MacBook Pro Supplies Constrained, Steve Jobs Says 'Not to Worry'

[Clive At Five]

Re: optical media

I've long been an opponent of optical media. A spinning disk? Still?! It's essentially an upgraded LP, with all the same drawbacks. It's slow, it's a waste of energy, the media is delicate...

I would merrily sprint towards a world without ridiculous spinning disks... contingent upon one thing:

I install a lot of OSes for friends and family. My single wish is that manufacturers - Apple included - would make it simple to boot from USB flash devices. Seriously, if you want to boot a OS X on a USB flash device, it's Disk Utility or GTFO. You wanna boot Windows or Linux, you spend half an hour reformatting the stick and f*cking around in the BIOS. Seriously. USB should be your first boot device by default - yes ahead of optical - and it shouldn't need a freaking boot sector for crying out loud. What is this? 1980?

Do this, and we can finally say goodbye to spinning disks.

-Clive

 

[ChrisNM]

Um...what?

It learned to again close down the platform and not allow cheap companies to create licensed Mac knock-offs. Where did fan arrogance factor into that?

Yeah, that whole open-platform / support multiple manufacturer theory was a real loser. I mean, look where it got Microsoft.

 

[dvassallo]

No insult intended - just pointing out an observation.

It was that kind of arrogance that almost caused Apple to go under in the first place. I think the company has learned from that mistake.

Too bad some of its fans still cling to it.

What the hell are you talking about?

 

[ChrisNM]

You're right. Tim works his slide-ruler and when costs meet a predetermined amount, ... boom ... product. Sucks for sure. What you do? Apple is a great position in many ways, but ordering in bulk for some things just won't happen. They have to wait until the other companies to shoulder the higher initial costs until they can buy the components at the price they want/need to be able to sell their machines with a certain mark-up.

There are some decent hardware makers, but they all run Windows Vista or Windows 7. Not an option and never will be for me. Loyalty... yeppers. But not blindly loyal.

start mantra/The OS is just better. The Hardware is just better. The eco-system is just better. The Management is just better./stop mantra

You weren't satisfied?! How would YOU have handled it?! It was a huge gesture of goodwill. I remember the numbers that people published back then... a million iPhone owners ... that's $100,000,000 worth of free in-store credit. That's a freakin' lot of cheddar.

That being said, yes, Apple shouldn't have dropped the price so soon. It was wrong. But -- imagine if you will -- that the iPhone was introduced by ANY OTHER TECH COMPANY IN THE WORLD... do you think anyone would've gotten jack-squat when the price dropped?! H3LL No! But Apple did. You speak of loyalty and then drum up this past mistake, but I think, if anything, this shows Apple's loyalty to its users... which now,... if you've not noticed, includes millions of Windows users with Apple's base of iPod, iPhone and iPad consumers.

Funny thing, Apple's marketshare is growing.

Yep, you definitely drank the cool aid - was it lime or strawberry?

 

[dvassallo]

I've long been an opponent of optical media. A spinning disk? Still?! It's essentially an upgraded LP, with all the same drawbacks. It's slow, it's a waste of energy, the media is delicate...

I would merrily sprint towards a world without ridiculous spinning disks... contingent upon one thing:

I install a lot of OSes for friends and family. My single wish is that manufacturers - Apple included - would make it simple to boot from USB flash devices. Seriously, if you want to boot a OS X on a USB flash device, it's Disk Utility or GTFO. You wanna boot Windows or Linux, you spend half an hour reformatting the stick and f*cking around in the BIOS. Seriously. USB should be your first boot device by default - yes ahead of optical - and it shouldn't need a freaking boot sector for crying out loud. What is this? 1980?

Do this, and we can finally say goodbye to spinning disks.

-Clive

Thank you Clive...couldn't agree more.

 

[ChrisNM]

What the hell are you talking about?

I am talking about some of the crap that Apple put out in the 80's. People complained, but there was that hard-core base of fans who believed Apple could do no wrong. And for a while, Apple, in it's arrogance, believed those hard core fans instead of the broader marketplace and it almost cost them their company.

Criticism is good, it's healthy, and it should be encouraged - not shouted down by a handful of geeks who can't get their heads out of the 80's.

 

[applesupergeek]

Thank you Clive...couldn't agree more.

Yes, very good post Clive, and pertinent.

Maybe apple will surprise us with a driveless option that will handle a nice fast ssd and a 750gb hd. That would be great. I don't see it happening but it would.

 

[azazel-]

Yeah, that whole open-platform / support multiple manufacturer theory was a real loser. I mean, look where it got Microsoft.

You're right. No, you really are. I mean, it's not like we're talking about well-documented history here or anything. Want to argue about documented facts in the Civil War next?

 

[rajador]

I´m pretty sure 'Not to Worry' its a bot answer to Steve´s e-mail spammers.

Common received Email:
"Hey Steve i need updates every month!! i only use my MB for p0rn, but i need an I7!!!, can you tell me sometheing??"

Bot Answer: 'Not to Worry'

J/K

 

[azazel-]

Yep, you definitely drank the cool aid - was it lime or strawberry?

You know, people like you crack me up. They really do. Name one other product in the world that has moronic statements like this made about it.

I buy Sony TVs. Exclusively, and have done so for a long time. Why? Because I like them. I find value in them. Could I buy larger LG TVs, for cheaper? Sure I could. Am I getting ripped off? Did I "drink the Sony kool aid"? No, I just prefer to buy Sony TVs, as opposed to other brands. This example gets played out countless times, every day. People pay money based on preferences. But along comes computers, and all of a sudden, that notion becomes naive and makes people into cults, or iSheep.

Grow up.

 

[Clive At Five]

You're right. Tim works his slide-ruler and when costs meet a predetermined amount, ... boom ... product. Sucks for sure. What you do? Apple is a great position in many ways, but ordering in bulk for some things just won't happen. They have to wait until the other companies to shoulder the higher initial costs until they can buy the components at the price they want/need to be able to sell their machines with a certain mark-up.

There are some decent hardware makers, but they all run Windows Vista or Windows 7. Not an option and never will be for me. Loyalty... yeppers. But not blindly loyal.

I happily live in a Mac & PC mixed household. I used to deal with Windows because of the superior hardware selection. Then came Intel Macs, which allowed many (myself included) to build mac-like machines on third-party hardware - almost flawlessly, in fact. But with Windows 7, I actually don't mind running Windows. In fact, I went two whole weeks without booting into OS X - a record for me.

Though I still find OS X and the ecosystem superior, there are things that bug me about Apple (namely their minimal hardware selection, and refusal to acknowledge the existence of Prosumers). Not aiming to troll here, but I challenge some of the entrenched Mac users who feign open-mindedness to try Win7. You probably won't switch (I didn't), but you will at least have an informed view and appreciation of the alternative.

-Clive

 

[azazel-]

I am talking about some of the crap that Apple put out in the 80's. People complained, but there was that hard-core base of fans who believed Apple could do no wrong. And for a while, Apple, in it's arrogance, believed those hard core fans instead of the broader marketplace and it almost cost them their company.

Criticism is good, it's healthy, and it should be encouraged - not shouted down by a handful of geeks who can't get their heads out of the 80's.

You don't know what the hell you're talking about. I suggest you read up on this, instead of continuing to babble about things you are ignorant of.

Here, I'll help you;

"The success of the PowerBook and other products led to increasing revenue.[41] For some time, it appeared that Apple could do no wrong, introducing fresh new products and generating increasing profits in the process. The magazine MacAddict has named the period between 1989 and 1991 as the "first golden age" of the Macintosh.

Following the success of the Macintosh LC, Apple introduced the Centris line, a low end Quadra offering, and the ill-fated Performa line that was sold in several confusing configurations and software bundles to avoid competing with the various consumer outlets such as Sears, Price Club, and Wal-Mart, the primary dealers for these models. The result was disastrous for Apple as consumers did not understand the difference between models.

During this time Apple experimented with a number of other failed consumer targeted products including digital cameras, portable CD audio players, speakers, video consoles, and TV appliances. Enormous resources were also invested in the problem-plagued Newton division based on John Sculley's unrealistic market forecasts. Ultimately, all of this proved too-little-too-late for Apple as their market share and stock prices continued to slide."

Too many vague choices and brand dilution is what almost killed Apple, not the garbage you are yammering about.

 

[seedster2]

It's surprising people are getting so excited over these words. If someone comes to me complaining about something and I know it will be resolved I say 'don't worry'.
I say 'not to worry' when the thing the person is worrying about is inconsequential, irrespective of any resolution.

You have to look at it as entertainment. It's bordering on idolatry with SJ.

I'm sorry but you definitely seem to care a lot. It really looks like his decision to buy a Sony affected you, judging by your reaction.

Indeed. It's not ok when someone mentions buying another platform, but they will gladly read a thread where people will repeatedly say "I'm definitely buying the X"

An HTML4 syntax might be dead. But BD isn't.
Can I have your Crystal Ball? I wanna pay for the rest of my University and have some scratch left.

BD is far from dead. Optical media isnt dead either. Tell me when Apple arguably the leader of digital media delivery starts shipping all of their OS and professional applications via internet.

The frenzy over this 3 word cryptic email is insane. It shows how off the rocker people have become.

Imagine sending that email to any other CEO and getting that trite response. Would you be satisfied - NO. You would be ticked off.

But people on this forum are treating those 3 words like mana from heaven.

Please.

SJ didn't have the courtesy to answer the emailer's questions. He didn't take the time to say "thanks for your loyalty, thanks for being a customer, or thanks for your patience". He didn't even say "Soon" which would have given a little more insight - then "Not to worry".

The simple fact is that email provided us no more information then we had a week ago. Period.

I do a lot of video editing - primarily on a desktop. There is great software on a PC and a Mac that will do what I need to do. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

But come May 20th, I am going to be traveling all summer and will need a high end laptop. A few weeks from now, I am going to be taking a very unbiased look at what is the best machine for my trip.

I can tell you it won't be an overpriced, outdated MBP. But that is OK Steve - "Not to worry."

Indeed. Well said. I think Apple should really adjust their prices as their hardware gets old. but that's why they have billions in the bank and I do not

You're in the wrong thread. This is the laptop thread. The 27" iMac thread is elsewhere. You keep bringing it up like it has anything to do with MacBook Pros. It doesn't.

As for being a few weeks late -- no, it's just about a few months at this point. Arrandale showed up in January, in laptops, shipping. And Apple's notorious for introducing products that aren't ready to ship too.

Dude, I'm not saying I don't think Apple's a good company. From a fundamentals standpoint (making money), they rock. This is why I've made tens of thousands of dollars trading in Apple stock over the last couple years.

But their proposition is not, has never been, and likely never will be "value" in their professional line. When you pay for a "Pro" line product, you are paying a premium for the product. You get that slick engineering to which you referred, and you pay the price in either firepower or price -- or both. To deny this is to deny reality.

I'm not all butt-hurt that there aren't new laptops. I can afford to go buy one now, throw it in the trash when Arrandale comes out, and go buy that. Plus my Penryn works just fine. What gets me is when people put on rose-colored glasses and blind themselves as to what they're really getting.

I guess I should be grateful, though. It's people like you that secured my profits trading in AAPL.

Winner

 

[applesupergeek]

Indeed. Well said. I think Apple should really adjust their prices as their hardware gets old. but that's why they have billions in the bank and I do not.

Sure they have billions in the bank because the don't shave off a $100-$150 in the last couple of months of the macs life cycles. You got it, you have great business acumen.

 

[seedster2]

Sure they have billions in the bank because the don't shave off a $100-$150 in the last couple of months of the macs life cycles. You got it, you have great business acumen.

Thanks supergeek. I see your panties are still in a bunch

 

[ChrisNM]

You're right. No, you really are. I mean, it's not like we're talking about well-documented history here or anything. Want to argue about documented facts in the Civil War next?

Only if you feel like being embarrassed a second time.

 

[oageru]

Sure they have billions in the bank because the don't shave off a $100-$150 in the last couple of months of the macs life cycles. You got it, you have great business acumen.

You know, not everyone is a stockholder... Judging by your nickname i'd say you ain't one either but you simply don't know better.

 

[ts1973]

Sure they have billions in the bank because the don't shave off a $100-$150 in the last couple of months of the macs life cycles. You got it, you have great business acumen.

Indeed, I guess they would make more money when they did introduce some new hardware -> it would drive sales higher resulting in more profit...

 

[azazel-]

Only if you feel like being embarrassed a second time.

Embarrassed by what? You, making up facts and revising history based on a whim? Sure, go for it. I'm genuinely interested in seeing what you come up with next.

 

[kobewankenobi]

Quick show of hands; how many people on this forum NEED a new MBP right now? As in, it's absolutely vital they get the uttermost bleeding-edge hardware possible, in a Macbook Pro, otherwise their workflow will come grinding to a halt? This is opposed to...say...a bunch of late teens/early 20-somethings that jerk off to tomshwardware and just want a pretty shiny laptop they can play Crysis on, and have all the time in the world to cry on forums about it.

Lets be honest here. If a person can up and jump platforms that easily...give up a complete software platform, because the processors in a portable notebook line haven't marginally sped up in the past 6 months...they weren't doing anything important. They couldn't be. Or they must just have money and free time falling out their ass.

best post i read in a very long time...

 

[applesupergeek]

Thanks supergeek. I see your panties are still in a bunch

You know, not everyone is a stockholder... Judging by your nickname i'd say you ain't one either but you simply don't know better.

You are welcome guys, glad I could enlighten you!

 

[ChrisNM]

You know, people like you crack me up. They really do. Name one other product in the world that has moronic statements like this made about it.

I buy Sony TVs. Exclusively, and have done so for a long time. Why? Because I like them. I find value in them. Could I buy larger LG TVs, for cheaper? Sure I could. Am I getting ripped off? Did I "drink the Sony kool aid"? No, I just prefer to buy Sony TVs, as opposed to other brands. This example gets played out countless times, every day. People pay money based on preferences. But along comes computers, and all of a sudden, that notion becomes naive and makes people into cults, or iSheep.

Grow up.

How about cars? Pick any on the premium brands - Porsche, Audi, BMW, Corvette - you'll find the same discussions going on. There will be people who criticize certian aspects of the various models and then there will be die hard fans that defend them to their last breath, no matter how valid the criticism. And those fans are equally ridiculus.

Is there anything else I can help you with?

 

[kobewankenobi]

Well I absolutely need a new laptop, but it does not have to be a MBP. The issue is I NEED a new laptop, but I will NOT pay $800+ more for an Apple over a comparably priced Sony. That is the issue. No I do not need to have the latest and greatest (not saying I would not like it) but I am not going to simply throw away money either because I want a MBP. If Apple would either release a new MBP with the latest and greatest OR reduce the price on the current list of computers to something reasonable for what you are getting I would not hesitate to buy an MBP. But to keep the prices as high as they are for a non-competitive product, that I cannot do.

No I do not want to change. I run both Win and OSX and like both and want t be able to run both. That is why I have Apple products - I can run both. Most of my software that I have has both Win and OSX versions on the discs. I'd greatly miss Keynote and to a lesser extent iPhoto but beyond that I'd be okay.

Let me put it this way. If OSX were available as a stand alone product as Windows is, and if I could put that OS on the hardware of my choice - I would right now immediately go out and buy a Sony VAIO or a Dell, or HP envy or some other hardware and then dual boot OSX and Win7. I'd do that because it would give me the best overall value. Apple knows this of course - that is one of several reasons why they do not want OSX to be something that can be installed on just any system.

you can buy a refurb product or a used mbp
cost less

 

[B. Hunter]

Wow!
Some people treat updates like a drug fix or bad habit.
Very sad how dependent we have become on technology.

Are there any technology rehab counselors out there?
Sounds like a new medical profession.

 

[azazel-]

How about cars? Pick any on the premium brands - Porsche, Audi, BMW, Corvette - you'll find the same discussions going on. There will be people who criticize certian aspects of the various models and then there will be die hard fans that defend them to their last breath, no matter how valid the criticism. And those fans are equally ridiculus.

Is there anything else I can help you with?

Keep going. I'm honestly laughing. I want more.