Reading 1 - Truc Le

After reading Neal Stephenson’s “In the Beginning was the Command Line”, I think the author covered a great deal of detail about the development and organization of two rival companies – Microsoft Corporation and Apple Inc. The article started with Jobs and Wozniak’s unorthodox success by selling information operating systems; then came a more uncommon triumph made by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who tried to sell people computer operating systems.

At first, the competition between Microsoft and Apple seemed irrelevant to me, as one is a software company while the other is a hardware one, and both companies use the same programming language – telegrams – to build their operating systems. Although Windows and Mac are somewhat similar in functions, people take sides when it comes to discussing the “Windows versus Mac” question. But as I kept reading, I realized that the source of debate between Microsoft and Apple fans lied mostly in these companies’ interfaces and management; this brought me to my questions: how many percentages do a product’s appearance account in consumers’ mind when they make their purchase? Why do consumers have the  “I want to believe” feeling, which eventually lead them to the fall into the business “traps” of either Microsoft or Apple?

I am not sure about the latter question, but I agree that the modern look of Macs excite me. However, when I actually used a Mac, I really felt its human-centered design, in which Apple surpasses Microsoft. For example, the Mac’s touchpad allow users to navigate through the interface by making different finger movements. Most of the author’s arguments were around the command line interface of Microsoft and the graphical user interface of Apple. Besides, he also noted that Apple has a more effective advertising campaign, allowing them to “plant the image of them being rebellious free thinkers.” In my opinion, this feature really adds up to Apple’s success because consumers see Apple as an energetic, technologically driven company that has more potential in the future high tech world. In short, I second the author’s opinion about Apple, whose computers are more aesthetically pleasing and a “superb piece of engineering.”