Comments about:

Mister Jobs's challenge

Msr. Clouvel, while your english is light years ahead of my french, it can use some improvement in the area of syntax. Also, your editorial is unfocused and somewhat confusing. Sorry... I just felt the need to bust on you about it.

I beg to differ with you on several points, but rather than rebutting them let me save time and offer a few succinct opinions.

Apple's best chance at expanding their user base is to offer the Mac Mini. If it only breaks even on the sales, but introduces the Mac OS experience to people who want a Mac it's then doing it's job.

While I predict that most of the Minis will be bought by folks who want an extra Mac, Apple needs to grow its user base and this is a good step in that direction. The Cube was an impressive design, but the Mini is way more practical for the common man. Whether the Mini becomes another iMac is something I personally wouldn't venture to forecast, but it's possible. Only time will tell.

As to your closing line, it gives the impression that Apple's business hinges on the success of the Mini. In actuality, it doesn't. Their latest financial statement shows that the company is quite healthy and they make a good living selling iPods, iMacs and G5's. If the Mini goes the way of the Cube, it won't sink the company.

Bon jour,
jeff henning
Armore, PA, USA

All due respect Jeffca, I did not read any of what you have criticized into Clouvel’s snippet. I read it to simply suggest that the new Mac Mini is poised to be another Apple revolution consistent with the success of the iPod. Nowhere did I get the sense that Clouvel was suggesting that the new Mac Mini was intended to rescue Apple from some sort of financial dire straights, only that Apple is banking on the Mac Mini to draw more windows users to
Macs.

I read this article to suggest that the success of the iPod has produced an Apple momentum in the eyes the typical computer user, which makes the introduction of the Mac Mini a strategically practical one. "You love the iPod? You will love the Mac Mini as well!"

Apple is flying high right now with the iPod, and one might say the risk is in making too many bold and shocking product statements, too quickly. Do you take baby steps and release the Mac Mini, 2 years from now, and hope the public will still be ready for the next new hot Apple product, or do you strike while the iron is hot in an effort to capitalize on the momentum of the iPod?

Apple has decided for the latter rather than the former, and as sometimes the former works better than the latter, suggesting there is risk involved is not inappropriate. But as is often the case with Apple, risk is just a financially correct term to toss around before the hot new product breaks all sales records before it.

And please have mercy on my syntax. My ability to scramble syntax is only rivaled by my inability to construct grammatically correct sentences.

Blessings,
Damon

Jeffca,

Thanks for your comments but I am just giving my opinion. I am the MacMusic News Editor in Chief, so I have to do so.

If you had tried to understand my news, you would have seen that I was not criticizing the Apple policy.

What I can't tolerate in your answer is that your first attack is about my so-called inaccurate syntax !!!!!

If you insist on using formal English, let's go back to your own text :

- "your english is" --> please write " English" instead

- "ahead of my french" --> same mistake "French"

- "want a Mac it's then doing it's job" --> I know grammar is not taught in the U.S.A. but you should know that a possessive adjective is needed here !!!! --> "its"

Commenting on the content seems much more interesting and constructive than quite simply focusing on the form. It has always been useless !!

But I agree with you, Mr. Jobs is brilliant : I have just bought a Powermac G5 and I already intend to buy a Mac mini !!!

Thanks for your contribution.

keep it up, i think your work is great

Clouvel raises some interesting issues about the future of Apple, and the subsequent implications for creative professionals.

His concern - which I feel is entirely valid - is that Apple are in danger of distracting themselves with a "one-in-every-home" product development stategy. Now we have the Mac Mini offering the tantalizing prospect that maybe a professional version of this product might be in the wings. And maybe not. It looks like the Mac Mini falls squarely into the iPod scenario of broad-based market penetration and that will require a huge publicity push.

So where does it leave us audio and multimedia professionals? Well, firstly, on a policy level, I'd like to be reassured that Apple have a five point plan that goes something like this:

1) development of a stable core OS (Panther and beyond)
2) development of creative play-things (such as the iPod, Garage Band etc)
3) development of auxillary processing devices specifically for audio & video professionals
4) development of enterprise level hardware and software (Xserve etc)
5) advanced experimental research into cluster & parallel computing etc.

From my observations it seems that Apple are strongly committed to all these areas with just one exception: point 3) [ see above ]

As Clouvel hinted, there is a strong justification at every level for Apple to make boxes that simply address the high-bandwidth processing needs of people working today in audio and video production. The interest and the market numbers are there.

It would be interesting to find out from Apple if they are willing to workshop a range of experimental (and compact) processor-orientated hardware solutions for audio & video professionals. The result? A "one-in-every-studio" product that makes what we already have more functional and therefore powerful.

That, I reckon, is "The Challenge Of Monsieur Jobs"


Andre [ Tree Leopard ]


PS: re: Clouvel's writing. I simply appreciate the European perspective on media technology. It brings a much needed balance into the discussion!

Excellent assessment Tree Leopard.

It is almost like the record industry. You have the corporate record company executives who’s only goal is to make the big dough, and if they have to create a million cookie cutter pop stars who bring in the big dough, they would typically prefer this to marketing a small number of truly gifted artists who don’t bring in the profits of the cookie cutter pop stars.

Mr. Jobs is clearly in the pop star zone with the new Mac Mini, and those of us who would prefer he improve upon the products that he has already introduced, wind up feeling like the credible artists that are not as well supported as the cookie cutter pop star industry. But this is what happens when the bottom line supersedes the high road; the high road side of industry feels ignored, misunderstood, and unappreciated.

But on the flip side, if the Mac Mini represents just another cookie cutter product, it is a cookie of quality not often found in your typical cookie cutter pop star. If Mr. Jobs is basically just a product hack, he is a hack of unusually good quality and taste. It is an rather rare and unique combination.

I certainly want Apple to serve and appeal to my personal computer interests and needs, but I am not a person who needs a $600 Mac that you can stick in a drawer. Then again, the world could definitely use a Mac that anyone can afford, for the long term success of the Mini Mac can only trickle down to us Mac users with specific computer needs. Whoops! Sounds like Mr. Jobs has a sort of inside out conservative philosophy.

Gambling a conservative long-term investment in Apple longevity. Mr. Jobs is certainly stranger than fiction. The trickle down Mini Mac. Go figure!

Blessings,
Damon