Open letter to Apple: What I need to stay with Apple in 2K4

[MorganX]

OPEN LETTER

My Mac experience has been pleasant. I definitely Love/Hate Apple. I can't say anything bad about my 17" FP iMac except it needs more CPU and graphic power for the high cost, but it is quite a good performer on general computing tasks.

I like Apple's style and OS X is quite good, though clearly in progress.

To stay with Apple given the mac platform's limitations and where Windows and Intel are going, I will need the following in a 17" or 19" FP iMac late 2k3 or very early 2k4 to not return to the Wintel world. I knew the iMac would be obsolete by the end of the year because it was close to that when I bought it. But I bought it to support Apple and becuase I tire of the Wintel world, it's BS, and paper-only engineers who can't make heads or tails of FTP Server vs. and FTP client.

So here's to you Apple; I need the following in the next major rev. of the FP iMac, these are minimums at current prices + up to 20% increase if upgradeable options are included, and I need them ALL:

HARDWARE

Mobility Radeon 9600 w/FlexFit (FlexFit makes it upgradeable) or GeforceFX Go

64-128MB DDR Video RAM

DVD+R/RW (You only hurt customers and potential customers when you don't know when to give it up.)

FW800

USB 2.0

PPC 970 or performance equivalent to P4 2.4Mhz across the board (socketed for upgradability)

512MB DDR Standard

266MHz FSB minimum (Beyond 266MHz I have only seen minimal gains except in 3D Games. I'll take more, but 266Mhz is minimum)

Bluetooth standard

Bluetooth Mouse/Keyboard (2-button mouse. I simply won't buy another 1-button computer. If this is not available)

SOFTWARE

Office equivalent - Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Keynote, finished, with a lot of templates, etc. If you're gonna play play for real. The style of Keynote with the quality of Office X. Learn from those more successful than you, buy Omingraffle 3 and throw it in iWorks. IT people moving to mac still need Visio, and this app is superior on usability and Apple can add the polish and integration. Apple, you need this app.

iDVD - (A 2hr DVD better hold 2hrs of video)

iTunes - (Only comment: I own a $2500 iMac for iTunes and my iPod. Period. The rest is a bonus. Thank You.)

Finder - fully context-sensitive menus. If I have to go to the finder menu to clean up a windows my cursor is alread in in the year 2k4... it'll get ugly in here.

Finder - Implement the Home and End keys in the Finder and all other Apple software properly. ISVs are doing it, Apple should too.

Finder - With no additonal software/drivers XP mounts every digicam I have. I can drag and drop from its flash. Why is this functionality not in OS X. Catch up here.

That's it, was that too much to ask for? I don't think so. I'll be happy to buy another iMac at its premium pricing if everything above is included. I'd probably even become a mac evangelist.

I actually believe Apple has what it takes to have 25% marketshare in 2-5yrs. But there's an obsessive stubborness that is holding them back. Some Jerk somewhere in apple needs to be checked. In addition, a shift from margin to volume will have to begin. Also, the executive bonus program needs to be checked.

CLOSE LETTTER

 

[OutThere]

give it up

 

[funkywhat2]

Bitch, bitch, bitch. It's all anybody does anymore.

If you have a need that can be fulfilled someplace else, go fulfill it. If you need all this, then a Mac just isn't right for you, at least current Macs aren't. Besides, it's unreasonable to drop two grand on something just to support a company, especially if that company doesn't make what you need.

Feel how you must, but don't bitch about it here.

 

[MorganX]

Originally posted by OutThere761
give it up

Why?

 

[MorganX]

Originally posted by funkywhat2
Bitch, bitch, bitch. It's all anybody does anymore.

If you have a need that can be fulfilled someplace else, go fulfill it. If you need all this, then a Mac just isn't right for you, at least current Macs aren't. Besides, it's unreasonable to drop two grand on something just to support a company, especially if that company doesn't make what you need.

Feel how you must, but don't bitch about it here.

Lacking any meaningful substance but interesting nonetheless.

 

[springscansing]

Morgan, stop acting like you're 12.

You don't NEED a bluetooth keyboard for god sakes.

And if you think apple can have 25% of the marketshare in 2 years (which marketshare?) then you're totallly insane as well as immature.

 

[patrick0brien]

-To posters above this post other than MorganX

Why do you feel you need to step on MorganX here?

Even I don't agree with every item of his technical wish list, but getting a wish list out there is a good thing. It let's us talk about it, and, I know it comes as a shock, but Apple listens to it's cusomers pretty damn well.

Sure, "you can't please all the people all the time" but I'll take Apple's customer-centricity over Wintels "Jam it down the user's throat and they'll enjoy it wether the like it or not/You'll learn to love me" modus operandi.

Apple is driven by useability, Wintel, technology. An unused system is a useless system, this is why I prefer the slower OS X.

So please, MorganX makes a great point. Make lists. Apple might actually listen.

 

[Flowbee]

Apple already knows that everybody wants all of the latest features and hardware at a lower price. They already know that we want every application we could ever use to be bundled for free and upgraded for free for life.

Do you think you're telling them something new?

 

[MorganX]

Originally posted by Flowbee
Apple already knows that everybody wants all of the latest features and hardware at a lower price. They already know that we want every application we could ever use to be bundled for free and upgraded for free for life.

Do you think you're telling them something new?

Actually, I said current price plus a 20% increase in price for additional upgradeability features.)

Every application? An Office Suite and decent DVD burning software. That's every application? Free... There's nothing free from Apple. The bundled software is what justifies paying more for less is it not? Therefore, even with the 970, which isn't written in stone, to keep paying more for less a DVD buring app that is included with the hardware should burn 2hrs on a 2hr DVD.

What part of that is unreasonable again?

 

[MorganX]

Originally posted by springscansing
Morgan, stop acting like you're 12.

You don't NEED a bluetooth keyboard for god sakes.

And if you think apple can have 25% of the marketshare in 2 years (which marketshare?) then you're totallly insane as well as immature.

I don't NEED a Mac. I can buy a faster more capable PC for less, so what's your point? Clearly, I didn't by what I wanted. And I'm telling Apple what I want to stay with Apple in 2k4 because some good shiznit is happening in PC land.

What do you want to keep purchasing top of the line macs? Less? I'd be very interested in seeing your "mature" list of what you want for your money.

I'm serious. Tell me, what will make you buy another mac in 2k4? More wires when the world is going wireless? 30 minutes on a 2hr DVD? What?

2-5 years. Consumer/Prosumer (SOHO) market. But not unless they learn to "Think Different"

 

[Taft]

Morgan--

You are such a whiner! Why must you be such an ***hole and try to hold Apple to a higher standard? All evidence on this board points to Apple being absolutely infallible, so you're obviously a trolling jerk. Get a life! Then, when you've got a life, suck it up and be happy with the Mac you've got. Apple is perfect, so the Mac you've got must be perfect, too. Therefore, you've got nothing to complain about.

****!

Taft


BTW, this post was sarcastic. Those of you flaming Morgan deserve all the criticism you've poured on him/her. Re-read the first post...it was mainly constructive and layed out a fairly realitic roadmap for Apple to follow over the next couple years. Get a friggin' life!

 

[Macpoops]

You own a top of the line iMac and you sit here and say it is already out of date? I had the same machine and have absolutely no gripes about it. The iMac has never been and was never designed to be a upgradable machine. Because 90% of consumers don't do any real upgrading. They just buy the machine and use it. What you asking for is a powermac in an iMac case. And that is not going to happen. You may get your 970 but thats about it. You wanna bitch about firewire 800, I want you to tell me exactly what you plan on using it for, and why you can't do it with firewire 400. Same thing with USB2.

 

[jayscheuerle]

Morgan, if this is your final stand then enjoy Windows...

Your feature set sounds nice, but they're certainly not going to apply it to the consumer iMac if they're not applying it to the towers. We've been undersupplied in both processing power and standard RAM forever it seems...

It would be nice for Apple to offer options like cordless keyboards and mice, but it would also be nice for them to offer a bare-bones upgradeable tower that you could take your old components (drives, optical, zip, RAM, etc.) and just plop them into a basic powersupply/processor (upgradeable) box and go. But that's not the way Apple works.

Love 'em or leave 'em... - j

 

[MorganX]

Originally posted by Macpoops
You wanna bitch about firewire 800, I want you to tell me exactly what you plan on using it for, and why you can't do it with firewire 400. Same thing with USB2.

If you read and comprehended the post, I said I'd be willing to pay 20% on top of the existing premium for upgradeable options.

Bitching about FW800, asking for it is hardly bitching about it. I'm not sure I understand what you're talking about. I could tell you what I would like FW800 for but since I don't think I was "bitching" about FW800 I guess I won't.

But nevermind anything in my post, expound on yours. Explain to me how stating that to purchase another iMac I want FW800 in it, is bitching about it? Educate me.

Regarding the iMac being obsolete, I believe all Mac hardware of today, is obsolete the day you buy it. That doesn't stop people, myself included, from wanting one. Or wanting more ...

 

[Flowbee]

Originally posted by MorganX
Actually, I said current price plus a 20% increase in price for additional upgradeability features.)

Every application? An Office Suite and decent DVD burning software. That's every application? Free... There's nothing free from Apple. The bundled software is what justifies paying more for less is it not? Therefore, even with the 970, which isn't written in stone, to keep paying more for less a DVD buring app that is included with the hardware should burn 2hrs on a 2hr DVD.

What part of that is unreasonable again?

Who said unreasonable? My point was that Apple *already knows* their customers want all of this and more. Your 'open letter' isn't going to make a lightbulb suddenly switch on in some Apple execs head.

Don't get me wrong, I want all of the same things you do, it's just that *demanding* them in a public forum doesn't serve you well. If this thread had been titled "My Personal Wishlist" I don't think you'd be getting nearly as many negative responses.

 

[Taft]

Originally posted by Macpoops
You own a top of the line iMac and you sit here and say it is already out of date? I had the same machine and have absolutely no gripes about it. The iMac has never been and was never designed to be a upgradable machine. Because 90% of consumers don't do any real upgrading. They just buy the machine and use it. What you asking for is a powermac in an iMac case. And that is not going to happen. You may get your 970 but thats about it.

Putting your CPU on a friggin' daughter card (or making it otherwise replacable) is not to much to ask, and it doesn't make the iMac any less of a consumer machine or less user friendly. Why is this such a unrealistic or rediculous thing to ask for??

You wanna bitch about firewire 800, I want you to tell me exactly what you plan on using it for, and why you can't do it with firewire 400. Same thing with USB2.

Hmmmm...how about the same exact stuff I use firewire for, except higher transfer speeds. As drives get faster, we need a faster bus/transfer protocol to keep up. Think digital audio recording to an external firewire drive (recommended by most comercial digital audio software venders, incl. ProTools). I've got 6 tracks on disk, and I'm recording a seventh. Firewire 800 and an impressively fast HD no longer look like luxeries.

And there is no reason to exclude this technology from a so called consumer computer, at least as an extra cost option. As devices start to have higher data requirements, they will get faster and necessitate higher bus speeds. Its already happening.

Taft

 

[sedarby]

Originally posted by patrick0brien
-To posters above this post other than MorganX

Why do you feel you need to step on MorganX here?

Even I don't agree with every item of his technical wish list, but getting a wish list out there is a good thing. It let's us talk about it, and, I know it comes as a shock, but Apple listens to it's cusomers pretty damn well.

Sure, "you can't please all the people all the time" but I'll take Apple's customer-centricity over Wintels "Jam it down the user's throat and they'll enjoy it wether the like it or not/You'll learn to love me" modus operandi.

Apple is driven by useability, Wintel, technology. An unused system is a useless system, this is why I prefer the slower OS X.

So please, MorganX makes a great point. Make lists. Apple might actually listen.

MorganX did not make a list, he made demands. This is a very "either play my way or I'll take my things home" attitude. Very unrealistic and besides if he feels that Apple can't deliver then he needs to go Wintel with all the issues associated with it.

Good luck.

 

[MorganX]

Originally posted by jayscheuerle
but it would also be nice for them to offer a bare-bones upgradeable tower that you could take your old components (drives, optical, zip, RAM, etc.) and just plop them into a basic powersupply/processor (upgradeable) box and go.
Love 'em or leave 'em... - j

Now that's asking for too much.

 

[LethalWolfe]

Originally posted by MorganX
Actually, I said current price plus a 20% increase in price for additional upgradeability features.)

Every application? An Office Suite and decent DVD burning software. That's every application? Free... There's nothing free from Apple. The bundled software is what justifies paying more for less is it not? Therefore, even with the 970, which isn't written in stone, to keep paying more for less a DVD buring app that is included with the hardware should burn 2hrs on a 2hr DVD.

What part of that is unreasonable again?

Okay, this is the only point that was really bothering me. What exactly is a 2hr DVD? Are you refering to a standard 4.7gig DVD blank? If so, the amount of video, in terms of minutes, that can be put onto the 4.7gig blank is completely dependent on that amount of compression. And the quality of said video is dependent on the quality of that compression. Squeezeing 2hrs of video onto a 4.7gig DVD using consumer sofware does not look pretty. I'm not a fan of the 60min ceiling on iDVD (I know it will burn 90min but I don't like the extra compression), but it's kinda pointless to extend the range to 2hrs when it will just look like sh*t. I'd like to see a DVD studio express program for maybe $200 but considering DVDSP 1.5 (and 2 when it's released) is only $499 I probably wouldn't buy an "express" version even if they offered one.



Lethal

 

[jayscheuerle]

Originally posted by MorganX
Now that's asking for too much.

Not really...

 

[Taft]

Originally posted by jayscheuerle
Morgan, if this is your final stand then enjoy Windows...

Your feature set sounds nice, but they're certainly not going to apply it to the consumer iMac if they're not applying it to the towers. We've been undersupplied in both processing power and standard RAM forever it seems...

It would be nice for Apple to offer options like cordless keyboards and mice, but it would also be nice for them to offer a bare-bones upgradeable tower that you could take your old components (drives, optical, zip, RAM, etc.) and just plop them into a basic powersupply/processor (upgradeable) box and go. But that's not the way Apple works.

Love 'em or leave 'em... - j

This is such a sh***y attitude. Its almost as good as saying, "Don't like the US's current policies? Move to France!" As if running away from the things you love rather than trying to fix them is the best solution.

Why not try to inspire change in the company who makes you favorite computer? I think that's what this letter was all about. Its not about some idle threat or deep down hatred of Apple, its about trying to make Apple a better company. Its about wanting your favorite computer to be even better. Its about holding Apple to higher standards. Its about trying to inspire change for the good of a company and its users.

"Fine! Go to Wintel!" is not an acceptable reply to such aspirations.

Taft

 

[MorganX]

Originally posted by Flowbee

Don't get me wrong, I want all of the same things you do, it's just that *demanding* them in a public forum doesn't serve you well. If this thread had been titled "My Personal Wishlist" I don't think you'd be getting nearly as many negative responses.

This makes no sense to me Flowbee. What's the difference between "my personal wishlist" and "what I need to stay with apple in 2k4?"

 

[Taft]

Originally posted by sedarby
MorganX did not make a list, he made demands. This is a very "either play my way or I'll take my things home" attitude. Very unrealistic and besides if he feels that Apple can't deliver then he needs to go Wintel with all the issues associated with it.

Good luck.

He/she was being practical. These are his requirements to stay with the platform. Not demands, requirements. And they aren't that unreasonable.

And thats the main problem with Apple as it stands: rather than being forced to improve products because of customer backlash at under-performing hardware, Apple has a loyal base of customers keeping it afloat and allowing them to simply meet the status quo...or worse.

If there were more people like Morgan, Apple might take the situation more seriously. Because we need faster processors. We need better and more uniform customer service. We need faster buses. We need the latest and greatest technologies. We need to make Macs appealing to a wider range of people. And even if we don't need them in order for Apple to stay in business, we need them in order to keep Apple in the industry as an innovator and a maker of computers we can be proud of.

That concept is at the heart of Morgan's post and more people need to understand that.

Taft

 

[patrick0brien]

-Taft

It's good to see you weigh in

Where ya been?

(oo. I'm a poet - and didn't know it.)

 

[jayscheuerle]

Originally posted by MorganX
Regarding the iMac being obsolete, I believe all Mac hardware of today, is obsolete the day you buy it.

You may want to check your dictionary Morgan as to what obsolete means. Obsolete would mean that you can no longer use it for the things you need to do with it. I'm running a beige G3400 at home for my music and web surfing, even light design? and I have no compulsion to upgrade. People are happily using pre-PowerPC machines for basic word-processing and email. If that's all they want to do, their machines aren't obsolete. And that's by definition...

Perhaps you mean by the time the machine is sold, it's no longer cutting edge?

- j

- to add- Since I primarily use my home box for iTunes and surfing, there is really very little reason for me to stay with Apple when that box dies, especially if iTunes for Windows comes out. I can pick up a more than adequate (for what I need) PC for $500...