pre-WWDC
So, everyone’s wondering what Steve Jobs is going to announce tomorrow, besides Tiger (OS X 10.4), iPod on your BMW, and even Airport Express – all been announced, so what’s new? Speculation of a new XCode maybe…
Otherwise, interesting comments like “Redmond, start your photocopiers”, or even “Redmond, we have a problem” in relation to Tiger exists (shots). If Apple is competing with Microsoft in terms of their OS platform, why haven’t they made a mention of Linux? After all, Linux has overtaken OS X on the desktop market – Linux is more a competitor than Microsoft is, to Apple at least, wouldn’t it be? Microsoft notice, Apple don’t?
In terms of usability, some ground-breaking stuff being presented (well, previewed), and the future, seems to be full-control via a mouse. Very cool stuff, GNOME needs this sort of thing, heck, The GIMP needs this sort of thing.
The reason Apple are ignoring Linux is that they are attacking Windows from the opposite direction: usability rather than price. Buying a Mac imposes a small price premium in exchange for a pivotal increase in usability & productivity. Linux, on the other hand, offers unlimited flexibility at a lower cost but extracts a price in terms of usability.
Therefore, Apple has little need to attack Linux. There’s plenty of Windows marketshare for both of them to steal.