Slashdot Mirror
Apple - What A Difference Eight Years Can Make
conq writes "It's been eight years since Michael Dell was asked after a speech at a Gartner conference in Orlando what he would do if he were in charge of Apple Computer. His answer: Shut the company down and give the money back to shareholders. BusinessWeek in its new Byte of The Apple Blog looks at how the tables have turned since then. For example, over the last four quarters Dell has been coming in with a net profit margin of about 6.5%. Meanwhile Apple just finished its fiscal 2005 with a profit margin just shy of 9.6%."
Sure, Dell may have lower profit margins, but I can bet you their actual profit amount is much higher, as they probably have way more volume than apple. All this means is that apple is overcharging for its products. If I see 1 object for 200% of what it costs to make it, than my profit margin is quite high. However, i've only sold 1 product, and haven't managed to make very much money.
Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
There seems to be an endless need in the Apple Kingdom to reaffirm their decisions by finding like-minded acceptance.
Apple users read reviews on Apple Computers, for instance, after they bought their computer just to
reassure themselves that they made the right decision. When they read a bad things about or criticism of Apple,
they get mad.
This continues to happen decade after decade. Insecurity seems to be pandemic among Macphiles.
This phenomenon is the only thing that explains Mac users still getting so adamant.
If Apple had 90 percent market share you wouldn't hear a peep out of Mac users, since the
market itself would have given them the affirmation they need.
Mac users style themselves as non-conformists; in reality, they insecure and utterly intolerant.
Notice how they mod down reasonable criticism around here.
So Dell have a smaller profit margin that Apple. Great, but then Dell aren't propped up by Microsoft.
Lets not forget, Apple would not have made the comback if MS didn't give them $150 million to stay afloat and regroup. Steve Jobs AND Bill Gates really deserve the Tank You from the apple fans.
p ple/2100-1001_3-202143.html
http://news.com.com/MS+to+invest+150+million+in+A
Why don't you post an article from 1997 that shows Apple had $4 billion in cash reserves. Everything I remember and can find from that time period shows a company in financial trouble. Because someone on a blog or slashdot says they had the cash reserves doesn't make it so.