Windows users don't care or know anything about computers
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Paul Graham wrote recently, in a web essay, that
Microsoft is dead. One his main points is that Apple is having something to do with its demise. Of course, google is in the picture as well, but that is old news.
What I found interesting is a comment he made. I agree that the Mac has made a comeback, but to make this generalization is a bit harsh, I think:
...Apple has come back from the dead in a way that is extremely rare in technology. [2] Their victory is so complete that I'm now surprised when I come across a computer running Windows. Nearly all the people we fund at Y Combinator use Apple laptops. It was the same in the audience at startup school. All the computer people use Macs or Linux now. Windows is for grandmas, like Macs used to be in the 90s. So not only does the desktop no longer matter, no one who cares about computers uses Microsoft's anyway.
I took notice because I like computers and I use an IBM ThinkPad X60s that runs Windows XP. In some way you could say that I "care" about computers. Note that I'm not a passionate zealot. I mean, the computer is just a tool and I will use the one that solves my current problem.
So I'm wondering if the statistical sample he used to make such a general statement is confounded to the fact that the group of people that "care" about computers is larger than the population that apply for Y Combinator money or are interested in the products he sells? I would venture to say...Ah...Maybe...
However, now I know that if I ever want money from Y Combinator I will bring in a Mac to play the part of "cool computer guy in the know," and, most importantly, to prove that I'm not a grandma dressed as a man. Oh, right. I can also install Linux and recompile the kernel while in the middle of my 30 second elevator pitch. That will definitely impress investors...I'm sure...
Update: I can see now that the ploy to write such things in a wessay (web essay) is to
generate traffic. I admit to falling pray as I linked to Graham's blog. To make things even, in the future, I will write an entry called "Google is Dead--And Microsoft Kill it!" and keep track of my traffic increase.
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