ORIGINAL: Mynok
Well, one important difference between the companies that has at least coincidental value to the perception issue is Apple was primarily a consumer company, while Microsoft was primarily a business company. By that I refer to primary customer base.
Well, you are right, of course. Thing is that businesses don't think quite that way.
Mynok, my brother, just consider: A business, any business, is in the business of offering a product that will cover the costs of developing that product, and thereby make a profit for the investors. There ain't no such thing as a consumer/business company. That's just the marketing. That stuff is not the business. The business is offering a product that will cover the costs .......
There's two ways of looking at this. Top-down, or bottom-up. Customers always look bottom-up. Businesses always look top-down. Sometimes, in the grand scheme of things there's a buisness that pays attention to things percolating up from the bottom. Once you find them, buy their stock. But there is no rule, and there is no ethical scale for businesses. It's like, does your money feel comfy?