Microsoft's Lame New Anti-Apple Ad: Macs Are For Kids | Hacker News Reader

Microsoft's Lame New Anti-Apple Ad: Macs Are For Kids

businessinsider.com

5 pointsescapade13 comments

It's great to try and spin this as Microsoft being out-of-touch, but in this case they've hit the nail on the head. Their previous "I'm a PC" and "Seinfeld" ads have been terrible - trying to convince us that their computers were cool or every-day machines against Apple's bourgeois style. Those were stupid.

These ads drive to the heart of the issue - many people want something Apple doesn't sell (or doesn't sell at a price they can afford). Microsoft has hit Apple where it counts and that's why these ads are great - and I say that typing from my MacBook Pro. I really don't think this should get into a Macs vs PCs are more expensive argument - those never end well. What I can say is that PCs offer more choice - you can get a 17" PC laptop without having to buy the most expensive processor and the like. In Apple's world, all upgrades come in tandem with things you may or may not want and that makes certain things (like a 17" screen) start at a whopping $2,800.

I'm a programmer. My computer is my livelihood and I'm going to pay up for something because I use it so much. However, Microsoft's ads hit home for many people who go looking for a computer on a budget and don't want to come home with a 13" laptop when they wanted a 15" one - and might not need some of the other things in a MacBook. If your budget is $1,500, the only Mac laptop you can get is the MacBook 13". It's a tight spot for many people buying computers.

And this ad puts that tight spot on the screen. It's not going to convince me to buy a PC, but it's going to get others thinking about the features they want and the availability of those features in Macs at a price they'll accept. Again, I hope this doesn't start a Mac vs PC price crap thing because it's really about the customization - aka, why do I need to buy a 2.66GHz processor to get a 17" screen?

I hope this doesn't start a Mac vs PC price crap thing

I hope it does, becuase the irony is that Microsoft is going to lose the price war. The Windows-less netbooks are much cheaper than the ones that come with Windows. As the price point pushes users there, they are going to realize that they don't actually need Windows for anything, and that's going to change the computer world.

Well, they are better than those atrocious ones with Seinfeld and Bill Gates. But they still have a long way to go to compete with the humor of the Apple ads.

Pro Apple infestation of HN in 3 ... 2 .... 1 ...

Seriously, when two spouses bicker, is it ever news worthy ??

The Bluray! chorus was just hilarious.

  Boy: "I'm a PC and I'm 11"
  Mum: "And I'm not"

She's not 11 and she's not a PC? She has a Mac at home doesn't she! That's my final impression anyway :/

Slightly lame but FAR better than anything they've been running recently.

All they are doing is giving the Mac credit as a real competitor to Windows.

Maybe instead of exclaiming "Blu-ray!", they could have exclaimed "Conficker!" or "IE!". Sheesh.

Apple > Microsoft

(I have Karma to burn, eat your hearts out :))

Please don't do that, even if you feel you have "karma to burn." You're decreasing the signal to noise ratio, which is the point of the moderating system here. HN is a nice place to have discussions because people tend to avoid such comments.

Your comment has added to the signal to noise ratio, as now has my response! "Please don't do that".

Lighten-up a little bit, step outside and get some fresh air, life isn't as serious as you make it, you're missing out.

By the way, I do think Apple is better than Microsoft and I have as much right to voice that opinion here as anyone else has, it doesn't devalue anything; I simply added about karma burn because you know if you say A is better than B, especially in the context of Apple and Microsoft, you're going to get down voted--that doesn't take away from me having the right to say it though if I believe it to be true.

The problem with saying "Apple > Microsoft" isn't that you're expressing an opinion. The problem is that you're not adding to the conversation. Lightening-up has nothing to do with it. Conversations here are pleasant because we try to avoid comments devoid of content.

You're new here, so I figured I should explain how our community works. I feel that is worth some noise.

Please stop.

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