Happy Endings Todd Stauffer
(tstauffer@webintosh.com)
Macs Once Again For Creatives
Although shocked by the Microsoft announcements and happy to finally get the skinny on Apple's board situation, I have to say that, at first, I was a little disappointed with this week's keynote at MacWorld Boston by Steve Jobs. Hungry for a strong message of vision, I felt cheated for everything that wasn't said, and concerned about all the issues that weren't addressed.
But, after a few days of chewing on the keynote, I can lean back and feel a bit better about it. It was replayed often enough on VCRs around the show that I actually began to realize how significant it might end up being. While Jobs didn't offer many specifics (about licensing, Rhapsody, QuickTime or newer, faster whats-its) he did say two very important things. First, he said that Apple was the largest education company in the world, and that it would focus on that market. Second, he said Apple would focus on its other market, content creators.
I think that sounds just about right.
At first I was worried that Jobs was leaving out entire segments of the population -- home office users, middle-management, small business owners and families. But, then I realized that he wasn't, really. What he was saying -- and what Apple may have finally realized -- is that Apple and the Mac can't be all things to all people. Just as it has been the platform for creatives for the last ten years, it should continue to be that, and continue to do as good a job as possible. That's how Apple will thrive.
The mantra is simple -- Mac's are for creating. Windows 95 is the perfect client machine. Although there are nice tools for development on the Windows side, it tends to be used a little more passively -- studies show that Windows users tend to buy fewer applications than their Mac counterparts. In a similar way, the games market is huge for Windows users. On the Mac side, programs like HyperStudio, Fractal Dabbler and Claris Home Page are bigger sellers.
If "the rest of us" means the creatives, then it also means the small business people -- especially those who need to create their own communications, their own PR and their own marketing. It means the home office that wants to create stellar sales presentations and client newsletters also needs a Mac (and/or a PowerBook). Small offices that plan to run a Web server or create a Web site might also want to check out the Mac OS.
The focus is on content creation -- QuickTime, QuickTime VR, page layout, Web sites, animations, video, audio, music, writing, lighting and production. Give us the best tools for these jobs -- that's why most of us are here. If you want us to use VirtualPC to play games (or OpenGL to play games) we'll do that in the off hours. (But if you want to stick around and offer us games like Civilization and Myth, we'll take those, too.)
Now, give that creative focus an interesting new backdrop -- the Microsoft deal. MS Office for Mac in the same increments as the Windows version for five years. What does that mean? It may mean less hell from the IS department, ill-informed middle management and confused clients. We've known how compatible the Mac is for quite some time. But as of this week, even the cable news networks are getting it.
You've got Office 99, we've got Office 99 and everybody has Lotus Notes. Okay, says the VP of operations, your department can keep your silly little Macs.
If we just got the reprieve I think we did, then we need to remember it, appreciate it and work to preserve it. That means we need to be good sports, work with our new friends in the PC world and stop the bickering -- even when we don't start it. We've got about $30 a share, we've got a promise from Microsoft and we've got some of the best press I've seen in two years.
Let's be responsible about it. What does that mean? Create cool stuff. Whatever you do with your Mac, do it as well as you can, as quickly as you can and use the latest tools. Take that Mac and make it work for you like never before -- all the while, smiling and saying nice things when you're in CompUSA (IF you're in CompUSA).
Remember, the PC people are our friends. Windows is fine. We don't have to use it, but other people who do aren't wrong. They may say Bill Gates saved Apple, but don't worry too much about that right now. I think we got the better part of that deal. We both have Office, we both have Internet Explorer and we have a huge market of folks that are very happy buying, watching, listening and reading great content on their WinTel PCs.
So let's get out there and make some.
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