Re: Apple, Microsoft, Java and the Web?

Ok, thanks everyone for their posts.

I agree Apple is (mostly) a hardware company and Microsoft (mostly) a  
software/OS company. I agree that Apple focuses mostly on the  
consumer whereas Microsoft includes business.  However, both Java and  
the Web make the hardware (whether you are using a PC or a Mac) and  
the OS (whether you are paying for Windows or not) mostly irrelevant.

Is that just something these companies have to live with now?  Sure  
there will always be native desktop applications but with Web apps  
becoming more dynamic (see Google, Echo) and Java server apps (and  
some desktop apps) being cross platform I don't think the brand of  
hardware or OS will matter that much to the average user or  
application server.

Media apps, like the iLife apps and Media-Centres, seem to be their  
only remaining value-add for the average user (who doesn't use  
Photoshop ;-) and I guess productivity applications for business and  
the prosumer.  I would suggest that animation in the GUI and  
applications are mostly a distraction but add little real value to  
their platform.

I guess what I am suggesting now is that because of the Web and Java  
these companies are now selling "different products."   The home PC  
that used to focus on basic productivity and Internet, now really has  
to be a "Media PC."   And I can't see Apple doing well in business as  
Microsoft slowly backs away from Mac support (no VBA in future Mac  
releases).

Cheers,
Ashley.