More of my sites

WinInfo Daily News
SuperSite for Windows
Windows IT Pro Magazine
Connected Home
Thurrott Dot Com
Windows Weekly at TWIT

About this site

For six years, the Internet Nexus served as my technology blog, but I've since started blogging at the SuperSite Blog instead. If you're looking for the blog, please head there. --Paul

Saturday, January 15, 2005

Mac co-creator Andy Hertzfeld: Apple should open up the iPod, iTunes

In a lengthy interview, Mac co-creator Andy Hertzfeld says (correctly) that Apple is making the mistakes of the past by not opening up the iPod:

I think Apple is making a blunder not licensing FairPlay. Ultimately, when you boil it down, it comes to respect for your customer. I think Apple is showing disrespect to the customers by locking them in.

I've had discussions with Steve Jobs about that exact topic. He doesn't see it. What it will take is a really strong competitor ... it's not Microsoft. Microsoft's business model is licensing the software, and that's what they've done in the Media Player range to a variety of different companies. It's maybe the combination of Microsoft and someone making exquisite hardware with them -- but it just can't be exquisite because of that divide, it's not the same thing. Apple's great strength is doing the hardware and the software at the same time.

Hertzfeld has a lot more to say, about the history and state of the Mac, about blogging, and about other topics. Overall, fascinating stuff.

[ Posted at 9:27 AM | Permalink ]