J ef Raskin is as rascally today as he was more than 20 years ago when he fought to get his idea for a new computer through Appleis management. That computer was the Macintosh, if not the Macintosh that was eventually brought to market, for Steve Jobs took over Mr. Raskinis project, and effectively pushed him out (for more on that history, we recommend Own Linzmayeris Apple Confidential 2.0 (US$13.97 - Amazon)).
Since then, Mr. Raskin has seldom held back when asked his opinion of things, and he has often been very critical of what his baby became. In an interview published on Thursday in UK newspaper the Guardian, Mr. Raskin lets forth his opinion yet again, saying that using a Mac is little different than using Windows. From the article:
Has this simplicity of design been key to the Macis popularity?
Yes, but unfortunately, the Mac is now a mess. A third party manual (Pogueis The Missing Manual) is nearly 1,000 pages, and far from complete. Apple now does development by accretion, and there is only a little difference between using a Mac and a Windows machine.[...]
And the iMac G5? Was the original iMac a step on the correct path?
The unfoldable portable-shaped box on a stalk? It is a practical and space-saving design. But the interface needs fixing. One only cares about getting something done. Apple has forgotten this key concept. The beautiful packaging is ho-hum and insignificant in the long run.
You can find the full review at the Guardianis Web site.