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Weblog:   Mac mini - the "just enough" computer
Subject:   Perfect is the enemy of good, and market share
Date:   2005-01-19 06:38:09
From:   rluttman
I've been a mac user for eons, use a PC only with a gun at my head. As an engineer and quality professional, I deeply appreciate the mac difference and am more than willing to pay the "apple tax". I don't give a damn about market share. But then I spend a lot of time on my computer managing databases and web sites. That mac difference means a lot to me.


On the other hand, even though I was born and raised in Detroit and made cars like everyone else, cars to me are four wheels and a motor. I drive a 10 year old Geo Metro. Why? Gets 40+ mpg, starts when I turn the key, and hauls the groceries and the soccer stuff. Goes better in a New England winter than the Hondas, Toyotas, and VWs my wife has gone through over the last 10 years.


I don't drive for a living, nor do I have a long commute.


Same for people and computers. Most people don't spend a lot ot fime on the computer. They just want to email, surf the web, write something now and then. The mac difference to them was not worth the extra money.


Now Apple has a computer that is:


a. just good enough
b. priced in the cheap enough neighborhood



The mac difference - which gets better with every spam, spyware, virus, and windows crash - now more than offsets the additional cost.


For those of us who want more than a "just good enough" computer, we can hack this box into a home iLife server. We know what's lurking under the hood.


Somebody has to pay for all these great Apple innovations, and to keep them coming. If that means shilling to the masses and bumping the market share up a bit to generate more cash flow, I am all for it.
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Showing messages 1 through 5 of 5.

  • Perfect is the enemy of good, and market share
    2005-01-19 13:15:25  cvaldez [Reply | View]

    I'd buy a mini if it were possible to pop open the case and add memory myself. While I don't mind paying a little extra for Apple hardware, their memory prices are outrageous. $425 to upgrade to 1GB of RAM!? You can get a 1GB stick of Crucial DDR333 for just over $200. If you don't mind going with a no-name brand, 1GB can be had for as little as $150. 100% Apple Tax? I think not.
    • Perfect is the enemy of good, and market share
      2005-01-20 02:52:03  jwenting [Reply | View]

      why do you think Apple doesn't want you to open the thing?

      And beware, Apple has a tendency to use non-standard hardware so that stick from Crucial may not fit...
    • Perfect is the enemy of good, and market share
      2005-01-19 13:20:31  cvaldez [Reply | View]

      After looking around a bit it looks like people are saying that it *is* pretty easy to get them open and doesn't void the warranty. Ok, so now I'll need to get one ;)
  • Giles Turnbull photo Perfect is the enemy of good, and market share
    2005-01-19 06:44:11  Giles Turnbull | O'Reilly AuthorO'Reilly Blogger [Reply | View]

    I know what you mean with the regards to the "Apple tax," and I'm also happy to pay it. I wish I could persuade friends and familty to see it as a worthwhile investment too...

    You make a good point about the stuff "under the hood". You're right. Those of us who know what's there, and actually care about having something like an iLife server, can do the necessary upgrading.
    • Apple tax
      2005-01-19 08:36:26  jimothy [Reply | View]

      I've been an Apple user since a II+, and a Mac user since the original LC, so the Apple Tax collector has visiting my family and I for decades now. And I'm also happy to pay the tax. But hey, if expanding market share and increased sales volumes means a small tax bill, well, I'd also be happy with that!
Showing messages 1 through 5 of 5.