If youire so smart, how
come youire not rich?
Title of an episode
of "Batman:
The Animated Series"
In Sundayis BusinessWeekis Online special
report dedicated to Apple Computer, there is an interview with Jef Raskin,
undeniably the true father of the Macintosh. The Cliff Notesi version of the interview is this: Raskin doesnit like much
of what Apple is currently doing.
The tone of Raskinis responses sounded achingly familiar to those of Bruce
"Tog" Tognazzini, another Apple alum from the Human Interface
Group who weighed in with his opinion that Apple doesnit know what it is doing (see
"Top 10
Reasons the Apple Dock Sucks" and "OS
X: a First Look"; inuff said?).
I have deep respect for Raskin and Tog. They know what theyire talking about.
Their views deserve hushed attention. Then, why is it that I feel like they
are now sounding like the proverbial broken record?
Both men have made points that I can agree with, even though some are now dated
and easily corrected — Togis belief that the Trashcan belongs in the corner.
Raskin (and people like Tog) may be hated by the Apple cheerleaders (who think
Apple can do no wrong) and may be "shouted down" in internet forums
for daring to point out error, but they provide a valuable service, the service
of criticism. Companies like Apple donit brook internal criticism. This is common
to corporate America. Most large organizations (Apple, Microsoft, the government,
etc.) receive criticism from the outside, in ways that pressure the companies
to move in certain directions, most notably seen in the media.
But, individuals donit always change the course and policy of private and public
corporations. Jeff Raskin and Bruce Tognazzini, great and erudite though they
may be, do not wield nearly the amount of power as the one and only force that
decides the fate of OS X and the Macintosh. Iim talking about the votes cast
by shoppers.
The final verdict on Apple designs will be how they fare in the marketplace.
Tog and Raskin appear to be trying to push Apple towards that nirvana called
the Perfect Design. Excuse the grammar, but that ainit necessary for Apple to
succeed. We need not look any further than Microsoft.
Now, donit get me wrong. I think that Apple can use some help, if they think
that glomming an Aqua interface to the NeXT OS will save the day — which is
basically what OS X is. So, I agree that Apple needs to listen to people like
Raskin and Tog. However, I believe that in the scheme of things, their opinion
shouldnit be weighted any heavier than mine, because many of the elements of
OS design are subjective — hell, they can be arbitrary, since it can be argued
that we can learn to love and get used to any design. Again, I point to Microsoft
and the millions that use that companyis products.
(By now, Iive all but guaranteed that I will be flamed for comparing Apple to Microsoft, and implying that Apple should settle for the “standard” of “quality” and “excellence” that Micro$oft has set — sarcasm doesnit apply to the Mac Business Unit, natch.)
In conclusion, I believe that professionals like Raskin should be listened
to, but their every word shouldnit be treated as Gospel, since the computer-using
public is already "trained" to many of the elements of both the Mac
and the Windows PC, many derivatives of which now populate OS X. Besides, thereis
plenty of time to evolve and create the next, great OS. After all, OS X in its
current incarnation, faults and all, doesnit really have any stylistic threat
in the marketplace.
Again… I point to Microsoft as an example.
Rodney O. Lain is Steve Jobsis love child (Steve was "into the sistahis"
in the 60s). When heis not trying to get Steve to pay $320,000 a month in "back
child suppport," Rodney writes his iBrotha
column for The Mac Observer, as well as the occasional editorial. Rodney lives
in Minnesota, where he works for The Man as an IT supervisor for a Fortune 50 company.