It's great to try and spin this as Microsoft being out-of-touch, but in this case they've hit the nail on the head. Their previous "I'm a PC" and "Seinfeld" ads have been terrible - trying to convince us that their computers were cool or every-day machines against Apple's bourgeois style. Those were stupid.

These ads drive to the heart of the issue - many people want something Apple doesn't sell (or doesn't sell at a price they can afford). Microsoft has hit Apple where it counts and that's why these ads are great - and I say that typing from my MacBook Pro. I really don't think this should get into a Macs vs PCs are more expensive argument - those never end well. What I can say is that PCs offer more choice - you can get a 17" PC laptop without having to buy the most expensive processor and the like. In Apple's world, all upgrades come in tandem with things you may or may not want and that makes certain things (like a 17" screen) start at a whopping $2,800.

I'm a programmer. My computer is my livelihood and I'm going to pay up for something because I use it so much. However, Microsoft's ads hit home for many people who go looking for a computer on a budget and don't want to come home with a 13" laptop when they wanted a 15" one - and might not need some of the other things in a MacBook. If your budget is $1,500, the only Mac laptop you can get is the MacBook 13". It's a tight spot for many people buying computers.

And this ad puts that tight spot on the screen. It's not going to convince me to buy a PC, but it's going to get others thinking about the features they want and the availability of those features in Macs at a price they'll accept. Again, I hope this doesn't start a Mac vs PC price crap thing because it's really about the customization - aka, why do I need to buy a 2.66GHz processor to get a 17" screen?