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I have not blogged in a while but I thought I would delve into the
technology arena and talk about something that really does not matter! In a
move that shocked only those people who haven’t operated a personal computer in
20 years, Microsoft recently announced that they’d be “lightly borrowing” the
Mac Store concept by launching their own chain of trendy mall-bound retail
boutiques. They hope this will give them a more direct line of communication
with their consumers, create a concrete relationship with the public and
provide opportunities for public relations interface and a slick, coherent new
image. You know, all the things it did for Apple.
But in case any Microsoft executives read this blog, I feel it’s my duty to
inform them of two facts.
..1.
..It won’t help one bit
..2.
.. That’s okay.
Lets just think about the age old debate between
Mac and PC and then let me explain why PC guy and Mac guy are both right and
stupid. THEY ARE BOTH DIFFERENT! It is
like apples and oranges (no pun intended) Both have a place in this world and they
will both continue to steal our money if they just stick to doing what they are
good at.
What are they good at you may ask?
MAC: Apple
is elitist…. That is it’s thing! that elitism may come in the form of
family-friendly machines with bright colors and giant buttons, but it’s still
an elitism, simply because of the level of image involved. Buying a Mac has
become “a lifestyle choice,” from the Apple sticker on the rear window of your
Prius to the black turtleneck guarding you against the fog of a Northern
California morning. Or in pastor world you know the guy right? The women’s
jeans wearing while comb his hair over his eyes and saying “I’m not emergent I
am Missional”
And that elitism is built right into the machine. Apple’s slogan is “It just
works,” but it could as well be “Hopefully it just works, because if it doesn’t
you don’t have a lot of options.” They’ve gotten better since the Linux makeover
but, by and large, if your Mac breaks down, you tend to just drop it from my
balcony and order another. (be careful not to hit your prius or your organic
garden)
The point is, Macintosh doesn’t have time to let you fiddle around with
their insides; they’re too busy INNOVATING.
(AND making out with Pixar.)
PC: Microsoft represents the ultimate in computing populism. Buying a PC and
loading up Windows says nothing whatsoever about your lifestyle beyond “I live
and work in the 21st century.” And by not cultivating any sort of coherent
image, and copying other companies’ innovations with a ruthless efficiency that
would make Edison proud, Microsoft has saved time better spent haphazardly
licensing third-party companies to make their products and patching the crap
out of their buggy software.
There’s a lot more to be said about how that’s only an oversimplification
and how this one guy totally overclocked his G5 and it has a steampunk brass casing
and meanwhile this other guy super-glued his PC case shut and was like “what?”,
but the history of the two companies bears out that when they stick to their
respective domains, there’s plenty of money to go around for both.
So for PC guy and Mac guy get over it.
As for Bill Gates: I hate Vista and hope you end up penniless you ruthless
creep. You owe me a new cell phone too !
And Steve Jobs: Really? I bought a 80 gig video ipod and 2 months later the
itouch comes out for the same price? Jerk…..