[Info-vax] Steve Jobes [was: Apple says ...]

[Paul Sture]

In article <TulLAcOeekse at eisner.encompasserve.org>,
 cornelius at eisner.decus.org (George Cornelius) wrote:

> In article <4e8e0bd4$0$2477$e4fe514c at news2.news.xs4all.nl>, MG 
> <marcogbNO at SPAMxs4all.nl> writes:
> > Unlike Ken Olsen, Steve Jobs is often deified and gets media coverage
> > all the time; or else his registered trademarks and logos.  Only some
> > online publications, along with a few institutions (like one American
> > university) made mention of Olsen's death, in terms recognition in
> > the mass-media and overall mention in general.  Even DEC 'inheritor'
> > HP barely made mention of Ken Olsen's passing away.  So, yes, there
> > is definitely a difference alright.
>  
> Well, Jobs was a national figure.  Olson, even in Digital's heyday,
> was known to few.  Both attempted to market premium products at 
> premium prices.  But Olson is well known for disdaining marketing,
> and disdaining the consumer market as well.

To be honest the whole of Digital kept quite a low profile.  I had never 
heard of them when I applied for a job which involved PDPs and was 
surprised to be told that they were the second largest importer of 
computer kit into the UK after IBM.
    
> I have never purchased an Apple product.  But it is clear that
> Jobs made his mark in the consumer marketplace, and he did it by
> selling technology to a select group of consumers.  I will not
> belittle that - it was something that worked for him, and something
> that kept him in the public eye year after year.

A couple of less famous achievements spring to mind:

o - Time Machine - Apple brought easy to use full system backups
    to the masses. No more wipe and reinstall.

o - Truly multilingual operating systems and applications.
    MS have finally got nearly there with the most expensive version
    of Windows 7.  With a lesser version you have to buy it again to
    use a different language.  Ditto for many Windows apps.

-- 
Paul Sture