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Mac Sales Increased 41% From The Last Year

marketwatch.com — Apple reported third-quarter earnings that rose 31% from a year ago as the company said Macintosh sales reached nearly 2.5 million units and iPod shipments also showed continued strength.

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  • Premier, on 07/21/2008, -29/+133Bush on the verge of leaving, mac sales rising, firefox market share increasing, some good signs
    • chillypacman, on 07/22/2008, -27/+16A corporation making more money, one man in charge of a bought and paid for govenrment being replaced by someone else, a web browser getting more users.


      Yes some good signs, if you're a blind idiotic moron who pins good and bad on the aforementioned. But yeah, I suppose we all need to suck a big corporations *****, assume the president is the be all end all of government and invest emotionally in a ***** web browser.

      Talk about pathetic.

      How about, 'Britney Spears' sister is pregnant!', 'American Idol is on!', 'iPods now avialable in pink!', 'wow Brad Pitt his hawt!'... some good signs.

      Hey, it's just as empty and pathetic as your 'some good signs' crap.
      • stevealford, on 07/22/2008, -8/+3I've always loved how these people are ignorant enough of government to think that the president has any real governmental power and isn't just a glorified figurehead. I also love that they think ANY corporation truly cares about them and not their revenue generation. Finally, I really enjoy how they can be so personally invested in web browsers, phones, and gadgets that they'll fight tooth and nail, having knock-down-drag-out arguments for hours online.
      • compdude32, on 07/22/2008, -9/+3So that means they sold 20 computers this year.
      • beta1, on 07/22/2008, -5/+3Well, they sold 2,289,000 just in the 2nd quarter of 08 alone. So no...

        http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2008/04/23results. ...
      • compdude32, on 07/22/2008, -6/+2beta, you don't understand sarcasm do you?
      • mmacpherson2, on 07/22/2008, -2/+2Why do you care what he thinks are good signs? People have different priorities in their life. Why are you so rude about it? What I find more pathetic is the insulting and the lack of understanding that their are people in this world that are different than you and just because someone doesn't think the same as you, doesn't mean they are wrong. That's just my opinion.
      • billybobbernard, on 07/22/2008, -0/+0Which big corporation's ***** do you suck? (Just out of interest.)
      • humperdinck, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1You're a very "up" person.
    • billizm, on 07/22/2008, -14/+30Banks collapsing, Oil/energy prices sky-rocketting, heightened unrest in the middle-east. I always thought if Macs ever started outselling PCs, it would mark the beginning of the end. It looks like this mark may be coming. It is written, it is written.

      I have a feeling I will be getting dugg down, now.
      • lazyrussian, on 07/22/2008, -5/+4Up you go, Down I go.
      • dfsjdkflasjk, on 07/22/2008, -1/+7Bank, not banks.
      • HoratioHellpop, on 07/22/2008, -0/+9um ... Macs haven't started outselling PCs ... they're just selling more than Macs have sold before.
      • blackjack75, on 07/22/2008, -0/+4Macs are outselling themselves in the past. This might create a wormhole.
      • billizm, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Right, I said the mark may be coming. I didn't say it was here. Maybe we can consult Nostradamus to see when it may happen.

        Also, 1 bank collapse, but many more at risk of it. A collapse doesn't happen in 1 day. It takes months or years.
    • Smills, on 07/22/2008, -8/+3Yeah, the only down-side is the increased Mac sales.
      • mmacpherson2, on 07/22/2008, -1/+2Why is that a downside? Explain to me, I am curious. I can understand if you don't like Mac's, that is your business. Everybody has opinions and are allowed to have them. People may disagree, but that is why they are called opinions. But why on earth does it matter to you if sales are up or down? Really, I am just curious.
      • phrenzy, on 07/22/2008, -2/+1Q. Why does it bother him that Mac sales have increased?

        A. Insecure nerd who defines his worth by what operating system he uses.
    • RavenRed, on 07/22/2008, -2/+1meh
  • btschul, on 07/22/2008, -67/+93People are realizing how much better macs are.
    • nubnub, on 07/22/2008, -32/+16ahahahahahahahahahaha
    • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -9/+60Actually SOME people are giving it a try. While I personally perfer it myself, that doesn't mean that it would better than Windows or Linux for everyone.

      People's personal preference is a factor that all three sides tend to negate. Something being better for you doesn't always translate into it being better for someone else.
      • jemka, on 07/22/2008, -5/+13Exactly. I still happen to use the 30 ton computer with vacuum tubes. Why? "It just works".
      • aceking4u, on 07/22/2008, -3/+0Dude are you taking an LSAT course right now? I agree with everything you said and good job on negating what's going on.
      • Macintoshreader, on 07/26/2008, -0/+0No, it's not personal preference. It's stupidity what drives people to buy computers with Windows pre-installed. Windows doesn't offer any benefits compared to OS X but OS X does offer benefits like a more secure OS and more features out of the box. Not to mention that there are 0 viruses out for OS X.

        The games argument, in favor of Windows is getting really old. Only a minority of hardcore gamers use computers. Most people play casual games on their computers and use consoles for "hardcore" games. Also, most of Windows software is available for Macs, so that's another excuse.
    • foetus, on 07/22/2008, -21/+49Well... *technically*, they're realizing how much better OSX is. Macs are still "meh" as far as their hardware goes.
      • Jeremyz0r, on 07/22/2008, -3/+4QFT. No PC Enthusiast could ever conceive Mac to be 'better' at anything. (PC has much better/more hardware/software support.)

        Example: Do you prefer the ATI X1900XT for $500 on Mac, or the 4850 on PC for $200. (Btw, the X1900XT on PC is $50-80)
      • skeletorcares, on 07/22/2008, -5/+4jeremyz0r, they prefer what ever apple tells them to prefer, at whatever price apple tells them to prefer to pay. don't try to talk sense to the apple crew.
      • iknowbob, on 07/22/2008, -0/+2well im not happy with a lot of apples prices, but i am happy with the fact that my mac has yet to blue screen on me after 4 years...vista on the other hand...
      • skeletorcares, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1yeah, constant "3rd party" crashes aka non-apple software, like the adobe suite and adium as a replacement for the BSOD is alot better. Especially for a designer. I don't even think vista has a BSOD? does it? I've never seen it if it does. In fact i've only had 1 hard crash. The 3 months i worked last on a mac, i saw 3 hard crashes in one day. (check hardware, its fine, format, reinstall os, reinstall programs, still doesn't 'just work') ITS SO ***** DEMORALIZING working on a mac.
      • reformation, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1Not at all - people are happy to pay a premium for well designed all in one unit, rather than some crappy cheapo PC box with wires everywhere for monitor, camera, speakers, microphone, bluetooth usb adapters etc.

    • ardnut, on 07/22/2008, -12/+6Their support could do with some work...
      http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID= ...
      ...they haven't even admitted there's a problem yet.
      • bigsteve, on 07/22/2008, -4/+4They will eventually, I hope sooner than later. Apple gets a bad rap for these types of things, but very similar things happen to Dells and Lenovos, lately the latter especially. The noisy T61s, the battery failures, etc.
    • masterkenobi, on 07/22/2008, -20/+14Really? I'm only forced to use Macs for browser testing since I'm a web developer. I can't stand Macs.
      • dfsjdkflasjk, on 07/22/2008, -5/+8I find it funny that you're "forced" when there are plenty of services online that, for $100/yr, you can have an array of different machines to verify your work on.
      • badjoke, on 07/22/2008, -4/+11Just download Safari on Windows.
      • skeletorcares, on 07/22/2008, -5/+3I quit 2 jobs for having to use a mac as a designer. After 12 years of using them i still never found the appeal. If you're bad at knowing computers, sure, get a mac. But thats like a vote for Bush. OHHHHH yeah..... some people volentarily elected him twice.

        I have no faith in america anymore. WE are a bunch of dumb and lazy mother *****. And Apple fits right into that mold, for the dumb and lazy. Why do you think so many americans drive automatics when the rest of the world uses manuals? Is it because they cost more, require more expensive and often maintaince, don't last as long, but require less knowledge? YES! That's why americans buy macs.
    • InsaneOni, on 07/22/2008, -12/+6I've tried many flavors when it comes to operating systems, and I have to say, Windows wins.

      I've used Mac OS, 7(my first computer),9,X, Windows 98, 2kPro, Xp, Vista, Fedora, Ubuntu, DSL (damn small linux).

      Of all of these, I find the Windows OS's to be the most powerful and easy to use. Of course I have the most experience on Windows, but the vast amount of software available makes it king. Oh yeah, no 3d Studio Max on Linux/Unix/Mac means there's really only 1 choice in the end anyway.
    • DestroyFascism, on 07/22/2008, -9/+2How do you change the skin?
    • pyrates, on 07/22/2008, -15/+14Really? I can't stand the way the UI is in OS X. Here are somethings that stand out:

      1. No task bar where all programs AND windows that you have open you can switch to. The only way a window shows up there is if you minimize it.
      2. Home/End/Page Up/Page Down keys don't function as they do in every other OS out there. That includes windows, linux, and bsd.
      3. No actual file manager. I frequently move and copy files from folder to folder and to have an app that's part of the OS that has the folder structure on the left and files/folders on the right would be wonderful. Windows and Linux does this.
      4. No start menu like feature by default. I know I can drag the applications folder to the dock and then set it to list so that I do have a start menu like feature, this is just a bother to me.
      5. No way by default to remove an application and all of its preferences completely. I need to download app zapper to do that. App zapper has been around for years, why hasn't Apple just included a feature like that in their OS? It sure would be nice.
      6. No way to go to each of the system preferences through a list like menu. I do that frequently in windows and linux.
      7. No way to maximize a window.
      8. The menu bar is always at the top of the screen not part of the window of the application. That makes it confusing for me. I prefer it the way windows and linux do it where the menu bar is in the window instead of at the top of the screen. It also makes quitting an application easier because once the window is gone, the application isn't running anymore unless it is in the area where the clock is.

      Here is somethings I do like about it:

      1. Time machine is a brilliant feature that Windows could have gotten right, but they forgot to enable the backups to occur on an external hard drive.
      2. Preference files are created automatically the first time an application is launched so that it always has preferences available. I tried to suggest this feature to Ubuntu, but they said it would be annoying to developers then who might want to test their application without preferences. Apparently they didn't like that idea because of that. Even though it would really help an application become user friendly. And if a developer needs to test it without preferences, that shouldn't be the default way the application is launched.
      3. When the root password is asked for, it tries to tell you what permission it needs it for. It's not totally clear though, but it's more clearer then it is in windows vista.

      Disclaimer: I have used Windows from 3.1 to Vista, all flavors of linux including ubuntu which I prefer the gnome instead of kde, and none of bsd. I prefer windows vista however since it works the way I work.
      • btschul, on 07/22/2008, -1/+81. Just press f9 on your keyboard and all the programs that you have open will fan out like this : http://www.rogergordon.net/blog/wp-content/uploads ... making them all visible, then just click on the one you want to switch to.
      • phrenzy, on 07/22/2008, -2/+7While I am a long-time mac user and prefer OS X to windows by far, I agree with almost every one of your points. Now THAT is constructive criticism people!

        Read this post next time you feel compelled to simply say "Macs R Gay"

        That said, Apple has tried to come up with their own solutions (as they usually do) to these problems. Some of them work well, some of them don't.
      • emehrkay, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1Im new to OS X and I really like it, but I agree with everything that you said. Add to the list.

        - Resize from one corner
        - The see-through application. I cant count how many times i clicked the desktop while working in photoshop. I know tha tyou can press f to maximize the screen, but that isnt what i want to do.
        - WTF with the home/end keys
        - Why can I have a quick, no key or mouse gesture needed, visual of all of the windows that I have open for an application? Taskbars across the world takes care of this for you
        - I cannot easily move windows between spaces with a single click. How aobut a right click -> send to space x on the titlebar?
      • scubaninja, on 07/22/2008, -0/+3I'll respond to these points one by one. I do think they are valid criticisms, but I'll share my experience here. I too used Windows and Linux for years, but now use a Mac for most of my desktop work and rather like it.

        1. No task bar where all programs AND windows that you have open you can switch to. The only way a window shows up there is if you minimize it.

        F9 spreads out all open windows using Expose. It's actually something I miss on all other platforms now.

        2. Home/End/Page Up/Page Down keys don't function as they do in every other OS out there. That includes windows, linux, and bsd.

        True, but there are equivalent behaviors if you're willing to use slightly different key commands.

        3. No actual file manager. I frequently move and copy files from folder to folder and to have an app that's part of the OS that has the folder structure on the left and files/folders on the right would be wonderful. Windows and Linux does this.

        True, the Finder is OK but admittedly could be better. However, you can easily open two windows side by side and drag things that way. And, there's always the command line.

        4. No start menu like feature by default. I know I can drag the applications folder to the dock and then set it to list so that I do have a start menu like feature, this is just a bother to me.

        True, but I prefer the dock to the Windows Start Menu personally. Also, the neat thing about the dock is that it's both a program launcher and an indicator of which programs are running. I used to launch programs in a particular order in Windows to get them to line up right in the task bar. Now I just open up everything I need, and the icons representing them are in the same places as the applications themselves. Neat.

        5. No way by default to remove an application and all of its preferences completely. I need to download app zapper to do that. App zapper has been around for years, why hasn't Apple just included a feature like that in their OS? It sure would be nice.

        True, but there isn't _really_ a good way to do this in Windows or on Linux either. Only some uninstallers on Windows actually work right, and many times they leave behind an amazing amount of junk. Linux is better, but `apt-get remove someprogram` isn't going to remove the dot files in your home directory either.

        6. No way to go to each of the system preferences through a list like menu. I do that frequently in windows and linux.

        True, but if you don't mind hitting a back arrow and choosing something else instead of clicking a forward arrow, they are all centrally located in System Preferences.

        7. No way to maximize a window.

        True. However I somehow don't feel the need to maximize windows very often on the Mac, even though I thought I would at first. It probably helps that most of them come with or use large widescreen displays.

        8. The menu bar is always at the top of the screen not part of the window of the application. That makes it confusing for me. I prefer it the way windows and linux do it where the menu bar is in the window instead of at the top of the screen. It also makes quitting an application easier because once the window is gone, the application isn't running anymore unless it is in the area where the clock is.

        There is actually a benefit of having the menu bar at the top of the screen. Instead of precisely having to maneuver your mouse to the right part of your application, you can just roll it up until it hits the top of the screen, which makes selecting entries on the menu bar more convenient. As for programs staying open after you close the window, yes, that's true, but I got used to this quickly. It also lets you keep applications in memory for quick use even if you're not using them right now. In practice, I've just gotten in the habit of hitting command-Q when I want to close a program instead of Alt-F4 or navigating a mouse up to click on a little close icon.
  • shogan191, on 07/22/2008, -28/+11Their numbers increasing 41% doesn't mean much in the scheme of things because they aren't selling much to begin with.
    • futuretheory, on 07/22/2008, -8/+18Yeah... they're only the 3rd best selling PC brand in the U.S.
      • jgoto, on 07/22/2008, -7/+53rd Best in the U.S. We live in a Global World. In terms of worldwide sales Apple is barely on the radar
    • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -4/+18Apparently over a million people more than the same quarter last year translates to no big deal? Are you actually listening to what you're saying or are you just another moron troll? You can choose both answers if the question confuses you.
      • worminater, on 07/22/2008, -10/+1"moron troll" pot meet kettle
      • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -1/+9OK, find a post from me that rips uselessly into Windows or Linux. Find a post from me that insults users of those OSes simply because they exist. Good luck skippy
    • michaeldpotter, on 07/22/2008, -2/+13This logic only applies to your salary; you don't make much, so a 41% increase doesn't mean much.
    • SammoJG, on 07/22/2008, -8/+6@ futuretheory

      Apple might be the 3rd best selling brand in the US, but from research I have done, they still have less than a 10% corner on the market. Whereas, M$ is holding about 90%.
      • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -2/+11Prior to the release of OS X, it was estimated that Apple held 2-3% of the US Computer market. Now even the most conservative estimates put them between 7-10% with record profits and sales.

        So we're looking at anywhere from 300 to 500% increase in marketshare over a 6-8 year time period. I think most companies would be pretty happy with those numbers.
      • DAllenJ, on 07/22/2008, -1/+15M$ isn't a computer manufacturer.
      • compdude32, on 07/22/2008, -5/+3Exactly, the 3rd best label means nothing, seeing as you have 100's of options for buying a PC and only 1 place to go to to buy a Mac.
      • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -2/+5@compdude

        um...so what? Apple managing to become the third biggest computer retailer in the US with a smaller retail distribution system (Apple Stores and a few other resellers) as compared to WinPCs should be considered a sign of strength for the platform.
      • compdude32, on 07/22/2008, -4/+3MacParrot, seeing as your a mac fanboy I understand how you will have trouble understanding this, but the 3rd best label is in competition with guys like Dell and HP and Gateway, not with Microsoft or Windows.

        Of course Apple will be high on that list (actually you have to ask why they aren't number one with the way their business model is), as anyone wanting Mac OS needs to get a apple computer. If I want Windows I can go to Dell, HP, Gateway, Acer, or I can buy the parts and build one myself. More outlets to get the computers means less sales from any one outlet.

        I am not impressed one bit by Apple being third on that list as in the real world it means nothing.
      • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -0/+4Ah, the "fanboy" label. Usually thrown out once no real point can be made.

        You actually proved my point for me. I said that the fact that Apple is the number three retailer for "computers" even though they sell a machine that isn't just another Windows PC made the feat more impressive. Yes, you can buy a Win/Linux computer just about anywhere. You can, with a minimum of skill, buy the parts and pieces and make your own if that's what you want to do. Compared to how many outlets are available for generic computers as compared to Apple's few stores and resellers makes the fact that they are now (or for now anyway) the third best selling computer IS impressive.

        The fact that you aren't impressed speaks more to your bias than to mine.
      • compdude32, on 07/23/2008, -0/+0The fact that Apple is the only outlet to gets a Mac makes their third in the industry rating unimpressive.

        Let me try to explain this in a way you might understand.

        Lets say you own a company that makes windshield wipers, but your wipers only fit Ford's and yours are the only ones that fit Ford, thus leaving Ford owners with no other outlet to get wipers.

        You still with me?

        Now Ford has a much lower market share than lets say Honda, but you have 100 different wiper manufacturers for Honda.

        Still here?

        Now lets throw out some numbers here, lets say for ease of math there are 1000 people driving Honda's and 100 driving Fords.

        Now even though you have small market share, you sales compared to your competitors will be higher because when anyone of those 100 Ford drivers want wipers they are forced to buy from you, while the 1000 Honda drivers have 100 choices of wipers.

        So you see even with their small market share, the entire 10% they have MUST buy from Apple, so of course their number of sales compared to the 100's of PC manufacturers will be high, in fact they must really be doing something wrong if they aren't number 1.

        Apparently you confusing sales with amount of stores, when in fact they have nothing in common, most Computer sales (PC and Mac) are done online.
    • Shoebox639, on 07/22/2008, -3/+4This is the only way Apple is surviving, by bundling hardware with software. If Apple just sold OSX that runs on any x86 or x64 machine, a lot more people will want to buy it. Apple as a software company is dying, only to be saved by their refocusing on hardware. The iPod and iPhone keep Apple alive. Their OS is really nothing special.
      • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -2/+3A couple of problems with your statement. When was Apple's focus on software? When did Apple ever create, distribute, or engineer software for any reason other than to sell hardware?

        My history with Apple goes back over 20 years and its ALWAYS been about the hardware.

        If Apple decided to just sell the OS, THAT would a large strategic shift. Even when they allowed cloning, they never stopped selling the Mac (though perhaps they would have been more successful if they had done so. No way to know now)
      • Shoebox639, on 07/22/2008, -0/+2First of all I never said that Apple focused on software. Read my comment again, you will find no such words.

        My point was that it was apple's hardware that is keeping it alive. You're right, Apple never has sold its OS without bundling it with its hardware. Perhaps that's the reason behind the amazing stability of Macs. However, always having to distribute your OS with your hardware actually should be considered monopolizing, just as Windows was bundling office and IE. For this reason alone, I think that Mac as an OS will never take a substantial corner of the market and will fall behind Linux. I want to put Mac on a system that I custom build and as long as Mac doesn't allow for that, I will never buy it.
      • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -1/+2True you never actually said that, but it was implied. No matter. Apple as a monopoly only works if you look at it as a singularity. Since Apple sells computers along with Lord knows how many other companies, as long as there's a choice, they aren't a monopoly.

        Lastly, if you really want to build a computer with OS X on it, there are any number of how-tos out there to show you exactly what to buy and build. If you want to use your own list of parts, well, until other major manf make drivers for OS X for their hardware, it won't happen. Neither MS or Apple makes the drivers for the vast majority of computers their OS's run on.

        Since you don't think OS X is anything special, why would you even bother to go the trouble? Build the computer you want and either put Windows or Linux on it and best of luck sir.
      • caseycoold, on 07/22/2008, -2/+2@MacParrot, stop being a mactard. wow.
        And mac doesn't let other people make drivers on purpose. Windows doesn't make all drivers, or even sign them, but they don't make it breaking they law to put their OS where they didn't think of.
      • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -1/+3Good God STFU
        Of course "Windows" (or maybe you mean Microsoft?) doesn't have a EULA preventing Windows from being installed. They are a software company, what would be the sense of that? And Mac (or maybe you mean Apple?) doesn't prevent ANY company from making drivers for the hardware they sell. But since the market isn't there for add-on hardware beyond memory or hard drives, most companies don't bother. The only machine where you can easily install your own hardware is the Mac Pro and since that's a pro-level machine, most people are satisfied with the hardware it comes with.

        If you work in an office with Windows computers and any type of IT presense, you aren't allowed to change out hardware either.

        Apple sells computers. That's where they make their money, not on the software.
      • Shoebox639, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1@MacParror "Since Apple sells computers along with Lord knows how many other companies, as long as there's a choice, they aren't a monopoly."

        I never said they were a monopoly, I said they were monopolizing. There's a difference between the two. Monopolies (Your local electric company is a monopoly) are legal, while monopolizing (trying to snuff out office software competition by bundling it with the OS) is not. Oh there really isn't a choice when buy a Mac. You either buy a Mac exactly the way Apple wants you to buy a Mac, or you don't buy one at all. simple.

        And I shouldn't have to go out of my way to be able to put OS X on a machine of my choosing. I want to pay Steve Jobs $200 for a copy of OS X that installs on anything. But there's no way it's going to happen. Why? Because Windows has too much of market share. Apple starts selling Mac as a stand-alone OS, no one will buy their hardware anymore. So before, every sale of Mac OS came with the sale of the hardware, which by far makes Apple a lot more money.

        All I'm saying that Apple's software sector sucks, it's the hardware that is keep Apple afloat. Without the iPod and the iPhone and their vile advertising campaign to cast windows as the devil has kept them alive.
  • AnotherDiggGuy, on 07/22/2008, -17/+5As long as all the growth comes from stuff other than computers, I'll be happy. Last thing the IT world needs is another OS to worry about
    • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -3/+5Good thing that all the growth came from somewhere other than computers so you'll be happy.

      Oh wait, actually most of the increased sales and profits came from Mac purchases. So I guess you won't be happy then? Lastly Macs and Windows PCs can work in the same network with few if any issues. Any IT person worth hiring can handle both.
    • kreatre2007, on 07/22/2008, -3/+4That's where you're wrong. Companies and end users need a another OS to save them from Windows. It's dangerous to be totally devoted to only one computing solution. If I.T. departments are not up to the challenge of integrating Macs into their networks then, they're not worth the money they're being paid. It gives I.T. consultants like me who specialize in Apple technology a chance to show how useless these guys have become.
      • FredFredrickson, on 07/22/2008, -2/+1Mac will never be the big thing that Windows is. If it were, it wouldn't be this little friendly piece of ***** you guys like to take to bed with you every night, and you'd have to attach your mouth to the teat of some other, smaller, obscure computer company.
    • lead2thehead, on 07/22/2008, -7/+1You don't have to worry about Apple's OS... it just works.
      • Me1000, on 07/22/2008, -0/+2never underestimate the stupidity of people!

    • kawaiirobo, on 07/22/2008, -3/+2if you can't handle apple on your network your a terrible IT department. Macs cause far less trouble network wise in my experience so far, not to mention if you deserve a pay check you learn and adapt instead of just complaining when new technology emerges.
      • FredFredrickson, on 07/22/2008, -1/+2IT advice from someone who can't even write. Digg never ceases to amaze me.
  • kimondo, on 07/22/2008, -17/+31I own a Mac and a PC (Win XP / Ubuntu) - must admit will be replacing the Mac (8 year old PowerPC running OS 10.4) rather than the PC, since Vista has really put me off upgrading. I think XP is great, although a bit dated compared with the shiny toys you get with Apple, but it just works. After trying out Vista for a few days it's really put me off - it makes fast machines seem slow, and I can't see any advantages over XP - I think Vista is driving Mac sales / linux takeup, particularly since all these really popular little netbooks either run XP or some flavour of Linux. Plus macs have just 2 flavours of the OS - server or local - with windows its complicated enough knowing what version to go for! (home business ultimate home etc etc). I just wish there was a consumer tower mac at a reasonable price!
    • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -6/+4To be fair, you can easily replace your old WinPC and install XP. Vista has had its issues but so has 10.5 Leopard. My kid's iMac G5 is still on 10.4 because of WiFi problems (though it has worked almost flawlessly with my two Intel Macs).

      I certainly agree with you about a consumer tower Mac.I would replace my recent vintage Intel iMac tomorrow if Apple would just make one at a decent price.
    • kreatre2007, on 07/22/2008, -7/+12" I just wish there was a consumer tower mac at a reasonable price"... The reason why there is not one is because not enough people want one. Apple tried being diversified before but in the end, no one knew which Mac to buy. The lineup was too confusing. Steve Jobs put a stop to that and made Apple simplify between consumer and pro machines. That is partly what has fueled Apple's comeback. I'm a little confused about something else you said... That XP "just works".... You must not ever connect it to the internet or use it very often. I have seen XP start screwing up the moment it has been installed. Like Vista, it's poorly written. Windows belongs in a dumpster more than on a computer.
      • bpoteat, on 07/22/2008, -3/+1As it's blatantly obvious you're an Apple fanboy, I'll take your explanation of why Macs are expensive as gospel. However, as someone who has installed XP well over 20 times on nearly as many varying computers, I call shenanigans on:
        "I have seen XP start screwing up the moment it has been installed."
        XP is a solid operating system with extremely wide support from all major hardware suppliers. There are many things you can criticize it for, but not working on a fresh install is not one of them. And I'm certainly not married to MS. I run XP & Ubuntu at home and gave Vista a 4 month test, which it failed pretty badly.
      • kreatre2007, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Well, I've installed Windows on at least 100 machines during my career so, I'm afraid I have a bit more experience. Yes, I'm a fanboy. You say that as if it's something dirty. I'm a fan of Apple because they make the best engineered hardware and software in the entire industry. Microsoft's products are crap.
    • cgjamj, on 07/22/2008, -2/+9I've been a hardcore PC user since I started using computers well over 10 years ago. I bought a Core 2 Duo Macbook in Feb of last year. Starting using it increasingly more over that time and just recently made it my main machine. I still have a PC desktop for games, but even that usage is decreasing. I don't really see myself not having a gaming PC anytime soon, but if they'd port DirectX to the Mac or something similar, I'd probably switch 100%. But I am really enjoying the Macbook and OS X in particular.
      • apotropaic, on 07/22/2008, -11/+5Meh, Macbook Pro is only so, so. I just had to use one for 2 weeks solid on a business trip. I must say I missed my pc. Its not like it was my first time using osx or anything, just my first time using it as my main computer. So many quarks about it, I hate finder now! I don't ANYBODY tell me its more stable then even Vista. OMG I will punch you in the face. I've used a G4, G5, 8-core Mac Pro and this Macbook Pro, not one of them is any less stable then my vista laptop or xp desktop.
      • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -1/+7I tend to believe those who threaten violence in anonymous threads on the internet are usually those least capable of actually doing the aforementioned violence. You don't like the Finder? No reason why you should, but try and find a more credible way to express yourself.

        Oh, and I think the Finder is more stable than Vista. You going to punch me in the face now? Even though one isn't anything like the other? There is more to Windows than a brand name like Vista. There is more to OS X than the Finder.
      • HoratioHellpop, on 07/22/2008, -2/+210 years ago? Rookie.
      • cgjamj, on 07/22/2008, -0/+2Well, I'm going to quote myself here..."I've been a hardcore PC user since I started using computers WELL OVER 10 years ago."

        Try again. Dugg down.
      • phrenzy, on 07/22/2008, -0/+0http://images.encyclopediadramatica.com/images/d/d ...
      • kreatre2007, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1DirectX is crap and it's outdated. Macs primarily use OpenGL which is much better. Why on earth would you want inferior technology ported to the Mac? It won't happen anyway.
  • noheadhorseman, on 07/22/2008, -20/+1
    Did anyone notice; Jobs didnt do the earings report this year! for all his fans out there, it seems more and more appearent that he is sick (probably with the cancer he had 6 years ago) and the days of apple glory are unfornunately numbered.







    • mj1903, on 07/22/2008, -2/+9Jobs hasn't done the earnings report since I started following the stock in 2002. It's always the CFO which was Fred Anderson initially and Peter Oppenheimer currently. Stop spreading FUD.
  • bundwallah, on 07/22/2008, -10/+21IMO having a nice Apple store in your town helps too. When you walk in the staff don't bug you and they have tons of systems set up for you to play with. For those who aren't Mac users and looking to switch its' the perfect environment to test drive a system. Let's face it, Mac's are best suited to folks who aren't too computer savvy. They aren't going to rip them open and upgrade their RAM, drives, etc. They aren't going to fiddle with the command shell. They are going to use them to do the things they want to do. Write a letter, play some music, create some media, etc. Apple put a lot of effort into designing an OS that you can wander around in and figure out things intuitively. The only knock I have is the price point. I'd love a Mac Pro system but whenever I price them and then use that budget to see what I can build on my own with Linux, l back off. I'm not into spending >$2000 for a PC. With that budget I can build a seriously powerful PC on my own. These days. I'm spending
    • rimantas, on 07/22/2008, -3/+9Where did you get that "Mac's are best suited to folks who aren't too computer savvy"? Have you been to any tech conference lately?
      What you say basically is "UNIX is not for the computer savvy".
      Yes, I am not going to bother replacing my hardware, but I am using unix underpinnings of OS X every day.
      That's what it is nice about Mac's - it works for the both world, home users, whose primary tasks is browsing/email/photo sharing and for power users/programmers/etc.
      Only hardware tinkers are not happy. (And gamers).
      • devnullDood, on 07/22/2008, -2/+8bundwallah is telling it like it is. Simply put Macs are more user friendly than windows. Nobody gives a ***** about UNIX, nor did he say anything about it. Doh!
      • bundwallah, on 07/22/2008, -1/+5Walk into any coffee shop and you will see tons of Mac books and the users are typically a younger "artsy" user or a person in their early 50's. I didn't say that the UNIX foundation of OSX was feeble. I said that Apple did a great job of "idiot proofing" their O/S and apps. In 15 years of consulting, any clients I had that had Macs in production attracted a certain type of user. And that user generally wasn't into PC's as much as they were into using the PC to do their work.

        And a "tech" conference is a far cry from a "user" conference. A tech conference is going to attract the IT professionals more than the users. Of course you're going to see people who are considered power users!!

        Apple has been very successful in designing their PC's to be more like consumer devices. And that's a good thing. For the more "computer savvy" among us. The Mac is a closed device at a higher cost. Apple now uses commodity parts. There are a lot more Intel CPU's than PowerPC CPU's. The cost difference between the two are staggering. Yet the price is still high. At least for my tastes.
      • rimantas, on 07/22/2008, -1/+6I think we use "computer savvy" to mean different things. For you it is hardware. For me it's what I can do with my computer (programming, etc.). I do not care about hardware, replaceable batteries, etc.
        The point what I was making is: you are right about the fact that Macs are easier to use for the people whose primary business is not IT, but that does not make them less attractive for the IT professionals.
      • Jeremyz0r, on 07/22/2008, -3/+1I'm sorry, but if I walked into a coffee shop with my Vista and custom built $2,000 laptop. I'd tell you ***** Macl overs to get away from me with your bricks.

        *Rhetorically speaking* (Miss use of big word, I couldn't figure out what to state. ;_;)
    • vexadril, on 07/22/2008, -0/+3You know, you don't HAVE to buy a $2000 computer to use a Mac. I'm sure you would love a Core 2 Duo Mac mini with 2GB ram, which you could have for less than $700. It really is a fantastic machine. Haven't run into any limitations on it and I'm heavy into video editing/encoding/transcoding.
  • AzzX, on 07/22/2008, -19/+3Organic food sales leap despite drought.
    http://www.bigpond.com/news/national/content/20080 ...
  • aliguana, on 07/22/2008, -21/+15woohoo! does this mean they're going to get cheaper? No? jeez, how many sports-cars does Jobs need?
    • mj1903, on 07/22/2008, -2/+6Apple doesn't sell to the lower-end market and probably never will as the margins just aren't good enough. Have a wander down to Texas and ask Dell how his commodity boxes are going recently!
      • eggsovereasy, on 07/22/2008, -5/+5They make more in profit than Apple gets in revenue... so pretty good.
      • aliguana, on 07/22/2008, -4/+1if Apple doesn't sell to the lower end, their prices will remain high and their market-share will remain low. Simple economics. They lower their prices, they get more of the precious "switchers" they are spending millions on ad campaigns to create.
      • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -1/+5eggs,
        The low end is a fickle market. One that is easily capable of leaving you holding the bag on several thousand computers that you end up selling at near cost because few people wanted them. Why do you think Dell has so many coupons or mega-markdowns on mostly (not all certainly) their low-end machines?

        Dell is doing just fine as is Apple. However, other than the fact that they both sell Intel-based computers, they have very little in common with one another.
      • macplenty, on 07/22/2008, -1/+8eggs,

        http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/cor ...

        That is from Dell. Yes their revenue was higher than Apple, but their profit was less. Dell required to sell 16 billion dollars worth of products and services to create about 750 million in profit (granted there are many factors that affect profit quarter to quarter such as acquisitions and so on).

        Apple, on the other hand, generated 7.5 billion in revenue with profit of over 1 billion. Now, 750 million in profit is nothing to sneeze at just as 1 billion is phenomenal in this economy. Both companies are doing real well, as MacParrot pointed out. But this shows that when you play the low-end game, you need to sell, sell, sell because the margins just aren't there. Apple seemingly doesn't need it, nor do they seem to want it.
      • DylanClements, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1Eggs,

        Apple's Revenues for 2007 was $24 billion. Dell's Profit for 2007 was $2.25 billion. So your claim that Dell earns more in Profit than Apple does in Revenue is incorrect by an order of magnitude. Dell's Revenue for 2007 was $57 billion which is a little more than twice Apple's revenue, however Apple's profit was $3.5 billion, which is about 1.5 times higher than Dell's profit for 2007. The difference is even larger when compared on a per share basis where Apple's income per share of almost $4 was approximately 3 times the that of Dell's, which was $1.33.

        I am not going to say this has anything to do with the markets they have chosen to operate in, but Apple was clearly more profitable in 2007 than Dell was, and 2008's numbers are looking pretty equivalent to 2007 so far. Dell rose about 6% in revenues, and although Apple has not finished its Fiscal year it seems poised to do at least as well as Dell did.
    • moofer, on 07/22/2008, -0/+3How many sports cars do you think he owns?
      • stevealford, on 07/22/2008, -4/+3That's a trick question. Are you referring to the regular ones or the solid gold ones?
      • DylanClements, on 07/22/2008, -0/+17
    • rebotfc, on 07/22/2008, -0/+2Jobs only drives Mercedes.
  • Jaablaze, on 07/22/2008, -24/+13Mac = Security through obscurity
    • bigsteve, on 07/22/2008, -5/+9Jaablaze = ignorant to UNIX security model and privilege hierarchy
      • Jaablaze, on 07/22/2008, -5/+4bigsteve = oblivious to security exploits ignored by apple.

        I administer a Linux server environment for a company that uses OS X as there primary OS. Ignorant to UNIX security model and privilege hierarchy? Negative ghostrider.
      • compdude32, on 07/22/2008, -4/+5Jaablaze is 100% correct OS X is full of holes and it takes Apple on average a month or longer to patch a hole once discovered and actually acknowledged by apple, that process alone takes several months as Apple won't admit to a problem. The more market share they get the worse their product will become due to their lack of security.
  • Rudegar, on 07/22/2008, -13/+3better them then me!
  • hauntedchippy, on 07/22/2008, -32/+2141% !!!

    So what they sold 20 more?
    • anonymous1986, on 07/22/2008, -5/+2You've got to give it to him, it was a good joke
  • xsecretfiles, on 07/22/2008, -26/+18Apple sells computers??
    • thewump, on 07/22/2008, -4/+4Yes! And I've recently heard that you can also buy music from them! Really - there seem to be several places where the music you want can actually be purchased, instead of simply downloaded.
  • roddack, on 07/22/2008, -22/+14Macs like special ed for people that want to use computers.

    • grayapple, on 07/22/2008, -2/+3How so?
    • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -2/+7I suppose they're also for people who know how to and like to write complete sentences. I'm guessing with your grammar and sentence structure issues, you won't be buying one anytime soon.
      • stevealford, on 07/22/2008, -1/+3Don't split your infinitives. A better lead would be "I suppose they're also for people who know how to write complete sentences and like to do so." The irony is quite delicious.

        *hugs MacParrot for trying*
      • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -0/+2An infinitive split is almost as good as bananas and an irony sandwich should NEVER have mayonaise.

        THESE are the principles in which I have based my life.

        As far as my comment above goes, it is for failure and I hang my head in shame.
    • marillion, on 07/22/2008, -1/+4Dude, I work in a high power medical research group. You can't swing the proverbial dead cat without hitting two or three PhDs, a grad student, and an occasional MD. Areas of research include natural language processing, massively parallel computing, bimolecular research, gene expression clustering and the list goes on. These folks are not dumb and are extremely knowledgeable about computers. Researchers have their choice of any computer, any platform. The top three desktop platforms in order of preference are MacOS, XP, Ubuntu. The top three server platforms are Solaris, Suse, MacOS Server.
    • bicycleman, on 07/22/2008, -1/+1That's a perfect way of describing it. I agree complete as a CIO MAC is for the lower common denominator of the computer user spectrum. I love how Apple creates all these great marketing pieces of software they claim is ground breaking, yet the PC has been able to do it for 10 years already. LOL
      • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1So as a CIO you feel completely comfortable with using the term "LOL". Please say you aren't in a company that has anything to do with research or development that might actually be...I don't know...important.
  • ndseifi, on 07/22/2008, -18/+11Apple are one of the biggest assholes of a company on the planet. They hate competition. They treat their dealers like *****. They don't want ANYBODY to know what they're getting up to until it hits the shelves. But christ I love my Mac.
  • lysdexia, on 07/22/2008, -28/+105Erm...I've been using a PC since the mid eighties. From DOS, via Windows 3, XP and finally Vista.

    Last week I got my first Apple computer - a 17" Mac Book Pro. I can't see myself returning to Windows. Ever.

    • AzzX, on 07/22/2008, -19/+12Congratulations on copying and pasting an Apple marketing line of text.
      • lysdexia, on 07/22/2008, -6/+13Yup - I can see why you could think that might be the case.

        I didn't expect the Mac to be that much better - but it's simply been a bit of a revelation.
    • aldableep3, on 07/22/2008, -14/+4traitor..
    • billizm, on 07/22/2008, -8/+13Its not "Mac vs Windows" - like almost everyone makes it out to be. It is "Mac vs PC and any OS of your choice".

      Personally, I have never bought a pre-built machine. I always custom build. Historically, Mac hasn't had this option.
      • kawaiirobo, on 07/22/2008, -1/+5custom building is going the way of the enthusiast now-a days considering the cheap prices PC manufacturers can now offer. That being said, a big complaint with apple is that you can't choose your parts, I understand that fully, since i used to be a hard core pc gamer who loved the ability to swap out video cards every 6 months or so. But the trade off is Macs offer a more stable platform with less to worry about in the way of drivers. It's a trade off some people make and some don't. To each their own.
      • vexadril, on 07/22/2008, -2/+4Actually you have more OS choice on a Mac than you do on a "PC" like a Dell or HP, since the PC can only run Windows and Linux, while the Mac can run Windows and OS X and Linux, all natively I might add. Buying anything other than a Mac is like buying half a computer.
    • caseycoold, on 07/22/2008, -4/+8Your other digg posts say otherwise...
      "I ask as a Mac and PC user." on 10/12/2007
      • lead2thehead, on 07/22/2008, -5/+10You don't have to own your own Mac to be a Mac user.
      • kawaiirobo, on 07/22/2008, -8/+4Oh *****! you told him, finding an old comment that disputes what he says! That's just pathetic on so many levels casey.
      • caseycoold, on 07/22/2008, -0/+4Proof's a bitch, huh?
    • compdude32, on 07/22/2008, -8/+3Give more than a week, your tone will change.
    • fLUx1337, on 07/22/2008, -1/+2Exactly the same for me, except I have a 15" Macbook Pro.

      I acctully feel sorry for people who bash OSX with no real reasons, but your loss...you keep Windows if your happy with it... ;)
    • skyshock1, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2I felt the same way when I started using OSX Tiger. Now that I've "upgraded" to Leopard, I have a different opinion - I'll be sticking w/ Linux.

      ***** Microsoft and ***** Apple too.
  • jokeblog, on 07/22/2008, -9/+2Wow.. how much better macs are~
  • KayMan2k, on 07/22/2008, -12/+2Ummm... doesn't the article say that sales increased by 31%, not 41%?
    • Nezacant, on 07/22/2008, -0/+5"The results provided more evidence of the continued resurgence of the Mac computer line, as Apple reported Mac sales of almost 2.5 million units, a 41% increase from a year ago."
  • mal1964, on 07/22/2008, -4/+2http://www.marketwatch.com/charts/int-basic.chart? ...
  • MariDiseno, on 07/22/2008, -11/+4I made the switch to Mac about a year ago and didn't want to ever use Windows again. Then I realized a lot of files I would email couldn't be opened by PC owners... Had to install windows on my Mac because of it
    • VeritasAequitas, on 07/22/2008, -1/+5Like what might I ask?
    • skinny01, on 07/22/2008, -4/+2Make sure you have the extensions on your mac files. Macs can read some of them fine but windows won't know what to use to open it without the extension.
      • MariDiseno, on 07/22/2008, -0/+0Thanks. The most recent example was scanning a large document to pdf, was to large to email so I changed it to individual jpeg's. But the two people I emailed it to couldn't open the jpeg file, which I assumed would be no problem. I had to move the whole file to Windows and send from Outlook.
    • AzzX, on 07/22/2008, -1/+5This issue is easy to get around - no need to install windows.

      Something wildly amusing about users saying "I made the switch to a Mac" then installing Windows on the said Mac.
    • nycmac247, on 07/22/2008, -1/+4"files I would email couldn't be opened by PC owners"

      ??????? WTF
  • thewump, on 07/22/2008, -8/+3And their secret? "Operation Vista"
  • Rotzooi, on 07/22/2008, -11/+25I've always been a loyal Microsoft customer and currently use a lot of Microsoft products, from Windows Mobile on my phone, to XP at home, and 2000/2003 in the office. But Vista just is not for me (note: I'm not bashing it, for others it might be the greatest thing ever). I have a Windows/Linux notebook to do proper network management but for personal entertainment a simple machine is all I want. Because of that, for the first time in forever I am considering getting a Mac notebook. Despite the fact that its userbase is a bunch of, well, *****.
    • masterkenobi, on 07/22/2008, -10/+5I switched to being a Zune 80gb owner after 3 Ipods failed me, been a PC user since DOS, been building my own machines and am a longtime PC gamer, and I recently got a new WM6 phone which I am completely in love with.

      I admit, Vista kinda sucks the big fat one, which is why I am sticking with XP Pro for now. It's amazing how so many people here are saying they are switching to Mac simply because of Vista, which I think is a whole lot of crock. you can always repartition and reinstall the OS as soon as you get your new box or laptop. XP just works. Lemme say that again....XP just works!

      And I can also say that I have given Macs a try. Believe me, I have. I am forced to use Macs also for cross browser testing since I'm a web developer and I can safely say I'm not moving off to OSx any time soon.
    • masterkenobi, on 07/22/2008, -5/+4Buried with no reason or replies, eh fanboys?

      /golfclap
    • skyshock1, on 07/23/2008, -1/+2Macbooks make EXCELLENT network management laptops as well. I work in one of the world's largest datacenters, and most of us use MBPs there (with a few people using Linux exclusively). Desipte the fact that Apple's support staff are also a bunch of, well, *****.
  • tresvold, on 07/22/2008, -12/+20i love my mac i have had it for 2 years now and I will never go back to a pc - i love how the mac looks and how it runs it's just a fabulous machine.
    • MariDiseno, on 07/22/2008, -2/+8I second that!!
    • masterkenobi, on 07/22/2008, -3/+5I always hate articles like this showing up on FP. The threads end up becoming an Apple fanboy bukkuke session.
    • FredFredrickson, on 07/22/2008, -5/+4"i love how the mac looks"

      Because ultimately, it's not what you can do with a machine that counts - it's how it looks. The only edge Mac has on performance is that they make you use Mac OS on only their hardware, so of course it's always going to run at a certain level of quality. I'd rather have the freedom of installing the OS on whatever computer I want, thanks.
      • vexadril, on 07/22/2008, -1/+3I'm sure you didn't take into account how your car looked before you bought it, just whether or not it goes forward and backward. Or how your shirt looked before your bought it, just whether or not it covered your bare torso. I'm sure how your house, your couch, your television, your dining room table, etc. looked never factored into your decision to buy them. I'm sure your choice of girlfriend had nothing to do with how she looked, just whether or not she had a vagina.

        Get off your high horse. How things look is important; good looking things make you want to use them. Ugly looking things (like Dells and HPs) make you want to stay away.

      • masterkenobi, on 07/22/2008, -1/+2I dunno, my custom built PC looks pretty damn hot.
      • vexadril, on 07/22/2008, -1/+1Let me guess, it's about the size of a mini-fridge, is mostly black plastic but has some silver spray-painted highlights, it has a plexiglass panel or two, and it's covered in blue LEDs.


        How close did I get?
  • ktorbeck, on 07/22/2008, -6/+15While this is true Apple did not gain on the % of users. Why? Upgrades!! It was a big year for Windows and MAC upgrades.
    • aliguana, on 07/22/2008, -6/+5yeah, it probably just means that, with Leopard, all the Mac users were buying new machines to replace their older ones.
      • rimantas, on 07/22/2008, -2/+2Leopard is not Vistas, it runs just fine on the older Macs.
        Better than Tiger, in fact.
    • nycmac247, on 07/22/2008, -1/+9MAC = Machine Address / NIC card

      Mac == short for Apple "macintosh"
      • frostw, on 07/22/2008, -1/+2WGAS = Who Gives a *****
      • gawman, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2MAC = Media Access Control

        NIC = Network Interface Card

        You don't need to put card twice...

        You probably own a Mac
    • Phocion55, on 07/22/2008, -2/+6I just bought my first Mac a few weeks ago. So there, Apple DID gain a % of users.
      • CobaltBlue, on 07/22/2008, -2/+3I just threw my Mac in the trash to make it even.
      • basevillin, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Total number of users has grown for all types. Hence Apples % share not growing.
    • drlha, on 07/22/2008, -1/+6In their profit reporting telecon they stated the 50% of people buying Macs at Apple stores were not previously Mac owners. So this is not all upgrades.
      • FredFredrickson, on 07/22/2008, -3/+150%? Sure.
      • drlha, on 07/22/2008, -0/+3FredFredrickson: Apple reported this, perhaps they were lying, but I would say that was unlikely. Quote macrumors reporting: "Retail Stores. 476,000 Macs sold. 1/2 were sold to customers new to Mac."
      • coreyb, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1I helped 12 family and friends switch to Mac just since the beginning of the year. I am not much of a fanboy, but I use and recommend what works... if it is a Mac, then great, if it is Linux, fantastic, and if it is a Windows machine, wonderful. (And yes, I have even recommended windows.)

        It is all about what is the best tool for the job. Period.
    • RandyGandy, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2i work for applecare (apples tech support) and believe me that mac users dont buy new systems, its every day i speak to somone who is still running os 9 on a 10 year old machine and cant understand why we dont support it
  • redlantern64, on 07/22/2008, -6/+12The wife and I did our part and migrated to macbooks. And while I agree w/ ndseifi about Apple as a company, we also agree with him about Apple as a product. It delivers. Big time. We'll not be going back to Windows.
  • h2d2, on 07/22/2008, -2/+8I don't care about that, but the stock's down $15!
    • moofer, on 07/22/2008, -1/+4And it'll come back too. It's now down, it's exhibiting a buying opportunity.
      • FredFredrickson, on 07/22/2008, -1/+1Looking at the stock over the last few months, it won't be back up to where it was for at least half a year.
      • moofer, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1it took less than that to do it before.
    • basevillin, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Because it's worth was overestimated... Have you looked at the P/E ratio? Thirty Three.
  • PaganHeathen, on 07/22/2008, -10/+5Digg sure is becoming a blog for apple's bottom line and sales figures. There seems to be a few articles a day.

    From now on I don't want to see any mac articles unless they are a top ten list...

    • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -2/+3If only there was some way to block Apple/Mac/iPhone stories from showing on a user's front page on Digg. It sure would take one smart feller to figure THAT one out...
      • FredFredrickson, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1Oh sure, just stick your head in the sand and let the rest of the Digg become an Apple orgy. Good idea.
      • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1So Fred, are you saying you DON'T know how to block Apple stories?
  • srodolff, on 07/22/2008, -12/+6Someone is lying to us...Most of the Apple fanboys and Apple rumour sites have constantly painted a rose-colored picture of what Apple does as a company.

    So, Apple goes out and misses earnings by 25%.........TWENTY FIVE PERCENT!!!

    It looks like the market is beginning to show Apple's true colors.
    • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -2/+3Apple missed their earnings by 25% percent? Really? Whose numbers were those? They weren't Apple's. Apple typically low-balls earnings and then they look great when they constantly beat their own estimates. Not exactly kosher, but not illegal. If some analyst makes unrealistic earnings guess and then Apple doesn't beat them, who's fault is that again?
    • cthellis, on 07/22/2008, -2/+6Earnings rose 31% year-over-year... They beat their guidance (which is no shock, because they're notoriously conservative) and industry consensus (also no shock, as they do that repeatedly).

      Just what magical numbers are you comparing here?
  • josh4rim, on 07/22/2008, -4/+12Its odd their stock has fallen $15pps today.
    • PatrickFisher, on 07/22/2008, -1/+2Apple decided to reward the short-sellers by lowering guidance to pitiful levels, even though we can clearly see that sales of macs and iPhones are through the roof.

      The board likes to put out really low guidance figures, how do you think they keep beating expectations every quarter?
      • cthellis, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1Apple ALWAYS guides quite conservatively. Then they beat their expectations by a lot, and industry consensus by slightly less than a lot--but their last few years have been this exact pattern. Any "analyst" who isn't bringing this up doesn't deserve the job title.

        The industry just seems to like keeping Apple's stock volatile so they can profit off short term dips, so they seem to encourage it at every turn. I haven't quite seen the asinine press "analysis" this quarter that came about in the last quarter, but it's only been a day, so...
      • psylemon, on 07/22/2008, -0/+3the ministry of plenty always beats their expectations
    • MacParrot, on 07/22/2008, -2/+1Buy on rumor sell on news. Even when the news is good. The Stock Market is a fickle bitch
      • basevillin, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Not as high profit as expected is good news?
    • FredFredrickson, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1Their stock has been on the decline for months - stop with this stupid short-selling *****.
    • diggrnumber1, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1It's odd it didn't fall more. Apple's CFO essentially admitted that Steve Jobs has cancer again by refusing to comment on his health. Also, they gave a really low forecast for the future.
  • jimmies, on 07/22/2008, -7/+19Bought my first Mac last week. So did my brother. We're both longtime PC guys and just got sick of Windoze. The story of Mac increasing marketshare do not surprise us anymore!
    • strevoir, on 07/22/2008, -2/+51.Longtime PC user buy a mac.
      2.Digg up
      3.Profit?
  • pinkpackrat, on 07/22/2008, -6/+11My first computer was a Mac IIsi with 116 megs of RAM--I loved it and it is prolly still going strong somewhwere-- old Macs never die.
  • lead2thehead, on 07/22/2008, -7/+14So when can we put this "security through obscurity" myth to rest?
    • Ymeg, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1They still hold a very small share of the population. I would not even attempt to create a botnet on the Mac OS, when there are billions of PC's to infect.

      2: Apple is sending out more patches as their share gets bigger.
      • lead2thehead, on 07/23/2008, -1/+0Well, that and PCs are so much easier to infect. Any 14 year old script kiddie can take complete control of a Windows box with nothing more than a cleverly crafted email.

        >> Apple is sending out more patches as their share gets bigger.

        Complete *****. The security updates are no more frequent than they were 7 years ago when OS X was first released. But since we're talking about patches, Microsoft has FAR more critical vulnerabilities due to their piss-poor security model. When you run EVERY process as Administrator, as is the default with Windows, taking control of your machine is trivial.
      • Ymeg, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1You have to be ***** with me, right?
      • lead2thehead, on 07/23/2008, -1/+0No... I am not ***** with you. The "Love Letter" virus is a probably the most famous example of this.

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ILOVEYOU

        You see... one day, the geniuses at Microsoft got together and said, "You know what would be cool? Let's invent a scripting language that allows users to embed executable code into an email, then have Outlook automatically execute it as Administrator when a user the email!" Brilliant, huh? And before long, a hundred different email viruses were spreading like wildfire, infecting every Windows PC in existence. Mac users were unaffected because Apple would never dream of doing anything that stupid.

        Remember the Blaster worm? That one came about because Microsoft thought it would be a good idea to leave a DCOM service running 24 hours a day, as Administrator, in the background, listening on multiple ports. Oh, and you couldn't turn it off because it was embedded into the kernel. And when Microsoft finally patched the hole, the left the DCOM ports open! Low and behold, 6 months later the Sasser worm started spreading using the EXACT SAME VULNERABILITY. And after that was patched, there were FOUR MORE variants of Sasser, again taking advantage of the SAME VULNERABILITY, and it wasn't until service pack 2 that they finally patched it.

        I could go on for hours. Entire books have been written about Microsoft's security blunders.
  • nonsequitur668, on 07/22/2008, -13/+7You won't hear about this in the media, but by supporting abusive, supercilious schnorrers with inferior moral standards, we devalue ourselves, the lives of our children, and the heroes who died for our freedoms. Let's start with my claim that if Apple doesn't realize that it's generally considered bad style to cripple its enemies politically, economically, socially, morally, and psychologically, then it should read one of the many self-help books on the subject. I recommend it buy one with big print and lots of pictures. Maybe then Apple will grasp the concept that most of you reading this letter have your hearts in the right place. Now follow your hearts with actions. Apple is capable of only two things, namely whining and underhanded tricks.

    If we let Apple take over society's eyes, ears, mind, and spirit, who's going to protect us? The government? Our parents? Superman? Probably none of the above. That's why it's important to warn the public against those dissolute, petty storytellers whose positive accomplishments are always practically nil but whose conceit can scarcely be excelled. Whether the downfall of our culture can be arrested by a violent rejection of Apple's horny rejoinders, I am unable to decide; that would require forces with whose existence I am unacquainted. Nevertheless, you may want to consider that Apple likes thinking thoughts that aren't burdensome and that feel good. That's why it recently got caught red-handed trying to carve out space in the mainstream for foul politics. Well, surprise, surprise, surprise, as Gomer Pyle would say.

    What we're seeing is a domino effect of events that started with Apple stating that those who disagree with it should be cast into the outer darkness, should be shunned, should starve. That prevarication incited its helpers to suck up to rabid, destructive propagandists. Illiterate, untrustworthy carpers reacted, in turn, by challenging all I stand for. The next domino to fall, not surprisingly, was a widespread increase in obscurantism, and that's the event that galvanized me to tell everyone that Apple's hangers-on are merely ciphers. Apple is the one who decides whether or not to rob us of our lives, our health, our honor, and our belongings. Apple is the one who gives out the orders to fill our children's minds with vindictive and debasing superstitions. And Apple is the one trying to conceal how it sees no reason why it shouldn't expand, augment, and intensify the size and intrusiveness of its band. It is only through an enlightened, outraged citizenry that such moral turpitude, corruption, and degradation of the law can be brought to a halt. So, let me enlighten and outrage you by stating that I feel no more personal hatred for Apple than I might feel for a herd of wild animals or a cluster of poisonous reptiles. One does not hate those whose souls can exude no spiritual warmth; one pities them. To recap the main points made in this letter: 1) we'll know soon enough just how shameless these types of rabble-rousers can be, 2) Apple frequently confuses equality of opportunity with equality of outcome, and 3) in addition to communicating an understanding of the terrible danger we face, I need to treat the blows of circumstance.
    • Ciryon, on 07/22/2008, -0/+9What ...the ...***** ...was that...?
    • rebotfc, on 07/22/2008, -0/+4Wow, you need help.
    • Chirp08, on 07/22/2008, -0/+5Who the ***** is gonna read all that *****? seriously...
    • lukemh, on 07/22/2008, -0/+4wowsers... i tried... that is wack.
    • masterkenobi, on 07/22/2008, -0/+4Wall of text crit, 4k hp
    • gimmeslack12, on 07/22/2008, -2/+2I digg you up for actually stating a relevant argument. That said, I think the tech industry is better off thanks to all of Apple's creations. Call them rip-offs, or underpowered, or whatever but you can't deny that the world would not have Laptops, PDA's, proper MP3 players or developing SmartPhone OSes without Apple (at least not the way we know them today).
    • KaiSe7eN, on 07/22/2008, -0/+2I think YOU'RE a ***** rabble-rouser.
    • kraetos, on 07/22/2008, -0/+2tl;dr
    • iticu, on 07/22/2008, -2/+1Hah, so you actually think Apple is going to be the next religion?
  • galvo, on 07/22/2008, -15/+13Ubuntu > Mac
  • todamax, on 07/22/2008, -10/+6mac is so simplified tho, to the point of uncomfortableness for me.
    i dont know how to access the registry or anthing.
    • gimmeslack12, on 07/22/2008, -1/+8Haha, there is no registry you twerp. It only *seems* simple really. The Terminal gives you access to anything just type "sudo" and you're in.
      The beauty of OS X isn't the Core Graphics or Quartz or whatever, it's the simplicity. Simple is beautiful because it doesn't get in your way.
    • MScrip, on 07/22/2008, -0/+5> "mac is so simplified tho, to the point of uncomfortableness for me."

      Well, I'd rather the OS be simple, and have the APPLICATIONS do complex things.

      A Mac running Final Cut Studio is a powerful video editing machine. I do all my work in an application, I don't care what the OS does.
    • vexadril, on 07/22/2008, -1/+6Yeah, I got a Macbook and I can't seem to find the registry, the disk defragmenter or the spyware scanner, plus I can't access Windows Update, and my Hotbar won't install! How does anybody get any work done on these machines??
      • Evilena, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1You need to run Bootcamp to access those features.
  • reisrocks, on 07/22/2008, -9/+4Side effect of Vista.

    The truth is, a Mac user had managed to slip himself into my home the other day, and promoted Mac like hell to my mother dear.

    Mac users are doing a better job at promoting Mac than Linux users are.

    Come on Ubuntu people, fight the good fight.

    http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/
  • somnambulistz, on 07/22/2008, -16/+12so they sold like.. 100 this year?
  • FredFredrickson, on 07/22/2008, -14/+14They must have been down a whole lot the year before, hehe.

    I just don't understand why people give a ***** about this stuff. Macs / Apple is not a ***** lifestyle you dumb ***** - it's a business, and when you pay a premium for it, you're not any better than you were without it.

    I use a Mac 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, and I can tell you that there is nothing particularly special about them. I'll take my customizable hardware, Windows XP, games, and hundreds more apps available on XP any day of the week.

    Macs are not terrible, but they aren't any better, either. Get over it. Stop trying to justify your over-priced junk by forcing this ***** down our throats.
    • phrenzy, on 07/22/2008, -3/+2Yes, mac users are 'forcing' PC users to buy macs.

      Personal preference has nothing whatsoever to do with it.
  • MaxMWood, on 07/22/2008, -11/+7Argh whats wrong with you people. Macs may be awesome but you are paying so much money for just the use of a different operating system. You can never properly upgrade, you just have to fork out over $1000 again! With a 41% increase in sales that means there will never be a price cut.. Thanks alot!
    • Jexie, on 07/22/2008, -0/+2There's no doubt there is a hell of a premium to buy a mac but its not as if its the same hardware as your avg laptop. I bought (and promptly sold) a fairly equivalent HP laptop just before my macbook and while it was half the price it was more than double the size.
      Who the hell wants a laptop the size of a compact car? I didn't take it out anywhere. If I had purchased one of the HP/Compaq small form factor laptops I would have paid the same hardware premium as I did for my macbook so whats the difference? (besides having it loaded with piece of ***** Vista)
      • MaxMWood, on 07/22/2008, -2/+1Your just a typical Vista hater for no reason, when really Vista has next to no problems at all. So please, take your Vista hating elsewhere, and stop being the victim of peer pressure and clever marketing.

        But other than that, good points apart from I wasn't talking about Macbooks I was just talking about Macs. Laptops are expensive no matter what, I cant argue with that. It's not as if you can make your own.
      • Jexie, on 07/22/2008, -1/+2Actually I am a Vista hater because it sucks - it eats up way too much processor, way too much RAM before it even begins to do anything. It is stable, I will give it that but the last thing I want as bloatware on my PC is the OS, it kinda kills the performance right out of the gate. It still has poor device support and it's a complete change in the general system of Windows naming and location conventions - there was just no point to that whatsoever. The fact that MS is ditching these new conventions as well as the retarded Aero look and feel for Windows 9 proves that. Its been a commercial flop, businesses are avoiding it like the plague.
        And my point stands for the standard Mac's as well, there are other regular PC makers who have the 'all in a monitor' type design out there and those are significantly more expensive than the rest of the desktop market.
        Why does nobody talk about how bloody expensive the Mac Mini is? oh yeah because it's cheap as hell while still being all of 8 inches in size.
    • vexadril, on 07/22/2008, -1/+2What are you talking about? What is a "proper upgrade"? I've upgraded both the RAM and the hard drive of my Mac mini, and the RAM of my Macbook. You can upgrade the OS to a new version practically every year. What are you bitching about? Do you have a bunch of PCI cards from the '90s you're just dying to use?
      • Jeepinator, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1If my 8700 breaks on this laptop I can buy a new one and replace it myself. However, if I had a MacBook Pro and the 8600m broke I would send it in for a 600$ charge to replace it.
  • MaXPL, on 07/22/2008, -17/+12Macs are for dumb people. No seriously, if you have a hard time operating windows then youre not very bright. Most people buy macs for the aesthetics and not the OS, and its as simple as that.
    • serif69, on 07/22/2008, -0/+6Welcome to the 2000s! Did you know that in the 2000s, we have horseless carriages that can travel faster than the swiftest thoroughbred and flying machines that can fly higher than a bird-of-prey? We also have calculating machines that can solve mathematical quandaries faster than any mathematician and allow you to send postal deliveries over the telegraph wires with something called "email"!
    • phrenzy, on 07/22/2008, -0/+7Yes, having the terminal with a full blown Unix CLI at your fingertips is "for dumb people"
    • samssf, on 07/22/2008, -0/+7False.
    • vexadril, on 07/22/2008, -0/+5A lot of us don't feel like "knowing how to maintain Windows" is the same thing as "knowing how to use a computer."

      I used to be a huge Windows nazi from about 1994 through 2005, then I just got tired of it. I got tired of re-installing Windows all the goddamn time because it got slow or because of some spyware infestation I couldn't get rid of. I got sick of having to run spyware & virus scans, defragment the hard drive, tweak and compact the registry. It gets tiring trying to keep that duct-tape OS from falling apart. When you go Mac and realize none of that stuff is necessary, it's like a breath of fresh air.

      The greatest thing, though, is never having to install a wifi driver, ethernet driver, bluetooth driver, audio driver, motherboard driver, sound driver, and video driver, all of which are part of the lovely post-install 2 hours you get to spend with Windows. Since the OS knows the hardware it's running on, drivers just disappear into the background and you never have to think about them.

  • vinnieT, on 07/22/2008, -14/+6Mac's are for morons, plain and simple. We do have a lot of stupid people in this country, so it makes sense.
    • jstancom, on 07/22/2008, -2/+3I worked in Windows technical support for 2 years then decided to switch to a Mac. What does that tell you? Yes, it takes some time getting used to, but the interface is smooth and easy to use. I also don't have to take up resources running an anitvirus, since there are no viruses for Macs! The security element is what got me initially interested, and the more I used it the more I liked it.
    • griz, on 07/22/2008, -1/+3Troll
    • Jexie, on 07/22/2008, -0/+44 years Windows technical support here and I have switched to a Mac. Apple is going to have to drop the ball very badly for me to ever consider switching back, and using MS garbage at work just reconfirms this for me every single day.
    • aelder, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1OS X is in many ways what Linux may one day be. A powerful OS not for morons that allows non-tech people to use it comfortably while allowing advanced users access to a full Unix based terminal.

      Power in OSX is just a sudo away.

      One of my favorite OS X books is titled "OS X for Unix Geeks". That's something you probably won't ever see for Windows.
  • Clodhopper, on 07/22/2008, -10/+5What's with Mac users always trying to force their system onto you? Why the ***** do you people care so much what random people you don't even know half way across the world are using to access the internet?

    We don't hear enough of this ***** when those retarded Mac vs PC comparison commercials come on TV?
    I swear mac users watch these commercials, take notes, and then spew the exact same ***** - word for word - back out onto the public (ie. digg comments)

    What's also funny is these commercials/comments are always about whats wrong with Windows, nothing to do with what makes Mac superior.
    • griz, on 07/22/2008, -0/+2Because 100% of the e-mail spam originates from your crappy machines!
  • SilverBlade2k, on 07/22/2008, -3/+5This is a good sign. I wish more businesses would change to Macs. Once more businesses do, then Mac computer will be more prominent in people's homes.
    • Ymeg, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Businesses are not going to suddenly switch to Macs. It would cost too much to convert their programs and infrastructure, when they have one in place. Only when home users start using them more will the business side follow.
  • Resiroth, on 07/22/2008, -10/+5Macs are extremely overpriced. Expect to pay at least 200% markup compared to normal PCs. Desktops many not be as cute, but they're cheaper and more powerful.

    If you're looking for an alternative I found one. I have an 8800GT, an E8400 and a DFI bloodiron board. If you have that configuration you will be able to have a 100% compatible hackintosh which updates from apple. ( Running 10.5.4 ). Honestly I love Mac OS X but I could never see myself spending 2x as much money on a computer for an operating system...check out the insanely mac forums for more information and check torrent sites for pre-patched DVDs.
    • Jexie, on 07/22/2008, -1/+4200% is a gross exaggeration but there is a markup. You can't compare the fact that you can buy cheaper hardware as a PC to Mac's, there are also equivalent small form factor PC equipment out there to what Apple does and you will pay the same premium to have that 'PC in a monitor' or 3/4" thick laptop as you pay in a Mac.
    • samssf, on 07/22/2008, -0/+4Extremely overpriced? Hardly. Find a laptop that has the exact same specs as the MBP, plus the same features... you'll pay slightly more for the MBP... except, oh yeah - it will run OSX legally.

      Anyone who says Macs are overpriced hasn't actually done an apples-to-apples comparison (no pun intended) and hasn't considered the included OSes. Also, you should factor in the fact that OSX itself is cheaper than windows and comes with more software (and more usable software).
    • Resiroth, on 07/22/2008, -1/+1http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8 ... VS MAC MINI.
      Emachines is 400
      Mac mini is 800
      Emachines has same processor speed and higher FSB.
      Emachines has 2x the ram.
      Emachines has 200 more GB of space.
      Emachines has 224mb memory for it's graphics vs mac mini's 64.
      It also has a keyboard, mouse and speakers.
      The burner for the emachines is 3x as fast for DVDs and 2x as fast for CDs.
      More powerful, half the price.
      Comes with vista premium.


      • scubaninja, on 07/22/2008, -0/+2But later, your eMachines computer will start making noises and break, while your Mac will still continue working.

        Honestly, even if I went back to Windows (ha!) or Linux on the desktop (not currently likely, but you never know), I'd still want to buy Apple hardware because of the quality.
      • Resiroth, on 07/26/2008, -0/+1Then buy a quality computer for 800 with a quad core, 4gb of ram and an 8800GT which will outlast the mac mini not only in durability but usefulness. A mac mini is an extremely slow computer and won't last 2 years. The quad core for the same price will still be able to use all the new applications.
    • Resiroth, on 07/22/2008, -1/+1http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8 ... Beats a Macbook pro in many cases ( blu ray, more space, ESATA support, 4x usb ports, 9500 graphics card etc. ) The mac OS is nice, but not worth an extra 1000 dollars or twice the price of a desktop. If you're a student a macbook isn't that bad of a deal but it still is not as good value wise. Apple needs a mid-range desktop that can compete. Better yet they can sell their logic boards and I'll build a legitimate mac with legitimate mac parts for way less than what apple charges.

      I'm sorry if you can't handle the truth.

  • griz, on 07/22/2008, -2/+15So where's the 41% increase in malware attacks?
  • bicycleman, on 07/22/2008, -17/+11Hmmm....

    2007 Sales: 100 units
    2008 Sales: 141 units
    Increase: 41%

    Market Share: .0000000000293%

    Market Impact= What impact?

    MAC is not MAC it's a PC. You run Intel. OS does not dictate the machine. If that were true I could install OSX on my Lenovo and have a MAC?

    Give me a break. Pfft. Next.
  • drpaidout, on 07/22/2008, -9/+1of course no one's actually realised the US dollar has depreciated by something like 13%.. so it's actually not as impressive as 40%... becuase taking into account currency changes immediately whacks off almost 2 digit % off that impressive (nonetheless) growth number

    but 30% growthisn't that bad, excpet when you think about the fact Microsoft increased 27% year on year too

    um..... not to say this is wrong - but keep a perspective and have a think about the numbers...
    • drpaidout, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1er.. right

      digg me down for providing somewhat useful commentary rather than fanboy comments
  • phrenzy, on 07/22/2008, -8/+10Cue the insecure PC building 'hobbyists' arguing over who's dick is smaller.
  • P3NGUIN8, on 07/22/2008, -10/+1Windows Will Always be the #1 choice for productivity and business. I also think that macs will never be as popular as pc's because most community schools us windows and it will be harder for the teachers as well as students to change operating systems. so it doesn't look like macs will rule the word for a couple more decades at least. the only way that macs could win is if Microsoft keeps on making faulty operating systems like vista. i dont like one operating system of the other... i just feel more comfortable using Windows
    • DerangedPenguin, on 07/22/2008, -1/+1Not sure why you got dugg down? However, I don't see any reason why Microsoft should continue its dominance. There are free alternatives that are proving to be more reliable and user friendly why pay a thousand dollars for Windows and Microsoft Office when Linux and OpenOffice can be downloaded for free. Tech support is similar to Microsoft make sure you have a credit card ready or be prepared to enter your question on user group and distro BBS's
    • RandyGandy, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1and your the reason why the US isnt using the metric system
  • DerangedPenguin, on 07/22/2008, -7/+3Windoz Vistrash best advertisement for Mac ever.
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