Start Simple
by Ian W. Parker on April 2, 2009
John Gruber of Daring Fireball writes today about the iPhone and how the complexity of the device has evolved from the simplicity of the initial vision. In “Complex”, he states,
If there’s a formula to Apple’s success over the past 10 years, that’s it. Start with something simple and build it, grow it, improve it, steadily over time. Evolve it.
John makes several good points, the best of which is that background processing is available on the iPhone (ever listen to your iPod while playing a game?), but Apple will not allow third party developers to use it until the hardware technology has evolved to a point where it can be supported well.
Rightfully so. As a consumer and an iPhone user, I want my experience to be excellent. If that means that Apple leaves video turned off for the sake of battery life, so be it. The fault does not fall on Apple here. They chose to design their device in a certain way and chose the best battery they could fit inside.
But I’m not trying to be an Apple apologist. There have been times when I have missed having features on the iPhone that I would otherwise have had on a personal computer. Yet, compared to my previous cellular phone, the iPhone is an absolute wonder to me. I use it more as a portable computer than I do as a phone. It turns out, that’s what Apple probably had in mind all along.
Sure ring tones are a lucrative market for cellular phone providers and other third parties, but application sales are where the real money can be made. Not only is the App Store proof of that, but the fact that the iPhone OS 3.0 will support micro-transactions within the applications is a testament to the market of users clamoring to have their credit cards charged even more than they are now.
Getting back to that original point about simplicity, as you can tell if you are on the site reading this, I have changed the design to a simpler look. I hinted at moving toward a one column layout a couple months ago and have finally found some time to make the change. From this point, the site will evolve to include features and design elements that are more worthwhile and functional as well as elegant.
First stop? The CMS backend will be changing. I am moving from WordPress to another CMS. If all goes well, the transition will occur in the next three weeks — vacation is stealing me for two of those weeks. Until then, please continue to stop by and do not hesitate to leave a comment or send me an e-mail.
Be well.
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