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Weblog:   Apple As Innovator
Subject:   According to another Expert, Apple is not an innovator
Date:   2003-05-29 17:54:20
From:   anonymous2
Response to: According to another Expert, Apple is not an innovator

I'm not sure what you're responding to. I thought I was saying that Apple *is* an innovator, though more of an innovator in driving technology forward to the market than necessarily in *inventing* that technology.


But you seem to be reading everything I said backwards. I was talking up Rendezvous rather than Jini, precisely because "it works so well it [is] almost invisible."


So I think we're in violent agreement, except about tone of voice.



Tim O'Reilly
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  • According to another Expert, Apple is not an innovator
    2003-08-06 22:17:53  anonymous2 [Reply | View]

    One word: QuickTime.

    -Mark Anderson
  • According to another Expert, Apple is not an innovator
    2003-05-31 08:00:16  anonymous2 [Reply | View]

    Tim O'Reilly:

    You're correct about the tone, and I apologize, but only because I value your place in the industry. To be a vital commentator on Apple, however, would require you demonstrate more knowledge of their contributions.

    Overlooking AppleTalk when talking about simple local networking is akin to believing Bill Gates invented the PC. In the context of this interview, it's irritating, but if you were the journalist, it would be sin.

    Lots of journalists and pundits are in need of penance for their discussions and commentary on Apple.

    A few points:
    1) Analysts constantly misrepresent Apple's business and discount its leadership.
    2) Apple is a hardware *and* software company, and has made significant contributions to the computing field in both roles.
    3) The Next team brought some valuable technology to Apple, but there has also been some regrettable not-invented-at-Next nonsense (hence, the bile and anger over the treatment of AppleScript).

    While it is true Apple often drives technology adoption (USB), it also invents on a regular basis (Firewire).

    So overlooking tone, we agree that Apple is an innovator, but you relegate that role to market innovator, i.e. Rendezvous being a rarity. As a hardware engineer programming on the Mac OS platform, I disagree, and maintain Apple is also a technology innovator.

    While Macworld magazine might not be a worth your time overall, I think you should look at its new back page "The Big Picture" by Matt Deatherage. He also publishes a journal, see Macjournals.com.

    Thank you for praising Rendezvous in a context most developers and users new to the platform will understand. It's great fun showing someone its magic.

    I hope you can spare some empathy for Apple partisans ;)

    Sincerely,
    Sean Broderick
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