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Dark Helmet · May 5, 2006, 01:59 PM

Ok we all love Apple they do no wrong etc. etc.

But I usually hit there site every day for one reason or another. Ever since they put those silly "I'm a Mac" ads up on there I have been reluctant to go.

I mean a huge company like Apple that gets thousands/millions of hits a day does a huge internet Faux-pas like have a quicktime movie load and start playing without user interaction?

Even that aside it is a big coy showing off how wicked cool your TV ads are.

If another company had done this we'd be screaming to the high heavens.

Dakar · May 5, 2006, 02:08 PM

My company blocks it, so it looks just as bad.

starman · May 5, 2006, 02:11 PM

Agreed. I despise audio on front pages.

Lateralus · May 5, 2006, 02:11 PM

I have QuickTime set to not play movies automatically so it isn't bothering me.

olePigeon · May 5, 2006, 02:12 PM

If they were going to do that, they shoulda made it one of those QT movies that you have to click on the picture before it loads the movie.

Very bad idea to put a movie on the main page.

climber · May 5, 2006, 02:19 PM

I totally agree. Hopefully the page will change soon. There are rumors of a new Macbook next week.

SpaceMonkey · May 5, 2006, 02:20 PM

Meh. It's only 30 seconds, and doesn't repeat. It's not like an obnoxious full-page Flash intro.

Dark Helmet · May 5, 2006, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey

Meh. It's only 30 seconds, and doesn't repeat.

But every time i go to the goddamn page I see this small delay of a video loading and a fat guy yells out "I'm a PC".

I have to make sure my computer is muted before I go to Apple when at work!

Not to mention they don't even use cookies to know that you have already seen the crap.

Eug Wanker · May 5, 2006, 02:26 PM

Yeah, it's lame.

Hugi · May 5, 2006, 03:02 PM

Wow, that's just terrible.

Salty · May 5, 2006, 03:04 PM

Agreed, a View our new adds graphic would have been far better.

OwlBoy · May 5, 2006, 03:08 PM

oh my, I set my internet speed to dail-up (56k) and they still load you a movie, its nearly 1mb depending on the one you get.

That would soo annoy me on dial-up.

-Owl

sek929 · May 5, 2006, 03:17 PM

Very annoying.

My friend Andy just purchased a 12" iBook (he has always wanted a Mac but never had the money to buy one).

I am not familiar with Tiger's functions (still use Panther) so I opened Firefox more than a few times and typed in Apple.com just to cross-reference while I helped him set up his nice new Mac.

The "I'm a PC" started to really bug me. That phrase is the time it takes Firefox to re-direct to a new page.

Obi Wan's Ghost · May 5, 2006, 03:30 PM

I am on a 10mb connection and the damn movie slows Safari down.

Dark Helmet · May 5, 2006, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by sek929

Very annoying.

My friend Andy just purchased a 12" iBook

Why in the world did he do that with the MacBook days away?

andreas_g4 · May 5, 2006, 03:35 PM

It's Apple. I'm just glad they don't charge me 0.99$ for every commercial…

sek929 · May 5, 2006, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

Why in the world did he do that with the MacBook days away?

Apple Refurbished, for $999 or something... he doesn't have new MacBook kinda money.

ghporter · May 5, 2006, 03:41 PM

It was cute. Once. And every time I go there it's the SAME ad. Not smart!

FireWire · May 5, 2006, 03:53 PM

Yes, that's a bad idea. Plus it costs them precious and expensive bandwidth. But, it's not so bad considering you don't have to visit their homepage frequently (I wasn't aware that the ad was there), as you won't learn anything new on their site; even their "hotnews" are not interesting anymore. Plus, we're being harassed daily already by obnoxious Flash ad on online newpaper, and in most case, you can't even turn off the music or pause their ad. It's a total lack of respect for those who listen to music while surfing the web: we have to pause OUR music because it is irritating to hear two different songs at once, with different beat... I think Macromedia (Adobe) should include a Mute or Stop option in the pop-up menu in next revision of Flash. But I see the latest update removed most options in the plug-in's menu...

besson3c · May 5, 2006, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

But every time i go to the goddamn page I see this small delay of a video loading and a fat guy yells out "I'm a PC".

I have to make sure my computer is muted before I go to Apple when at work!

Not to mention they don't even use cookies to know that you have already seen the crap.

That fat guy is a cast member of the Daily Show, isn't he?

besson3c · May 5, 2006, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by Salty

Agreed, a View our new adds graphic would have been far better.

ads, not adds.

Dark Helmet · May 5, 2006, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by besson3c

ads, not adds.

Adz, not ads.

scaught · May 5, 2006, 11:29 PM

i dont think its terrible at all. does anyone know a figure on the amount of users who are currently using a broadband connection to access the internet? with that speed, the ad comes in very quickly. sure it challenges an accepted norm (basically the same "this is a basic splash page" internet welcome thing), but who cares? things like that should be bothering people, especially fancy schmancy web designer folks. :: pokes SWG in the chest::

Dark Helmet · May 6, 2006, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by scaught

i dont think its terrible at all. does anyone know a figure on the amount of users who are currently using a broadband connection to access the internet? with that speed, the ad comes in very quickly. sure it challenges an accepted norm (basically the same "this is a basic splash page" internet welcome thing), but who cares? things like that should be bothering people, especially fancy schmancy web designer folks. :: pokes SWG in the chest::

Did I say I didn't like waiting for the movie to load? No.

I said it is arrogant to have the same movie load (plug ins take a sec) and have the AUDIO blast all over the office.

Salty · May 6, 2006, 01:01 AM

That's one thing that I don't mind since I have AirPort Express. So my music goes through that. The speakers on my laptop are a lot quieter than that... i imagine if I were using a desktop with audio connected that way it'd get annoying fast.

Kr0nos · 02:06 AM

Yep, one of the worst web design faux-pas, IMO.

But I'm afraid it's becoming more and more 'common' (ESPN.com etc.), since some people seem to think that a fast connection makes something like this okay (just a guess).

In reality it's not only irritating, it doesn't really deliver content all that effeciently either. It's just too damn distracting.

zro · May 6, 2006, 02:48 AM

A) Have you given them feedback about it? Apple - Contact Us - Website Feedback

B) Tell them it's amateurish to do such a thing. I did it with an audio file on my first page. Never again...

C) Quick Start movies ALWAYS play without interaction for me even though I have the QT plugin set to not play automagically. *guh*

D) Apple needs a new campaign. This (or Switch or Think Different) is not going to get a person who loves windows to buy a Mac. Not even a person who is comfortable using windows will go for this.

E) I dunno... Guess I just like the letter E.

demograph68 · May 6, 2006, 03:02 AM

THANKS APPLE! MY LIFE IS RUINED!

Chuckit · May 6, 2006, 03:20 AM

Originally Posted by Salty

Agreed, a View our new adds graphic would have been far better.

Apparently that's what you get if you don't have the QuickTime plugin installed.

production_coordinator · May 6, 2006, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by olePigeon

If they were going to do that, they shoulda made it one of those QT movies that you have to click on the picture before it loads the movie.

Very bad idea to put a movie on the main page.

I completely agree... having it auto load is ridiculous and against websites 101.

Hawkeye_a · May 6, 2006, 09:57 AM

I dont like it either.

Stradlater · May 6, 2006, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by demograph68

THANKS APPLE! MY LIFE IS RUINED!

No one's having that much of a hissy fit over it. You're just being a nuisance with that sarcastic hyperbole. Truthfully: do you think it was a good decision on Apple's part?

Kenneth · May 6, 2006, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by Lateralus

I have QuickTime set to not play movies automatically so it isn't bothering me.

I disabled that feature since day 1, so I never noticed that the ad is actually playing on apple.com.

SSharon · May 6, 2006, 10:06 PM

I hate this crap too.
Can we point to this thread the next time someone says all mac users love apple more than anything in the world?
See, we complain about apple too!

jasonsRX7 · May 7, 2006, 02:22 AM

I couldn't believe Apple put that on their homepage... I could see them showing a screen shot and making you click to watch, but having it automatically play is terrible. Even ebaumsworld doesn't automatically blast you with sound and video.

Ozmodiar · May 7, 2006, 02:43 AM

Originally Posted by zro

a person who loves windows

I know what those words mean, but that just doesn't make any sense.

Scotttheking · May 7, 2006, 10:00 PM

It was amazingly annoying. I wanted some info, and I had to search the front page to find the right link...uggh. I had to dive for the mute button.

SSharon · May 7, 2006, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by zro

A) Have you given them feedback about it? Apple - Contact Us - Website Feedback

Feedback left.

turtle777 · May 7, 2006, 10:44 PM

Agree, it suxx big time.

Reported.

-t

TiggerToo · May 8, 2006, 04:49 AM

You may be interested, or not, to know that many of Apple's pages use QT movies n them without asking you and you probably never noticed (judging by this thread). All the pro apps pages with their fancy animations, etc. Apple use flash!!

Get over it, this is the broadband age if you're on dial-up then put up with it or get off the internet i say!

peace.

Hal06 · May 8, 2006, 05:26 AM

Get over it, this is the broadband age if you're on dial-up then put up with it or get off the internet i say!

So what's next?, HD only trailers all the way?, no thanks.

ajprice · May 8, 2006, 05:40 AM

Originally Posted by Inside Man

So what's next?, HD only trailers all the way?, no thanks.

No, you will have a choice of great big HD video or small resolution iPod format video, because, y'know, everyone has Video iPods and HD monitors now...

SSharon · May 8, 2006, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by TiggerToo

You may be interested, or not, to know that many of Apple's pages use QT movies n them without asking you and you probably never noticed (judging by this thread). All the pro apps pages with their fancy animations, etc. Apple use flash!!

Get over it, this is the broadband age if you're on dial-up then put up with it or get off the internet i say!

peace.

I do use broadband and I am still pissed. I am not complaining about loading times I am complaining because it's annoying to look at. The home page is different than any other page and the use of flash on the pro pages doesn't thrill me either.

BRussell · May 9, 2006, 10:32 AM

The ad is now on CNN's main page. It loads and plays, without sound.

Dark Helmet · May 9, 2006, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by BRussell

The ad is now on CNN's main page. It loads and plays, without sound.

I was about to post the same. Now Apple wants to annoy more than just its own visitors.

nredman · May 9, 2006, 05:38 PM

at least CNN lets you decide if you want sound - thats what bothers me...sounds on websites usually scare the crap out of me

WayzataXC05 · May 9, 2006, 07:53 PM

Today I went to cnn.com and saw one of the apple videos playing on the right side of the page. Had to click to get sound, but still very interesting.

Edit: I suppose I could read the rest of the posts before i reply. OOps....