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The Man Behind Apple And Pixar
Ant writes "Steve Jobs is the chief executive of two of the most powerful technology brands in the world: Apple and Pixar. But what motivates him? And how does he choose a new washing machine? An article in the Independent explores this much loved and much hated man." From the article: "Alan Deutschmann, a journalist who researched Jobs's middle years for a biography called The Second Coming of Steve Jobs, believes he displays two personalities in his dealings with people: Good Steve and Bad Steve. The Good side is charming, and can make people believe almost anything; that's the side on public view at the rock-star product launches. He's been said to have a 'reality distortion field' - by a mixture of charm and exaggeration, he can make you believe pretty much anything."
Apple needs Microsoft to justify their existence, but Microsoft doesn't. MS realizes that at this moment, Mac is a niche platform and they will continue for support Office for Mac until they see Mac as a real threat. MS couldn't care less if Apple disappeared.
On the other hand, if MS disappears (highly unlikely), who will Apple fans point to as the average, price conscious user? Apple's merits and "you-get-what-you-pay for" philosophy only make sense with an alternative such as MS that works but isn't sexy or stylish.
And that's why I can't "buy" into Apple and the Mac platform. I just want to get work done--not show off. I'm not saying OS X is a bad product--far from it. It just seems like owning a Apple product turns people into RDFed Steve fans. That's not what I want to be, sorry.
"A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age." -Robert Frost
What kind of engineer can't afford an ibook?
Wanted: Clever sig, top $ paid, all offers considered.
Makes me think fondly of Bill Gates. I mean sure his practices have caused a lot of grief ... but he has some good qualities ... like, for example, he is not Steve Jobs.
From looking at your pics, I've noticed that just about all the guys who use Macs in your pictures look, well, flaming gay.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not my scene at all. I think I'll stick with PCs.