3 ms·

Well, personally I think there is a difference. I completely agree that it's always good for a customer to complain about the product if there are problems. Go

by nanairo 16y ago

Well, personally I think there is a difference. I completely agree that it's always good for a customer to complain about the product if there are problems. Gosh: read all the Mac faithful complains when a new MacOS comes out! Similarly if your phone doesn't work, or your car is not comfortable you go and complain. BUT, the crucial word there is customer. People who would never buy an Apple product out of principle, or unless Apple becomes totally completely open source/open market/whatever, then those complains are pointless. It all goes back to "vote with your wallet". Apple may listen to the first ones because their behaviour may change: the latter won't, they'll just complain, and Apple couldn't care less. That said Apple is also a pretty stubborn company, and often even when it is in their best interest and their customers are complaining (AND voting with their wallet) they may keep their believes. It's one of their problems, though it's of course their right, and it may even make sense. (for example a luxury brand is more interested in maintaining their recognisable features rather than adapt... but it's their choice: they judge how many customers they lose in the short run vs. how many customers they will retain in the long run)

jacquesm 16y ago
The argument has been made that for every iphone developer that would quit making apps another (or two) would take their place. And that may be true. But a developer that has quit is not going to sit around and do nothing. He's going to use his expertise gained on the one platform to make a go of it on the other. So an exodus of frustrated developers is really a very big problem. Of course the customers will never know of anything like that happening behind the scenes. But they'll see their buddies with their shiny non-apple phones do stuff that they'd like to be able to do. Where developers go, customers follow, you ignore them at your peril.
- nanairo 16y ago
  At the same time developers follow customers. ;) It goes both ways. But yeah, I agree with you. Do it at your peril, and they tried, kept going probably thinking the pros. out-weighted the cons, and eventually after 2 years pushing it, they relented. That's all I am saying. And yes, I admit Apple would have sticked to its guns for a little bit longer (basically until, like in today's mac, users were so familiar with the mac UI, that any rougue developer would change it at his peril ;) ). But anyway, customers feedback or developers feedback (as you point out) is very very different from the trolls and haters you see populating internet forums. :)

by nanairo 16y ago

jacquesm 16y ago

The argument has been made that for every iphone developer that would quit making apps another (or two) would take their place. And that may be true. But a developer that has quit is not going to sit around and do nothing. He's going to use his expertise gained on the one platform to make a go of it on the other. So an exodus of frustrated developers is really a very big problem. Of course the customers will never know of anything like that happening behind the scenes. But they'll see their buddies with their shiny non-apple phones do stuff that they'd like to be able to do. Where developers go, customers follow, you ignore them at your peril.

nanairo 16y ago
At the same time developers follow customers. ;) It goes both ways. But yeah, I agree with you. Do it at your peril, and they tried, kept going probably thinking the pros. out-weighted the cons, and eventually after 2 years pushing it, they relented. That's all I am saying. And yes, I admit Apple would have sticked to its guns for a little bit longer (basically until, like in today's mac, users were so familiar with the mac UI, that any rougue developer would change it at his peril ;) ). But anyway, customers feedback or developers feedback (as you point out) is very very different from the trolls and haters you see populating internet forums. :)