So I need to refrain from writing about how awesome slash exhausting slash awesome (again) having our second daughter join us has been. Perhaps I’ll let myself off the hook on that later, but for now I will get focused on 1) keeping this blog nerdy and 2) getting back to blogging on a regular basis.
As for #2 - all of the tech bloggers I follow inspire me. However, I sometimes forget that is what they do for a living - I am devoting my free time. Regardless, I want to get back to writing occasionally, so here we go.
Since I had last written a lot has happened. One biggie has been the introduction of the Mac App Store (MAS from here on out) within the Mac operating system (OS X).
I don’t know too many people who have gotten anywhere near as excited about this as I have, so let me take a few minutes to explain why I dig it so much.
When the iPhone came out it was a phone, iPod, and full mobile web browser. The apps and app store that we have come to understand, love and relegate to the current norm weren’t really part of the original device. I mean there were a few apps like YouTube, basic texting, and email, but it wasn’t until a year after release that the iPhone started getting third-party apps. We know how that has exploded. Most people have forgotten about how the iOS app store wasn’t originally “baked in.”
Well, spring-boarding off of the lessons that Apple learned with the evolution of iOS apps and how to distribute them effectively, they applied some of that knowledge to the Macs. There has been contention within the world of the people and businesses that already develop software for the Mac. This is due to the fact that software developers can see that they could get a greater exposure if they offer their software in the MAS, but may not 1) want to give up 30% to Apple or 2) may not have that 30% loss built into their budget.
Admittedly, I loved the true Apple geekiness that came along with being able to discover (or at least follow recommendations from other Apple geeks) third party Mac software before the MAS “opened.” When I see apps like Cinch and Caffeine on the front page of the MAS, I get a little sad that now my setup is a little less unique. But that feeling passes as I am happy that the developers are getting reimbursement and recognition that they deserve.
Having one central place to be able to find these apps is great for us users for the obvious reasons. However, another reason why I enjoy it so much is because this whole process bridges a gap for me. I am inquisitive enough that I have taken apart past PCs to update parts, but when moving back to Mac full time, it was due to a change in mindset that basically said, “okay, I am done tweaking stuff like hard drives and RAM and trying to get Windows to run faster - I just want stuff to work.” If you go to an extreme, then you may have to give in to a closed down system - Apple is known for being closed, but it is because to be able to support their products as well as they do, then they cannot open the system up too much. With the MAS, Apple can now open things up a little bit yet still have enough control that they can fully support their hardware. With this ‘opening up,’ a Mac user can have a personalized, unique system and still get an efficient machine.
I dig the MAS and I think that those of you who have Macs ought to really check it out. There are a lot of really good apps in there, and relatively inexpensive. When you get those smaller companies (or even individuals) developing applications, remove the need for packaging, shipping, marketing, etc. you can really get the price of software down. There is even quite a few free applications in there.
No comments:
Post a Comment