Yes, this. Cringely opined some years ago that tech companies evolve through three categories (or stages of development): technology driven, sales driven, and

Yes, this. Cringely opined some years ago that tech companies evolve through three categories (or stages of development): technology driven, sales driven, and marketing driven. There's an assumption in this ontology: that growth and evolution of a tech company is predicated on new technology. The new (post-1997, Jobs II) Apple breaks this rule. Apple is design driven, at a level that makes more sense to folks with a Fine Art degree than a CS background. (The reason for their success? Lots of folks with an aesthetic background like this stuff and will pay extra for it.) They're seeking a better user experience, vertically integrated at all levels with their web ecosystem. Gruber -- who's been tracking apple for something like 20 years -- gets this. J. Random Gizmo columnist doesn't.