With the iMac in 1998, Apple was
hoping that it would get its users online quickly and easily. This
worked, and Apple found out that if the consumer has an easy way to
take advantage of technology, the consumer will use it.
iMovie was one
of those applications that gave users an easy way to complete the
task of editing short movies, which otherwise would have had to be
done by a professional. iPhoto gives users an
easy way to organize and edit their digital photos. And iTunes lets users play
and sort their MP3s from one central location.
The nice thing about these applications is that they are all
optional. iPhoto isn't the only application you can use to sort
photos - if you'd prefer, you can view them in the Finder and edit
them in Photoshop. The same goes for iTunes. You aren't forced to
use it; in fact, it doesn't even become the default MP3 player
until you open it and decide if you'd like to make it the
default.
This leaves things open. If I felt like it, I could trash just
about every application that comes preinstalled on the computer,
and the OS would still work fine. Apple seems to be trying to find
the right balance between a "non-destructible" home computer and a
flexible professional computer.
When the average user buys a computer for the home, they want to
be able to use it right out of the box without spending hours
installing applications and configuring them. In many cases, the
user doesn't even know where to begin to set a default browser, for
example.
Microsoft's approach seemed to be "if we make it hard for them
to change or remove applications, they won't have problems with
it." However, that causes a problem in itself. What happens if you
decide you don't like Windows Media Player. It's still there, and
no matter what you do, it doesn't want to go away. Internet
Explorer? It's the default unless you install another browser - and
if you decide you don't like the other browser, have fun getting
Internet Explorer back as the default.
Apple takes a different approach. Install the applications, keep
them available in the dock, but wait for the user to click on them
and then ask whether or not that application should be the default.
It's a small detail, but it's an excellent idea. This way a home
user exploring the computer will probably click "yes" when
confronted with "would you like to make this the default for..."
dialogue box and have no problems opening certain types of files in
the future.
A professional trying to customize the computer to his or her
needs has a much easier time. Instead of searching for the dialogue
box that will prevent a certain application from loading each time
a certain type of file is opened or an action is taken, a
professional can simply delete the unwanted application(s) and
concentrate on installing the necessary ones.
Apple has done an excellent job enabling any of its computers to
be suited for almost any use, even though they may be positioned to
different clientele. The PowerBook G4 can be an excellent machine
for basic email, Internet, and word processing, while the iBook has
the capability of making home movies just as good as any other
computer Apple offers.
It's a great strategy; they all have almost the same software
installed (except for AppleWorks, which
only comes with iBooks, iMacs, and eMacs), so they are all equally
capable out of the box.
