Black Turtlenecks Never Lie

[nfotxn]

Neat, Apple is pulling another Sherlock with Dashboard. Prior to Sherlock there was Watson and now prior to Dashboard is Konfabulator. I like a lot of what Apple does but they need to stop cannibalizing their small 3rd party developers if they want to maintain their squeeky clean image.

Comments

[drood.livejournal.com]

This article (http://daringfireball.net/2004/06/dashboard_vs_konfabulator) actually has a fairly balanced look at the controversy that circumvents the knee-jerk "Apple stole Konfabulator!" reaction.

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

I dunno, does this mean that even the tiniest of developers need to enlist in the patent war as well? I think arguing that the ideas are completely unlike is a tad futile. However, yes, what they've done IS better and how they've done it is legal. At least with Watson they offered the man a job. Looks like this time they're taking the idea wholesale without any payment.

Thanks for the article.

[chinacub.livejournal.com]

I agree with you. Arlo Rose has put up a response (http://www2.konfabulator.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=20026&highlight=#20026)to some of the responses. Also note that more than a few Apple employees are registered users of Konfabulator (including a site license for Pixar).

I love Macs but it's harder and harder to love Apple. I understand that there were things like OneClick, the control strip, desk accessories, DesktopX on Windows, and all that. And I don't have any doubt that legally Apple is fine doing this.

I just think it's a crappy, and fear-inducing, stance to take in Steve Jobs' little neck of the woods. A platform is only as good as its developers.

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

I gotta stop posting shit early in the morning.

[chinacub.livejournal.com]

No worries, you were right the first time, at least in intent. Sure, Sherlock was first, but it had nothing of the features it later had. Those didn't come until after Watson was on the scene.

[chinacub.livejournal.com]

Watson came out in 2001, Sherlock 3 was introduced with Jaguar in August of 2002. That's a long time for something to be in the works, especially while Apple is busy naming Watson 2002's "Most Innovative Mac OS X Product" and attempting to hire its creator for the Sherlock project. If it was such an obvious direction I doubt Apple would have considered Watson an innovation.

Evolution

[evanrude.livejournal.com]

Watson is going to end its life.

I'm pretty bummed, I enjoy using this app. I use it more than Sherlock.

We shall see how it evolves.