Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family, iPhone
Nic Carr on the iPhone
Nic Carr has a quick op-ed up over at RoughType that's worth popping by to read. In it, he contrasts Bill Gates with Steve Jobs. Gates, he says, pitches a "'digital lifestyle' that nobody wants...[suggesting] that people want nothing more than to be network administrators." Jobs, in contrast, "is not interested in amateur productions". Carr suggests that Jobs separates the design from the audience, producing usable tools rather than general workflows. It's clear to me that Apple is heading ever more in the direction of digital appliances (the iPhone, AppleTV, etc), but this is also the same company that brings us XCode and Interface Builder. Clearly Apple knows the difference between users and developers and is building their product line to enhance that difference. Just like Macworld is in January and WWDC is in the Summer.
Thanks Joel Martin.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
fil said 4:26PM on 1-10-2007
Good post.
But is it really necessary to draw a false dichotomy between supposedly pro creators and UGC?
The whole thing about the world today is there's room for both.
And I also disagree with the notion that Web 2.0 is just about creating a platform. It's also about creating tools.
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Thomas said 4:47PM on 1-10-2007
'[Microsoft creates a] "digital lifestyle" that nobody wants.'
I love that quote. Totally sums it up.
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SubGenius said 11:10PM on 1-10-2007
Apple leads by example.
Mac developers see how to do it right.
Microsoft sets the bar very low.
Windows developers are uninspired.
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Gerald Buckley said 5:57PM on 1-10-2007
Apple has a love/hate relationship with their developers.
Apple love to HAVE developers. No question.
Apple HATES to let their developers (which I'm one) talk amongst themselves outside of WWDC or sanctioned channels. For instance, why can't I have a dialog with another known ADC Select or Premier Apple Developer in some Apple sanctioned space (which, BTW, doesn't exist)!? That's pretty lame.
And I've raised holy hell about it far and wide. No one's having any of it in Cupertino. I'd give my left leg to discuss Leopard (or appleTV, or...) with other developers if Apple would just crack the door a bit.
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jordan said 7:40PM on 1-10-2007
iphone sucks! Its 8GB for $599.. Thats like carrying around a retarded ps3 in your pocket that will get stolen! Come out with a 60GB version and i MIGHT buy it!
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Mike Utugau said 12:05AM on 1-11-2007
SubGenius, I promote you to the Genius category. Your post is brilliant!!!
Apple leads, Microsoft copies and the rest follow.
In my oppinion, Microsoft is like Hitler trying to appear cool, fashionable...
A poisonous snake will never appear cool...
M$ is on its way down. A few years ago, IBM was like what M$ is today. In the future, M$ will be like IBM is today... a red giant star that burnt all its fuel and is fading away...
Take note of this prevision.
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butterscotch said 2:48PM on 1-21-2007
Um, that wasn't an "op-ed" piece--it was an "ed" piece. ;-)
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