Well, this certainly confirms that there is nothing quite like Apple to get the juices flowing on both sides (all started by one person re-posting a rather silly p.r. story masquerading as commentary).
Archangelrichard, you do realize that your extreme reaction only reinforces the impression that many have about the cult-like loyalty that Apple inspires in some users?
Apple and Canon are both successful companies. They are in the business to make money. It is very tragic that Mr. Jobs is apparently in the end stages of pancreatic cancer (I have had two friends die of this disease in the last several years and I hate to see anyone with this disease), but he is and always was a businessman, not a saint. To suggest that Mr. Jobs did not care about profit is silly. He returned to Apple in order to return it to profitability.
What I take issue with is the suggestion that somehow Canon should be "more like Apple" when people don't really think through the consequences of that kind of statement.
On this forum people endlessly debate the relative merits of esoteric technologies and standards. Some people actually get angry that Canon has so far been unable to produce a camera that shares or exceeds the human eye's ability to reconcile range, tone, speed, focus, etc. (in fact there are even those who get angry because Canon hasn't yet produced a sensor that exceeds the human eye in low-light sensitivity).
The fact is that each new generation of today's digital cameras are improving upon the image quality of previous generations. The quality and flexibility available today was completely unimaginable just a few short years ago when film dominated the marketplace.
This has happened because Canon and Nikon have not (at least so far) abandoned the quality-conscious consumer and professional markets, even though they could certainly do so and probably increase their profits and reduce costs.
In contrast, Apple has undeniably "dumbed-down" the audio quality of recorded music. As a result of Apple's admittedly impressive ability to innovate and market its innovations, all of us are condemned to a marketplace where recorded music sounds less, not more, like real life.
I am able to enjoy my 7D and the quality of images it produces because Canon has integrated my narrow market segment into their business plan. I know they are doing that because it makes them money, but none-the-less I appreciate their investment in quality and willingness to serve a niche market.
Wherever I travel I see people happily snapping pictures with their phones and it reminds me what I dinosaur I am with my big, heavy SLR. I hope that there will always be a market for consumers like myself, but I have to admit I am fearful that "innovative" products like the iPhone and iPad will further erode the camera market. I really don't want photography to suffer the same fate that recorded music has, where "good enough" displaces great.
I may be on the path to extinction, but for the time being, I'm kind of happy that companies like Canon and Nikon continue to compete for my money.
