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The Media's Crush on Apple
conq writes "BusinessWeek reports: "It's the first time in my memory that a product announcement by Steve Jobs has caused the AP to send an alert -- especially since this development was fully expected. And it says a lot about the intensity of media attention Apple generates. When is the last time a NewsAlert went out based on the words of Michael Dell or Bill Gates? Clearly, the AP's editors determined this news was important enough to warrant such action."
Michael Dell has little to do with innovation. He's a brilliant businessman but I do not think his job function entitles him to media attention like Gates or Jobs.
Hold your horses there big boy. Sounds like your implying that Bill Gates innovates like Steve Jobs. Let me tell you something. Bill Gates packages software like Micheal Dell packages computers. There's no more software innovation happening at Microsoft than their is hardware innovation happening at Dell. Microsoft's business is taking what other people have innovated and marketing it like they're the ones who innovated. I watched a video of some MS guys talking about RSS in Vista a few months ago and I felt like I was watching a 2 year old discovering his toes. You can do alot of cool stuff with RSS today but watch how MS puts a spin on it when Vista is released. It'll be all MS and the average consumer will watch in awe and say "Gee, those MS guys are smart cookies".
ayottesoftware.com
Interestingly, Apple is very close to surpassing Dell in market value. Right now it's Apple: $72,301,066,720, Dell: $72,912,111,560. Apple keeps going up, while Dell has been down recently. Imagine the press coverage over Apple surpassing Dell in market value.
"Sufferin' succotash."
Who were just *bleeping* lucky that they were a little company when they started, because the Xerox of 1978 couldn't have figured out that selling water to a thirsty man is good business.
The sheer amount of stuff Xerox invented, then pissed away, is staggering.
The inventor of the laser printer nearly got fired for even suggesting the idea. He was kicked out of the company's prestigious NY R&D facilities, exiled to Palo Alto with all those damned hippies at PARC, and given virtually no support.
In the end they let HP go on to dominate the printer industry.
They gave away the GUI to Apple for a song (all the stock Xerox got in return for the GUI was sold a month or so before Apple's stock price doubled.)
Bob Metcalfe invented ethernet there, they let him have the invention, and so begat 3Com.
They damned near gave away the copier business to various other competitors though sheer incompetence.
It's stunning Xerox is still around as a company.