adinoto's blog

Hi Steve,

With the recent OSNews article on Maya 6.5 to be final upgrade release for IRIX, I feel wanna write you short line for our own good.

You know me, I’m the bad boy who keep writing you letters on how should run Apple. Once a Mac evangelist, then an enterpreneur, crossing a road again on Mac last year on business/project opportunity. My business now it’s not run on Macs, we generate revenue from consulting services and software development that mostly runs on Linux, so this advice let’s say a word from an enterpreneur who can’t go to major leagues game.

Learn from SGI case’s I should (again) reminds you that you should aware it’s a computer business not an automotive business (once you refers it’s nothing wrong being BMW who has small marketshare/niche but own great margin). Computer is way too fast. New standard emerges, new hardwares requires every few years or so, while automotive is a slow pace (and people don’t need compatibility in automotive business, once you paid, you can drive it anytime you want, in computer we need more and more softwares, 3rd party supports) in short “It’s All About Mindshare, Accessibility, And Marketshare”.

Linux now owns mindshare. While it won’t be anywhere sometimes soon on desktop. Still no way easier to replace the current common desktop environment. But it’s kinda cool to say Linux-this-linux-that, even a know nothing about bit from byte CEO, they feel cool to say linux-this-linux-that, seems that they are compatible, and up-to-date in this new emerging technology. That’s called mindshare. Score 1:0 for Linux.

When we say about accessibility, we talk x86 based platform. It’s the most accesible platform we can ever find in this whole planet. Go here and there, you can always find a suitable x86 machine to start to play with. That’s why HP rocks in corporate spaces!! They are rocks with ProLiant series, only because people are accustomed to x86. And corporate are keen to spend more for brand value for confidence (while you have a hard time pushing Xserve to corporate market) HP sales manager keep sells and sells more.

Marketshare, let’s face it. Apple now with 5% (or less market) is a profitable company. Grows to 15-20 billions this year to become a healthy company. But iPod has proven itself to be a no-brainer golden kids in Apple’s hands. iPod owns the marketshare now, you license it to HP to make it available everywhere. You can put it every digital stores that sells camcorders or stereosets. It doesn’t have a burden that Mac faces. It takes time for you to allow PC users to have access to iPod and make it Windows compatible. And now you know how sweet the business is.

My concern is always how about Mac? Are you loosing your faith on your own baby? Mac needs (and always) some true attention. Mac platform today doesn’t have the three things I describe above. No mindshare, no accessibility, and no marketshare at all. But you can turn it upside down…. ONLY if you’re willing to do so. No matter how I (and the rest of the world) speak for Apple, it’s nothing Steve. You run Apple. It’s all up to you.

Mac can be a big player again if only it has the 3 components that I mentioned in the above lines. How you can turn it inside out? Sure it’s easy (you actually know how, but you’re only need an advice to make sure you will do it, this way!)…

Mac OS X is rocks (It’s not God, but it’s the best option ever compare to current Microsoft’s offering). But no matter how good it is if people don’t have access to play with this cool stuff, people will keep the other offering lucrative. (It’s a whole different between easy and get-used-to).

So how we do it? We gotta get the whole three components at once. To be able to do so we need more friends than foe. Ask HP, Dell and those many PC manufacturers to play in your game. Ask them to come to your house and talk possibilities that you can work together.

Either you’ll let them license Mac OS X for x86 or ask them to produce PowerPC compatible machines (while you asked them few dollars for license fees), all strategy will fit just nicely. Then you can seriously ask your team to work on the Cell microprocessors. By doing it so Apple will rein again the big games.

I guess you know what I’m trying to say to you all this time. Enough for this business advice. I got business to take care, and if you’re really keen I’ll be ready working on something for Apple.

Just call me at : +62 855 218 1888
Or email at : adinoto_at_adinoto_dot_com

Have a great day Steve!

Adinoto A. Kadir