Debunking Mac's Self-Created Ad Hype

Slate's Seth Stevenson recently posted an intelligent analysis of Apple's inescapable online and offline ad campaign which features two men ("I'm a Mac. And I'm a PC.") encountering anthropomorphized computer issues. The Mac gets through them all with grace, while the PC has nothing but trouble.

Stevenson brilliantly points out why the ads don't work (namely because the guy playing the "Mac" comes across as smug, know-it-all jerk and the "PC" guy is actually quite loveable). But I figured I'd actually look at the technical claims that Apple is making in the pieces. Can an Apple really set you free the way the company claims it can? Let's take a look, point by point. (Follow along with the ads, if you'd like.)

• Networking is easier on a Mac, as is adding peripherals. The ad begins with the Mac and PC holding hands because, true enough, you can network the two platforms together without difficulty. Then a digital camera (represented by a Japanese woman) joins the network. And it "just works." Never mind that you don't network a camera the way you do a computer (I mean, you can, but few people do), but I'd argue that far more peripherals are compatible with a PC than with a Mac. As well, I've seen countless computers have trouble with Bluetooth connections, even using Mac hardware with a Mac computer. This one's confusing and just plain wrong.
• Mac's software bundle spanks Windows. Absolutely true. iLife, which comes free on every Mac, is the cat's pajamas. The bundle of junk that comes on most PCs is enough to make you reformat the drive.
• Macs are easier at creating websites and editing photos. Not really. The software is largely identical on both platforms, and Cnet's recent tests showed that Photoshop is faster on Windows than on MacOS. (There are issues with the current versions of Photoshop and MacOS, but I'm not sure that's relevant.) Editing movies, however, is much better on the Mac.
• Macs never have to be restarted. Sure they do, but not as often. PCs are indeed more crash-prone, particularly older hardware running newer OSes and applications. Ask anyone trying to run OS X on a 1999-era Mac if they have trouble with it (or if that's even possible) and you'll be comparing apples to apples. Now new PCs may indeed be less stable than new Macs, but modern PCs honestly don't crash constantly and when apps do crash, Windows is much better at recovering without a reboot than it used to be.
• Macs don't have virus problems. Completely true for now, though the winds of change are upon us as the Mac platform becomes more popular and virus creators become more interested in compromising it. Contrary to popular belief, Macs have had viruses in the past, and new Mac viruses are slowly starting to pop up in the wild. The Mac platform is not inherently bulletproof. Just ask any Unix user who thought he was immune during the 1980s and 1990s.
• PCs aren't built for "fun" but rather for making pie charts. A rather inane claim, considering the PC has probably 10 times the number of games available for it that the Mac does. (The ad itself actually makes no mention of games but would rather have us believe that podcasts are "fun.") You can't play Half-Life 2, Oblivion, F.E.A.R., or dozens of other titles on the Mac. When titles do trickle to the Mac, it's usually months after the PC and console versions. Mac gamers usually are forced to play World of Warcraft or get a console for gaming. Oddly, every Mac enthusiast I know also has an Xbox, which is a Microsoft product. I'm just sayin', that's strange.
• You can run Windows on a Mac. Yep. Works pretty well. Costs more to do it, though, as you'll have to buy extra software (including the Windows OS).
• Setting up your PC takes an eternity, as you have to delete trial software and "downlod new drivers." Depends on the vendor and the PC. Dell and Sony are generally the worst at bundling shovelware on their machines, whereas most vendors' "business" machines come blissfully junk-free. Uninstalling this stuff does take time, as does running all the Microsoft security updates. Generally drivers are largely up to date on new PCs, though video drivers are constantly being upgraded. Unless you're reformatting your hard drive, this process shouldn't take more than an hour, and you can "read the manuals" while that's happening.
• Walt Mossberg loves Macs. Indeed. I'm not sure that's enough to hang your case on, though. PCs do indeed get rave reviews, not just from the computer press but, yes, from Mossberg as well. I'm sure Mossberg loves ponies, too.
• PC users don't know how to tie a necktie, and Mac users wear hoodies. Now that's just silly.

So, Apple's claims are about 50-50, which is pretty much par for the advertising world. The ads are clever, sure, but I wouldn't base a buying decision on them. As always, I recommend trying out a Mac in person either at an Apple store or via a helpful friend. Heck, hang around a Starbucks for a few minutes. Those places are crawling with Mac users. Hmmm, now there's an ad I'd like to see.