Reader Comments

Yeah I sent Paul the CNET link where a Dell Head says they have high share in high end pcs and low share in low end pcs... ... and PC users whine that Macs are too expensive.. pffft.

Paul, you're a hack. I actually felt neurons in my brain *dying* trying to cope with the sheer levels of stupidity in this "article".

"And the only products at CES that were even remotely Apple related were a few white iPod add-ons that got buried in a sea of Microsoft-compatible products." So far I'm winning my bet that Paul will ignore the iPod car stereo integration announcements/products from Clarion, Pioneer and Audiovox at CES (to add to Alpine and BMW). Hey, Paul, how's that MS Compatible Dell DJ of yours working in the car? Any chance you'll get beyond FM modulators and cassette adaptors anytime soon?

PlaysForSure? ha ha ha. More like PrayToBeSure

that's PayForSure, I think... you scout music, you download music, you arrange playlists and then -- unless you pay a ransom every month -- it's gone, like magic. PayFor Sure.

Who cares? Let's see - Anyone who thinks OS X is the most modern and attractive OS out there (they're right), thinks iLife can't be matched on Wintel (yep again), is tired of the malware plague (costs probably more than $500 in time and extra software over the life of the machine), loves iPod/iTunes/iTMS and has $500 to spare? Hmmm, there might be some people like this, Paul?

Found at P2P,net "3. WMA What puts the WMA format on the losers list is the fact that Overpeer was able to corrupt the Windows Media DRM and load adware onto music files. This means far more malicious software can be added too. WMA files are now an information security risk and if debilitating trojans appear, consumers will learn to avoid the format altogether. This will lead services like Napster and others selling WMA tunes to offer a second file format to hedge their bets to avoid losing sales. Could this become the opportunity for Ogg Vorbis and FLAC to gain mainstream acceptance?" Security issues haunt Microsoft again.

Sweet lord that was a bad "article." Apple a "player"? Apple has only been mopping up the competition for the past few years now...

Obviously Mr. Thurrott has some "issues" regarding Apple which is evidenced by the negative tone he takes in every article. Why bother?

Anyone who uses a Mac soon realizes it's much more than any single component that makes it a Mac. Our office is completely Mac and our clients are in awe at how efficient and cool our setup is. The way everything works together gives it a powerful synergy that you have to experience to appreciate. There will always be people who look at one or two components and then declare the platform outdated or worthless. They cannot see the vision and brilliance in engineering that is evident in Apple's products. Sadly, these same people go on to praise mediocrity and inferior products. And they do it with embarrassing enthusiasm. I'm always amazed at how many people are on this planet that lack vision and an appreciation for the finer things in life.

Not exactly an enlightening article this. I for one found it amusing that Bill Gates was preaching the gospel of the digital hub this CES. I have heard that speech before by a certain Jobs...

Paul, any respect I had for you as a journalist is now gone. I use both OS's, and I have to say that half way through your article I was thinking how much you must have been paid off to write such a column. Exactly what kind of cutting edge processor can you buy with a sub-$500 wintel machine? And please include XP Pro with that config, since OS X does not come in a stripped down version. Add to the fact that Windows IE security vulnerabilities along with all the other trojan/viruses attacking windoze (see http://secunia.com) are fueling a move to something safer, and you'll understand why apple is now on the minds of more and more would-be converts than ever before.

With the strong, impressive and flawless presentations (think: a failure and a crash) Microsoft gave, who needs Apple?! And whats "and what Apple can do anything" meant to mean?

At my job, we have both Windows and Mac (about 60/40). I myself work with Windows XP, which i really like! But i noticed that our techsupport has 3 full time windows support people and none for macintosh, even though there are also 4 macservers in a rack. Apparantly, the mac-users don't need that much support: the (streaming video, filesharing, website-) servers are even maintained by 2 mac using employees, one of them a video editor. Now, are those Macs playtoys that don't need support or are they really that well designed (hard/soft)?

Paul, you are so 90's. You remember how the internet took off in the mid 90's. It was fun to see it evolve and Microsoft managed to come out on top. Well, in 2001, Apple released Mac OS X an the iPod. We now have an iPod generation and many more Mac users to boot. This is the decade of the digital hub, brought to you by Apple Computer. The only thing Redmond has given us this decade is a malware infested computing experience. You should care because you won't have much to talk about until maybe 2007 when Latehorn arrives.

That's funny, we've got the same story overhere: 2 fulltime Windows support engineers and a bunch of happy campin' mac-touting users who sneer at our misfortunes. I would be laughing at their puny little machines, until i saw their G5 outperform my hotrodded dualprocessor pc on Photoshop tasks.

Oh Dear. Well, I spend every spare minute at home fixing all the rest of the family's XP crashes, bugs, and viruses, and then when a get a spare moment, I'm free to use my eMac G4, which is faster and easier to use than any of the P4's the others use and what's more, it hasn't crashed! If I could buy a headless mac I'd get one as soon as possible and use a 19"tft so as to get away from the CRT on the eMac. I can't afford an iMac yet, so it seems like a great solution to me! Paul, get over yourself, wake up and smell the coffee, which you'll have time to make once you stop using PCs. How many times did it crash while you typed that "article"? Honestly now...

I just finished reading another news article filled with raves about how the show, whilst lacking an Apple presence, was "filled with" Apple ripoffs, addons, and copy attempts... Sorry, did you say "the only products at CES that were even remotely Apple related were a few white iPod add-ons that got buried in a sea of Microsoft-compatible products"?? That's not what I've heard!

A terrible, biased piece of "journalism". Nothing really objective at all within the article. BTW, is "playsforsure" an oxymoron? Or an antinym for "Microsoft"? Perhaps it's irony or wishful thinking...

Ahem: "The news comes as Bill Gates had a blue-screen moment at the CES in Las Vegas last week, when his Windows Media Centre PC froze during a plug for the “digital lifestyle.” The Microsoft chairman was then warned on screen that his system was “out of memory,” before US TV host, Conan O’Brien, mused: “Who’s in charge of Microsoft, anyway?”" Microsoft = Blue Screen; Bill Gates = Red Face.

Few points: 1) "Digital Lifestyle" was copied by Apple, not MS. As Paul stated in Internet Nexus: "The inference is that Microsoft is touting its "digital lifestyle" concept a full four years after Apple's Steve Jobs did it first. But Internet Nexus readers know this is completely untrue and a common bit of Mac myth. In fact, the truth is this: Gates announced the strategy on January 6, 2001. Jobs announced his company's strategy on January 9, 2001. Microsoft did it first." 2) The bugs in CES: http://blog.seanalexander.com/PermaLink,guid,586bac82-e272-44f7-a439-a3d1e6176aef.aspx Nothing to do with MS software. 3) This may come as a shock to rdf-people (you know who you are...), but iPod (or iTunes) were not the first player (or service), iPod wasn't even designed by Apple! So this talk about Apples "innovations" on iPod and iTunes is as correct and full of facts as...Jobs' talk about "the first and worlds fastest 64-bit PC". You know, total crap. 4) Security. Apple has less than 2% of PC market, yet they have almost the same number of Security bugs (only slightly less according to several studies). I don't think this is much to cheer about, considering there are probably 2% hackers trying to break the os too. It's a bit like saying there are less Yugos stolen than BMWs...I don't think it means Yogo is the more secure therefore. Then again, facts have never interested rdf-people, so go on, enjoy your Mac Expo. I know I will, hearing Jobs & co's statements is more fun than Seinfeld, and they are both stand-up comedy, right?

So, you mean Bill Gates doesn't even use Microsoft software for his own presentations! Incredible...

This article is the worst piece of trash "journalism" I've read in a... well actually not a very long time. Paul seems to update quite regularly. I give this "article" two thumbs down. Don't quit your day job, Paul!

I used to visit your site regularly. Not so from today: Paul you are a prick. Pure and simple. There's no other explanation for someone so obsessed with everything PC-related. This article seals it for me. Goodbye.

Seems like a desperate desire to sink Apple on behalf of the evil empire, pure and simple. Very little credibility left for Paul Thurrot methinks. A simple affordable computer running OSX will be taken up by huge numbers of people. I know many already who'd use it to try out Apple. Lastly, just look back at Thurrot's predictions for the much too expensive iPod!

What's outdated about G4? It's a low power consumption, low heat chip, that at 1.2 Ghz does matrix inverse nearly as fast as my 2GHz P4. (using BLAS a library optimised for all the different CPUs you could possibly try to compile it on). G4 is cetrainly not the fastest CPU on the market, but it's more than sufficient for 99% of people 99% of the time. P.S. I wonder if you have any education that required any use of logic. I don't care if that's maths, physics, CS or law or whatever but please tell my what college have you studied at so that I can tell people to avoid it like a plague.

This article is funny just because of the responses. You Mac fans are like rabid dogs. Take it easy, you'll live longer. Who cares what this guy thinks? Sheesh!

Paul Thurrott Writes Another Biased Article? Who Cares?

You're such a moron.

lol @ mac users. relax he's just re-stating what we all know. the mac computer has never had a future outside it's fans. can't beat microsoft, can't beat intel even if it is better, just ain't good enough to beat them. Just accept the facts. Apple's products are great. their strategy to market them suck. The ipod would be way better if it played anything from any service. But apple doesn't belive you should have that choice. As long as they keep thinking that they should control the source and the device where it plays, and what you hear, they have no real future. Talk about a monopolistic company. it is 10X worse than microsoft. Paul is just stating that apple got it wrong (AGAIN) in beliving it can have a monopoly in music players to make up for the monopoly it never got in the pc. Sure the ipod kicks ass. Thanks to the fact apple is so good at hardware making. But it is unlikely to be anything more than a hardware device. Even if it dominates for the next 100 years. It's just a music player. what's the big fuzz?

I have put in many years of desktop support in a mixed platform academic environment. Trouble-shooting Windows is/was such a difficult and thankless task that the rule of thumb was if you had more than 4 hours into a machine you would salvage the user's data and reformat the machine-- and it was a far from uncommon occurrance. Support for 'doze is so much more time and labor intensive that we spent 70 percent of our time with the 15 percent of our users who insisted on keeping their PC's. How the heck can you argue with these numbers (unless you are on the take)?

maybe apple should call the mac, the ipod PC. then it may sell like 5 more per year.

Good article Paul. Apple people are like religous fanatics. They think everyone should be using a Mac. Use whatever you like. Computers are just a tool. Get over it.

I think it is so funny that people who have already converted to Macs feel the need to even read about Microsoft products on a Microsoft themed site. Why do they care what Microsoft does? They care because they know that eventually Microsoft will win. Personally, I can't wait for Microsoft to put Apple back in its place and for Windows Media compatible devices to have majority market share. That time is coming very soon since the iPod offers no better experience than a WMA device and is so much more expensive.

Feel the fury of Apple Nation!

"Sadly, these same people go on to praise mediocrity and inferior products. And they do it with embarrassing enthusiasm." I couldn't agree more. Apple fans are quite an embarrassment.

All my life I've driven great cars. The response by the masses has always been resentment. The mere act of appreciating a fine piece of engineering drives the less fortunate into fits of jealousy. The situation is similar in the Mac universe. "It's just a tool" and "Apple fans are ...... (insert putdown)" is synonymous with "My car gets me from point A to point B." Funny thing is, Apple products are an outstanding value. But jealousy and resentment run deep. Once people close down, it's hard to open them up again. Although the iPods seem to be making a dent and people are starting to realize the brilliance of Apple's designs.

Hmmm, seems like we have a MAC troll ...

What digital lifestyle does Apple offer that Microsoft doesn't - none. What digital lifestyle does Microsoft offer that Apple doesn't - Media Center PC and its related devices. The Media Center PC is brilliant. It was first launched in 2002 and 2 and a half years later Apple still can't match it. Apple is so lame. Now that these machines are taking off, it is only a matter of time before Apple is a dead duck again.

... who's had a busy morning ...

... flaming Paul. BTW, keep up the good work Paul!

Oh you MAC fan-boys are so lame... MCE 2005 rules anything the rotton Apple can do.

Jobs once again does what it takes to not grow his company. Why doesn he not expand and open up his "platform?" Because he knows as well as anybody with any common sense that as soon as he does he will have the same problems MS has. With compatibilty/expandability comes more security/bug headaches. The only thing Macs have going for them is the fact that they are "limited." Just like you never have to worry about getting hit by a car if you don't go outside. Mac lovers, enjoy your life inside your house.

When I read bashing about either side, it makes me wish that we had more operating systems and machines again. People, these things are tools...This is NOT a religion. Get the right tool for the right job...and if Mac is going to offer a cheaper version for the home of the G4's and people want an easier to use GUI than XP. Than that is the tool for them. How many of you use a power drill instead of drilling by hand?? Wow, a power drill user...what a lame user! can't even handle a little muscle power??!! No people - Right tool, Right job.

I was very impressed by "Spotlight" when it was showcased by Steve Jobs last year. However, Microsoft has released an equally brilliant search tool and has released it FIRST. Apple just can't hack it. It was said at the Mac Expo in Paris that the ability to play video content away from home is not required. It was also said that people don't have the content. Macs don't have the content because they can't record TV - pathetic. In addition, there is now talk of a future iPod that plays video - so they were basically talking crap and are far behind Microsoft when it comes to the digital lifestyle. Apple can talk all it likes, but Microsoft delivers on the digital lifestyle.

A G4 would be equal to in performance to a Cheapo Celron in one of Dells cheap PCs.

I just wish Paul had criticized Linux as well. As humorous as I find the typical glazed over Apple enthusiast when someone criticizes Apple, nothing beats the self-righteous howling of Linux/Open source foot soldiers. Use the right tool for the job you're doing....if it's a Mac, great. If it's XP, good for you....whatever it takes to get the job done. BTW: I think the iPod, for what it does, is way overpriced, but smartly marketed. It is establishing itself as the name non-techies know in music players. But it's an awfully expensive toy, if you ask me.

Mac Fans = Linux Fans = Neurotics Apple: Die already. Why postpone the inevitable and continue to cultivate these nutty Mac zealots?

OOOOOOOOOOOOH boy the MAC fan-boys or at it again....Keep hitting them were it hurt's Paul.

I've used PCs running both Linux and Windows dating back to the early days of both. Now I use a Mac. Would I ever go back to Windows? Never in a million years. Call me a zealot. Call me a fanboy. Tell me that Apple sucks. Do I really care? No, not at all. When some of you grow up, maybe you'll be smart enough to make your own decisions. In the end, it doesn't really matter. Use what works for YOU and understand if others choose something different. What works for one does not necessarily work for another. Deal with it. Oh, and if you don't like the iPod, then don't buy one. Go buy an iRiver or something and quit complaining. Life is too short.

Come on Paul, be honest. What ever happened to your spiffy Dell DJ? You took down the DJ pic from your Nexus site. Anonymous Piot

1) "Digital Lifestyle" was copied by Apple, not MS. As Paul stated in Internet Nexus: "The inference is that Microsoft is touting its "digital lifestyle" concept a full four years after Apple's Steve Jobs did it first. But Internet Nexus readers know this is completely untrue and a common bit of Mac myth. In fact, the truth is this: Gates announced the strategy on January 6, 2001. Jobs announced his company's strategy on January 9, 2001. Microsoft did it first." The 3 day difference is irrevelant. That was just a scheduling choice. The real difference is that Gates was talking about the future, and Jobs was demonstrating actual products like itunes and idvd. The ipod was being designed and was released later that year to. So Gates might have beaten Jobs by 3 days on the announcement, but Apple actually shipped real working & usable products first. “Gates said that Whistler will make it far easier to work with digital cameras, scanners, and video recorders. In addition to the news from the keynote, Microsoft is showing off a prototype connected home at the show, featuring a variety of home networking equipment and over 40 connected devices and services.” This quote from Paul right after CES 2001 sums it all up. Protoypes, not shipping products. That’s why Apple is credited with the “Digital Lifestyle” concept. In typical Microsoft fashion, they announce a direction or vision, but have lots of difficulty translating that to real products in a timely manner. Even Paul admits that the prior versions of Media Center were subpar. It took Microsoft a few years to begin to approach the digital llifestyle. While I can admit there are some very interesting features in the Windows Media Center edition, you can only get it with a new PC. For $49 you can get ilife and access to all the digital lifestyle applications you need. If the reports of a $499 mac are true, this could put the technology in the hands on a lot more users than Media Center.

"Jobs once again does what it takes to not grow his company. Why doesn he not expand and open up his "platform?" Because he knows as well as anybody with any common sense that as soon as he does he will have the same problems MS has." Please do your research before posting ignorant comments! "With compatibilty/expandability comes more security/bug headaches. The only thing Macs have going for them is the fact that they are "limited." " See above. "Just like you never have to worry about getting hit by a car if you don't go outside. Mac lovers, enjoy your life inside your house." You can bet your life that I do. Especially after working on a PC all day as a software developer.

The real question is why Paul -cares- so much. In fact, why do all the Windoze trolls care so much about Apple? Is it the incredible inferiority of WinXP compared to OSX? The pain of LongDelayHorn? The fact that Apple gets all this great press and they just can't stand it? Apple stock triples in a year while MS stock languishes? Fellows, since Apple is an irrelevant niche player, me thinks you doth protest a bit too much....

What're the differences between Steve Ballmer and Paul Thurrott? 1. Paul has more hair. 2. Steve admits upfront he's a shill for Microsoft. --R. Jung

Paul Thurrott? Who Cares? The headline should have given it away.

Apple isn't a niche player. Apple owns 100% of its own market, which is quite different than the PC market for the most part. People use PCs from various vendors because that's what they happen to use. People use Macs because they want to use Apple products. Plain and simple. The reason the iPod has taken off like a rocket is because it's inexpensive and Windows-compatible. A $500 mini Mac will fit one of those two categories, and therefore will likely sell extraordinarily well. Paul, you can't have it both ways. On the one hand you lament that Apple doesn't have a larger install base, and on the other hand you poo-poo any notion of Apple becoming more successful. In spite of your recent article criticizing Microsoft, it appears that you're still rooting for MS over any other company. Of course, this IS "WinInfo", but still.... Jared

P. S. Paul's assertion that the Digital Lifestyle was invented by MS before Apple is nonsense. Just because Gates said some vapid words about that concept and came out with a few half-baked Windows add-ons only a few days before Jobs came out with the first of the iLife components doesn't mean jack. Apple has ALWAYS been a multimedia-oriented company, LONG before MS, and the Digital Hub strategy was simply a refinement of what Apple was already doing. MS, in reality, was late to the game, and still is. Jared

I remember the times paul used to comment on other peoples comments. I can understand why he does'nt attempt this anymore due to the sheer volume of comments. I read half, have my laugh at the anger of the mac fans, then get borred of reading the same comments. There something quite different about Mac lovers. When an article critisizes Microsoft's products theres nevers this big rush of Windows fans writing hundreds of mad comments. What I dont understand is: 1. You mac fans who absolutely hate Paul Thurrot and his articles, and vow never to return this site again ... why exactly do you keep coming back? ... and saying you'll never come back again ... until you do !!. And the say you'll never come back again. But you do ...... Maybe because its such a good source of WINDOWS related information. 2. Precisly the above ... this is a WINDOWS information site, which means surely the author is going to be slightly biased towards Windows and Microsoft. Im sure the opposite biased comments occur on MAC information sites. If you dont like whats said, just dont come back, but it seems you just cant resist the site.

Microsoft is not late in the game. Apple does not have a Media Center PC. Apple has had 2 years to produce one and hasn't. That would seem to imply that Apple is late in the game since the ability to record television is an essential part of the "digital lifestyle".

As soon as Sony does a deal with Microsoft and produces WMA compliant devices, Apple will lose its market share.

Mac users go on this site for one reason: - they're bored at work and want to see the latest drivel Paul has written

If Sony did a deal with MS, Sony wouldjust become another one of the vast number of WMA devices that don't seem to be reaching any kind of critical mass against the iPod/iTunes/iTMS. Further, I doubt Sony's Connect store would sell any additional songs because it sucks so bad. In fact, it would probably quickly die as Sony users switched to Napster, Musicmatch, etc.

I agree I come here to see Paul's drivel. As I've said here before, it's fun to watch delusion in action. Paul and the rest of the MCSE geeks are hopelessly out of touch with ordinary users. That's why they so massively mis-predicted what would happen with iPod/iTunes/iTMS.

You can't play CoH on a Mac... Enough said.

"I used to visit your site regularly. Not so from today: Paul you are a prick. Pure and simple. There's no other explanation for someone so obsessed with everything PC-related. This article seals it for me. Goodbye. " --- I am sure we'll miss you... goodbye.

why bother listening to mac fans. macs will never be popular. period. so really who cares if they are cheaper!

"Please do your research before posting ignorant comments!" What research is that? I don't hate Macs, what I hate is the mentality that Jobs is the Pope and Bill is satan. I'm sorry, but Apple is not competing with MS at ALL. "Oh but its easier to program on!" Of course, its got nowhere near the flexibility and market workload that Windows has to work with. Is it easier to use because its better? No, its because Steve-o took the simple/safe route and IMHO its simplicity is directly linked to its "failure" in the arena. Guess what, rocks are simple too. Its like saying S3 is competing with Nvidia and ATI or Bob's grocery store is competing with Frys or whatever. Come back with your zealotry when Apple actually gains some decent marketshare. FYI, that won't happen until ITS AS GOOD AS WINDOWS.

Good as windows? ha ha ha. Oh boy. ha ha ha. Windows is CRAP, produced by a company that makes so much money it has no incentive to care about its product or users. You guys will buy windows no matter how sucky it is or how slow MS is in improving it, so why should MS do anything except laugh at you all the way to the bank.

Paul shows what a classy guy he is by quoting -himself- on this article over on one of his other sites.....the one called "All the Bad Apple News I Can Fit on a Web Page".

You're right, Macs must be better because everyone prefers them to Windows. Oh wait, thats completely backwards. See, its like a magic formula. People buy what they want/like. People want Windows far far more then Macs. Even grandma and Bob the computer idiot, which throws the whole "its easier" argument out. When you zoom out and look at all the facts overall, Windows 1, Macs 0. So sorry to crush your self-esteem. The majority of people don't like your stuff. Enjoy what you got, but don't forget to take your reality pill.

WOW. Is this the best we can do? We have almost two hundred thousand people dead in southeast Asia, we have wars and poverty going on all over the world, and here we are, the dominant species of the planet pissing and moaning over which platform is better. I pray the day when we finally realize we have more important things to be wasting our time on.

Dude, it's your self-esteem that's on the ropes. I mean why else would you root against apple. Apple making a better product will force MS to improve (although very slowly). Everyone should cheer someone making a better product, like the mac. The only reason not to cheer for apple is if you have a self-esteem problem, where you can't admit what you're using is inferior in any way.

"Oh Dear. Well, I spend every spare minute at home fixing all the rest of the family's XP crashes, bugs, and viruses, and then when a get a spare moment, I'm free to use my eMac G4, which is faster and easier to use than any of the P4's the others use and what's more, it hasn't crashed! If I could buy a headless mac I'd get one as soon as possible and use a 19"tft so as to get away from the CRT on the eMac. I can't afford an iMac yet, so it seems like a great solution to me! Paul, get over yourself, wake up and smell the coffee, which you'll have time to make once you stop using PCs. How many times did it crash while you typed that "article"? Honestly now... " You are just flat out an idiot. I use a Mac and I prefer it but I also use XP on a daily basis and couldn't tell you the last time a peice of software much less the OS itself crashed. Sure its got its security problems among other things but if you aren't stupid about your computing and take proper precautions you dont have issues. If you spend all your time repairing viruses maybe you should sign your family up for intro to computing at your local community college.

Everyone needs to shut up. Paul: if you'd be a little less of an idiot with your choice of words, people would probably be a little less pissed and a little more receptive. And why are you reporting on a headless iMac if this is "Windows IT Pro"? If you know this will piss people off, why bother? Stupid idiot. Go back to college and take that journalism course you always wanted to finish and report on something worth reading.

What did I say about "out of touch"? If you think people want to go attend community college to learn how to maintain their computer, you're an idiot big time. People don't want to, and shouldn't have to, do this.

nice to see the rabid apple defence league commenting here on this windows site. in a phrase: apple == scientology.

Hey Paul... Did you ever think someone else might care. Stop being so damn bias -- Microsoft has you whooped -- wouldn't mention the BSODs at the Microsoft event. Wait, you're a journalist, and you present a neutral and not single-sided story right?

Mac users come on here because it's nostalgic and adorable hearing all the stuff that WIndows is getting that the Mac OS got 6 years ago. Furthermore... I totally agree that a Mac article shouldn't even be in here.. if you want to be a purist about it. This is what Internet Nexus is for.. so Paul can show you all the stuff he bought for when MS Blaster 8 is wreaking havoc on his Dell.

why bother listening to mac fans. macs will never be popular. period. so really who cares if they are cheaper --- Uhm.. because sticker price is the only thing the Windows platform has going for it? Man you're an idiot. An Open Architecture means standard parts and many hardware makers. All this leads to cost cutting due to scale. Part of the reason Macs may be intially expensive, is because they only make about 8 million Macs in a year... Quite simply.. if Macs were on par on the Sticker price, while still trouncing windows in TCO, we'd see very different market share numbers... God forbid a WIndows drone thought of the value of included software.. you know.. software makers get paid too, right?

in a phrase: Paul ==idiot wintard

Mac fans care only about one thing: style PC users are more concerned with: substance And never the twain shall meet. Virtually every important computer-based application or function in major corporations are powered by PCs (whether running MS software or not is another matter...). PCs are modular, configurable and the basic building blocks any good IT techie needs. Macs are specifically designed for general consumer applications and hence loved to death by the average consumer, and hated by IT professionals. And with just cause. You may well have an office full of Macs, but God help us all if these baby boxes took over the back-end functionality...

When wintards talk about how macs have "style," they're usually just trying to make themselves feel better about how lame their OS is. Oh well, what ever makes you feel better.

When mac users talk about "wintards" they are usually extremely jealous of the myriad of software and functionality available to PC users.

Why would we be jealous? Usually mac users have more money that wintards so we can easily afford a PC in addition to a mac. I've got one PC, and three macs. Thing is, there's very little of anything I want to do on the PC. Windows is so lame compared to OS X.

How many recent games are available for Macs? Almost all the popular downloadable software (freeware and otherwise) on the Internet is available for...you guessed it, Windows! Mac users definitely have more dollars than sense, that's for sure. That's the only thing keeping Apple afloat - the fact that its users are richer than they are bright or tech savvy.

Ah! Well, the tide is finally turning!! Mac's used to just be "toys" while Windows where "Business machines". Now it appears that Windows machines are simply TOYS that you play GAMES on, while real productivity gets done on a Mac.

Mac users definitely have more dollars than sense, that's for sure. That's the only thing keeping Apple afloat - the fact that its users are richer than they are bright or tech savvy. Or they are richer b/c they use the right tool for the job instead of playing games. Go spend your buck to ride on BART and enjoy playing with yourself.

Funny how mac users flip-flop. Firstly, mac users will tell you how pretty OS X is and how great macs are for "creative" applications. Then if you point out that not only can you do the same things on Windows XP (including prettying it up), and in fact take that further by playing a huge range of amazing games, suddenly the mac-fanboys say the mac is a "serious business machine". Well no offense, but the mac is about as serious as Joe Rogan's comedy act. And has just as many business applications :)

"Now it appears that Windows machines are simply TOYS that you play GAMES on, while real productivity gets done on a Mac." Ahuh. Face it. The closest a Mac is ever going to get to a business environment, is by being used as a prop on a TV show featuring stories set in an Office... Like "Just Shoot Me" etc ...And that's only because the flamboyant gay set designer likes the pretty cases. Oh dear, I think I just set the Applebots to kill mode... *ducks* ;c)

Hey Windows machines do make better cash registers and terminals for worker drones (as long as you have one MCSE per PC to fix all the problems)

You guys can't face the facts. I am an IT director at a public school district. We have both Windows XP SP2 and Mac OSX 10.3.6. I have been here 1 year and have spent more time fixing Mac servers and individual Mac's then PC's. We are now switching over to Microsoft and Linux and phasing out the Mac's because the amount of time to fix Mac's is too much. Besides the fact that OSX has more holes that Apple fixes than windows does. Don't forget that Apple knows nothing about Apache and that there are more security holes in apache than IIS. Hmmm makes you want to switch to a PC.

An IT director that's anti-apple? Wow that's a surprise. By the way, lots of people have found exactly the opposite of what you claim - they spend more time supporting the PCs than the macs. OS X has "more holes"? - excuse me but which OS is plagued by malware and which is not?

Because no one wants to take down a machine that only has 2% of marketshare. Once apple increases marketshare, look for malware, viruses, etc. Example Firefox (open-source) hackers have found ways to compromise systems. This is only a start. Also, if you know anything about managing XP machines, using antivirus, locking down your firewall, locking down your mail servers and what your users can do prevents the "plagued" system. How many Mac owners know enough about terminal that they can configure, yet alone fix issues within unix? No they only know how to use the GUI, which is limited as far as system configuration goes.

Well even if that's true, do you think hackers will be attracted to the mac at 6 percent share, 10 percent share or what? Paul and most of the MCSE types here are convinced apple will never get that kind of share. So in effect they're saying - in combination with your logic - that there will not be a virus problem for the mac.

"By the way, lots of people have found exactly the opposite of what you claim - they spend more time supporting the PCs than the macs." Absolutely. Because they don't have any Macs to support at all. Nobody buys them... :cD

"Hey Windows machines do make better cash registers and terminals for worker drones (as long as you have one MCSE per PC to fix all the problems)" Nice to see Apple users are not only hostile to Windows users, but workers in general with the "drones" comment. No wonder everyone hates you. LOL

It's true there's no macs to support in the typical MSCE-controlled IT environment. After all, you guys have to pay the mortgage, tuition, etc. Really, I don't blame you for opposing a system that has fewer problems.

"It's true there's no macs to support in the typical MSCE-controlled IT environment. After all, you guys have to pay the mortgage, tuition, etc. Really, I don't blame you for opposing a system that has fewer problems." Fewer problems? What about that teeny tiny little one.. you know the one you forgot. No marketshare and no users?

Hey, according to you guys, it's not a problem because it means that while windows is plagued with malware, the mac is not.

On top of that, Windows is such a lumbering giant. Bigger = slower. If you love tech, I don't know how you can put up with MS. They're so goddamn slow and delay prone and somethings never change (IE) or barely change (Office).

I feel that it is important to realize that when there are more derogatory comments than line breaks in a document, the person having wrote the original document is obviously being bullied. Now although I am a supporter of Windows, I also use many a machine running Linux as well as Mac. I feel that they all have their differences and high points. Macintosh is usually high-end (altough it is expensive). Linux is more stable (but it is looked over by millions os developers and has nightly updates released). Windows is encapsulated in a secure framework that is easier to use for an average user (go ahead, try deleting explorer.exe...), although it is unstable because there are hundereds of companies rushing to release drivers, leaving them buggy and unstable. Based on my experiences: I have never seen a total meltdown on Macintosh. I have never seen a total meltdown on Windows XP. I have seen a near total meltdown on Linux. Macitosh, however, is lemited in its features and arrays of products. Have you ever seen a portable media center for Linux? Or how about one for Mac? How about a Mac PocketPC device? There is no contest. And don't even go into spyware issues. Microsoft did not make the spyware. IF you don't like spyware, then don't use the internet and intoxicate your machine with it. I have installed proper software and I haven't had a single spyware problem since then. I don't even care anymore about using Firefox or not. It's like a battle between AOL and Earthlink. You can't win. And plus, this article isn't even dealing with spyware. What Paul is trying to convey is that Apple backed itself out of a large market by not attending the CES. There may have been potential buyers there who were interested in iPod features or statistics. Instead, Apple is trying to isolate itself in a bubble with a select number of supporters. I have a theory that no software will ever be truly dead. Someone somewhere will always use it. Like gnutella. Gnutella has long been outdated and obsolete, yet people continue to use at is a hobby, or for other reasons (ex. service is better in one area than another). But the point is, that Apple is dying softly and unless they quit re-making technologies (A 500 dollar pc? Like this is the first time that's been though of...) and get a more professional attitude on. They are completely ignoring the power of innovation that could help promote sales and theoretically jumpstart the Roman Empire again. I personally know that Apple produces fine products. They have excellent high-end servers and computers (try getting a computer like the ones they offer running windows for a reasonable price!), and that when they do release a system that is new and improved and isn't just an improvement on an existing product, it is usually spectacular. And for some companies, Macintosh may be a better choice, but for others (such as the ones that crunch numbers, rather than edit video), Windows may be a better choice. Home users have no need for the power and price tag of a Mac, and don't want to deal with the complexity of Linux. TV stations that constantly develop animations and clips of video have no need for the features of Windows, yet need the horsepower of Mac. Some web hosting companies want more control over their servers, so they use Linux (it makes no sense to develop an entire hosting program on Microsoft technology when Linux environments offer easier shell customization). If everyone that had spyware switched to Macintosh, all the spyware developers would quit making Windows spyware and make Macintosh spyware. If Macintosh made reasonable computing platforms that cost as much or less than Windows pcs; included software bundles, support for games, and other media; and were not made using technology from before 2000, people would start using that. So nobody here has the right to say that one piece of software or operating system is better/worse than another. And nobody has the right to bash Paul Thurrott because he sides with the company that serves the most number of users and points out weaknesses in the plans of Apple. And nobody has the right to go completely off topic and discuss spyware. PlaysForSure is an excellent technology that guarantees that a device will work with a Windows machine. I haven't seen Macintosh do *anything* as innovative as that recently. So all of you (even the Windows Patriots) should take a step back and think about the disregard and ignorance that you have for the rest of the technological community as well as your fellow peers. Shame on you people who bash at one another for your opinion on what ooperating system to use. For god's sake there are millions of people in Asia that have better things to worry about right now (like how they are going to rebuild their lives) and there are American and British troops over in Iraq that are dying for our contries to make the world a better place and yet we feud amongst ourselves in sucy fiery debate over what operating system to use? You should sit back and think of what you have been fighting over. It is amazing how a man (or woman, for that matter) can argue over a bunch of zeros and ones. And then, argue over which is better. You make me sick.

Style VS. Substance? Never the twain shall meet? Pffft. It's called an Xserve... Using Dell boxes for dicking around in Solitaire, checking email and typing the odd sentence in Word.. yeesh... that's the business market? That's the market that Apple is busting its ass to 'penetrate'.. pfft

Paul.. I think you pissed alot of readers off. Microsoft should be paying you more.

Sorry. Windoze is the pits. On my desk I have a G5 running OS X 10.3.7 A windows XP SP2 machine And a Linspire 4.5 Linux machine. I also have an MCSE cert hanging on the wall. The Mac is FAR better. So is the Linspire. Most of the Windows guys who rant have never even used a Mac. It's like an earlier poster stated, I think they are jealous of the Mac because they don't have one. I have many hours of actual use on the Mac, XP, and on the Linspire. My personal preference, Mac is tops. The Linspire is the equal of XP and in some respects better, although it is lacking in a few areas such as DVD burning. Xp is the least used of the machines and every time I turn it on it screams about all the latest security patches and anti-virus definitions that I need to download. And just this week the gaping security hole in IE even if you have the much vaunted SP2. There's a reason people are addicted to the Mac and it's not because they have musrooms in the box. They just plain work. Enjoy your Windows Longhorn.

Oh man.. a 500 Mac... just plug in all your old PC stuff and use it, i think.. comes with panther and ilife.. Apple owns 70% of the entire mp3player market, not just the hd..

hehe 'wannabes'.. that would be the playsforsure guys lmfao

Oh. My. God.

Did you guys see the size of that $500 mac? It's like a CD-ROM drive.

In reply to "Few points:" 1) "Digital Lifestyle" was copied... Sure, MS announced their vision days before Apple. However, Apple delivered in 2002, prior to MS, with the introduction and complete integration of iPhoto/iTunes/iMovie/iDVD/iCal/iSync/iDisk/dotMac. MS might technically be the first to announce, but Apple was certainly the first to deliver. 2) Bugs at CES: Nothing to do with MS software. Your link does not explain the "out of memory" blue screen, which is clearly a system crash. Apps might crash due to lack of memory, but not the kernel. Please explain how this possibly can not be a bug in MS software. I think you're being apologetic. 3) Apples "innovations" on iPod and iTunes is...total crap. You are the only person I've heard make this claim. iTunes is the best music jukebox software on Windows or the Mac. The iPod is the best digital music player on the market. The absolute seamless integration between the iTunes Music Store, iTunes, and the iPod is not an accident, and was not designed by someone else. This is a taste of typical Apple goodness that is sweeping the windows world. Proof? iPod sales figures. 4) Security Again, you're being apologetic. Your assumption that mac security is based on market share is one that has been made by many pundits. Many apologize after being educated about the technical differences between the two operating systems. Here are a couple... http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/18/technology/circuits/18POGUE-EMAIL.html?ex=1071637200&en=dbad64b5acc1880c&ei=5070 http://www.sunspot.net/technology/custom/pluggedin/bal-mac082803,0,1353478.column

I recently noticed an Apple Computers store that opened in my city. Beautiful store, aesthetically pleasing even looking at it from the outside street curb. Large white walls, with glass shelves, holding one stunning MAC per every 16 sq ft of wall space. I then strolled down the street and noticed something very simular. The Coach Handbag store! Almost exactly the same layout. I then thought to myself. Aesthetically pleasing, extremely overpriced, these handbags must be the best!!! MAC users can so easily be stereotyped! I'll take my ugly PC anyday. You look so cool with your iPod.

I have realtives and friends who use Macs (old ones, and new ones). I have used them a lot, and while I love all the nifty visual effects, I truly and utterly H**e everything else software related. I just can not work with the interface - it is as counter-me it could be. Still, I crave everything the people in Cupertino design, because of the thought they put into their products, hardware-wise. I truly think that the foremost reason for people switching to the Mac today is the design, the status and the possibility to rise up everyday, gloat in the fact that all their computer-oriented equipment matches, and feel good about themselves ("I have taken the first serious step in my life towards a world without the hegemony of Microsoft" "And, by the way, I have a successfull, happy life..."). We need to stop defining ourselves, and basing our lives, on stuff we "own" and "use". We need to stop and think about if it is the other way round - if our stuff "owns us" and "uses us" instead. Switching to Apple is as much of a lifestyle choice as wanting a trouble free computer life. Sure, I would like to not having care about updating everything (uhmm, hold on, my PC does it for me... Got ya!) now and then - but I just do not think it is worth it, risking being defined and owned by the tings I "own". I bought (and built) a super quiet, super fast and super nice PC three years ago. Me and my wife use it for browsing the Internet (w/Firefox), checking our e-mail (w/Thunderbird) and creating whatever documents we need to create (w/Office 2003 and Acrobat), as well as listening to music, watching movies (it is set up as a home theater system) and transfering files to and from digital cameras and digital media players. If we would have bought a corresponding system from Apple when we bought our computer, we would have had to pay out more than double what we paid - it just is not worth it. It is just good looking pieces of shiny plastic and metal, and I have had (barely) no trouble updating and backuping my PC - as I said, it does it for me. Thanks for making my day-to-day PC usage easier, Paul. Crank down on your criticism of Apple, though. And do not let Gates own you. From a reader in Sweden. Think Different. Think Jesus.

Paul, Just look at the stock charts for Microsoft and Apple and see who's beating who.... I'd pay $500 just to have iMovie, iDVD, etc.... Have used MSFT and Wintel for 20 years and my next machine is an Apple!

"MAC users can so easily be stereotyped!" But like many stereotypes, yours fails to hold water when it comes to price. Mac's have cost the same as PC's for years now. Get with it! "I'll take my ugly PC anyday." And stop apologizing for your platform of choice!

Paul, I believe your statement that Apple conceeded the PC market years ago is overstated. The corporate PC market, largely - the comsumer PC market not at all.

Please don't make apple popular. PLEASE I BEG YOU. Thanks, you're doing a great "Job". All I know is my windows friends sure spend a lot of time screwing around to get their machines to work. For what I need to do, the mac is just fine, fun and nice to look at. And it really pisses off some people--bonus points! I don't want any more apple users, I don't care. But it sure is nice not catching viruses and worms.

Duh! "Windows IT" spells "hire an army of guys to babysit your crashing machines." Aren't you tired of living in a Dilbert cartoon? When is corporate america going to wake up and minimize its IT labor costs with SOLID mac tech? Oh, that's right, better to outsource ALL of the IT to Bangalore instead. Stupid me.

Once again let it be said, Macs are not competitive with Windows PCs or PCs with any other OS on them. Its a whole different market. Macs are perfect for those that cant handle having options. They require flashy things and like being led around like sheep. The reason there are nowhere near as many Macs as PCs (and Windows) is because most people are smart (not fanatics) and realize flexibility and price are important. Especially when you can still accomplish all the same things, and in many cases more. Why buy a car that can only be fixed in 10 auto shops as opposed to one that takes parts from anywhere? Proprietary = death wish and always second place when your competition is an open market Linux would destroy MS if it weren't so fragmented because its NOT Windows and can install on any PC. Apple will never be truly competitive until they can install their OSs on PC hardware. But then they would have to deal with third party drivers/hardware/software which is the true reason Windows can be a pain. Its not MS that makes Windows bad, its the nature of the beast/industry. The only plus Macs have going for them is they look pretty (which any geek will tell you isnt the most important :p ) and they are closed systems and therefore "safe." Stagnant would be a better term though...

Duh! "Windows IT" spells "hire an army of guys to babysit your crashing machines." No, it spells flexibility, opportunity, ability. Sure a bit of bad comes with the good. Just like marriage. Its harder, but far more worth it and single life can't even compare. I compare Macs to gaming on consoles. Sure they crash less, are less of a headache (possibly). However you can do nowhere near what you can do with a PC. All you Mac lovers, put the fanaticism away and realize that PCs can do more for the price. Suck it up and join us in the adult world, where things are harder but better.

OMG a $499 Apple? Welcome to today, thats hardly innovation. Its gonna perform like crap just like any other machine for $499. 256MB? How about some real innovation by offering 512MB to start? My bet is first timers pick one up, it performs like poop, and they go back to their PC thats faster.

Uhm.. you've got to be kidding.. the Apple Store was totally slammed with orders when that thing came out.. a 499 PC has no software and an OS from Hell (circa 1997). Don't try to compare them. It's entry level.. yes.. but no viruses buddy.. None.

All I know is that I run iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and Garageband fine on my 867 megahertz powerbook G4, with a slower hard drive and slower video card. And apple keeps making OS X faster with every iteration. OS X also has fantastic multitasking. It does respond very well to memory though, but pop some cheap 3d party RAM in that $499 mac and it will run just great.

The moral of the story is don't try to argue rationally with mac users. They will spit out their fagaccinos and glare at you with disgust. Just back away slowly and let them live in their fantasy land where macs are the ultimate computers because they're pretty and they cost lots of money. Meanwhile back on planet Earth: People continue to use the PC not because MS has brainwashed everyone, but because we can have one made with whichever components which suit our tastes/budget, and damn well do everything with it.

Yea, do everything poorly compared to the mac. Comparing iLife to the windows equivalents is a joke (for windows users). Now gaming and working in the business environment is better on PCs

Paul said "I don't expect an inexpensive iMac out of Macworld. Instead, the company will likely release a device (or devices) that build off the success of the iPod, and are only passingly Mac related." Paul gets it wrong again. Like when he got it wrong in predicting Buy.com would bury iTunes Music Store and in predicting the failure of the iPod mini. It will be fun to see Paul's delusional hit pieces on Macworld over at www.internet-nexus.com. So far, he seems to be struggling with what his negative angle will be (no sign of any report from Paul on Macworld yet).

Paul is predictable. My guess is that he will say Apple has missed the target by not releasing a Media Center Mac (never mind that this Mac mini could be the first step toward that). Of course, he'll claim the mini is underpowered and overpriced (yawn, who cares about useless computing power anymore). On the mini, he'll make fun of the no screen (getting it wrong again after apple sells millions of these things). He'll also make some cheap swipe about there will be shortages and apple will falsely claim it's selling well (of course it will be selling well, causing the shortages, just like happened with the iPod mini).

Microsoft and Paul sure as hell better care about the Mac Mini. People come into my repair shop everyday with PCs loaded down to the point of uselessness with spyware, browser hijackers, viruses and trojans. Many ask about Macs and alternatives to Windows because they are fed up with it all.

PlayForSure is like saying you need Microsoft conditioner with your Microsoft shampoo. What a narrow-minded, partisan argument you provided! People buy iPods because they are stylish, value-for-money, and EASY TO USE. Does PlayForSure guarantee that? No.

who cares indeed. who uses macs anyway? oh that's right 2%. again who uses macs anyways!

what's amazing is, the company who makes one of the best computer products, also makes the worse 'computer' product. The mac.

what's amazing is that people put up with MS basically not improving their product for years and years. Windows is so lame it's pathetic. Sure, the hardware is nice (spec wise). But the OS - yuck and behind the times.

Steve Jobs talks such a load of rubbish. Last year he was bitching about Flash MP3 players because of their poor storage and now Apple releases one. Pathetic. If everyone bought a PC that cost the same as an equivalent spec Mac, they would not have any problems. Cheap = crap. You can't compare a poorly configured off the shelf PC with an Apple Mac. However, problems with a cheap PC are not Microsoft's fault. I have HP and Sony computers and do not have problems with them. People who complain about Microsoft are not comparing like with like and obviously have no intelligence.

I think people have forgotten that when Windows XP was released in 2001, the Mac OS was considered out of date. When Longhorn is released in May 2006, Microsoft will take the lead again. The original iMac was released in 1999 and was a "huge" hit. 6 years later and we still have only 14 million Mac OS X users. I don't think Microsoft is going to be quaking in its boots because Apple releases a $500 computer that does nothing. Oh, it has iLife: All the extra money spent on an Apple and you can buy Office 2003 and photoshop on Windows. That iLife email program and address book just can't compete with Outlook. Even if all of the 6 million iPod users were to buy a Mac (assuming they didn't already own one) that would only be 20 million Mac users out of 700 million PC users. Not very many really is it??? Apples will continue to be niche products and could not be real competitition to PCs for decades - if ever.

And PCs will continue to plagued by malware, have nothing remotely comparable to the integrated iLife package and continue to be sold in the form of butt ugly towers that take up your whole desk.

"And PCs will continue to plagued by malware, have nothing remotely comparable to the integrated iLife package and continue to be sold in the form of butt ugly towers that take up your whole desk." Hmmmmm quick checklist: 1) No Malware on my PC. Tick. 2) Vastly more apps than Mac. Tick. 3) Very pretty Sony Vaio. Tick 4) Apple user still misinformed idiot. Tick

Because I hate typing I'm going to paste something I put in a few weeks ago that's appropo to where this discussion. I use IE because I want to. I use free software to buffer me from any attacks. I have a firewall/router as well. Two antivirus programs, Windows XP Sp2, Spybot S&D, Ad-aware and a freeware port scanner to alert me if none of those seemed to work. Therefore this WINTARD who's been in the IT business for 11 years and has been using computers for well over 20 years will continue to use IE because I hate Firefox. I think it's clunky and who gives a rat's behind about tabbed browsing anyway. I'm secure! My machine is secure! AND the FirePOX movement is starting to smell like other movements I've had. I use IE because I like Active X, I like to be able to view all websites as they were intended to be seen. It doesn't matter that poor programmers are at fault. I just want to see the %^$#^%$# page properly. I'm sick of "anybody but Gates" people telling me I've got to switch. IE users are only on they're own because of lack of knowledge. The internet isn't anything else but the wild west and if you get shot it's your own damned fault. Virus writers, spammers, and spyware perveyors are no better than the criminals floating around South Central Los Angeles or Hell's Kitchen of New York. I can ramp the security in IE so tight that I'll only be able to view the beginning web designer's first project of "Hello World." If I were going to switch I'd listen to established experts and not all you people who are caught in the swoon of the MacAttack or the lilting lullaby of Linux. Bill Gates is NOT Satan. He's an entrepreneur who wants to make money. Last I heard we lived in a free market society. Most capitalists, when unchecked, would be entirely in favor of rampant monopoly power. The good thing is, though that where monopolies exist, there are checks put in place to prevent such things. Microsoft is a monopoly by default. It is an easy operating system that most people have chosen to use. Therefore, Microsoft has the power of the marketplace to set prices and do business. I see nothing very wrong with that. Bill Gates is not Satan and Microsoft is not the harbinger of the apocolypse. Please be aware that there are some people who just simply like using the products that are presented to them. The more third party applications I install, the larger my registry gets, and the slower my computer eventually becomes. You get the point. I'm a power user, but I really don't care about tabbed browsing. The popup blocker in XPSP2 is awesome, and so is the firewall. I don't want to bloat my machine any more than is necessary. Or then maybe your paranoia blinds you to the point I'm making. I have 4 browsers on my computer. IE, Maxthon, Opera and Firefox. I detect no speed difference, and since I have secured my machine, I don't detect any troubles. I go to only certain safe sites. I don't get caught in phishing schemes either. My email client is Outlook and I'm damned proud of it. My customers whom I support and protect have trusted me with the same and I have performed magnificiently. In conclusion: Open your mind to all possiblities. I've chosen my browser and I've tried them all before coming home to what I've always used. Comes down to want I always say, "Fear breeds ignorance, Ignorance breeds paranoia."

1) Malware on millions of other PCs, if not yours, 2) Vastly more weak and lame apps on the PC, including the iLife type apps which are pathetic compared to apple's, 3) Sony's bundled media software is among the worst (Sony Connect is typical pathetically bad Sony software, 4) PC user still just a misinformed idiot.

I think people have forgotten that when Windows XP was released in 2001, the Mac OS was considered out of date --- Of course, let's all gather 'round and share in the hilarity of this statement. Off the top of your head, what would be the year of OS X's debut..?

The truth is no programmer worth their salt would bother programming software for the mac, malware or otherwise!

"1) Malware on millions of other PCs, if not yours, 2) Vastly more weak and lame apps on the PC, including the iLife type apps which are pathetic compared to apple's, 3) Sony's bundled media software is among the worst (Sony Connect is typical pathetically bad Sony software, 4) PC user still just a misinformed idiot." 1) Great. Let those other *idiots* that can't keep malware off their PC switch to the Mac, and then the the malware will follow them. 2) More Apps on PC = Indisputable fact. Apps better on Mac = Personal opinion. PC wins. 3) Absolutely nothing to do with the Sony looking small and pretty, and doesn't present the Sony user from installing other media applications. Clutching straws there. 4) Apple user can't seem to come up with own insult, so is now is an unoriginal, misinformed idiot.

1) PCs will always be a better target because there will be many more PCs no matter if apple doubles, triples or quadruples its share, so you're prediction is factually baseless 2) iLife is so much better than pathetic PC versions you have to be an idiot to think otherwise (wait, you are an idiot) 3) Is that Vaio a desktop. If so, it's still big and ugly. If a laptop, it doens't change the fact that PC desktops are still big and ugly 4) another PC user can't stand superior apple offerings, in denial (of course PCs have pluses too, but PC users have too many self esteem and jealousy issues to admit the same about macs)

1) Apple user makes good point. Even if Apple quadruples it's market share that still makes only 4 of you. I do suspect however if they actually became a blip on the raydar they may become a target for malware. That would seem obvious. Well to everyone but an Apple user. 2) Apple user should probably take up a lesson in grammar before calling anyone else an idiot. Just makes himself look like a... well an idiot. 3) Apple user just expressing an opinion again. Eg: Some people find Apple computers to look childish and gay, but we wouldn't be so rude to point that out. Oops. 4) PC user not in denial about Apple's offerings. Just doesn't find them that interesting. Sorry. PC user ponders the interesting fact that most Apple users seem to tie their self esteem to their the Apple platform. Perhaps the fact that the platform doesn't do so great relative to PC's explains why they are so hysterical most of the time.

You PC users are all wrong. Nothing beats a shiny Apple notebook. They look cool, they are slim, and they are shiny. I think they also do stuff...who cares, they look cool. Oh and they play back movies and music. That's worth a few grand isn't it? Did I mention they look cool and they're shiny?

I've built my business using these silly little toy Apple products, and just this last weekend attended a trade show where I showcased three different videos playing simultaneously on my 17" PowerBook. The PC geeks practically drooled on the screen when they watched. I don't give a tinker's damn whether folks like Paul think Apple is irrelevant. The fact is, their products work, and offer amazing value. There's simply nothing that offers the functionality, interoperability, ease of use and productivity of the iLife suite. I can't imagine working without FinalCut. And those little toy computers have enabled me to build an incredibly successful business in a very short time. I just wish Paul would stick to reporting news on this site and leave the opinions to his blog.

"Cheaper iMac? Who Cares? " Apparently a lot of people. I don't recall anything at CES that brought a hosted Akamai site cluster (store.apple.com) to its knees with store traffic. Wrong again, Paul. What's Microsoft's news? Three more security vulnerabilities. Impressive.

Well maybe thier OSX server, I mean linux web server hiccuped because it can not handle the minute number of connections!

Hmmm, Let's see, MSN Desktop search, AntiSpyware, PhotoStory 3 at not cost! Why pay for an upgrade when Microsoft gives it to you for free. That is why XP SP2 rocks (SP refer to the number or releases of the XP OS, I guess that means that Microsoft has been updating it OS regurlary for free, not like apple.)

1) may become blip? Wow you sound like you're really sure OS X will become a target. How about this - I know for a fact that windows will remain a huge target for malware. So the mac sounds like a safer bet, huh? Idiot 2) oh PC geek becomes grammar expert. ha whatever. Guess what - iLife blows away the junk on the PC that tries to do the same things. Anyone who can't see that is a complete idiot 3) dude you pointed out you think they're childish and gay looking, why claim otherwise and be a liar in addition to an idiot? 4) what I find hysterical and really entertaining is all the denial. I mean it's so obvious MS is a laggard and it's products suck. Yes, PC hardware is great (spec wise). Yes, there's more software available (much of it grossly inferior to apple's stuff). Mac users have no problem acknowledging where PCs have a leg up. But when there's something that's so obviously better on the mac - like iLife - it's hilarious to watch PC users denying the obvious!

What is so good about iLife??? iTunes is rubbish compared to Windows Media Player 10. I have both on my PC and don't use iTunes at all. iCal is rubbish compared with Outlook 2003. iDVD - couldn't care less. got Roxio Media Creator Garage Band - Pathetic... only losers would waste their time on this program. iPhoto - no better than Microsoft DIgital Image Suite 10. All the extra money you pay for an Apple, you can buy better or equivalent programs on PC platform. Macs offer nothing better to the PC experience.

While on the rest of the world is foolishly blinded by the events at Macworld, Paul gets the real scoop: "Finally! Microsoft is now offering a tool that makes it easy to import Outlook PST files into Entourage on the Mac". I tell you, with reporting like this, Paul is headed for the big time!

I don't use a Mac, but iTunes is much better than MediaPlayer 10 and the iPod is better than any of the "iPod Killers" I keep seeing. Plus the integration between the two is the real benefit. Making it easy and intuitive is something that takes some work, not just good hardware. PlaysForSure is WMA *ONLY*, I for one am not ready to convert all of my mp3's to a microsoft-controlled format.

Yeah that Playsforsure thing is starting to look like a noose around MS's neck... What's the first thing they did when they came out with their own store? Phoned Apple and begged for iPod integration, of course. Just like every online music store that rips of Apple's model. 6% of HD players are Playsforsure... sweet. And they have no, absolutely no, accessories compared to the hundreds upon hundreds for the iPod platform... They don't even win on price, now that the 'shuffle' is out.. Hrmmm funniest post? "Hmmm, Let's see, MSN Desktop search, AntiSpyware, PhotoStory 3 at not cost! Why pay for an upgrade when Microsoft gives it to you for free. That is why XP SP2 rocks (SP refer to the number or releases of the XP OS, I guess that means that Microsoft has been updating it OS regurlary for free, not like apple.)" How cynical.. you think MSN Search does the job.. *shudder Haha.. Apple is deploying toolkits to developers so they can build Spotlight into their Apps.. Everything MS does to patch up their OS is a shoehorn job.

Interesting links pertaining to discussion here. First is humorous from Pauls page: http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/images/iProduct.gif These are comparisons of WMA, MP3 and Apples AAC: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1525987,00.asp http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1549735,00.asp http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1560783,00.asp

This is a hilariously bad article. Is this guy auditioning to be the new John Dvorak? If I have to read another "Apple is dying" article from some know-nothing schlub, I may burst into flames. Why is it that PC-partisans get so defensive about the mere existance of Apple? Is it because deep down they think their manhood is threatened by art-fags out-computing them on a Powerbook? Spare me the drama, mama, and tuck your dick back in. We get it--you have a pee-pee. There's no need to wave it around to showcase how short and thin it is. BTW, the old, underpowered G4 running at a mere 667mhz in my Powerbook is powerful enough to do extensive Web development work. In order to achieve the same performance on a PC, you have to buy a monster, testicle-boiling "desktop replacement" laptop. Is this guy even aware of the difference between Intel/AMD/IBM processors? Man, what a dumbass article. Unless it's just a troll, in which case congratulations, Paul--you're a troll! You winner, you.

Get a life you Apple people. With only 3.5% market share where is your power base. No one gives a flip about Apple, except to eat.

I don't even like to eat apples. Don't like the texture... :p

The iPod is one nice portable player. I've yet to see anything that comes close to its incredible design - nothing comes close. Will the iPod sell cheap Apple computers? Well, I'm a PC guy and neither care if it does nor care to speculate if it will.

Someone above alluded to flexibility and price being the enemy of the Mac. How's this for example. You can get a Dell Axim x30 PocketPC 2003 ($199) w/ 1GB SD card ($70 each) and do far more with it then the iPod. I get in my car, plug my PPC in, hit one button I mapped and am listening to a perfectly hefty music mix, let alone the movies DVD's I can rip to it in great quality and all the other things a PPC can do. Not only that but all the music I can play can be in multiple formats and I'm not forced to pay money through proprietary software like iTunes. I'm sorry, but other then the usual Mac argument of "its perty" and "its Apple" I see no reason to pick an iPod over a device that costs less and has far more flexibility. Oh no I don't have 20GB of storage!! Where will I be going where 1GB of music storage won't be enough, especially since my belt case has pockets for two more. Once again, Apple proprietary 0, PC price/flexibility 1.

i care. for the last few years i have dealt with pc's and lower performance than expected. i was convinced to try pc's for my music production studio as they were such a great cost and would experience the same performance. while i can say the cost was cheaper i feel i got what i paid for. a system that couldn't handle large files, extensive media streaming in realtime, hardware not responding, not installing, crashing. i'm going back to mac. many people i know would love to switch to mac's too if only the price were right. i think a lower cost entry level mac is just what many people need and want. its just what apple needs to gain another 8 million into yearly sales. sure the PC has the larger market, but remember apple used to be the leader. it was their over-confidence and unwillingness to license that let PC's gain the lead. I personally feel however that with all the windows security flaws, holes, memory leaks, spyware, pop-ups and whatever BS we deal with on a PC will ultimately be it's slip in the market. i also don't feel that microsoft's new music player/service will "crush" the ipod either. one thing will always remain an advantage on apple's side, and that is style. the ipod/itunes is not only a great, easy to use system, it has become a fashion trend. it is cool to have the little white earbuds, and that sleekly designed box stuck to you in some way or another. anything microsoft does after that may be nice, but to the majority it will be a knock off. just like how sony has tried and failed. it may sound silly, but the public is a lot more vain than we want to admit. even if microsofts device had twice as many features, it won't be an ipod and most people (not you of course) won't go for it. mac's in general are a status symbol in the common computing world and more people are recognizing that. considering that in combination with the previously mentioned PC flaws, a new entry level mac will put a dent in cheap pc sales. if computers were cars, the PC would be the hyundai - practical, but cheap and nothing special. a mac is more like a bmw - a bit more money but with performance, style and great service. i guess thats probably why IT guys aren't known for getting chicks hahaha. my .02 cody williams los angeles, ca

Just read about the whole Mr. Jobs speech...Well cheaper Macs, cheaper iPods: who cares. I have a Rio Audio player with expandibility which is a better value than any 512, or 1 gig iPod with NO DISPLAY Screen! And compared to larger iPods; no moving parts! As for cheaper Mac computers: great...but just a tower is not big deal for me. Macs make great looking machines so stick to complete computers that look awesome. I thought they were against this? What's next, OEM Macs? Cheers, JP

All of you Apple bashers, the author included, sound like morons... not because you bash Apple but because you most likely haven't even experienced the products you are dismissing. Like it or not, Apple owns the digital music player market. Nothing Microsoft or anyone else does will change that anytime soon. Why do they own it? Because the iPod looks cool and is easy to use. It's just that simple. So quit touting MS vaporware "Playsforsure" garbage. They missed the boat. Apple won. Now for the rest of you who bash Apple's OS, I understand where you're coming from - I used to be one of you. But OS X changed everything, and if you haven't seen it, go to your nearest Apple store right now and try it out. It's Unix with the best GUI ever created. Hard-core geeks love it because it has a real command line, real security, and most every tool you would want to run compiles on it. Non-geeks love it because it just works. They don't have to become computer experts just to make the thing go. They don't need to think about firewalls (it's built-in), anti-virus (name one virus for the Mac), or anti-spyware software. On top of that, Apple pioneered the GUI, so it makes sense that theirs would be the best. It's cleaner and just makes more sense. It took me no more than 2 hours to become proficient on a Mac after using Windows for 10 years straight. I guarantee that doesn't work the other way around. Here's why I made the switch: I always needed Linux around to compile tools and write decent scripts, and I needed Windows around for a good GUI and Office platform (Linux bigots will tell me there are good GUIs/Office replacements for Linux, but I've yet to see one that matches Windows or OS X). I get the best of both worlds with my Powerbook. Microsoft makes a darn good Office suite for the Mac, by the way. Macs are like anything: don't knock it until you've tried it. Any true geek would not dismiss a Mac if they actually gave it a chance.

You just have to love how over the past 20 years, every nickel pundit predicts Apple's demise and failure and they just keep turning out good products to a loyal and growing customer base. I started using an Apple IIe when I was 10 years old and had a few Macs, used to be a true zealot and let people inflame silly discussions at the drop of a hat. Taught myself to program and started a couple of companies in the last 20 years that have sold for upwards of $60M. Much of the products these sold were developed, at least initially, on Macs (Codewarriors unite!). I have been using Linux for about 4 years and I love that fact that I can run Win2k in VMWare so when it inevitably crashes I can just kill the virtual machine and go about my business. It is funny but, lately Win2k just doesn't have time to crash on me as I am using it less and less due to the continuing stream of open source software available (http://www.sourceforge.net/ not just for Linux either folks). Now here comes this little white box that is cheap for a Mac thanks to Apple using more standard parts (ATA drives, PCI, USB, etc.) and focusing on the mainboard configurations, and I must say I'm sold (ordered two minis already). What's more is that about 10 people I have spoken with in the last week are also ordering them and they are all PC users. Got off the phone with my Dad (semi-retired) and he's ordered one. Lesson: Do not underestimate Steve Jobs because if he is anything, he is the best marketing mind in the business. Jobs has his stethoscope on the safe, and that safe belongs to Mr. Gates right now...but I'm hearing and seeing good things...

"The Mac mini is a revolutionary product, one whose ramifications will be felt around the PC industry for months to come. I love it. I love that they did this. The Mac mini is drool-worthy. The Mac mini is beautiful. The Mac mini is affordable. The Mac mini is small, quiet, and elegant. Like an iPod, it has trade-offs when compared to similarly-priced PC products. But you know what? I don't care. They're going to sell millions of these things. PC people will be able to get into a Mac for next to nothing. And Mac market share will grow. Mark my words. This is big stuff. Well, it's small. The box. Nevermind. I love Mac mini. I love Apple for making Mac mini. And I love the thought of this thing turning around the Mac's fortune. All these years of over-pricing their products and Apple totally hit it out of the park this time. The 1.25 GHz version is just $499, though you'll need at least a RAM update to 512 MB. The 1.42 GHz version is just $599. Let me address some concerns. Yes, a SuperDrive is extra. RAM is extra. The monitor, mouse and keyboard will add up. Yes, the 32 MB 1999-era video card is a joke. You know what? Who cares? The Mac mini rocks. I want one. Grade: A. It's about time. The Mac is back, baby". Gee, who wrote that? Oh - Paul Thurrott, over at www.internet-nexus.com. Pfft. Another Mac zealot. The guy at the top of the page already told us it's junk before it was even released. Oh, wait...

Sorry to tell you buddy but the only thing that makes money for Apple is the Ipod...That sucks since it's main product is suppose to be a computer...lol...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

funny thing...i literally just got back from the apple store. for nobody buying macs the place sure was PACKED with people buying macs. ..and not just the ipod. it was actually difficult to get help because it was so busy.

iLooked at an iMac and iFell on the iFloor Laughing.

This is the best imac available, and can beat any PC: http://creativemods.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=103&Itemid=39*

Peoples, peoples, peoples! We mac users are forced to use wintel at work. We know what windows is all about, and we choose the mac at home. Many of you windows users who have never used a mac now have a chance. For $499 you can give it a test drive. Buy one. Plug in your digital camera and see what happens. Film your girlfriend cooking dinner, then make her a DVD for Valentines day with with your favorite ColdPlay track purchased at the iTMS. JUST TRY IT. If you say no at $499, then continue bashing Apple, it's clear you're beyond logic. I respect Thurrot for at least trying the mac before saying it's crap. Now you too can try it. The iPod is sweet. So is the mac. Really.

"1) Wow you sound like you're really sure OS X will become a target. 2) iLife blows away the junk on the PC that tries to do the same things. Anyone who can't see that is a complete idiot 3) dude you pointed out you think they're childish and gay looking, why claim otherwise and be a liar in addition to an idiot? 4) what I find hysterical and really entertaining is all the denial. I mean it's so obvious MS is a laggard and it's products suck. " 1) PC user suspects Apple user is actually starting to argue for the PC side, since he is basically stating Apple will never become big enough to become a target for malware: Smirks quietly to himself. 2) PC user reminds Apple user that we are not subjected to the same degree of brainwashing and groupthink as your regular Apple user. Repeating yourself (3 or so times now) that iLife is better than PC equivalents does not make the statement any more true, nor does it make someone with an alternative view an "idiot". PC user suspects Apple users have to run down a line in an Apple Store while being spanked with a white paddle by Steve Jobs for this sort of brainwashing technique to become more effective. 3) Apple user doesn't get around much if he has never seen people describe Apple designs like the translucent iMac etc described as “childish” and “gay”. They were a notoriously kiddie/happy design. 4) PC users are very happy with the PC hardware and software hence why the number of users completely dwarfs the Apple market. Suggests that it may be the Apple user in denial, and doubts the Apple user would ever be able to look at the sad facts and come to the same conclusion.

You know who cares about the Mac mini? Paul does. He's getting one and he's raving about it. Internet-nexus.com This is the most important product launch in company history.

Hahaha. Wow is this serious? http://internet-nexus.com/

Here's fresh quotes from your idiot spokesperson Paul leaving all you Wintards alone at the altar: On iLife: "Apple's suite of digital media applications is unparalleled, and iLife '05 is even better" On the iMac he just trashed in the above article, he NOW says: "The Mac mini is a revolutionary product, one whose ramifications will be felt around the PC industry for months to come. I love it. I love that they did this. The Mac mini is drool-worthy. The Mac mini is beautiful. The Mac mini is affordable. The Mac mini is small, quiet, and elegant. Like an iPod, it has trade-offs when compared to similarly-priced PC products. But you know what? I don't care. They're going to sell millions of these things. PC people will be able to get into a Mac for next to nothing. And Mac market share will grow. Mark my words. This is big stuff. Well, it's small. The box. Nevermind. I love Mac mini. I love Apple for making Mac mini. And I love the thought of this thing turning around the Mac's fortune. All these years of over-pricing their products and Apple totally hit it out of the park this time." You idiots are stuck now that your leader just bailed on you.

"The truth is no programmer worth their salt would bother programming software for the mac, malware or otherwise!" Better tell Microsoft's Mac Business Unit, who's Office2004 for Mac OSX is setting the standard for what you're likely to see in the next version of the Windows Office product. Or Adobe, who sells about half their software to a platform with such a small market share. Then again, perhaps developers like programming on MacOSX just because you get all the development tools for free and Cocoa is very nice to program in.

Uh...why? So he says its good...for a Mac. Doesn't change a thing.

Apple shares up over $8 after announcing record profits today, 4.5 million iPod sales in last quarter alone, profit quadrupling, Mac sales up 26% from this time last year due mostly to the iMac G5 which Paul said was the worst iMac they've ever made. Guess you were wrong again Paul. Next quarter with Mac mini and iPod Shuffle is going to be interesting.

good.. for a mac.. he thinks it'll sell millions.. which it will, of course don't be so smug.. it's a 500 computer you can use with your PC peripherals. It's the switcher mechanism that 98% of computer users can consider picking up. This is very very important.

"Better tell Microsoft's Mac Business Unit, who's Office2004 for Mac OSX is setting the standard for what you're likely to see in the next version of the Windows Office product." This is quite funny. Sorry, but the only people I see trying to pretend that Mac Office is better than Windows Office are the same ones that can never seem to whine about MS quite enough. Quite ironic really, but that sort of duality in your average Mac zealot doesn't suprise me at all.

I don't know why we are still talking about Apple. Who cares about Apple anymore, other than the few Apple idiots on the media and the stupid Apple fans who pour millions of dollars into Apple's pocket.

Why do people believe the success of the iPod is some sort of sign that Apple is great? Remember the Sony Walkman? Was it the best product available at the best price, or was it just the first well-known and recognised product of its type. In time the Walkman went the way of the dodo, outclassed by cheaper, more efficient copies. Bye, Bye iPod.

I'm a graphic designer, my husband is an IT-ubergeek currently employed in one of the worlds leading research centers for IT development (IMEC in Louvain, Belgium). Whe have several PC's booting a variety of windows and linux-flavours. When it comes to online banking he refuses to use anything else but my mac... guess he'll know why that is. Now with the this new low-end mac I can buy him an extra one for his safe-online-banking pleasure... so about your headline: I care!

Why is all the WININFO labelled 'critical' while the macinfo (what's that doing here anyway) get's a nice shiny logo neXt to it?

Who cares? Why, I guess Paul cares. Consistency, I suppose, "is the hobgoblin of small minds". "You know what? Who cares? The Mac mini rocks. I want one. Grade: A. It's about time. The Mac is back, baby."

Remember the Sony Walkman? Was it the best product available at the best price, or was it just the first well-known and recognised product of its type. In time the Walkman went the way of the dodo, outclassed by cheaper, more efficient copies Uhmmm.. yeah.. after Sony sold like 150 million of the damn things.. pffft.

This is quite funny. Sorry, but the only people I see trying to pretend that Mac Office is better than Windows Office are the same ones that can never seem to whine about MS quite enough. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MS says the Mac version is better.. it's only fitting the Mac version is 2004 and the PC version is 2003..

This was previously discussed on this Slashdot story [slashdot.org]. Also of interest is this announcement : Apple announced their financial results for the fourth quarter today, reporting a profit of $295M, or $0.70 per share. They shipped 4.58M iPods, an increase of 525 % over the year ago quarter. But more surprisingly, Apple CPU sales were up 26% themselves over the year ago quarter. Over 1,046,000 Macs went found their way into customer's hands in the quarter. See http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jan/12results .html [apple.com] Suck on it PC bigots.

I have to agree with the majority here. Paul, you're an imbecile. Does Microsoft pay you to slander competition? No one with half a brain is going to use Microsoft's pay-per-month mp3 concept. If you cancel service, you don't have any of your music anymore. It's a hollow feature. That's a JOKE! People bought CD's because they wanted to keep the music instead of waiting for the radio to play it. They wanted to have it with a one-time fee. iTunes is simply the next level of that concept. To claim that Microsoft will crush that system is about as assenine a comment as I've ever seen. And Mac's, while somewhat niche, are showing that they can become something more by providing something at a reasonable price and all you can do is kick them for it? You are such a hack. How about saying "good job Apple for trying to have reasonable prices." You can kick them for high prices on previous hardware, but not on an attempt to be space saving and money saving. That just shows pure bias. And bias is not ethical journalism.

If the MAC is such a horrible computer why is growing user base and sales. Lets take a minute and evaluate. 1. No Viruses - I work on futile PCs all day fixing thier problems caused primarily. by thats right viruses, spyware, malware, etc. I pick up my mac when I go home at night and it is nice to have a computer that has NONE of these problems. 2. Stable. the only time I ever even have to restart my computer is when installing updates. That is more than any grapic designer can say that works with video/graphics on a PC. 3. the G4 processor is not even close to outdated. I am using one that I bought a year ago and it still outperforms any PC that comes through my office. Did I mention that it is stable. 4. Networking is a dream. I connected to a network printer yesterday in under a minute. Wile the 4 PCs I connected to an average of 10 minutes a peice. Hmmmm. Sounds faster to me. Finally don't knock it till you've tried it. I tried it and I love it

I fink that pcs and billy gates is da best n dats cos he is da richest playa in da swamps and i dun like ipods cos it much beta that creative force u to manual do music and it takes much longer n sometimes i am late for school which roxors anyways i no intersted in new mac cos apples suxor compared wiv banana

Paul Thurrot should be ashamed of himself. Only someone who has wet dreams about bill gates could put a spin on things the way he has in this article. Truly awful.

lol @ i no intersted in new mac cos apples suxor compared wiv banana wtf is this guy on. whose banana is that, bill gate's? lol

Ask thurrot, hes been having wet dreams about bg, or so ive read!

I am a Windows guy and as much as I like Paul's reviews, this one is quite biased. But no worse than all the PC-bashing on Apple-based site. He makes some good points. I think Mac's are okay but can't stand working on them. Apple survives only because of their loyal, cult following leading the charge. If you needed to buy a computer for graphic-design, you can get a whole better a PC for the money than a Mac, and the PC will have a lot more power as well.

"This is quite funny. Sorry, but the only people I see trying to pretend that Mac Office is better than Windows Office are the same ones that can never seem to whine about MS quite enough." Actually, it was Microsoft that said that when they announced it at one of the Mac shows during a keynote. The video is probably still on apple.com. I think it must have been at the WWDC developers conference so it was probably one of Microsoft's 'no programmers worth their salt' that said it. Personally, I think Office sucks on both platforms and they should have stopped with the featureset in Office97 but just made it more reliable and faster rather than adding Clippy and on the Mac, silly graphic transparency effects.

It's clear from the huge number of posts about mac price vc PC price, that many posters are not yet aware that Apple announced a $499 macintosh this week, with iLife '05 included. That's right: M A C I N T O S H N O W C O S T S $ 4 9 9 And FWIW, Apple has had a $999 laptop for some time now. That's right: M A C L A P T O P S C O S T $ 9 9 9 So please, no more PC's are cheaper comments. They aren't. Period.

Please, I can build myself a cheaper PC than buying the $499 mac.

I think its funny that people disregard this article simply because its completely negative. Then those same people take the same extreme, but on a positive stance. I don't see how that's any better or less than what he has done.

Actually they can be if not cheaper at least equal. I just priced one out at newegg that was more powerfull (Athlon64 2800+) including Windows XP Home for the same price. Exact same specs including dvd authoring, firewire ports, and a small mini-atx Antec Aria quality case, though obviously not as small or "perty" as the mini (big whoop, its better tech). You can even use a free Linux distro thats just as good as OSX to get a lower price to put towards RAM or something. And as for iLife, it'd better come free because there's a far larger limit to what software you can get with a Mac. With a PC you get to put any OS or piece of software on that you want, and there is a LOT of opensource stuff thats professional and awesome. I would say the free software and the size is the only thing going for the mini. Most PC people recognize that its no different then the budget OEM machines that are underpowere as well and costs money to make it a REAL machine. So sure its a nice tiny bundle, but don't kid yourselves that its revolutionary. Its revolutionary for Mac people that aren't used to that price point.

More... Dont misunderstand me above, I think itsa good deal. But it rankles me that people see it as God's gift to the PC world and some Mac people try to use it as some amazing argument once again against the PC. It changes nothing except makes it easier for people to pickup and try a Mac, which is what Jobs should have done ages ago and would probably have a lot more market share if he did.

Best post about Mac's EVER!!! http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=50009562&f=34709834&m=2530983693&r=2530983693#2530983693

YAWN.....Once again the SMAC zealots are out in force, MAC blows, it always has, and it always will. The article was right on, no one cares, Imac, quite possibly the biggest pile of dung ever. I feel so dirty after all this SMAC talk, I need to go see if the clorox is boiling yet, so i can take my bath.

Lets see where to start... Hmmmm well first off, I have no spyware, malware, etc. on my Windows XP Pro systems, I can setup up a printer in well under a minute on my XP, networked or stand alone, sounds like you don't know how to setup a network printer. My systems are rock solid, never need to reboot, never lock up. And what the hell are you SMAC weenies doing on a Windows IT PRO site anyway, shouldn't you be on www.whymacblows.com? And I can just do so much more on my PC's/Windows systems, even desktop publishing. Nodbody uses SMAC, I laugh every time i go to campus and see 10 or so smacs collecting dust, they never get used. So listen to your boy Paul, Cheaper Ismac, who cares??? Nobody cares, because nobody uses them. And the numb nutz who thinks his crappy G4 can out perform any PC that comes through your doors, you are a fool, and you must get straight crap coming throught doors, cuz i know all my PC's would rip your POS G4 a new one, dude, you are a fool!!! To the guys who said that SMacs are so dumbed down that he wouldn't even take one for free, Amen to that brother, well hold on now, i do need a new boat anchor.....But I do need to say, the Ipod does kick ass, but way to frickin expensive!! Just use the lappy to play the MP3's, and the DVD's and play some games and do some DTP, and surf and well hell, i can do anything, cuz it ain't a pile of shnit SMAC!!!! Whooo hooo, well rock on and keep up the good articles, and rememver SMAC blows!!! And all you mac freaks/zealots, Jobs called, he needs you back at his teet....!!!

Steve Jobs talks such a load of rubbish. Last year he was bitching about Flash MP3 players because of their poor storage and now Apple releases one. Pathetic. ---- Ignorant PC user, Apple released a 1GB flash player about 4 times the size of those MuVo pieces of turd... Apple also made a slick design for smaller playlists.. Oh yeah.. and they dropped the entry level price to 99 bucks... Those criticisms of the crappy flash market are exactly why Apple thinks is can take the remaining 30% of the mp3 player market

It changes nothing except makes it easier for people to pickup and try a Mac, which is what Jobs should have done ages ago and would probably have a lot more market share if he did. ----------- Yeah, cuz there was so much demand and tricked out Apple software in 1998.. ilife wasn't out, the iPod hadn't awoken Apple's mindshare... so you're talking about OS 9 (basically windows.. *shudder) bundled with a fat stack of CD ROMS (encylopedia and games and financial software). why the hell would PC users have switched. There's no killer app? And um... PC misery seems to be peaking these days, so the timing couldn't be better. and apple stores weren't out...

you are a microsoft pimp Peechara

I love visiting PeeSea forums. It's like getting to hear the trailer park's opinion without fear of getting mugged. Carry on kids, I know you have new anti-spyware stuff to install.

"This was previously discussed on this Slashdot story [slashdot.org]. Also of interest is this announcement : Apple announced their financial results for the fourth quarter today, reporting a profit of $295M, or $0.70 per share. They shipped 4.58M iPods, an increase of 525 % over the year ago quarter. But more surprisingly, Apple CPU sales were up 26% themselves over the year ago quarter. Over 1,046,000 Macs went found their way into customer's hands in the quarter. See http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jan/12results .html [apple.com] Suck on it PC bigots." ...and Creative is fast up and coming on the iPod with 2 million players last quarter even with supply shortages, and PC sales were 55 million, dwarfing Apple's sales of a pissy 1 million... as per usal. Nothing to suck on here.. Apple's appendage is as small and impotent as ever.

I'm a Microsoft user. I was there for DOS *shudders* had 3.1 and 3.11 etc, went on to win 95 then 98, etc etc till XP which I'm now using. At work I also have MS's OS on both work computers: BUT... I've had a bit of a play on a new iMac at the shop, and I'm VERY VERY impressed. I like very much how it works, and I have been thinking of buying one but the budget didn't stretch that far. Well, that's over now!!!! I'm SWITCHING!!! I'm sick of the constant problems I have with my PC and Laptop, and I can't solve them, and there's no logical reason for them, like how randomly, every third or second or fourth time I startup, the service for the sound driver on my laptop just refuses to start, and I have to unistall, then reinstall the sound card just to get sound. And many other little things like that which all add up, and bug me. I'm over it. I hope MAC's are all they're cracked up to be. At least it won't cost me that much to find out now :) PS, I try to be unbiased about these things, after all, they're just machines, right?

Paul, you sort of make it out as if Apple is just a dumb company in general....I agree that the Mac mini is nothing to jump for joy about, but I think that it is a smart move for APPLE. This will get more first time computer buyers to look APPLE's way....it might not have the absolute HOTTEST technology...but I hardly consider the Intel Celeron processor (which has been around ALOT longer than the G4) a breakthrough. I say GO APPLE....GET THOSE CUSTOMERS, I would buy one, but I do want something with better technology....I want to do music and the whole digital thing :)

PS they say history repeats itself....WHO KNOWS APPLE MIGHT MAKE A HUGE COMEBACK!!!!!! One suggestion for them....Make some LOWER END MONITORS to go with this lower end machine..... not everyone needs 20 inches a standalone 17 at a decent price would make the Mac Mini an even more compelling buy. Oh, and by the way....these last two posts are comming from a PC user.

yet another lame computer from apple. maybe they'll sell 10.

"Obviously Mr. Thurrott has some "issues" regarding Apple which is evidenced by the negative tone he takes in every article." Yeah. I'm speculating that one of these things happened: - He didn't get a free review machine once, and he's never forgotten it - Steve Jobs kicked sand in his face - His iMac crashed once and he couldn't find the "reset" button--he's been pissed ever since - Thurrott realized a long time ago that the true way to promote himself was to spout incendiary anti-Apple rants on a moderately-well-viewed website as a means of increasing hits and his own visibility

....Make some LOWER END MONITORS ~~~~ Who cares.. let Dell make the low end monitors that work with this thing.. I hope Apple doesn't take your advice.. their best computers are all-in-ones.

Article Title: "Cheaper iMac? Who Cares?" Date Jan 9th Today's date Jan 14th People still rabidly posting... Can you say irony?

Wow... Apple fans are rabid. The article was a little biased though. I try to care about Apple, but I can't. PCs do more for me than playing music and dumbed-down video editing.

"So sure its a nice tiny bundle, but don't kid yourselves that its revolutionary." And how much does a small form factor PC measuring 6.5" x 6.5" x 2" cost? You pay more for just a mini-ITX box, underpowered VIA CPU and motherboard. It's smaller even than the much delayed nanode from Hoojum. No, it's revolutionary. There's plenty of people out there that don't want gert big hulking beige noisy computers in their home.

The Antec Aria case is hardly hulking, beige, and noisy. Sure it isn't as tiny, but it can house far more power then the Mac mini. For those interested here is a link to some comparison work: http://techreport.com/ja.zz?comments=7857

And that earlier spec out would waste the mini performance-wise (A64 2800+).

hahahaha The Antec Aria is a MONSTER by comparison, with all due respect!!!

you cant run os-x on an athlon 64 2800, only windoze or (shudder) linux

Simple want a really secure platform install QNX on a pc without internet WALLA purely secure system :) If you want a PC that works use winxp :)

"PCs do more for me than playing music and dumbed-down video editing." Your comment is so shockingly ignorant, I can't believe I'm even responding to it. On second thought...never mind.

"hahahaha The Antec Aria is a MONSTER by comparison, with all due respect!!!" With all due respect, the Mac mini is a monster compared to a handheld. Oh wait, it can do more then a handheld. Just like that Aria PC can do more then the Mac mini. You missed the point my friend. A "small form factor" PC can be bult for the same price AND be faster and can do far more. That's all. Doesn't mean the mini sucks, it just "steals a bit of its thunder" that its possible to have a great PC at the same price point.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1751694,00.asp

"[Apple} will have to do something particularly impressive to thwart the momentum that's now building for Microsoft's Windows Media-compatible digital media platforms." I wonder if the Mac mini with iLife, etc., has done that?... What would rather have in your entertainment center? Mac mini that makes no noise, or a cheap PC you have to stick in another room?

[1] Why pay Mac just to run Linux? It's a free OS! Pre-linux Mac was the most unstable crap on the planet, running Linux fixxed that but why pay for it when it cutting edge versions can be had for free.. [2] MacFanBoys are so fanatic cause they got ripped off so much for buyin such lame sh!t [3] iPod is too lame, crap B&W screen, battery that dies just out of warranty, no video or picture shows, total waste of time! Very popular, but so is a "Big Mac", overpriced sh!t that's bad for you. PC hardware with Linux rules! Lowest cost of ownership and super powerful. Next choice is WindoZeXP, runs well and is very stable if setup correctly. MacFanBoys are tossers if they thinks Windoze users are jealous, nobody gives a stuff about Mac's, just waiting for them to fade awaya and wish they'd do it quietly...

This article is hilarious just for the reviews!

When I started reading it from the top, I could just *sense* the anger lurking beneath the rest of the article! I positively heard the *blood boiling* from the Mac fans I knew would angrily write in responding to this article!

Keep up the good work Mac fans, you make this site like a battlefield!

from the black dog

an article from a non objective windows-slave