Understanding PC's Users
oleh ari tj

Apple promises to bring Panther with new and better features (better Finder, Expose', iChat AV, faster Mail, richer Address Book's features, 128 bit inscription with File Vault, built in faxing, better and faster Preview, font management with Font Book, and XCode. The PowerMac G5 also will be available on stores by August 2003. Those news are good. I have to admit it (you too). But something is missing, especially when Apple wants PC's users to switch to Macintosh platform. To answer this question, we have to understand PC's users preferences. Let's see what their preferences are:

1. PC's Users Wants Cheap Computer and Cheap Peripherals
Whether they live in developed countries or underdeveloped countries like we Indonesian, low-end PC's users will choose computer with maximum $500 price tag. With $500 they will get a PC with 1.8 - 2 GB Pentium 4, 128 MB memory, onboard sound, shared video memory, two USB 2.0 port, semi flat 15" CRT display, 40 GB hard drive, floppy drive, CD-ROM drive, keyboard, wheel mouse, and printer. Add $80 for Windows XP Home Edition. With $500 - $1,000 they'll configure the low-end system, mixed, either using faster CPU, or faster display card, or better sound card, or a DVD-ROM drive, or flatter and bigger display, or optical mouse, or adding network card, or adding modem, or adding TV/FM tuner card. With more than $1,000 they'll choose 3.2 GHz Pentium 4 CPU, high-end main board, a GeForce Ti or ATI 9800 display card, 17" flat CRT display, Sound Blaster Audigy or Turtle Beach sound card, 512 MB memory, 80 GB minimum hard drive, DVD-ROM and CD-RW drive, floppy drive, network card, modem, keyboard, photo printer, TV/FM tuner card, game pad or joystick, plus Windows XP Professional (with service pack 1).

So, you see... PC's users don't see computers from their operating system plus free beautiful softwares like Apple Works, iTunes, iMovie, iSync, and iCal like us Mac's users. They don't look deep inside, the soul, of a computer. Either they choose computer like men choose women, basically by their physical appearance or they're too blind to see that there are more operating systems other than Windows. They simply don’t believe inner beauty.
What Apple should do with this problem? First. Apple should fix their pricing and Mac's system lines’s configuration strategies. They should set prices based on PC's users segments/preferences. Get rid the eMac. Apple has not constrained it for just education community anymore. Introduce a configurable beige Mac, with a 15" CRT display starting at $450 on the low-end. Starting at $1,200 is a price range is for the iMacs. And starting at $1,699 is for the PowerMacs. All types of Macs are available to build to order. Either their CPU clock's speed, amount of RAM, hard drive capacity, display card type and it's memory, DVD-ROM or DVD-RW/+RW drive (next superdrive?) - whether it's a slot loading or not, floppy drive, or without drives at all (for net booty in school labs and office employee's desk), bigger display size, with or without Airport antenna and Airport card, 2 buttons plus a scroll button optical drive, with or without modem, and optional TV tunner. And one more thing, a one-year bonus of .Mac subscription. Why 2 buttons mouse? In CADs applications and gaming world, it will make your life easier. Second. Advertise around the world that Macs are as cheap as PCs. Not only cheap in the short-run but cost effective in the long-run. (btw, it’s called total cost of ownership) This way, hopefully PCs users will see that they will have advantages because they'll have more choices that meet their preferences and their pockets. For Apple, it will benefit for selling peripherals and technical assistance for upgrading used Macs. Don't forget, because Macs will be more configurable and upgradeable, this will allow Apple to be a peripherals developer, which will selling their hardware products not only for Macs, but for PCs too. Third. Advertise Mac OS around the world that using a Mac with Mac OS will keep them away from 2 days installing Windows. They will more productive when they learn how to use iMovie, iSync, and iCal. They will save a lot of money because they don't have to buy MS Office. They will be more entertained when they learn using iTunes. They don't have to be worried to switch because there are bundled softwares if they buy a Mac that will do the same things as in Windows platform. Not only they are compatible, able to read/import Windows application's documents, but also they're more powerful, beautiful and easier. PC's users are hard to be confided. Apple should run a road show around the world that will show off what Macs can do in the real world, not just show PC's users a soap TV's advertising. PCs users will not get convinced just by watching those TV’s ads.

2. PC's Users are Unique and Software's Dependent
In general, we are all typing documents, and do spreadsheets. Not all of us create movies, synchronizing our contact's address and calendar with our cell phone or our PDA. Some of us may need CAD application, and others may need statistic analysis software. Most architects and product designers need CAD application. Most collage and universities that have social science studies, especially their students need statistics analysis software. These areas have not been touched by Mac's platform very well. These types of PC's users won't switch to Mac because there is no application or software alternative(s) in the Mac platform like they usually use in Windows. The problem will be more complex if what they need is mixed. For example, a web designer who use Macromedia's product but he/she also a business studies student. Even though Macromedia MX for Mac is available, MINITab, STATA, and EViews statistic analysis software, doesn't exist in Mac platform. Sadly, the free Graphing Calculator which is free if we use Mac OS 8.x or 9.x is missing from Mac OS X.
What if a person is profiled by color? Let's say orange. This user can customize window and button color in Windows with his/her favorite color: orange. Mac OS X can't do this. I miss Mac OS 9. It let me choose color by theme. Sometimes I imagine I could change the aqua interface color not just blue or graphite, but also green, orange, grape, and other colors - like the colors of the rainbow.

3. Most of PC's Users Love to Play Games
Are there any games that run on Mac? Yes, but not as plenty as in Windows world. Where is Counter Strike, a game from Sierra, for Macintosh? Even though these games are so popular for online gaming and there are many clans around the world who join competition championship; it's not available for the Macintosh! Duh! What about sport games? NBA? NFL? Soccer? F1? Paris Dakar rally? Most of these games are made by EA Sports, and again, they are not available for Mac. Those are the games, which we have to buy if we want to play it. There are games, which PC's users have for free. They're bundled within Windows. They are: Solitaire, FreeCell, Hearts, Spiders, and Minesweeper. Some of them capable to play online, challenge other player across the internet. These games are small games but quite entertaining. Windows doesn't offer chess as game. I guess Mr. Gates understand that chess is too hard to be considering as a game. It’s a sport. I hope Apple include more games in Jaguar. Let's say Hangman that let we choose several universal categories. Or Riversi would be nice. Or should I say Apple needs to build its own game department and deliver Apple’s entertainment pack?

4. PC's Users Think Errors, Crashes, and Bugs are Common for Computers
Just ask a PC's user, how many times he/she has experienced hardware or software error, crashes, implement security patch, updates virus definition, cleaning and optimizing registry, and defragmenting their hard disk. I bet their fingers are not enough to count. Are they complaining? Yes, but they are forgiving. You may think that's ironic. But that's the truth. PC's users think those nightmares they've experienced are common to the computer world. So they think, if they buy a Mac, and if someday this Mac suffers error either with it's hardware or software, they don't know where to go to ask for help. Because Macs are minority, and if there is a problem with their Macs, there is a little chance they will find a person in the neighborhood who understand Mac. And if you live in a region that don't have Apple's authorized dealer, you will face complexity-claiming defects with your Mac, surely it'll cost you a lot of money.
PC's users don't know it doesn't have to be that way. They don't have to do it the hard way. Mac is friendly. It doesn't mean only it’s so easy to use, but it will help to keep them away from staying awake till morning reinstalling Windows and its drivers, plus all of applications they have. Even though they have to send their Mac to the dealer, the dealer still usually sends it to their other branch office in another region, which has technicians. And if an error doesn't cover in the warranty, they still are charged. It's just the same way PC's dealer will do.
So, there are issues here. Problems for Apple and Mac's users. I guess Apple and developers don't do their homework very well. Let's hope they will understand how to pursue PC's users to switch, take lessons from the past of both platform, and use the launch of Tiger next year as a momentum to fix things for good. Hopefully there will be a lot switcher, but not forget to maintain and improve relationship with current Mac's users (please).