Steve Jobs got on the Apple earnings conference call this past Monday, and made some criticisms about their competitors.
One particular criticism was aimed at Google. Jobs called them out on their stance that Google’s Android is an ‘Open’ system and Apple is ‘Closed’. You might be thinking “What? What does “open” mean anyway, and why do I care?”
And that’s exactly the point. Most people don’t know and/or care. What they care about is how easy something is to use and what can a given thing (phone/app/gadget) can do for them.
What’s even more laughable is that Jobs must have really struck a nerve (especially with Andy Rubin (Google’s VP of engineering). Rubin tweeted in response to Jobs’ barb:
the definition of open: “mkdir android ; cd android ; repo init -u git://android.git.kernel.org/platform/manifest.git ; repo sync ; make”
Way to go, Rubin. I’m sure the droves of Linux users just did a collective fist-pump in the air. Meanwhile, the other 99% of the population said “wha?”
Framed another way: Apple can’t hear you, Rubin. They’re too busy counting the FIFTY BILLION IN CASH THEY HAVE IN THE BANK.
