Thu, 16 June, 2005

Chip wise, productivity foolish

Posted in General at 9 pm

A friend recently wrote, “To get my toes wet I’m thinking about buying a mini first. Waste of money?”

Software wise, the stuff that runs today will run tomorrow. The stuff tomorrow will still support the chips of today and Apple will continue using the PowerPC chips for the next two years at least.

So if we conservatively estimate that the software that will start not supporting the PowerPC chips will not appear for two years after that, there are 4 years before there is even the start of some software that won’t run on the Mini. Then another couple of years before the most common apps drop support, so we’re up to 6 years. I regularly run two year old software (4 years even), and Amy’s still running Jaguar (2002, 3 years old) with no problem.

So if you’re worried that your $700 computer won’t run new software after 6 to 8 years, then by all means, wait. But if you think that by 2012 you might be in the market for a new machine, the Mini should last you just fine. :)

In fact, I think the Mac Mini will be the one machine that continues to sell in volume through the transition and will be the only big mover for Apple outside of the iPod for the next 18 months.

Mon, 13 June, 2005

Successful projects in three acts

Posted in General at 2 pm

In order to achieve a successful project, delivered on time and on budget, three critical pieces are required from all parties involved:

  1. Communication – Open communication is the most critical piece of any project. As situations, issues and unplanned needs arise we expect each team mmber to provide clear feedback and direction when necessary. If a deliverable is not going to be make a set deadline, communication of the status of the deliverable makes it easy to reschedule adjust or rescale other requirements to work within the project.

  2. Understanding – Along with open communication, clarity of that communication is necessary. If there are unfamiliar terms or jargon, everyone in the project should be uninhibited in asking for clarification. Such questions can provide insight into emerging issues that may be just over the horizon and help avoid them entirely in the future. Understanding each team members’ strategies, methods, and needs gives the team a solid foundation to work from.

  3. Shared Goals – When clear communication and a full understanding of each team members’ roles, needs, and issues are part of a project, it becomes possible for everyone to be on the same page—to have shared goals. Shared goals go beyond the documented requirements and the written schedule. Shared goals are the true north, the compass, the destination of success. When the whole team sees these goals, when everyone knows the direction that the team is headed, everyone can work diligently to accomplish these goals and provide their piece of the efforts that bring success to the team and the project.

Sun, 12 June, 2005

Why not both?

Posted in General at 9 am

This is what I don’t get. Why didn’t Apple, when announcing the new MacTel platform, say that it was adding the Intel chip base to its machines? Why say “We’re going to switch completely!” when they could have just as easily said, “We’re adding Intel chips into the mix. You can expect to see PowerPC and x86 chips from us in the future.”

This makes so much more sense. If Apple sees Intel’s power/watt ratio improve, then great. They ship more Intel-based machines. If IBM/Freescale get the PowerPC to the levels that it should be today, then also great and Apple sticks with the current platform. The key here is that with both Apple has the ability to mix and match, leaping from one to the other as the winds of technology change. Talk about super powers!

The only reason I can think of for going to a full, pull the switch, cross and burn the bridge approach is to scare prompt the developers to get into Xcode and add the Intel-specific portion of the code. (Rather than relying on Rosetta?)

But that seems like a small gain compared to the number of sales that Apple will lose in the next 2 years due to this switch. Fewer and fewer people will purchase PowerPC-based machines as the next generation Intel-based machines get closer and closer to release.

Apple knows this and has even updated the SEC on the fact this switch will cause a significant drop in revenue over the next two years! This just seems like a bad thing. Even if Apple was keeping the ’switch-back’ in its back pocket in the event that the Intel things don’t go as smoothly as they hope, this seems like the wrong face to present to their income-making customers.

The only silver lining I can see would be ongoing price drops on the PowerPC-based machines in order to prop up the sales. That could lead to some sweet deals on a platform that Apple has already condemed, but will still support for the next 6 to 8 years.