Rob's right to theatrically yawn about Apple's 'Get A Mac' campaign. I'm a die-hard Mac user, and I always found it boring, insufferably smug and, well, ironic that the coolest, hippest and smartest guy in the campaign — John Hodgman — was playing clueless, curmudgeonly straightman to a good-for-nothing hipster doofus. A couple years later, it's more boring than ever.

That all said, Microsoft's attempts to come up with an equally effective and memorable campaign are pitiful. This ad, featuring Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld, was aired last night as part of a $300 million ad campaign, and... what the hell is this supposed to be advertising? It's a minute and a half long non sequitur with a Windows icon slapped at the end.

Granted, Microsoft has its hands tied behind its back by the 'Get A Mac' ads. It can't confront them head-on without looking desperate. But surely $300 million can buy more humor than this.

The ultimate Windows ad, of course? Hiring John Hodgman, putting him in front of a camera, getting him to say "I'm a PC" and then give him free reign to be awesome. I'd never tire of those. Unfortunately, Hodgman's contractually locked up. Perhaps Stephen Colbert could be wooed? He's got the right mix of stuffiness, self-parody, wit and intelligence. Stephen Colbert claiming to be a Windows PC, in character and on camera, would defuse the last two years of Apple ads in one thirty second spot. Establishment and counter-establishment rolled up together into one devastating avatar.