Paul,

To the average consumer, the biggest negative perception is coming from Apple's TV "Get A Mac" commercials. We have Justin Long and John Hodgman making fun and passing on the negative perceptions of Vista. I really do think that MS does need to retaliate to these commericals BUT..... I don't want them to copy the MS vs Apple commercials verbatum. It would be nice to see an original parody that shows the Apple Stores and the average user parody. Show them the black and white version of the Mac World. It would also be nice to show the elitist attitude shown by Steve Jobs and Apple Fanboys. Then we show them the world from the Vista point of view. A world of colors, transparancy, vendor options, customization, strong help environments and security.

Start the first line of attack by attacking Apple's recent lackluster record on security. Show people how Apple handles Zero Day vunerabilities, the number of vunerabilities that are now present even in Leopard, and the lengthy lackluster response by Apple. Using how in comparison to year one comparison, how Vista has held up against the competition. Tout up the increased attention to security would be great to see. Also the 2 minute hack at the CanSecWest Conference is also a great way to show far Apple has to catch up to Microsoft.

The second line of attack for Vista is the form versus functionality. Macbook Air itself would be the posterchild of this attack. All hype and yet lacking hardware thats still pretty relavent today. While the cloud computing is the future, we're still in the physical media era of computing. DVD's, CD's, USB thumb drives, etc. Vista allows you to add as much function with thousands of vendors for hardware. Apple doesn't quite have the environment as in the Windows World. The Air is a great concept but not for its costs. The Lenovo X300 is a great way of touting how you don't need to sacrifise form for functionality. I saw a guy today at a local coffee shop, using USB hub for all his Apple attachments. I just started laughing because I remembered that Lenovo parody. It makes the designers at Apple look foolish. I could easily see a Macbook Air in a commerical as a museum piece and being protected. While someone comes in with an X300 thats just as cool looking but gives you more functions.

The third line of attack would be how Windows is the IT World's chosen environment. Take your stuff to and from work without having 2 or 3 different PC's. Much easier to log into corporate networks and work from home. Tout the cost vs Mac environments and the cost savings vs XP. Most major corporations, midsize businesses, and small business owners use Windows. Most schools use Windows environments and have rid themselves of Apple computers.

The fourth line of attack would be the plethora of media stores available on the Windows side. You have more music media, movie/TV media, and much more choices. Apple doesn't have these choices as you know. I could see a very patriotic freedom of choice and freedom of vision.

The fifth line of attack would be the cost. You're paying a grand for notebook hardware, which is definitely not as powerful as a true desktop hardware. The cheapest Mac machine is their Mini which costs $599 but has no monitor, keyboard, or mouse. If you want a cheap Mac Monitor, thats another $599. You're still paying a grand for a Windows Machine that you can get as cheaply as $299 or $399. A difference of $600 to $700 versus a Mac. The higher end system get even higher in costs especially in the era of near $4 gasoline (in California and Hawaii its already past $4). Then factor in a credit crunch, housing crisis, rising food costs, and the Mac looks like a rich persons PC. "Computers for the Average Joe" would be a great tagline for Microsoft. Also, to attack the cost of Apple's computers, MS could use "Reasonable Prices not a Mortgage Payment."

There are other lines of attack, you get the point. You should pass this on to Microsoft because I talk and blog with users who agree with me on this. Instead of taking it and taking a Michael Dukakis approach, Microsoft needs to hollarback at these "Get A Mac" commericials and squash them. They should consider hiring professional comedians who are Windows Users. It would be nice to have actors, models, leaders, and other people who are avid Windows users. If they would fight back with some intelligent PR, they could turn this thing around.

I really like how much you want to fire back, but I'm not sure it's necessary. First of all Vista already exists on 150,000,000 computers out there, so 149,999,000 people who use and love it that know Apple's commercials are crap. Secondly, as the years go by, most people will just upgrade automatically and get Vista (they make talk about switching but most won't). Pretty soon Vista will be as wide spread as XP and everyone will be loving it!

Third, don't count out that most people (unfortunately not all) are smart enough to know that Apple is just a company that will do anything to sell their products and tear down the competition... kind of like the commercials where the gal rips open a potato chip bag and chips go flying everywhere over-exagertingly.. then the "Pringles" can comes into view. Of course most people are smart enough to say "hey, it's not really that bad". That's how I see Apple commercials. The smartest people, or at least the ones paying attention, will also realize that what Apple's doing could be considered an "inferiority complex". Afterall, if their product is good enough then why attack the competition?

So I don't know if a response from MS is necessary. Speak to a lot of Windows users and you may be surprised to know how many have tried and dislike Macs. If we just let Apple hang themselves then once everyone uses Vista and realizes how good it is, they won't believe Apple at anything anymore.

What you describe is one strategy to counteract the influence of the Mac vs. PC commercials. Another strategy, and one that is very viable to a company with as much cash in the bank as MS, is to make a better OS than Leopard. Then you won't need entertaining commercials. I for one, because of the commercials, took another look at Mac and after a year of living with Vista found it easy to switch. Maybe what people are missing here is not so much that Vista is bad, it just is not the best OS available anymore. Windows 7 could, when released, again be the best OS available. If so, you won't be seeing posts like these anymore. After all it is OK if Vista is not the best.

I have to disagree with you, Mac OSX leopard is not a superior OS, it's just different.

I use both types of systems and find them to have advantages and disadvantages over each other.

Microsft droped the bal with the message, how could a company let a compettitor make such untrue remarks is beyond me.

I cannot for the life of me understand how anybody in their right mind could describe Vista as good.  I know more people like me, who have removed it from their computer and replaced it with XP, than still have it.  In fact I had to return my new Toshiba Equium and have it replaced because it was compatible only with the Vista operating system (or so I was told by PC World). 

There must be a law somewhere to prevent that.  Surely if I purchase a computer I should have XP on it if I want!!  That in itself makes me believe that there is no way to overcome the negative perceptio of Vista ;  it is not just a perception, it is a fact.  Vista is the worst thing to come from Microsoft (apart from the abominable Live Oncare) who I believe have now outgrown themselves to the point that they believe the consumers views irrelevant.  That is what monopolies end up as - dictators:  I can't even buy my choice of laptop now without it being dedicated to Vista!  What crap is that, and some state that is only a negative 'perception'! 

It is a fact that almost 70% of people, given the choice, would prefer XP.  However, Microsoft and Toshiba say 'no'.  We are allowed no choice anymore.  Big Brother rules. I have nothing against Microsoft but I have alot against companies such as Toshiba (I am sure they are not alone) that insist that I have their personal choice of OS on MY computer. How much are Microsoft paying them to not only promote the terrible Vista, but impose it on us against our will?  Where is the monopolies commission where Microsft are concerned.  What are Microsioft paying THEM?  The whole thing stinks.

Defend that Paul Thurrott! 

Pete