Apple exudes raw creativity and intelligence; soon to become third-largest computer maker in US

63 Comments

“For everyone who knows me now this may come as a shock, but I was a bit of a nerd when I was in high school,” Ryan Vass writes for The Chicago Maroon (University of Chicago). “For some reason, in the winter of ninth grade, I decided that I wanted my boring PC to look like a Mac and I just became obsessed with fooling myself into thinking had a Mac. This was long before the Steve Jobs renaissance, the iPod, or even OS X. In fact, I suspect that this was some sort of rebellious urge to control and create my personal space.”

“I downloaded some program that changed the appearance of all of my desktop windows, and I configured them so that they would look and act like a Mac’s. I somehow changed my startup and signoff screen to look like the Apple ones, and I even configured the sounds so that I could hear that odd little ‘dripping’ sound that used to be on the old Macs. To a large extent, I succeeded, until the brilliant gray facade of the fake Macintosh began to crack, choking my sluggish Windows 98 machine with the sheer amount of crap I had loaded to hide the truth. The computer ended up completely shriveling to a slow death, until I had to format and reload everything. As I said, I was a bit of a nerd in high school,” Vass writes.

“That inexplicable urge I felt in high school to have an Apple seems to have spread virulently to pop culture in an entirely quantifiable way, to which Apple’s explosive fourth quarter profit reports attest,” Vass writes. “According to BusinessWeek, Macintosh computers currently trail the PC–based Gateway computers by 38,000 units. Gateway itself is the third-leading seller of PCs, trailing only HP and Dell… Macs experienced a 12 percent growth in sales during the third quarter (after its Intel release), a number which shot up to 56 percent growth in the fourth. Something must have happened before the fourth quarter.”

Vass writes, “In fact, shortly before the fourth quarter, which began July 1 and ended September 30, Apple released a piece of software that allows users to dual-boot Windows on their machines and run Windows programs. Thus, while the new Intel Macs had been released in February, the real gains weren’t seen until summer—after software was released allowing Mac users to run Windows programs. The significance of this piece of software cannot be underestimated. Previously, Apple computer sales were frustrated by Macs’ lack of compatibility with the rest of the world. Now, it seems, the final barrier to Apple world domination has been broken. Continued growth in computer sales, which comprise 45 percent of the company’s total revenue, will mean a steady stream of ridiculous quarterly reports like this one.”

Vass writes, “Apple’s brilliant campaign to convert PC–users by simply removing reasons not to buy their irresistibly well designed Macs will likely drive Apple to become the third-largest computer maker in the U.S. Couple that with another new video iPod release, and Jobs will only continue to shit in Bill Gates’s proverbial soup.”

Vass writes, “All of this goes to show that I wasn’t that far off during my excessively nerdy fall into Apple-lust in high school. Few companies operate by the same raw creativity and intelligence that Apple does—compare Apple’s recent history with Microsoft’s or Dell’s, and the contrast between wild growth and total stagnation is telling.”

More in the full article here.

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Analysts now clearly see Apple Mac resurgence – October 19, 2006
Analyst: Apple formula working to lead Mac resurgence, Apple’s growth rate should accelerate in ‘07 – October 19, 2006
BW: Record-breaking quarterly Mac sales put Apple into the running for a top computer-maker spot – October 19, 2006
Jim Cramer: Apple’s quarter showed how poorly the also-rans are faring – October 19, 2006
Apple profit rises 27%, Mac up 30%, iPod up 35%; stock jumps – October 19, 2006
IDC: Apple Mac attained 5.8% of U.S. market share in Q3 06 – October 18, 2006
Gartner: Apple Mac grabbed 6.1% of U.S. market share in Q3 06 – October 18, 2006
Apple Financial Results Conference Call Q4-2006 Live Notes – October 18, 2006
Apple shares rocket 6.5% in after-hours trading on stellar earnings report – October 18, 2006
Apple Q4 earnings results: $546M net profit on $4.84B revenue, sold 1.61M Macs, 8.729M iPods – October 18, 2006

63 Comments

  5. This is stupid writing. Period. End of story. It’s more crap from another idiot that doesn’t understand anything.

    Like YOU idiots who don’t get the Gartner thing. You think it’s soooo stupid. Well it’s not.

    Like YOU idiots who think there will be an Apple phone. Well there won’t be.

    The Gartner thing makes sense purely because the Macintosh is not the hardware, it’s OS X. That’s OH ESS TEN for you people from Rio Linda!

    When we purchase Macs, we are purchasing OS X, not the shiny box. If I could purchase a Sony Vaio that ran OS X, for $1000 cheaper than this beautiful 17″ MacBook Pro I’m using, well guess what. I’d be on a Sony Vaio using OS X.

    Apple will never build a phone because they can’t make a better phone. They might create an attractive phone with a great user interface but guess what… people will still be walking around with it going “can you hear me now?” That’s not the Apple way. Unless they can control the user experience, as they do with OS X, they aren’t going to get into a market.

    Idiots.

    magic word = give as in give me a break on all this CRAP.

    Reply

  6. There is NO QUESTION that Apple is now just killing Dell and HP in terms of growth. I still think they need to move more aggressively into the enterprise space and still think a well produced and funny infomercial showing SIMPLE operations of key software tools would change the face of computing in America by contrasting and comparing similar windows based apps… iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto, Garage Band and THEN come back and show them…hey! it can run windows apps too…”if you really need to…and as fast or faster than your present computer.” All backed up by the best customer service experience as reported by a major consumer magazine.

    That’s the killer…get more for the same amount of money, that’s easier to use and works with what you already have.

    Reply

  7. To tell you the truth, I finally decided to buy Mac computer after Apple released Boot Camp. I guess for me, i needed an asurance that if something is not right, i could always install Windows in it. However, after i use Mac OS, i just fall in love with it and I decide not to install Windows. It feels like putting a bad soul into my beautiful and elegant iMac computer. So far, i enjoy every moment of my iMac ON or OFF. I don’t think I will ever go back. Now I always recommend everybody to get a Mac. They listen to me because i am the one who fix their computer if their PC has problem ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />

    Reply

  11. theloniousMac: when I bought the iMac it was for the gestalt offered by Apple. I hardly considered OSX. If apple offered an iMac with Windows *and* all the bundled apps in iLife, FrontRow as well as sold a Windows version of Final Cut, Logic Pro etc…all tested and approved on their hardware…I would still have made the purchase.

    OSX for me is somewhat of a bonus because it looks right..

    Reply

  12. Here´s the titles of the author´s other ramblings at U of C:
    ——————-
    Congress: The good, the bad, and the ugly

    Listen to the French? On immigration?

    Protesters aren’t martyrs, they’re misguided
    ——————-

    Obviously an expert on the computer industry…..LOL

    Reply

  15. I don’t know why, but I doubt this bit of convential wisdom. I don’t really think BootCamp is really the driving factor for Apple’s increasing market share. Sure, there are some uber geeks who might buy a MacBook (Pro) for the ability to dual boot, but for most of Apple’s target audiance, this is simply too complex.

    I think the reason Apple’s is gaining market share is because they build solid computers, have elegant and functional designs, have an awesome OS, and the poplularity of the iPod has given Apple a lot of credibility. I think people’s perception of Apple is changing; add that to the sad state of the Windows economy, you have Apple’s ingrediants for success. I think people are simply more willing to consider an Apple purchase today then they were.

    And as that perception increases so will Apple’s market share. I don’t think running Windows on your Mac has anything to do with it. It seems like it does because telling someone they can run Windows or Windows software on their Mac may allievate their concerns, but people who are concerned about this are not tecnically saavy or capable of running BootCamp, if they were, they wouldn’t be concerned about it becaue they would understand the underlying problem and their decision would be guided by a desire to run OS X than by concerns of compatibility; and technically informed people are a minority.

    Reply

  17. I guess OSX is ok, but I have 6 macs because of the “bite out of the apple” ornament thing on there. I assume iphone will have an apple ornament, so I WILL BE GETTING ONE OF THOSE AS WELL.

    Reply

  20. theloniousMac

    Speaking of CRAP, it sounds like maybe you haven’t had your daily Zune yet today. I just did, and it squirted right out of me. All nice and brown.

    Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…

    Now… where were we?

    Reply

  23. There is a very real and vibrant Mac modding community out there among PC users. They are people who want a Mac but can’t afford one now and are stuck with their crappy PC that they bought a few years ago. I actually know one of these people and he can’t wait to buy a Mac when he gets the cash. He started getting interested in the Macintosh platform when Tiger was released. For most of them it is the OS and not the Intel chips that entice them.

    Reply

  24. Thelonious Mac, You are quite wrong when you assume(ass out of U and me)that it is only oh ess ten. I looked at the vaio and thought that it was a piece of copied monkee turds. Think what you will and say what you will. The fact remains Apple is on the cutting edge when it comes to design and innovation. No matter how many big words you use and Gartner is just wrong. Why would you sell away your identity and become just another face in the crowd? What sets you apart is what makes you desireable

    Reply

  32. theloniousMac wrote “Like YOU idiots who think there will be an Apple phone. Well there won’t be.” and “Apple will never build a phone because they can’t make a better phone. They might create an attractive phone with a great user interface but guess what… people will still be walking around with it going “can you hear me now?” That’s not the Apple way. Unless they can control the user experience, as they do with OS X, they aren’t going to get into a market.”

    I respectfully disagree (see you can disagree with someone without having to debase yourself by insulting the intelligence of everyone else). Apple may very well develop a phone because the rest of the industry is building poorly thought out and badly operating products. Between my wife and myself we have had quite a number of phones over the last few years and I haven’t liked one of them. They have a gazillion features they can list on the box but none work well or, in some cases, at all. I currently have a Palm Treo 700W. After 2 months I had to send the first one back because it was so unreliable. The one I have now is not much better. And this is the best phone I could find for what I needed (full synchronization with iCal, address book, email, a readable screen etc.). I am not impressed. If Apple came out with a competitor I would probably dump this for it (assuming it had these features) even if it cost me several hundred dollars. My time and frustration are well worth it.

    When Apple feels it has a product with superior design (especially in the user interface category) and is reliable I fully expect they will announce an iPhone.

    Oh, and I can fully respect the intelligence of all who may politely disagree with me.

    Reply

  34. What??

    No totally crude comments yet from Monkeybo… I mean, Misha Bawa??

    Color me shocked!

    In fact, I don’t recall seeing anything from that ‘tard since Apple announced their ‘make-the-Wall-Street-analysts-eyes-roll-into-the-back-of-their-heads’ earnings statement.

    Come on, Misha… no pithy comments for us ‘fanboys’ about how we wanna ‘do’ Steve?

    Where art thou now???

    MW, ‘data’. As in: The data revealed in Apple’s most recent earnings report has put the smack-down on all Apple nay-sayers and sent them into secluded isolation. We can only hope that Apple moves firmly into the #3 spot so that the smarmy nay-sayers will stay in thiers.

    Reply

  38. OH Heavens, Its friday and I just can not resist this . ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />

    TheloniousMac wrote what could be the preface to his article and everyone just missed it. You’all thought he was refering to the article at the top of the page, but maybe he was not. ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />

    He prefaces his article with the following:
    “This is stupid writing. Period. End of story. It’s more crap from another idiot that doesn’t understand anything.”

    Then he begins his actual writing piece. LOL ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />

    Hey, sounds good to me. ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” /> I love it. LOL

    Have a great weekend. ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />

    N.

    Reply

  39. NY Times is a legitimate reporting institution? What have you been smoking? I consider that very funny.

    You know what’s really funny, opie? Some retard nobody like yourself on a troll board trying to posture as if they know what a legitimate reporting institution is.

    Reply

  42. Thelonius Mac-

    What’s with the Rio Linda ref? This is a global forum not a Sacramento Ca. forum.
    U need to pick a more global ref, like- France.
    (haha kidding Frenchie)

    I Assume Sac Ca. USA because Rio Linda is the butt of many jokes in that area. Unless every city named Rio Linda has a bad rap.

    MDN- town
    The town of Rio Linda has lower property values compared to the surrounding region.

    Reply

  43. To Johann and your “typical American’ crap: I bet you are a German, a desendent of the real Facists, and the National Socialist Party. The Nazis were leftist, read the Nobel prize winner F. Hayek and find out. America makes the world a much better place. Crawl back into your envious Europien shit hole.

    Reply

  47. And, Mr. Thelonius, why do you think it’s better to make a few bucks on an install of OSX over the hundreds on a Mac? How do you suppose Apple make up their profit margins doing such an idiotic thing?

    Reply

  48. Johann, let’s use a little bit of our brain today, ok? Fascists make death camps. Americans do not. Fascists use syndicates to control free enterprise. Americans do not. Fascists persecute Jews. Americans do not. In fact, one of the big reasons America is disliked throughout the world is her support of Israel, where many countries spend their time at the U.N. spreading lies about Israel, or threatening to annihilate her citizenry.

    There is no admitting what is not true, and serves only to highlight your rabid hate-America Leninist viewpoint. Be very careful whom you accuse of being a fascist, as leftists are reknown for depriving people of the ability to defend themselves (Washington, D.C, NYC, Chicago), putting cameras everywhere (Chicago), and putting more “police on the streets” (Clinton). If anything, those policies are much closer to fascism, or other forms of totalitarianism than the “typical American”.

    Now go back to your World Worker’s Weekly, child.

    Reply

  49. @ Typical American:
    1. There’s people out here in Germany who are no fascists. You just have to get it that this is a fact.
    2. It has no style to blame anybody for the fact where she or he might come from. That’s just poor.
    3. It’s called the “National Socialist German Workers’ Party”. Next time you should either be right about what you write or do research.
    4. One more mistake: I know European with e like it should be.

    Your name fits nicely to most of the prejudices about Americans:
    Arrogant, a lack of knowledge about things outside the US,
    having loads of prejudices yourselves about others, intolarent
    and not very well educated, say smart…
    The bad thing is, I am living in a shared house and of the guys is
    from Texas and is proof of the opposite basically…

    Reply

  50. @ Typical American:
    1. There’s people out here in Germany who are no fascists. You just have to get it that this is a fact.
    2. It has no style to blame anybody for the fact where she or he might come from. That’s just poor.
    3. One more mistake: I know European with e like it should be.

    Your name fits nicely to most of the prejudices about Americans:
    Arrogant, a lack of knowledge about things outside the US,
    having loads of prejudices yourselves about others, intolarent
    and not very well educated, say smart…
    The bad thing is, I am living in a shared house and one of the guys is
    from Texas and is proof of the opposite basically…

    Reply

  52. effwerd,

    You have more problems than anyone could imagine. Just look at your alias. Is the NY times increasing readership or paying subscribers to their website? Could it be they are going the way of “Air America”? They went down the tubes because everyone knew what they were too. When you say the truth about a matter you dont have t worry about what others think is right? Its good to know you think I’m a troll, . I think you are someone who has issues on a deeper personel level. Maybe some insecurities about your own need for self importance. Cant face truth or once understood it and turned away….yeah that sounds like you. Try to have a nice day…effwerd

    Reply

  53. theloniousMac: It’s true that OS X is the primary and fundamental differentiator between Apple’s hardware and everyone else’s hardware. But it’s not the only differentiator. The aesthetic design and feel is another. And the overall fit and finish is another (though partially tarnished by recent troubles).

    Apple also differentiates itself by the small number of hardware choices made to take advantage of its software. Over time, this has included 3.5″ floppy drives, Appletalk, Firewire, AV ports, no floppy drives, USB, Ethernet (100M/1G), Wifi (b and g), Bluetooth, integrated cameras, no modem, and MagSafe. (Note that it is sometimes as difficult to get rid of something as it is to add something.) If Apple was selling its OS to others, it loses control over moving “a critical mass” to particular technologies embedded in its software, both OS and applications.

    By doing both, Apple also provides a simple single vendor, one-stop shop for its users. And that ties in with the Apple retail store concept.

    Apple is not becoming a software/OS vendor anytime soon.

    Reply

  56. BustingTheSkullsOfIdiots

    America is hated because its governments of various alleged political persuasions (NOT it’s people) installs dictators all over the planet. There is not one continent on this planet where the US hasn’t been involved in installing, supporting, financing, arming or protecting dictators. It doesn’t take much Googling to come up with a sizable list of some of the world’s most blood thirstly, corrupt dictators, brought to us courtesy of the U S of A. More often than not, this comes at the expense of democratically elected governments or popular uprising against brutal regimes.

    Many of the world’s most repressive dictators have been friends of America.

    Tyrants, torturers, killers, and sundry dictators and corrupt puppet-presidents have been aided, supported, and rewarded handsomely for their loyalty to US interests. Traditional dictators seize control through force, while constitutional dictators hold office through voting fraud or severely restricted elections, and are frequently puppets and apologists for the military juntas which control
    the ballot boxes. In any case, none have been democratically elected by the majority of their people in fair and open elections.

    They may rise to power through bloody ClA-backed coups and rule by terror and torture. Their troops may receive training or advice from the CIA and other US agencies. US military aid and weapons sales often strengthen their armies and guarantee their hold on power. Unwavering “anti-communism”, used as a catch-all for anyone who opposes these regimes, and a willingness to provide unhampered access for American business interests to exploit their countries’ natural resources and cheap labor are the excuses for their repression, and the primary reason the US government supports them. They may be linked internationalIy to extreme right-wing groups such as the World Anti-Communist League, and some have had strong Nazi affiliations and have offered sanctuary to WWll Nazi war criminals.

    They usually grow rich, while their countries’ economies deteriorate and the majority of their people live in poverty. US tax dollars and US-backed loans have made billionaires of some, while others are international drug dealers who also collect CIA paychecks. Rarely are they called to account for their crimes. And rarely still, is the US government held responsible for supporting and protecting some of the worst human rights violators in the world.

    The rest of the world – including true democratic states – lives in fear of the US Government. This is why it is hated so much.

    I hate the US Government. I hate what it is doing to one of my fellow Australian citizens, David Hicks, at Gitmo. Your government is a blight on this planet.

    Now, let’s get back on topic.

    Reply

  57. Here’s the list of US backed dictators for those of you too ingorant or lazy to find it yourselves.

    Abacha, General Sani…..Nigeria
    Amin, Idi…..Uganda
    Banzer, Colonel Hugo…..Bolivia
    Batista, Fulgencio…..Cuba
    Bolkiah, Sir Hassanal…..Brunei
    Botha, P.W……South Africa
    Branco, General Humberto…..Brazil
    Cedras, Raoul…..Haiti
    Cerezo, Vinicio…..Guatemala
    Chiang Kai-Shek…..Taiwan
    Cordova, Roberto Suazo…..Honduras
    Christiani, Alfredo…..El Salvador
    Diem, Ngo Dihn…..Vietnam
    Doe, General Samuel…..Liberia
    Duvalier, Francois…..Haiti
    Duvalier, Jean Claude…..Haiti
    Fahd bin’Abdul-‘Aziz, King…..Saudi Arabia
    Franco, General Francisco…..Spain
    Hitler Adolf…..Germany
    Hassan II…..Morocco
    Marcos, Ferdinand…..Philippines
    Martinez, General Maximiliano Hernandez…..El Salvador
    Mobutu Sese Seko…..Zaire
    Montt, General Efrain Rios…..Guatemala
    Noriega, General Manuel …..Panama
    Ozal, Turgut…..Turkey
    Pahlevi, Shah Mohammed Reza…..Iran
    Papadopoulos, George…..Greece
    Park Chung Hee…..South Korea
    Pinochet, General Augusto…..Chile
    Pol Pot…..Cambodia
    Rabuka, General Sitiveni…..Fiji
    Montt, General Efrain Rios…..Guatemala
    Salassie, Halie…..Ethiopia
    Salazar, Antonio de Oliveira…..Portugal
    Somoza, Anastasio Jr……Nicaragua
    Somoza, Anastasio, Sr……Nicaragua
    Smith, Ian…..Rhodesia
    Stroessner, Alfredo…..Paraguay
    Suharto, General…..Indonesia
    Trujillo, Rafael Leonidas…..Dominican Republic
    Videla, General Jorge Rafael…..Argentina
    Zia Ul-Haq, Mohammed…..Pakistan

    Sometimes, the US looses interest, other times these dictators fall out of favour for one reason or another.

    Americans should be outraged. Why aren’t you?

    When you consider how many millions have died or disappeared as a result of these above mentioned US supported regimes, it really puts 911 into some perspective. Or at least it should.

    Reply

  58. Final Thought: I thought Dell was heading towards being #3…

    Stuart-America is damned if we do, damned if we don’t. If we don’t deal with them (Korea) we are the problem. If we do deal with them (your list) we’re the problem. If we remove them (Iraq) we’re the problem.

    What has the Australian government done to rid the world of these blights?

    What have YOU done, besides bitch? Are you involved in your government? Are you in the Aussie version of our State Dept? I doubt it, because that is real work in the real world, which you are probably not equipped to deal with.

    Give us answers, not childish whining. We get enough of that from American libs.

    Reply

  59. Little Stuart
    The fact that you have listed both PolPot and Hitler tells me you did nothing more than google dictators and list them. Lets see you list the aid we gave them. Not trade agreements, not nomalized relations, show me where we put each of these in power AND supported them. Dollar to a doughnut you can’t and won’t even try.

    Reply

  62. Whoever made fun of the title of this column is a damned fool. If you knew anything about journalism you’d know that the author of a column doesn’t write the headline!

    I’m the editor who wrote it and I’m a big enough n00b to be OK w/ you guys making fun of me. Leave Ryan alone though.

    Cheers,

    Alec Brandon
    Maroon Viewpoints Editor

    Reply

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