MobileM... icrosoft
Despite a wholly botched launch, replete with undelivered promises and unexplained outages, Apple has emerged from the MobileMe debacle virtually unscathed, freely admitting its poor timing and working tirelessly to ensure all issues are addressed efficiently and publicly. Capped off with a free 90-day extension to all members, Apple is cleaning up MobileMe’s mess the right way, without trying to sweep it under the rug or deflect attention. With such a small base, Apple still has the ability to connect to each of its customers in a way Microsoft can’t. I mean, imagine how bad MobileMe would have be if Apple didn’t care about us.
Dear Valued Customer
Every now and again, someone giddily posts a personalized note from Steve Jobs in a random Apple forum, an unexpected response from an email sent to steve@apple.com. Whether it’s the man himself is irrelevant; the fact that Apple 1) set up a public email address that presumably lands in the Inbox of one of the most powerful CEOs in the world, and 2) reads at least some of the likely thousands of messages that arrive in said Inbox each week, tells us that someone in Cupertino loves us. In Redmond? Not so much.
One Nation, Underdog
Back before the iPod came along and changed everything, Apple was a company that survived by standing on the shoulders of its most devoted fans, buoyed by a rapid fanbase that took the “Think Different” slogan to heart. Using a Mac represented nothing less than being a scrappy maverick who wouldn’t stop fighting until the lights were completely turned out. Of course, the iPod made things a little easier, but its fighting spirit is what’s made Apple so darn lovable all these years. And we wouldn’t want all that success to go to its head and, you know, cause it to start releasing products called Bob or Origami.
Seemingly Seamless
When Apple makes a major change, like the launch of a new OS or the transition to a new processor, there usually aren’t too many bumps in the road. With a small, loyal band of users watching your every move, it’s not so difficult to shake things up every few years or so — or at least not as difficult as Microsoft makes it look. Of course, the product itself is at least partly to blame, but Microsoft’s newest ad campaign suggests that most of its users don’t even know what Vista looks like, despite it having been on shelves for more than a year and a half. Imagine a Mac user finding out today that Mac OS X had Widgets? Or a superfast search engine called Spotlight? If that’s what happens when you gain 95 percent of the market share, we’ll be just fine with our 8 percent, thank you.
Small Dreamers, Big Dreams
Perhaps the most important thing about being Apple is its ability to simply dream bigger than its rivals. As the little guy, Steve knows how important it is to swing for the fences with every release, whether with a new iPod or a simple iMac refresh. Apple can’t afford to let the same OS languish for a decade or release second-rate products that sit on shelves for years. From its Desktop experience to its relentless pursuit of perfection, Apple has never settled for anything less than top-notch, challenging the industry and continuing to reinvent itself as both a leader and an underdog. Of course, we don't exactly know what market dominance will do to Apple's core beliefs, but frankly, we don't want to find out.
jayratch
September 25, 2008 at 1:02am
One of my reasons for switching was how stuff "just worked." But one of the reasons for that is simplicity; fewer drivers, less hardware variations, less code bloat. Its less like that than it used to be, and my Macbook is less quick than when I bought it, despite few upgrades.
I'd like so see a return to nimble, tightly written software like what made the early Macintosh able to do so much more than its competitors, often with lesser specs and smaller files.
And yeah, I guess it'd be nice if the company and user base stayed small for a few reasons- but I can't say I'd mind if my family/friends listened to me on the first bit of computer advice they asked me, instead of the dozens of frustrating Windows issues they later call me about.
There are now only two answers in my free tech support repository... "Buy a Mac" to the "help me pick out a computer" category of questions, and "I told you to buy a mac, why are you asking me more questions" for all others.
Scion of Tytehran
September 23, 2008 at 9:30pm
Personally, I loved the days of a smaller Apple but growth, it seems, was inevitable. My top reason for liking it small was simply that we had nearly zero threats from malicious nerds bent on the tedious harassment of the computing world. Have not you better things to do with your time than to be anti-social? The answer, it seems, is obvious.
My next to the top reason for liking it small concerns my methodology for converting the unwashed, Windoze masses. Slowly but with precious time and care I have been quietly converting my friends and family to the rewards and glory of all things Apple. To be certain I evangelize the safety and security we enjoy but, it is the sheer intuitiveness of OS X which has been my primary weapon of conversion choice.
"Don't you want to be able to just sit down at your computer and have things work without being vexed by the vagaries of Windoze?" To date, all people I consider important to my life have embraced a new iLife and would rather have an eye gouged out with a spoon rather than return to the Evil Empire @ Redmond!
berniegreen
September 22, 2008 at 10:13pm
Of course the article is a piece of fun and we all know that growth is really irreversible. But there is a really serious issue underneath. You all remember the days when everybody went around saying "Think Global, Act Local"? Now we need a new slogan specially for Apple - "Be Huge, Act Small". And in the old days there were people on Apple's payroll called "Evangelists". Maybe this job should be resurrected but switched around so that now they "evangelise" Apple management with the beliefs of us the true believers.
OldRogue
September 22, 2008 at 9:15pm
But it's the one thing that Adam Smith and Karl Marx agreed on, Capitalism must grow or die. The real problems have come with Apple's sudden growth, like when it was all hands on deck for the push to the iPhone launch, leaving Leopard to languish.
I also don't care much for the "switchers". They seem to complain a lot without looking at their manuals, the OSX Help system, or by looking online. I have also noticed a rise in mean-spiritedness on many of the Mac forums, since we got this load of switchers.
And Michael, you should have gone ahead and used the Patriots as your example. People did jump on that bandwagon, just as they are now jumping back off.
Michael Simon
September 16, 2008 at 10:43pm
Nothing personal, of course. But I didn't want to use two New England teams...
Emmett The Crab
September 16, 2008 at 8:15pm
Back then people hated Apple because it was the expensive platform that nobody uses, and they will be going out of business soon. Now they hate Apple because they perceive the company as a hollow shell with a lot of market savvy and no substance.
The people who bought the crappy Dells have to justify their purchase somehow.
John Pitko
September 16, 2008 at 3:30pm
heheh i remember those days :) with my performa and Oregon Trail
Nini
September 16, 2008 at 12:36pm
Nice, sort of thing that'll get all the other guys riled up again but I do miss the Apple of yesteryear a great deal. Sure, it'll never get smaller again and I think they're just too big right now but I want to be the smug Mac loving nerd again!
Was my thing, yknow.
