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The Mac Platform Decline

milen.me

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Re: The Mac Platform Decline

#31

Post by Yetanfou »

nkw wrote: post #11

I think most of the statements in the article are true, the problem is there is not (right now) a superior alternative. Yes, Microsoft is trying with the surface, Linux I'm sure has come far, but there is simply not any alternative that can realistically compete with the Mac platform right now. There is simply no pressure on Apple to dedicate further resources to this area, because there is not much for them to gain.…

   but there is simply not any alternative that can realistically compete with the Mac platform right now
I think you forgot to add two important words: for me. Other beg to differ for a variety of reasons.

Re: The Mac Platform Decline

#32

Post by thaw13579 »

ascendantlogic wrote: post #16

"It will be a switch from iOS developers using Macs at home to them using PCs at home and having a "work Mac" for commercial development." This is exactly what gave rise to the Mac and OSX in the last 10-15 years. People worked on Windows PCs "at work" but had Macs for personal development. Now I'm witnessing the exact same scenario play out now that Apple is the market behemoth amongst power users and developers. Do…

The Linux subsystem on Windows seems promising too, and it may fill the same gap as the Mac OS X BSD backend when Apple transitioned from OS 9 to OS X. I'm curious to see what MS does with it, and I wonder if it could possibly win back a lot of Mac developers.

Re: The Mac Platform Decline

#33

Post by pjmlp »

ascendantlogic wrote: post #27
ihuman wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> now that Apple is the market behemoth I thought Windows/PC was still much larger than Apple in the computer market?

Yes but it's been steadily declining. I guess I should have added an asterisk and said "Amongst power users/developers" since those are almost exclusively Mac now (from my observation, YMMV)

I imagine you are living in a Mac bubble.

On our main building, which has four floors, there are exactly 4 Macs.

On two of the customers sites I visit regularly, with several hundred people on the respective buildings, only iOS developers have Macs, and they aren't that many on site.

Re: The Mac Platform Decline

#34

Post by simonbarker87 »

IBM wrote: post #25
simonbarker87 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No one is lying here, it's speculation so not sure how that article relates. Marco never claimed it was an original thought, I'm pretty sure Gruber said the same a few months back after WWDC. Either way, we can choose to see this update positively or we can be negative about it and stew on the fact that we feel ignored by Apple - the later always works out well.

The speculation doesn't even make sense because Apple is structured as a functional organization, not around product lines. Schiller and Federighi aren't in charge of Macs so they don't have to fight Cook for resources. When Marco claims (without any evidence) that Schiller or Federighi are the champions for the Mac internally, he's projecting his values on to them because he's created some narrative in his head abou…

Ah I see you've also read the stratechery article about apple's structure :-)

I think it's pretty clear from the WWDC Gruber interview panel that the execs who love the Mac are Schiller and Federighi but you're right that it's speculation. Either way, we can be negative and whinge or take this update as a glimmer of hope - because whatever we choose to do Apple aren't paying us any attention on HN!

Re: The Mac Platform Decline

#35

Post by snom380 »

s917 wrote: post #17
jamisteven wrote: post #3

Its not just the mac but the entire product line. Unfortunately Jobs did not do a good job of finding a sufficient replacement prior to his health issues getting the best of him. - Round edges on the iphone6 - protruding lens on the iphone6 - removal of 3mm headphone jack on iphone7 - forcetouch keys on the new macbooks - video cam on the pro

I'm getting the impression that Steve didn't pick a replacement as such, just someone that would keep things ticking over until he recovered.

He certainly picked a replacement he believed in. He made very sure that Jony Ive had certain powers inside Apple. He didn't die overnight, and had plenty of time to consider how to set up Apple.

On the other hand, last time he picked a successor in the 80s he picked the wrong guy.

Re: The Mac Platform Decline

#36

Post by remir »

ascendantlogic wrote: post #16

"It will be a switch from iOS developers using Macs at home to them using PCs at home and having a "work Mac" for commercial development." This is exactly what gave rise to the Mac and OSX in the last 10-15 years. People worked on Windows PCs "at work" but had Macs for personal development. Now I'm witnessing the exact same scenario play out now that Apple is the market behemoth amongst power users and developers. Do…

There could be a third option "soon"; Fuchsia, the new OS Google is developing. From what I see, it seems like a modular OS running Flutter apps, with Material Design as the system's UI.

Google has folks who worked on BeOS, Danger, iOS, ChromeOS and Android working on this new OS.

Re: The Mac Platform Decline

#37

Post by monkmartinez »

taylodl wrote: post #23

Is it too much to ask to wait until we get the actual machines in our hands and use them for 30 days before deciding our verdict? Maybe they suck. Maybe they don't.

You don't need a "hands on" nor 30 days to realize 16gb of RAM isn't going to be enough for the CAPEX of a $2500 to $4000 dollar machine over the span of (hopefully) 3+ years. That is just one example... there are many more.

Re: The Mac Platform Decline

#38

Post by snom380 »

jamisteven wrote: post #3

Its not just the mac but the entire product line. Unfortunately Jobs did not do a good job of finding a sufficient replacement prior to his health issues getting the best of him. - Round edges on the iphone6 - protruding lens on the iphone6 - removal of 3mm headphone jack on iphone7 - forcetouch keys on the new macbooks - video cam on the pro

Sorry, but Steve Jobs also released lots of products with rough edges like that. (Remember "antennagate"?)

I think we won't see how Apples management really works until there's a new product space that Apple entirely misses, and I don't think we've seen that yet (it could be AI, VR, or something entirely different we haven't thought of). If they miss that just like Microsoft did in the tablet / mobile space, then we can start comparing Tim Cook to Ballmer.

Re: The Mac Platform Decline

#40

Post by tlow »

mbernstein wrote: post #14
casion wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't sound like a contradiction to me. A very small segment of users are 'pro-level' users. Now yes, it isn't supported, but if you accept that as the reality then it is not contradictory.

I think the whole 'pro-user' description needs examined a bit. Tons of developers at companies use macbook airs which are far less powerful than the newest laptops. Ex: Rob Pike uses a macbook air. Is he not a professional? There's a huge range of needs even within the pro user camp and I'd posit that the majority of them will be well served by the new Macs. If you're doing game development I'd argue Apple hasn't mad…

I've found a Mac Pro to be an excellent machine for graphics work including large video editing projects that ground my Dell to a halt.
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