Microsoft Gurus are not Apple Geniuses

Microsoft is sure stupid. Someone goes to a "guru" if they want to know how to do something, not if they want to buy something. Just misleading stuff as a result of another half-assed Microsoft attempt of copying apple.

Hi,
I've met the Apple people that are in Best Buys, I've also seen the price on Apple Products. I own 3 PCs that I have each optimized to do specific tasks, and they each work quite fast, even the oldest one, and for the amount of money I spent on all 3 I could buy one Mac of equivelant hardware to my second fastest Windows-based PC.
I like MacOSX, I don't like that every update/new feature/version they charge again. Which they like to do on a much more regular basis than Microsoft. I like Apple hardware because it is optimized for the specific purpose of running MacOSX, and with the latest mac books it could play games too, if there were games for it. I mean, lots of games. I have people who come to me all the time looking for this software or that software, and if they have Windows I can offer them tons of solutions from pocket change to expensive industrial programs. For Mac I have significantly less options and only a few levels of technical variance.
To say MacOSX is easy, is a joke. It is easy for people who use them. Even in a test done by Mac users where they idealistically found out that each PC they ran in tests ran slower than the Mac versions, they also concluded that there was only a small inclination toward the Mac for useability.
It saddens me that there are no other companies coming out with Operating Systems, and that the only availability I have is Windows for a cheap computer, Windows if I want a super fast Linux box, or an extremely expensive Mac that I can run windows on when I need compatibility and not just a fine-tuned-Apple's-way environment. I can pay much much much less and get a Microsoft's-way environment and do whatever I want with it.
If I want to change something in Windows and don't know how (which is rare) I just ask one of the other 88% of the computer world who runs Windows and it is likely I get an answer. I don't want MacOS to win versus Windows, I want Windows to win versus all the OEMs out there. If you've ever used a professionally cleaned, or even just retail optimized PC it runs lightning circles around that of any computer without that done. Just like Mac's do, and for a lot less money you can get a PC cleaned. If people knew that, if people did that, they'd have less complaints with Windows. And yet, despite all the supposed complaints there's millions more people who use Windows over Mac. You'd think, just maybe, if someone was so upset with a Windows computer why don't they just go to Mac? Because it isn't as bad as people want it to be, in fact the latest (Vista) is quite an improvement over any Windows version I've used before. My gaming machine is faster, my laptops work better, and my networked media-PC is outstanding huge on storage and wonderful on Security. I can't imagine using a Mac anymore, nor even Linux except as just novelties. Why? Mac's too expensive, Linux is too obtuse. Everything is made for Windows, and that doesn't look like it is changing any time soon. In my job I help both Windows people as well as Mac people. I hear the complaints on both ends. There is, astonishingly enough, complaints about Macs as well as about Windows. The difference right now for me is that the majority of complaints come from Mac users who already own Mac, most of the windows complaints are people who don't want to go to Vista, but have enjoyed for many many many years (without paying one dime for upgrading their OS over that time) Windows XP. Granted, they've also not usually used Vista.
Both are companies, and Mac is finding more and more competitors in the PC world, as far as brands are concerned, because more and more companies are stylizing their PCs. The borish windows laptop is dead, and Mac just had to lower its prices despite an ever increasing cost percentage over the past 5 years, because it knows too... it needs to cut costs.

I hate the phrase "[insert computer specialty] guru." It seems like a way for non-technical (marketing?) people to patronize those who do technical things for a living without overtly being rude. It almost feels derogatory to me and I would never work for someone who referred to me as a guru or some other stupid term. I am a professional, just like any other. If you're going to call your employee a guru (or a genius, for that matter), you should pay them more than $12.50 an hour.

Yes, but can they fit me with a comfortable shoe?

I just passed the final interview for the Microsoft Guru position, seriously 3 hours ago, and am 1 of the final candidates. I can say we will NOT be like Apple Geniuses, only acting as a "liaison" for Microsoft in the field, much like the very same people Apple employs at Best Buy and used to Employ at CompUSA.
We would communicate to and from Microsoft and provide a clearer picture to customers of what would best suit their needs than the standard Best Buy/ Circuit City workers could.
It does worry me that so many of you believe that the position I am being considered for has such a low chance of lasting long...Maybe I shouldn't accept it... ?
(PS: It is not a commission position, and it's pay varies between $20-25/Hour, which is $3/hour higher than Apple Genius average pay.)
(PPS: Although it was not a requirement, I am A+ and MCSE Certified.)

As if "Genius" weren't a marketing gimmick? Perhaps hiring gimmick could be more appropriate here..having been one, after a couple months you hate every Apple product, every apple customer, all the stupid derogatory, snide "Genius" remarks from the people wanting your help. At this point, you may as well be working the returns desk at wal-mart. Apple is just another corporation out to make a buck, just like microsoft, google, etc... Get over it. It's ALL marketing gimmicks.

You should not exactly say that a Genius is there for only post-purchase questions. Often times then not, customer bring in their customers (pen and paper) to the bar, make appointments, and get their questions answered pre-purchase. Not always do we just help
Apple customers after their purchases.

Microsoft might be biting the hand that feeds here. Blissful ignorance sells an awful lot of Windows, and unless you're buying a Mac it's not like you have much of a choice in the matter. If Microsoft's true intention is to raise OS awareness then more people will give the Mac serious consideration. I think a more likely scenario is a comprehensive up-sell: Ultimate versions of products, Forefront subscriptions, Live services, etc.

I have to agree with some of the comments here. That is the worst pole I have ever seen on this site. I love my Mac and I also love my PC's. And, yes I know this is a mac site, posting a pole to, well, mac users. But really?!? Does the pole have to be this bad? All I have to say is that I am a little disappointed. Of course I will still come here as a great source for my mac geek blog needs. Please keep up the otherwise great work folks.

- K

Gurus will be your source when you need to meditate with some Crashytime Chamomile