robin huber

I chose that too, but with a nagging echo from the past that has never gone away. My first laptop was the PowerBook G4 Titanium. Looked great, but the material, touted as strong and light, cracked on the hinges. If there was a recall, fix, or rebate I never learned of it. My college paid for it but I eventually got a new one as an officer from my union. Always have been leery of titanium claims since then. 

I volunteer twice a week at my local State Park doing native plant restoration work in the field and nursery. Involves a lot of grubbing around in dirt and chopping through invasive plants. The iPhone in my pants pocket regularly gets tiny seeds, sand grains, and other debris in the Lightning port. I have accumulated a small arsenal of specialized tools to remove it. Hoping USB-C will make it better, or at least not worse. I know I could buy an expensive Otterbox type of protective case, but don’t want to have that on the other 90% of the time. A small easily removable plastic port plug would be great, but haven’t found one. 

Kinda like “having your head examined” before buying? 🤓

Perhaps the time has come for Apple to allow some form of side loading with the understanding that it limits Apple’s liability for any damages suffered by those who choose that avenue. I wish it would be possible for that Avenue to be one-way. That if you distribute your app outside the App Store that you can’t also distribute within it. In the long run, most users will continue to take advantage of the convenience and security of the App Store. Developers will lose in volume whatever they save in fees. 

For a company that has “Think Different” in its DNA, Apple has passed on the opportunity to think differently about labor/management relations. It’s not uncommon in Europe for industries to welcome labor unions as partners, up to and including a seat on the Board. Apple has taken the 19th century robber baron version of calling out the Pinkertons and goons on strikers and updated it to the call out the expensive anti-union law firms at the first sign of workers organizing. Maybe try something different? Sit down and discuss ways a union can partner with management for mutual benefit. Not just assume the sky is falling. Anything other than the knee-jerk adversarial model because “all the other companies are doing it.” Come on, Apple. A little innovation and imagination in this area too.