June 12 - Not France, Not Even Texas, Hilton. And Joel Spolsky, too.

You know, getting released from jail only to be tossed right back in has got to hurt even more :-)

Joel Spolsky of Joel on Software is a fellow from whom I have learned a lot. He has generally good opinions about design (form and function relationships in systems) and, I think, excellent opinions on how to run a software shop, it being what he does at his NY, NY company, Fog Creek Software. He is a former Microsoft employee and has a lot to say about MS, both good and bad.

As good as his opinions generally are, he gets it wrong on design from time to time, most notably in his assessment of Apple's IPOD. His basic premise is that the IPOD is a thing so beautiful that people can't help buy it. That you can not change the battery in the device is cast as a good thing because it resulted in a nearly seamless un-flawed finish. No crevices to catch dirt and lint, you see. That it has a little speaker with no other purpose except to make the selector wheel make a clicky noise is art. Hokum. I agree, the IPOD is nice piece of design. I agree it has sold well. I disagree that there is a major causal relationship between these two things.

In fact, the very design of the case may be the iPod's greatest flaw. Sure the thing looks beautiful out of the box, but use it for a while and that pretty high gloss finish soon shows scratches that are that much more noticeable for being in an otherwise pristine, unflawed surface. Changing the battery is a $60 touch and requires returning the unit to Apple. Apple has lost financially on both counts having to satisfy it's customers. And these flaws have gotten around, they are well documented on the web. Nope design of the unit itself is not the big selling factor.

It is the existence of iTunes that really makes the iPod what it is. The integration between the iTunes software and the iPod devices that makes using it so very easy. Yep, sorry, it is not form, but function that sells the iPod. No other player/music combo comes close. I didn't even choose to use an iPod, preferring the greater capacity and capability of an iRiver unit instead, and I use iTunes. Oh and, of course, the iTunes Music Store. Downloading music has never been easier. And since the iPod is the only music device that can play back Apples music encryption format, well, duh, can you say "lock-in"? More function over form.

The iPod did gain fashion value early on, but when everyone owns one it is no longer special. It is no longer pure design. It was smart business and functionality that won the day.

On the other hand, that does not really explain the iPod Nano. A small device that only plays random songs. Sounds like a radio to me, and an expensive one at that. Admittedly it plays random songs from a library I selected, but I can usually find a radio station I like. That one, I just don't get.

Anyway, on the topic of the iPod, Joel is absolutely convinced that appealing design is the reason for it's success as are a lot of other people, all of whom I think have drunk some apple flavored Kool-Aide. He usually is not so unconsidered.