A massive worldwide sale of 'end of life' stock has seen the vendor slashing prices on some Mac modules by as much as AU$2400, but a ZDNet reader survey of more than 500 respondents found that most Windows users were still not tempted.
A spokesperson for Apple's local operation shrugged off the sale's lukewarm reception amongst Windows users, explaining that the campaign was aimed at the vendor's existing corporate and consumer-level customers, not new customers.
"They're (price cuts) not targeted at Windows converts. Although, we do get some converts," they said.
The ZDNet survey found that 319 readers - 65 percent of survey respondents - had no intention of making the switch to Mac in light of the price cuts.
Only 18 percent of respondents said they would consider dropping Windows in favour of the Mac price cuts. The remaining 17 percent were already Mac users.
The Apple spokesperson said the worldwide sale, which commenced locally in January, had already seen some product lines "sold through" to resellers.
The manufacturer's warehouses were already emptied of all remaining G4 400 and G4 500 PowerMacs and G3 500 PowerBooks based on the sale. However, some G4 450 PowerMacs and G3 400 PowerBooks still remained on the Apple shelves.
No figures were available, but the Apple spokesperson said no reseller had sold out of any product line yet.
The thing that will win converts is the imminent release of OS X. Windows users-- indeed ALL computer users-- are lusting after the power and stability of UNIX. Witness the glamour surrounding LINUX. But I believe only Apple will be able to deliver a truly friendly, well supported UNIX-based OS (like BSD-based OS X) to the public. That is, if Apple markets it well. Insufficient advertising has always been Apple's biggest downfall.