Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Very interesting bit of finance on my oul steam driven Radio 4 this morning about topics close to our heart. The High St, Computers, and Economics.
Off the top of my head this..
For the first time in its history Microsoft Sales have fallen by 6% in the first quarter of this year, this is clearly the first time they have ever experienced a setback of any kind to do with sales and finance. So very indicative of just how deep and wide the recession is when the likes of Microsoft feel the pain.
On the other hand and completely baffling to the experts, but here's the thing, very much in line with what Rick was saying last week in another thread, sales at Amazon are up a staggering 24% for the same period. In a deep deep recession thats a real headscratching baffler. Ricks point was that he never used the High St for anything other than browsing...then went on to buy everything cheaper from the internet, and here we have conclusive proof that others are doing the same thing and no mistake. There is no argument with the bottom line...ever.
So staggering performance by Amazon there...and a further tolling deathknell for the High St. Not only has the hapless High St got Tesco and and the ever growing Morrisons to contend with( they are even eating into Tesco's marketshare) but the growth and growth of the internet is a total concern. This market will contiue to grow..it shows no sign of abating. I have very recently just ordered a new Dell without ever seeing sight of a High St.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
swings and roundabouts,one goes up another goes down.but its good to see some movement in the market place,it might make microsoft reasses there marketing practice.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
What Im particularly drawing attention to there Brian is the fact that people are still spending but are being cautious about how they spend, as was mentioned previously. They are searching more for bargains, hence the internet soar with regard to Amazon and this is very significant. There are sadly very few bargains to be had on the High St these days. The bargains have moved out of town in some cases and into cyberspace in others.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
paulb as i said swings and roundabouts,without a pc = no internet shopping.its commoly called a catch 22 syndrome.without one you cant do the other.and that was the point i was making.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,696
Microsoft sales are down because many corporate customers have not and will not upgrade to Vista, or for that matter the later versions of MS Office
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
I'd love to see Microsoft go bust instead of all these banks. That would be a great day for celebration, but hey, that's another thread for another day.
I don't know if the historical data is still around but online sales generally have always been strong - at least, since the big famous dot-com bust of 2000. Once the hype and silliness of the 1990s had died down and the internet settled into its rightful market place, online sales have been very strong with no sign of slowing down. Decreasing prices of computers has helped, as well as the web finding its way into other mediums such as Web TV, mobile gadgets, games consoles, and so on. It is now just so stupidly easy to buy online, and often a lot cheaper, and with the development of Web 2.0 and its associated technology upgrades, the experience itself is getting ever easier and more pleasant.
In the face of all this the traditional Medieval high street doesn't stand a chance. I don't believe for one second that the strong online sales are a result of the recession forcing people to opt for online stores but rather is an example of a deeper trend which will still be there even once the economy is recovered. Mark my words. The web represents not only a change in consumer habits but a genuine evolutionary leap, and the world is ready for it and wants it.
This evening, while waiting for Claire to return from London, I went online and bought a couple of albums. Paid about half the price of any shop, downloaded them in about 5 minutes, and am listening to them right now as I type this. What possible chance does the high street have against that sort of affordable freedom?
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
It has none Rick, absolutely none; that's probably why sales of CD's in shops/supermarkets are not holding up well - the biggest purchasers of CD's are the older people (like me !) who don't download, who like to have a collection of music, like my old 78s and 45s and LPs.
But you can't sit down have a meal with friends or have a coffee on the internet (well,. O.K. you can, but that's not in the presence of friends etc.).
Shopping, strolling around the Town, retail therapy, trying things on, are all much more enjoyable (to me) than ordering say clothes on the internet; many things can be bought easier and cheaper via the internet it's true, but there are many things that are better to be done physically - actually going there, into Town.
Maybe some shops work better by internet shopping (as in music and holidays), but some still need you to pay them a visit and I hope that will be the case for many years to come.
We'd lose so much by not going into Town.
Roger
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
I have decided to use Open Office on my new netbook instead of MS Office. Its a perfectly good freeware alternative that is broadly compatable.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
try facebook much more fun.
Barry, I use NeoOffice on the Mac. Compatible with almost everything MS office does, barely any problems between them, and it is 100% free of charge. Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, databases, powerpoint presentations, the whole lot - for a big fat zero pounds!!!! No wonder Microsoft are losing custom. They never did grasp the world's delight at open source products!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
good post from roger there, the town centre should be a meeting place for friends and acquaintances.
dover is very good for this.
there would be no point having town council fun days, the street entertainers(that we get, now and again), the big screen and other things, without shops, cafes and bars.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Rick - to what extent is NeoOffice compatable?
Would it, for instance be possible to put an MS Office 2003 database onto it?
i would like a Mac one of these days, if any worries about compatability can be resolved.
Well Barry W, why not pop along and take a look some day? I had exactly the same worries when I was deciding to make the switch to Mac. After all, I have over a decade of "real career" dumped onto PCs, made on PCs, for PCs... but hardly any of it has been lost or rendered unusable by switching to Mac. The BIG pain with the switch is buying the one or two important bits of software that cost a fortune (for me, it was the Adobe creative software - over £2500) but once I got over the shock of spending this the rest was easy. Even the little daft things I enjoyed on PC such as MAME arcade gaming is available on Mac. The little media gadgets I loved on PC are all there too, either free or around twenty dollars (well cheap).
Would be very happy for you to try out NeoOffice on ANY files you've made in Microsoft Office. If it doesn't work (I have yet to find something that doesn't) then Microsoft Office is available on Mac but that's a bit like buying a brand new Porsche and then emptying a rubbish bin into it.
Guest 665- Registered: 24 Mar 2008
- Posts: 345
I converted to Mac the same time as Rick and have to say I have had very few issues with compatibility. The only main thing is my Open University software that I was sent as part of my course - they are still in the 19th century though! I do have an old laptop that I use for that though so can get round it. I am hoping they will catch up so there's no excuse not to with the amount of people using Macs these days. Come on OU!
Other than that it has been fine, and so much easier and more pleasant to use than a pc.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
cant you get open uni on mac conpatible discs.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Thanks Rick - I may just take you up on that....
Please do Barry, you'd be very welcome. Then you can buy a Mac. Then you can join my secret clan hell-bent on ridding the world of all Microsoft computers. Mwa-hahahaaaaaaaa
Guest 665- Registered: 24 Mar 2008
- Posts: 345
Hi Brian, the software I was sent specifically states unfortunately that it is not MAC compatible. Discs are discs and work on anything but the software that's on them doesn't!
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
claire,thats a shame.most things i have worked with ask what system im using then send me the apropeiet discs.
Guest 665- Registered: 24 Mar 2008
- Posts: 345
I know, it's very frustrating. Apparently it's because it would be cost-prohibitive for them to convert all their older software, although I think they are bringing it in for the newer stuff. It just happens that my course is using old software.
