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Don't know if everyone else (I'm in Europe) are getting the same 'More On This Topic' links at the bottom of this page.
The contextuality of these contextual ads is truly hilarious, and show that even if 'Think Different' strategy would turn out to be a misjudgement, Apple still has options:

How to Use Michael Dell's Philosophies in Running a Business

Dude, You're Getting An 'Iron Man'

What to Spend on a Computer

How to Buy a Dell PC

And most important, related and relevant of all:
How to Ship Day-Old Poultry

Nov 14, 08 - 09:04 am Comment from: MacDailyNews Webmaster

Thank you for bearing with us as we beta test the "Pluck" system (the "More On This Topic" section below).

For now, please consider it comedy.

Thank you.

Nov 14, 08 - 09:09 am Comment from: Connor MacBook

Yet again, Apple are "gonna innovate our way outta this"!

Is it just me or does Bill Gates fit in that picture?

Sure we all hate him and villify him, but at the end of the day, he helped pirates and spread windows all around the world. And thanks to the shittiness of it, people come to Macs.

Maybe Apple would do better if it got it right.

Think Differently!

On the other hand, Ballmer's just crazy.

Nov 14, 08 - 09:23 am Comment from: Harvey

This is the story of the three little pigs. Dell built their house of straw, and HP built their house of wood. Then the Big Bad Recession came and blew their houses down. But Apple built their house of bricks and weathered the storm.

The nice part of recessions is that they end. Apple is prepared. When the recession is over, Apple will still be there.

This one is even better. This is about a 'real hero' who landed 4 times behind Geman lines in assaults with gliders, and after landing, became foot solders. Only time in history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40WAdL2HlU8

Nov 14, 08 - 09:25 am Comment from: Harvey

Oh, there is a fourth little pig. Microsoft, who built their house of electrons. When the Big Bad Magnet comes by that pulls all their customers away there will be no house at all.

A huge cash reserve under your pillow lets Apple sleep better at night and during these downturns. They need to just keep innovating and introducing great products. Perhaps consumers will really look at the products they are buying and get real value for their money spent, which will put Dell in a world of hurt.

Nov 14, 08 - 09:42 am Comment from: critic

This just in:

Rob Enderle has just advised his client Michael Dell to go into the day old poultry business.

In a related note, Microsoft will sell you a Premium Home User license for day old poultry for $199.

Apple, please, please run that commercial again for a month or so...that is one of the greatest ads ever, ever, ever. It is moving, still.
It would reinforce the class act and Think Differentness that Apple has always stood for.
We need a class add like that during these times. The only thing you have to change is the logo at the end. Please run it!

@MacDailyNews Webmaster

Comedy or not, be very careful if you mention "Pluck" system beta and day-old poultry on the same page.
PETA is everywhere.

Nov 14, 08 - 09:47 am Comment from: critic

More on-topic, it is important to remember that back in the 2001-2002 recession Apple was the only PC maker that remained consistently profitable while the rest of them lost their a**.

What if Bill Gates and Warren Buffet together funded people with good mortgage/income ratios who can prove they lost their jobs and have at least one child, but not those who have a 50g income who were dumb enough to finance a 300g house.
We could use a kick start from someone, why not them. A billion less would not hurt either one of them and they would make history books.

JoshtheiMacGuy,

unfortunately it's not just U.S. citizens who are ignoring adverbs; although they're the worst.
When you ask a U.S. American how he's doing, he'll usually answer "I'm good" instead of (the correct) "I'm well".
"I'm good" sounds like self-praise to me, because that's what you might answer if you'd been asked:
What sort of person are you?

When I read 'Think Different!' all those years ago, I always used to add in my mind (like Eliza Doolittle):

"But speak proper"!

Nov 14, 08 - 10:15 am Comment from: qka

I'm not seeing the "More on this topic".

Is my blocking system that good?

JoshtheiMacGuy,

Not to belittle you in any way but you are incorrect.

Nov 14, 08 - 10:26 am Comment from: critic

@josh and Muffin Man

The usage is not incorrect, based on the intent of the statement.

The syntax of this slogan is acceptable; "different" is not meant to modify "think," but rather is the object of "think" being used as a transitive verb here. They are not urging you to think differently from others, they are urging you to think about that which is different.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122662495216826913.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

mdn magic word freedom, as in freedom to link.

Nov 14, 08 - 10:45 am Comment from: rdbvideo

Yeah, I read that in the WSJ this morning. As soon as I read "chose to pack more features into new aluminum MacBooks", I thought, sure they did. They packed more in by eliminating firewire ports and the matte screen option.

That's going to boost sales, isn't it?

Well, actually it did. I rushed out last night to buy one of the last MacBook Pros (with matte screen), on sale at Micro Center.

Coincidentally, a young family was buying an older model MacBook at the same time... One that would work with their firewire camcorder.

I should be set for a while... hopefully until someone wakes up in Cupertino and brings back choice.

(and please, no Uber-fanboys getting rude over my preferences)

The Think Different ad spoke to a very specific type of person, the devoted Mac user, at a time when the Mac was an afterthought in the computing industry and Apple was struggling for survival. The commercial reassured that group that the Mac wasn't going anywhere.

The ad did its job back then for its specific target but it's not necessary now as Apple's in a different position. I know the Think Different ad pissed off a lot of people who thought it was elitist and co opting the good image of a lot of great people. It did make some people think Mac users were full of themselves.

Today, Apple is catering to the upper part of the mass market and the Think Different ad is a bit too 'out there' for regular folks who just want an iPod or a new computer.

Nov 14, 08 - 12:30 pm Comment from: The Great Microsoft Shiller Massacre

America is broke and has been borrowing tons of money from other countries to give itself the illusion that it is rich. Meanwhile, the people have been pissing away all the money that they have been able to weasel out of the banks on dumbshit, feel-good things like BFTs (built for towing, big fucking trucks), SUVs, trips to Disneyland, and liberal-arts college degrees.

When Americans went to the moon to play golf, they owned the world. Now the world owns them.

You can thank your war-mongering, fear and loathing Neocon republicans for this.

@ rdbvideo:

Ex-fscking-actly! I'm right with ya, bro!

Somebody please call a whaaahbulance for the tit-babies crying over their firewire loss. If it is that much of a loss for you, go use a windoze pee cee

Nov 14, 08 - 10:08 pm Comment from: Olmecmystic

@Connor MacBook:

I clearly remember Steve saying exactly that but I've NEVER been able to find that quote, not on Youtube or anything!

He was talking about the tech bubble at the beginning of the decade that brought everybody back down to earth, put Apple on a level playing field with them, and eliminated the charlatans.

Hook me up with a link to that quote if you have it, either in print or on video. Thanks!

Peace.
Olmecmystic

"This is the story of the three little pigs. Dell built their house of straw, and HP built their house of wood. Then the Big Bad Recession came and blew their houses down. But Apple built their house of bricks and weathered the storm."

The Three little pigs had three stores. During the depression the Dell pig sold bread, the HP pig sold bread and the Apple pig sold fancy loaves of luxury bread which were no more nutritious than Dell bread but sure looked nicer. Some people even claimed they tasted better too, but that might have just been the fact that they paid so much money for the bread that they needed to think that.

As the recession stuck, the people had less money but were still hungry. They stopped buying the pretty Apple bread they loved so much and ate Dell and HP bread for the next few years, looking forward to the day they would be able to afford to buy Apple bread again.

There's a reason why Wal-Mart is the one retailer that's doing well right now, and it shouldn't be a surprise that in recessions the expensively priced goods are the first thing to get cut by people, not the last. This is especially true when an equally effective budget priced alternative exists.