Apple software strategy under fire

Honolulu Advertiser

SAN JOSE, Calif. — In countless aspects, Apple Computer Inc. is vastly different than longtime rival Microsoft Corp. But, recently, Apple has been accused of similarly ostracizing software developers who would rather not go head-to-head with Apple's growing stock of applications.

Well I guess this goes along with the thread that I posted a couple days ago:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=909

Maybe I was not so far off..

Murlyn, I guess I missed your post. As all of us know Apple is a hardware company, period. They make and sell quality hardware. The software they create is a side bonus, to help sell the hardware. If apple were to only sell software, they would not survive. If they only should hardware, they would be okay.

Apple want to increase their market share. I believe that they create software, to sell hardware, in order to increase their market share.

Look at iTunes for example. It is a great application, with the addition of the music store it is even better. Now add the iPod, and now you can see what Apple is doing.

I know that I am preaching to the choir.

How is Apple a hardware company, period? They have not just been a hardware company, period, in many years. Microsoft, Adobe, many smaller third party developers, other online music sources are all quitting certain programs and projects for the mac because Apple is making a better product and it all has to do with software.

Now how is this going to make their case? Microsoft sells an operating system, so does Apple, Microsoft creates "quality", loose term, software for their operating system, Apple does also, but it's actual quality, Microsoft bundles these applications with it's operating system, so does Apple, plus Apple makes the hardware all of this runs on. Microsoft runs people out of business, while Apple makes such a good product other businesses realize it is futile to compete with Apple..

I love everything Apple is doing, all the hardware, all the software, and our computer experience is so much richer because of the software apple makes, but if someone wants to make a stink about it.. It just looks like apple is doing the same thing microsoft got in trouble for.

I hope I just misunderstand the reason MS got in trouble and is still in trouble with the law. I dont want to see Apple in the same boat.

Okay, how about this Apple is a solution company.

I don't compare M$ with Apple, because they do different things. To me it is like Apple and oranges. Apple creates hardware and some software, M$ creates only software (at least at this time).

I guess I have a limited view of the world. Apple does not try to force to buy their product like M$ does. That is why I believe that M$ got in trouble.

When you my an Apple product you get a complete system with additional software included. Apple does not have to include the iApps but it does.

Don't get me wrong I appericate your opinion. So I will say that Apple is a solution company.

*laugh* ok that works for me

The reason Microsoft got into trouble, is because they not only provide the OS. They also require you to use "their" version of products with this OS. These products have competitors that make similiar products, and to require someone to use one over the other is a monopoly. Not only this, but even if they didn't make their products required, good luck in trying to remove them.

This is their slant, I guess you could say. Internet explorer is such a fundamental part of the OS, that they can't just remove it. The Explorer is IE, the desktop is IE, everything in the OS has some sorta webservice/core to it. Sorta like the way Apple just switched Safari into the OS as a webcore. But of course we choose to use Apple. Your boss doesn't make you use Apple because the business requires compatibility with all other software. Apple is tying it's damnedest to NOT make you choose them over someone else. They are trying to give you choices in the products you use.

This isn't a bad thing really, because webservices are the future, and MS has a strong grip on them. But they are forcing you to use their browser to make use of these features. This is a no-no.

The way I see it, a lot of these companies are wussing out because they are afraid. Afraid of what MS has to say, and afraid to have the nuts to make a stand and say "We are gonna develope for the Mac, because it is just better." When you are the most powerfull software company in the world, people sorta listen to what you have to say. Which is also monopolistic in nature.

I think the bottom line is this : Microsoft makes software that is not only proprietary, but they actually go out of their way to make it incompatible with the rest of the world. There is a letter out there written by Bill Gates back in the 70's basically going off on the computer geeks of the day, and bitching them out for not charging for their software. I will try to google for it later. It is really interesting, his slant on the whole situation.

Just my rambling, don't know if is even on topic

Thanks for your insight.

As a developer i feel loved by apple