eWeek's opinions on the future of Apple

[rubicon]

Article is here: http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1589206,00.asp

It's main points state that Apple should abandon the computer market and they've lost their innovation. The conclude that Apple should embrace the "media center" PC concept (which Jobs doesn't) and should engage in the smart-phone and PDA market.

I'm primarily a Windows user but use a PowerBook about 30% of the time. I'm a computer consultant servicing Windows networks.

I've learned a few things about Apple:

1) Longevity. The hardware lasts a long time: a friend has an G3 iBook running at 333 MHz and he's quite pleased with it. He also has an Athlon XP Windows machine which he uses only to burn DVDs. I recently reinstalled Windows XP on a Pentium III 1 GHz - the word "slow" doesn't begin to describe it.

2) Drivers. Apple hardware and driver software plays nicely. I spend countless hours trying to get Windows drivers to work (I finally gave up on using Bluetooth in XP when it wouldn't recognize my cell phone). Don't get me started on Linux which wouldn't even recognize a D-Link network card. I don't spend any time t-shooting Mac drivers.

3) Patches. It seems that 10% of the "required" Windows security patches break something else important to the OS.

4) Usability. Windows is easy to use I guess, but so would be an upside down steering wheel if every car had one. OS X is intuitive and clean. Windows UI is screaming "bloat."

5) Power. OS X is UNIX based with industry standard commands like chmod. Want to modify file permissions in Windows? You can use CACLS or XACLS. Windows lacks a ton of commands that are built-in to *NIX. Windows Server 2003 adds a lot of missing commands but all are proprietarily named.

6) Innovation. Enderle and Dvorak state that Apple is taking more from Microsoft than Xerox these days. What??!! You call that side bar in Longhorn innovation? The Start menu? WTF has Microsoft innovated recently? BTW, Windows still doesn't have a window management system like Expose or Linux. Most third-party ones don't work properly and crash or lose windows after being on for days/weeks.

7) Easy. Installing software in OS X is just as easy as OS 9. Drag, drop, open. Uninstalling is just as easy for most apps. I don't need to tinker in the Registry or look for DLL files scattered in five different folders as with Windows. Installing Linux software isn't so easy either.

8) Productivity. I get work done on my Mac. I get work done on the PC but I need to install a lot of other tools to get there. 500 Windows updates and security patches, freeware, a decent image browser/catalog app, better CD burning software, on and on.

The Media Center concept is an interesting one but it has caveats. You need to hook it into your TV or stereo. You need to get a dual-output video card that is smart enough to display on a TV and monitor (Windows is a real bear to get configured properly on multiple displays). The PVR that is built-in to a Media PC isn't of much use if it can't tune the channel on your satellite receiver. Or maybe it can if I use a remote control "mouse." Does the PVR stop recording after two hours because of limitations with Windows' AVI format? Etc. Media PCs are all the rage but not terribly seamless - yet.

Microsoft failed to be successful with the AutoPC based on Windows CE although they keep trying. The PocketPC is a clumsy device because the OS is clumsy (keep clicking the X to close windows and finally load up the Task Manager to actually terminate the running apps - what??!!).

Smart Phones. Let's see: Palm OS, PocketPC, Symbian. Did I miss one? Why should Apple get involved in that mess?

MP3 players. The iPod might rock but most of these devices are/will become commodities. As suggested by Dvorak, I'm not sure Apple should be aspiring to become the King of Portable Media Devices. Besides, they get hammered by the press for the cost of the stuff.

Lastly, customers drive the market. Vendors drive the marketing. Microsoft can entice us to use Windows but we'll use what works or what our buddy has recommended. Windows users are cheap. They pirate most of their software (I don't know a single person that has bought Office) and wait for hardware to drop to prices so cheap that only slave labor in China can manufacture it. We all know that a $300 PC is a POS. On the contrary, I'm not sure if dropping $3000 on a PowerBook is a better investment than a $1500 Windows laptop, but you do get what you pay for. I'd buy another PowerBook in a second.

Perhaps the fate of Apple is truly in the hands of Wall Street and its financials. However, the press should tell the proper story and stop covering for Microsoft. Windows is similar to climbing uphill - lots of energy and effort but is it really worth the climb?

[dlloyd]

Amen, good points. I don't pirate software, and my Dad has bought Office for his PC