Combat, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on the iPod front. Whilst I know what you're saying in regards to the fact there were mp3 players before it - the innovation for Apple was in their design of the product. And I say design for much more than just the physical look of the thing. Just the software inside it and how it managed media was brilliant - the user interface may be something you commented on as Apple being good at, but you simply can't mark it down as Apple just being good at marketing and user interface.
There is such a huge number of things in that last one (in my opinion) that I just don't think it can be summed up as that or in that little snippet. They're shaping the way products are being made with whatever they do. The Zune has an interface very similar to the iPod, it even has a little physical wheel in the design that doesn't scroll round. I'm not 100% sure but I think Apple have a patent on that. Why have a wheel that doesn't spin? Makes no sense.
Vista SP1 will probably sort a lot of things but it has taken over a year to potentially get a good working operating system. Leopard as I have complained about before wasn't perfect and many people were eagerly looking forward to 10.5.2 - but I have very few little problems with it.
The release was a success because it worked for a lot of people straight away and didn't kick up a fuss. Vista as I said caused Dell to offer an older operating system with its products on release - whether for business users or not, it wasn't very good press or a good representation of how much faith people put in Microsoft's new product.
You're wanting something from the ground up is a bit much to ask from this industry. Anything new will be relative to either one or several products previously made - not to mention it would be a business gamble to make a new device which catered for a new need - Microsoft have the money to develop anything they choose and the Surface technology they are developing looks absolutely great - but I can't help but imagine it would be better if Apple were using it. They just have a different psyche towards working with their products.
Windows will put down a platform that anybody can use but it's too rigid and dare I say it, 'business-like'. The inclusion of the games folder in Vista was their idea of breaking out of that but it still just feels like a spreadsheet wouldn't be far from the task bar. I just look at Windows as a bit of a 'passionless' product. Merely something to fill a gap and soak up dollars with very little heart put into it.
Now I may be wrong, Microsoft may try their best to put heart into their product but it just doesn't come across nearly enough. Apple do a far superior job in my opinion and it's reflected as soon as you boot into the OS.
I think Apple have had to work hard for a lot of people that they get on their platform, maybe not half as much in the last year or so because word of mouth has done a lot and yes, the fashionable element does come into play too, but they've had to work harder at the operating system to get customers from the big dog.
They've had to add tweaks and UI that maybe weren't necessary but looked great. They've added Time Machine so people can back up their stuff with such an incredible ease it has again been taken for granted - I just wasn't using my operating system the same way or as much as I find myself doing with OS X. And it's great to take advantage of features that nigh on work 9 times out of 10 without a hiccup. Maybe even a higher success rate than that.
I think the Microsoft business model for Windows is expiring. Take my word for it, if Apple tried to make an OS X in the way that Windows do, it would suck horribly. Without a doubt in my mind.
The money that has gone into Windows from the early days has made it a contender today, the main contender. That's a great feat but it's not the way things are going to be in the future.
Microsoft will honestly probably have the lions share of the market for the next 10-15 years. People know Windows, they don't like changing to new things and new experiences and it's easier to go down to the local shop to buy an OEM computer with Windows on it than it is to get your own box and run Linux or even get a Mac. Apple stores and their ways are helping to combat this but not outside the main cities.
My point is that the share they have on the market is lessening and the decision to choose OS X or even Linux for a lot of PC users is becoming more of a realistic option. It's sometimes not as clean cut as 'Windows' - even people running Windows boxes are putting on illegal versions of OS X that often run pretty horribly. But people would rather have a laggy OS X than Windows.
Games are holding a lot of people back from being non-Windows users - if people like EA can see the potential for gaming on different platforms they'll free a lot of tired minds and give people a choice. Whether they will or not is a different thing due to money enjoyment but Microsoft's pot can't last forever - especially when often throwing the money out of that pot doesn't create happy customers.
It's a difficult thing to look at. As somewhat of an enthusiast (I guess we all are if we exist on a board like this) maybe I can't see that Granny Rosa can check her email and browse a forest competitor every day on Vista without a single problem and would recommend her rig
D) to the people down at the Bingo club. The same way Jane the mother of three can browse the bay for bargains and sell hand-made clothes on Vista without a problem.
I just think as soon as you want a bit more from that in Windows - it lets you down. Either by being passionlessly designed, useless or just not enjoyable to use for people who open and use a bit more than just Internet Explorer.
At the same time, Windows having the majority share lets Apple users feel a bit 'special'. It's strange but there's a nice feeling about being the underdog in this situation and I think Jobs knows and enjoys that. Very little viruses (I never say none), crap-ware designed for a different audience and software which is exclusive to the users. The fact that it can run Windows if need be is a huge feather in the hat too.
So if Microsoft want to continue being the dominant force it's fine by me - but Apple are gaining and will get enough of the market-share and create enough income via that to do bigger and better things. Things which both Apple and Windows users will enjoy such as the iPhone and iPod.
, hehe, but lets quickly analyse my statement.
, really its not that bad tbh, just still not used to it I guess)