too lazy to learn how to use a PC, so I use a Mac. Just like to point out not into computer sex, Bob: you're on your own there
Bob @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
It's nice that you've all taken the time to flame me. By the way, the thing I posted, I meant to put it in quotes. It was originally written by David Ringer, who works on a number of TV shows, including Call for Help 2.0. His blog is here (2nd entry down): http://societyandtelevision.blogspot.com/
You are all welcome to flame him there too. Maybe send a few mail bombs while you're at it.
John @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Bob
Sorry we gave you credit for having an original thought of your own. Our mistake.
OddManOut @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
(Not a flame, just some observations and opinions)
"I've been using PCs for over 5 years now, and never, ever, ever, has my computer crashed, locked up or "broken" in any way."
I'm not precisely pro Mac or iPod myself, but if you've been using Windows over that time, I'd have to say in response to that quote...
NOT
FREAKIN'
POSSIBLE
Even with Linux you'd be hard pressed to actively use a PC w/ out a single incident in 5 years. I've never completely lost a system, but I've had hard drive failures and BSOD's and spyware give me problems in the last 5 years. In fact, wasn't it Y2K 5 years ago ? No I'm not talking about TEOTWAWKI, something far more insidious.
Windows ME.
If you started using PC's and THAT was your first OS, the only way you could have used it for any longer than a week without a BSOD is if it were still in the box being employed as a doorstop :)
If you started out with Win2K though, I would guess you just became Windows savy quickly enough that you didn't notice the minor annoyances that cropped up and/or started fixing them out of habit w/ out even realizing it. Because ever since Win2K it's all pretty easily fixed if the user just RTFM's (or whatever other documentation/instructions are applicable). But even 2K and XP have bugs.
But that is the price you pay for all that 'flexibility'.
That said I'm a staunch PC user. I like being able to mess with my system, something that is not so easy to do with a Mac. Also somthing that was undoubtedly the cause of some if not many of the problems I experienced, and I agree...the user (me) is responsible for properly maintaing the system. And the 'more flexible' Windows platform is higher maintenence (I doubt even Bill Gates would argue that point, but he'd blame hackers). If you don't want that hassle (or a second mouse button) Macs actually make sense. Just like commuting on a train. Simple, easy, efficient. You can't go very many specifc places like you could in a car, but you don't have to maintain it at all like you would a car and it still runs pretty reliably to the places you go most often. I think there's room for both.
As for the Mac-mini I'm thinking of buying one if they're still around when I get back from school next year. I will probably want to continue working as a SysAdmin if I can't get into NetAdmining at the outset, and it helps to have some Mac knowledge. As an OS testbed for me and a simple internet appliance for the masses, it's not half bad...
my $0.02
Andy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Sorry, Bob. Consider all my comments forwarded to whatshisfuckinface.
Terry @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Just had to chime in with the other side of Bob's coin. I had always been a platform agnostic, I have no problem with either platform really, heck I'm typing this on a Dell right now. Up until a couple of years ago I did back-room tech support at a mom n' pop PC repair place. I since decided to go to grad school to get my J.D., but still work full time to make ends meet. Add in everything else that goes on in life and I hold my not-absolutly-spoken for time precious. So precious that I got to hate the ammount of time and effort that was required to keep my windows machines up and bugger-free. So I bought a Powerbook, and I have literally not needed to spend one second caring about patches, malware, virii or the like. So what if it's because the mac's market share is too small to show up on most troublemaker's radar, I plan on enjoying it while it lasts. Sure I spent a couple more hundred on the mac, but when I think of all the hours the last two years I *didn't* spend on the care and feeding of my windows machine, I think it's paid for itself. If you don't think it's worth it, fine by me, but you don't need to get all profane about it.
Realist @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Bravo Bob, number 5! If the Mac was anywhere near as great as its trendy zealots seem to think it is, then it wouldn't be languishing at a miserable two percent of the market. End of chapter. End of book.
mveloso @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Well, this article has been threadjacked.
But anyway, the consumer market isn't the same as the computer market. The computer market is really all about functionality and cost, at least today. Pack in more features, drop the price, and well, the public will drive you out business.
The consumer market is a bit more complicated than that. Look at your grocery store. How many brands of ketchup are there? Which one do you buy? If you are the average consumer, a ridiculously large number of you will buy Heinz.
There is no real difference between Heinz Ketchup and every other ketchup on the market today from a food perspective. However, there are substantial differences between Heinz Ketchup and other ketchups in branding, marketing, and those "warm fuzzy" feelings you get. Plus, you probably like the taste, since you've been eating it since you've been 3.
This is what sets (or is setting) the iPod apart from the rest of the field. They are the Heinz of mp3 players (what a strange analogy). Why buy the copy when you can get the original?
What's freaking everyone else out is the network effects that exist with mp3 players, but doesn't exist with ketchup. Why did Windows win? Not because it was the best, that's for sure. It won because it was the only politically acceptible choice for mainstream businesses.
Now think about the iPod. If you buy a kid any music player besides an iPod today, there's a good chance that their reaction will be one of these three:
* why didn't you get me an iPod?
* why didn't you get me a PSP?
* why didn't you get me a cellphone?
Any youngster with a new Creative mp3 player will likely be mocked by his peers. Are you going to make your child suffer like that, when for only $40 more you can get the Real Thing?
Yeah, it's a ridiculous scenario, but - the mainstream is where the money is. Like it or not, people think this way.
The problem for Apple is they need to differentiate the iPod further, making it even more of what it is. It could be that the third-party skins are doing it, but they should make it easier to do the sort of u2-style customizations...or do the Nokia faceplate trick.
It's pretty interesting to see something like this take off. Heck, when the iPod came out everyone online was sure it would fail because it was too big, too expensive, and didn't do enough. Hah!
Joe W. @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Dude. You do not really want it to rain chocolate milk. Trust me.
gocarlo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
to realist #29:
betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax betamax
:-)
Realist @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
To gocarlo #29,
Actually no, it's:
hype hype hype etc.
I can't think of any other field of human endeavor where something so insignificant in terms of actual usage gets such a disproportionate share of attention. The closest analogy I can think of would be if every discussion of clocks automatically had to include a reference to sundials and how supposedly "elegant" they are.
Gordo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Bob - if you are going to lie to make a point don't make the lie so obvious that you look like a fool. Five years and no crashes is a joke. Oh and I just got both Bill Gates and Balmer on a conference call and asked them what was the better OS for the average consumer. To my surprise they both said Mac OS X. Then Balmer actually said, "I wouldn't wipe my sweaty ass with a XP install disk"...then Bill Chimed in that he "wouldn't fuck an XP disk with Bob from post #5's dick!" Those are actual quotes, so I guess the Mac v PC argument is over now. Sidenote: I did find it strage that you Windows guys seem to be into sex w/ computers, but its really none of my business.
Post # 29 - I am not sure what Ferrari or Bentley's market share is but I would bet it's well below 2%. I would personally rather take a Ferrari than the much higher shared Chevy Cavaliers or Dodge Neons of the world.
Enjoy your Neon! Oh and your Neon has viruses, spyware, and dies all the time...bon appetite!
Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
What's BMW's market share?
Nikon's?
Rolex's?
Mont Blanc's?
People will pay a premium for quality. And the gap is infinitely smaller between MacMini and a cheap Dell or HP than a BMW and a Ford.
And as for those cheap Dells/HPs (and others) look at the 'shared video RAM', 10-baseT vs 100-baseT Ethernet (in Macs), and other limitations and you see the MacMini ostensibly is a better deal. Throw in iLife and it really can't be beat.
Oh, and for those ignorant enough to throw out the tired old rag 'Betamax!',
Betamax -> Betacam; the latter is still used daily by professionals across the globe.
jimtomas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
PlaysForSure is a way for Microsoft to establish a competitve platform to the iPod, but does little more than confuse the marketplace.
Dillon Krug @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Dear Realist...
you have obviously never used a mac.
you have obviously never looked at the Performance tests:
http://www.apple.com/powermac/performance/
I guess you haven't even heard that Mac's unlike PCs do not get viruses
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/vinfodb.html
In fact... there have been cash prizes offered to make a virus for mac and guess what. Still no viruses.
www.macworld.com/news/2005/03/26/dvforge/index.php
Perhaps the reason Macs only have a 3% (not 2%) market share (to bad you can't type "mac market share" into google) is because PC's offer such enticing gimmicks as HT technology, which actually slows down the computer.
http://www.google.com/search?&q=HT+technology+slow&btnG=Search
Mac's also don't crash, and are much much much faster than PCs with the same clock speed. Don't say "that's a myth" - look at the tests. My 1 Ghz G4 beats the pants off my 2.7 Ghz P4. even though the Mac has less ram.
I could go on for days.
Oh... have fun waiting another year for "Longhorn". Tiger comes out on friday. (Thats in three days)
Oh... one more thing... don't think that using the phrase "field of human endeavor" makes you cool. It doesn't.
End of chapter. End of book. (not really)
Admiral Venison @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
To Bob and the other mac haters - The comments about macs being trendy are moronic. If PCs have 98% of the market, wouldn't that make you cheap jackasses the front running hipsters? (Think of the mac as RUSH and Pcs as Maroon 5 or some trendy, safe band) The only area that I see a PeeCee as being a slightly better choice is in gaming, but that wouldn't apply here as all you pc guys are "high level IT managers" and other such corporate boring bullshit that games aren't a part of your vocabulary, RIGHT??? So, the way I see it, if you support Apple, you are supporting a company that pioneered all the great things we love today about computers and cared enough in 1976( yes, that early - wake up) to make a machine that shattered the ALTAIR( remember, Bill gate's first meal ticket - was he always boring???) In so many words - Apple gave you bastards everything you don't deserve. But, you go ahead and support trendy, non creative companies like Dell and Microsoft that else EVERYONE BUYS??? Front-runners all the way. So, go ahead and follow the rest of the boring, "IT managerial", wal mart supporting cretins and enjoy your trendy PeeCee. Oh, George Lucas uses Apple machines too(how about this - if you don't like that fact , don't watch star wars ... wait -nerds enjoy star wars... I guess you're screwed. ).
One more thing - I have never seen a PeeCee user not salivate when standing around a Macintosh. Why is this??? Maybe they are too poor or stupid to break the chains. Sorry. Rot In Hell, Sheep. Conformists.
mehool @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
wow kids, we've got some really great articles here. Just a few things I want to say. I can't believe Bob (#5) forgot to give that guy credit in the first-place for everything he wrote. (read the entire list of comments).
second: yeah 5 years an no crash, complete bs, i know everyone knows this, but i had to let it out and say it.
third: (#31) mveloso's comments are just so on point.
ok that's all.
Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Bob, it sounds like you have a very serious case of sour grapes. If you tried the Apple grapes, you would find that they're actually very sweet. Now, the Windows grapes...those are sour. I know, I have to eat them every day.
Jeremy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
This whole thread sounds very similar to the argument I had with a good mate of mine last night who has an iPod but refuses to concede that a mac is a worthwhile computer.
The main argument always seems to be that macs aren't more stable and more user-friendly, people just don't spend time learning how to maintain and use their machine to its full capacity.
And to this I say...."Damn Right!" I am a very experienced computer user (who comes here and talks about using a computer for 5 years? come on!). I used PCs from the days of DOS, through all the iterations of Windows, and then switched to a Mac 3 years ago. I love computers, and I am doing an Information Systems degree and I use windows PCs all the time. But I love it when technology actually works. I can pick up a mac, plug in a DV camera, and edit a really good home movie with an audio track, still images, transitions, titles and then export it to a DVD which also has my own music, images, transitions, titles and menus. "Big Deal! I can do this on my windows box!" Great! good on you. Hey, guess what? I could do this 3 years ago on my mac! And DAMN EASILY. Soooo easy that my mum who is computer illiterate can understand what I'm doing. she may no be great at doing it, but at least it is obvious as to what I am doing and why.
THAT, my friend, is the beauty of a mac.
010111 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
well. i for one believe this phrase :
"I've been using PCs for over 5 years now, and never, ever, ever, has my computer crashed, locked up or "broken" in any way."
as you can see he says he has been using "PCs" for 5 years. a plural. multiple of them. then... "never, ever, ever, has my computer crashed"... exactly. here is how is it possible.
he purchased "his" PC 5 years ago. and hid it in the closet never once opening the box. then he used a plethora of *other* PCs which he doesn't define as being "his" which have in fact crashed, locked up, and been broken. easy really. it's all semantics.
though in all honesty the VAIO i had for a year in order to see how much better PCs were... didn't crash or locked up really either. XP would randomly restart itself... an effect similar to like the Finder relaunching. that happened a few times. nothing too bad or really memorable... like i had to think hard to come up with that. BUT ... when i was wiping the drive to give to someone else and reinstalling everything to make it all freshy... all manner of hideous problems. infected within like 2 minutes of getting online. took a few hours to get it all good and "clean" again. i think it is the situations like that that get people totally fed up with Windows.
not like Macs are totally 100% crash/problem free. i have an office of 50 of them. and i fix them. i wouldn't have anything to fix if they never once broke. so that's a ridiculous claim... ALL machines eventually have problems at some point in their life. they are just much *easier* to fix. and require fixing much less frequently. though here... technically the PCs are less problem prone... but that's a numbers issue... as 95% of the machine are Macs... 5% PC. sound familiar?
but mostly it's Mac owners being hipsters and foolish with money as was originally said. obviously.
JuggerNaut @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
The "PlaysForSure" is nothing more than Windows-only gimic offering no real choice in the market while trying to undermine the intelligence of the average joe consumer!
gocarlo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
Some of the Mac people leaving comments here embarrass me...
don't make sweeping claims like "macs never crash" because you know and everyone else knows that's not true.
I love my Macs, and i'd never switch to PCs, but you can't put your machine on a pedestal like its perfect and expect people to respect your agument. PCs are flawed and Macs are flawed, but I prefer the Mac for the kinds of things I do.
JMS @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
The Apple crowd is simply the "artsy" crowd who feels the need to stand out and be different. Umm, okay, if by stand out you mean spend twice as much as everyone else, then by all means, stand out; unfortunately the only thing that stands out is that you're all idiots. Seriously, when I see someone with an Apple product I think to myself "What an idiot". You are all such tools it's hilarious. Hell, Apple could release shit on a stick, call it "iEatshit" and the sheep would gladly incorporate it into their diets. Enjoy!
jimtomas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
I used to have a strong opinion in the whole Mac's vs PC debate but I've spent a whole lot of time with both and come to realize they both are great and can co-exsist together. Both have strengths and weaknesses that could be discussed at length, but it really comes down to a matter of personal preference. Debating the merits of one over the other is an exercise is futility
gocarlo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
i feel like you're all 12 year olds
Admiral Venison @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
to JMS:
so when you see pictures of the studios where your favorite bands record using macs(most do - trust me on this) do you think the studio, record company and your favorite band are idiots. Be truthful. And when you watch movies(c'mon admit you do) guess which computer you almost ALWAYS see...... guess you must hate all actors and and producers and theatres... And then you pick up your favorite magazines. You get the point. Almost everything you see is being done on a mac. Now, you must think all those people are stupid - you know what? they don't care because you don't do shit and all those STUPID apple users have too much work to do so you can laze around make comments about how your peecee saves your ass when downloading porn or pirated software. Now, let me tell you where I see peecees. H and R block (how cool), POS systems in taco bell - you remember now, don't you? let's see... accounting offices... dentist office(kinda cool) wal mart!!!! cheap ass peecee users... Once again - Star Wars clips and edits flying out of macs every moment until completion. Dude, the sad fact is that macs are everywhere that YOU would not be needed or welcome. Thank You.
Your name here @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
After making the mistake of reading this article and all the posts. I can't find information about playforsure anywhere. All I want is an mp3 player that plays my mp3's. Which I found sadly the ipod shuffle doesn't do because you have to install craptastic itunes. Having bought a shuffle for my friend, we tried to set it up on my pc and copy some mp3's to it. For some reason Apple has taken what should be an effortless task, and complicated it to the point of utter frustration.
So if you want a player think twice before getting an ipod thats crippled by crapware.
I don't care if it works with playforsure wma and will never waste my money on itune drm'ed music either just want to listen to my music.
Cyberwhore @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
This is why I have a Mac at home.
I can turn it on, connect to the net, click on or download whatever I like and not have to worry about spyware/adware/viruses/whatever else.
Plug in an iPod/printer/scanner/external HD/camera/whatever and it just works, no stuffing around.
I use my Mac at home for leisure. I dont want to muck around with spyware blockers/installing drivers to run printers and all that crap.
Time is precious.
My PC at work gets the job done but is very frustrating to me. Unfortunately I have no choice as to what I can use at work but if I did it wouldn't be a PC.
Cyberwhore @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
#48 try this ...
http://portableaudio.engadget.com/entry/1234000787041155/
mehool @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
To Cyberwhore (#50) i think that's one of the few constructive posts on this sad battlefield of mac vs pc posts. Good work.
just giving praise where it's due. :)
Marian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
#48: I know that you are used to crapware software since you are using a PC (examples of crapware are unimited: AOL, Media Player, Real Player, etc). And my impression about iTunes in the beginning was that it is also a crapware like all other media library managers and I searched for alternative ways. And I found alternative ways. But after I played a little bit with iTunes (I am not talking at all about iTMS, I am talking about puting your good old mp3s on the iPod), I realised that it is a damn good program.
aditya Mopur @ Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM
i maybe being a little drastic, but i think we need to get over this Mac v. PC thing. there is a history there no doubt, but both systems so obviously cater to different markets at this point that it doesnt make a difference.
on the main topic, i have to agree that plays for sure doesnt always play for sure. it only does so as long as your 'subscription' aka tether is valid. when i pay for my music, i expect to be able to listen to it whenever i want. if i want to try new music, i'll tune to the nearest indie rock station or turn up the volume on my sirius or xm receiver.
this tethered downloading deal appears to have been modelled by a Ph.D from the Tony Soprano school of Protection Rackets from the university of RIAA. if they want to protect their CD and album sales without willing to adapt to new technology or trusting in their own consumers, they shouldn't have become huge giant monopolies in the first place.