10 Things Microsoft Could Learn from Apple - Development and Public Relations Approaches
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3) Development approaches -- OS X and Windows were developed in two different ways, and I think most people would prefer Apple's approach. They have been tweaking OS X for years now. Every year or two they come out with a new revision of it with some new features and upgrades. This keeps people that are familiar with the OS in a happy place where they know where everything is and how everything works. I like to think of these upgrades as major service packs, with more features than Microsoft puts into its service packs.
Microsoft's approach is to build a totally new OS every 3-5 years. This gives people a new look for their PC, but headaches for IT people and even consumers. Both XP and OS X weren't liked until their second releases (SP2 and 10.2). By that time the third party applications had been ironed out and the OS had become a solid, dependable environment. From this point on, OS X continues to build on this solid ground, but Microsoft goes a different direction. It decides to build a totally new OS, and start the climb up the ladder again.
Many people complain about Windows being buggy and not stable, but the same was true for OS X. Microsoft just likes to get a new OS once things get solid for the old OS. If Microsoft sticks to Vista for 10 years, it will be golden. You can throw in a few free service packs, and maybe even some fee-based ones like Apple does. If things get to boring, instead of throwing a new kernel into the mix, how about a few new themes? Stick to a core OS and continue to build upon it for a decent amount of time.
4) Hush Hush - This might be a little harder for Microsoft to do, but it should try to keep its products a little more closed than Vista was. I know that a large beta means that millions of different computer systems try the software, but you end up killing the surprise that people get when they see the shiny new OS on the screen.
Perhaps if Microsoft kept the XP GUI until it went gold, but still had all the Vista features, it might have been different. Microsoft had Vista the shipping its GUI back in Beta 2, and it wasn't much of a surprise for people that wanted to go buy Vista.
Apple keeps its products hush hush. There is a small beta group for 10.5.4 and there aren't any sneak peaks at it now. I guess this point can go back to the issues of hardware support and updating an OS vs. starting over; fewer differences in machines means there is less testing needed.
5) Mac Ad Counter Attack - We have all seen those "Hello I'm a PC and I'm a Mac" ads. Microsoft, you need to launch a counter attack now. What kind of company is going to sit there and take shot after shot and not respond?
Microsoft needs to get some ads that show us that the PC is still alive and kicking, and heck, how about a few ads similar to Apple's ads on what a PC can do that a Mac can't? If I wasn't into computers as much as I am, I might think a Mac can do everything a PC can and more.
Next: Get with the Times! >>
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