[Am-info] New Apple store near Beantown

[Paul Rickard]

========== On 2001.12.17 12:54 PM, Mitch Stone typed: ============

>You make a good point, but I'll disagree with only one aspect of it -- 
>the loss of Office for the Mac would harm the platform's future viability 
>substantially, even now. I would not be surprised if the next phase of 
>the antitrust case (and you know there's going to be one), centers around 
>Microsoft ability to damage competitors by withdrawing availability their 
>monopoly software products.

     It would hurt the platform, sure... The loss of ANY product for the 
Macintosh hurts the platform, even if it's just a game title or a piece 
of junky shareware. Office will have a bigger impact than anything else, 
of course, but at this point in time I don't see that losing Office would 
damage Apple as much as some people think. Especially not to the degree 
it would have in 1997 or 1998. Apple HAD to have Office then to survive. 
Now it's just something that would be damaging to lose but not 
devastating. If Microsoft pulled Office, we would quickly see AppleWorks 
become more comprehensive (I think Apple left a lot out there to keep it 
from competing head on with Office) and probably see a Mac version of 
StarOffice or even WordPerfect-sans-Microsoft.
     Losing Office would certainly be less devastating than losing 
Photoshop or Final Cut Pro - I feel like those two titles drive Mac sales 
more than anything else on the market at this point in time, Office 
notwithstanding. FCP is almost the Mac's killer app now, bringing in 
video professionals (and their significant budgets) by the thousands. 
I've seen several of my Windows diehard friends give up and buy high end 
PowerMacs for the video editing capabilities alone. Having something like 
that really helps Apple to get out from under Microsoft's significant 
thumb. I have confidence in the company's survival (limited at least) 
irregardless of what Microsoft does.



======== Paul Rickard, Editor of The Microsoft Boycott Campaign =======
--------------------------------[ Http://www.msboycott.com ]-----------

  "Microsoft is now talking about the digital nervous system. I guess I
   would be nervous if my system was built on their technology, too."
       -Sun Microsystems President Scott McNealy