Windows Market Share vs Snow Leopard

Saw the following article on eWeek  Microsoft’s Windows Share Falls, Snow Leopard Gains, Report Finds.

I switched to a MAC about a year ago. And I see a lot of people around me buying MAC’s. Although IT at MFE doesn’t officially support them, but there is an informal mailing list for common issues. Usually there is a smart guy or gal who has figured it out.

But 95% of folks who use mac at work, are running windows in a virtual machine using fusion or parallels. So yes while they are using snow leopard, they are still using windows. So the MAC marketshare is more of a hardware thing and I would find it threatens the HP, Dell and Lenovo more than it should threaten Microsoft atleast from an enterprise perspective.

Maybe the story in the consumer market it diffierent. But there netbooks are making a strong resurgence. And although there are a lot of netbooks with linux. Most of those selling are windows.

My Mom switched to Microsoft Essentials

I first heard about MSFT Security launch at dinner from my Mom, she had installed it on her laptop.

I asked “already ?”.

Today several people in the hallway at work were talking about it (I work at McAfee), there were emails flying around. It was very interesting to hear/read: people said the detection is not good, MS should stick to their business, people won’t trust MS …. Our business is safe.

I was like hmm… my mom switched. Maybe I am new to MFE and have not drunk the cool-aid. Then another thought struck me, completely unrelated about my Mom’s practice (she is an OBGYN).

“People will switch because they don’t know the difference”

In my mom’s practice she tries really hard that her patients don’t have a c-section. Many of her students on the other hand advice their patients to have one by default (doctor’s make more money when you have a c-section). I heard this as a kid growing up. Then one day while waiting for my mom at her clinic, I heard two expectant mothers talking:

“I really like that doctor. My first delivery was so painless. I picked an auspicious date, went in, they were ready for me. No labor pains, anesthesia, when I woke up baby was there, I was home 2 days later and walking in a week. All my colleagues tell me they went through enormous pain, I just don’t get it”

I said “wow”.  Look at it from her point of view: no rush, scheduled delivery, no pain, she doesn’t know the difference what is good or bad for her down the road.

As I was hearing these folks at work it was dejavu. The don’t get it, most consumers can’t make out the difference.

From their perspective, its free, it does not slow down the system and it is from a respectable company Microsoft. They get spyware with MFE or SYMC or AVG. They will get some with MSFT, its not something in their control or something they care about.

Fascinating to watch at home and work. Who will get it right? What does the consumer really care about?