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Microsoft, Mac, Computer Troubles and Advertising

Famous blogger Robert Scoble has published a very interesting post today about Apple’s advertising and brand promise following his experience upgrading his Mac computer with Apple’s latest updates. He is making the point that Apple claims the Apple experience is better, that Apple builds better quality computers, various hardware and software than its competitors. So when he reported problems with his upgrade, many apple users flocked to his site to post comments blaming him for his troubles and criticizing him for criticizing Apple’s marketing.

I don’t usually comment on issues like this but I have seen this kind of wolf pack mentality before as well and I find it disturbing. I don’t drink anyone’s Kool-Aid and I find those Windows/Mac debates tiresome and irrelevant because my computer is ultimately just a tool to me. Not a social standing object and not a way to try and be cool. Both sides will argue that their camp is the best and you are basically a moron for believing otherwise. But Mac fanatics just have this extra little bit of zeal, that smug self-righteousness of the “true believer”. Not every Mac user is like that of course and many of them see their machines simply as the tools that they really are. But there are those who really buy into the Mac lifestyle thing or the “brand promise” Scoble talks about. Nothing wrong with that if it makes you happy but when any criticism of the Mac marketing hype brings on the flames then maybe these Mac users take their little Apple branded gizmos a little bit too seriously…

They’re just computers people, it’s not the brand name on them that matters, it’s what you create with them!

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