Steve Consilvio's Profile

  • http://www.augursoftware.com
  • Nov 23, 2010
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Latest comments made by: Steve Consilvio

  • Hi Chris, I don't see a netbook coming with either iOS or OSX. It makes no sense. Apple has created a problem for itself. What people want is OSX software on an iPad. Somehow there needs to be a new version of multi-tasking, where one can shift from one OS and back to the other. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. iOS is great for the iPad, but if you have a clamshell and a keyboard, then you want OSX. Somehow both the form and the function need to mate. It will probably need to mate on the iPad form first, if there is a netbook/folding tablet version. Dinky little apps are fine for an iPhone/Touch but the screen size in an iPad demands more sophisticated software. Just as people use a laptop to replace a desktop, the iPad could replace the laptop. It isn't just about size. A laptop did not limit functionality the way that iOS limits OSX. I would expect new software on an iPad before a netbook. Maybe some type of rosetta stone that will run OSX apps in an emulation environment. Right now, Apple is restructuring its own software to be bi-compatible. I would hope they would use that experience to help developers do the same thing.
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Oct 13, 2010 Posts: 47
    Is an iOS Netbook in the Works?
  • I never said they were 'incorrect,' but rather it (partially) explains why they did not. They lost the battle with Microsoft primarily because of pride, I believe, and it has been uphill ever since. The story of Apple is 'how does bad software become the standard when good software exists?' Apple is now 'winning back' only what they lost originally. It has never been solely a technological race, but rather a personality difference. Bill and Steve is very much a tortoise and the hare story, but it is two races simultaneously, one at the tech level, and another at the revenue/marketplace level. Steve, unfortunately, still focuses primarily on 'selling sugar water to kids.' (AKA Pepsi and Sculley.)
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Sep 07, 2008 Posts: 47
    No Low End in Apple's Future: Thanks Google Chrome
  • Um, isn't the iPhone and iPod Touch exactly a cheap computer and a thin client? I think Google's move is an attempt to revolutionize the web-information experience again, but what they are really doing is bringing the web to the desktop, whereas Apple is trying to bring the desktop to the web. As far as why Apple doesn't license the OS or allow white boxes, I have finally settled on the conclusion that it is paranoia more than greed, with a spoonful of pride. It is very difficult to get somebody to recognize their own fear or pride (see current political parties.) The great irony, of course, is that the Big Brother in the 1984 commercial ruled from populist fear and elitism. (Even Hitler was a populist elitist.) You always become that which you fear, so you should choose what you fear carefully. Steve Jobs wanted to become/defeat Sony and Microsoft, and that is what Apple is becoming.
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Sep 07, 2008 Posts: 47
    No Low End in Apple's Future: Thanks Google Chrome
  • $40 for a 99% improvement in speed and stability
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Jun 16, 2008 Posts: 47
    Quality Doesn't Always Have Sex Appeal: How Much Should Apple Charge for Snow Leopard?
  • Hey Chris, Great article. Welcome to the club of "If you don't love what I love, then I hate you." I think Murphy Brown said it best, when she quipped that "the only important thing was our taste in music." (Overpriced at 99 cents, of course.) Ring the bell. Orwell wins again. (Lemmings are slow learners.) -steve
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on May 02, 2008 Posts: 47
    How Much are You Spending on Mac Pretension?
  • "Why does Apple think that making their computers smaller or thinner is nearly as important as price and horsepower."-gwmac Because Apple is vain, and cares more about what the computer looks like than what is inside them. They constantly cut corners on the guts of the machine. It is a great irony that the "engineer" Steve Jobs who loves to tinker with computers, should think that others should not be allowed to tinker, too. It's like the old-school thinking of never asking a doctor a question, or perhaps Oliver asking for "more" is a better equivalent. We have the best water-down soup there is, how dare consumers think they know what they want? :-) Has cheaper prices and more horsepower ever failed as a winning formula? It seems to have worked well for the iPod. The MacPro needs to start at $1299. And Apple across the board should be cutting their prices. Their excessive profits all stem from overcharging users. They don't necessarily need a new tower, just less expensive products. Other manufacturers have to pay Microsoft to build a box; Apple has a huge price advantage that they let go to waste by trying to double-dip and maximize profits.
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Apr 18, 2008 Posts: 47
    The Non Existent Glaring Hole in the Mac Lineup
  • Being a Mac elitist, of course I laugh. :-) But I also cringe, too. Nobody wants to see a friend harm themselves, or anything bad happen to them. The thing is, I don't see Microsoft hurting as anybody's gain, whereas Apple does. It is far better to have no enemies. That is the true essence of Thinking Different. Of course, when you don't fear what others fear, (or love what others love,) they think you are crazy and untrustworthy. For there to be an infidel there has to be an orthodoxy first. Imagine a world without battles for orthodoxy. Would it be so terrible if people made their own low-cost Macs, for example?
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Apr 18, 2008 Posts: 47
    The Genius of Apple Stores
  • If it wasn't just Microsoft vs Apple, then you might not think of yourself as a Microsoft infidel. Like our politics, people live in a binary world intellectually. The Apple Stores can't be just a store, they have to be "genius." It isn't an MP3 player, it's the "best MP3 player in the world." It isn't a computer, "it's the best and most stable operating the world has ever seen." And, of course, it MUST be perpetually improved, and quickly. One must be first and best in everything that one does. One must conquer the "evil" others who lurk in the shadows, ill-defined and guilty by association and accusation. It is not a random coincidence that fascists also think of themselves as superior to everyone else. They lift themselves up by putting others down. Fascists want total control and perpetual adulation. Nothing makes that easier than a clearly defined enemy, which is what Microsoft has provided to Apple (and vice-versa.) The "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" ads are built around this trite dichotomy. Another way to put it: when there were multiple OS's, you used to find the right software, and then buy the hardware to run it. Apple claims that it has the software and hardware you need, but only if you are doing nothing serious with the computer (music, games, photos.) Apple has always bristled at the implication that it was a "toy" machine, and not a business machine. But look at what they sell, how they sell it, and who they sell it to. That is pretty much how they act, and their commercials are equally juvenile with burning bunnies, tanks, dancing and music, and mocking PC. These are all based on a "good vs evil" tautology. The great irony of partisan (fascist) people is that they do not realize just how partisan (fascist) they are. Their fear of "the other guy" makes everything they do appear as "commonsense" to themselves.
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Apr 17, 2008 Posts: 47
    The Genius of Apple Stores
  • All the VAR's I've spoken to are interested in one thing: selling products profitably. If Apple can't supply that basic demand for them, then how will it do it for itself any better? The "genius of The Apple Stores" (see headline) just seems like an oxymoron to me. Anyway, I think you and I agree on this point Robomac. If and when Apple gets in trouble, it won't be because of their computers, but because of a reliance on a revenue stream that disappears and the overhead of the stores. It takes more than one hit to hurt a giant, in any case. Chubba, I am not negative (or inane) I am just describing the situation as it exists. "Genius" is false praise, unless narrowly crafted. Is Wal-Mart a genius store, or Target? Apple is a retailer. How does one even be a genius retailer? All retail is is a warehouse. Decor and knowledgeable staff is just basic competency, isn't it? A lot of people get that from PC VAR's, just not many Apple users anymore. As far as what I will contribute to the digital age goes, I ain't dead yet. lol :-) Sometimes I wonder where Apple would be if they didn't have "evil" Microsoft to compare themselves to. What if all the OS's that used to exist still existed, and it wasn't just down to these two players? Another question for another time perhaps.
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Apr 16, 2008 Posts: 47
    The Genius of Apple Stores
  • The Big Box retailers shift constantly, which is why Apple needs their own stores. I agree on that point. But the VAR's need to be independent, that's what makes them a VAR. All the PC companies that currently exist would sell and support Mac's if Apple would just give them a fair shake. I wish it wasn't true, but Apple is the one responsible for their dismal market-share. Also, to some extent, you and me, since our willingness to overpay has given them an inflated ego. Funny, the infatuation with how "cool" they are in media, commercials, etc., is really just a cover-up for how uncool they are in real life. Steve Jobs is petty, demanding, insulting, self-aggrandizing, greedy, etc. Three cheers for the OS (Next) and all that, but he is still a liability for the company as a whole. Like the Tim Man, if he would just grow a heart, he would be great. But like the Lion, he is too afraid. So we get stuck with the scarecrow. He flaps his arms, but the world ignores him. Other companies are jealous of his success, you have that right, but the companies he needs most (VAR's) he won't do business with, and they have all abandoned him. Deservedly so. We all reap what we sow. Not even Apple can reprogram that.
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Apr 15, 2008 Posts: 47
    The Genius of Apple Stores
  • Given how everyone is dressed, I suspect Steve Jobs might have had a little to do with it. LOL. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then his clones must be necessary so he can flatter himself. ;-) Is that true about Microsoft?
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Apr 15, 2008 Posts: 47
    The Genius of Apple Stores
  • Oh I like the stores okay, but like many restaurants that I have loved, I can sense that they won't be open forever. The Stores will last a while though, and will undoubtedly go through many more changes, too. Apple has been running in the black, and they have a healthy cash reserve, too, which most small businesses don't have. But the big guys do fall. COMP USA seemed pretty secure, too, so did Circuit City. It's expensive to own inventory, and now when they drain the channel, they are also draining their own sores for a refresh. I agree something like the stores was needed, however, they "work" for a shifting demographic. They don't NEED them for long-time loyal users, only for newbies. Think of it this way: I have bought 10+ Macs over the last 20 years, but a PC iPod user spends $150 and may never buy again. The Stores cater to the iPod customer, but are just over-lap/redundancy for the big customers, at very high rent. No matter how many Apple Stores they build, there will still be a 100:1 ratio for places to get a PC. The problem wasn't the demand for computers, or the places to buy them, but the underlying reason why people preferred a PC. It had a lot to do with support, which is why Apple has the genius bar, but the genius bar has very limited support, it doesn't really solve the issue. My point is that Apple needs the small business market that the resellers cater to. The Stores will never fill that niche, especially with premium priced products, like on displays. The Apple Store is a crappy store compared to what other computer stores offer. They have no selection, which puts them back where they started. There has always been this funny assumption that Apple should and wants to take over the world, but they have never been willing to embrace an obvious strategy that would work: give people what they ask for, treat people fairly, value the services of resellers. They are still zero for three on that score. Other computer manufacturers will continue to fill that vacuum as long as Apple leaves it open. The stores don't close this gap, they widen it more. The stores win the battle and lose the war, both financially and politically. Only an idiot could have a superior product and fail to be able to sell it. Steve Jobs is that idiot. The stores were necessary because of his continuing marketing failures; they are not a sign of his prowess.
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Apr 14, 2008 Posts: 47
    The Genius of Apple Stores
  • Apple's great store support is dependent on the fact that you only ask questions about the 5% of the things that you can use a computer for. It is the equivalent of the snack bar at a movie theater. If you want real food, then you need to dine elsewhere. Apple has driven all its resellers out of business, and this latest "innovation" is a last gasp for marketshare. It is a great irony that Jobs lured Sculley away from Pepsi by saying "what do you want to do, change the world or sell kids sugar water for the rest of your life." It is Apple that now sells the "sugar water." iPods, iPhones, computers to watch uTube, movies, videos, TV and music. The teenagers that have now become Apple's base demographic are not going to change the world, are not "the crazy ones," and the cereal companies have been pushing sugar on them for generations. Oh, and they are fickle, too. The Walkman's ride didn't last forever The stores are going to come crashing down with a great thud someday. Not because you can't get great customer service on your narrow 5%, but because the long-term trends in retail are that nobody survives. There has never been a totally vertical company in retail. Apple may be the first (though they are not a true vertical company, since they now outsource everything they manufacture.) Unique? Yes. Competent? Yes. Better than regular resellers? Debatable. Profitable? Yes, for a while. Look at the overhead: employees, rent, inventory are all extremely high. It works fine when sales are strong, but when sales are weak it sinks you quickly, which is why the retail landscape is littered with blow-outs. Apple has nobody to merge with, nobody they can buy, and there is no player to buy them out, either. Enjoy the stores while you can, but something has to change eventually. The good times don't last forever, and over-expansion comes back to hurt every company. Apple's best strategy for growth right now is to lower their prices, but because they have created all this overhead obligation they will be reluctant to do so. When they finally cut prices it will be too late. Fortunately, there are many channels outside of the Apple Stores, so when the stores retract, Apple itself will still be fine. The American stores were the first to open, and will probably be the last ones to close. Manufacturers belong at the top of the pyramid. Apple continually makes their world more difficult than it needs to be.
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Apr 14, 2008 Posts: 47
    The Genius of Apple Stores
  • You mean OS 9 isn't the last real Mac ever? :-) I miss the old days of plentiful and cheap software and everything was new. OS 9? Not so much. I booted my old tower in it a few months back, (it runs X usually) poked around a few minutes, clicked on the wrong thing, and it crashed. Like a Pavlovian bell, I remembered everything that came with 9. (Was Windows really any worse or archaic in the infinite ad nauseam details we must remember to get things to work?) What exactly was being "evangelized," fewer flat tires than the other guy! Remember how much more time we had when we were less productive in OS 9? The rat-race wins by making us wait or by making us hurry. The best definition of a computer I ever heard is that is is a "mistake amplifier." It's not the tool, it's the hand that uses it that matters.
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Apr 13, 2008 Posts: 47
    Apple Evangelism: Enough Already!
  • Apple wouldn't get cut up because of its monopolistic power, it would cut off its limbs so the torso could survive. It would be more like Ford selling its LandRover division. It purchased the LandRover Company so it could grow, but it ended up taking a loss. The Apple Stores will have the same effect. Like every other retailer, they will eventually hit hard times. My apologies for not being more clear. Microsoft was going to be broken because of its monopolistic success, whereas Apple being broken up would be because of its monopolistic failure. By any normal standard, Apple is an astounding success. But because Microsoft casts such a large shadow, everyone else pales by comparison. Your being a Microsoft infidel is an expression of that belief, but you are by no means alone in that belief. Time will tell, but history has shown that most businesses eventually fail. It really isn't hard to suggest Apple's eventual misfortunes, since bust and boom are intimately related. In other words, it would be best if Apple simply tried to survive, rather than being dominate. The risks that one takes to become dominate are eventually the risks that one loses. Apple, at one time, was a manufacturer and a designer. Now they are just a designer and a reseller. The reselling can carry the computer and designing for a while, but they are still isolating themselves and making themselves weaker and more vulnerable in the process. They can lose all these new revenue streams overnight, and still be stuck with the high overhead. Bear Stearns, WorldCom, etc., all thought the good times would last forever, too. Apple is small only compared to Microsoft, but they are in and of themselves a huge company, and Steve Jobs is an extremely wealthy individual. Your worship of both is very akin to the adoration of royalty a few centuries ago. You love your king and hate the other country's king. Crank it down a little. Steve and Bill are a mirror image of one another, not opposites. Nor are they very different from ourselves, just more extreme versions of who we are.
    Steve Consilvio had this to say on Apr 04, 2008 Posts: 47
    My Take on Leander's Piece AKA Apple Is Evil