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Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

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Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#31

Post by tdaltonc »

krisdol wrote: post #20
icpmacdo wrote: post #2

PG talked about this in his talk 'before the startup' "Larry Page may seem to have an enviable life, but there are aspects of it that are unenviable. Basically at 25 he started running as fast as he could and it must seem to him that he hasn't stopped to catch his breath since. Every day new shit happens in the Google empire that only the CEO can deal with, and he, as CEO, has to deal with it. If he goes on vacation…

> and partly because billionaires get less than zero sympathy if they talk about having difficult lives That quote from the essay reminds me of a Silicon Valley scene [1] where the CEO of the pseudo-Google company in the show gets vilified (rightfully so in the show) for complaining about how hard billionaires have it in this country. I bet the creator's read PG's essay and were inspired by it. [1]: https://www.youtu…

Or they read the news.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-01-26/kleiner-p...

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#32

Post by rrggrr »

He can stop whining... I admire Cook and love and use Apple products, but he should try running a small business and experience real loneliness. As he points out Apple has the bank account to hire virtually anyone, the very best people to help its businesses and fix business mistakes. Small business leaders don't and fight most of the same battles, alone, getting pounded into dust by unforgiving regulatory, liability, tax and competitive forces. My sympathy for Cook is further attenuated by the billions in cash Apple is sitting on at home and abroad that in my opinion should instead be put to work in the US economy. Google too.

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#33

Post by modeless »

agumonkey wrote: post #17
Animats wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google is in some ways easier, because there's no real threat to their cash cow, search ads. Apple has to stay ahead of competition in phones. That competition is now quite good, and usually cheaper. As CEO of Apple, Cook is expected to deliver the Next Big Thing. So far, he hasn't, and he's running out of time. (Cars? Tough, low-margin business. VR? Niche market. Watches? Tried that. Robots? Not ready yet. Voice AI?…

Honestly, what could be the NBT in consumer tech ? I feel we reached cultural and ontological plateau in most areas. If there's a next it probably won't be a big thing.

The next really big thing will be consumer robotics, powered by advances in AI. It's still a ways off. Self-driving cars may be the first big application area. After that we'll see home robots to do cleaning, cooking, and maintenance.

Contrary to popular opinion, IoT is a dead end. The future isn't a million devices scattered around your home, but one capable robot that can be your servant and do everything for you.

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#34

Post by stormbrew »

agumonkey wrote: post #17
Animats wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google is in some ways easier, because there's no real threat to their cash cow, search ads. Apple has to stay ahead of competition in phones. That competition is now quite good, and usually cheaper. As CEO of Apple, Cook is expected to deliver the Next Big Thing. So far, he hasn't, and he's running out of time. (Cars? Tough, low-margin business. VR? Niche market. Watches? Tried that. Robots? Not ready yet. Voice AI?…

Honestly, what could be the NBT in consumer tech ? I feel we reached cultural and ontological plateau in most areas. If there's a next it probably won't be a big thing.

"Everything that can be invented has been invented."

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#35

Post by ktRolster »

rrggrr wrote: post #32

He can stop whining... I admire Cook and love and use Apple products, but he should try running a small business and experience real loneliness. As he points out Apple has the bank account to hire virtually anyone, the very best people to help its businesses and fix business mistakes. Small business leaders don't and fight most of the same battles, alone, getting pounded into dust by unforgiving regulatory, liability…

He doesn't sound like he's whining, just describing.

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#36

Post by lsh »

adamlett wrote: post #12
icpmacdo wrote: post #2

PG talked about this in his talk 'before the startup' "Larry Page may seem to have an enviable life, but there are aspects of it that are unenviable. Basically at 25 he started running as fast as he could and it must seem to him that he hasn't stopped to catch his breath since. Every day new shit happens in the Google empire that only the CEO can deal with, and he, as CEO, has to deal with it. If he goes on vacation…

Who is PG?

Phallis Giganticous

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K8_jgiNqUc&feature=youtu.be...

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#37

Post by ktRolster »

k-mcgrady wrote: post #23
Animats wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google is in some ways easier, because there's no real threat to their cash cow, search ads. Apple has to stay ahead of competition in phones. That competition is now quite good, and usually cheaper. As CEO of Apple, Cook is expected to deliver the Next Big Thing. So far, he hasn't, and he's running out of time. (Cars? Tough, low-margin business. VR? Niche market. Watches? Tried that. Robots? Not ready yet. Voice AI?…

>> "Watches? Tried that." I don't understand how people think they've tried the watch and failed. They've put out ONE version. The first iPod was Mac only and therefore didn't sell very well. When the iPhone launched you had to buy the device outright - no subsidy and it was lacking features that other phones had for quite a while. It was a few versions before it really took off. I think people shrugging off the watc…

FWIW the apple watch sold fairly well: http://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-watch-with-sizable-sales-c...

Expectations of course are ridiculously high.

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#38

Post by ktRolster »

1123581321 wrote: post #25
apozem wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cook has his edges. He's supposed to be a demanding, logical boss. > One day back then, he convened a meeting with his team, and the discussion turned to a particular problem in Asia. “This is really bad,” Cook told the group. “Someone should be in China driving this.” Thirty minutes into that meeting Cook looked at Sabih Khan, a key operations executive, and abruptly asked, without a trace of emotion, “Why are you s…

I think about that story a lot because I'd like to know what happened in those thirty minutes. Presumably they continued to discuss the situation, and Cook's opinion of it worsened to where he demanded immediate action. It wouldn't make sense for Khan to leave the meeting and have to be caught up later on the situation he'd flown to China to resolve. Less likely possibilities: was Cook talking to someone in the other…

I think it's important to realize that he didn't lose respect for Khan through that experience. He wasn't trying to put Khan down, or look for a reason to demote him.

Possibly Cook looked at it as a teaching experience for Khan.

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#39

Post by csallen »

rrggrr wrote: post #32

He can stop whining... I admire Cook and love and use Apple products, but he should try running a small business and experience real loneliness. As he points out Apple has the bank account to hire virtually anyone, the very best people to help its businesses and fix business mistakes. Small business leaders don't and fight most of the same battles, alone, getting pounded into dust by unforgiving regulatory, liability…

No matter what's plaguing you, there will always people worse off. That doesn't mean your problems stop feeling like problems, however. Human experience and judgment is extremely relative. We acclimate to our surroundings. Otherwise, we'd all be paralyzed by constant awe at things like cars and running water.
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