Like many of the Macintosh enthusiasts, I was quite interested in the announcements made today during Steve Jobs's keynote speech at the Macworld convention in San Francisco. I was rather surprised by the number of new products, and the nature of some of those products.
Most especially are the new niche applications, Keynote (presentation app) and Safari (Mac-only web browser, released as public beta). Both of these areas are niches where Microsoft has long held hegemony, even in the Mac world -- Internet Explorer and PowerPoint have been the most-chosen options by far (partially as a result of the Apple-Microsoft partnership which ended about a year ago).
The thing is, that Apple is clearly trying to expand its range of applications and is directly challenging Microsoft's dominance of software on the Mac platform. (Keynote in particular is supposed to be fully capable of importing and exporting PowerPoint files.) Then there's the newly organized and repackaged media applications (the "digital hub"), where Microsoft is visibly lagging behind and playing catch-up.
Apple may not have a lot of market share, but it's getting a lot of attention -- especially because of its innovation. Will Microsoft desperately scramble to regain the initiative, try to outdo or exclude these new programs, or what?
(Tidbit: 50% of new Mac computers sold by Apple in December were to new "switchers" from Windows, according to Jobs. That's going to add up to a lot of converts [yeah yeah, eventually] if this keeps up...)
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
Well, hopefully Powerpoint can be compatible with Keynote and IE 7 will be better than IE 6. I'm not sure about the digital hub thing but isn't XP Media Center taking care of that?
Worst case scenario... Microsoft gets Apple through a takeover or destruction.
Posted by Kosh (Member # 167) on :
quote: Worst case scenario... Microsoft gets Apple through a takeover or destruction.
I think they already have. Didn't Gates buy into Apple a couple of years ago, then bring Jobs back?
Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :
No, no, no. A few years ago, after Jobs returned, Microsoft bought many shares of non-voting stock. But I believe that was part of some sort of kickback deal or settlement or something. Either way, people have been constantly ranting about somebody buying Apple for nearly 20 years, and it's getting pretty old.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
quote:Either way, people have been constantly ranting about somebody buying Apple for nearly 20 years, and it's getting pretty old.
Not only that, but there's a website out there that has started researching the number of times that some financial "expert" or another has declared Apple to be "dead." (Last count was about 15 times, IIRC.) It may not have a huge user base right now, but it's light-years ahead of the other computer makers in terms of innovation -- to the point where everyone else basically mimics what they do.
As for the Apple-Microsoft partnership, there were a few things about that. First, Microsoft bought about $150 million worth of Apple stock to pump some money into the company, but they do not have anything near to control of Apple with it. Also, Microsoft pledged to develop certain lines of its software (mainly Office: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) for the Mac. Apple made Internet Explorer the default web browser shipped with all new computers. As for other Apple-side concessions... I'm not certain about that part. That deal was a five-year agreement which officially ended about a year ago. Noticably, less than six months later was when Apple first started the big "Switch" campaign which is openly attacking Windows. And now Apple seems to be trying [indirectly, according to comments from Steve Jobs's keynote speech] to edge Microsoft out of some of its Mac niches, even if only under the guise of producing better software. (Forbes has an article today about the possibilities on the future of the Apple-Microsoft relationship.)
One of the interesting things I just read is that Apple's previous one-day record for most software downloads was absolutely smashed -- in 24 hours, more than 300,000 people got a copy of the new Safari browser (myself included! ). The previous record was one of the original iTunes MP3 player releases, had something like 100,000 downloads in two days.
MacWorld article: "Safari is designed to be the fastest Web browser on the Mac. Jobs said Safari was up to three times faster than what most people use, including Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator and Chimera. Besides speed, Jobs said Apple wanted to create their own Web browser because they wanted to innovate."
There are still some bugs to be cleaned out in this system, and I've still had to revert to Chimera for a couple of pages... but I will say that I'm definitely hooked on this!
(Oh, and I want one of those 17-inch screen laptops, too! ) Posted by The Red Admiral (Member # 602) on :
Will a version of this Safari be available to Windows at any point?
I'm a firm Microsoft man, being quite aware of other choices out there, but I'm very pleased with the performance and reliability of Windows 2000. But flaws there are, and out of all of them, the thing that bothers me most is Internet Explorer (version 6). I'd be interesting in viewing a different browser for a change, even if it does come from Apple (maybe just as a trial on another partition for now,)
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
I do find microsoft games to be of quite high quality, the more recent ones anyways, although I'll never forgive Gates for murdering the Mechwarrior series for me. I hated MW4, mostly because some jackass decided to change the designs of the mechs. IT has it's good points, but i won't get into great duscussion. Anyways, I grew up on microsoft, and couldn't think of switching to mac, I don't really have any reason for this, I just never found the need to use a mac.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Red Admiral: Will a version of this Safari be available to Windows at any point?
That's highly unlikely, IMO. First off, Safari was designed from the ground up as an OS X application, so it's optimized for the Mac. (Note: that's not the same as the tricks Microsoft pulled with IE, in which they made it part of Windows itself and used hidden API's. Safari is a totally separate application that can be installed and removed with one drag-n-drop.) Anyway, porting the whole application to Windows-oriented programming language would be a huge task, with no real opportunity for payoff. (Partially because of Microsoft's chokehold in the Windows market, but also because Apple is still pretty small in terms of market share.) Anyway, Steve Jobs basically said that besides speed, they wanted to create their own Web browser "because they wanted to innovate."
Also, Apple doesn't make any Windows products that I'm aware of -- the sole exception being the iPod MP3 player, which is really hardware anyway and the only difference is the formatting of its internal hard drive.
Posted by Charles Capps (Member # 9) on :
Safari itself was designed for OS X, but it is based on the KHTML and KJS engines from the KDE window manager for Unixes (Linux & BSD mainly). KHTML, like all KDE components, relies on the Qt toolset... While there is a Qt port to Win32, I haven't found a port of any KDE components... (for obvious reasons)
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
I've always looked at the Appple/Microsoft situation similar to the Federation/Borg conflict: one side trying to take over everything while encountering small resistant opponents with shiny white objects.
I'd be a Mac head by now but unfortunately the games I want to play aren't found much in Apple's software department.
Go Sony!
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
quote:Originally posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge: I'd be a Mac head by now but unfortunately the games I want to play aren't found much in Apple's software department.
Games has been the single sore spot with me over the years, but it's not Apple's fault at all -- it's just a consequence of the market, unfortunately. I would love to be able to play some of the Trek-based games at some point. The last real Trek game (not reference software) I got was "Star Trek 25th Anniversary." IIRC there were one or two others for Mac after that, but very few of the "modern" trek games have been available.
But you know what? I've found that for the most part it's not too important. If they were available, I would certainly play them, but I've got plenty of options on my own, anyway.
Side note: Apple's put up a copy of one of their new television ads for the new Powerbook models. It's hilarious! (QuickTime required.)
Posted by The_Tom (Member # 38) on :
quote:Originally posted by MinutiaeMan: [QUOTE]Originally posted by The Red Admiral: [qb] Also, Apple doesn't make any Windows products that I'm aware of
You are very silly.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
quote:Originally posted by The_Tom:
quote:Originally posted by The Red Admiral: Also, Apple doesn't make any Windows products that I'm aware of
You are very silly.
*smacks head*
D'oh! Well that's what happens when you can count the number of times you've used Windows systems in the past year on one hand... Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
Actually, I meant games other than Star Trek ones like No One Lives Forever 2 or Starfleet Command 3, or Grand Theft Auto 3.
Posted by The_Tom (Member # 38) on :
quote:Originally posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge: Actually, I meant games other than Star Trek ones like No One Lives Forever 2
You must like boobies! Ha! Your flame burns less brightly!
quote:or Starfleet Command 3
Err... Would this be the special 50% less Star Trek Edition?
quote:or Grand Theft Auto 3.
Murder! Death! Kill!
There is more to you than dresses. Yes.
Posted by Toadkiller (Member # 425) on :
As another Apple user I'm very interested in this news - to address the thread topic though, I don't think Microsoft will react at all. If the programs don't come out in window's format then they won't really impact them as they aren't the sort of thing (IMHO) that one would switch over.
A better "powerpoint" is certainly a big deal in my household as the primary thing we use our ibook for is presentations.
What I'm actually wondering is if "keynote" is just module one of a new uber-office suite for OS X. If they were to completly bump MS Office from the Apple desktop with a better product then Bill G might take notice. Especially if said application suite could then be offered on the various Linux, *nix platforms which should be possible....
Theres a ton of different browsers though, an Apple one doesn't really impact much I think.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Oh, come on Tommy. No One Lives For Ever is a really good game, and far less of a bit tit fess than any Tomb Raider game ever.
And GTIII is good. It's not Vice City, but what can you do?
quote: (Tidbit: 50% of new Mac computers sold by Apple in December were to new "switchers" from Windows, according to Jobs. That's going to add up to a lot of converts [yeah yeah, eventually] if this keeps up...)
Well, that depends. How many people bought a Windows system in the same time?
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Red Admiral: the thing that bothers me most is Internet Explorer (version 6). I'd be interesting in viewing a different browser for a change, even if it does come from Apple (maybe just as a trial on another partition for now,)
Curses! If only there were browsers other than Internet Explorer for the PC at the moment.
Why don't you try Mozilla, Netscape, Opera (or is it Oprah? I've had a mental block). You could even try weird shit that Tim uses.
Also, creating a new partition just for a web-browser is only a few steps removed from full blown insanity.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
quote:Originally posted by Toadkiller: What I'm actually wondering is if "keynote" is just module one of a new uber-office suite for OS X. If they were to completly bump MS Office from the Apple desktop with a better product then Bill G might take notice. Especially if said application suite could then be offered on the various Linux, *nix platforms which should be possible....
Theres a ton of different browsers though, an Apple one doesn't really impact much I think.
Well, good ol' Bill did take notice... kinda. "'I doubt what they've done is as rich as PowerPoint,' said Gates, who added he had not seen Apple's program." (original article) This was in his already hilarious presentation about the latest hair-brained idea, "smart watches." Go figure...
Last night I discovered that Apple was still broadcasting "reruns" of Jobs' keynote speech on the live stream, and tuned in just in time to see him start his presentation on Keynote. Obviously the resolution wasn't great and I couldn't see all the detail, but the quality of the effects looks astounding. Poor ol' Bill might have to change his mind (and his pants) when he finally does try it out.
I also just read a story recently where Bill compared Apple's iMac line to the original 70's personal computers...
I'm reminded of a principle that I saw someone quote in regard to the open source projects, that seems to be applying to Apple, too. It was attributed to Ghandi: "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win."
quote:
quote:(Tidbit: 50% of new Mac computers sold by Apple in December were to new "switchers" from Windows, according to Jobs. That's going to add up to a lot of converts [yeah yeah, eventually] if this keeps up...)
Well, that depends. How many people bought a Windows system in the same time?
I don't know. My point is, that there are a couple dozen thousand people out there (at least) who are choosing to buy Macintosh computers instead of continuing to work with Windows. Yeah, it ain't much right now... but it's a process. You've got to start somewhere.
Posted by The Red Admiral (Member # 602) on :
quote:Curses! If only there were browsers other than Internet Explorer for the PC at the moment.
The available choices don't float my boat. But Safari I'm unfamilar with, so I want to at least give it a go.
As for the partition thing, I never said I was going to create one specifically for this, but already having a free partition, I may as well use it to try Safari (if it ever becomes available on a Win platform.)
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Tom... I like humor. And yes I still think boobs are nifty... not that I'm interested in women's boobs but still they are nice to look at.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Which is curious. Can you imagine a straight man saying:
"Not that I'm into men's penises, but they are nice to look at."
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
). The previous record was one of the original iTunes MP3 player releases, had something like 100,000 downloads in two days.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)