Mac share grew after Windows 7 debut

The only problem I had with Vista was the obscene user interface that obscured the differences between 1) going to a place in the file system, 2) performing an administrative task, and 3) running an application.

This isn't to say that I can't figure out the difference — I'm just saying that the UI was a smoldering train wreck.

Windows 7 seems like a slight improvement. Considering how different the gui is from XP, I'm not surprised that the lumpen masses of Walmartistan are hesitant to get on board.

FWIW, the new Windows7 taskbar previews remind me a little of KDE.

When Apple's share of the OS marketplace zooms to 40% wake me up until then zzzzzz…..

Roger M,

"Unix has been able to run 64bit for a while and does. MAC/PC's trail terribly."

Actually, Apple (with UNIX) was demonstrating 64-bit in MacOS 10.4 (Tiger) on the PowerPC years ago. I turned a PowerPC G5 workstation into a server two years ago.

I run a 64-bit version of MySQL (perhaps the most popular database on the planet) on this machine. The current OS that on this machine (10.5 or "Leopard") is so stable I honestly forget about it for months at a time. I haven't seen a system crash for at least a year. Even so, the last crash was caused by crappy third-party hardware.

Whoa, can you people add?
Going from 5.12% to 5.26% is a 2.73% difference? What the?

ex ped: It's a little more complications than addition and subtraction, George. Here's the formula: (5.26-5.12)/5.12=x/100

Unfortunately, the MAC PC war is played out in every forum or article about the issue. It boils down to what one wants to use, each has its strengths and each its weaknesses. I'm a PC, I've never had a virus. I'm a PC and done amazing things with graphic arts. I'm a PC and haven't had the problems with Vista everyone rages about, then again, I'm smart enough to use the net to try and fix the minor issues that do come up. I'm a PC, leave me and the 90% of the world that are PC's alone.

Really??? Win7 was out for 9 days last month and Microsoft lost a total of 0.25% marketshare. That is news??? The fact that this made it on CNN proves how silly news reporters can be. Wake me when OS X makes double digits.

Just to clarify a fact misstated by a former poster: Apple didn't "figure out" that they needed to move to a modern OS "two to three years ago". Apple figured out that they needed a modern architecture in the early 1990s, failed at building one from scratch with the aborted Copeland project, and opted to purchase an existing OS (NeXT), a UNIX-based system, in 1996. Thirteen years ago. They adapted and refined this system to become OS X. OS X Server was released in 1999, and the first consumer version of that OS was released in early 2001.

@MJedlicka, you write:

HYPERION works in IT huh? Low end IT. there are people called PowerUsers, and there are a lot of them. For them, a Mac will never make the cut.

I have to disagree with you on this. The Mac OS is an enterprise-class operating system from the get-go: its Unix underpinnings (including Apache, MySQL and PHP running native in a base installation of the OS), as well as its more secure and robust user management, run circles around almost anything Microsoft offers to this day.

Perhaps a UI designed by engineers who understand human behavior is lost on you? Windows 7 is a much better UI than Microsoft has ever released, without a doubt, but it still is not as intuitive, elegant or simple as the Mac OS. Windows, to this day, is still a UI that is, first and foremost, designed by programmers for fellow programmers.

All it takes is a look at the UI guidelines published by both companies: Microsoft's UI book is a mish-mosh of exceptions, soft rules and contradictions; Apple's is simple and consistent – and, as a result, a far thinner tome.

Macs are toys, and work well because they do a couple of things well.

And most Windows PCs aren't toys? Most are, as Hyperion states, used for five basic tasks. Any modern operating system can fulfill these tasks: Windows, Mac OS, Linux distibutions, Symbian, and even retired OS builds like OS/2 or BeOS. These tasks account for over 80 percent of PC use, even at the enterprise level.

Yours, MJdelicka, is a strawman argument, plain and simple.

Given the Herculean tasks that Windows operating systems have to perform (as opposed to just email, browse, and print from proprietary hardware and sofwtare), I applaud Microsoft.

Many Macs perform Herculean tasks, too. Mac OS X drives many web servers for large corporations. It passes many U.S. government security tests out of the box that basic Windows installations can't pass. You probably use Mac OS without realizing it tens – if not hundreds – of times per day, without knowing it. A simple toy? I think not.

Remember: simple doesn't mean weak. Sometimes the simplest tools are the most powerful and effective. And under the covers, the Mac OS is a far, far more powerful, flexible, secure and capable operating system than Windows.

Just my $0.02 – YMMV.

My son is a graphic artist, and a Mac is the only thing with enough power to handle the graphic intense applications. But look, I was once like you. I lived and breathed Windows. When my son got into animation, and I saw what Macs can do, my next pc is going to be a Mac, hands down.

@MJedlicka

Wow, that was profound. It has been my experience that when someone does not know what they're talking about they resort to insults, such as your commentary.

Perhaps you should read my post again. I have no problem with Windows, but it has significant flaws as an operating system that Microsoft refuses to address.

As for the comment inferring that Macs are not capable of high-end computing, perhaps you should gains some experience before making such a statement. We have researchers bringing in millions through clustering, and other activities that are well documented and supported in the Mac platform. Marketing departments, web developers, sound engineers, movie and music production houses prefer the flexibility and stability of Mac.

As for "Herculean" work being done in Windows, I rather doubt that. Most end-user machines in the business world are PCs but that is the result of cheap, disposable computers.

But most of the back-end of enterprise systems are run in a hybrid enviroment of several systems such Unix/Linux and use VMs to contain Windows and its propensity to fail.

In short I make my living from fixing Windows. If I want to use a real computer I use a Mac. But in the end of the day it all really boils down to using what one wants to use. Clearly I will not convince you otherwise and in turn you will not convince of the same.

Sheeesh…do you want a lollipop now?

@MJedlicka

A simplistic toy? You must be the 'works in a cubical and love it' type.

HYPERION works in IT huh? Low end IT. there are people called PowerUsers, and there are a lot of them. For them, a Mac will never make the cut. Macs are toys, and work well because they do a couple of things well. Given the Herculean tasks that Windows operating systems have to perform (as opposed to just email, browse, and print from proprietary hardware and sofwtare), I applaud Microsoft. I would give a Mac to my children, apropo since it is, once a agin, a simplistic toy.

I recently purchased and installed Windows 7 on my home P C (before that I was running XP on it) and I am on MacOS 10.5 on my laptop and work computer. I have to say Windows 7 is much better than Vista (actually Vista made me switch to Mac) but having used a Mac for about a year now, it was still a frustrating experience to go back to installing Windows. If there were more games I would immediately thrash my home PC and get an iMac. In the mean time, good job from MS on Windows 7 still.

Nowhere does Apple say that you need to pay an extra $100 if you own Tiger. I didn't need to provide proof I had leopard in order to get snow leopard. Unlike W7 whee you need to have paid for Windows Vista in order to get Windows 7 at the upgrade price

Another half finished Windows OS vanishes to give way to the proud tradition of Microsoft products. Garbage.

It seems every 3 to 4 years Bill's ol company has to write itself a new paycheck. It forced upgrades to a new unstable platform from the old platform that was 7/10ths finished. Codes bugs by the score so you pay 20 dollars every tech support call…chaching. And keeps processor speeds back in the 200 mmx days because everytime we make a pc to run windows and its faulty self they make a new verison to slow us down with promises of easier to use and blah blah hundreds time more access to the internet. Yeah same story same junk, so unfinished bug ridden money pit software.

I use both (PC for work; Mac for home by choice). I have no objection to Windows, but frankly find the user experience much better with Mac. That and the fact that I am now on Dell number 4 because of all the bugs in the PC. Since the mid 90s, Macs have been remarkably reliable. I cannot say the same for PC.

I think most people dont understand the situation. The Mac OS isnt the Mac OS of old. Two to Three Years ago, they finally figured out that under the hood they couldnt expand any further because of the proprietary nature of the OS. So the underneath kernal is UNIX based. It opened the OS to more compatability with Mobile devices, and Networking in General. APPLE, run by ARSE Extroidinaire, Steve Jobs, still doesnt compete in the Availability of Software arena.

Oh and by the way, up until a few years ago, MACS ran on the Motorola POWER PC, which was not fast, expandable or dynamic. As processors go it was a dog.
So what do we find? MACS running on INTEL/AMD/OTHER processors now… and running a UNIX based Kernal.. HMMM.

Unix (not Linux) has been around going on 40 years. It is, Has, and will remain the stable OS of the times.

Windows NT kernal back in the 4.0 days was designed by a Unix guy at microsoft named David Cutler. It somewhat stabilzed the OS and allowed it to grow. The volitale kernals in WINDOWS 9x was dropped and the WinNT 5.0 kernal arrived in win2k. The kernal is roughly the same in the server and desktop versions as the initial releases of Win2k, so were not that far ahead.

Unix has been able to run 64bit for a while and does. MAC/PC's trail terribly.

Linux is good, but suffers from many things that MACS and PCS do.

At this point in our 32bit world which should have been 64 bit 10 years ago world, the OS should be not be a choice factor, it should just run and forget about it.

You get a Computer.. start it, it runs. You gets some software you need and run it. The companies provide the software to DO THINGS, and service and support it. We as users don't sit around worrying about the under the hood crap.

Security, stability, flexibility, expandability, adaptability are the corps of an operating system. We are not there yet, but the truth is UNIX is the closest thing available.

Steve Jobs is Stubborn and proud, Balmer is lost and confused, Gates is self involved and dated.

Buy a mac, by a PC, Buy a linux box, if your smart install unix, whatever works for ya.

but these media blitz's and hype get us no closer to where we should be.

Seek the truth and skip the hype.

Apple doesn't want to be dominant. If you think MS had anti-trust issues think about what Apple would face with an OS that is tied to their hardware.

Apple and Linux both suffer a similar problem, lack of mainstream software. Apple has more than Linux but there's a real dearth for both. And NO, open source programs aren't just as good as, for example, Photoshop (which is available for Mac).

I love Macs. PCs are difficult to use and understand. Unfortunatly, I am on a PC operating Windows XP right now, and it is moving very slowly. Macs move at quick speeds, and are simply, more advanced than PCs will ever be.

Actually, I've been using Vista for two years and never had a virus on it. I've also only encountered only one BSOD. Also, it has performed wonderfully… no slowdowns with Aero, good bootimes, etc.
All in all, I think Vista is a good OS, and not as bad as most of you make it out to be.

Then again, I've been running it on my Mac all this time.

In all seriousness though, if you're in the business world as I am, you just can't get by with only Mac OSX. I HAVE to have a machine that runs Windows since I work with software packages that are exclusive to the OS. Real work requires Windows, folks.

However, for other activities such as p0rn, Mac OSX is the way to go…

What is interesting to me is the back and forth about Mac vs. PC. I work in IT, in a university setting, and because of the nature of my job, I am an agnostic when it comes to operating systems. If I had to pick one it would be the Mac for the ease of use factor.

But before we get into the whose better argument, let's review why we use computers in the first place.

At the end of the day most people do 5 things with a computer.
1) Write documents
2) Email
3) Surf the web
4) Play games
5) Print
And right behind it for 6 and 7 are; working with and manipulating photos, and making webpages, but essentially they do 5 things for the most part. Relatively few people do any real computational science, or digital rending or other work that requires special skills.

In the business and office environments there is a high number of Dells, but the problem is not Windows so much as it is crappy manufacturing by Dell. Paying kids 10 cents a week in Indonesia to make motherboards produces crappy machines that reflect poorly on Windows.

For my money I prefer the mac, just because it gets out of the way, and lets me do my work, but that's just me.

What I find really interesting about Windows it that every other OS seems to works well for them.

Think about it…

Win 3.0…ok
Win3.11…good
Windows 95a…crappy
Windows 95b…good
Windows for workgroups….ok
Windows NT…crappy
Windows NT 4…good
Windows 98a….crappy
Windows 98b…very good
Windows 2000…crappy
Windows ME….we don't even want to admit that it existed
Windows XP good but the bifurcation of the product into HOME vs. PRO has led to problems of perceptions and functionality

Windows Vista….OMG it's really that bad
Windows 7… a really cool product, but too little, too late.

I purchased my new computer and it came with an upgrade to Windows 7, which I intended to do. However, after looking that the work that is entailed, it doesn't seem important enough. Yes Vista has its problems, but the chances for error(or perceived error is too great for a novice user. If Microsoft had included an automated way to handle it similar to the MAC. In the future I will be looking at the MAC much more seriously, since MS doesn't seem to care enough about its user to do something like that. Sure they have a huge market share, but is that any reason that they cannot make it easier especially from Vista Home Premium 64 Bit.

What the hell is wrong with you people?
Who cares who thinks Mac is better or PC is better.
Its all over the internet..
Like, blah blah blah..
Seriously.
What a bunch of babies.. Mac fans and PC fans alike.

Can't we all just get along. I have a MAC and a PC.

@ Ron

~40% of PCs are robots, cash registers and the like, and 30% are company provided. Not a lot of individual preference there. And not so much Web surfing. Be proud, of the 20% that are actually owned by humans as a choice for their personal use. Woooohooo. That is the number that is shrinking.

I have been using Macs for 20 years. To me it comes down to user interface design. Apple has that down. Also the industrial design of apple products is much nicer. I have over 40 Macs in my company, they perform very well in that environment. We have only a handful of PC's and we are constantly calling our IT guy to come and fix and/or adjust things…

ron says:

The chart speaks for itself, over 90% of the world uses PC's. PC users don't have this overwhelming need to tell other computer users why it is better than a Mac. I think the most important fact is that more than 9 out of 10 people continue to by PC's…so…

_________

Ron, CSI Miami is the number 1 show on the planet. Does that make it the best show available?

Titanic made more money than any other movie ever. Does that make it the best movie of all time?

Just because something sells more, that doesn't make it better, just makes it more popular. Popularity and quality are not linked…never have been, never will be.

Also had to comment on the reasons so many say Mac's dont' have viruses. Which does have a bearing on market share.

You guys do know that Mac's core is called Darwin (10.0 right now), and its a UNIX based kernel. UNIX is very secure which is why businesses prefer it. I do have to say that the Mac users DO have a point here, but my PC can also run Linux Mint 7 which is a very nice OS and just as secure if not more.

I am a PC user running Vista 32bit, and use Linux Mint 7 as well. The Mac OS is getting better, but its too costly.

We all know the truth hurts… Enjoy your "market share". Apple fans, on the other hand, may note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans, and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form.

Steve, CA spewed forth the following

"Bob from Boston vomited up the myth (and more than a few other Wintards parroted it) that, "The only reason macs have few viruses is the low market share, as mac makes more and more inroads the virus count will rise."

Yeah, Mac users have been hearing this one for YEARS. Still waiting for that outbreak of viruses for our machines…"

We've been waiting for YEARS for Macs to make any serious inroads. Virus writers are just tired of waiting for Macs to become significant.

All Microsoft does is wait for something innovative to come from Apple, and then they "revise" it for PCs. They rarely have a NEW idea.

Why settle for the imitation when you can have the real thing? Get a Mac! And, it's an investment. You don't need a million add-ons to make it work, it just WORKS. And it doesn't quit after a year (when it's loaded with spyware and viruses).

Sold my mini & just selling my MBP – no more Apple. Tried it for 5 years and other than a bigger dent in my wallet I got nothing out of it. Can't upgrade most Mac's, too much lock-in and extra price of hardware have finally made me change back. That and Windows 7 is awesome!

Oh yeah sure, look buddy once Mac has more then %50 then I'll worry. Heck, once they get close to half I will worry. I might also cheer too, cause if Mac sales skyrocket then I guess they will be cheaper and cheaper as time goes on.
As for now I don't think businesses would prefer Mac's operating system. And that is where a majority of the sales are going to, business. Not to mention that Apple won't let you buy their OS seperate, nope, you have to buy their computers with their OS.

This is the dumbest article I've read in a long time. Windows 7 has only been out for less than two weeks and this guy reports that Windows 7 has failed to "curb further inroads by Apple"? Is he joking? Mac OS X has been out since June, 2005 and has only a 2.82% share of some flakey statistic against Windows 7's 2.11% share of the same flakey statistic?
I can't believe Fortune paid this guy (Philip Elmer-DeWitt) for this half-baked, careless analysis. They need to send him back to his "reality distortion field" for another couple of years before printing another asinine article like this. I can't believe anyone would compare a 10-day old operating system against one that's been out for more than 4 years.

If you remove the corporate IT based Windows machines from the equation, Macintosh usage and the installed base is much higher.
WHAT?!?! Ignorant mac-cult user. First, do you seriously think that there are more macs in people homes than PC's? Second … 'IF'?!?! ….. What a preposterous hypothetical …. I suppose you are just admitting then that Apple has ZERO viability in the corporate world. 'If Apple only sold 247,825,672 more computers they would be #1 in market share!' …. welcome to fantasy land folks …. if 'ifs' and 'buts' were candy and nuts ….

I think Microsoft is doing this to themselves, and that MAC is just reaping the benefits. Windows 2007 was a major flop, in my book. As a Windows user since DOS days, I thought the whole concept of the ribbons was ludicrious, especially without a choice of whether you wanted to use them or not. As well, Microsoft is still ignoring major issues in Office software that user groups have been complaining about for 20 years! I've used Microsoft, MAC, and Unix/Linux in my job for years. Each has advantages and disadvantages. MAC is great on creative packages, Microsoft has umpteen applications written for it because they are more ameniable to allowing stems into their operating system, and UNIX has their computing power. It shouldn't be considered an "either/or" decision.

I had Macs until I graduated college. given that I had no money, I decided to purchase a Toshiba laptop. What I find frustrating about the PC is the clumsiness. Many of the "user-friendly" improvements Windows has made have been rip-offs of Mac's interface. Additionally, yes, even though I know it is directly related to market share, I liked that I do not have to constantly monitor malware and viruses. It's frustrating to constantly scan my computer and have Norton running in the background. Windows is a much better interface for business, but Mac is far better for artistic endeavors.

All other statements aside, the most objectionable thing about this article is the clear Mac bias. Windows 7 was released on October 22 and 1 week later they claim it has "not halted Apples's momentum". How is that "outside the distortion" field? At least wait a month after a release before you make claims based on a monthly report!

This seems like a game wiht percentages. The article keeps talking about 2.73% change but that is the growth percentage. The actual change in the market is .13% …a miniscule amount and not even relevant. What will be interesting is to see what happens after the holiday season.

You have to love marketing. What we have now is a war of advertising and marketing and not really a substantive battle over what has the superior technology.

For the average person, browsing the web, managing photes, and typing the occasional document is about the same on either machine. I'm a tech savvy person, having worked as a developer for about 15 years. Just recently I got back into development on a Mac and I can honestly say, as with most things, there are both positives and negatives to both machines.

For those that believe that Macs don't crash … don't kid yourself. Within the first month of use, it probably crashed on my a half dozen times.

That being said my only advice is that is your like the Mac it will do what you want it to do. If you like the PC it will do what you want it to do.

Hey Ron from Buffalo:
"And for the record, I dropped my DELL laptop from a plane and it was fine,"
At what altitude were you flying when you dropped your Dell from that plane? If your PC can survive that, I want one!!!

This argument of Mac or PC is pretty ridiculous.I have both and prefer the Mac, but I know lots of people who have used both and prefer the PC. Why not let everyone just pick their own without bashing? It's a personal choice not unlike which car you drive, what stove you bought, or which power tools you use. Some people prefer the more expensive one and if they can afford it, then that's their decision. It really doesn't say anything about your intelligence either way.

I love the comments by the typical Mac user "I'm a graphics artisit and my Mac never crashes and burns like my pc". If your Mac is so good, then why do you also have a pc? So silly.

The chart speaks for itself, over 90% of the world uses PC's. PC users don't have this overwhelming need to tell other computer users why it is better than a Mac. I think the most important fact is that more than 9 out of 10 people continue to by PC's…so…

And for the record, I dropped my DELL laptop from a plane and it was fine, but my Macbook slipped off the couch and broke into a hundred pieces….sorry, couldn't resist.

The world needs to recognize that MAC's and PC's are pretty much equal in terms of hardware. It's the OS and application software that changes performance and function. Windows OS's, starting with NT and now into Vista and 7, are really designed and built for the business enterprise and the IT managers who need to control networks of machines. Single user "home" issues are dumbed down versions.
MAC's, on the other hand, while useful in business enterprises, were aimed more at individuals, especially those who are "cool" and "creative", if we are to believe the ads, and their user software designs tend to require less user interaction at the technical, machine level to install and run. That has helped them maintain their market share.
The cost factor is a reflection of corporate sales philosophy, and that's probably why Apple still owns only a small share of the market, however steady it might be.

I have to tell you, I truely enjoyed reading all of the "My OS is better than your OS" banter. I was going to tab back from the discussion but decided to throw my .02 in. As many of the "older generation" I have used mainy of MS operating systems, starting with Windows 3.0, Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, Windows 98, WIndows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and now Windows 7. I can tell you from experience that the installation process for Windows 7 was pain free and done within 20 minutes. This is an amazing fact as I run a graphics workstation that I have severly customized myself. That is the whole reason I run Windows Operating Systems as I am not limited to the hardware it will work on. To those you claim that Windows is great for gaming or productivity but if you do any type of graphics, Mac is the way to go. I do quite an extensive amount of 3D work and my little toy chews right through it. I will never state that my pc is better than your Mac because I have never sat behind one. But I do know I enjoy what I work with. As for the now famous Mac commercials touting the horrific amounts of viruses that invade our pcs daily or the BSDs that run wild in our daily uses, sorry folks, that pig don't fly. In the many years of using a pc, I have never once caught a virus and can count on one hand the number of BSD I have suffered. As far as this touted survey goes and the numbers it states, hmmmmm, not buying it. Congratulations to Apple for making more in-roads into the market. If you want more shares, break away from the Mac only mode and make it more viable to use on other machines. Until then, I can't see you breaking the 8-9% of market share. My background – 20+ years of IT experience.

"

Think PCs running Windows are better than Mac's?
One word for you:

Vista."

Really, still talking about vista? Windows 7 far better than vista.

Oh and all u mac machine lovers, PC and Macs use same hardware for a while now…. Good old Intel architecture. Get whatever OS u like for layout etc. But to be honest, I have known Macs and PC to break down. Macs are not untouchable and unbreakable. But i must say when it come to cost, PC wins. Both are good in there own right, but honestly people, to say one is very different than the other now is a leap, with win 7, and same hardware used between them.

Not all PC's run Windows. Ever heard of Linux? So many flavors (i.e. distributions of Linux), and all the same price……FREE. Not Microsoft, nor Apple can beat that. Years ago there were driver issues for those who used Linux but not any more. More manufacturers are making Linux drivers for their hardware. There are many applications that work as good as, if not better than their big named counterparts. Look at OpenOffice for example. There are less viruses/malware targeted towards Linux than both Windows and OS X. Linux is the way of the future.

At least I have chicken…

I have had 5 Macs since I first bought my little SE30 in the 1980's and they were all problem free and I still have and use my blue & white with system 9. I also have my new Mac laptop with Window XP running on it as well as Leopard on the Mac side. My old Pee Cee or Piece of Crap is in the closest gathering dust and that is where it belongs. I should take it to the recycle depot but I may smash it to pieces with a sledgehammer just to make it pay for all the frustration it caused me. Never again will I buy a PC computer, what a mistake! I used to have a Pontiac and it left me stranded 5 times, and now I buy Toyota's and those days of being stranded are gone as well. If you want quality, you have to pay a little extra, but's it's worth it!!!

Think PCs running Windows are better than Mac's?
One word for you:

Vista.

Microsoft stuck it to many people who
bought Vista especially the people who updated to Vista from XP to prepare for Windows 7. Microsoft promised people a free up grade to Windows 7 for those that did this. And the people that wanted Windows XP back they charged them 150 dollars.
It was just a sucker game by Microsoft.
I did this and after I bought Vista Ultimate I find out that the effective date is a month later and that if I wanted Windows 7 Ultimate on a new laptop I would have to pay the same price as I paid for Vista Ultimate which is a piece of Junk like the other Vista programs. I will never ever believe Microsoft again.

I have to laugh at the Mac-haters. I'm a graphic artist, and my Macbook Pro doesn't crash-and-burn they way my PC does, no matter how much I load it up. I also deal with clients who are Windows users and work with a lot of Office files. Guess what? For less than $40, I got an office suite that's compatible with any file Microsoft's $400 Office Suite can create. My Macbook is a lot sturdier, too. It survived a fall that would have shattered a dell laptop.

I've worked on both PC and Mac. I can honestly say that Mac IS better and NOT a toy. I use my Mac to make million and billion dollar companies move forward in this world. The people who did the HP advertising were working on Macs! I also happen to know that in the biggest news companies, the department that has the least amount of problems and more productivity is the MAC section. FYI, there may be several upgrades to the Mac, but there are FAR more "updates" to the PC. It takes 3 hours just to update a new PC, and 20 minutes for a Mac.

Macs are built streamlined so the functionality works more efficiently. PCs are built by a lot of people who don't know what the others are doing (like chickens with their heads cut off), hence the enormous amount of updates.

And the reason Mac people are so much more vocal is because they actually like their computers. They are not machines, they are part of the family.

BTW – if your Mac is freezing up and having as many problems as your PC: 1. you don't know how to use a computer; 2. You most likely need to rebuild the catalog (Disk Warrior) 3. You probably haven't paid attention to the specs and installed something incorrectly.

Tyler is absolutly right.

If you spend the same amount of money on a PC as you do a Mac you are getting a freaking super computer compared with the overpriced crap that Macs put out.

And all you fanboys of Macs that say the don't have problems, errrors, and freezing.. YOU LIE! I have one. That crap freezes, chokes and sputters just as much as my PC at work, if not more, because my work comp just got UPGRADED.. yah know.. like without having to buy a new one.

Also, the only reason why you don't see virusus for Mac is because its pointless for hacks to target less than 2% of the users on the web. If Mac had say %50 you would have many breaches in your piece of crap, lack of security having browsers….

anyway.. enough. Macs are great for casual users.. like I said.

This article is flawed. I work in the computer dept. at Best Buy and for 3 weeks up to Windows 7 release we have been unable to sell any laptops or desktop systems. Not to our own fault but manufacturers gearing up for 7. Apples sales will slump again. watch. What minimum wage college student can afford a $1000 laptop?

Put a $1200 macbook up beside a $1200 dollar windows based PC and look at the hardware difference. The windows based PC will have more RAM, more HDD space, better processor, better graphics card, I could go on and on. So essentially when you buy a mac, you're buying $500 in hardware and spending another $500 on an operating system. Oh gee that's so smart, considering you can go fucking buy the new snow leopard mac OSX for $30. No wonder people say they are retard proof computers, because the people using them don't understand how over priced they are for no performance gain whatsoever. Oh yeah I forgot, the fucking glowing apple on the front is all worth the extra $500 too. I build PC's for a side job while in college, and the smartest thing you could do if you really love mac so much is to go buy a PC or have one built and just put OSX on it. It's also easy as hell to send DoS floods to them as well, since it shows up as APPLE or MACBOOK on a freaking network sniffer instead of just a MAC address for a normal windows based PC, so yeah, pretty easy target. I could go on and on, but most mac fanboys will just throw a million other ridiculous reasons why they think there macs are so much better, and to them, go right click and upgrade your computer….oh no…you can't. Maybe drop another $1200 for a new one I suppose?

Mac = great for the casual browser and user.

PC = great for people who have more advanced computer needs.

My idea = Mac at home and PC at work. Thats the way I do it.

In response to Joe, I bought an Imac 6 years ago and a Dell laptop 5 years ago. Each cost about $1500, so they were not cheap no-name brands. I sold the Imac a year ago for $300 and it was still working fine. I junked the Dell a year ago because there were too many broken parts to fix and it was worthless. So which one was the better value? I have an HP laptop that works fine but the MS software is terrible. I'm going back to a Mac!!

I remember teaching classes on how to use PCs and Macs 20 years ago. I was always asked which was the most popular. At the time, Apple had about 5% share of the market. But its fans were more vocal. Nothing wrong with that — when you're the underdog you have to be more aggressive.

However, I am surprised that Apple still has not gained in market share after all those years. I assume it's because they chose the route of higher pricing and closed development, which normally fosters a smaller, but more enthusiastic fan base.

Basically, if you're not an idiot, buy Windows. If you have trouble using technology, buy a Mac. PC's would last as long as Macs if no one was making software that required new hardware to run. Games are the reason PC's have such a short life.

It's kind of cute to see someone complain about not using "special characters"; it's a pity that they don't know how to properly use a semi-colon.

Nice job; Lex!

@Drew, who said: "I've owned only two Macs in the last 10 years, I've gone through about 4 PCs"

If you went through 4 PCs in the last ten years, I suggest you start buying your computers from reputable companies instead of some no name brand that probably uses cheap inferior parts. While I bought a new home PC in March, my prior one lasted five and a half years. My PC at work was replaced a few months ago. There was absolutely nothing wrong with my prior one, but after eight years my IT dept felt I was due for an upgrade.

The premise of the article is mistaken in that it seems to imply that "net presence" is a valid proxy for market share: If all those people who already own iphones are using them more, that has no relationship to current market share. I suspect we will have a better picture of market share by January, and given Apple pricing it's almost impossible for Apple to preserve even the market share it has against budget pc's with Windows 7 at every Walmart for under $300…

I always had Windows until a couple years ago I decided to try a Mac book. I honestly hated it at first, but grew to love it. When I booted it up, it came up immediately. When I shut it down, it was quick. Safari NEVER had problems. Then I killed it by setting it in water. Recently bought an HP laptop with Windows Vista. (I'll get a free upgrade to 7) Right out of the box it takes FOREVER to boot up, consistantly has internet explorer locking up. Drives me crazy. I know nothing about computers, except for the Mac did not annoy me like this piece of crap.

Windows still has a stranglehold. How many licenses are involved in 0.2% of the PC market?

I have replaced MS Office with OpenOffice.org on ALL of my home PCs. That is my first small step to becoming independent of Microsoft and, as my friend Bill once put it, stepping off the Microsoft Treadmill.

its been all of what, 11 days since release…..yeah…nice story…
wait a year, when business have tested it with their custom apps, etc.
We all dont drink the kool-aid called Mac…

Here’s what it looks like to me: 95% of the folks own a Ford Taurus, 5% own a Ferrari (or BMW if you prefer) Why are the Taurus owners giving Ferrari owners a hard time? You have the market share. You win the numbers contest! Why are you bothered by a tiny minority? Do you want everyone to use the same C-R-A-P OS? Should we all comb out hair to the side, grow square moustaches under our noses and goose step under a flag with an Egyptian symbol?

Does if bother them that a few connoisseurs enjoy their vehicles? The Taurus will do its job taking the kids to soccer practice and haul groceries. But oh, to drive a Ferrari, is to love the experience.

Besides, competition is good, free market/Capitalism and all that. What would Freud say about all this “OS envy”?

As a test engineer, one learns to look at data thoroughly before drawing a conclusion. Over the past two months, the supply of personal computers at stores that were loaded with a Microsoft based operating systems was allowed to run low to clear the shelves for the new release of Windows 7 based machines. I expect that with store shelves fully stocked and the X-mas holidays approaching, data will show an increase and possible a surge in Windows 7 equipped personal computers.

Windows was just released in late October, this article should be written for the month of November. What a waste of words talking about a loss of 0.23%. Windows is still over 92%. How is this useful analysis?

First, a degree in the use of the English language was not required to post a comment. Second, you understood the post, so why degrade yourself with petty remarks about syntax. Third, if you can solve the world's problems, no-name, why haven't you taken over the markets? I think that you are a "special character".

A quick, uhm, "point" for Joshua. I liked your post but have to disagree on your assertion that the term "point" refers to 1%. Actually, this is a common misconception. "point" used in this context is usually a shortened form of "basis point" or, as you note, 1% of 1%.

Liked the post otherwise.

I have been using Windows since 3.11 for workgroups came out, I have used them all and I embrace the release of Windows 7. I am running Windows 7 Professional on an older Dell XPS system with 2.5 gig's of RAM. It run's alot faster and smoother than Vista does, you cant compare windows to Mac OS they are two totally different operating systems. Yes, windows has its problems and so do Mac's they break too, they are both not perfect. I personally feel that Mac computers are over priced, for the average computer user who just wants to check their email, surf the web, play a game they will always stick with Windows. Windows 7 is a fine operating system and can be just as creative as a Mac is. With 8 gig's of DDR3 tripple channel memory and an I7 CPU, Windows 7 Pro 64bit might just out perform a Mac, but the Mac folks wont tell you that.

First off, please learn to use punctuation and the return key. How hard can it be to throw in a special character every now and then?

As to Windows market share, as much as I would love to see some real competition for them in the market place; I don't see it happening soon.

Mac refuses to open up its software for outside development; which makes it more stable, but also less flexible.

While Linux is developed by a committee that seems to have contempt for the casual computer user.

Windows gives people what they want at a price they are willing to pay. Not necessarily what they need, or for the price it is worth, but that is not what market economics demands. The other OSs out there depend on fanatical loyalty or religious devotion for their market share.

Windows is not going anywhere any time soon.

Why is it that whenever an article appears about CPU's it turns into a Mac vs. Windows vs. whatever??? This article is plainly about a product that is struggling due to it's own shortcomings. That is all. It is easy for me to understand the frustration Windows must be feeling with 7 sales. XP was great, Vista was horrible and 7 is just Vista with a new name! If it ain't broken….

As both a pc and mac owner i say its not even close macs work plain and simple pc r full of all kind of problems like when rundle 32 stop workin or relevant knowledge fails or the hid data error and a millon other problems pcs have none of those are virus related just flaws in the windows os macs also come with much better software like i life that beats anything pcs have macs are more complete systems that come with everything u will need pcs need added software like outlook 10 which sux compared to ical windows photo gall is weak when put up against i photo as for games it is better to have pc but with bootcamp macs run both os pc cant do that so macs r 2 system in 1 and for all those windows fan boys enjoy windows 7's new task bar ms copied it from the mac dock as they copy everything ms hasn't had a new ideal in 20 year they steal others ideas and pass them off as their own

I work in retail IT (Not for Best Buy ), and I've been an avid PC user since 1991. I've worked with PC and Mac throughout school, and I've honestly had good time with both. The plain and simple fact is that while a Mac may have edges in video editing/rendering and in speed, the PC will always edge the Mac out in overall performance. Granted, you can spend 1500 dollars on an iMac, and have it do what you need for the moment while you sit and wait for the incremental updates that add functionality to OSX…but you can always upgrade a PC. The primary problem with the consumer market PC is that it's generally proprietary (and this is a direct problem with Dell, HP, and the former Gateway using BTX or customized form factor motherboards and parts). I repair PCs on a daily basis and I can honestly say a custom built machine with the right hardware (note I said right, not EXPENSIVE) will consistently outperform its OSX counterpart.

As a matter of fact, an article detailing how it was possible to take a Dell Inspiron Mini and convert it to Snow Leopard was recently posted in the gadget media, and they actually benchmarked the machine at 10 percent less powerful than a current generation MacBook. Know how much it costs for the hack? Less than 400.

Know how much the proprietary Mac costs? Pull out what you might put down on a car.

In direct address to Windows 7…I personally waited through Vista. While I feel Vista was solid and did it's job well, it was definitely the rushed product Microsoft was forced to release at the demand of the OEM manufacturers tiring of selling the same product. Windows 7 outperforms everything I've owned before, including my massively overclocked system running XP Pro SP2. Games, music, video editing, web design…all faster, and looking at the 1300 dollar MacBook I'm trying to sell…it's obvious which is the better choice.

iphones and itouches are pc s people!!!
that is the marketshare of the future!
they will be the console, the portable the desktop, camera, portable gaming device and on and on and etc.!
U would `nt need much else.

Can't we all just get along?

Having been a PC user since Win 3.1 and a Mac user since OS 8, I can firmly say that either one will do the job. However, while I've owned only two Macs in the last 10 years, I've gone through about 4 PCs… you pay extra for Mac because they're simply built better. My PC constantly chokes, crashes, locks, and freaks out. My Mac does not. That's worth the price of admission to me. I can do my job on either, and I often do it on both, but the Mac is my reliable machine and the PC is my cheap one.

If you remove the corporate IT based Windows machines from the equation, Macintosh usage and the installed base is much higher.

So…a couple months ago this same method shows that Macs lost halftheir market share. and your entire article was saying how stupid it is to guage the market share of an OS based on internet usage. Yet NOWHERE in this article does it mention that you don't feel that this is a reliable method!

AMAZING. It is hilarious that you claim that you are outside the reality distortion field when you are BY FAR the most delusional fabnboy around.

I'm a mac user and I fully support all PC users that want to continue using their PCs and windows. In fact I hope that you never switch to a mac. You are proud and supportive of you OS. Leave me my apple with no spam, malware, spyware, home premium or business plus or whatever other different OS u have. We are quite happy over here without u.

Sunny Guy, they are not growing by 2.73% of the market per month. They only grew by 2.73% of their own market share. Read it again. They went from 5.12% to a whopping 5.26%, not all the way to 7.85%. I hope you are not employed in the financial services industry.

And PED, seriously? Your sub-headline is ridiculous. Windows 7 was out for 10 days in the month of October. Why didn't you just land a MacBook Pro on an aircraft carrier with a big screensaver overhead saying "Mission Accomplished!!"?

No really, I like the way you play with the statistics and fool people like Sunny Guy into thinking Apple is 12 months away from eclipsing the entire market. 5.12% to 5.26% is a growth of 0.15% of the overall market, but you state it in terms of growth of Apple's market share, "2.73%"

Then Microsoft loses 0.23 points of the overall market, from 92.77% to 92.54%. This you mention as being "its ninth loss in 12 months," but never do the same calculation you did for Apple. Because that would make you look silly, pointint out that MS lost a whopping "0.24%" of its market share.

Lastly, why do you insist on using the term "points" to refer to 1% of 1% of the market? Are you trying to inflate the numbers to make it sound more dire for MS? I guess that is what you have to do when you are defending Apple's 5% hold on the market. A "point" is commonly accepted to mean a single percent. Not 1/100th of a percent. Please print a correction.

This is really a non story unless you care about Mac. When you own most of the pie it doesn't matter. Don't get me wrong Windows has made a ton of mistakes. Vista is terrible in the modern era. Mac has had issues that no one seems to be reporting. This is the second story in the last two weeks that has been negative towards Windows, almost as if the author is biased.

Go to Fry's and look at which computers the crowd is standing around waiting in line to test drive. Is it some dumb PC or is it a sleek and powerful Mac? Hint: it's the Mac. PC's are for email and video games, Mac's are for creation.

"eventually, they will fall"

Wrong.

So let me get this straight Windows 7 has been out for about 10 days and already is making up 3% of the hits on websites and osx has 5.29% and has been around close to a decade. Yah…can't tell the author is byass!

I switched from windows to Mac. Best move I have ever done. I am very happy. Should have done it years ago.

"Who's winning? Well the iPhone and iPod are forced to be compatible with Windows… I wonder how much money Apple would be making off those products if they said "Mac only"."

Who's this idiot? Make something that doesn't work on 90% of the world's computers? Also I am sure people will go out and buy $1000+ computers for a $150 mp3 player.

This guy should disclose his recent 'gifts' from Apple or other affiliates. That may explain his bias.

Personally I don't mix religion and computers (unlike most of the posters here).
I tried out a Mac before Windows (back in the days of Windows 1.0). I could have bought one for the same price as my first PC at the university bookstore. I didn't then and I wouldn't now, although it is a closer race. Some people like the closed system that is a Mac. Some people like the open system that is a Windows machine. Some like outer space and go for Linux. Some people like having what 90+% of the world does. Some like being exclusive.
There are a lot more commercial software options for Windows and it has no competition for GIS software.
Me, I still find Windows suits me best, but I'm willing to recommend a Mac to a friend if they can 1)afford it, 2)it will meet their needs, and 3)if will fit their personality.
To many of you out there, quit trying to make it a religion!

I produce money through my work with Macintosh computers. I also love the machine and OS's touch and feel. I don't like Windows computers. That is me, and I don't intend to change anyone's preferences and/or love for one brand or kind of OS/computer. If market share goes up or drops on Macs, it will not affect my computer life. Let's be ourselves, make our own decisions based on our needs and preferences/comfort/love. As individuals we all have freedom of choice, and as red is my favourite color, Mac is my computer. You can choose blue and Windows! It is fine with me. Next really important issues: world peace, global warming, human health. Please!!

It's a rather pointless defense to say that Windows 7 has only been out since Oct. 22, when the article to which you are responding states that Windows 7 already had more than a 2% share on Oct. 22, due to pre-release versions.

And 2.73% per MONTH is a huge number. It's 33% per YEAR. If you could earn that on your investments, your money would double every 26 months. Don't you wish?

Carry on.
Sunny Guy

come on dude everyone know most internet servers use some form of UNIX as their os

I think software often dictates what platform to use. Most applications are dual-platform (Mac, PC) and it seems to me the economical way to perform the same tasks is Windows.

So it's somewhat 'unfortunate' that the documentary and indie film industry that I'm in generally uses Final Cut Pro (Mac only). Well, there are reasons for that, and I think it's called "stability" and "market share." If Apple makes the hardware/software/OS, that's about as stable as you can get. I have no trouble with FCP, Logic Pro or other all-Apple products, even under deadline pressure. What market share means is that if you need personnel, there's an entire professional FCP community available that doesn't exist with Adobe Premiere, which is dual-platform (again) and its latest reincarnation, albeit really good, was late to bloom when HD video appeared a few years ago.

Although I have a PC with Sony Vegas Pro for my casual video projects, the serious stuff is all Mac. Hence, I think if you don't need a Mac and want to save $$$, the PC is the way to go and hopefully Windows 7 addresses previous OS shortcomings.

There's room for both and the competition makes both better.

I know the article is talking solely about what the client side operating system is as indicated by Internet web sites.

However, I think you would find an interesting statistic about what Operating System is most popular on the Internet for Server use. Maybe its not Windows or MAC ?

Windows Vista was all i could take! I have a Mac and a PC, my kids stop using the PC so i switched it over to Linux. Now the kids use both. I love my Mac, just not enough to spend the extra $. If you have an old PC, just go to Ubuntu and download the their operating system and with in 3 days you'll have it figured out

So this is funny, I guess this author or CNN in general is biased towards apple. A .25 percent change and you put that headline. Realize this, windows 7 was release on October 22, Wait till after Christmas and see what happens. My college bookstore will be getting the awesome cheap student updates next semester. I am guessing so will other schools. I expect a lot of people to do that. Then you have people like me who don't want to install another OS right in the middle of a very busy time for school. First thing I do when I get back home, I am moving to windows 7.

Also for those of you that praise your MAC and completely trash windows, thanks for making me so against Apple. I used to not care, I understood mac and windows have their place in the market. I just think it is funny how everyone associates pc with windows. I got news for yall windows is just software. Microsoft has no control over hardware. They make the OS and sell it that is it. So microsoft has to tailor their OS to a variety of setups. Look at this way, among all my friends in college everyone has a different setup, but yet windows works on them all. So for those that complain about hardware failing, you can't put that on microsoft. Hardware failing, I have never had that ever happen to me. Do your research or ask around before you start buying stuffs. It is a lot easier to guarantee something works, if you control everything about that something that makes it work.

In all my years I have used windows with no virus protection software, I have never gotten viruses or any crashes. Neither has my family, who are not as tech savy as I am. I think I heard from somewhere, the main flaw to any computer security is the user. Anytime I do something on the internet or just in general on my computer, I think. I look at everything from a suspicious perspective, even legit emails from friends. I am initially suspicious of it.

Also, mac are now using the same hardware as any other computer. Intel cpu and so on. They no longer make their own stuff. So you guys are truly paying extra for an OS, that would crash and burn if apple had more marketshare, making it worth it to attack.

Both apple and pc have a place in the market, but you mac fanboys need to stop and think about some common sense things about pc before trashing micrsoft.

I manage a network of Macs, and I can vouch that they're not perfect, but I really get tired of the "Nobody in the real world uses Macs" argument. You need to get out more. Everywhere I go: IT conventions, major universities, NASA, I could go on and on, I see people using Macs. Sure, there are lots more PCs out there, because they're less expensive and sold everywhere. Windows PCs are perfectly good machines. But when you look at the really top-level creative and productive people out there, you see a lot of them using Macs, and there are some good reasons for this. Don't be narrow.

Bob from Boston vomited up the myth (and more than a few other Wintards parroted it) that, "The only reason macs have few viruses is the low market share, as mac makes more and more inroads the virus count will rise."

Yeah, Mac users have been hearing this one for YEARS. Still waiting for that outbreak of viruses for our machines…

Who's winning? Well the iPhone and iPod are forced to be compatible with Windows… I wonder how much money Apple would be making off those products if they said "Mac only".

What was release date of windows 7 – Oct 22nd? hardly seems valid to compare sales for October, when it was only out for 1 week.

Microsoft writes mediocre software, markets the heck out of it, and it runs on inexpensive hardware anyone can build or pick up cheaply, configured to their own specs. Apple writes decent software, markets it badly, and it only runs on expensive proprietary hardware that is not easily configurable. Sorry folks, MS wins. Now if only the Linux folks would do a better job of marketing, we'd have the best of all worlds!

Well Einstein… Windows 7 was released on Oct 22nd. You are using data from Sept and Oct. 09. (Someone else pointed out this too).

Not a windows 7 fan. Just wanted to show how high school dropouts are giving tech journalism a bad name these days.

One OS may very well be better than the other, but this article has to be written by someone more capable

fascinating comments on both the Mac and Windows side….

My experience with Windows over the years has been positive, but not perfect. My experiences with Macs on the other hand has always been frustrating. Even yesterday in the store I tried using a MacBook Pro and iPhoto wouldn't close when I asked it to. This is typical with my Mac experience. I want to like them, because the hardware is awesome, but they drive me crazy when they don't do what I expect them to do.

I swear it has to do with the way people think. My brother has very few issues with Mac, but can't use a PC to save his soul. I have very few issues with PC's but always want to throw Macs into the Mississippi. We think differently.

I think its great that there are choices in computing.

It is all frame of reference – the market share for MAC – is primarily students – NOT business, other than design. But PC's have been better than MAC on designing software years ago – people just don't want the expense to switch. Once you understand how windows works – you can clearly see how cumbersome MAC really is – seamless, maybe, proprietary to its users – yes. But even MAC uses wanted t he WIndows Option – and got it : ) All this talk about MAC increasing market share is bunk – these numbers include replacing older MACS and high costs. A Solid desktop from Dell WITH Windows 7, 4gb ram and a 3 year ON-SITE warranty is under $700. COme one – all this ranting about MAC is to boost their profits – eventually, they will fall. They really do not offer anything realistically NEW to the user experience like Windows does. Mac is slow, cumbersome and anything but efficient. And you think they are virus free – not a chance – and it is getting worse for MAC's. And their only REAL protection for viruses are from LOW-END performance vendors that did not cut it well in the PC market – because they don't protect well. Get a PC – it's smart.

Yap Yap, Same old arguments, this will go on and on and both companies profit. Enjoy Bigots!

btw: I use both and I'm an It Professional too.

The CNN link to this says "MAC Sales increase" but then the article says "MAC shares increase" Then the article actually measures web site hits by OS, it doesn't really count how many of a given platform are actually in use by people. Just what kind of journalism is this supposed to be?

ex ped: I didn't write the CNN headline. I'm trying to get it changed.

I wonder if they record Mac user's as both iPod Touch and iPhone along with Mac users? This could explain the Web results better. I think its a little early to claim anything from this. Mac OS X also had a release recently.

The decision to buy a Mac Vs. a PC for most comes down to price. Personally I can't justify paying 3-4 times the price of a PC. Lowest price Mac Mini: $700, lowest price for a PC: Acer $319. Add to that the cost of the monitors and Macs are out of my budget, no matter the state of the economy.

allow me to steal one of my favorite qoutes… arguing on the internet about which OS is better is like the special olympics… even if you win, you're still retarded

Re: Posted By Bob, Ny Ny
"If Macs are so great, why do they have such a small market share? Miscrosoft is far from perfect, but I guess they are doing something right."
I'll tell you why: because when Steve Jobs decided a long time ago that he wanted to "think different" that meant that he wanted the user experience to be seamless. The only way he could guarantee that was to control everything: the hardware, the software, and the OS. Macs thus became proprietary. On the other side, Bill Gates wanted ubiquity. So, he licensed the OS to any manufacturer willing to pay for the OS. Thus Windows became pre-loaded on most widely sold computers.
One company went for quality; the other for quantity. Now you know the answer. Good thing you asked.

Its not fair to compare Mac OSX with Windows 7.

Windows will always sell better, since to get Mac OSX you have to buy the hardware with it. You have a hundred companys selling hardware to run Windows. You only have one company selling hardware to run OSX. And IMHO, that is what makes the Mac package more appealing.

Guyz guyz!! I just got the latests Mac laptop! only paid $9,000 for it an its running Unix! Wait.. Its over heating.. and what is the screen doing now.. keyboarb stopd wrking now oh noz… _______________

Maybe if Mac's had a larger market share they would have hackers interested enough to write viruses for it. My experience with a mac was not all that as it crashed a lot and had printer driver issues. Hmm, maybe if it had a larger market share hardware companies would put more effort into the mac drivers.

Sam from Washington: The NEXT Operating System was developed by Steve Jobs after he was ousted by Apple. So Apple really didn't buy it, they inherited when they brought Steve Jobs back onboard.

OS X is not so much based on NEXT however, but FreeBSD UNIX. The GUI is similar, but that's about it.

Just sayin'.

Too funny.
I read one guy say…oh I like my mac for a lack of hardware issues. Bad news for you. Mac and PCs use the same hardware these days. ever since mac went to intel CPUs. You pay extra for the operating system and limited hardware setups. THATS IT!!

I would hope you know how to change your own oil, transmission fluid, change a battery, charge a battery, inflate your tires, etc., basic stuff for anyone that drives.

I was going to give you information here, but then I realized you're MY consumer base, so the less you know, the better I guess

PC wins hands down! Never seen anyone in real life using a mac..reminds me of a burger anyways.

Windows 7 kicks butt. It's everything Vista should have been and is leaps and bounds faster.

I am an IT proffesional for a Helpdesk and I am really impressed by the release of 7. Sure, the MAC
OS as a whole is stronger OS with a robust Linux based kernel. But Apple has sold itself out just as bad as Microsoft has with its proprietary software and closed application development (MAC completely strayed from its roots).

In the end, the affordable gaming, build your own PC route has to be windows based and Windows 7 can absolutely stand up with OSX

anyone want to buy a 6 month old MacBook Pro? Sorry, but it's not what it's cracked up to be.

I read these comments and laugh at nearly all of them. I have used all versions of Windows, all Mac OSs, and various distros of Linux. I have never had a problem with the actual OSs. All the problems I have ever had with any computer has always come down to hardware and drivers. If you understand how to interface with the OSs in a decent manner and stay away from stuff you don't understand, you typically won't have a problem either.

Yes, I do prefer Macs because of less hardware issues. You do truly get what you pay for. Apple has done a wonderful job building their machines to fit their OS. That is where Windows and Linux fall short. The OS tries to fit a plethora of hardware and hardware that is shoddily manufactured.

When it gets down to it, the world would have been better off without the invention of the "Personal Computer". Just look how we all live our lives now. It all revolves around our machines.

Wow, I can't believe the passion behind some of these posts. I admit, I have always used a PC, and will always use a PC. My wife prefers a Mac, but as long as she is my wife and any computer problems will be immediately followed by, "Honey, can you come take a look at this?" there will be no dispute in our house. It's PC or nothing.

I have an iPhone and for the most part love it, but the one thing that kills me is if the battery wears out (which they all do) you actually have to send it in to be repaired or bring it to an authorized repair facility. No phone call, they overnight you a new battery and you are back up and running in a day. How can Mac seriously make claims about customer service when their idea of customer service is send us your device with all your personal data on it and we will return it to you good as new in 10-14 business days…uh, no thanks!

Anyway on to my original reason for posting here, look at the numbers people, Microsoft's marketshare, has no place to go BUT down.

…this is funny…arguing over which OS is better…it's almost better than watching political arguments…ALMOST!

I use to have a Mac – old G3. OS was a little buggy back then, but nothing like Windows 98/NT – ugh. I switched to PC for one reason only – I could build my own computer. Since then, I've wasted thousands of hours of my life on this hobby of keeping home-brewed PCs alive. I'm the amateur IT guy for the family, although the professional IT guy in the family is clueless about troubleshooting windows problems – apparently IT doesn't always mean you're good with home PCs. So let me tell you, if you want a mostly thankless hobby, stick with PC. If your hobbies run more to hiking, running, fishing, sports, knitting, etc. stick with what works, Mac. My roommate's Mac has needed my help with only one thing, trying to share files with Windows. Of course once I fire up Ubuntu, the file sharing problem went away.

Sure MACs are good and so are PC's….but I miss the Amiga, it was doing things that neither company could do and couldnt do until years later. If you turn on an old Commodor 128 you'll see the OS was written by Microsoft…..too bad the company didnt have the cut throat attitude that Microsoft had….hell I was doing animation with a Video Toaster and 1.5 megs of ram that Windows and Mac both needed hundreds of megs of ram to do……but the best doesnt always survive….still it makes me wonder what it couldve been………..

I am a long time Mac user. This means I´m happy with my computer and my OS but I´m not a mac fanboy. I´m a consumer wh wants good products with a fair price. I don´t want the new Microsoft OS to be a flop. On the contrary, I hope Windows 7 is a great OS. Mac OS is great (IMHO) but I´m sure Apple could use a little pressure in the market by great products by a competitor. If Mac relies on Windows failing like they did with Vista, there´s not much pressure for them to develop a better product and to offer a good OS at a fair price. If the crowds of disgruntled Windos users flock to Mac, there´s no really a benefit to the actual Mac user. If Microsoft drops the ball again (and I think they didn´t with W7) then Apple has the upper hand and that means really high prices for their products.

I use both Snow Leopard and Windows 7. I like them both. I expect Win 7 to be well-accepted in the long-term but Mac to continue to grow market share, simply because the two OS'es are now equal. The natural equilibrium should be 50-50 and as time passes that # will be approached.

you could say a mac is a waste of money but when you look at the price of you pc and the price of all the software you need to buy to maintane your pc it comes out to about the same price as just buying a macbook pro. i'm a long time pc user and love both operating systems but over all having a mac and not worrying about viruses and having to send my laptop back to hp if i have a problem (genus bar)

Blah blah blah kool-aid, blahblah my OS is better. Blah blah GUI, blah blah huge generalization, whine whine I'm so much better, you're obviously a communist, blah blah how can you be so dumb, why is anyone different from ME?! Blah blah blanket statement, blah blah finger pointing, blah, oversimplification, Whine whine I fear change, I won't change, I won't consider someone else's point of view as valid for their life, whine moan, blame, I refuse to accept diversity, moan, protest, ridicule, minutia that doesn't matter moan complain PC THIS who cares MAC THAT blah blah.

Geez, own a computer, and let other people own theirs.

ex ped: I liked this.

I've always found the whole Mac/Windows argument amusing. The people who say "you can't get under the hood of a mac" seriously crack me up. How many people on the highway want or need to understand how their car works? How many people who use computers (Mac OR any Windows based option) will ever open the case? There are a lot of things I can do, fairly easily, inside a mac, and I'm not a trained tech. I'm an artist who isn't afraid of peering into the heart of a machine, mac or windows.

Oh please Apple Fanboy, I own a Macbook and a Lenovo Thinkpad, the Macbook runs both Snowlepord and Win7 Ultimate and the Thinkpad runs Win7 Enterprise. From a Hardware quality perspective the Thinkpad easily beats the MacBook (or even the Pro) in every objective test – It's faster, has better heat managment (anyone realized how hot the macbook runs?)

As for the OS, Yes, OSX is a great OS, it has a smaller footprint than Win7 and runs faster on my mac (though not by much). I'd say Win7 speed is about on par with the old 10.5 OSX, and that's quite a feat consider the millions of hardware combination it needs to support.

And FYI to all the Apple Fanboys out there, Apple didn't write OSX, they bought it – YES, BOUGHT, from someone else (NEXT Computer). Anyone care to remember how useless OS8 or OS9 was? How it couldn't even do simple things like oh… allocate memory space correctly so you can run 2 different programs without crashing? When windows 98 was running the world, MacOS couldn't even run more than a handful of programs.

Wow…talk about being smack in the middle of the reality distortion field. Despite noting that Net Applications are not a measure of share of market in the sense of sales revenue or unit sales, the headline for this article on CNN's front page is "Mac sales surge after Windows 7".

ex ped: Agreed. That's not my headline, and getting it changed turns out to be harder than you might think.

the really funny thing is that people wont stop saying how good macs are and how better they are than pc's…why then are 91% of computers in the us pc's? and the number is greater if you look at it internationally…numbers dont lie people..pc's are half as bad as you make them out to be….and windows 7 rocks.

Does it seem like a farce to say "Mac Sale "SURGE" after Windows7 release"…. then use data prior to windows7 release.

For those who didnt know…. Windows7 was released to the masses on October 22nd. Yet the "author" is using data from September and October.

If what you want to do is open up a computer and work on the guts of it, or build a computer from scratch, or constantly upgrade your security software, yes, you can do all of that for a fraction of the cost by buying a PC instead of a Mac. And I can tell by reading this that a lot of you take great pride in the fact that you know computers inside and out. But here's a newsflash. A lot of us don't want to repair computers, we want to USE computers.

We just want a computer that works–one that you don't HAVE to open up and work on. One that doesn't require knowing a secret language. One that anticipates what WE would like to do instead of forcing us to do things the way IT would like to do them. And with the money we save on security updates and the huge inconvenience of downtime, we feel we come out money AHEAD with Mac.

@Joe from Santa Monica:

Can you explain then why 94% of computers in the world are Windows based?

If Macs are SOOOO easy to operate and SOOOO much better than Windows, and BOTH were introduced around the same period, then WHY I ask is Macantosh so far behind they'd need a loud speaker to hear Microsoft fart?

Oh, fun fact: Steve stole the Unix based operating system from Bill (who stole it from someone else) and then stole the GUI that was developed by Microsoft employees.

Steve knows nothing of computers, and once he got his hands on the code, implemented it into software as soon as he could. Because of stuff like this, things like OS9 are born.

ex ped: That's the most ill-informed "fun fact" I've read in some time.

I for one decided to try a mac recently (have had it about 5 months now) and for the most part its ok but NO WHERE near worth the price tag. There are a lot of things that are actually quite annoying and sometimes quite frustrating, and granted I do realize some of it was growing pains for learning how to use thing but even now, things frustrate me. First and foremost, I have a laptop and as the name implies it is often used on my "lap" but let me tell you it will burn the crap out of your legs EVEN with a cooler under it. Integrating this thing into my home network has been a pain as it took forever for this Macbook to 1) see and communicate with my windows PC's 2)still have issues with it seeing and connecting to my network backup drive (and don't get me started on time machine). Constantly having to find Mac specific software gets old quickly and you WILL find that many peripherals don't work i.e. PSP Go or Blackberry DM (though they just released one but as myself and many others, it has issues).

My wife recently purchased a new HP laptop with WIN 7 on it and quite frankly, I find it way easier and dare I say more intuitive to use than this "great" Macbook. Take it for what you will, but the hype is just that, HYPE regarding apple in my book.

Wow, there sure are a bunch of arrogant people on these comment boards. If you're a gamer or you're on a budget, go PC. If you have the money or you work a lot with multimedia, get a Mac. Neither is necessarily better than the other, but go ahead and keep believing whatever makes your e-peen so big.

I have yet to even touch Vista, let alone Windows 7. I hate the Xbox360, as it's a psuedo-racist epitoue used in viral ad-campaigns in Kentucky Fried Chicken commercials; HOWEVER, it compares almost as nothing to the facist and extremely diluted mind of Steve Jobs.

Bill Gates is Lucifer, where as Steve is the 9th circle of hell 3 headed soul eating demon that will forever snack on ignorant and unintelligent consumerists. Huge difference.

I think it's cute trying to stack up against the world's largest global multi-billion dollar a DAY computing, networking and data-transfer telecommunications company; as childish as it may be.

What Steve understood a long time ago is that you don't need to control everyone, just the people with an IQ below 76.

ex ped: "epitoue"?

This is too funny! Are you so desperate for Apple to be on top that you have to report on such a small change in market share? I would surmise that just the margin of error could be accounting for this. Heaven help the PC users if Apple ever gains a full percentage point, I think our world just may crumble …but what a day for Apple that would almost be a 20% change.

The OS is just a "Middle Man". The key to any computer is the applications that run on it.

Wow, whoever wrote this article was obviously biased toward Mac.

I mean, a 0.14% growth in share, and they make it sound like Microsoft actaully lost something. That's peanuts. Actaully that's not even peanuts, it's peanut shells.

Mac is still nearly no percent of the market. Stop acting like it's significant.

This argument will go on forever, but Macs simply clean a PC's clock. I was in college in 1984 when PCs first came out, and we agonized over DOS. Macs came out with GUI, made life easier, PC guys slammed it… and then Windows came along with GUI… gee, what a clever celebration of goofy.

I am a devoted linux user/IT guy. My wife uses a Mac and I respect the machine but Bubba is right, Macs are not fun to open up and work with. The best machine I've come across in terms of hardware replacement and repair is Dell.

Anyway, I choose Ubuntu over any other OS.

"Mac ads are designed to target ignorant people who don't know the difference between a computer and an operating system. The ads are targeting predominantly computer illiterates who SHOULD have a computer that doesn't allow access to a lot of the behind-the-scenes parts of there OS like a PC does."

Huh?!?!? OS/X is Unix. Period. And Unix has far more openness about how to configure, trouble-shoot, or fix it than Windoze has ever had. Plus built-in or freely available Perl, C++, and other scripting stuff (and not just the execrable and unsafe VBS).

Believe me, I know the difference between a computer and an OS (having worked with more such variants that you've probably ever had computers). Just on O/S grounds, OS/X beats Windoze hands down.

Try to find a way to configure your network from Vista. Just try. If it's not what Windoze thinks (based on its own cluelessness) you should have, you're SOL.

But on the surface, for those that don't want (or need) to open an X-window, Macs are also incredibly easy to use….

Been a PC user my ever since I knew about computers. Will continue to remain so, gets my work done. If I have some problems, i just reboot my machine once in a blue moon. That wouldn't justify my spending an extra 500$ for a MAC. And those ads, its high time they stop those. It was funny in the beginning, but getting irritating nowadays. They should advertise what they have to offer, not run down PC everytime. After all these ads, it does not look like they have something substantial to offer.

First and only thing, PC are not only window system but also Mac, Unix and Linux. I am a PHD in computer and have been using computers since 1982 for research and I would not follow any advice from people that posted anything using PC for win, go back to school because you don't know anything about computers.

I work in the tech field, and as macs become used by more people, more of my calls are coming from people with macs with problems. I use Mac, Pc, Linux and they all have a place in the tech world. No computer is immune to problems, but I am still in favor of complete control of components and will always favor a computer that allows me to do what I want, when I want with my computer. Which would you guys prefer to open – a mac, a pc or a linux computer?

Some clown at the bottom made a note of how much cheaper the Mac OS is than Windows…yeah it is, but you can run that $100+ OS on a $500 laptop. Show me a $500 Mac laptop…or even a desktop for that matter. The only thing Apple is good at is making people think they need expensive equipment to do basic tasks.

I have used PCs since DOS 3 and I have put up with all the crap that windows gave me (remember ME?). Two years ago I switched to Macs. For all those that say bad things about them, have you ever used one? Sure they cost more (but you get more) and you get what you pay for. I can do anything on my Mac that I can on a PC (still have two at home that are used only to surf the net when I do not want to walk up stairs). Most software on the Mac is free or cheaper than a PC and my Mac will run faster than a faster PC (I run the same video program on both, Mac takes 1/2 the time). Go buy your PC, and once you equip it the same as a Mac you will pay almost the same as a Mac. I used to build and repair PCs, just got to much to deal with. Macs I do not have to do anything. BTW Windows ads are so lame trying to catch up.

I was a longtime Mac user, but had constant problems with my machines. I've lost loads of data and hours of time with their terrible customer support and no-nothing IT folks. I've recently switched to Windows 7 and haven't looked back. It's by far one of the best OS's I've used.

I'll just add that I agree with the moderates here who say just enjoy what you enjoy. I just bought my first Mac last month. I've used tons of computers in my day, starting with my Vic 20, then on to my 8088 with a math coprocessor that boosted the speed to amazing 4.5 Mhz!! I used Apple II GS for computer class in grade school till they got their first 286 with windows. I even used a Tandy computer. Honestly, it's just like any other product, you buy what you want for what you need to do.

My other comment is that I think we should all continue to gripe about the issues we experience, other wise the manufacturers won't ever know, but maybe we should focus our gripes TO the companies. But then again, there is something REALLY satisfying about flaming OSs and people's general stupidity.

Todd, MAC absolutely can NOT run every program PC's can run. You can emulate windows but it doesn't always work. Sure back in 1999 MACs may have had an edge using polled processing and SCSI drives. (You probably don't know what I'm talking about) Now they have no advantage only disadvantages. Both MAC's and PC's use the EXACT same processors and SATA hard drives now. The difference is The PC's can upgrade any hardware they want and run a much larger variety of software. 5% of the market is just a holdover niche. If you want to pay 2x as much for the same hardware because you like Apple and their OS fine.

I don't know why people decided to buy more Mac now (or why they ever would), but it was probably because they haven't had a chance to try out or read the details about Windows 7 yet. Windows 7 is much better than Vista, and most of the major complaints about Vista have been fixed. You also need to remember that Vista was released before they had really finished it, but that is not the case with Windows 7. People just need to accept the fact that Microsoft realized that they made a few mistakes with Vista, but they realize that and that is why Windows 7 is so much better.

I just bought my first Mac about 4 months ago and I have to say, I've never been happier with a computer. It is so easy to learn, runs faster, turns on and shuts down in a matter of seconds, is quieter and I can tell the computer itself is built stronger. My last PC (Dell) lasted less than 2 years and had Vista on it. I went through 3 PC's over a span of eight years and had to install new hard drives on 2 of them after they crashed. Windows can be fine if you can buy a computer that is just not made cheaply (dell). Yes, they are much less expensive, but you truly get what you pay for these days.

Never had problems with XP, never had problems with Vista, never had problems with Windows 7. Not sure what all of the MAC people are talking about. They have been watching too many commercials. Just wait until MAC is a large enough target for hackers/coders to justify writing viruses to attack the MAC OS. Who wants to write code that will bother 5% of computers when you could write one that affects 92%.

wow, you mac lovers really did drink too much of that kool-aid

The only reason Apple(Mac) is still in business is because of the i-Pod and the i-Phone. There computers cost twice as much as a PC of comparable performance. Windows has it's problems but they are not big enough to justify the price difference for most people. Apple's marketing stratagy has always been 1)Keep your OS under wraps. 2) Limit production quantities. 3) Make it looke like "Intellectuals" prefer them. 4) Charge the highest possible price.

If Steve Jobs had taken a few lessons from Bill Gates when starting the Macintosh line of PCs Apple would have a 95% market share instead of Windows. Back in the day the Macintosh was far superior to the PC but Jobs refused to let go. The rest is history

As an IT professional for many years I have used PC,MAC, and Linux extensively. I have all 3 at home and use each machine for different things. In the end what it comes down to is which machine the user is more comfortable and productive on. If you are more productive on a PC use it. If more productive on a Mac use that. No one can make the claim that one OS is better than the next. We need to remember that the machine we get has to fit our needs, likes, and budget. In the right hands any of these OS are wonderful. Just like in the wrong hands any of these can be broken beyond repair. No OS is infallible, they can all break and all have flaws and weaknesses. There is no need to argue over the best OS, because the best OS is something that is very subjective to the individual's needs and preferences.

I can't believe anyone is still saying Macs are "user friendly"! It's not "intuitive" either. I was getting along fairly well, finding my way just fine when I owned a pc. I was tired of the security issues with Windows, so I switched to Mac, and regretted it from the first moment! It is NOT user friendly, unless you already know a lot about how computers work. I just bought a new pc to replace my new Mac.
What IS intuitive is Apple customer service — what a joke. Don't buy into the hype, like I did — Apple/Mac sucks.

Bubba, you sound like a Bubba…MACs can run absolutely every single program a PC can run. They are head and shoulders above a PC. Yes they are expensive, but you get what you pay for. Peoplw who use windows and think they are the greatest crack me up…do a little research and then speak…Oh yeah, one word….VISTA!!!!

I use just about every OS from XP to Leopard to Linux (all divisions). Its all based on what system can do the job right. If your a gamer, go windows. If your a media person, go Mac. If you need a server network, go Linux.

Sure each system has their own quirks but thats why there multiple out there to use. No ones forcing you to use any of them at all! Make your own OS if you feel so inclined that the world sucks.

I have used a PC since DOS. At work, everything works fine becuase I have IT support to help me with any issues. At home, every PC I have owned has had problems. I hate installing drivers; dealing with anti-virus programs that slow down my once lightening fast computer; or dealing with that one virus that Norton missed. I once had to take apart my PC correct issues. I broke down and bought a MAC after 20 years. It is amazing for home use – music, editing videos, internet. I have had zero issues for the last 2 years. Like the commercials, I opened the box and plugged it in. Happiness ever since. However I still have to rely on the PC for work applications since not all programs run on Apple computers. If they did, I would dump my PC.

G. Parrott, you have to go to the store and make the gang sign twice when no one else is looking, then give the password for this week. Tell them Joe sent you, and the yams are spoiled. They'll hook you right up, but you have to know the signs. You are in the loop, right?

Macs are ok if you put Linux on them. As computers they are useless as teats on a fish; they won't run any software you ever heard of and they slow down and stop instead of just crashing and letting you reboot. Ever tried to open one of their cases? They're a cult item for rich kids, not a personal computer, but I didn't hate them until their smug, nasty commercials started up. "Hi, I'm a Mac, and I'm anorexic."

Well I had held off getting a new machine until vista was gone. Reading the reviews I think I move to the Mac with an XP virtual machine. My software works just fine and I don't need to spend money upgrading because Windows 7 doesn't like it.

Besides Macs look better and I'm not supporting a bloated monopoly.

Survey says that 6.5% of people believe that Elvis is alive and 22% of them never used a computer and 63% were Mac users

Go figure

ex ped: Don't hold us in suspense, Steve. Give us the link.

It would be interesting to see what the internet share is outside of 9-5 in each timezone. If I had to look at a Windows for my day job, i'd be surfing the net too.

To Mike from Fredericksburg: The same thing CAN happen to you on a Windows box. Their called backups if not familiar. Any machine Mac, Windows, Linux etc is bound to have some issue down the road but Macs have less. Many less for that matter because their OS in engineered for their hardware only and that makes SENSE! I will gladly pay extra to deal with less issues from a mediocre operating system like windows. I use linux as a secondary box at home and I use Windows at work only because I am paid to fix and or repair daily the problems associated with a Windows Domain. So for that reason alone, I like windows because it keeps me employed. Macs make sense. The only reason the world is 90% Windows is because people are mostly afraid of what they dont know and Macs are not the standard because Windows captured the market early. I think that it is changing though and your seeing alot more people starting to wake up to the fact that they can use Linux and Macs and have less hassle than in Windows. Mac makes a superior product in my opinion and its a shame that people dont realize how crappy Windows is. They just havent had the Mac experience yet.

windows 7 = Mac 1984

I love Windows 7. I just upgraded. I've owned both PCs and Macs. I can honestly say I like PCs way better. I've never had a problem even with Vista. Macs are for hipster dofuses who care more about image than about performance and value.

And seriously, the Mac ad campaigns are just starting to look pathetic. Give it up and move on. It's making you look like the jealous little brother.

@ Kokuryu
If someone is using a virtual machine (VM) running an Operating System (OS), they are still using that OS and should be counted (you still need a license to run a MS OS, thus, no degradation in sales or usage). I doubt that enough people use VMs to skew this trend.

If you're worried about windows mobile being counted as a windows OS (are you sure this is the case in this report?) then you could add the iphone visits to the Mac. But it wouldn't make a difference to the windows statistics since the iPhone OS is already reported separately.

I think 10% would be a drastic overestimate for these factors, 1% would be incredibly generous and beyond expectation.

I am an IT professional my company uses both pc and mac. My experience is that pc's are easier to fix, macs are more user friendly. If you understand computers you are better off with a pc. If you are computer illiterate get a mac. When you have a problem on a mac and there is no button on the menu to fix it your sunk but if your just surfing the web it probably won't be an issue. The only reason macs have few viruses is the low market share, as mac makes more and more inroads the virus count will rise.

I can't believe some of the hack comment on here Mac/OS. I direct a massive research one university laboratory with 100's of Macs. They are the most reliable and secure machines/OS bar none. And the few of you out there that say Macs are for retards simply means that since you can fix your PC at home that makes you a genius. NOT… If you can fix a MAC that is a sign of enormous chops and in the world of computing, something distinguished. Wtach as the Mac/OS slowly continues toward dominance
and MS products slide eternally downward.

maddawg that has got to be one the most childish rants I have seen in a while. If you believe that sort of posting will convince anyone of anything other than you lack the ability to carry on a conversation you are very wrong.

I'm assuming based on your rant, that you are not familiar with the fact that Mac OS X is built on top of a BSD kernel, meaning you have full access to a Unix system behind that nice glossy front end. OS X also ships with all the software development tools for the Mac platform included, just put the disc in and in moments you have a very nice software development environment installed. On Windows, you have to pay quite a bit extra for the development suite.

If you want to compare hardware, then actually look at the hardware in the systems. Yes, you can buy dirt cheap Wintel hardware but you get exactly what you paid for. Most Apple hardware, even on the low end machines, is top notch.

Yes, there is less software currently available on the Mac platform but that is changing as more people move towards it and it takes a larger market share. But, the software that is there works beautifully. And, if you really need Windows Mac can run that as well now. Both on the physical hardware in a dual boot situation and in a virtualized session using tools like Parallels.

Network management? Even a "noob" as you would say can set up a very effective and secure home network in minutes using Mac.

Want a fully integrated media environment that works seemlessly with your home network? Buy an AppleTV and in a few moments you can have it connected to iTunes on your Mac (or PC) and have easy access to all your media.

On the business front, Milton Friedman is quoted as saying that "the business of business is business." And, most smaller businesses do not have the financial wherewithall to hire a full time techy to maintain their systems and keep their network fully secured. They really need a business solution for a business need. Guess what. The Mac platform has the simple business tools most small companies need. Without the hassle of having to hire a fully time techy to keep them running.

Sorry if that blows a hole in your ego, but the world does not revolve around those of us with technical knowledge or skills. Our jobs exist to help people do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. So speaking as a software architect I applaud what Apple has brought to the market. The competition they have brought is a challenge that all competitors have to answer to. And, that competition will only make it easier in the long run for businesses of all sizes, and individuals to get back to what they really ought to be doing on a daily business. Namely business or living their lives.

I'll never own anoher Mac, PC for life for me. No machine is bulletproof, there will always be something that goes wrong. The difference is, when something goes wrong with a PC I can open the hood and fix it. Good luck doing that with a Mac. When my Mac broke I tried everything to unbreak it. Nowhere near the under-the-hood access of my PC. So I had to trek to the Apple store where I watched some tennager decked out in Abercrombie and a hip haircut do the exact same things I tried before announcing the entire Macbook would have to be sent to Apple so they could replace the internals…and I'd lose all my data to boot. Thanks Apple! That has never happened to me with a PC…if it happened to my PC I could have fixed or replaced whatever I needed myself and kept all my data. And not had to deal with the cult-like atmosphere of the iStore to boot.

I have never had a problem with my Windows systems. MAC systems are pretty good, but as a gamer, I have no need for an OS That requires extra hurdles to jump through to play my games.

I don't understand all of these "thousands of problems" people have with Windows OS PCs. I think they're just retards who sit on porn sites, download 5 million facebook apps, and try stealing music and movies all day. Those are the complainers, and they deserve what they get. If you know what you're doing with a computer, you shouldn't have any problems no matter what make it is. If you don't know what you're doing, you shouldn't be allowed to buy one.

I can't believe that this comment was made… "Mac ads are designed to target ignorant people who don't know the difference between a computer and an operating system. The ads are targeting predominantly computer illiterates who SHOULD have a computer that doesn't allow access to a lot of the behind-the-scenes parts of there OS like a PC does. A Mac is to computers what AOL is to web surfing.

Sure, Macs are OK for multimedia and they do well in recording studios and whatnot, but they still do not play well with the rest of the world when it comes to standard hardware and software and the harder they try, the more like a PC they are becoming. Now they use Intel chips like a PC. Mac used to be able to tout that they don't get viruses, but guess what! Now they do! Mac also now allows for all sorts of Microsoft OS and Office suites, etc. Why do you suppose Mac tries so hard to emulate PC and Windows?"
First off, more than 75% of Mac users own Windows PCs which means ultimately they know the "real world" advantages/disadvantages of both as opposed to people that make comments like yours that have probably never used a Mac a day in their life.
Secondly, your XBox 360 uses PowerPC processors… those found in the previous generations of Macs. So neither MS or Apple care too much about what type of engine they're working on so long as it gets the job done and done well.
If you know anything about UNIX you'll see that your statement about "behind the scenes" work is utterly ludicrous if not completely backwards… the platform that Apple uses is just more secure.
Nice try on the viruses, but the only viruses Macs have to deal with are ones that are Windows-based that can be passed on to or infect other Windows computers. Even if you wanted to entertain the fact that there may have been one or two viruses on a Mac OS in the last 15 to 20 years, that pails in comparison to the literally millions of viruses out there for Windows. Its a no-brainer which system has been infected time and time again by viruses.
MS Office runs on Macs, Safari, iTunes and Quicktime all run on Windows. So what? 90% of iTunes users are using it on Windows. How is offering your product on another platform bad business or bad for that platform? You're blaming Apple for becoming more "Windows-like" because MS has ported Office to their platform? I suppose then that Windows is becoming more "Mac-like" for running iTunes and Quicktime on their platform? Who cares?
I don't think either platform is a bad one. They're both great at what they do. But I'll give kudos to Apple for making the design of their systems much more intelligent — a distinct advantage when you make both the hardware and software. That isn't something MS is competing with. But for anybody that values their time and likes things to run smoothly, it makes a huge difference. If you can't see that as being advantageous, then I hope you don't have a game console running in your home, because that is essentially what they've been doing too…

Everybody hates microsoft. The people are desperate for something that is good and that works. That's where Mac comes in.

the brilliant "maddawg" spouted off about Apple and the Mac, "they've been saying that for over 20 years and yet they still can't crack 6% market share….again…HUGE LOLs!!!"

first off, what's with all the "LOLs" and exclamation points? are you still in middle school? secondly, I guess you laugh out loud when you see someone driving down the road in a BMW or Mercedes, because the car they purchased doesn't enjoy the high market share of a Honda or Toyota? grow up and come back when you've got a clue.

quit bickering, I built pc's for years. windows vista drove me to Apple. so now i use one of each, one to depend on, and one to work on. you can guess which i depend on.

I've been using Microsoft since 1983 and the only thing they ever did that actually worked was MS DOS – which Gates bought from someone else for $50k. Since then MS has copied or tried to reverse engineer everything. Why does everyone thing that Windows 7 will be any different then Windows 95,98, ME, XP or Vista? Did you all forget how many times the systems became infected or did not work with other software or crashed or was so bloated with useless options that you spent hours trying to figure it out and then find no help from Microsoft?
Short term memory – I guess.
The ignorance is not people being fooled by Mac Ads, it's the herd mentality of the MS user. Mac's work fine for 95% of the business applications.
I just can't believe that Microsoft is still in business, let alone coming out with yet another Windows useless OS.

Each OS shares their "blue screen of death" or the "beachball of death". Seriously now, Windows 7 users will eventually start to complain that Vista was a better OS in a few years and think XP was bad. Just like Win2k users hated XP years ago and some stuck with 98 for a while.

As for virus' – of course Windows has more of them. If 90% of internet users are using Windows, doesn't it make sense that they'd have more virus'?

In my line of work, I have to use both Mac OSX and Windows (XP and Vista). To be honest, when a piece of hardware breaks down, it's easier to replace it on the PC than a Mac. To fix/replace my iMac display, Apple wanted to charge me $500 but I had to bring it to their Mac Genius for an unknown amount of days for them to look at it. On a PC, I go to the store, buy a cheap Vcard (or monitor), install, done.

I'm still going to wait for more reviews of Win7 until I update.

As an IT professional who is paid to fight windows client and server operating systems and apps I will say that Windows niche is creating business and not creating a great user experience. I have seen all of the Microsoft iterations and they all come with a slew of problems and patches and error messages and thats good because about 50% of my job is fighting that. Just bought a Mac 6 months ago and its amazing how awesome it is. And Windows has definately been the one who tried to copy what Mac has been doing by adding widgets in Vista. By which they failed. I also prefer linux to windows because of the networking tools but that is just me. I will never buy a Windows box for home again. I think that their products are trash and Windows 7 is Vista service pack 2. What a joke. Macintosh products are supreme quality and extremely well engineered. Im glad that their stuff is proprietary for the most part. It just makes sense. Dont waist your time fighting windows just buy a Mac and enjoy the experience.

If Macs are so great, why do they have such a small market share? Miscrosoft is far from perfect, but I guess they are doing something right.

Mac had nowhere to go but up, relative to Microsoft.

Re: J. Tyler, Boston, MA
"Mac used to be able to tout that they don't get viruses, but guess what! Now they do!"

Do you know why? Because Macs more popular now than ever, which means those who write viruses & malware are more motivated now. Further, since OSX is based on the Unix kernal, it is more susceptible to viruses than the Classic Mac OS.

As for your claim that Macs "don't play well with standard hardware & software" which "standard" hardware & software is it that you feel you cannot use? That's one of the oldest bogus claims about the Mac platform there is. I can recall when people used to claim you couldn't use Macs to access the internet. Ridiculous.

And as for your claim about Macs "emulating" Windows, remember when Windows got a "recycle bin" on it's desktop in 1995? Macs had one in 1984! And your claim that Mac "now allows for all sorts of Microsoft OS and Office suites" I've got news for you: Macs have run MS Office for just about as long as Macs have been around! In fact, Adobe and many of the other standard graphics programs such as Photoshop that are now ubiquitous, were once available only on the Mac platform. So before you go making wild claims, you might want to do some research first.

I never respond to these comments – but this was too much. Here's the quote from a previous post:
" Mac is far more evil than MS. They just do not have the large base to prove it. "
That means that Microsoft got their present monopoly position by being _nicer_ than other people. My head is still spinning. . .

Apple, Microsoft… rather go back to using my ol Vic 20!!

Used both, like both, both have their problems. Just use what you like and keep it to your selves!!

… can't we all just get along…

"I was VERY excited to receive Windows 7 on the day it came out… I installed it… I hated it… I went out and bought a Mac the next day." -Ray

Suuureeee ya did Ray… I've got some swamp land in Arizona too.

I would hardly call these numbers significant Mac only had a 0.14% total gain. Which is 2.73% increase of their meager 5.12% share.

Lets focus here:

2.8% Mac OSX 10.5
2.1% Windows 7
1.1% Mac OSX 10.6

In one week (ONE WEEK) Windows 7 caught up with and passed Snow Leopard. Doubled it up, actually. And SL had a two month head start

In one week (ONE WEEK) Windows 7 has nearly caught up with the most popular version of OSX.

If, one week after release, Snow Leopard was .7% behind Windows XP in market share, people would be losing their minds. But it's Windows, they're crushing the competition. Ho hum what else is new? So the story will be "Mac slightly less crushed this week"

Windows OS $100-$200, you can run it on any hardware that supports the windows opertating system. Apple OS $30 (if you have OSX 10.5 or the usual $130) but you have to have apple branded hardware. If you don't then spend another $500+ for the hardware to run it on. Well if you buy the new computer you do not have to pay for the OS this time.

It is actually cheaper to break Apple's rule and buy OSX and a netbook to run OSX on then the cheapest Apple laptop.

My how blogging brings out the worst in us. Why can't we leave it as a matter of preference? If I choose to drive a ford am I going to get angry and throw insults at the guy next door who drives a chevy? This is ridiculous.

Both systems aim to increase usability and decrease potential problems with the system. They both have issues. When Snow Leopard came out there were a large number of users with upgrade problems and data loss issues. This is the nature of new software. We all know Vista was a pile but perhaps 7 will be better. Really it doesn't matter. Buy the system that you prefer and the one you can afford and best of luck to you.

But please don't make comments like people who use Macs are too stupid to use Windows. I use Windows at work and Mac at home and take offense to people who don't know me calling me an idiot. When I use Windows at work I access all portions of the operating system that I need to in order to get the system to properly integrate with the high tech equipment that I am working on with it (as an engineer… Not saying all engineers are smart but this one is and knows how to use Windows).

So use what you like and let the guy next door use what he likes and quit slinging mud at each other for it. Don't you people have jobs to go to?

I have nothing against MAC OSX, and I always hoped they would do something with their supposedly 'good OS', but it's always the same story, we do things better than Windows, except business and well no games.

Well Congratulations,

Took 20 Years, but you doubled your market share.

MAC's are terribly overpriced for their buck macdawg…I can build a box with a Windows OS that's top of the line for the same price I'd purchase an entry level MAC. And this article is so misleading because MAC didn't really gain nearly as much as Symbian or Java ME. This article is garbage and with a 92.54% OS share, Microsoft must be really worried.

Most guys replacing their old personal laptops now are probably looking at the MacBook. I'm pretty sure.

Office/Business users on the other hand are probably going to stick to the formula that work for them. Get a Windows based computer. The IT support staffs of this businesses would probably be more happily spending time with (or planning to purchase) their new BlackBerry Storm 2, Apple iPhone 3GS or, Motorola Droid. They probably prefer to stick to Windows XP and hope their companies delay the deployment Windows 7.

My point is… everyone is more excited about other non-Windows devices than Windows 7.

It's nice to see Linux coming up. Almost a full percent on the Internet Share Trends. More people need to check out distros like Ubuntu. For people looking to browse the web and check email, Linux is a great choice.

Hardware headaches are a thing of the distant past. People just keep bringing it up because they know the ghost will scare people away from Linux. But the fact of the matter is that more hardware is supported under Linux than Windows, and with Linux you don't need to deal with driver hell like you do in Windows.

I was a PC user for 10 years until I got into film and video. It was funny, as a voice actor, all the studios kept telling me to get a MAC the next time I invest. I thought they were biased. When I bought two MACs I was hooked. Now the windows OS is good but I was running adobe CS3 studio side by side, and the PC was choking 2-3 times a day.
Here is the problem. Microsoft allows developers to write programs without any restrictions. Yes that sounds communist, but on a PC, programs will fight each other and over the years I found that there were certain programs I couldn't run in tandem. Apple has a final say in development and at least tries to make sure all applications "play fair" with each other. Is OSX perfect? No, but I can't even begin to explain the terror I feel when I am dead in the water with a PC and the blue screen of death while trying to hit a deadline. It maybe just me, but I don't get that with OSX, even with Office 2004-2008.

Just my 7 cents.

As Robert of North Carolina mentioned, Windows 7 is not a computer, whereas Mac is. But, since it is the operating system that 'makes' the computer I think we need to view Windows 7 as a computer. Like many, I despised vista, I loved XP. I am ready to purchase a new computer; however I'm not sure if I will stay with the Microsoft OS, I will wait and see how Windows 7 works; although I must admit the new Mac's look mighty nice.

Response to Robert from Charlotte, NC:

I understand where you are coming from. But there is a subtle difference in the configuration of the mouse and keyboards for macs and PCs. I have used PCs for most of my life, and recently begun using macs, and the difference between the two is enough that i can see the merit in an advertising campaign that treats the Computer and OS as a single unit; in all honesty, i have a difficult time imagining a mac OS running on a PC, though with boot camp, windows can be run on a mac.

Woah. Slow down. You are jumping to conclusions less than 2 weeks after the launch of Windows 7.

I will never use a Mac because of my experience w/ Itunes. When the free alternatives are far better and commonsensical in an application, it is silly. However, Itunes will offer patches to help disable 3rd party apps that we choose to use. They even took legal action again Real. Why? Why would they do that? To hinder competition and steer market share at their customers expense. Mac is far more evil than MS. They just do not have the large base to prove it.

till then….i'll just keep using my brain

When you make an argument, you should present confirming evidence.

Mac ads are designed to target ignorant people who don't know the difference between a computer and an operating system. The ads are targeting predominantly computer illiterates who SHOULD have a computer that doesn't allow access to a lot of the behind-the-scenes parts of there OS like a PC does. A Mac is to computers what AOL is to web surfing.

Sure, Macs are OK for multimedia and they do well in recording studios and whatnot, but they still do not play well with the rest of the world when it comes to standard hardware and software and the harder they try, the more like a PC they are becoming. Now they use Intel chips like a PC. Mac used to be able to tout that they don't get viruses, but guess what! Now they do! Mac also now allows for all sorts of Microsoft OS and Office suites, etc. Why do you suppose Mac tries so hard to emulate PC and Windows?

to anyone who insists on continuing this whole "Mac/Windows vs. Mac" debate:

You're all idiots. I hope you realize that.

Looks like that study showing that Mac users are arrogant snobs was right on the money. Anyone who completely knocks apple is just as bad. I own a PC, which I built myself (can't do that with a Mac) and have Windows 7 installed, and I love it. I also have an Ipod classic (great MP3 player, despite the subpar sound quality). Love it just as much.

Jimcord, to be so "successful", your grammar could use a lot of work. Just because you are not personally suffering from the effects of the economy, a lot of Americans are. I'm not bias to either Mac or MS, as I own a Macbook Pro and a Vaio laptop PC. Both machines have their pros and cons, but in the end are equally effective. Upgrading a machine is by no means "sad". In fact, anyone who knows what they're doing would be quite dumb not to upgrade their PC at least once or twice before buying a new machine altogether.

Figures are off by a bit. The REAL erosion should also remove from the Windows figures:
(a) People using VMWare
(b) People using Parallels
(c) People using Windows Mobile

That should drop Wndow's share about another 10%

Micro$oft continuing the tradition of providing lousy and inferior software: Windoz 95 – a joke, Windoz 98 – LOL, Windoz XP – eXtra Problems, Windoz – Vista downright sad and pathetic, Windoz 7 …the tradition continues. If it weren’t for my engineering software I would never use a PC ever again. …if you’re looking to buy a PC, don’t a lemon buy an Apple.

Mr "maddawg" is a little uninformed, I run both MAC and PC simultaneously on a daily basis. And the MAC is a far nicer machine to use than my PC. And if you think one isn't as powerful or as useful as the other, then you are just a FOOL! I would suggest you buy the top end in each like I have, and use them for a while, I guarantee that you will change your tune. But sitting there and not even having a MAC, and then criticizing them, just makes you a FOOL.

Windows 7 was my idea….If it was my idea then I would make ALL Vista upgrades FREE. By releasing Windows 7 so soon after Vista, they are basically admitting failure. Then WHY would I pay to upgrade to 7 if I bought my Vista machine in March 2009????? NOT my idea. Microsoft is evil.

I kind of get what you are saying but before I read any further I have to say Windows 7 is not a computer. The mac commercials are well done and I am entertained by them but Windows is an operating system. Does it make sense to compare the sales of a certian type of computer to the sale of a certain operating system? Wouldn't it make sense to compare the sales of all PCs to the sale of other types of computers? I'm just saying . . .

I do have to get a chuckle of the Apple fans who repeatedly clamor with their statement of "Windows copied Mac, so Mac is better!". They're the same folks that when the statement of "My apps don't run on Mac" their solution is "Well my Mac can emulate Windows." Let's try to be a little more original with our "Why X is better than Y" arguments than who's copying who.

As a mostly MAC guy (don't own a PC but do run XP via bootcamp for certain PC only products) I think the whole debate is pretty silly. MACs make up a tiny share of the market. They cost more, although OS upgrades are a lot cheaper. MAC's are the way to go for graphic artists, especially for people like me who do video and film work. They are also well worth it for those of us who have no interest in learning how a computer works and how to make BIOS changes, tweek the OS and all sorts of other things. That kind of easy comes at a cost, and I do get that a lott of people are willing to learn all the geek stuff to save money. Microsofts problem is not Apple, it may top 15% over the next few years but that will be about it. Microsoft's problem is that it regulalry misteps and ticks off their customers. Every other OS they put out seems pretty good (Windows 3.1, 95, XP, 7 all seem pretty good (ME, Bob, Vista all seem pretty bad). So why do they keep using their customers as their R & D department?

You people who identify so strongly with your OS are idiots. They're blind to their own OS's problems, and blind to their rivals' OS's benefits. Instead of bickering against the users of a different OS, why not join together to put pressure on Microsoft AND Mac (and the other OS's) to fix their bugs and problems?

Sorry, but judging market share by what device is used to browse the Internet is absurdly stupid and juvenile. There are numerous computers that never browse the Internet such as my two other rendering workstations, not to mention how many people utilize a different device to browse the Internet depending on the situation such as mobile devices. Sales charts of unit sales are a better indicator of REAL market share. Apple will never gain much of a market share as only yuppies and morons who have no technical knowledge utilize an Apple device. I am content building my own computers that are far superior than the subpar trash that Apple sells for a premium price. Apple has a great gimmick, fool the peons with a subpar device by making it flashy and they will buy it for exorbitant prices no matter how slow and ancient the technology is.

The data ends on October 9th. Win7 was released on October 22.

Pretty amazing how Win7's "debut" caused Mac's numbers to go up when it wouldn't even be released for 2 more weeks.

It would be more accurate to say that the Snow Leopard release caused Mac's market share to go up.

ex ped: Wayne, are you confusing Oct. '09 with Oct. 9?

Uh, Windows7 was released to the Masses on October 22nd. Thats 10 days ago.

Jumping the gun a little arent we?

Wow, what a misleading headline. While technically accurate, a change from 5.12% to 5.26% can hardly be considered significant, especially given that survey data is subject to a +/- error range.

I find the whole Mac vs. PC debate silly. Use what works for you. Yes, the Windows O/S is expensive, but then again, so is Mac hardware. Frankly, I don't see the value in 99% of the software upgrades out there. Usually, they cause more headaches than benefits.

as always…HUGE LMAOs @ you mac nooby iTards, especially that jimcord idiot!

keep bashing the PC….like it matters to us people that can actually use a computer and don't need a shiney, little kindergartner computer to get work done.

you mac nooby people ARE PATHETIC!

you can brag on your, still after 20+ years, single digit market share…OH YEA…macs are the PC killer….lol

they've been saying that for over 20 years and yet they still can't crack 6% market share….again…HUGE LOLs!!!

the macs, although good for their niche such as kindergartners and iTards that can't spell mac, will NOT be replacing the PC….EVER!

they will however continue to be sought after by the dumber, less intelligent imbeciles that have a tough time turning on a computer let alone actually being able to intelligently use one and ALL its capabilities.

when i want a SIMPLE, limited capability, very PROPRIETARY, even my monkey can click and use computer, then i'll buy a mac…

till then….i'll just keep using my brain and twice the resources for half the cost!!!

I was VERY excited to receive Windows 7 on the day it came out… I installed it… I hated it… I went out and bought a Mac the next day.

People are saying the same thing about Windows 7 that they have said about every other version of Windows. "It's almost as good as a Mac!"

If the iPhone is going to be up there as an OS, shouldn't Windows Mobile 5 or 6 be up there, too? I'd think Window Mobile would have a gigantic share w/ the cellphone market…

Elias……….you might be in a recession but I am not. I am doing as well as ever, which allows me to purchase the products which I desire such as new Apple products. I have been successful enough to not have o do sad upgrades to my old machines to as you put it " squeeze a little more life out of them". Perhaps a better job is in-store for you so that you may be able to one day make similar purchases and decisions.

It's too presumptuous to write such an article PED and with a misleading title just to gain some more hits.

I like your articles – I'm sure many do. Please keep writing those meaningful ones and not ones like this just to get your monthly quota started!

It's been barely a week since Windows 7 debut and you proclaim that MSFT hasn't prevented its market share slide with its new OS!!

As a professional software nerd since the early 1960s, I use Windoze at work (for admin & general stuff) by necessity and MacOS at home by choice.

For many Windoze fanboys (Dan in Denver, maybe) A PC is the modern version of the self-customized cars of prior decades – a few were pretty fine, though most were worse than the stock version. Many young men spent most of their time and money tricking out their rides; today they trick out their PCs.

Most of us just want to get from here to there, not spend all our time in the "garage" futzing with the car. For that purpose, MacOS beats Windoze.

A note on market share: Lexus has a much smaller market share in the US than GM, but I know which I'd rather drive.
—–
"Never ask a man what computer he uses. If it’s a Mac, he’ll tell you. If it’s not, why embarrass him?" ~Tom Clancy

Well i don't agree with the percentage above linux is growing every day and the fact is you can buy a no o.s. system and get that a lot cheaper then a winblows pc.Mac is very nice too but the cost of them and there just a bsd o.s.or free unix with a nice face on it.All of it goes to show is that if it's something people have to pay for or if it makes the stock market go up it get's good mark's and if it don't then it gets bad.The only other explanation is that the most of the world is to stupid or to lazy to learn the linux O.S.

WINDOWS 7 IS GREAT, BUT IT IS SEVERAL YEARS TO LATE. IN THIS ECONOMY, BUSINESSES AND CONSUMERS WILL PROBABLY, ADOPT A "WAIT AND SEE ATTITUDE"

PRICING IS ONE REASON FOR WAITING.

ANOTHER IS TO SEE WHERE MICROSOFT IS GOING WITH THERE UPCOMING DEVELOPMENTS.

WILL BING SEARCH SERVICE BECOME A BOOM OR BUST?
HOW WILL WINDOWS 7 TECHNOLOGY FARE MOVING FORWARD IN WINDOWS 8?

WHAT WILL BECOME OF ALL THE INVESTMENT INTO ACTIVE DOMAINS/DIRECTORY BY ENTERPRISE AND BUSINESSES? WHAT OF THE SHARE-POINT SERVER PLATFORM THAT HAS NOT SEEN GENERAL ADOPTION. HOW WILL THIS NEW AZURE CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICE PLATFORM WORK OUT?

IT IS TOO EARLY TO GAUGE THE AFFECT OF WINDOWS 7, ON THE PC INDUSTRY, IT'S ADOPTION BY THE CONSUMER AND BUSINESS MARKET, LET ALONE IT'S AFFECT ON INTERNET PRESENCE.

HOWEVER, I EXPECT MANY USERS OF WINDOWS XP TO REMAIN WINDOWS XP USERS FOR AWHILE YET.
I KNOW I AM.

WINDOWS 7 RUNS ON MY CURRENT 4 AND 6 YEAR OLD SYSTEMS BUT WINDOWS XP WORK WELL ENOUGH FOR NOW. PLUS, I HAVE UNTIL 2014 BEFORE MICROSOFT WILL FULLY CUT OFF WINDOWS XP SUPPORT.

OTHERS WHO HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND WILL MOVE TO MAC OR EVEN TEST THE LINUX DESKTOPS THAT ARE BECOMING MAINSTREAM.

SOME WILL MOVE AWAY FROM PC'S ALTOGETHER, USING MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS, SUCH AS SMART PHONES AND COMING NEW VARIATIONS.

ON A PURELY TECHNOLOGY-ORIENTED VIEWPOINT i WOULD LOVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUPPORT FOR 64 BIT PROCESSING, 4+ GB RAM SYSTEM MEMORY AND MULTIPLE CPU AND VIDEO ADAPTERS.
I SEE A RELATIVELY FOCUSED AND MINOR SEGMENT OF WINDOWS USERS WILL ACTUALLY SPEND THE $1000 AND UP FOR THIS HARWARE.

AS AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL,
I AM SEEING LESS REASON FOR BUSINESSES AND USERS IN GENERAL TO MOVE TOWARDS NEW HARDWARE PURCHASING. WITH COST-CUTTING STILL A MAJOR CONCERN, STAYING WITH WINDOWS XP, TESTING DEPLOYMENT OF THE MAINSTREAM SUPPORTED LINUX DESKTOP DISTRIBUTIONS SEEMS A MUCH WISER CHOICE.

I have used Macs, Winboxes and Linux (Ubuntu) and I think the dicussion on which is better should be focused insead on which works for you.

If you are a career professional who can afford the premium (while the difference is getting narrower when you add in the price of Windows Ultimate for equivalent fuctionality) and cannot afford the time to troubleshoot problems, the mac is the way to go. Its iLife and iWork packages really work very well, if you have used the iPhone you will find the same seamless experience on the mac. When my iPhone is in my pocket, it automaticaly pairs with my laptop to allow my laptop to surf seamlessly.

If you are a gamer, who wants the cutting edge video cards and hardware to be upgraded every few months, Windows is your guy. While macs are seamless within the apple hardware, it does not readily allow you to upgrade components and third party drivers easily. Even the Mac Pro would not easily allow you to upgrade to say a crossfire NVidia card introduced tomorrow. Windows has the advantage of having more games written for it. The old days of not waking up from sleep are behind us and windows is now relatively stable.

If you building a cost saving beige box, Ubuntu is your guy. Windows is too expensive for you. Linux is very stable and while it is a little less user friendly, it gets most basic tasks done easily, and cheaply (free).

I was a life long MSFT user and then Vista hit me and i found it rather ridiculous how MSFT did not do compatibility. So much so that I thought I would give something else a try. iMac has been a great experience and I just didn't feel the need to keep on supporting a company like MSFT who obviously spends a lot of money developing products but not a lot of time thinking about what customers really want to do. Nor does MSFT think about the technical ability of its users when it comes to upgrades etc. Nor does it seem to care about peoples time when it comes time that they have to work through some problem with their MSFT based computer.

If the 92% juggernaut figured they didn't have any problems they would not be venturing into the retail space but that is what they do. Bill Gates is no innovator. He is a buyer of innovation and then tries to impliment it into an organization and product without much foresight or consideration for functionality.

Steve Jobs is a visionary and understands what product design and functionality is all about and how it creates a good customer experience.

Start plugging periphriels into a Vista and see how much of an enjoyable customer experience you start having. Then think about how large the company is that put a product like that out and the reasoning for doing something like that. And then you discover you are not alone that many other VISTA users are just as frustrated. Unbelieveable.

Love your computer? That's why the mac small minority is sick. My PC is a tool, it does for me what I need at a low price period.

By the way a one year old gallup poll says that 6.3 % of people in the US beleive Elvis is still alive

you still want to play with a company that only has a 5% share? then go Linux

Im a pc tech all i do is fix software and hardware for pc windows users
dont get a PC with AMD chipset
that will solve 90% of all computer problems

i run xp black, vista, 7 beta, and 7 home and ultimate
7 ultimate has been flawless

dont kid yourself get a pc with 7

ohh by the way
the new Mac viruses destroy data permanently
i know i cant get anything off two customers machines and they were sent to a clean room in texas for data retreival
so good luck with that

ex ped: The new Mac viruses?

It is fun looking at people defending the operating systems especially the Apple fanboys.
I am a Mac and PC user at home, a PC and Linux user at work. It is just a tool that I use to get my things done. I have zero loyalty over either Microsoft or Apple. Apple is better than a PC but not justify the pricing over a PC. In the end, it is the Microsoft and Apple win with all our money.

Yeah…um… Windows 7 has only been out for a little more than a week. Give it some time before you dig Microsoft's grave. MS and PC manufacturers are working closer than ever before on this. Mac may have the reliability of being the hardware and software of their game, but they completely lack customization. Owning a Mac is like owning a fancy sports car that has the hood welded shut.

Windows 7 is the best Microsoft OS ever, if not the best OS on the market ever. Give it time for people to read the reviews, react to the hype, and drop the $$$ on upgrading.

@SB Florida, Welcome! After your short two weeks, you can probably know from reading the posts here how many have never seriously used a Mac and yet have something to say critical of it. Your description of your first two weeks is exactly why so many Mac users love their computers. Macs are not perfect. There are definitely problems that can come up. But they're still so much better than anything else out there. And they're fun. You'll feel the same as you do now next year, and the year after. Congratulations!

I love windows fans. They pretend like Windows is god and does everything right! They copy other peoples ideas that work great, and somehow manage to mess up… but anyway, Windows is sucky. they made far to many mistakes to just keep expecting people to put up with it… sort of like what american car companies were doing, and some still are doing. Mac goes about it differently. It decided it wants to make it close to perfect. everything seemlessly working, and all, but then you have people complaining about the price… i bet these same price people would't buy a kia… if they didn't have to…. but they want to still talk about price issues. And plus, if you want a GOOD windows computer, your paying more then a mac, for less, in my eyes… plus ever feel a mac? its solid, and just feels powerfull! its an amazing product

@Chicago Mike, I think most of us reading many comments actually do learn something. Sometimes we learn the amount of misinformation people have. Other times, we learn that we didn't know something. Of course, some of us feel there wouldn't be any "bickering" if the "other side" knew what we do!

Alright boys and girls, here's the DL.
I have been a windows user since windows 1, and PC DOS… and I always thought, mac… weird, proprietary, and in the old days, not a lot of apps would work on it. Oh, my, after they bought NEXT… and mac had a solid linux core… the nerd in me had to have a taste. I now own 1 macbook, 1 Imac 24 inch, and am planning on buying a Mac Pro. I work on PC's for a living, and it's so freaking nice to come home to a computer that actually works. I have VMware on the macs, so the pricy data recovery software I bought that only works in windows, works perfectly. You lose nothing, and gain stability, and a virtually bullet proof OS, that won't get PC virus' or spyware. It's a win win… it's time that people realize that sometimes you really do get what you pay for.

10 year mac owner and never a blue screen, reinstall or virus. I don't even have a virus scanner on my Mac.

I also have 3 pc's. two need windows reinstalled as they've become so slow it's irritating. With windows, I get 2-3 years and then have to reformat and reinstall. The OS becomes unstable and unresponsive. I use XP Pro and not the home edition. My mac's have never needed a reinstall.

Mac makes the hardware and the software. When you get them together, you KNOW they are going to work together almost seemlessly every time. I've got three Mac desktop, 2 running leopard and 1 still running tiger and a macbook waiting for Leopard when I return to the States. Windows comes in way too many flavors, is buggy as hell and always needs a security patch of some kind and is just not user friendly if you need to adjust or tweak a program. It is designed to do one thing and one thing only… to steal time, money, sanity from anyone stupid enough to use it. Think your *$$ is going to taste any better seasoned with windows 7? Don't bet on it.

I just switched to an Imac two weeks ago after my Dell with Windows XP crashed and burned for it's final time…I love the new Mac…It took me a day to get to used to it but what a difference in the way it works…No glitches, no freezing, no waiting for an act of God to bring it out of sleep mode…It just works! I was a Windows only user for 15 years…I can't see myself ever going back after using this machine….It isn't all hype folks…These computers really are something to use….

I do love reading this column because for some reason the apple vs PC bickering is interesting to me…But this is the probably the most error riddled, factless column I have ever seen….Half of the comments are to correct the authors obvouis errors….It's commical

@Anonymous- So, you would remove iLife from your computer because you only want applications that you really use? I admit to a laugh over that one. And then you'd pick your own? You're clearly yet another Mac basher who is clueless as to what the Mac is about and how smooth are its included applications. I cannot imagine not having iPhoto to use, even if i did not take photos. You never take a photo? You don't have to use anything there. But these are terrific applications. So many people commenting here have clearly never regularly used a Mac. There is a reason Mac users love their computers. Read the comments from Windows users here and elsewhere. You count how many of those posters rave about how much they love their Windows PC. What was that number again? Compare that to the countless Mac users who love their computers and say so while Windows users just put up with theirs, or worse.

I agree with Ron from Cleveland. Why would anyone pay this kind of money when Ubuntu is free. I am poor so Linux works for me.

@Dan.

Yes I find it ironic that still the most dominant Windows is XP which is how old now? There are an awful lot more people who upgraded to Leopard percentage wise than from XP to Vista. So your point is moot. Most people paid either 29 bucks or 49 bucks for Snow Leopard.

What do I care I'm still using Windows 98SE

Got distracted by someone and posted the wrong link — http://www.amazon.com/Mac-version-10-6-Snow-Leopard/dp/B001AMHWP8/ref=br_lf_m_1000410511_1_1_ttl?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=software&pf_rd_p=485134671&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_i=1000410511&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=04JXYXTYQ5MKMAJ2GQEZ

What I said still stands.

Windows 7 has only been officially out for about a week, and we're already analyzing it's success or failure? Wait a year, then look at the stats, after people have had a chance to see the new OS in the wild.

If Win 7 turns out to be as successful as most experts indicate, Apple is goint to have to seriously re-work its price schedule.

@CB: Sorry, buddy. Don't pass GO, don't collect $200.

http://www.amazon.com/Mac-Box-2013-Snow-Leopard/dp/B002I0JKE2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1257112186&sr=8-3

Please read where it says: "Please note, that only Apple OS X Leopard users are eligible for the Snow Leopard upgrade. Tiger & earlier OS users will need to purchase either versions of the upgraded Mac Box Set."

So if you are installing the $29 upgrade on a Mac that did not have Leopard before, you are doing so illegaly. So get off your Macintrash. You may learn something.

@Steve, Austin — And who says everyone would want iLife on their Mac? The only software that makes it to my computer is the one I want, not what Dell/HP/Apple/Microsoft wants.

@Steve from Austin — And who says that, everyone who has a Mac would want to use iLife? I would get rid of the whole package the moment I got a desktop. On my computer, there is only the software I want to use, not what the manufacturer thinks I should use.

I disable in Windows the included programs and software I did not want.

And @CB — http://www.amazon.com/Mac-Box-2013-Snow-Leopard/dp/B002I0JKE2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1257112186&sr=8-3

Read where it says, "Please note, that only Apple OS X Leopard users are eligible for the Snow Leopard upgrade. Tiger & earlier OS users will need to purchase either versions of the upgraded Mac Box Set."

So if you are installing the $29 "Mangy snow cat" upgrade on a Mac that did NOT have Leopard already, you are basically committing software piracy.

Macs are way overpriced but have the chic factor that Windows never will. And it's easier and cheaper to upgrade an XP or Vista machine to squeeze a little more life out of it. We are in a recession.

http://debtbeat.com/2009/10/improve-pc-cheap.html

@ Pat: "Mac OS is typically used in businesses only in the art or drafting departments." Yeah, Macs are good for graphics, right, Pat?

And then you said, "Linux is used commercially as a substitute for Unix, typically in servers (Unix should have its own line in the Net Applications report), but is found in very few home computers because of the command line." Did you know that Mac OS X is certified Unix? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNIX_03#Mac_OS_X_and_Mac_OS_X_Server

In fact, Mac OS X is–by far–the most widely used Unix in the world. Cool, huh?

WIndows fans. Gotta love them. They are like little kids, so desperate for attention that they always distort the facts
Posted By Dan, Denver, CO: November 1, 2009 2:21 PM

@Mick — the $30 upgrade is only if you go from Leopard. Add another $100 if you are using any of the earlier mangy cats.

The Snow Leopard install disc DOES NOT I REPEAT DOES NOT require require that Leopard be installed on your machine I am an Apple Consultant and have installed Snow for clients on 15 or more Macs that had Tiger installed. The Retail Apple OS install disc is not linked to any machine and no activation is required unlike the the requirements imposed by those trustin folks at Redmond

I agree, why does apples share increase have anything to do with Buying windows 7 when around the same time theyve released new hardware? Ive got both and im glad theres some new updates to the macbook as mines never worked properly since i bought it

To Pat from Albuquerque: Linux has a small market share because of the command line? Apparently you just fire away on a public forum, making stuff up without knowing what you are talking about. Have you heard of X-windows? Gnome? KDE? The vast array of window managers available for X? Ever used a Linux system? I don't think so, because your statement is nonsense.

@Dan, Denver CO — With regard to your comment that Mac users have basically paid $500 for what amounts to the same OS with a few service packs, I'd like to counter that Windows users (I'm both a Windows user and a Mac user) who purchased Windows 95 through Windows 7 have purchased the same OS with a few service packs . . . EXCEPT that Windows users have paid a lot more than $500 for all of those crappy OS packages over the years, and waited almost 15 years just for Windows to get to where it's at now with Windows 7.

You're obviously not familiar with OS X, otherwise you'd know how much it's changed in the short amount of time it's been around since version 10.0. You're also forgetting about the bundled iLife software that comes with Macs, which also is improved with each new version of OS X. M$ has nothing similar to offer users, except links to 3rd party software that costs Windows users even more money over the years, and more frustration over the lack of overall quality of similar Windows apps.

@ND — I could afford a Mac, if I wanted to. But I will not buy one because it will not be built to MY specifications. I want a computer the way I want it to be built, not the way Steve Jobs says it should be built.

Jobs can go suck on a lemon. Me, I will keep the freedom of having the perfect computer. It just happens to run Windows 7 instead of Jobs OS.

@ND in Southern Minnesota…

Wow…the always impressive and convincing 'everyone is on welfare and therefore although they want one, they must envy me for the rest of their life' argument and/or the 'Windows users are just too stupid to know better' argument. Get over yourself.

"PED: Because so many enterprises installed the release candidates as they became available, Windows 7 had grabbed 2% of market share even before the Oct. 22 general release. Yet the Mac gained market share in each of the last two months."

Please learn how enterprises work before you state something like this. No enterprise worth their salt has widely deployed Win7 beta or RC in any form, shape, or fashion. They likely have a few systems in the IT dept loaded with it to continue to test internal applications and compatibility but please save the 'look at all those enterprise users' argument. Its one or few IT machines but I would guess that those end users with an extra machine at home and a decent amount of tech knowledge and curiosity that downloaded beta or RC in the last year. Citing this is not credible.

ex ped: Fair enough. I stand corrected. I was extrapolating from my nephew at UMass Amherst, who sent me this last month:

I have been running 7 Pro since August because UMass got it early and gives it out for free. Any new computer bought in the last 6 months with Vista came with a free or 10 dollar upgrade to 7. Also, the RC CD-keys are still good until March I believe. By the way… it is a fantastic OS

BTW: I just saw some pictures of the Microsoft Store. It's worth a thousand words regarding who is the innovator and who is the imitator. It's pitiful.

Pat, Windows XP is only "comparatively" stable. It is still riddled with problems and many still don't find it truly "stable." Those problems are what Vista tried (and failed) to address. In fact, the Mac OS is far more stable than any of the current Windows incarnations. And you are living in the past by saying that Macs are used "only in the art or drafting departments." Macs are general purpose computers to which more and more businesses are switching. A comparative virus count between Windows & the Mac OS is just one reason. I suggest you get up to speed on Mac computers.

@Zee: I think that the article to which you refer, about Apple losing half its share, was in AUGUST, when Net Applications changed its methodology. This is October.

PED: Thanks for explaining just what Net Applications measures. Too many columnists present it as "market share." Still, it would be better to change the title to "Mac Internet Share …" to avoid confusion.

more cherry picking to stroke the apple ego. why pick such a random source to measure market share and not actually go to typical metrics like sales or units shipped?

Here's the real number according to IDC who reports quarterly share to the industry and is broadly quoted and used by both industry analysts, wall street analysts, and the media and who has no dog in the hunt.

-Apple Q309 Total PC Client WW marketshare: 3.9% down 0.1 point from Q209 but up 0.5 points from a year ago
-Apple Q309 Total PC Client US marketshare: 9.0% up 0.4 points from Q209 and Q308
-In the all important laptop category (important because the desktop market isn't growing…not even for Apple), Q309 was the first quarter Apple outpaced the market growth in 2009 on a WW basis. The news is more dire in the US. They have yet to beat the laptop market growth yet in 2009. (You know what happens when you don't grow faster than the market don't you? That's right, you lose market share.) Apple has lost share in the only growing segment of the PC market (laptops) every quarter this year compared to where they were a year ago…an appropriate comparison considering the cyclical nature of the PC business where Q3 (BTS) and Q4 (Holidays) tend to dominate the other 2 quarters.
-Let's also keep in mind that Apple launched Snow Leopard in Q309 thus a credible argument could and should be made that this should have boosted their marketshare, right? The same argument you are pushing for Win7 and why it has had no effect on share…yet Win7 did not officially launch in Q309. It will be reflected in the Q409 numbers.
-I argue that people that were going to purchase windows based PCs actually held off their purchase until the Win7 launch in Oct.

Why don't you just publish that Mac OS has 100% share at Steve Job's house and thus tell Microsoft to give it up as its hopeless to compete against the 3.9% juggernaut that is Apple.

love the spin…

ex ped: Very funny, tile. FYI, Apple is losing market share to netbooks, a problem that they are taking all the way to the bank. And for what it's worth, IDC and Gartner have their own methodological issues. See for example "Mac shipments up and down in competing surveys"

This blog always brings out the strangest of all creatures: the Windows "FAN." I truly believe people only use Windows because they have to. They can't afford a Mac, or the boss won't let them use one.

Mac fans. Gotta love them. They are like little kids, so desperate for attention that they jump with joy with every perceived .01% increase.

@Mick — the $30 upgrade is only if you go from Leopard. Add another $100 if you are using any of the earlier mangy cats.

Besides, if you have been using OS X since 10.0, and have paid for each .1 upgrade, how much have you spent already? Probably more than $500 for what it amounts to the same OS with a few service packs.

Most businesses use Windows XP because it's stable, and their IT people know how to maintain that OS for all their users. Mac OS is typically used in businesses only in the art or drafting departments. Linux is used commercially as a substitute for Unix, typically in servers (Unix should have its own line in the Net Applications report), but is found in very few home computers because of the command line. I suspect almost all home users have either Windows or Mac computers.

I can see that Microsoft must be really scared. They still have 92.54% of the market. There is always 10% that don't get it. MACs are a popular fashion statement, but it is clear that Windows manages to attract most of the market.

There is lot of noise in these internet numbers on a month to month basis. Writing bold statements Mac share grew 2.73% in Oct is total nonsense. If you see increases 3 or 4 months down the road then that is much more meaniful.

Hmmm – when i look at statcounter, it looks like Mac share is falling since the release…. I would think measuring operating systems woudl be a better gauage than measuring internet browsing no?

http://gs.statcounter.com/#os-ww-daily-20091025-20091101

ex ped: Thanks for the link to statcounter. What fun! I notice that it shows Mac share up in North America since Oct. 22. But you're right, it's down a bit worldwide.

CNN already lost TV prime time title looks like if they continue publishing base less statistics to smart people only thing the can get is drive people to other credible sources. I will be very happy to see if author can throw how based on 7 days win7 launch came to such conclusion.

ex ped: Throw? Anyway, not just seven days. See below.

@ Tim- I don't think very many people are assuming Windows 7 is that bad that users are switching to Mac. That was Vista, Windows 7 is supposed to be good enough to keep people from switching to Mac and also possibly pull in few Mac users and those who own neither.

W7 had been available for a good while in beta before its official release. Reviews were good which led to a belief that W7 would reverse MSFT share loss. Even though W7 had positive reviews and it was widely known that it would be released soon, Windows OS share continues to slide. The thinking was Mac gained so much share past couple years because Vista was so terrible, and all new PCs came with Vista (except netbooks). Therefore, those wishing to buy a new computer might wait for W7 instead of switching to Mac. That doesn't seem to be the case thus far.

Of course, the introduction of new Macs and OS is a major driver in Apple's share growth. That's the point here, it's not that people necessarily are switching to Mac entirely because all the problems with Windows, but because they think Apple makes a superior product. Hence, even if they thought Windows was pretty good, they might still think Apple's offering is superior.

UBUNTU 9.10 (linux) is free, why would anyone spend $200 on Micro$hit Window$ 7

Just to say Gary, I have a mac and have never ever emailed them. I always call and get an answer that way. You should call *during their business hours* if it hasn't been answered yet, you'll usually get someone in a good amount of time and if you describe the exact problem, they can usually help.

Anyway, yeah, I don't see the point of this report if it's just measuring browsers. I mean, I use firefox and that can go with either PC or Mac.

I have no desire to pay for the Gulfstream V of one pompous twit from Cupertino, or of stock options for another pompous twit from Redmond.

So, Apple's share growth has nothing to do with the release of their new iMac and Macbook products? Really? The relation between the Windows Release and Apple's growth may be an interesting comparison, but doesn't likely hold much water. Windows 7 isn't bad enough to assume that it is the reason people are switching to Apple.

Try downloading again. You probably did. Something wrong.

This article is misleading. First off the title implies OS share grew when really what's being measured is browser use – they may correlate somewhat but wouldn't it be more accurate to measure sales? Also implied is that Windows 7 hasn't dented Mac OS share growth – do you seriously think all of 7 days of win 7 sales is going to show any long term trend? Anyone ordering a Win7 PC online probably doesn't even have it shipped to them yet. Also I love stats like "Mac Grew 2.73%", that's a pointless stat if you're looking at marketshare … Windows is still at 92% browser share and Mac is still at 5% … get some more data before trying to predict a trend.

ex ped: You are right, Ed. It's early to be predicting a trend. But we're not talking about just seven days of sales. Because so many enterprises installed the release candidates as they became available, Windows 7 had grabbed 2% of market share even before the Oct. 22 general release. Yet the Mac gained market share in each of the last two months. FYI, this is OS data, not browser data.

Win7 OS $120-$220 retail. Apple OS $30 retail. Good luck Microsoft, you are going to need it at these prices.

I wonder if this is looking at OS Data or Browser Data. Since Safari downloads thru the Apple updater if you have I-Tunes or Quicktime. Then it follows that safari use on PC's is growing and is not a good measure of Mac inroads into internet usage.

ex ped: OS data. Browser data is reported separately. Check out Net Applications to see for yourself.

Steve Ballmer has already pointed out that any growth for an Apple device is a rounding error. Something like .00005%. And he always gets a good laugh at that. He doesn't appear to be worried at all. He doesn't seem to realize that for every little rounding error, Apple makes a lot more money.

One of the reasons that I traveled to the Apple site is to find a fix for the new release of their Itunes software. Since downloaded I cannot open the Itunes applications window. To date I have sent two emails, both have not been answered. If there are customers like me, that is one reason there are so many visits, to find a fix that unfortunately many others are experiencing as well. Apple is in denial of course!

I think we should invent some "basic truth" acronyms just now.

FWC (first world computer) will be the new word for the mac.

SKM (soup kitchen machine) can be the designation for PC's.

I am not saying there is anything wrong with being poor or from the third world. No way.

I'm just saying that Billy Gates is a slumlord.

Impact doesn't seem to be that much.

" * Mac's Internet share grew 5% in Sept.
* Net Applications: Apple just lost half its 'market share'"
CAN'T YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND? WHY DO YOU REPORT ON NON-CREDITABLE SOURCES??? DON'T BE A PARROT FOR ALL.

ex ped: Huh?