Comment Re:hmm (Score 1) 368
You were the one that made the declaration that if something better existed, then you would buy it. That, by implication, means you have no brand loyalty to Apple, therefore I asked you to prove lack of that brand loyalty by scratching off the logo.
I'll help to try and clarify BitZtream's point a little... not adding an Apple logo onto a computer that does not yet have an Apple logo is worlds different from scratching an Apple logo off of a computer that does have one. "The Apple branding on my devices isn't important" means that one does not care if it's there or not. Not caring about whether or not there is an Apple logo means that, without added incentive, one is not going to add an Apple logo if it's not there, and one is not going to scratch it off if it is. It does not necessitate scratching off an already-existing logo, because it has already been posited that one does not care.
Furthermore, if one scratches the Apple logo off of one's computer without an external incentive to do so, then it can be safely assumed that one does, indeed, care whether or not there is an Apple logo on the machine.
In fact, I believe that it would be enlightening to see how many people would pay $50 less to get an Apple computer that doesn't sport an Apple logo versus an otherwise-equivalent one that does.
Yes, you are correct. I *AM* concerned enough about logos to the point where they are not the sole criteria by which I choose to use something. Similarly, I know enough about them to realise that just sticking a logo on something means the price of it can be increased. Other than that, I can't say I even remember who made the BIOS on each one of the PCs I own - maybe when I'm bored with "fishing for fanbois and reeling them in", I'll reboot this machine, take a look and then let you know.
It sounds to me like you're making an implicit straw-man comparison here. I doubt that most people who buy Apple products do so solely because of the logo, though that may play a non-zero role in the decision-making process, and the branding likely does get reflected somewhat in the price of the product. For instance, Mac OS X does not come pre-installed (legally) on any other manufacturer's computers that I know of. Say what you will about the relative merits and demerits of that operating system versus others, Mac OS X is more valuable to some people than Microsoft Windows is, and those people will pay a higher price for a Mac than they will for a "Windows machine" of equivalent hardware specifications.
I am not automatically an Apple hater - it's just in 30+ years of using computers and gadgets, I've never worked out a good enough reason to buy anything they've made. I stand prepared to be educated by those who do - so off you go then, I'm listening...
I completely agree with your stated position, though I can only really claim a mere 15+ years of using computers and gadgets, myself.
One potentially good reason that one might buy an Apple machine, if you are genuinely looking for such a reason, is to be able to develop applications to sell on the App Store. That kind of exposure could be lucrative under the proper conditions. It's not a good reason for me to buy a Mac for myself, but I believe that it is a good enough reason for the rational consumer who does have those needs.