Logic watch

Have you seen those new Apple Macintosh ads?

You know, the ones where the hip, trendy and "with-it" young guy, representing Macintoshes, is contrasted with the boring, staid, reliable older man, representing PCs.

The impression you're supposed to take away from this advertisement is that Macs are interesting and PCs are boring -- Macs can play dazzling multimedia presentations, and PCs can draw spreadsheets.

Besides the obvious problem with this advertisement -- ie. both Macs and PCs can both play dazzling multimedia presentations and draw spreadsheets (and usually using the same file formats) -- there is also a logical fallacy contained in the argument.

This is the fallacy of the false dilemma -- Apple want you to believe that you must do it their way or not at all. What they are saying, in essence, is that: "We can do presentations. You are not us. Therefore, you cannot do presentations." Completely incorrect.

It's much the same as George W. Bush's statement -- "You're either with us, or against us." Just because somebody was not "with" George W. Bush, it does not automatically mean that they are "against" him (and his country). Witness Switzerland, New Zealand, and any host of other non-involved countries.

Just remember this the next time you attempt to buy a personal computer.