Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Apple as cultural leader of the Internet

Author:Dave Winer
Posted:1/9/2000; 6:56:40 AM
Topic:Now it makes more sense
Msg #:14250 (In response to 14249)
Prev/Next:14249 / 14251

What I would like to see is for integration of 'net resources in the MacOS. I'd like to be able to mount FTP servers as if they were drives, with absolutely no difference in functionality.

It'll never happen. Windows NT has as seamless an integration with FTP as is possible. It's pretty good, but there is functionality missing in FTP that would make it seamless. I believe this is why Microsoft invested so heavily in WebDAV.

The danger of the OS vendor doing the integration, esp when the vendor is Apple, is that it ceases to be an open playing field. The focus is on their software, the cost for users is a narrowing of the field of software developers willing to invest in the Mac platform alongside Apple. I asked the other day if Scripting News or UserLand.Com were on their approved list of websites, and found out that they are not (even though we have children as young as four years old *contributing* to our content flow!)

It isn't about protecting children, imho, it's about giving Steve Jobs power to keep the Mac system evolving according to his vision, which is fine, but understand it for what it is. I like the web browser as the interface because it isn't subject to his control, and I'm making an issue of this so our Mac users understand that this will inevitably mean Windows-only features in Frontier and in Manila.

I've never heard Bill Gates say "We can't let just anyone develop for this machine," but I have heard Steve Jobs say that.

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