Sunday, April 24, 2011

Day 26 – Apple – friend, foe or other?

As previously answered in this series of blogs, I started with Apple, before they were trendy, before the first MacIntosh.  So, I have nothing against them.  They provide good competition for Microsoft (software), Sony (music) & Nokia (phones).

They would be a dangerous monopoly if they were the size of Microsoft in all three industries, but they’re not.

I firmly believe the only reason their O/S is not as often hacked as Microsoft’s is not because of quality but because of availability of the operating system to the hackers.  In other words, if you were a hacker intent on maximum damage, why bother with an OS that’s only 5% of the market?

Further, I am persuaded that the Apply fanboy belief that their vendor has higher quality products, is due to the fact that Apple tightly couple their hardware with their software.  In other words, Microsoft are constrained by remaining compatible with the masses, Apple is not.

Friend?  Not really.  Foe?  Not at all.  Useful competition, and ally at times.

2 comments: