Bill Gates on Mac ads: "I don't even get it"
By Paul Miller 
posted February 2nd 2007 5:35PM
posted February 2nd 2007 5:35PM
So, we didn't get our wish of a Gates vs. Hodgman showdown on the Daily Show this week -- too bad -- but that doesn't mean Bill has been totally mum on the topic. "I don't think the over 90 percent of the [population] who use Windows PCs think of themselves as dullards, or the kind of klutzes that somebody is trying to say they are," said Gates. "And I don't know why [Apple is] acting like it's superior. I don't even get it. What are they trying to say?" He continued, "Does honesty matter in these things, or if you're really cool, that means you get to be a lying person whenever you feel like it? There's not even the slightest shred of truth to it." Perhaps it's good there wasn't any Gates / Hodgman interaction after all, things could've gotten a bit testy. Gates was also asked straight up if Microsoft would have a new OS in 2010-2011, to which he responded, "Absolutely." Which seems to put to rest some of those will-they-won't-they rumorings. He also had plenty more to say about the future of Windows, calling it "more user-centric" in a portability of data sort of sense (read: Windows Live). Bill also promised even more handwriting recognition and speech improvements, claiming "Students won't need textbooks, they can just use these tablet devices." Gee, we've never heard that line before.
I switched over from being a dedicated PC user to the Mac over. a year ago. I had the same pre-conceived notions about what a Mac was that sound resoundingly similar to most of the people bashing the Mac ads these days. Then I started using one and my eyes were forever opened (though I am still forced to use a PC at work).
In my opinion, Microsoft has no real connection to their user base. I get thoroughly insulted everytime I use a PC and receive multiple pop-up messages reminding me to update system files or telling me that my anti-virus software isn't installed or I have no firewall protection. I would appreciate these reminders if Windows made it easy to remedy the situation warranting the alert, but let's face it...MS doesn't even market an anti-virus suite. And why must I use IE to update my XP system? It's forcing me to use a browser I despise. And Windows Updates? Take a look at your Add/Remove programs list and tell me exactly what each KB987544342 Hotfix is actually doing for you.
MS is insulting their users as soon as you log into their OS. It's too bad most PC users (most, not all) get upset when they see a satirical representation of the computer industry's culture presented from the humorous point of view of their competitor. There have been MS executives quoted as saying "I would own a Mac if I didn't work for Microsoft". You will never hear an Apple employee say that, because Apple is dynamic to understand their users should be in control and allow them to utilize OS X/Win/Linux/OS2 Warp if they so desire.
Some other things that make owning a Mac much less insulting than a PC:
1) Applescript - Does MS provide the user with the potential to customize their own OS experience?
2) Shareware/Freeware - Mac developers produce some of the most pleasing to use application I have ever seen. One of the largest reasons I made the switch.
3) Web Development - With a Mac, I can test my web sites in three different OSes and multiple browsers from the same machine with more the sufficient speed.
4) Choice - OS X is simple up front (application install anyone?), but there are a lot of user options buried in the background for those of us that want a more controllable experience. Apple does not ship their OS with services inherently disabled because they pose the biggest security risk to the OS and User. (Windows Messenger).
Overall, with a PC you are at the mercy of a company marketing a OS to so many people they don't stand a chance in being able to connect to them in a way that makes the experience seem thought out. Unless you build the PC yourself, you are at the mercy of the vendor's idea of what you need to use your PC. In the last 3 weeks I have helped no less than 5 of my co-workers clean out their new laptops/desktops from the typical installation nightmare of software trial offers, media key resource hogs, and "auto" update communication software. All of these fixes help make their Windows experience much less insulting than a simple 30 minute advert.
Yeah, me too. Even Norton is available for Mac.
Not only that, but he seemed quite willing to take me to school on the subject of defragementing OS X drives, but when I posted a URL for an Apple technical bulletin that showed him to be clueless, he mysteriously ran out of things to say.
I really hate it when somebody claims to be an expert and can't deliver.
@ etane "Apple came out with new hardware before they had the software to run on"
If Apple did not make Intel-based Macs (ie, Intel-based Macs were non-existent), would *any* software developer write software that would run on Intel-based Macs?
Rosetta was meant for people who wanted to bring over their programs which they used when they were on non-intel macs
I think it is funny that Apple thinks that by mocking the PC that they are getting somewhere. The reason Apple is where they are is they never realize that people care about practical application. Apple computers have a lot of stuff that really is just a waste. Why would a company that sells to less then 10% of the population want to try and tell the other 90% they are wrong. I have used macs and I really don't like them because they are slow, they freeze up more often than pc's and it is hard to tell if they are frozen or just normal because they are so slow. Apple can try whatever they want but for me they are just pushing me further away from the products they sell. I have an iPod and actually although I like how it works, it is just like other Apple computers it freezes up a lot and costs more than it really should. If Apple is so good how come they have to be able to run Windows to sell while PC's just run Windows and still out sell Apple. I believe Apple computers also run Office. You would think with a company that thinks they have everything figured out they would come up with alternative that sells. Long live the user friendly and trusty PC thanks Bill Gates.
Apple's Mac ads and the keynotes are total jabs towards Microsoft.
I mean, I admit that Microsoft has problems. My Windows computer has crashed. But it doesn't make Macs perfect.
Steve Jobs and Apple should remember that it was Microsoft that kept their company alive back in 1998 with Microsoft Office for Mac and a $150 billion investment. Nowadays they don't even mention how Microsoft saved them from oblivion.
Oh yeah, and Microsoft can almost buy Apple: they have over $40 billion cash in hand. Take out some money from other places, and they could just acquire Apple.
EDIT: $150 million, not $150 billion as I posted above, sorry for the error.
You guys are completely immature about this whole thing. Apple sucks, and always will, but it really does look a lot prettier. Microsoft runs everything the way I want it to. I don't need video editing crap. I don't need pretty little windows and junk like that from the Mac. I need to be able to customize my stuff for ME. Plus, with a mac, its really hard to screw it up by getting into the files that keep it going. That said, it's EXTREMELY hard to fix something that got all f'ed up because of something random.
Microsoft Pwns Mac. W00T.
End of story.
These Ads are funny. Especially after reading these posts and seeing how humorless the PC fan-boys are with all wailing about being 'insulted'.
The irony is they're living up the the humorless character the ads are making fun of in the first place.
I use both a Toughbook with XP and a Powerbook with OSX. Both old machines work fine for what I need.
I'm doing some good decent money on the Bill Gates stock these days http://www.trendio.com/word.php?wordid=744&language=en
I have my HP dual core Intel w/Media Center XP in parallel to a Mac-Mini. They share through the same LG screen, wireless hard drive and wireless keyboard. I use the HP and the Mac each for what they are best for....guess that makes me a cool dork.
I just find the commercials dumb. They can both be good systems and the competition is healthy.
I have a Mac iBook and a PC desktop, and I like them both. Well, I don't like Windows XP, but that's not the computer's fault. I don't really feel like those ads make fun of me. Maybe it's because my computers are sitting on the desk cancelling each other out like pasta and antipasto, but I just think the ads are kind of funny. That fat guy looks like my PC!
OK, I'm going to have to say that I didn't switch because of the ads, but I did switch. I am an IT professional, and have reinstalled Windows (95, 98, 2000 & XP) more times then I care to say. But as long as there is Microsloth, I have a job. But at the end of the day, when I get sick of frozen pc's, I want to go home to a reliable machine. And maybe others will think the same way when they can relate to their day to day issues with these ads.
Apple had a humungous usability advantage in the 80's and early 90's. These commercials would have made excellent sense then. Not so much now.
I completely agree with BG. They make no sense at all. My sister has a very sexy iMac in her family room. I poked around the desktop and found little real difference. I was kind of expecting it to read my mind and click the icons for me, since Mac ad's imply this incredible user experience. I didn't feel it.
*insert old repeated argument here*
Whatever happened to live and let live? Can't everyone just use what they like?
I can't believe I read so many of these damn posts...
I'm surprised this lasted as long as it has. Why Mac even bothered with the ads shows how screwed up their company is. They are in 3rd place among O/S's (they were passed by Linux years ago). They should settle on their gadgets and cut their losses in the pc market. They lost any superiority in speed & graphics years ago.
Their "ease of use" is more hype than anything now, pc's are just as easy to learn for everyone on the face of the planet except the diehard mac users. Anyone who actually takes the time to do a cost comparison of all the "free" software and power of a mac would quickly see you could get a faster, sturdier pc with more memory, more hard drive space and more software and STILL save cash over the cost of an ave. mac.
These ads play on the feelings of the users. Even though they are talking about machines, they try to validate mac users' feelings while ticking off the rest of the world. Fact of the matter is, Bill Gates could destroy Apple by discontinuing Office support. What other vendor out there will help Apple keep viable - Adobe?!?
The PC vs Mac thing has gone on for decades, and won't end anywhere in the near future. It's just pathetic that Apple has become the sore loser with commercials that exploit baseless stereotypes, rather than actual facts.
Bill Gates has now sense of humor. Cancel or allow?
I'm a computer guy who runs Microsoft OS'es and I LOVE these commercials. Apple has always built machines with out of the box ease of use, fun, excellent for graphic designers, video editing, and cool looks as their drivers. These commercials are in line with those drivers and are great fun to boot.
I personally don't own a Mac, but having to constantly help all of my friends and family through the assortment of challenges that PC users face (many of which are so delightfully overplayed in these funny ads), there's a teeny bit of truth in every one of the PC digs. Just this week for example, I had to help fix a video cam problem on vista, a sound problem on vista, add memory to a laptop (it didn't ship with enough to run vista basic quick enough to even be usable), help with a messenger problem, a sound problem on XP. PC's are great.... they just aren't always simple to use.
All in all I have to say, WAY TO GO Apple.