Save up to $300? Won't I be

Submitted by Khaled on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 5:59pm

Save up to $300? Won't I be paying that to upgrade to Ultimate (from Starter/basic/whatever it's called) windows? Ultimate has one feature that's important (multiple languages) and I have to pay a lot to get it? It's only fair to add that $330 ultimate windows price.

Can't resist to respond to the MS "training" "quizes", from a person who uses Mac OSX and Windows based machines:

*you'll get even more if you got a mac with Windows, MS will get the full retail value instead of OEM. sure Dell and others won't be happy ;)

*I tried Live services, even if MS will pay me I won't use them. Gmail/flickr and many other services available. MovieMaker is now Live? you also get a video editor/photo library/music editor free with every mac. $99 ($70 from Amazon) mobileMe is not required to use a Mac.

* what is "glass colors" ? :)

* The games part is probably true. But thanks for Blizzard, I don't care about games other than WoW/SC2 and D3. You can still boot into Windows and run these just fine. re-purchase is marketing talk :D not as full featured software: blame the idiotic developers. for example MS's office for mac lacks Arabic and Hebrew, they promised to add them in 2001 ... nothing until now :/ 

 *should we consider MS having a monopoly on DX? Why can't I have DX10 on Windows XP? Hardware acceleration is now available on most platforms. marketing-talk :d

*less to learn with windows ? I know we the maximumpc  crowd are power users, but Windows is not friendly to new-to-computers and special needs.

 *prices seem to be ok, don't compare low end T6000 based machine to a P8x00 mac.

*compatability ? it's funny ... Nokia software that relies heavily on .NET 3 did not work with Windows 7. Logitech also :/

oh snap, can someone give me $330 to buy windows 7 ultimate? apparently I can only get 2 languages with that :)

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Well said. Windows got to

Submitted by Xylogeist on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 8:56am

Well said. Windows got to this level because it was the best out their, if Apple wants to sellt heir less efficient opperating system at a higher cost without user customization then thats fine by me, but dont expect me to buy it when Microsoft is thinking ahead and letting me know that it's a mistake. Mac would launch an add like this if they could, but they cant because THAT would be hard to convey without lying to a hightened degree :p

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I tried reading the article.

Submitted by Walnut on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 5:38pm

I tried reading the article. I really did. I got to the part when they tried to justify the "$300 savings" bit by arguing that, with a PC, you'll spend more than that on maintenance fees. It seems you frequently need to take your computer to Geek Squad to get the viruses cleaned off of it. Hmm. 

Some of these claims seem to be pretty good examples of "not telling the whole truth." This is pretty much expected in marketing campaigns these days, so I have no idea why people are complaining. Their goal is pretty simple. They want to market their product to the technologically inept. It just so happens that these are about the only people who would consult a Best Buy sales rep on which computer they should buy. Windows is popular because it scales with user skill level very well. The UI is intuitive so even beginners can pick up the basics pretty painlessly. PCs are also universally cheaper than Macs. For the technologically inept, it's pretty difficult to argue that a Windows machine isn't the best bet. It's not like M$ is doing them any disservice by advising they stay clear of Mac OS and Linux machines.  

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What's the big deal?

Submitted by anc51699 on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 3:52pm

There's nothing wrong with what Microsoft is trying to do with these training courses. They're designed to push sales through getting retail associates more knowledgeable  with selling their products. I wouldn't call this MS Propaganda or anything like that because every company tries to make themselves stand out from their competition by driving sales and making their product look good. Most of the major Tech and PC Brands have their own retail training sites; Intel has their Retail Edge Program, AMD has their own, so does HP, Netgear, Symantec and a few others (If Apple Products were sold in more places other than Best Buy and Apple Stores, they would probably have a site like this too). All of which trade product knowledge and sales tips for cool stuff like processor bundles (Intel and AMD) , Free Software or other deals/swag. I work at Staples, so I've gone through these MS courses already, including a lot from Intel and Symantec, and I'm happy to do maybe an hour's worth of training here and there for free stuff and sweet deals, and it helps me sell their product better so I get a bigger paycheck. These courses aren't really that bad; It took me about an hour to do all 10 parts, and it shows you some cool stuff about Windows 7 in the process. These sites actually give out some really good deals; MS gives you Win. 7 Ultimate for $10 after you do these training sets, Intel had a Core i7, DX58SO MB and Vista Ultimate/Win 7 Ultimate bundle for $300, AMD had a Phenom X4 deal, and Symantec gives you free copies of most of their software.

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I love microsoft, they may

Submitted by Xylogeist on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 3:04pm

I love microsoft, they may be pissed on for actions such as this - but it's true damn it! Windows is the best out there and I encourage people to buy it! Go get it! Screw Macs!

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Well, the slide about the

Submitted by gendoikari1 on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 1:22pm

Well, the slide about the Apple Tax IS true (because  the price for a respectable gaming PC is also the price for a shitty iMac).

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Companies gotta market.

Submitted by quantumnerd on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 10:43am

Who else sees that microsoft is just marketing to a bunch of people too stupid to understand WHY you would choose one operating system over another? I mean, people who DON'T EVEN KNOW what an operating system is. I think that would explain the simple statments such as "microsoft > apple", because people can't absorb any more.

 

Plus, microsoft has to market. Microsoft says PCs are easier than macs, to retail people. Apple says Macs are much better than PCs and PCs are horrible and everything you don't want to be like, to the general public. Annnnd... apple people complain. "Omg dey r fite back omg wth not fair wtf"

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I am really surprised...

Submitted by GetOverIt on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 10:27am

I am really surprised that everyone is getting all upset over this. The next thing you know is that everyone is going to get upset over the next training course after the Mac and Linux courses: Comparing Windows 7 - Previous Versions and Editions (How Windows 7 is better than previos versions of Windows).  OMG Microsoft is training people to not sell older versions of Windows! GET OVER IT.

Every company does this kind of training. They want you to sell their products over their compeditors. If you want to know who is really good(bad) for this talk to a Sony Rep. Microsoft happens to be the biggest software company out there, I get that, Best Buy is the largest still standing major big box electronics store, I get that too. What I dont get is why everyone thinks this is some kinda conspiracy (OMG I FOUND OUT THE REASON. I SAID THE WORD CONSPIRACY, THAT MUST BE IT!  /sarcasm). This is how business is done in America. Advertising is Key. Any manufacturer has access to the employees selling their products. This is just advertising to said employees.

Oh and on a side note, the trainings are done on a MICROSOFT website and are NOT MANDATORY for any RETAIL employee. See what I said there? This is for anyone who has a retail job selling Microsoft products can go and take a Microsoft Training on their new product. Yes, Best Buy has informed their employees about this training. Yes, Microsoft talked to Best Buy about the trainings. But guess what, they talked to a bunch of other retailers too. If Best Buy was the only company to work out a deal where their employees could get the Ultimate version of the OS for Free plus Shipping costs then I say good for Best Buy and their employees. If not then get off of Best Buy's back. You only mention Best Buy to get headlines. 

So in closing all I have to say is GET OVER IT! 

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Not Just Best Buy

Submitted by JuanSolid on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 10:21am

Seriously, you all have your facts wrong.

Expertzone is for all retailers of MS products, so staples, office max, hell even target.

I guess when the first thing you hear is about Best Buy that really does say how big they are.

It's like when everyone calls adhesive strips bandaids or cotton swabs q-tips LMAO.

"you need best buy technology? I saw some at the local target!!!!"

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Best for Customer

Submitted by zbeckerd on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 9:57am

Is Best Buy on board with this employee manipulation?  That is what is
potentially wrong here. M$ and Best Buy convincing employees to not
give the customer what is best for their needs.

This article and past practices by Microsoft all point to a company that appears to  believe in crushing adversaries / taking peoples patented work and bribing goverments.  Just look at the voting in the document standards.  They take the approach that by the time we pay the fine or settle with patent owners M$ will have made 10 times as much.  Apple may have some of the same tendicies.

   I work on computers day in and out.  Cutomers ask me what is best.  I tell them the truth.   Wait for windows7 if you have "must have" windows only applications.  If you want something that just works without you having degree in geek 101 than an apple may be in your future.  Linux works great for people who just email and surf or have old hardware. 

 I do not own a mac, but I do work on them.  I run linux as a base os and win in VM to avoid the bugs that abound in the machines I repair.  

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Hopefully they aren't that easily led

Submitted by Jeffredo on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 9:05am

I'd play along for a $10 copy of Win 7, but even if there is a fragment of truth I hate being indoctrinated with loaded questions or a slant that is "pro-anything".  I can do my own research.  I would hope most BB employee's would do the same, but from my observation at a local store that's without a doubt a hit or miss proposition.  Some are really sharp on tech, with others it was either work there or a local discount store.

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I work for best buy

Submitted by xTelfonx on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 8:39am

Yes, i was bribed and told to take these course for free Windows 7, all i have to do is sit infront of my computer for an hour and i get a free copy but i gotta pay for shipping and handling.

 

Most of the questions are accurate, some are ridiculously worded to make the Mac look like the devil's operating system. Ill facepalm my way through

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Just like the Mac vs PC dumb ads

Submitted by Baer on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 8:31am

Is that not just what Apple tries to do with those "spin" Mac vs PC ads? So what. Good for you MS!

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I don't see what the problem

Submitted by arkweld on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 8:24am

I don't see what the problem is apart from the fact that the statement is obviously going to be true in relation to Best Buy.

Best Buy is a Windows world, If someone is shopping at Best Buy the majority are obviously going to be former Windows users in the same way that people shopping at The Apple Store are more likely to be Mac users.

If is said "New computer users have less to learn with a Windows-based PC" then there would be an issue of contention.

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Sombody say FREE Windows?

Submitted by HitmanHybrid on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 8:16am

They've pretty much got the most of the stuff right, even the "myths." People believe that stuff about PC's. Hey, I'd do the quiz too, for a free copy of Windows 7 lol.

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BOOM

Submitted by th3t3ch on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 8:07am

Jobs is rolling in his grave.  Oh wait, he's not dead yet.  Still making reliable systems for people who enjoy form and function.

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uh huh.

Submitted by kevjohn on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 7:58am

Just read through all those screens listed on the AppleInsider site. Trying to find one that I disagree with. Good job, Microsoft.

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