I was chatting with a journalist a couple of days ago to help with background on a story on Microsoft designed to debunk one of the most common misconceptions surrounding the company. I started to realize there were a lot of them — some I actually held myself — that either were no longer true or never had been. This came to a head the other day when an Apple advocate wrote to me that he would rather give his money to Apple than to Bill Gates. I spent some time pointing out that Steve Jobs is on the overpaid CEO list and Bill isn’t.
"I spent some time pointing out that Steve Jobs is on the overpaid CEO list and Bill isn't. I also pointed out that, as an engineer, he would likely better identify with Bill, who lives and breathes technology, than with Steve, whose strength is more in creative marketing, particularly after his recent executive changes that clearly favored the iPod over the Mac." What does this have to do with the products? Perhaps the person who wrote to you WASN'T all that bothered about who's running these companies and actually cares about the quality of the products and their own personal tastes? "A case in point is the recent report by the Alexis de Tocqueville Institute. It argues that Linus Torvalds is not the father of Linux -- something Linus himself apparently agrees with" Yes, he stated clearly that Santa Clause and the Tooth fairy came up with the ideas. He's just the front man. "-- and it also argues that Linus borrowed heavily from Minix to write Linux, which Linus violently disagrees with. " As does the creator of Minix. "However, the cry that went up when this report was made public was that Microsoft funded it, even though it isn't clear why they would." Actually I think the cry went up about the way the forthcoming book has been so poorly researched, has no real bases on facts, and that lots of quotes have been taken out of context. The issue of Microsoft's funding is more of a sour grumble on the side of the real issue people have with the book. "The other product we have been asking Microsoft to lose is the Home Edition of Windows XP. However, it scares me to think that were Microsoft to ditch that version, the media would conclude that the company was abandoning the entire consumer segment of the market. " Tell Microsoft to just send legitimate XP home users a free upgrade to professional. This would shut up any media speculation about customers being abandoned and would allow paid up customers to continue using a product they've already bought. "Sun is being killed by Linux" This is the same generic argument you are arguing against further up the paragraph. Sun is being killed by bad executive decisions and an inconsistant idea of where they want to go. It's got very little to do with linux.
Normally I do not reply to tripe like this but I am so tired of reading twisted facts! 1) Linus did not actually admit to lying about being the author of Linux. It was a joke! As if the tooth fairy or Santa Claus could ever write an OS. 2) The author of Minix recently denied that Linus ever stole Minix code to write Linux. This has shown a lot of class on his part. I realize that this article was most likely meant to in flame readers but it has nothing to do with the truth.
A few more things, Robb. Is Apple better than MS at usability? Who produced the iPod? Is the iPod incredibly easy to use? Yes. Where is the MS iPod (or at least iPod-type OS for use in iPod-like devices)? Is iTunes easier to use than Windows Media Player? Yes. We could go on and on. Is Keynote easier to use than Powerpoint? Yes again. Who produced Garageband (an incredible program in the ease of use department - just incredible)? Apple.
Robb, in your list of possible explanations for the iPhoto rating (Apple slippling, MS getting better or CR being biased), you forgot one very obvious one -- the CR review is simply wrong or limited in some way (while not biased). For one thing, the CR review is of "Photo editing" software. Sure, they covered organizing features, but they also looked a lot at editing features. iPhoto is a much more about sharing and organizing, while its editing functions are very limited. So naturally it would suffer in comparison to other programs that have much more editing features, in a review that looks at editing functions a lot (like the CR review). The thing is, you can easily use iPhoto as your organizer, while using any editing program you want, including Photoshop or whatever, from directly within iPhoto. Number two, CR did not cover or review integration of the photo software with other media apps (they limited their review to photo software functions). The great ease of use thing about iLife - which is completely unmatched on the PC side -- is the way you can use photos from iPhoto in iMovie and iDVD so easily. Third, CR has never been particularly good at reviewing computers and software. Yeah, they are the best when it comes to toasters and washing machines. But computer stuff is better left to reviewers that focus on that - like Walt Mossberg of the WSJ for example. Finally, of course individual programs on the PC side or certain aspects or features of such programs may be easier to use than Apple's offerings. It seems kind of like common sense that Apple won't be easier to use always, all the time. So talking about ease of use in one area (photo editing software) really doesn't seem to get you anywhere as far as what platform is easier to use, overall. The apple platform is far, far easier overall, at least currently. Get over it.
When weighing the merits of this article, a salient point would be that Rob Enderle is a PR flack for MS: http://www.eweek.com/print_article/0,3048,a=110659,00.asp 'Editor's note: Microsoft Corp. is a client of the Enderle Group, the consulting firm headed by Rob Enderle.' Incidentally, I did answer your rebuttal to this assertion under the Mystery of Baystar article. Thanks again,
Interesting article, but too terse on some points. I don't think Apple or anyone who uses iPhoto would seriously consider it as a photo editor. It's really aimed at being a photo organizing program, and part of the iLife suite, as opposed to being a low priced photoshop. It's not, and shouldn't be taken as one. How did Gimp do in the low cost photo editing challenge? Also, stating that though Consumer Reports rated Macs in a different catagorie, it was still clear that they rated low, is a challenging story to follow. It comes off as a slap as you passed by, rather than a point that can be understood on its own. Where's the link to the comparison, so that we can draw the same conclusion that you did? Otherwise, it's a good point that we need to consider where anger comes from because it often says more about us than about the object of the anger. MS is not the center of any universe. It's a company and its products work. I'm using their OS and Apps to type this very comment. Regards
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Dispelling Misconceptions About Microsoft
Posted by: Rob Enderle May 24, 2004 06:00 AMI was chatting with a journalist a couple of days ago to help with background on a story on Microsoft designed to debunk one of the most common misconceptions surrounding the company. I started to realize there were a lot of them — some I actually held myself — that either were no longer true or never had been. This came to a head the other day when an Apple advocate wrote to me that he would rather give his money to Apple than to Bill Gates. I spent some time pointing out that Steve Jobs is on the overpaid CEO list and Bill isn’t.
What does this have to do with the products? Perhaps the person who wrote to you WASN'T all that bothered about who's running these companies and actually cares about the quality of the products and their own personal tastes?
"A case in point is the recent report by the Alexis de Tocqueville Institute. It argues that Linus Torvalds is not the father of Linux -- something Linus himself apparently agrees with"
Yes, he stated clearly that Santa Clause and the Tooth fairy came up with the ideas. He's just the front man.
"-- and it also argues that Linus borrowed heavily from Minix to write Linux, which Linus violently disagrees with. "
As does the creator of Minix.
"However, the cry that went up when this report was made public was that Microsoft funded it, even though it isn't clear why they would."
Actually I think the cry went up about the way the forthcoming book has been so poorly researched, has no real bases on facts, and that lots of quotes have been taken out of context. The issue of Microsoft's funding is more of a sour grumble on the side of the real issue people have with the book.
"The other product we have been asking Microsoft to lose is the Home Edition of Windows XP. However, it scares me to think that were Microsoft to ditch that version, the media would conclude that the company was abandoning the entire consumer segment of the market. "
Tell Microsoft to just send legitimate XP home users a free upgrade to professional. This would shut up any media speculation about customers being abandoned and would allow paid up customers to continue using a product they've already bought.
"Sun is being killed by Linux"
This is the same generic argument you are arguing against further up the paragraph. Sun is being killed by bad executive decisions and an inconsistant idea of where they want to go. It's got very little to do with linux.
1) Linus did not actually admit to lying about being the author of Linux. It was a joke! As if the tooth fairy or Santa Claus could ever write an OS.
2) The author of Minix recently denied that Linus ever stole Minix code to write Linux. This has shown a lot of class on his part.
I realize that this article was most likely meant to in flame readers but it has nothing to do with the truth.
Number two, CR did not cover or review integration of the photo software with other media apps (they limited their review to photo software functions). The great ease of use thing about iLife - which is completely unmatched on the PC side -- is the way you can use photos from iPhoto in iMovie and iDVD so easily.
Third, CR has never been particularly good at reviewing computers and software. Yeah, they are the best when it comes to toasters and washing machines. But computer stuff is better left to reviewers that focus on that - like Walt Mossberg of the WSJ for example.
Finally, of course individual programs on the PC side or certain aspects or features of such programs may be easier to use than Apple's offerings. It seems kind of like common sense that Apple won't be easier to use always, all the time. So talking about ease of use in one area (photo editing software) really doesn't seem to get you anywhere as far as what platform is easier to use, overall. The apple platform is far, far easier overall, at least currently. Get over it.
http://www.eweek.com/print_article/0,3048,a=110659,00.asp
'Editor's note: Microsoft Corp. is a client of the Enderle Group, the consulting firm headed by Rob Enderle.'
Incidentally, I did answer your rebuttal to this assertion under the Mystery of Baystar article.
Thanks again,
Also, stating that though Consumer Reports rated Macs in a different catagorie, it was still clear that they rated low, is a challenging story to follow. It comes off as a slap as you passed by, rather than a point that can be understood on its own. Where's the link to the comparison, so that we can draw the same conclusion that you did?
Otherwise, it's a good point that we need to consider where anger comes from because it often says more about us than about the object of the anger. MS is not the center of any universe. It's a company and its products work. I'm using their OS and Apps to type this very comment.
Regards