All of Apple’s software remains sold in physical form, even the software like Aperture that is also sold in the App Store. Re: the one exception — MobileMe — smart money is that it was pulled because Apple will announce it as a free product tomorrow. Even if that rumors proves false, if you’re in a remote area and rely on dialup, a cloud service like MobileMe is probably not what you’re looking for anyway.

Re: your other point, if I have got you right, you’re worried about the effect of the Mac App store on traditional distribution of boxed software, because it’s faster for you to buy it than to download it. I get that, except, I don’t believe there is anything keeping developers who submit to the App Store from selling their products via the traditional route, so I don’t see why you wouldn’t be ok there, too.

Re: OS X alternatives: Linux is great. I use it all the time. It also really synergizes well with OS X, much better than Windows.

And what about the many who don’t have available broadband? Have you ever attempted to download a 200MB update on dial-up? Watching grass grow is faster.

So I refuse to honor Apple’s greed by using the new App store. There are many alternates to Apples software which I can and do use. If the OS becomes download only, I’ll stick to OS6 or switch to Linux or Win 7. Apple has made it very easy to run either of them on a Mac just as Apples new focus on greed has made it very easy to look for alternates

I don’t agree with your line of reasoning at all. The best thing Apple can do for itself and for you is get more small offices using Macs. It was because of Apple’s obsessive focus on their customers in the 90s and early 00s that they have survived and thrived as a company, and you still have a platform to support at all.

This article comes off as more than a little wrongheaded. From a customer perspective this is an unmitigated good.

From the narrow perspective of a consultant, adding a small business support plan will encourage additional business uptake and increase your customer base.

In iOS, the decision to implement an app store created a revolutionary platform with unprecedented consumer uptake. How any iOS developers out there do you think are pining for the old days?

To be blunt, Apple doesn’t owe you anything. They owe their customers everything. Your business model is to fill in the gaps in the solutions Apple provides. Apple’s model is to eliminate the gaps — because customers tend to like that.

That doesnt mean I don’t wish you the best though. Good luck.

—

I think there will always be room for consultants/VARs that have something to add. Apple doesn’t sell all products necessary to run a business network (even a small one) so VARs have an ability to go above/beyond what Apple does and provide a total solution and support. Same goes with video production equipment, etc… There will always be room people who have consulting expertise above and beyond what an Apple store can provide directly. The new Apple store system doesn’t specifically mention on site support, so that is also an area where 3rd party providers can work. And even if Apple does provide on-site, there is always room for other consultants to provide more comprehensive on-site, or guaranteed response time, etc.. Plus 3rd party consultants can combine Mac and PC support, or Mac and network support. Something Apple won’t likely do.

Essentially, this move will likely push consultants up-market, into more expertise heavy, or specific content areas. Consultants will be forced to offer something that “geniuses” can’t. For the consultants that can hang, this may allow them to charge more for their services.

The ACN network has really also been a mixed bag. There have been some excellent consultants and some not so excellent ones. Its hard for the customer to figure out which is which. Perhaps, like with the “App Store”, the new system of consultant referrals will allow Apple to curate which consultants get recommended for the specific support tasks this service will cover. Of course, if the ACN network and Apple certifications were meaningful, this problem should have taken care of itself under the old system.

Perhaps, also like the App store, rising tides will float all boats. I don’t know the details of the agreement for the new system, but maybe if Apple provides an easy and standardized way to for customers to access consultants through the Apple retail stores, it will serve to increase the volume of consultant referrals and generate more business for them than the current system. Perhaps the consultants can use these leads to offer more services as later down the line.