ATPM in Palm Format
I have enjoyed reading your e-zine over the last few years. I recently bought a PalmPilot, and was thinking how great it would be if you also had the e-zine in a downloadable format for this platform. I think it would need to be a .prc or .pdb-type of file.
I'm relatively new to the PalmPilot, and am just getting to working with the Web and my e-mail so I can take it on the road with me. I have a lot of down time at my job, riding buses to and from the hotels, and/or waiting, when I could be reading your excellent offering. Just a suggestion.
Sincerely yours,
Chris Paine
Thanks for your letter. We’ll consider doing a PDB version. Please let us know if you’d be interested in one. —Ed.
Open Letter to Steve Jobs, iCEO of Apple Computer,
There’s something really important (for me, and I hope, for you too) that I want to tell you, and I want to do it now, because I think this is the right time.
So, here goes.
- It is true that the Apple market share in Portugal and all over the world, is not as big and important as we want it.
- It is true that Apple Macintosh computers (servers, portables and home computers) and the Mac OS (as we and everyone can prove it on the market—games, multimedia, music composition, design, graphics, etc., etc., etc.), are, without doubt, the best ones They are easier to connect and to use, friendlier, more beautiful and more functional. This is evidence even for “enemies” who know this reality.
- It is true that the iMac is a machine of excellence (with real proof in all the markets), especially because of its facility of connection and, more important, its facility of the connection to the Internet (I’m thinking, at this moment, about the wonderful spot of the three steps.) and its simplicity of use, its beauty (now with the five colours), and for the compact machine that it is (all-in-one, sound, microphone, modem, USB, and so on). By the way, when will there be a colored iMac with a monitor of 17"?
- And, finally it is true that, in political, economic, social and cultural terms, whoever is connected to the Internet (and in the future it will be even more necessary) has a real competitive advantage, and who wants (and we, the Portuguese—we want it!) to maintain and to develop themselves, shall do everything not to be unplugged one more second.
So, dear Steve, what’s going on, when equipment so wonderful and so easy as the iMac, doesn’t sell and is not known as we all wish it was? Well, I really think that we must do something more to transform this situation.
So, let’s do it, O.K.?
This idea came to me when, a few days ago, I read on the Apple.com site about a spectacular notice that the official mail company in France was going to put 1,000 iMacs in all the post offices.
And we, in all the other countries all over the world (and in Portugal too)—what are we going to do? Nothing? No, I think that we must learn from France’s idea. Why not copy the French experience in other countries all over the world? Copies (good copies, of course) could be our future! I think it is not bad to copy this way, is it?
Well, dear Steve, maybe I am exaggerating my thinking but, I want to share with you some “ideas” that are in my mind, O.K.?
- Why not put one (or more) colored iMacs, in all the post offices, of all cities, of all countries, for everybody’s access to the Internet and for database consulting?
- Why not put one (or more) colored iMacs, in all the libraries of all cities, of all countries?
- Why not put one (or more) colored iMacs, in all the primary , secondary, university, public and private schools, of all cities, of all countries?
- Why not put one (or more) colored iMacs, in all the great supermarkets and great shopping centres, of all cities, of all countries?
- Why not put one (or more) colored iMacs, in all the police stations, of all cities, of all countries?
- Why not put one (or more) colored iMacs, in all the airports and all train stations, of all cities, of all countries?
- Why not put one (or more) colored iMacs, in all the travel agencies, tourism, or information booths, of all cities, of all countries?
- Why not put one (or more) colored iMacs, in all the bank or insurance agencies, of all cities, of all countries?
- Why not put one (or more) colored iMacs, in all the health centres, and hospitals, of all cities, of all countries?
- Why not put one (or more) colored iMacs, in all the rooms of the hotels, motels, or apartments, of all cities, of all countries?
- Why not put one (or more) colored iMacs, in all the museums, minister’s or secretary’s offices and public finance offices, of all cities, of all countries?
O.K., O.K., O.K.!
I know that, at this moment, you are thinking of calling the “men in white” to carry me to nearest psychiatric hospital. I also know that what I am writing to you is completely insane, but let me tell you four more things:
- Isn’t it true that the iMac is better than every one of the beige machines?
- Isn’t it true that the iMac is easier to connect to the Internet?
- Isn’t it true that the iMac is more beautiful?
- Isn’t it true that the iMac is easier to plug in and use?
And all the others (not we) know that this is true?
- They know this reality?
- They know this evidence?
- They know this competitive advantage?
Well, what I think is that Apple Computer (with all its representative companies all over the world—Interlog, in Portugal—no, I’m not an Interlog employee) must do something more to give all the information about the competitiveness of the wonderful and colored iMac. Apple Computer must overflow the market of colored iMacs, even if, to do that, it is necessary to do a 50% discount on its price!
For another thing, I think Apple Computer must contact the great and glorious Mr. Bean, and put him at the bank, at the post office, at the hospital, at the police station, etc., etc., with a colored iMac, surfing on the net or consulting a database, and let all of us see him on television and in all the other means of merchandising.
All I know, dear Steve, is that if I go to the airport, to the supermarket, to the shopping centre, to the room of my holiday hotel, and I could surf on the net or consult a database in a wonderful, easy-to-use and beautiful colored iMac, then, sooner or later, I would want one in my own home.
Dear Steve Jobs:
Please, forgive me for all these “ideal ideas” and for my “academic” English.
I don’t want an answer.
Of course the only answer that will satisfy myself, is to go to all the places and to have an iMac to go to the net and see (why not, in the database of the AppleWorks) all the information I need.
Best regards,
José Augusto Macedo do Couto, Portugal
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