Just Say No

blog
1

Derek Sivers relates an interesting Steve Jobs anecdote:

This is a companion discussion topic for the original blog entry at: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2004/10/just-say-no.html
2

It’s funny I’ve bumped into this post today. Just a few days ago I was evaluating programs to use to store and play music from my computer (I know, I am like 5 years behind.) Anyway, of all the programs that I evaluated, I decided to stick with iTunes because it did just what I wanted: let me store my music and buy music online. Plus, it does not have anoying pop-ups asking me to “upgrade” to do X, Y, and Z everytime I click on something.

3

I used this wisdom this morning after reading when my boss asked me if I could “try to make a reasonable effort to come in on time in the morning.”

4

That’s because, for you, coming in on time IS an innovation :wink:

5

Nowadays, on the other hand, this nostalgia-tinged view of iTunes brings only wry and regretful laughter.

6

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fortune/0803/gallery.jobsqna.fortune/

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.”

7

i think itunes became a bloated piece of crap about the time they implemented video into the library.

so much for jobs’ past (wonderful) idea.

8

Quick opinion survey…
When is the appropriate time to say no?

A) Requirements / Analysis
B) Development
B) Release
D) All of the above

Any thoughts?

9

Apple is now the #1 music retailer in US with iTunes. Wal-Mart is the second. I am still using iTunes and I have bought 150 songs with it. I have not bought real CDs anymore except one special that was not in iTunes but was found on Amazon.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080402-apple-passes-wal-mart-now-1-music-retailer-in-us.html

10

My friends at Bell Labs used to love to say that behind every great design is some guy who says “No!”. When embarking on a project, it’s quite helpful to make sure that a designated naysayer emerges.

11

i still dont understand people that BUY music.

as a side note, i use itunes and vlc to play media and not winamp which could play both audio and video. winamp just ends up not playing well either.