Apple. Two steps forward. One step back:

From the first time I heard a Mac boot up, I was pretty much smitten.

When I saw 1984, (17 MB), I wanted to became part of the revolution.

When Apple asked me to 'Think Different', I took it to heart, I was working at an ad agency in London at the time, and every single day for over a year, before I started work, I'd watch the ThinkDifferent TV ad, (10 MB), to psych myself up to try and do something great that day. (In this interests of full disclosure, with mixed results. But it's the thought that counts. And my perseverance did, thankfully and eventually, get me into D&AD.)

I had quotes attributed to Steve Jobs stuck up on my wall. A favourite:

"Why join the Navy if you can be a Pirate?"

I am, was, and hope to continue to be a full-on, Evangelical, MacHead.

Earlier this week, Apple announced that Eric Schmidt ceo of Google had joined the board at Cupertino. Brilliant move. (Corresponding with pal in New Zealand about this, he reminded me that Apple also had Al Gore on board too. Which in my book, ((or rather blog)), is more good news.)

And then, and then, Apple go and get all uppity with a blogger for posting a link to a movie on YouTube that apparently shows some footage of their new OS. ('Apple send a NastyGram' to the ever excellent Crunchnotes.')

Not so good.

Indeed I also read that Apple as a company were not all that blogger-benign.

Which again, as we say in Yorkshire, is a 'Poor Do.'

Ironic isn't it, that in one aspect of Web 2.0, Microsoft are way ahead of the game compared to Apple.

Suggestion to Steve: Sort it.

Comments

[John Grant]

I've always identified with Apple as the revolutionary/creative fringe brand. Certainly they have nice ads. Also my first home computer (my dad's work computer at the time) was an Apple IIe. I taught myself to programme on that thing. It's sort of got a first girlfriend status. We all had them at Chiat/Day (later st Lukes) back when most agencies had masses of secretaries and currently I've got 4 for work/life/music/travel.

I guess you could say I have always bought into the Wozniak side of the heritage (he seems like just such a nice good-natured geek; although perhaps Steve J had the force of nature factor)

The thing is with being a challenger is that when you turn playground bully its ten times worse. If Microsoft had a go at a blogger it would barely register. If it werent for my affection for the brand/business/heritage there are better PC options. And nobody likes a bully.

It's a complex connected world, and in a complex system small events can have surprisingly big consequences?

:J