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Interview With iMac designer, Jonathan Ive
rleyton writes "The Independent has an interesting interview with Jonathan Ive, the designer of the new imac (and the iBook, the iPod and original iMac...)" It's actually a pretty interesting
even if you think the new iMac is repulsive. Personally I dig it.
I know that the lead times of a project like this preclude apple from actually using his design, but when you saw the article, what was your reaction?
Didja think it had been leaked?
I dont really know what my pc looks like, as its out of the way. Sometimes i need to stick a cd in it, or (rarely) a floppy, but even then i dont really look at it.
And if i were bothered, i`d spray it black. But i`m not.
And i don`t think i`ll be using a Mac clone in 6 months. I couldnt tell you whether Apple users will be using PC clones in the next year or so however, but its a more likely scenario.
It takes many man-years to design a quality product with good "fit and finish", which is pleasing, and which is well thought out for the task it is intended for.
However, in the computing world, network effects almost totally dominate all other considerations. A low-quality early product will beat out an incompatible late-arriving better product. What people want from their tools varies rapidly over time, so flexibility is more important than static perfection.
If no new hardware or software technologies were invented for the next five years, people probably would start to migrate towards choosing hardware and software for aesthetic and lifestyle reasons; might be able to make valid long-term comparisons of what they feel like to use; might be able to better justify changing the way they do things.
But not any time soon.
Please explain how this dongle protects Apple's interests - after all, when you've got the dongle, you plug it into a regular PC-standard monitor! It's not like the dongle ties you into Apple-brand displays. The dongle does not protect Apple's interests in any way, it's just a PITA.
I thought this was self-evident, but Apple wants to make sure that you ONLY use their own flatscreen LCD on the new iMac.
This reduces the quality control factor a LOT. Apple only has to worry about ONE video card and monitor configuration. Whereas PC manufacturers have to worry about an infinite number of possiblities. Think of the savings in support costs alone.
THAT is protecting one's interests.
----- rL
Remember, there are no stupid questions. But there are a lot of inquisitive idiots.
But then again, buying a Mac isn't about choice, it's about illusion.
All the best,
--Bob
"you won't be able to find a single thing on an Apple that hasn't had thought put into it"
How about the USB port placement? Why on earth isn't this on the front of the iMac, or better yet, with a hub built into the keyboard?
How about sound? The oddball video port? How about being able to buy the thing without the cheesy laptop screen so it's not in the way of your good screen?
Its awkward shape makes it tough to hide away in a corner like a traditional box PC, instead, this ugly blob insists on grabbing your attention like a spoiled child.
This design is as crude and silly as the original iMac. It has plenty of immediately obvious, easily corrected shortcomings (remember the puck mouse?), and many subtle ones associated with its unorthodox design. As Apple continues to jump around from radical redesign to radical redesign, rather than correct known flaws in past experiments to provide real design quality, they will continue to surprise their users with unexpected difficulties. No doubt we'll be hearing about plenty of them in a month or two.