So I heard that a bunch of laptops were overhauled or something today. I’m half-tempted to tell you to just stay on that article because then you’d be spared the pain of Microsoft accusing Apple of having an “Apple tax.” Oh, Microsoft—why you be so silly, as my sister would say? You see, the day before Apple’s Special Event, Microsoft’s vice president of Windows Consumer Product Marketing, Brad Brooks, sat down with CNet’s Ina Fried for a “little” chit-chat (no mention if it was by a fireside or not which is a shame, because you just don’t see those anymore). A chit-chat that repeatedly insists Apple customers are subject to an “Apple tax” for doing anything other than, I don’t know, looking at the computer or something.
Brooks’ main point:
There really is a tax around there for people that are evaluating their choices going into this holiday season and going forward. There’s a choice tax that we talked about, which is, hey, you want to buy a machine that’s other than black, white, or silver, and if you want to get it in multiple different configurations or price points, you’re going to be paying a tax if you go the Apple way. There’s going to be an application tax, which is if you want choice around applications, or if you want the same type of application experience on your Mac versus Windows, you’re going to be purchasing a lot of software. And even at that you’re not going to get the same experience. You’re not going to get things like Microsoft Outlook, you’re not going to get the games that you’re used to playing.
So wait, all this week when I’ve been writing letters in Pages ($79 USD as part of the iWork suite; education discounts and other promotions can be found), exporting them to rich text or Word files, and then reopening them in Microsoft Word on a Windows PC running XP, I’ve actually been paying a tax to Apple? Is that how that works? I’ve been inconvenienced by the big, bad bean counters at Apple? Because honestly, I could also use TextEdit (free with every new Mac) to write my letters, save them directly to rich text format, and then reopen them in Word on the desktop PC without suffering any loss in formatting, content, etc. I use Pages because I bought it and I bought Pages because I wanted an alternative to MS Word (nice to know that apparently, all those copies of Office for the Mac weren’t what they should have been, Brooks). I’ve been lucky that I really don’t need to run Windows on my Macbook at all so no, I haven’t had to pay for a legal copy of Windows, or buy Parallels or such. However, if I did, I’d look it at this way: I now have a one machine that runs at least two operating systems. Hells yes.
Do not worry. That is the problem Microsoft does not get it. I am a MCSE and a Microsoft Exchange Administrator and all my home PC's have been switched to MAC over the last year. Microsoft will never get it.
apple tax? what an idiot. Tomorrow I will walk n to my local apple store, and plunk down 2G for a new 15 macbook pro. If there is an "apple tax" in there somewhere, I will gladly pay it, to simply avoid all the problems with windows lameware.
Plus there is a Microsoft Tax.
Windows Vista Ultimate 267.49
Leopard 130.
Have multiple computers in your family, still 267.49 per copy while Leopard has a family pack.
Microsoft Office 296.90
iWork 80 bucks.
Add Virus protection and some security software. More bucks.
Need to backup, buy some good backup software while Leopard comes with Time Machine.
Want to play around making Music using your PC. Buy some software or have a Mac and use Garageband.
As a Mac switcher, yeah the better hardware costs more - but you get so much more plus reducing your frustration is priceless.
Yeah, I laughed when I read that. Apple tax, what ever. Let's not forget the when people wanted to upgrade to Vista, most people had to upgrade their RAM and their video cards. I would call that a MS TAX. Plus if I wanted all the wiz bang (and copied off OS X) features I had to pay more for the OS. But instead, I paid for a 5 user licence of Leopard. Installed it on my 3 machines that I (for one lower price than Vista) and I got ALL the features and it runs on my 4 year old G4 12" powerbook without any trouble at all and without having to upgrade it. I also totally agree with your pages comment. Why would you by Office for $300-$400 when you can get iWork (Which is better) for $99AUS. This guy needs to grow a brain.
So MS, despite their massively dominant position, is so scared of Apple that they've opened up their own FUD factory?!
MS can see their dominance slipping to untold levels within the next 3-5 years and that has them terrified-so much so that they need to take on Apple head-to-head with quotes like this and a direct advertising campaign.
Apple is doing it all right!
Microsoft folks seem to forget the "Microsoft Tax" PC users pay.
Virus problems, spyware problems, Bad OS (Vista).... list goes on and on.
Is it April 1?
Did I miss that important rollout of PCs-with-a-fully-paid-up-install-of-Microsoft-Office-as-opposed-to-a-30-day-trial-version?
Must have been hot on the heels of those PCs-with-a-full-and-free-version-of-Adobe-CS3.
After a hardware problem, my son could not reinstall his legal copy of Windows XP. Something about it not being "verified." We tried to fix the problem, but he needed a working computer for homework and couldn't wait any longer, so he upgraded to Vista. And MS says there is an Apple Tax?
You write: I could also use TextEdit (free with every new Mac) to write my letters, save them directly to rich text format, and then reopen them in Word
TextEdit will save your document directly to Word 2007 Format (docx), Word 97 Format (doc) or Word 2003 XML Format if you so desire.
our new PCs at work didn't come with office so we have to use googledocs :'(
is this guy serious? im not going to get things like microsoft outlook?? has this dude even seen a mac? there is an application called Mail, which comes ready to use. and if you are really that concerned with the color of your machine you probably aren't too concerned with the performance. what an idiot.
I think Apple's next computer should point out the differences between OS X and Vista, as a few in here have already mentioned. Office: $149-$399. iWork: $79 (Mail: Free; TextEdit: Free; OpenOffice: Free) iLife (video; music; pictures) complimentary w/ new purchase. Other productivity applications and titles available.
The Mac: starting at $599 without tax...
I love how Microsoft is disparaging its own product. First Ballmer, now this guy saying Microsoft Office for Mac sucks. What are they thinking? Apparently Microsoft thinks about choice the same way Ford did--you can have anything you want as long as you want Microsoft Office on Microsoft Windows Vista.
I'm an idiot. I meant Apple's next "commercial", not next computer. Duh. LOL
@jaberg:
"TextEdit will save your document directly to Word 2007 Format (docx), Word 97 Format (doc) or Word 2003 XML Format if you so desire."
I forgot about that. Thanks! I used RTF all through college though so I've just gotten used to saving my files that way whenever possible.
The usual Microsoft FUD, which they've been doing since 1993. The odd part is that they're getting worse not better at it.
I'm just flummoxed that Apple hasn't developed a killer spreadsheet. Once they've got one there's no reason for Windows or Office. And then number crunchers can start switching in droves.
Heck, just buy WordPerfect's old Linux code for Quattro. It's always been far superior to Excel.
C'mon Steve, throw us a bone!