As software developers, we’re constantly being reminded about good UI design. Issues like color schemes (are they web safe?!?), screen layout, interface density, etc. are constantly being brought up. But good interface design also applies to things like phone menus: is the voice understandable? are there too many options in one section? etc… Case in point: I called a company today to try and get some information but sadly, it was after hours. I thought I’d try just in case they had long hours. I get transferred to the queue where I am informed that there are 0 calls in front of me. I am then put on hold and am offered some swank jazz to ease the wait. I didn’t get a “We’re closed. Please call back during business hours.” I got put on hold behind 0 other people waiting for the next available customer service representative. So I hung up. It’s kind of funny but that’s not the sort of customer service a company should want to provide…
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I’ve been planning on getting a powerbook this summer if everything works out all right. As such, I’ve been looking more and more at all things Apple. One thing that’s always annoyed me about Apple users is the fanboy mentality of most of them I’ve talked to. These people have had an insufferable superiority complex because they’re machines were cooler. I never bothered to point that most of them were technically inept and liked clicking pretty buttons but there you have it. So it was with some amusement that I pulled up to the Apple Friday night.
I was there enticed by the release of Tiger (not to mention the giveaways…). The place was *packed.* It got me to wondering, what is it about Apple that inspires such zeal. Then it occurred to me. It happens because Apple cultivates it. What other company is like Apple? When was the last time you hit the Microsoft store? Did you go to a Windows XP release party? Or how about a Red Hat release party? (IRC parties don’t count. 
) Their success, despite persistent predictions of impending doom, is due, at least in part, to this culture. I don’t know of any other company that has succeeded at building a cult following on this scale.
It’s a fascinating culture. I’ve seen people get Macs and then turn in mindless fanboys endless flaunting their superiority in a matter of weeks. It’s a sad side effect of the iCulture. Though, I’m looking forward to getting a powerbook and learning OS X for myself, I’m going to try hard not become “that guy.” Time will tell how much luck I have with that.
If you’re like me, you like to watch these movies again and again. Unfortunately, this takes quite a bit of time. But, no more! Here are two short summations of the movies which can be easily enjoyed in just a fraction of the time. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.
I’m not the biggest Microsoft fan in the world. I dislike some of their practices and software. But at the end of the day, they’re a company doing what companies do. They’re just better and more aggressive than some others. But I have to give them credit for this. I read about this a year or so ago and was so thrilled to see them doing this. But now apparently the software is “done” and they’ve chosen to release it under some form of an open source license. (The article doesn’t mention what license.) Microsoft may or may not have “wronged” a lot of people on its way to its current position, but just shows that there are decent people at Microsoft despite the rumors and accusations to the contrary. Good job, Bill.
1.5 has been out for some time now and I still haven’t migrated. I’ve been holding off because one project I’m working on is staying on 1.4 so I just held off on all of them. But I think it’s time to upgrade the others and just make a special case for the 1.4 project. There’s too much I don’t know about 1.5 yet and I need to get up to speed on it. This hosting service has forced my website code to 1.5 so I might as move everything else up as well.
