The Mac App Store... A Wet Dream Come True...

The business model of the iPad, iPhone, and soon to be, Mac platform is all about Apple's revenue stream. Buy their hardware, and you can only use Apple's blessed software from the App Store. And Apple gets 30% of the cut. Sounds like Middle Age Europe under the domination of the Catholic Church. Sounds like legal racketeering. Read the RICO Act...

So, all the apps go through the app store... Of course, Apple manufactures the hardware and has a right to control some aspects, but controlling the software is what computing is all about. Hardware is a commodity, software is the air/water/food that sustains computing in all forms. What Apple does would be akin to Ford telling you that you can replace parts with only Ford's products, no Michelin, no off-brand parts, no nothing. How would that go? It's like the company stores from the old mining days.

Now Mr. Jobs, says... Hey, we've sold 50 million Macs in the last few years, and we almost never see those people's money or faces unless their Mac is broken. Why don't we try to convert that product line to the iPad/iPhone business model. You know, only Apple can sell the software (in their dreams).  Just what IBM did and tried doing so many years ago.

So, programming dudes and dudettes, YOU have to pay 30% to Apple just so you can sell your software for the Mac OS. Pretty cool, huh? Say goodbye to your kids college fund. You may sell more software, but what's it going to cost you? It won't be just your money, but when Apple starts telling you how you're going to program too, you know, to conform to the Mac App Store "standards" (such as they are) say goodbye to your creativity and flexibility, your most cherished assets. Just look at what embedding the browser in the Win OS did for Microsoft's popularity. Now, Apple wants to be even more popular! Say hello to more money for 'lil old Apple, Inc, your hometown computer company. Hello eventual Federal Anti-Trust Lawsuit.

Apple's treading on thin ice here... I know, there are those of you who think not, but believe me, start selling the Macs that way, and watch software prices go up. The app developers are not going to give Apple 30% of their cut and see their revenues shrink because Apple wants their revenues to grow. Watch the jilted software companies sue Apple so quick they couldn't even say well-financed "class action lawsuit" before they have hundreds of companies writing their Senators, Congressmen, and other highly powerful people in the Judicial Branch of government. IBM and Microsoft thought they did their legal preventive homework too, and yet, they were in 'splainin' to 'da judge for years... Costly, draining, and of course, innovation killing. Anti-trust material. But Apple, drunk with success, and flush with more than $50 billion in cash wants what all powerful men and women want... More power... Just like Microsoft from 15 years ago... Capitalism, right? Predatory at the least, downright extortion, if you ask me. Of course, you don't have to participate, you have a choice, for now...

I've been working in the information world for almost 30 years. Anyone remember when the Federal gov't tried to break up IBM, Microsoft, and of course there was Standard Oil, the Bell System, and the divestment of aircraft manufacturers from their wholly owned airline subsidiaries. Apple thinks because Obama recently visited them in California that they just got the "go ahead" from him. Maybe for now. Politicians change direction like the wind. Politicians are responsible to their constituents. CEO's are responsible to the board and themselves. Boards are almost always appointed by the CEO's. So, who are the CEO's responsible to? Themselves. I would have to say "Watch out!" to the presently successful CEO and "board" at Apple, Inc. I'm sure you think you're untouchable...

Apple has done a wonderful job with the app store from a user point of view. Wonderful job for the stock holders, much less for the user's inflated opinions. From a developer's point of view, Apple's App Store is a corporate control freak's revenue wet dream come true. iPod, iPhone, and iPad users may put up with it, and in many ways that's good. But, most of the apps are next to useless. Of course there's "the what came first... the chicken or the egg." In Apple's opinion, software is only good if they bless it. According to The Gartner Group most apps (+80%) are not used after 24 hours. Why is that? Apple doesn't care! 30% cut, Baby! And, of course, refunds are rarely heard of... But, as has been said, there is peace in the public's not knowing. The creative programmers of the world won't be so clueless, and eventually, neither will the public...

I use a mix of Macs and PC's. I like both. Although, I really love Windows 7. I never thought I would say this, but "Thank you Microsoft!" What I think is a strength about the PC platform is that it's OPEN, at least way more than the Mac's. I can put up with the iPhone App store and it's iAds plastered over my free apps. And, I don't trust large corporations, Apple or Microsoft, or Oracle, or Symantec or whatever, with cloud computing. Let Apple control the applications alone on the Mac, and I can pretty much guarantee Apple will attempt to kill any outside server-side apps. In other words, anyone not playing by Apple's rules; you're out! Out of job; out of business, and out of sight! Flash, Silverlight, etc... Mom and Pop web app developers. You don't pay homage to Apple... You don't play! See ya!

Apple, if you try to control my Mac desktop computing experience with even more of your control freak-ness, in the name of "protecting the devoted Mac users," I'll be back to Windows 7 or 8 and never look "Back to the Mac." A cell phone or iPad user is less demanding. We don't want to give up even more of our say about computing to Apple, Inc. PC and Mac users are much more savvy than just an iPhone user... Savvy???

I actually hope Apple tries to pull it off. I hope they pull the trigger, because it'll be the shot heard around the computing world. I doubt it will be a model for others to follow.

My father used to say, sometimes a person's only redeeming quality is to serve as a bad example for others. It'll be too bad, because Apple does give us good value in the information world. So, go ahead Apple, make the DOJ's day...

An addendum:  Macworld posting... Apple dumps Adobe Flash from Mac OSX

http://www.macworld.com/article/155132/2010/10/flash_osx.html

Post addendum:  My family owns four Macs, and seven iPhones. 

It begins...

TC,
Michael

Copyright (C) 2010 by Michael G. Hesley
All Rights Reserved

Choices

I'm changing. . .

And I don't know how to be.

I cannot stay the same.

For the sameness is exhausting,

and I won't be the same,

for these changes are to be,

all this and more,

I know will be for me.

I see the choices,

I feel them coming.

These changes for me I choose,

or maybe they choose me?

Nevertheless,

they are,

and will be,

for me.

Of this I do not know,

but it matters not to me,

for they are to be,

these choices that are for me.

Infinite and Ineffable discoveries,

but few choices abound.

Or so that it always seemed. . .

I'm making inevitable choices,

But they don't choose me.

We exist together,

this light and darkness,     

and now I know it is.

I am the Light,

and I am the Darkness,

and of these things are me.

I love the warm Light,

and I love the cold Darkness.

Oh, how I do love them,

both, yes, you see.

I love them both,

because they seem,

the very same to me.

I am Timeless here,

in this state I'm in,

and all that it seems.

We are timeless together,

the Light and Darkness,

and all that they seem.

Together we exist,

to balance and to limit.

Everything and nothingness,

or so it appears to me.

Separate we were confused.

Together we are complete,

yes, this Light,

and Dark and me.

Together we seem so final,

so complete and agreed.

How lovely now it is to see,

all the good that is to be.

Soft voices from the light,

and good feelings, too,

and beauty,

and love,

and everything that may be true.

Nothingness,

from the darkness,

except for the forlorn.

Voices I no longer want to hear.

Those sad voices that say,

"You need me no more."

Everywhere is the light,

of loving warmth that soothes.

My body, mind, soul,

and Spirit,

all, now joined as one.

Finally now together,

they can all move as one.

Together in the goodness,

of that right Bright Light,

we flourish and we finally see,

all that we are now,

and all that I want to be.

I see these visions,

in my all journeys,

and in all of my dreams.

They are beautiful,

and never ending,

and they are Infinite,

and they are Ineffable

now, that I do see.

They are my choices.

Yes, all these are for me,

even if I don't know why,

they are what they will be.

They are all my Inevitable choices,

and I choose them for me.

They are my bright destiny,

these sweet choices that I see.

They are my beautiful dreams,

from my journeys that are to be.

I'm beginning to see the Light,

oh, of this I have dreamed.

I'm beginning to see the Light,

and it is what it seems.

The darkness,

was once my old friend,

or though I thought

it seemed.

Though, in the Light

I see more now,

now that I dream.

I see in the beauty of the Light,

it's now so clear to me,

I see the beauty of my changes,

and all that I allow for me.

I now know this is to be, though,

it did not always seem.

All this,

and more,

is God's gift to be.

All this and more,

all, for my beautiful me.

TC,
Michael

Copyright (C) 2010 by Michael G. Hesley
All Rights Reserved