The disk thrashing that ensues from simply opening a folder worries him, and when he finds out how long it takes to start Solitaire, he immediately deletes the OS and resolves to never again believe IBM's claims. The impact of television advertisements is overrated. Television is great for repeatedly bombarding consumers with a message, but that message has to be extremely simple. Not only is the message too complex, but the average person hasn't got a clue as to what an operating system really is, or how superior multitasking would improve their life. Not only that, but they don't care .
People watch TV to be entertained .
If a commercial isn't funny, sexy, or attention-grabbing, they won't pay attention. A commercial lecturing about multitasking, stability, or the Workplace Shell would make as much impact as dropping a rock into a volcano. TV ads are great for promoting an image, though. The commercials are funny, so people pay attention, and they convey the message that IBM is an innovative company on the forefront of technology. IBM may be crazy, but deciding not to target the consumer market was probably the best marketing decision they could have made.