What. The. ****.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Komskies

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

FYI - Microsoft had the first store in 1999.

Yes it sucked, but it was first, 2 years before the first apple store.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I am with you in saying it's lame and they could have come up with something better. But it's not ######ed. It's a retail model that works. Why is copying it ######ed? I think you might be getting carried away.

Ford came out with the Mustang that had retro styling. It was a big success for them. So other brands came out with the same thing with the Challenger, Charger and Camero. I do not see that as ######ed at all. I'm sure the Ford fanboys got their panties in a knot, but for the average consumer it meant a bigger selection of cooler stuff.

For someone like me who uses both Apple and Microsoft products (fanboy of neither) this only makes it better for me a consumer.

I understand what you're saying, but that's not really what's happening here. You see, I am 100% behind the idea of Microsoft opening a retail store (ie: also coming out with a retro car model, like your example). The lame part (######ed might not be the right word) is that they didn't just open a store (or retro car model), they literally copied every single inch and concept of an Apple retail store (ie: they copied the same model and design of the other guy's retro car).

That's what I'm on about. Admittedly, most of it is just frustration. I was actually excited to see what they'd come up with. I mean, I knew they were copying some aspects of Apple stores (I've been following this for a while) and that burned me a bit, but I was still on board with the whole thing. What they finally unveiled, though, isn't even good business. It really gives me the feeling that they have no interest in offering a retail service to their customers, this is all just about ripping off another competitor and trying to bully their way back to the top.

This is what I meant when I said I thought Microsoft was turning a corner with Windows 7, by trying to get back to the top by concentrating on making a decent product... but they're not. They're just the same old Microsoft they've always been.

[burn_this_city]

Then its the AMC of computer stores.

[HotHotHeat]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

FYI - Microsoft had the first store in 1999.

Yes it sucked, but it was first, 2 years before the first apple store.

And we all know how those took off.

[Human Torch]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Not really, how many people buy the full retail version of Windows. If you bought an HP/Gateway/Dell etc they wont help you. Also OEM or white box computers are out of luck.

When someone brings in their dell, M$ will upsell them the full retail version of windows or they wont support anything older than Vista.

This isnt going to be for people who have a 7 year old XP machine filled with viruses - M$ answer will be like anyone else, cheaper and quicker to reload rather than fix.

The average consumer won't know any of that. And the ones that do can probably fix it themselves or are actually the ones working at the bar lol. To further add to the confusion the store also sells 3rd party hardware like HP. Throw in some red ringed xbox 360s, pc viruses and people wanting to sync their iphone to their pc without getting a spiel on buying a zune...headaches galore. The apple genius bar is already filled with clueless customers, I can only imagine the mess at the answer bar when pc's have 10 times the user base.

[calculoso]

Sounds a lot like the Sony Store...

[Resolute 14]

[Russic]

Originally Posted by alltherage

I'm not sure if I missed something here, or if I'm still half asleep, but I didn't get this.

Your comment (or at least how I interpreted it) was that it's childish to be a fanboy. I absolutely agree.

I find it odd to call out fanboys on CP, because in our own little way 90% of us are Flames fanboys. I suppose the definition of "fanboy" will come into question here, but if we were to use a broad definition I don't think it's unfair to say that the vast majority of people that loyally follow a team are a type of fanboy.

It's kind of like people who come on CP to rip on twitter. Twitter is essentially a different form of message board, so it just seems silly to me to rip on it via message board.

[Dion]

[GreenLantern]

Originally Posted by kermitology

Who really cares? The Apple store is ######ed. Why do you have to go in there to make an appointment at the genius bar? Why can't you make said appointment over the phone or online?

I have no issues with Mac's but mine has a tendency to make me want to throw it across the room when it starts going so slow that I can't do anything..

People who indulge in brand loyalty are silly.

That right there. I just go with whatever works the best for me at the time.

I flip flop back and forth between brands like a cheap slut at last call who just got diagnosed with genital warts. I gots nothin' to lose and I am ing anything that moves.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Interesting.

You might want to check that attitude next month, considering how badly your company is PRAYING that those same Apple users come flocking to your doors to get the iPhone.

Lots of people use iPhones that don't use Macs, though.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Peanut

Lots of people use iPhones that don't use Macs, though.

Correct, but iPhone users are still Apple users.

I get a kick out of a few people here who use Macs and iPhones and iPods.... but HATE!!1!11!oneoneone1!! "Apple users." How awesome it must be to be totally comfortable with being that hypocritical. I know I wouldn't be able to do it.

(None of that is directed at or even about you, btw. I have no clue if you use Macs or iPhones or anything else. That was just a side rant that I like to throw in for free once in a while.)

Also nothing to do with you, but for the people who keep posting about "Mac vs PC" stuff, perhaps you should try reading the thread. This thread has nothing to do with Macs or PCs. Microsoft did something stupid and they deserve to be ridiculed for it.

Seriously. Reading comprehension isn't just for Rocket Surgeons anymore.

[Phaneuf3]

It was stupid when Apple did it. Its still stupid when Microsoft does it.

The only thing I will give credit for is "Answer Bar" is a MUCH better name than "Genius Bar".

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

That right there. I just go with whatever works the best for me at the time.

I flip flop back and forth between brands like a cheap slut at last call who just got diagnosed with genital warts. I gots nothin' to lose and I am ing anything that moves.

I disagree. I think, for obvious stuff like food and clothes, etc, that brand loyalty is ridiculous.

But we're talking about investments that cost thousands of dollars. I mean, look at my father. He's been going to the same mechanic for 30 years. Same barber for 35 years. Is that ridiculous?

When it's something important that requires a certain level or expectation of customer service and satisfaction, not sticking with the same company is what sounds ridiculous to me.

It's like a car. If you buy a Mazda and drive it for 10 years and always get great service and awesome reliability, etc. When it's time to buy a new car, are you being ridiculous for wanting to buy another Mazda? Sure it's ridiculous to turn around and say Toyota sucks... but what if the car you had before your Mazda was a Toyota, and it actually did suck and continuously broke down and you kept getting lousy service? Would you be ridiculous, then, to say that Mazdas are better than Toyotas?

I'm not anti-Windows or anti-PCs. I'm anti-Microsoft. Truth be told, I find it disturbing that more people aren't anti-Microsoft. They've single handedly done more harm to the tech industry over the last 20 years than... I dunno, some other company that has done a lot of damage to an industry they're in...

[Phaneuf3]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

But we're talking about investments that cost thousands of dollars.

Not to start a pissing match but... no we're not. Well... maybe if we're talking about macs, ok we're talking about thousands. If we're talking about a say... a decent Dell computer running windows we're in the 400-600 range.

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I'm not anti-Windows or anti-PCs. I'm anti-Microsoft. Truth be told, I find it disturbing that more people aren't anti-Microsoft. They've single handedly done more harm to the tech industry over the last 20 years than... I dunno, some other company that has done a lot of damage to an industry they're in...

You can find plenty of bad and plenty of good that any company has done. On the flip side of your comment, you could probably argue that they've probably single handedly done more good for the tech industry over the last 20 years than any other company. I'm having trouble thinking of any other company that's done more to bring personal computing to the mainstream. What other company can claim to have more consumer level hardware and software compatibility while maintaining a reasonable price and a fairly gentle learning curve?


There. That should be enough flame-bait to keep this thread interesting for a while.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I understand what you're saying, but that's not really what's happening here. You see, I am 100% behind the idea of Microsoft opening a retail store (ie: also coming out with a retro car model, like your example). The lame part (######ed might not be the right word) is that they didn't just open a store (or retro car model), they literally copied every single inch and concept of an Apple retail store (ie: they copied the same model and design of the other guy's retro car).

That's what I'm on about. Admittedly, most of it is just frustration. I was actually excited to see what they'd come up with. I mean, I knew they were copying some aspects of Apple stores (I've been following this for a while) and that burned me a bit, but I was still on board with the whole thing. What they finally unveiled, though, isn't even good business. It really gives me the feeling that they have no interest in offering a retail service to their customers, this is all just about ripping off another competitor and trying to bully their way back to the top.

This is what I meant when I said I thought Microsoft was turning a corner with Windows 7, by trying to get back to the top by concentrating on making a decent product... but they're not. They're just the same old Microsoft they've always been.

I think we are roughly on the same page here, we have just put it on a different degree on our lameness scale.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Correct, but iPhone users are still Apple users.

I get a kick out of a few people here who use Macs and iPhones and iPods.... but HATE!!1!11!oneoneone1!! "Apple users." How awesome it must be to be totally comfortable with being that hypocritical. I know I wouldn't be able to do it.

(None of that is directed at or even about you, btw. I have no clue if you use Macs or iPhones or anything else. That was just a side rant that I like to throw in for free once in a while.)

Also nothing to do with you, but for the people who keep posting about "Mac vs PC" stuff, perhaps you should try reading the thread. This thread has nothing to do with Macs or PCs. Microsoft did something stupid and they deserve to be ridiculed for it.

Seriously. Reading comprehension isn't just for Rocket Surgeons anymore.

I so tech un-savvy that I, frankly, would be terrified to switch to a Mac! But one benefit of being so technically un-savvy is that I don't really give a shart about the Mac vs. PC (or Apple vs Microsoft) debate.

I do enjoy the Mac commercials though.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf3

Not to start a pissing match but... no we're not. Well... maybe if we're talking about macs, ok we're talking about thousands. If we're talking about a say... a decent Dell computer running windows we're in the 400-600 range.[/SIZE]

Uhh. I know everyone thinks Macs are too expensive... but you can buy a PC with a tower, monitor, keyboard and mouse for $400?

I'm not talking about calculators here.

[Phaneuf3]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Uhh. I know everyone thinks Macs are too expensive... but you can buy a PC with a tower, monitor, keyboard and mouse for $400?

I'm not talking about calculators here.

Yes.
Laptops make it easier to meet that price point with better specs because its all integrated but here's a package with the computer, widescreen monitor, keyboard and mouse for $429
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...0003945&catid=
Or you can buy the tower by itself for $299.


Unless you're playing the latest and greatest games or doing some complex 3d rendering this thing is more than enough computer for 95% of consumers.

A laptop example would be something like a Dell inspiron 15 for $469. Or you could go down the netbook road and even get into <$300 price range.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Uhh. I know everyone thinks Macs are too expensive... but you can buy a PC with a tower, monitor, keyboard and mouse for $400?

I'm not talking about calculators here.

Personally I know people that have avoided Mac because of the price. Some people just want a calculator computer and Apple has nothing in that market. You can buy a laptop for $400. Obviously it won't match up to the specs of a Macbook, but it's a market that people are in. I am sure Apple has looked into, and they might not be able to deliver a product to the quality that they want. But I am sure it is a market that they could clean up in considering there is only the PC choice right now.