[Macworld]

Post your comments for Apple shocks world, reveals it is a huge corporation here

[Chris Breen]

Dagnabbit, Scott. I was going to write a piece similar to this. But you nailed it, I snoozed, and I losed. Nice job!

[Glenn_Fleishman]

I think you misread some of the intent of Tonya's hilarious letter. Community isn't just something Apple should pay lip service, too; it's part of the heart of their mercantile approach.
Also, some companies do make sure their community has big events to foster interest. Apple, never the operator of Macworld, may have felt too distant from the effort.
I assume WWDC, which is about a community of interest of vital importance to Apple, either breaks even or turns a profit.

[jeffcarlson]

I would quibble slightly by saying that Apple's shareholders aren't even its #1 boss, but rather Apple itself. Jobs and the management team has been happy to see the stock rise, but have never seemed particularly concerned when it doesn't. They don't pull end-of-quarter tricks to inflate the stock price. And despite its big cash horde, the company has expressed no interest in a stock buyback or other things that could directly benefit shareholders. Apple makes products and profits. The shareholders are the backing that got them to that point.
Otherwise, I agree with Scott.

[adobephile]

I think McNulty is taking the pendulum swing too far in the other direction.
The MWExpo decision is most likely business based, but it's also most likely not "faceless" based.
The yammering comes from the yammerers who'll yammer about just about anything.
The fact is that it's a significantly different world from the Expo glory days, whenever those were.
If Apple is somehow ignoring too many good reasons to keep attending and participating in expo's, that'd be one thing. But I think that's quite unlikely, given its rising statistics and prosperity. When you're on a roll like this, you keep doing the things that made for the success, and you quit doing the things that didn't. Perhaps expos were on the latter list.

[ScottP]

Excellent post, and a perfect way to respond to Engst's monumentally stupid idea and effort to grab attention.

[Splashman]

Good article, Scott. Nice to see a splash of reality in this vast sea of angst. But I think you're taking the 'cold heartless corporation' thing a bit too far.
"Apple’s employees have one boss—Apple shareholders—and they are committed to one thing—making those shareholders money."
That's the cart before the horse. As SJ has said many times, what animates them is the desire to create insanely great products. Money is not their primary motivation. Obviously, they are limited by the necessity to earn profits, so they can fund the next great product, but I can't think of a single great product in any industry that was created by people whose primary motivation was money. Can you? Do you really believe SJ or any other of their top guys sit down in a brainstorming meeting and say, "Okay, what can we come up with that make a buttload of money?"
Microsoft is an example of a company who employs many talented and passionate people, but the guy at the top is a salesman all the way down to his DNA, and every product Microsoft makes reflects that reality. Apple is different.

[himbo]

This article's title is positively Onion-eque. Nicely done.

[ScottP]

Oops, I mean Lesa Snider King's stupid idea.

[Chris Breen]

Splashman said:

> Do you really believe SJ or any other of their top guys sit down in a brainstorming meeting and say, "Okay, what can we come up with that make a buttload of money?"

I don't see Apple's making "insanely great products" and seeking ways to make a buttload of money as mutually exclusive. I think Jobs sincerely believes that making insanely great products earns you that buttload of money. And if Apple's bank account is any indicator, he may well be right.

And just because you make great products (and, hopefully, quality products) doesn't mean you're not a heartless corporation. You've just learned that sincerity (feigned or not) sells. I think of Jobs as a great doctor with wonderful bedside manner. Once he leaves my bedside I don't care that he kicks his cat and sneers at orphans.

[Splashman]

{quote:title=Chris Breen wrote:}
I don't see Apple's making "insanely great products" and seeking ways to make a buttload of money mutually exclusive. I think Jobs sincerely believes that making insanely great products earns you that buttload of money. And if Apple's bank account is any indicator, he may well be right.{quote}

Yes, they are not mutually exclusive, but the guys at the top of Apple cannot have two primary motivations. And I submit that their primary motivation is making great products, with a close secondary motivation being profits.

{quote}And just because you make great products (and, hopefully, quality products) doesn't mean you're not a heartless corporation. You've just learned that sincerity (feigned or not) sells. I think of Jobs as a great doctor with wonderful bedside manner. Once he leaves my bedside I don't care that he kicks his cat and sneers at orphans.{quote}

That part I agree with. But in my opinion, Scott's article has whiny overtones of 'woman scorned.'

[Glenn_Fleishman]

ScottP said:

Excellent post, and a perfect way to respond to Engst's monumentally stupid idea and effort to grab attention.

Coal in your stock this year, for sure.
How is writing a funny letter a "monumentally stupid idea and effort to grab attention"?

Mother isn't happy.

Update: I'm not sure why it's any better to insult Lesa. Why do forum posters attack women tech writers so readily? Am I being thin-skinned about that? I don't see this nasty vitriol against guys most of the time.
Message was edited by: Glenn_Fleishman

[Chris Breen]

Splashman said:

Yes, they are not mutually exclusive, but the guys at the top of Apple cannot have two primary motivations. And I submit that their primary motivation is making great products, with a close secondary motivation being profits.

We almost agree. I just reverse the order. Profits first and great products the way to get there. Dr. Jobs' bedside manner spells it your way, but I don't buy it.

[Chris Breen]

Glenn_Fleishman said:

Coal in your stock this year, for sure.

Note that he corrected the target of his wrath.