Editorial Comment

Editorial Comment -- The Good Fight Wages On!

In today's Wall Street Journal Apple has a full page ad with color on the back of the Marketplace section expresssing the "Think different. Really different." theme of yesterday's announcements. It includes the cookie-cart-driver icons and a description of what they mean with regard to Apple's new way of doing business. It also favorably compares the performance of the new G3 computers to some of its competitors, something that has been sorely missing for a while in Apple ads. In news articles, there is disappointment expressed over yesterday's event due to the lack of other critical announcements like a new CEO or NetMacs (my name for Apple's rumored NetPCs) or the rumored merger with Oracle. So-called "analysts" are quoted as saying that the announcements did not provide a "winning game plan, just improved blocking and tackling." They also complained that Apple's strategy lacks an under $1,000 computer to compete with the PCs this holiday season. I think Apple's strategy in that regard is very clear--Apple has licensed UMAX. UMAX and Mactell are selling competitve Mac OS computers in that market. Apple has the eMate and, perhaps, the NetMac, a whole new and exciting field that has had trouble taking off in the PC world purportedly under negative pressure from Microsoft. Does Microsoft use anti-competitive practices, illegal or otherwise, to stifle innovation that threatens their Widows operating system domination of the world's business and home desktops? There's enough smoke that leads to that conclusion but we will have to leave it to the Justice Department to find and put out any fire. I think Apple has a real opportunity with a NetMac, certainly in education and business and possibly in the lower-end home market. The latter will require, in my opinion, someone to set up inexpensive online software renting or leasing services. Are you entrepreneurs listening? Oracle/Apple are you investing in this software-delivery technology? Maybe I'll just call Wayne Huizenga and see ... hmm, where's his phone number?