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Apple or Microsoft, Which has Been More Successful?


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Apple or Microsoft, Which has Been More Successful?
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coldcuts
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Singapore
 
2006-03-30, 02:58

Well i guess this will be great thread....eventhough this is a Apple forum i need to ask you this....

Which company has been more successful, Apple or Microsoft?

Both companies are clearly technology pioneers that have secured their places in the PC revolution. But if your are going to choose....which of them is the most successful and please site your reason why.....

- Anne -
My APPLE blogs
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Windowsrookie
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2006-03-30, 03:04

I am speechless.
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macsforever
 
 
2006-03-30, 03:05

Microsoft has been more succesfull than apple at selling shit to people, for cheap.

Apple has been more successfull than microsoft, at making good products.

Enough said.
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Brad
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Join Date: May 2004
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2006-03-30, 03:06

Welcome to AppleNova, Anne.

The Speculation and Rumors forum is for discussion of future products. I'm moving your thread to the General Discussion forum. Also, I'm editing your signature per our Posting Guidelines.

Also, a friendly warning: vague threads like this will not likely be welcomed with serious discourse because, well, there is no real answer and the people here know that.

edit: err, well, I guess I'm too late for that warning.

The quality of this board depends on the quality of the posts. The only way to guarantee thoughtful, informative discussion is to write thoughtful, informative posts. AppleNova is not a real-time chat forum. You have time to compose messages and edit them before and after posting.
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coldcuts
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2006-03-30, 03:08

ow...i see...thanks for the warning...
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FFL
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2006-03-30, 03:10

Some additional friendly advice:

Joining in and contributing to existing threads usually makes new members here more welcomed by the community, than when a new member immediately starts many new threads.

In other words, contribute to existing threads for a while, before you start your own threads.
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turbulentfurball
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2006-03-30, 06:42

It just so happens, cnet have a feature discussing this exact topic. link.

Cnet are running a number of articles discussing Apple's 30th birthday, including a poll on this page: What is Apple's legacy in the computing world?
  • It not only kick-started the revolution, but it continues to be the industry leader as well.
  • If it weren't for the iPod, Apple would be considered an innovative but marginal player.
  • Market-share numbers tell the tale--less than 5 percent compared with more than 90 percent for Microsoft.

Current results show the first option to be most popular with 78.3%, which I think is quite impressive since cnet is not an Apple-centric site.
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Doxxic
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2006-03-30, 07:55

Quote:
Originally Posted by turbulentfurball
It just so happens, cnet have a feature discussing this exact topic. link.

Cnet are running a number of articles discussing Apple's 30th birthday, including a poll on this page: What is Apple's legacy in the computing world?
  • It not only kick-started the revolution, but it continues to be the industry leader as well.
  • If it weren't for the iPod, Apple would be considered an innovative but marginal player.
  • Market-share numbers tell the tale--less than 5 percent compared with more than 90 percent for Microsoft.

Current results show the first option to be most popular with 78.3%, which I think is quite impressive since cnet is not an Apple-centric site.
Meanwhile, I found it really hard to choose between the options. I think they have been very well formulated. You can only base your choice on your feeling about them.
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onlooker.org
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2006-03-30, 11:38

Quote:
Originally Posted by macsforever
Microsoft has been more succesfull than apple at selling shit to people, for cheap.

Apple has been more successfull than microsoft, at making good products.

Enough said.
That's my opinion summed up in a nutshell. Thank you macsforever.
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coldcuts
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Singapore
 
2006-03-30, 21:50

Thank God people here are more friendly....cause there is one forum they just kicked me out and called me a spammer without any warning....

i mean i need to have many post to build a reputation and to know all the people there...right?

- Anne -
My APPLE blogs
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Brad
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2006-03-30, 21:55

Quote:
Originally Posted by coldcuts
one forum they just kicked me out and called me a spammer without any warning
Posts lacking in depth and linking to a blog with advertisements or other third-party website look like spam to most people, including us. This is not a blog.

Quote:
Originally Posted by coldcuts
i mean i need to have many post to build a reputation and to know all the people there...right?
Incorrect. Quality almost always trumps quantity in situations like this. One thoughtful, well reasoned post will do your reputation a far greater service than twenty shallow ones.

By the way, is it Anne or Danica or Donna? Or something different altogether? Hiding behind the rouse of multiple fake names is a common practice of spammers too.

The quality of this board depends on the quality of the posts. The only way to guarantee thoughtful, informative discussion is to write thoughtful, informative posts. AppleNova is not a real-time chat forum. You have time to compose messages and edit them before and after posting.
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Elysium
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2006-03-30, 22:04

Welcome to Applenova Anne. I hope you realize that all forums on this board have the same members. But, I hope you'll be able to stick with this secondary judgment of us, rather than your intial one. Also, take any advice Brad gives you to heart, he's just trying to help and keep these boards and clean and friendly place.


As has been pointed out, there really is no definitive answer to this question because it all hinges upon a person's decision of success. If someone wants to argue that success is defined by the largest user base and is hence more profitable, then Microsoft obviously wins out. If someone wants to argue that success is defined by iconic status and/or acclaim as a technological and industry innovator, then I would have to say that Apple wins. My best advice to you, think about what is more important to you, and and stick with it.

Formerly known as cynical_rock
censeo tentatio victum
There is no snooze button on a cat.
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BenRoethig
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Location: Dubuque, IA
 
2006-03-31, 08:25

Apple has been successful in creating new technology, Microsoft has been very sucessful in selling it.
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Bryson
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2006-03-31, 08:58

By any definition in the western capitalist world, Microsoft is more sucessful. Does this make them "better"? No.
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Luca
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2006-03-31, 09:20

Pretty simple question to answer. Apple's 2005 revenue was $13.9bn, their net income was $1.3bn, and they have 14,800 employees. Microsoft's numbers were $39.8bn, $12.3bn, and 63,564 respectively.

Microsoft has definitely been the more successful company.
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Gargoyle
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2006-03-31, 09:42

Welcome Anne,

That sounds like a question for a homework assignment.

Like others have mentioned, it's not quite so clear cut. Ether you have to narrow your specification to just a fragment of both companies markets or include a lot more companies in the question. Then you have to define "Successful".

Let me try and elaborate with as much brevity as possible. The iPod is not just successful, it's dominating its market place, but that alone does not make Apple successful. The XBox 360 is very successful, but you would have to bring Sony into the equation since Apple don't make a console (and the PS3 will probably steal some glory from the 360 when it's finally released). Etc, etc, and on, and on...

You get the point?

OK, I have given up keeping this sig up to date. Lets just say I'm the guy that installs every latest version as soon as its available!
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ironlung
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Join Date: Jan 2005
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2006-04-02, 21:14

Quote:
Originally Posted by Luca
Pretty simple question to answer. Apple's 2005 revenue was $13.9bn, their net income was $1.3bn, and they have 14,800 employees. Microsoft's numbers were $39.8bn, $12.3bn, and 63,564 respectively.

Microsoft has definitely been the more successful company.
Profit percentage for microsoft (30%) seems to be a lot higher than that of apples (10%) based on those numbers. So apple does not charge too much for their products it seems.
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chucker
 
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2006-04-02, 21:30

Quote:
Originally Posted by ironlung
Profit percentage for microsoft (30%) seems to be a lot higher than that of apples (10%) based on those numbers. So apple does not charge too much for their products it seems.
According to Yahoo! Finance, the gross margins are actually a little higher than that, but the discrepancy between Apple (and others) and Microsoft is still huge.

Code:
Apple: 28.51% Dell: 17.80% HP: 23.44% Microsoft: 84.50% Industry average: 17.80%
So, clearly Apple is well above the average, but not nearly as extremely so as Microsoft is. Who's over-pricing now?
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coldcuts
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Singapore
 
2006-04-03, 02:57

Quote:
Originally Posted by chucker
According to Yahoo! Finance, the gross margins are actually a little higher than that, but the discrepancy between Apple (and others) and Microsoft is still huge.

Code:
Apple: 28.51% Dell: 17.80% HP: 23.44% Microsoft: 84.50% Industry average: 17.80%
So, clearly Apple is well above the average, but not nearly as extremely so as Microsoft is. Who's over-pricing now?
this is a great way to clear out our questions...

- Anne -
My APPLE blogs
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trevo
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Join Date: Jan 2005
 
2006-04-03, 09:28

Successful is such a general description. I found this research very interesting.

However, when did Bose ever make good sounding equipment

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Bangeman

Apple, Bose, Dell tops in consumer electronics brand trust

Research mavens Forrester Research, known for almost always recommending against the early adoption of any new technology, have released the results of its semiannual survey on how much we trust well-known consumer electronics brands. "The 2005 Technology Brand Scorecard" collected feedback from consumers on 48 technology brands, including 22 that make consumer electronics devices. It then ranked them along two dimensions: the growth potential of the brand and the trust of the brand among regular users.

Going by the results of the study, the biggest winners were Bose, Apple, and Dell. Bose scored strongest on both dimensions. Apple also scored very high on trust, but not as well on growth potential, while Dell scored very high on growth potential (second only to Bose), but closer to the rest of the pack in terms of trust.

Bose's high ranking was the source of great surprise in the Orbiting HQ. Although the company's products are not thought very highly of by true audiophiles, the company's marketing and positioning itself as a true, high-end brand apparently resonates with consumers.

At the other end of the spectrum was Microsoft, which was included due to its presence in the gaming console market. By a long shot, the software giant scored lowest on both dimensions. The score is a measure of consumer apathy and/or dislike towards the entire Microsoft product line rather than reflective of any distaste for the Xbox. Forrester thinks the score means that Microsoft could be headed for trouble.


Source: Forrester Research

Microsoft faces big consumer defection risk. One measure of consumers' dissatisfaction with Microsoft is seen in the 5.4 million households that give it a brand trust score of 1 [distrust a lot] or 2 [distrust a bit]. Compared with all Microsoft users, these at-risk users have higher income, are much more likely to be male, and are bigger online spenders. These households know they run Microsoft software but would be just as happy to leave it behind — if they could.

Getting consumers to believe that they can't live without Microsoft software and other products may be key for the company's continued growth. With Vista set for an early 2007 launch, Microsoft will get a chance to make its case with consumers with the big marketing blitz that will accompany its release.

The reason Sony's well-publicized DRM missteps failed to affect the company's standing with consumers was that the survey was completed during the months of September and October, and the rootkit fiasco didn't erupt until November. It would be interesting—to say the least—to know how Sony's DRM nightmare has affected its trust ratings.

Most of the other major PC manufacturers were clustered together on both dimensions. HP is almost as highly trusted as Sony, while IBM outperformed it on brand potential (although with IBM exiting the PC business, this may be the last time the company shows up in the rankings).

According to Forrester, growth for the technology brands will only come as their products move into the mainstream. That has been the case for Apple, which went from making unusually shaped and brightly colored computers that accounted for only a small fraction of the overall market, to the maker of what is arguably the iconic symbol of the digital music age, the iPod.
Source:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060330-6491.html
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