Is Microsoft dying?

I'm reading this on my Blackberry Playbook, not my Galaxy 2 a couple of feet away, because it's so much better. A pity so few have tried it.

Neither Microsoft nor Apple is dying. The plan for Surface is to take a year to take off in sales.

 

i was thinking about a surface. its really cool actually. ipad mini is so much lighter so I'll probably stick with that.

 

the thing that bugs me about MSFT is its too complicated to adjust something. have to do a lot of random steps, its counter intuitative.

 

Microsoft might look into some better anti-pirating software or something.. However,

I have been a long time mac user since my parents bought a Mac Classic II in HS, a performa 636 in college, I then bought a Powermac 7300, a Quicksilver 733 , and a G5 powermac. I always did video card swaps, and hard drive upgrades for mac gaming. Yeah sure the mac gaming porting is awful on the macs because it has to be reprogrammed or ported over so the selection of games is far less than PC's.

But I looked at apple at the system stability and what it created. It fits my lifestyle and I don't want to deal with virus's and hardware failing on the pc side. Apple developed their products to run stable and the consumer pays for their patents and licensing. I would rather stick with something that I know works after 10 years then deal with a computer constantly breaking down every year.

My 2001 and 2005 macs still boot up and work. That's why I am an Apple Loyalist.

P.S. Check out the Microsoft and Apple comparisons with the GUI
http://gizmodo.com/326200/desktop-evolution-windows-and-mac-os-visual-comparison-through-the-years

 

I've only lost one Mac to "death" (my first SE/30 from 1991 died in 1998 of dust suffocation - totally my fault); the rest were just retired to the closet or given to my little sister as hand-me-downs. My 1999 Powerbook Lombard boots and runs (I went looking for some old files last year, and except for the battery being dead, there's nothing wrong with the device functionally). In fact, that Lombard was my only computer from 1999 through 2006. Served me well; I'm loathe to give it up.

 

That's all well and good that it runs for a long time, but I retire computers because they're obsolete, not because they stopped working. My computers usually last about three or four years because it's around that time the games become too much for my card. I could probably extend the life of my system if I swapped out hardware gradually, but I find that I'd rather do a complete rebuild. There are simply too many advancements to not want to start from scratch. Example, I rebuilt my computer almost a year ago. The computer I was replacing was built in 2008. The new computer was superior in every way. MOBO had blue tooth capability and USB 3.0, video card had 2g of dedicated ram and HD, CD rom had blueray capabilities, and I had a 2 TB hard drive as opposed to probably 250 gb hard drive in my last computer. I also put in an 250g SSD recently so it boots up in 5 seconds like Denny's.

Why pay top dollar for something that will run forever when it will be obsolete in a year and painfully obsolete in three years? The technology market is advancing in leaps and bounds. That's why phones are such a crazy market right now. Apple is always behind the curve, before they even release their new phones. The Galaxy SIII is superior to the new iPhone. I just bought the SIII and it's gorgeous. Beautiful screen, fast system, I have no complaints so far. And the Google apps are awesome. Google maps are far greater than Apple's shitty map system.

http://axeetech.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/why-samsung-galaxy-s-iii-is-superior-to-iphone-5/

S III is superior in every way.

 

Sounds like you have some specific needs, out of which have formed some biases that you enjoy confirming. Good on you.

 

Would you not agree that any technology, whether it's a phone or a computer or a tablet, is becoming ever more quickly obsolete in shorter and shorter times?

Phones are probably obsolete in six months because the new hotness comes out with advancements in speed, storage, etc. My problem with Apple is that they charge a ton for their products, yet their products are obsolete just as quickly as any other product, if not faster. That article I linked was pointing out several features that the S III has over the iPhone 5. If it took Apple this long to release the 5, and it's already behind the other leading models on the market, doesn't that say something about the company? Why would you buy something that is already obsolete?

I get it, they make reliable products. They have loyal customers, but don't you think it's low to charge your loyal customers more for something that's not the most advanced product on the market? These aren't cars or tools or bikes, that can be used for 10 years and still be as relevant as they were the day they were rolled out. Technology is advancing so fast that a phone or a computer that was purchased five years ago is grossly outmatched to what's on the market today. Phones from 5 years ago can't use 4G LTE. Computers from five years ago won't have HD, USB 3.0, or Blue Ray capabilities. They will also most likely have hard drives that are too small to keep up with the size of software these days. I mean, a video game is around 20 gigs these days.

 

Which phone are you talking about? Have you seen the S III yet? It's gorgeous.

 

See, this is where I think your particular niche (PC gaming) is causing you to project a bit onto the userbase at large. A big part of the reason why tablets are so popular is because the things a desktop can do were becoming an ever larger superset of the things most users actually need a computer for. Only a tiny percentage of all PC users actually play processor-intensive games on their computer. The vast majority surf the web, watch a bit of youtube, and check their social networks. These are lightweight tasks, and tasks for which a computer can last 10 years performing admirably.

At most price points (except yours, the high-end tower price point), Apple has a slightly more expensive option that is less frustrating and more stable, with some luxury features (like their industrial design and high-quality parts) that make people feel good about spending the little bit extra. It's a very squishy, touchy-feely set of reasons that a spec-head doesn't really accept, and that's cool; these are not computers for you. You have specific needs, and you're never going to be well-served by Apple.

I have some anecdotes, of course, but the one that sticks out is my dad. Before the company he works for became an Apple supplier, he switched to Mac. He had been living with a series of shitty $400 eMachines for the last 10 years (one every other year, like clockwork when the power supply blows out), and I suggested he blow an extra $200 and get a Mac Mini (with the better processor option). He eventually took my advice when a driver conflict on XP basically fragged his system.

Since then, he's owned one Mac Mini, now 4 years old. It runs without issue, quietly, acting as his scanning station, e-mail client, light photoshop tool, etc. It's never failed on hardware, and the only time he restarts is when an OS upgrade happens. He used to worry about not having a CD-ROM drive, but I told him if he had a need for one, I'd spring for the external drive. I haven't had to, because lo and behold, he's actually had no need for it. Heck, even Quicken, the one program he couldn't readily replace moving from PC to Mac, was superseded by my mom's iPad 1 (nearly three years old), which she uses to surf the web during the day and apparently keep track of their checkbook. These devices will be upgraded eventually, probably next year for the iPad and after two or three more years for the Mac Mini.

Yes, technology is growing faster, especially in certain spaces like devices. And you are poorly served by Apple's options (the horrifically overprices Mac Pro), but I think maybe you forget that your needs are not representative of the larger whole. Stability and safety trump speed and cutting-edge tech in many situations.

Think of Macs as Volvos. You need a Veyron. The only thing the two cars have in common is the letter V.

 

See, but that portion of my post that you quoted was about phones just as much as it was about computers. I understand that some people just want a computer to serf the web, store documents and photos and music, and watch media. In that regard a tablet or a laptop that is reliable makes sense, but as technology advances faster and faster, the tablets and laptops will be ever more relied upon to handle larger files, higher quality media, and be expected to do so at lightning speeds.

But in regards to phones, they might have a great OS, but they are still behind the curve in a lot of ways. That article I linked listed about four or five features that the SIII has over the iPhone 5. Phones are progressing so fast, it's truly unbelievable where they are going. The phone I bought two years ago was a Droid X, which I had no problems with. It served me well until I decided recently to upgrade to a Galaxy SIII, but it's still miles behind where phones are right now. Why would people want to buy a phone that's already, before you've even bought it, behind the curve?

 

About to buy an Macbook Air for my wife. The new 13" retina was just too expensive. All she does is surf the web, store photos and music.

For somebody like her (and most everyday users), its all about user experience, and Mac is where it's at. Albeit overpriced, they last forever and keep on giving to people with lower requirements.

Microsoft vs. Mac is kinda Apple vs. Oranges IMO no pun intended, they each have their space in the marketplace.

 

For you. Those are qualities that you want. I like my big ass screen, my fast connection, and the ability to expand my SD card up to 32 gigs if I see fit.

 

I let Denny field that question. There's still a question of actual need versus specs, and then the whole ecosystem thing. And then there's preference for the OS, integration with the built-in cloud solution, etc. Also, depending on your needs as a phone user, you'll again never be served by Apple. You want MicroSD and removable batteries? You want a massive screen because you have giant bear hands? Your niche needs are not served by Apple, and I can see your angle at being angry with them for not serving your needs. But again, don't go thinking your needs are the needs of the people at large. The iPhone 5 has LTE, so fast connection is not really an exclusive selling point for Android anymore.

Phone upgrade cycles are faster, but they've been for years before smartphones too. A two-year upgrade cycle is pretty standard. But I see people on the MAX surfing the web on a 3GS from 3 years ago or (and I swear I saw this yesterday) an original iPhone from 2007. Is LTE nicer than 3G? Damn skippy. Is it necessary? Not really. Waiting an extra minute to download a podcast doesn't bother me, and most plans are capped whether you're on 4G or 3G. Being able to burn through the data faster is little consolation when your cap is the same.

Anyway, you really care about this issue, and will have carefully prepared responses. I don't care as much, so I'm done with posting in the thread. I hope we can agree to disagree. I'm glad you like the platforms you like. I'm certainly glad that a platform I like is thriving and available. I'd be a sad panda if I was a WebOS fan, for example.

 

I really don't care, in fact this is the first time I've ever debated it. I just thought the idea that Microsoft is dying was pretty absurd.

 

I'm on the complete opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to you guys and computers. I know NOTHING about them, yet use one all day every day. I don't know what the fuck RAM and UserBase gigacards are........ that said I have an MacBook Pro & MacMini for home/iPhone/AppleTV and travel a MacBook Air. And they are all synced up and make my life easier and more enjoyable. Macs are for people like me who don't WANT to know how shit works, we just want to sit down and HAVE it work. Just like my Audi, I have NO idea how the engine works and I can't even change the oil, but I use it everyday and was willing to pay a bit more to get what I really wanted. I do work with some genius' who do know everything about computers...... it's funny to hear them go back and forth when it comes to Mac vs PC and was amused when a couple of our engineers made "the switch" to the MacSide recently. I have enjoyed reading this thread, keep it up.

 

I doubt Microsoft will ever die. The same goes for Mac. They both have consumers that need them. With that said; Microsoft "software" is still 90% market share. It would take some insanely terrible event for that to fail. I could foresee another OS come out. Something that may innovate the market. It's just a hard market to crack. Too many people are familiar with the os right now; be it Mac or Microsoft.