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From: pratt@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Jonathan Pratt)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: A word in defense of Apple.
Message-ID: <8012@boulder.Colorado.EDU>
Date: 9 Apr 89 21:38:47 GMT
References: <8004@boulder.Colorado.EDU> <6943@hoptoad.uucp>
Sender: news@boulder.Colorado.EDU
Reply-To: pratt@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Jonathan Pratt)
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Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
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In article <6943@hoptoad.uucp> tim@hoptoad.UUCP (Tim Maroney) writes:
>In article <8004@boulder.Colorado.EDU> pratt@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Jonathan
>Pratt) writes:
>>I hope I'm speaking for a silent majority when I assert that some of the
>>recent Apple bashing on the net has gone beyond constructive criticism.
>
>Do you have sufficient confidence in your position that you are willing
>to live up to the two neccessities for constructive criticism: (1) naming
>your targets and (2) making specific points?  If not, how about shutting
>your cake-hole? 

Quick to take offense aren't you, Tim?  One might even think you had a
guilty conscience or something.  Since you've singled yourself out, I'll
make these remarks about your postings: they're often informative and
interesting, but occasionally hints of intolerance creep in.  It wouldn't
hurt you (or any of us) to admit we're wrong once in a while, or at
least to acknowledge the merit of opposing ideas.

My point was and is that many of us, while expecting continued improve-
ments, are generally pleased with what Apple has done so far.  We as
programmers should not be blasting Apple for not having a crystal clear
vision of the future (the source of many of the inflexibilities we gripe
about).  Rather, accepting what exists now, we should continue offering
ideas to shape the future in a manner that benefits us, and more impor-
tantly, the users of our products.

Finally, I don't think it's particularly constructive to rant and rave
and generally foam at mouth about certain software groups at Apple
violating this or that of Apple's own guidelines.  The main advantage
they have over Joe developer on the outside is more lead time in
knowing what will break with the next system, etc.  Momentum is also
a problem: a case in point - trying to get the disk icons off the
desktop without confusing half the users.  Has anyone seen the
artificial desktop created by Data Desk Professional?  Perhaps a
desktop/window like that would be a solution.

Jonathan

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