[lbo-talk] The extreme Google brain

Fernando Cassia fcassia at gmail.com
Thu Apr 30 16:36:34 PDT 2009


On Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 11:11 AM, Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:


> Chill, dude. There's just no reason for an insulting rant like this.
>
> Doug

Let's say I do not have a very positive opinion of Graphics Designers, after all the encounters I've had with them over my life.

(The Pinnacle of Stupidity was a graphics design studio refusing to take a OpenOffice document because they would have to "install unauthorized software" and that they didn't have permission to "install customers applications to open files".).

I tried to explain the nature of Open Source software, and make a case that it would be benefical to them to accept works in open file formats, to no avail. Her manager and incidentally the owner of the shop (that is surprisingly still in business) told me that I didn't know the graphics design business, that she was a professional, and that "graphics designers work with Adobe tools".

"Adobe and Apple tools, with the exception of Corel and Microsoft office" was the answer.

I frankly thought I was speaking to someone from some cult.

This is just one from many anecdotes that, over my last 20 years, made me be very skeptical of the wisdom of those in the graphics design business.

Industrial design is a nice area, but you can't live on design alone and ignore other important aspects like user freedoms. Apple supports DRM and, in a nutshell, is just a Microsoft with a sense of style for its hardware. The whole iPhone application "approval" system is UGLY and an example of what the IT industry should not become.

On the contrary of nice hardware looks, I find the minimalistic Quicktime user interface awful. But hey, that's just me. Like I said, I don't eat anything with mushrooms.

I apologize i I hurt the poster's feelings. On the other hand I think some of my corrections and comments were warranted.

FC



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