This is one more word I struggle with at work. Read why.
Apple – I love Apple dearly and have been a loyalist since the 80s. But, what gets me is that they are constantly used as a benchmark for design and creativity. Fair enough, they arguably lead the pack. But, my concern is that if that’s our bench mark, then we will never do better, only emulate. I don’t want to emulate them, I want them to come to me and say, ‘Hey, Charlie, I so dig what you do. We use your stuff as a benchmark.’ Yeah, dream on, but that’s what my target needs to be – to learn from them and do better.
You can review all my previous ‘Tired Words’ here on this page.
Charlie,
Actually as a Silicon Valley veteran and former Apple researcher I have thougth about this alot.
I see Apple’s design prowess more as an indightment of the stunning LACK of design sensibility in the high tech industry rather then Apple’s brilliance. Steve Jobs continues to flog a sort of late modern Bauhaus style. It is timeless and it works but it is by no means forward thinking.
For example the Finns and Danes do wonderful, sublime advancements of the modernist functional style. Why isn’t Silicon Valley flocking to these places to get their act together? Dunno.
Less is less, more is more, sorry for the confusion.
Cheers,
Doug
Look at this blog about Apple Computer products
http://madeincupertino.blogspot.com/