Consumer satisfaction index Mac vs. PC

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Not trying to start a Mac Vs. PC squabble, just posting a fairly unbiased article.

 

[iisjman07]

I still maintain that the top reasons for people buying macs are apple's adverts which bend the truth to say the least, and because they're shiny.

 

[Martyn]

I still maintain that the top reasons for people buying macs are apple's adverts which bend the truth to say the least, and because they're shiny.

I bought one 2 years ago and if it failed I would buy another. Another happy customer The article is about satisfaction not advertising them I think.

 

[Blues]

I'm not trying to be a troll or start any kind of fight but I do think MACs work for a lot of people because they are more idiot proofed the cost is they do have less versatility in function.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

I'm not trying to be a troll or start any kind of fight but I do think MACs work for a lot of people because they are more idiot proofed the cost is they do have less versatility in function.

I'd probably say they are more versatile in some ways. Primary example, run Linux or Windows on one if you want through another partition or VM. Target Disk Mode is another great example that effectively will let you use you machine as an external HD. Can install an OS and boot from just about anything (flash, SD card, external firewire or usb drive). Disk Utility has capabilities of drive imaging and restoring built right in. Not having to worry about a pesky registry makes life so much less complicated. Most apps are installed by simply dragging an dropping to the applications folder and removed in the same way without stray bits and pieces embedded in the registry. A very powerful command line to get under the hood and do just about anything.

 

[lassenpc]

/activate pitchforks

I use both mac and PC equally at home and at work, feel there are pros and cons to both; the thing that made me go, 'No, really?!? LOL' in the article was:

HP's all-but-forgotten Compaq line, seems to have a lock on the bottom. Compaq's satisfaction rating, unchanged from last year, was the lowest of all those surveyed for the ninth straight year.

 

[Cybjun]

For apple I usually point out to people considering them the lack of service options for my area the only option for authorized repairs is to take it to best buy or spend 45mins driving towards LA.

The other thing I point out is price,
- basic apple with no addons - $1,331.90 including tax
- my basic pc build with monitor & AVG - $887.36 including tax
price difference $444.54 - at my normal malware removal rate I could do 3 removals for less then the cost difference, and usually after the first infection I would have give the client a lot of advice on how to avoid infections.

I know its inconvenient for malware removals/tuneups, but its still easier and cheaper to service PC then apple, more options available for PCs, 95% of the market uses them compared to 4% for apple. With that in mind the problem I read with the article is the lack of number just precents. 86% of 100 people is just 86 people, but 76% of 1,000 is 760 people. not quite as unbias as you with think huh?

 

[MobileTechie]

It's not surpise to me that mac owners are more satisfied. It's a very good, expensive, prestige product and mac owners are always saying how much better it is than a PC, even if it isn't really - well not much, if at all.

 

[mraikes]

I encounter a lot of mac users trying really hard to "like" their computers, because they've been told they're supposed to love them. After all, they're so much better than PC's, they're easier to use, more reliable, never get viruses, and look how much it cost! It must be a better machine . . .

So when they discover that they aren't really easier to use, software is different (or unavailable), and it's unintuitive (unless you're already familiar with macs), they blame themselves not the machines.

If asked if they're satisfied, they'd likely say "yeah I'm satisfied, but I'm not smart enough to figure it out."

So an odd situation has been created where many people are NOT comfortable with their mac, but they're very unwilling to criticize it because they think it's a reflection on their own abilities rather than a problem with the mac itself.

With PC's the attitude is just the opposite! It's "cool" to talk-down a PC. Thankfully for my business, people blame the "Darn-Computer!" at the drop of a hat for anything & everything, even when it's clearly a PEBKAC issue.

PC people blame their PC's. Mac people blame themselves.

Here are a couple of applicable quotes from the article the OP linked:

"Some of that excitement is comes from Apple's famed "reality distortion field," in which a combination of brilliant marketing and Steve Jobs' aura of being ahead of the curve creates an inflated degree of excitement about the company and its products."

"Apple maintains that by creating great customer experiences around its popular devices, it can generate positive associations with its other products, including its Macintosh line."

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

95% of the market uses them compared to 4% for apple.

not quite as unbias as you with think huh?

Apple has actually held 9% market share for a couple years now.

 

[MobileTechie]

What globally? I thought it was much less than that. Almost nobody in Africa or Asia has macs.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

What globally? I thought it was much less than that. Almost nobody in Africa or Asia has macs.

Actually US share is 9% and holding.

"Apple's PC market share is comparably tiny. In the United States, it commands just shy of 9% of the market, according to IDC. Globally, it's even smaller, with about 5% of computers running Mac OS, according to Net Applications."

 

[Cybjun]

Actually US share is 9% and holding.

"Apple's PC market share is comparably tiny. In the United States, it commands just shy of 9% of the market, according to IDC. Globally, it's even smaller, with about 5% of computers running Mac OS, according to Net Applications."

I was referring to global statics (being this is an international forum) and as it sits right now apple is holding below 4% of the worldwide PC market. Its 3.36% according to Apples 2010 Q1 numbers, 2.94 million Macs as compared to PC makers that sold 81.7 million PCs.

apples press release

EDIT: also I'm not trying to knock Apple. they make some good products, I personally dont like how they conduct business but that doesn't stop me for using my ipod.
My points are valid for not recommending apple in my area. the lack of authorized service repair in the area and the gross median income for the area is to low. The valley I live in has 19% unemployment at the moment so most of my clients tend to be on a tight budget that puts apple out of reach.