Innovation

by John Kinsella

Innovation This word has gained much significance in the last 1 - 2 years in the technology industry. It is how the media describes what is driving the industry to heights never before seen in business. It is how industry experts define a company that leads the industry. It is how one company in particular defends its anti-monoploy practices. But this word has become diluted, too oft used when reporters and writers cannot find a word to describe what they are seeing.

Real innovation is very simple to define, yet difficult to accomplish. It is a moment when a company (or person) invent something that is so revolutionary, so utterly surprising and inventive, that it redefines the rest of the industry, and causes a major shift of practice in all other companies. So let's take a look at one example and see if it lives up to the real definition of innovator.

Microsoft In defense of itself, in its antitrust lawsuit with the DOJ, Microsoft has continually used the word innovation as proof that it has done nothing wrong. So let's look at exactly how Microsoft has innovated. In the beginning, there was DOS, the tool Microsoft used to expand to the behemoth it has become. But Microsoft cannot use it as proof they are innovative because they purchased DOS from an unknowing small company. So let's move on. how about Windows in all its iterations? That must be innovative since it's been so popular and is used by everyone and their mother. Is this an example of innovation? No, because everyone and their mother knows Microsoft didn't create the graphical OS that Windows is, they copied it from a much more innovative company. OK, so what about Internet Explorer, the rapidly growing internet browser(or OS enhancement as Microsoft claims), that must be a Microsoft innovation since it's so popular. Again, sorry but no, since Microsoft bought that from another small company when Mr. Gates realized this Internet thing was going to be big (about 2 years after everyone else knew it.)

Speaking of Mr. Gates, surely he knows innovation. For instance, he talked in his most recent keynote at the Streaming Media conference, that streaming media was going to be the next big thing. And to prove his beloved company was innovative, he announced new technologies that were going to capture the streaming market. For instance, he announced a content delivery system for delivering this new content. And he announced a make over for Microsoft's Window's Media Player, sporting a brushed aluminum appearance, graphic equalizer, and audio controls. And to top it all off, Mr. gates announced the Windows Movie Maker, an application to be included with the Windows Millennium Edition(whatever that is) that will allow users to easily create their own home movie and publish them on the web. All of these new announcements must be innovative, I mean, this is going to be the next big thing.

But a look at these announcements makes clear how much of an innovator Microsoft is NOT. Much more innovative companies have already developed content delivery systems, better, stabler and easier to use media players; and one in particular released a much better movie maker in October. You see, Microsoft for all its success is NOT an innovator, they are a follower. They wait for everyone else to define what will be the next big thing, and then swoop in, buy what they have to, crush the rest and take over the new innovation.

What bothers me most is not that Microsoft doesn't really innovate - that is a fine and successful strategy for them. What bothers me is the fact that the industry and especially the media give Microsoft credit for the innovations of other companies. There is one company in particular the media seems happy to ignore in its innovations, rather passing those credits on to other companies and even countries.

I don't want anyone to think that I'm a Macintosh bigot, but Apple computer just cannot seem to win, and I think it's time to take the Media to task for its failings. A company that has come back from the brink and revolutionized an industry is now not even being given credit for that feat. In an article on 12/10/99 entitled "Emerging PC design shows Japanese influence," Cnet.com attempt to give the credit for the new PC designs to Japan, since Japan has tons of cool stuff. Now granted, Japan has probably influenced the technology industry more than any other country save for the USA, but think this is a ridiculous statement.

"One of the Japanese market's most pronounced trends appears to be the "Ekisho Desukutopu," or LCD desktop computer. The design is currently making its way to U.S. consumers. Gateway was one of the first to bring an all-in-one flat panel originally for the Japanese market, its Profile PC, to the United States. Dell Computer late last month released its WebPC, a cylindrical consumer PC with a flat-panel option."

What makes this ridiculous is that Apple computer, a baron of innovation, pioneered this trend not months, but years ago. With its 20th Anniversary Macintosh, Apple had a flat panel screen computer with a CD- ROM drive and audio designed by BOSE. In an All-in-one case, and with the CD-ROM drive being vertical, Apple released this fantastic piece of engineering way back in 1995, a full 4 years ago. But instead the media seems bent on giving this credit to the very innovative Japanese. (Don't get me wrong, the Japanese technology companies come up with some really really cool stuff, but in this case, they weren't first.)

And this isn't all. Lost in all the craze about the new designs of PC makers, is the fact that an Apple innovation started it all. The iMac, a scant 16 months ago, started this revolution, and PC makers still haven't caught up. (Wow, Gateway and Dell and Compaq are all so innovative for these new all-in-one designs.) These companies are just following a real innovation, the iMac, yet no one seems to give Apple the real credit it deserves. And now, the new iMac DV, as big an innovation as the original, although no one realizes it yet, is not even getting a mention by anyone.

1) The reason the iMac DV was invented was for creating home movies using a piece of software Apple created called iMovie. iMovie is an ultra-easy to use movie editing program that allows users to bring their movies off of DV video cameras and publish them when they are done.

2) The new look of Microsoft's media player was done almost a year ago by Apple (and countless MP3 player makers) with the QuickTime Player. And that content delivery system Mr. Gates touted? Old news, as Real has had its Broadcast.com forever and Apple has been rolling out the QuickTime TV network since the summer to great fanfare.

So what's the point of all this? It is simple really. Give credit to those who deserve it. That is my message to the Media. Pay attention to all those other companies out there working their butts off creating really useful products. Don't take the word of the biggest players as law. And rise above your conflicts of interest (most major technology news sites are majorly or partially funded and owned by companies like Microsoft and Intel.) And for God's sake lay off of Apple. They created the whole desktop revolution in 1984, the one Dell, Compaq, Microsoft and Intel have benefited from; they continue to redefine the whole market and if you want to see where everything is going to go, whether you like their products or not, you have to watch Apple. Where they go, all else follow. Because they do one thing better than any other company, Innovate.

John Kinsella is a support specialist at a prestigious school in Minnesota. He has supported and used Macs for the last 8 years and has been writing his unique thoughts and ideas for the last 1 and 1/2 years.

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January 08, 2009