[LINK] Hard disk storage: 8 GB costs as much as a roll of toilet paper

[Craig Sanders]

On Sun, Apr 25, 2010 at 03:25:41PM +1000, Stilgherrian wrote:
> On 25/04/2010, at 3:07 PM, Robin Whittle wrote:
> > Also, I wonder what would have happened if Apple made its initial
> > Macs - the best mass-market graphic-interface computers by far at
> > the time - with a bigger screen (and in colour) than the piddly
> > little monochrome things they had then.  Likewise if Apple let its
> > OS be run on hardware made by others, or if the early Macs had
> > plug-in interface cards.
>
> As opposed to where Apple is now, in the truly miserable position of
> now having the largest market capitalisation of any US company except
> Exxon? ;)

well, that might be nice for apple but why should anyone who isn't a
shareholder give a damn? it's just not relevant or even particularly
noteworthy.

technology, OTOH, is extremely relevant to most people - whether they're
share-holders or not. and it's relevant to most people whether they
consciously realise it or not.

Apple's, or any tech company's, share price and market capitalisation
only matters insofar as it effects the technology available or being
developed.

on the one hand, apple's wealth is positive because it supports research
and development. on the other hand, it's negative because they use their
wealth and power to stifle innovation - either by squashing competitors
(or tying them up with bogus software patents) or deliberately delaying
product development to suit their preferred timetable (i.e. milk the
current cash cow for as long as they can before moving on to the next
generation) - good for them, not good for anyone else.


much as i like many of apple's products, my liking for apple itself is
tempered by a) my knowledge that they're just another corporation (all
of which are, in terms of human ethics & behaviour, psychopaths), and b)
the fact that "brand loyalty" is for idiots.

craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas at taz.net.au>