Mixture,
I am sure that we are all grateful for your techie contributions here. I certainly am.
I won't reply to your point about divis. I'll agree to disagree. For most co.s, divis are important. For others, they are not.

Your point that this is the techie patch is well made. I'll shut up, now.

Just wondering
 

OK Microsoft have more than a few strings to their bow. Remember Windows Server and the phone operating system I cannot remember the desig there) - But is the emerging uncertainty over the direction of the forthcoming Windows 8 operating system starting to make the professional investors look at their Microsoft holdings?

Remember there's somthing like 1.3 billion PC.s worldwide. they are not all using Windows but am overwhelming proportion > 85 % from memory: are.

CATIII-NDB,

Problem is, most people just look at "PCs" and forget about how embedded Microsoft is in the business and government worlds. Microsoft are not going anywhere anytime soon.

I see no reason to sell Microsoft shares. Even if they are unlikely to soar any time soon, they are equally if not more unlikely to ever dive substantially. Hence making a nice stable platform for those who like going after dividends or just want a stable rock in their portfolio.

Mixture
 

I know; but the world gradually started to move away from MS when Vista (an interim O.S) was realeased onto the world. I'm on XP (SP3) typing this but I use Linux in one form or another fot 60% of my work now.

I have used Windows 7 which I like but H/W updates are a few years away from me for a while.

CATIII-NDB,

Indeed. I agree with you. XP SP3 was a great OS. Vista should have NEVER been released. Windows 7 is what Vista should have been, and so therefore hopefully Windows 8 will reflect the true next generation Microsoft set out to create all those years ago.

Lots of people fail to understand Apple and the OS X platform and are apparently only capable of throwing childish "fanboy" comments out in Apple's direction, but it's my platform of choice at PC level for myself. None of the Linux lark comes anywhere near the refinement of OS X, and Apple's hardware is top notch.

On servers .... a decent BSD or Linux release. But sometimes there's no escaping Windows.

Apple customer service
 

OK so the new ipad 3 is out. A great piece of kit and well worth the wait. But what a hassle to get one. Calling a certain Apple shop here in the UK to ask if there are any available is like asking to be be let in the Pentagon. Why do Apple have to be so top secret in telling you the chances of buying one from a shop are good, or not. Some snotty girl told me it was not company policy to let customers know about stock levels. When I pointed out that I would have to travel from the sticks her reply was 'tough' you have to take your chance like everyone else. I really cannot see the problem in being told yes we have plenty or no there are only a few left......

Thank goodness for the likes of Argos. You choose your product online and find which store has it, reserve it, pay and collect it.

You can't create hype and demand if there are plenty floating about.

crewmeal,

Is there a reason why you need one "right now" and can't wait a couple of weeks for the launch demand to die down (or just order online via the Apple store).

If you think about it, Apple just want to ensure a fair, level playing field on a first come, first serve basis. The potential problem with telling people about availability is that you'll get the eBay brigade turning up to buy a handful of units to resell at inflated prices on the aforementioned auction website.

I suspect therefore that the "policy" only applies around the launch period, and that post-launch they'll probably be more than happy to tell you about availability.


maliyahsdad2,

I'm getting rather sick and tired of childish comments on here from people who can't manage to say anything else about Apple other than regurgitating the same old "fanboy", "hype" rubbish they've heard down the pub.

I appreciate you probably don't work in the IT industry and hence look at things from a consumer point of view (and a one-sided biased consumer at that !). But those of us in the industry can't help but recognise that a lot of hard work and effort has gone into making top quality products.

Choice of computing platform is like the traditional topics of religion and political party allegiance. They all have good and bad points, and they all have an inherent tendency to create never ending arguments. As with the latter two items, the best course of action with computing is also to keep schtum rather than stand on your silly little soapbox sounding like a madman in the belief that you're right and those who follow the other side are mistaken.

I didn't see anything childish or contentious in Maliyas post. It's a standard practice for certain companies to 'stir' demand by being a bit coy about stock levels.

Mixture - The main reason I wanted one was for a birthday present. However this particular present is now settled in Jordan and working well as I type. It was all about timing in this instance.

Yes you're right perhaps I should wait for the all the hype to die down before purchasing a new product, which I normally do. Again the Daily Mail highlighted people buying ipads and selling them on for grossly inflated prices and I saw one for sale on fleebay at £100 above the recommended price. No doubt the scammers will be working in overdrive to get their grubby paws on one.

or just use something like ipad stock checker

I've always wondered what the point is of getting "the first" device in such examples, with people camping out on streets for days for the honour. Of course most are quite young and the kudos of having the currency of the moment elevates them for a few days/weeks within their peer group, but then....Better to wait a few weeks when the crush and madness has gone and buy the dream, with all the beta/testers having weedled out the faults ;) There is no doubt that Apple have developed some game changing products enveloped in uebercool form that are for many simply too enticing to ignore.

I came to computing later than most, except for learning Fortran and Cobol years before :8 and bypassed the in between stages of personal computing dominated by Bill Gates et al and straight into Apple. I'm happy with what I've used and experienced and thus far, their customer service has been second to none, especially when done in person at a Genius Bar. Where it's all heading who knows, but up until now they haven't put a foot wrong in broad terms. Each to their own and when all is said and done they're only things whatever manufacturer and OS.



SHJ

People here in HKG (including mates who are usually level headed) are going daft (again) over getting The New Apple Shiny thing first. Phuq 'em.

Wait a few days & the demand from the flock of wannabees will die down & you will be able to get the Shiny Thing and app & sync to your hearts content.

I like Apple products, but strewth - it's just a 'puter and very soon New Shiny Thing will just be another clitoris.

:confused::confused::confused:

Something to initially fondle, then later treat roughly, and eventually trade in for a newer prettier model

I guess I'm a bit of a sucker for Apple products - having resisted the onslaught for years. But it has its compensations. When my iPhone 3gs played up (after installing ios4) the Apple shop staff were very helpful and that, combined with my apparent product ownership (they have history of all my purchases even though many were bought as presents), got me a brand new phone despite being out of warranty. I discussed the secrecy thing with the staff at the time and they said that they never knew ahead of time when new stuff was coming out. Sometimes unmarked boxes of stuff would arrive in the warehouse but to open them would risk their jobs.

Recently i bought a case for the new 4S, which was advertised as fitting both that and the 4, but which didn't quite fit the newer model - we now know that they have slightly different button positions. The telephone help desk refunded the money but also said that, as it was relatively low cost item, he wouldn't waste my time returning it. Maybe i've been lucky but I can't fault their service.

There is an absoloutely WONDERFUL (German speaking, but language is irrelevant) video available on you**** which asks a dad how he is doing with the latest ipad. I won't tell you what he is doing with it. it is brilliant.

I remember when I could've bought up a crapload of unloaded
Apple shares at 15 bucks a pop. I never ever thought that mob
would catch on the way it has. BIG BIG mistake. :(


Probably why they can afford R&D rather than some bloody
useless government squandering it all on socialist garbage.

Clitoris...every @#$% has one.

My hard drive is shot
 

I don't own any Apple computing products but probably would if I didn't have a work supplied W7 laptop.Friends tell me they're excellent and I have no reason to doubt them.I have noticed though that everything Apple gets feverish coverage in the media,massive amounts of free front page advertising.I guess that's a result of their very clever marketing department.I thought the following take by a German 'artist' was interesting:

Shot in the hard-drive: Artist destroys Macs, iPhones and iPads | Smartphone News & Reviews | thetelegraph.com.au