Well, what’s left to say? Gilbert Amelio, as you are all aware by now (I hope!), was Apple’s CEO for a year and a half. But he, along with Ellen Hancock, have “quit” in the wake of Apple’s announced third quarter losses.
Let face it, folks. Gil is leaving for one reason: money. Apple has lost more money under Gil than ever before. No, the fault is not all Gil’s, but he is CEO. As such, the responsibility is his to carry.
With his departure, Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple) will take a more active roll in the company. While it’s still too early to say what this will mean in the long run, we can only hope Steve will bring some of the old Apple excitement back to the Macintosh community.
You can read more detailed news about the quarterly loss, why Gil and Ellen left, and what developers think of it, on any of the thousand of news Web sites (www.macintouch.com is a great spot). That’s not what you’re here for, I hope. You want to know what other Mac users, like yourself, think about it. So here goes…
Yeah! All-Right! Let’s get ready to RUMMMMMMBLE!
Oh, sorry. Got carried away. See, I have never felt that Gilbert Amelio fit into the whole Apple mentality. Apple, and its Macintosh computer users, are a breed apart from the rest of the computer industry. We crave new innovation. New ways of doing things. Where else can a shareware developer create a program that will become part of the core Mac OS? (Post-it Notes, SuperClock, Window Shade, and more!) What other computer platform has the devotion of its users that the Macintosh enjoys? Where else could a simple Mac user, such as myself, start his own magazine that would become so widely read? (My PC? Yeah, right!)
Let’s face it, Gil was not my idea of a leader. And Apple’s CEO, I think, needs a more hands-on approach to its users. Someone to be a leader of not just a computer manufacturer, but of a core group of computer USERS. Temper that with someone who also understands how to make the company more profitable, and you will have a winning combination.
So, the next question remains, who will step in to lead the NEW Apple? Don’t look for any answers here. I haven’t a clue. But whoever it is, I hope he/she has a more personable personality that Gil had. We need someone to not be just a leader, but a cheerleader as well. Apple is fighting a battle it must win to survive. Quiet determination is not an option. We need someone LOUD. Someone to stand up and make the PC world, as well as the news media, take notice.
I hope Apple’s board of directors thinks long and hard on Gil’s replacement. I would also hope they would take a look at the possibility of a woman CEO. Hey, let’s do away with this “all guys” mentality, shall we? Perhaps it’s a woman’s touch that is needed? No, I am NOT being sexist! A woman CEO would also be a huge PR bonanza, as long as she is qualified for the post. We just have to hope for the best PERSON to be found for the job.
Yes, it’s a busy time here in the Mac market. A new OS shipping this month (Mac OS 8.0) and the leaders of the company quit/fired. Hey, I don’t know about you, but it’s times like this that make me glad to be part of the Macintosh community. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now!
See you next month!
Tim Robertson (publisher@mymac.com)
Websites mentioned:
http://www.macintouch.com
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