August 5, 2008
the traumatic life
[Cartoon inspired by recent Techcrunch post etc.]
Hugh MacLeod
I'm a cartoonist.
I sell limited-edition prints.
I wrote a book.
I'm CEO of Stormhoek USA, which markets South African wine in the States.
I also draw private commissions.
Prints |
Opening | Current |
|---|---|---|
Bluetrain |
$900 | |
We Need to Talk |
$650 | |
Portfolio #2 |
$300 | |
NY NY |
$275 |
In mathematical terms, “reversion to the mean.”
They’ve had a good run of successes without any big disasters, but that can’t last forever. (In fact it hasn’t… MobileMe, anyone?)
I still love many of their products, but wholeheartedly agree.
Here I am, sitting in rural Ontario well away from broadband. There’s a fire going, we’ve got some local beef marinating. A perfect summer’s evening away from the city.
And still, I’ve got my music with me, I am keeping an eye on a number of projects I am working on, my email finds me if I want to be found, my GPS tells me where I am in the woods and I can call Europe for the price of a local call. From my iPhone.
Apple isn’t perfect, not infallible, but right now there is nothing out there that even remotely matches their products.
I am not an Apple fanboi, I use whatever tool gets the job done best, and I realize that you have a commitment to your new paymasters but that cartoon was just a cheap shot.
Duess, lighten up. I’ve been making Apple jokes for years. Long before any one of my “paymasters” came along.
I agree with your thought, “but right now there is nothing out there that even remotely matches their products.”
I use a MacBook, by the way. And I think it rocks.
I was less impressed by the iPhone. Nice looking bit of kit, but the UI kinda rubbed me the wrong way.
Oh, don’t worry about me — I am as relaxed as they come this fine evening. And I wasn’t trying to be an ads, honestly. But you know, people like you and me are hired guns. We might have convictions, and I know you do, but we put these convictions in the service of the people who pay us. Nothing wrong with that, were I selling my talents to Dell right now I’d shoot at Apple too. That’s the deal after all.
So again, no harm intended. Just keping things real.
No worries, Duess. Glad to see the Canadian move seems to be working out for you. When we first spoke on the phone you were still in London, about to make your move abroad… Rock on.
I’m with Jed. I love Apple; I have an iMac, an iBook and and iPhone. My whole life is iLife. And yet, when they are fallible, we have to call them out just as if they were Dell.
I had a bad experience with Apple a while back. (http://talkitup.typepad.com/weblog/customer_service/page/2/) It was so unacceptable that I blogged about it and came under attack from other Apple fans who apparently didn’t realize what a fan I was myself.
Heartbreaking to realize, but yes, Apple can have crappy customer service and buggy products, just like the next guy.