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Comment by ShabbyDoo | Hacker News Reader

One might consider such comments as little more than posturing. Recall Steve Jobs explaining that the iPhone could not have apps because users would not tolerate a rogue app taking down the mobile network. However, his statements are so obviously false that he must either think his listeners are fools or be one himself.

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My first thought was "What an idiot", but then I realized just what you said, his statements are propaganda to lull the less informed segments of the market that still cough up the bucks for ESPN (and a few other channels), not what he believes or knows (most likely).

He's selling to my wife. My teenagers just plug HDMI into the computer (from the TV) and go find the shows they want. He's already lost, but it will take him 5 to 10 years to know it.

To answer one person down there, yes, I had to tinker with the PC about 5 minutes (Ubuntu 10.04) to get drivers and settings correct, but HDMI works great after that. (sound, aspect ratio, it's all good!)

I actually use my HDTV as a monitor. Sure, it's low resolution compared to some 19" monitors in its price range at only 1920x1080, but it's 42 inches and higher res than my 17" 1280x1024 monitor it replaced. With this in mind, it's trivial to load up WMP or VLC and use it as a TV as well.

Recall Steve Jobs explaining that the iPhone could not have apps because users would not tolerate a rogue app taking down the mobile network

I remember thinking how offensive it was when Jobs said that and then announced the App Store only a few months later. It was obvious that they couldn't have pivoted that quickly, so Jobs must have been lying through his teeth.

It was only later that I learned that the App Store infrastructure was already being built with the iPad in mind, so they could indeed have retargeted it to the iPhone almost overnight. Jobs may not have technically been lying about their intention to keep third-party apps off of the iPhone.

That's more credit than I personally am willing to give the head of a cable company at this point. If they constantly act like they have no idea what is going on, perhaps indeed they don't.

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