10.29.11
Apple’s Products Are Far From Perfect
Summary: Quality-wise and freedom-wise Apple’s products tend to suck (a lot of battery power) if not explode in people’s faces
THE problems with Apple were discussed here yesterday and also explored here over the years. To replace Microsoft with Apple is to replace proprietary with proprietary. It’s like voting for one of the two dominant political parties in the UK or the US. Despite differentiation, none serves the users or the citizens; they serve power. Richard Stallman makes an additional careful remark about Steve Jobs the aggressor, stating that “Jobs saw how to make these computers stylish and smooth. That would normally be positive, but not in this case, since it has the paradoxical effect of making their controlling nature seem acceptable.
“To replace Microsoft with Apple is to replace proprietary with proprietary.”“Jobs’ death inspired a flood of articles lauding him for these very devices. That further increases their potential for harm, which is why now more than ever we must focus attention on it. We must not let secondary considerations about Apple or Jobs distract us from this threat until we have thwarted it.”
Stallman has also criticised Android for legitimate reasons. There is no hypocrisy there. Android is likely to continue gaining at Apple’s expense, especially because Apple lost its ability to make reliable products. First it was antennagate and now this:
Last week I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with my new iPhone 4S, as I relied upon it for email, web browsing, and Twitter. It was not a completely satisfactory experience. And it wasn’t because it sucked down the battery like its life depended on it (which, of course, it did). Over the course of an hour when the phone was supposedly idling its charge would drop 20 percent and the thing ran hot.
This one at least does not necessarily explode. Peter Köhlmann writes in USENET that “they’re just using it wrongly. Apple are synonymous with perfection and you have to align your usage with that in mind.”
“This is why Asia-based companies are winning market share share at Apple’s expense, as gradually they become more independent from that American branding company.”“I am certain that someone at apple will tell the world how to hold it correctly to use less power,” remarks another poster sarcastically (referring to the antenna blunder). We wrote about that at the time.
Apple does not make those batteries. Apple buys these and it clearly does not know how to use them (Microsoft has the same type of problem). This is why Asia-based companies are winning market share share at Apple’s expense, as gradually they become more independent from that American branding company. █
Michael said,
October 29, 2011 at 1:09 pm
FUD:
To the contrary, many Apple and MS products serve me an *millions* of other people very well. Your denial of this is factually incorrect. Wrong.
Complete and utter FUD.
FUD:
If you do not like the products then do not buy them. There is *nothing* controlling about that. Nothing. It is like when Stallman-cultists say Apple provides a jail… a jail you have to pay to enter and can leave any time you want. What a bizarre concept for a jail!
Complete and utter FUD.
And your BS where you note Apple products are not perfect, as if someone has suggested they are. Complete FUD. Apple products are, generally, excellent and earn the highest user satisfaction ratings, but nobody claims they are “perfect” or that none ship with defects.
Complete and utter FUD.
Oh, and with batteries – Apple does design their batteries and includes technologies which they have innovated. Please, Roy, can you at least try to get your fact straight about the company you admit you envy? http://techrights.org/2011/10/28/losing-respect
walterbyrd said,
October 30, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Whether or not Apple/MS products serve you has nothing to do with whether or not their products are proprietary. So why are lying about Roy spreading FUD?
And even if you have the choice as to buy, or not buy, Apple/MS products; it is entirely fair to warn potential buyers that they can be vendor locked after they buy. Nothing “FUD” about that, it’s just a fair heads-up warning. And the warning is 100% truthful, we both know that, don’t we?
Also, even if Apple products tend to be high quality, those products can still have significant flaws. To point out those flaws is not “FUD” at all. It would be more accurately be called “truth” you ought to try it some time. Frankly warning people about exploding batteries is more like a public service.
Michael Reply:
October 30th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
You state that as if you think someone said something contrary to it. Why?
If you think I am wrong then by all means show where.
If? Now you question this? That is silly.
Has anyone said otherwise? If so, can you quote them?
What warning? About what product?
Well, the “if” there is a bit questionable – it is easy to find user satisfaction surveys and Apple almost always comes out on top. There is at least one exception I have found, and there may be others – but it is rare. As far as them having significant flaws – absolutely.
Well, depends on context and how… but I have nothing against people pointing out flaws. But since that has nothing to do with this article nor my comment, why bring it up?
Ah, more accusations from you. Sad how you feel the need to post like that when you lack anything of value to say.
What does this have to do with anything Roy or I said?
Here, let me help you. Here is what I was noting:
1) Roy claimed that proprietary software does not serve its users.
Roy’s comments were complete FUD.
2) Roy claims Jobs was an aggressor in terms of Android.
Roy’s comments were complete FUD.
3) Roy quoted Stallman babbling about why it should not be acceptable to have choices Stallman does not like.
Stallman’s comments were complete FUD – and Roy’s repeating of them was, too.
4) Roy was trying to dishonestly make it look like the batteries in Apple products are the same as in other devices.
Roy lied.
This is not to say they must be better, but Apple does a lot of design work on their batteries. And since you bring up exploding batteries, Apple has actually done a lot of work to help reduce that chance (when you have that much power in such a small package there is risk from *any* company’s batteries – welcome to technology)
walterbyrd said,
October 30, 2011 at 3:38 pm
> You state that as if you think someone said something contrary to it. Why?
Because you said something to the contrary, as I pointed out.
> If you think I am wrong then by all means show where.
I already did, read my post.
> What warning? About what product?
Exploding batteries.
Michael said,
October 30, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Roy made a claim:
I noted he was wrong – proprietary software can and does serve people well. How well a product serves you is not decided by it being proprietary or open source. I believe you should use what serves you best.
You showed you agree with me and disagree with Roy.
Sorry for assuming you were trying to suggest I was wrong – it is clear now you were agreeing with me that Roy is wrong.
By the way, if you think I am wrong about something you should quote what you think I was wrong about and then explain your contrary view. So far you seem to agree with me that how well a product serves you is not tied to if it is proprietary or not.