Panther Is Missing A Few Spokes From The Digital Hub
Now that it has been a month since the release of Panther and I have had time to install it, play with it, and work with it, I have also had time to step back and decide what I don’t like about it. In the most objective way possible (which admittedly is nowhere close to being objective) I have decided there is just one complaint that I have. Is it the enhanced power and stability of the Unix-based core operating system? No. Is it the upgrades to applications especially the revamped, totally cool new version of iChat? No way. Is it the development of customization tools that now makes your Mac feel like “YOUR” Mac again? Don’t think so. Is it Expos? You have to be an idiot if you think there’s anything bad to say about Expos.
It is none of these. It is the simple fact of certain applications not being included within the Panther package. The most notable absences for me are iDVD 3 and Keynote. In my opinion, Apple decided to stick it to us and charge us extra for both of these programs.
Let me play out this scenario for you. When the flat-screened (then 15”) iMacs came out, you bought one. Partially because you wanted to buy into Steve Job’s idea of a digital hub and also because you were getting the power of G4 with a sleek new design for under $2000. You enjoyed learning iTunes. You bought an iPod. You enjoyed creating in iMovie. You bought a DV Video camera. You enjoyed sharing digital photos. You bought a digital camera. You realized that you had iDVD and in a snap you were creating your home movies onto DVDs and sending them to anyone who had a DVD player. Because of Jobs’s iLife, you were a one person multimedia mogul. You loved it and Steve’s plan was working. So when Jaguar came out, you bought it. After all, you didnt want to be any duller than the cutting edge. The point is, Apple had a carefully calculated plan to make us feel like Steven Spielberg and now we are hooked.
When Apple released iLife as a separate package, the only upgrade for me would have been iDVD 3. After all, the other 2 programs had been updated by the purchase of Jaguar or the monthly “Software Update” feature on my computer. But I held off, thinking to myself, $129 isn’t worth an upgrade to one out of 4 programs. So I anxiously awaited the release of Panther, and just like the night of the previous cat, I got Panther as soon as I could. But to my dissapointment, iDVD 3 was not included. I have an updated iMovie with new Skywalker Sound Effects and chapter header functionality. I have an updated iTunes with enhanced tags and music store features. But alas I do not have a new iDVD. It is advertised that with iMovie and iDVD, you can create your very own DVD with one click from iMovie. That is true but only with iDVD 3. So here I am feeling like a hiker at the second base camp of Mt. Everest being told I need to pay extra for the best sherpa.
With Apple’s DVD Studio Pro, selling for around $500, they have a professional program for serious DVD enthusiasts. So why make us pay for iDVD 3 too? I think it is because if they included it in Panther, it would cut down the sales of iLife considerably. I mean, that is such a no-brainer conclusion, I feel embarrassed to even mention it. Apple has shown making movies, sharing photos, and ripping music is simple and that this simplicity is yours to enjoy simply by using Panther. But apparently burning DVDs requires a fee.
Now onto Keynote. Anyone who has seen Keynote in person or in demonstrations, knows that it is a powerful presentation tool capable of everything PowerPoint can do and more. What I am troubled with however is the $99 purchase price for this program. My concerns lies in the fact that in order for it to gain poularity, it has to be used. And I will bet that the majority of people creating presentations would not buy a copy to try it. Think of it this way. How many people would have bought a copy of OSX Mail program, Safari, or Font Book? “Why bother?” Especially when Outlook, Internet Explorer, and Suitcase were doing an OK job as it was? If Keynote was included in Panther, I guarantee more people would be using it and more people will be referring to friends and colleagues. Apple at the very least should have bundled it with Panther or given it a $50 discount with the copy of Panther. Not the un-compelling $50 off offer when purchasing anew computer. I think Apple got greedy again.
Some might think I am asking for too much for free but I ask you this. As an Apple user and most likely a Panther purchaser, would you spend more money on iDVD 3 or Keynote or would you at least try it if it came free?
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Every SuperDrive Mac comes with iDVD. I’m sorry you feel slighted because you’re an early adopter and your Mac came with an earlier version of the program than iDVD 3. But I do believe Apple has a right to charge for iDVD, and Keynote for that matter.
iDVD, first of all, is a massive program compared to the other iLife programs. While the other programs are download-sized, iDVD, with all of its DVD-menu-themes and such, is larger than a 700 MB CD, necessitating it be installed from a DVD disc itself. Including it with the Panther install CDs would’ve been stupid; if you made it part of the Panther install, we’d potentially have 5 install discs. And sticking an iDVD 3 DVD into every box as a separate install seems like a waste of money for Apple, as there are far more machines without SuperDrive out there than with.
As far as Keynote goes, I point to AppleWorks. Does Apple give that away for free? They include it on iMacs and iBooks pre-installed, yes, but they don’t put it on the OS disks. Microsoft can charge for Office (and charge a nice pricey tag for it too), why can’t Apple charge for AppleWorks and Keynote (which would essentially have all the functionality and more than Microsoft Office)? In addition, Apple charges LESS for its productivity software than other vendors. And again, the more stuff you add to the Panther install CDs, the longer the install takes and the more CDs you have to swap in and out.
Perhaps Apple could release a “Mac OS X Pro” package that includes extra Apple-made programs like AppleWorks, Keynote, Final Cut Express, iDVD 3, a .Mac subscription, and the OS on one DVD for some higher price. That might be nice. But how expensive would Apple make this package and how inexpensive would it have to be to please people? I doubt Apple could price a package like this to make it worthwhile to them nor to please anyone.
I don’t know when people started to have this phobia of actually paying for things they think are worthwhile.
“Panther is cool! Expose rocks! Fast User Switching is sweet! X11 programs on the desktop rule! Threaded email is awesome!” and on and on about all the great features and then ... “oh, but $129 is too much, and you should’ve added all your other $50+ programs into the package. For free, of course.” It’s not economically sound for Apple to keep giving things away.
Of course anyone would like programs for free and would be more apt to use programs that came for free, but as an obviously semi-adept user of the Macintosh, don’t you think the number of free programs Apple gives you already gives you an idea of what to expect from Apple programs? Not to mention Apple’s excellent website and the thousands of Mac product review websites out there, I’m sure there’s enough information for you to determine whether a product is worth spending on or not without Apple needing to give you software for free, either in full or crippled-demo form. To me, in your rantings, it sounds like iDVD 3 and Keynote are things you think are cool already ... so go out and purchase it already, you obviously already see they have value.
Just a quick point, the iLife suit which includes iDVD 3 is only $49.99 not $129.99 like your article suggests. How’s that for an upgrade price?
You’re spoiled. You can’t have everything for free, and there are good reasons for those programs not being included with Panther.
Both of those programs are in direct competition with Apple’s two most important developers: Microsoft and Adobe (at least I *think* DVD3 competes with an Adobe product—I could be wrong.) Apple doesn’t want to screw them over in a Bill Gates fashion.
Both of those programs are useful only to a small percentage of Mac users. When digital video becomes as prevelant as digital photography, maybe DVD output will become part of the OS. Then again, maybe not. Making DVD videos may never appeal to the masses—maybe publishing online will be the big thing.
Keynote is mostly used by marketing people. Though I’m sure it has other uses, the vast majority of Mac users don’t use their mac for slideshows.
The only reason to include an app in the OS is to attract customers. Those apps would not attract any customers to the OS. Those who would use them will buy the OS regardless of the inclusion of DVD3 or Keynote.
Kenny makes some good points. But I would offer thisWith the addition of Safari: competition with IE, Mail: competition with Outlook, Preview: competition with Acrobat, iChat: competition with Instant Messenger in OSX, It seems that Apple doesn’t care about Apple’s “most important” developers.
As for the prevalence of digital video, let me remind you that when iTunes was released, digital audio did not have the popularity in the marketplace that it has now. When iPhoto first came out, Digital photography did not have the stranglehold on photography like it does now. The point is, when a Mac user did get an iPod or did get a digital camera, they already have everything they needed.
DVD technology is becoming more and more relevant both from a storage cpacity, an archival perspective, and a home movie perspective. Including iDVD if anything would upsell existing customers.
Finally, I disagree that only marketing professionals use slideshows. I would bet that every “office” industry uses presentation software for meetings, seminars, and training. They probabaly use PowerPoint. Why? because it came in a suite of apps known as Office. I doubt most people would go out and buy Powerpoint separately. Just like I bet most people would not buy Keynote separately. If Apple truly wants to gain marketshare in the business side, it is imperative that they get their foot in the door with programs like Keynote.
“Now onto Keynote. Anyone who has seen Keynote in person or in demonstrations, knows that it is a powerful presentation tool capable of everything PowerPoint can do and more.”
Um, no, not even close. Keynote has one advantage…a small set of dubiously useful transitions.
Try setting complex type features in Keynote…superscripts, subscripts, etc. It sucks. There’s no automation features at all, at least PPT v.x allows you to use VBA or RealBasic. Keynote can’t be bothered unless you want to use XML, which is data - format integration, not procedural automation.
Keynote files also balloon at a shocking rate, which is just so nice when you’re stuck sending one to someone and you don’t have high-speed access.
it’s a nice application, but PPT is FAR more capable.
john
Gregory,
You’ve made some very good points, however I am not convinced. I think Apple cares a great deal about Adobe and Microsoft. If either one of them stopped Mac development, it would kill Jobs’ big plan (or a least slow it down a lot). Microsoft has already made some noise about Mac sales, and Adobe clearly prefers Windows. If Apple were to “play dirty” by giving away competing products, relations would crumble.
You’ve mentioned Safari, Mail, and Preview. Mail doesn’t entirely compete with Entourage (not yet) because Entourage offers a lot more than just email service, and Mail was actually a part of NeXTstep, so no one would make an issue of it being included. Safari is definitely a kick in Microsoft’s butt, but there are circumstances: IE sucks, and some think M$ intended to halt development on it before Safari came out. Also, web browsers seem to be considered part of the OS on Windows, so why not Mac? M$ would never make an issue of that particular program.
Preview: you’ve got me there. I know that Reader really sucks on Mac, so maybe Apple felt they needed to do something about it.
As for your comments on DVDs, I think you’re right. You’ve changed my mind on that one. I guess Apple needed the money.
I disagree about Keynote. Until Apple is ready to replace Office as a whole, they shouldn’t mess with M$ too much. You’re right only serious marketers would buy Keynote separately, but I don’t think bundling Keynote would accomplish anything except provoking M$. No one is going to buy a Mac just to get Keynote for free. Anyone who needs slideshows will intend to buy Office for their Mac anyway, so Keynote offers no incentive. It also doesn’t fit with the “digital hub” concept like the iApps.
If I sound like I place too much importance on M$, it’s because I believe that Office is essential to Apple’s continued success. I sincerely hope Apple creates a replacement for Office, and if they do, I won’t be expecting them to give it away.
“With the addition of Safari: competition with IE, Mail: competition with Outlook, Preview: competition with Acrobat, iChat: competition with Instant Messenger in OSX, It seems that Apple doesn’t care about Apple’s “most important” developers.”
All these programs are “free”. Adobe doesn’t earn money selling Reader… it gives it away to extend the PDF market. Apple’s Preview does the job just as well, with less effort on Adobe part. Ditto for Outlook, Internet Explorer, AOL IM. “Competition” works very differently in this situation.
The programs discussed here (which Apple charges for) are a different case. AppleWorks competes against the various * Offices and *Works. Keynote is aimed straight at PowerPoint. iDVD competes with other DVD authoring solutions. Etc., etc.
I’ve heard a lot of complaints about Apple muscling in on third-party software even when they “play fair”... here people are asking Apple to leverage it’s operating system to “play dirty”. I think Apple is doing the right thing… Keynote is a great program (I purchased it academic price because it enabled me to create more effective, more visually stunning presentations, and is well worth the investment.) and people are buying it and it can make a great impact on its merits alone.
Same for iDVD, same for all the other great software Apple now sells and will develop.
Marcin Jeske