Jason Griffey is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at NISO, where he works to identify new areas of the information ecosystem where standards expertise is useful and needed. Prior to joining NISO in 2019, Jason ran his own technology consulting company for libraries, has been both an Affiliate at metaLAB and a Fellow and Affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, and was an academic librarian in roles ranging from reference and instruction to Head of IT at the University of TN at Chattanooga.
Jason has written extensively on technology and libraries, including multiple books and a series of full-periodical issues on technology topics, most recently AI & Machine Learning in Libraries and Library Spaces and Smart Buildings: Technology, Metrics, and Iterative Design from 2018. His newest book, co-authored with Jeffery Pomerantz, will be published by MIT Press in 2024.
He has spoken internationally on topics such as artificial intelligence & machine learning, the future of technology and libraries, decentralization and the Blockchain, privacy, copyright, and intellectual property. A full list of his publications and presentations can be found on his CV.
He is one of eight winners of the Knight Foundation News Challenge for Libraries for the Measure the Future project (http://measurethefuture.net), an open hardware project designed to provide actionable use metrics for library spaces. He is also the creator and director of The LibraryBox Project (http://librarybox.us), an open source portable digital file distribution system.
Jason can be stalked obsessively online, and spends his free time with his daughter Eliza, reading, obsessing over gadgets, and preparing for the inevitable zombie uprising.
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40 replies on “I swear I will scream if I have to read one more comment that mentioned how Amazon’s…”
I'd be pretty pissed if my microwave would only cook certain types of foods or my toaster would only work with one brand of bread.
I'd be pretty pissed if my microwave would only cook certain types of foods or my toaster would only work with one brand of bread.
That's the equivalent of the iPad only playing Bluegrass music, though. You don't buy an iPad or a Kindle if what you want is a general purpose computing device that allows you complete access to every system function. Just like I don't buy a pod-based coffee maker if what I want is to roast my own beans. They are fundamentally different things and to complain about that as a lack of functionality is just a base misunderstanding on the complainers part, not a fault of the device.
That's the equivalent of the iPad only playing Bluegrass music, though. You don't buy an iPad or a Kindle if what you want is a general purpose computing device that allows you complete access to every system function. Just like I don't buy a pod-based coffee maker if what I want is to roast my own beans. They are fundamentally different things and to complain about that as a lack of functionality is just a base misunderstanding on the complainers part, not a fault of the device.
Maybe I'm not sure what you're upset about, but it read to me like you were comparing the software of the iPad and Fire to the hardware of a microwave or toaster. Personally, I don't care about the hardware of the device, I just want to have control over the software, and I don't think that's a weird thing to want.
Maybe I'm not sure what you're upset about, but it read to me like you were comparing the software of the iPad and Fire to the hardware of a microwave or toaster. Personally, I don't care about the hardware of the device, I just want to have control over the software, and I don't think that's a weird thing to want.
I'm with Jason on this. I've had an iPad for a year and a half and do I feel at all damaged because I'm limited to what I can find in the App Store? Not hardly.
I'm with Jason on this. I've had an iPad for a year and a half and do I feel at all damaged because I'm limited to what I can find in the App Store? Not hardly.
Fair enough. I guess if you're someone who doesn't want to just go with Apple's App Store, you should buy an Android tablet instead. Which is why I own an Android phone and not an iPhone.
Fair enough. I guess if you're someone who doesn't want to just go with Apple's App Store, you should buy an Android tablet instead. Which is why I own an Android phone and not an iPhone.
You know what I love about the App Store? That it gives me an easy way to purchase fantastic software from talented independent developers for cash money.
You know what I love about the App Store? That it gives me an easy way to purchase fantastic software from talented independent developers for cash money.
Yes.
Yes.
"You don't buy an iPad or Kindle if what you want is a general purpose computing device…." Well, yeah, that's what these people are complaining about. They want the form factor of a tablet but also want the general purpose computing device part… seems like a valid complaint to me.
"You don't buy an iPad or Kindle if what you want is a general purpose computing device…." Well, yeah, that's what these people are complaining about. They want the form factor of a tablet but also want the general purpose computing device part… seems like a valid complaint to me.
Yeah, well I want the performance of a Mustang, but I bought a Honda civic. It appears as if you can't have a great experience without some control over that experience when it come to computing. Apple succeeds because they control the experience, not despite it. Amazon will as well. Deep-seated control over the user experience is a feature, not a bug.
Yeah, well I want the performance of a Mustang, but I bought a Honda civic. It appears as if you can't have a great experience without some control over that experience when it come to computing. Apple succeeds because they control the experience, not despite it. Amazon will as well. Deep-seated control over the user experience is a feature, not a bug.
Jason, clearly not everyone agrees with you. One of the big reasons why I continue to use Ubuntu is that I have a lot of control over my experience, and I consider that a feature, not a bug.
Is it really that strange that some people want more control, while you're happy to let Apple have that control?
Jason, clearly not everyone agrees with you. One of the big reasons why I continue to use Ubuntu is that I have a lot of control over my experience, and I consider that a feature, not a bug.
Is it really that strange that some people want more control, while you're happy to let Apple have that control?
Yeah… and, as +Joshua M. Neff said, people who want something different from what Apple delivers have an alternative in Android. Success for each of those approaches will be measured in market share.
Fwiw, I do think the Amazon product will be different from what Apple provides. People are comparing it, now, because they want to highlight what it is that they want from an Android tablet.
I don't believe Amazon will, in the long run, take the Kindle in a radically different direction though. They will always try to keep their own L&F on it (to direct people to buy Amazon goods) but that's different from breaking Android compatibility.
And, I also believe that in the long run the more open approach will win out. We'll have to wait and see…
Yeah… and, as +Joshua M. Neff said, people who want something different from what Apple delivers have an alternative in Android. Success for each of those approaches will be measured in market share.
Fwiw, I do think the Amazon product will be different from what Apple provides. People are comparing it, now, because they want to highlight what it is that they want from an Android tablet.
I don't believe Amazon will, in the long run, take the Kindle in a radically different direction though. They will always try to keep their own L&F on it (to direct people to buy Amazon goods) but that's different from breaking Android compatibility.
And, I also believe that in the long run the more open approach will win out. We'll have to wait and see…
A friend mentioned this discussion to me and I came over prepared to hose down both Jason and Josh. Luckily I can say instead "you are both right!"
I think Jason's right that most of the most popular devices are going to be increasingly controlled by the manufacturer, and that people who want that high-end, cutting edge user experience will need to accept that.
I think Josh is right that there will always be people who value openness and control over high-end, cutting-blah-blah, and they will comment and complain and choose alternatives.
The only thing that really burns me (pun intended) is when people who should know better opt for the command-and-control model (like the iPad or Kindle) and then naively complain that it's locked down. Because that's not really a secret.
A friend mentioned this discussion to me and I came over prepared to hose down both Jason and Josh. Luckily I can say instead "you are both right!"
I think Jason's right that most of the most popular devices are going to be increasingly controlled by the manufacturer, and that people who want that high-end, cutting edge user experience will need to accept that.
I think Josh is right that there will always be people who value openness and control over high-end, cutting-blah-blah, and they will comment and complain and choose alternatives.
The only thing that really burns me (pun intended) is when people who should know better opt for the command-and-control model (like the iPad or Kindle) and then naively complain that it's locked down. Because that's not really a secret.
Clearly Jason and I need to be jerkier to each other, so that Steve can hose us down. Jason, I apologize for trying to respect your position while also trying to present mine as merely an alternative.
THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!
Clearly Jason and I need to be jerkier to each other, so that Steve can hose us down. Jason, I apologize for trying to respect your position while also trying to present mine as merely an alternative.
THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!
HOSES SELF DOWN
HOSES SELF DOWN
HOSES STEVE DOWN
What Steve said. The thing that bugs me is that people are still complaining about it. It's not a mystery, and it's not like Apple or Amazon are selling you things and then saying "PSYCH! Gotcha!" when you try to install RedHatDebianUbuntoFlatuousFlamingo on it. I have no problem with OSS…good gods I love the stuff. I run Ubuntu on a system on my desk. I flashed my router with Tomato firmware because I wanted more control. I've jailbroken my iPhone 3-4 times to test something.
it's the continued "why can't Apple be more open" and "oh noes Amazon is evil for not letting the Kindle read Epub" and that sort of thing that drives me crazy. The answer is always "because they will make more money by not doing that crazy thing you're thinking about".
I guess I'm just cranky today. I'll try to be more of a jerk to +Joshua M. Neff later.
HOSES STEVE DOWN
What Steve said. The thing that bugs me is that people are still complaining about it. It's not a mystery, and it's not like Apple or Amazon are selling you things and then saying "PSYCH! Gotcha!" when you try to install RedHatDebianUbuntoFlatuousFlamingo on it. I have no problem with OSS…good gods I love the stuff. I run Ubuntu on a system on my desk. I flashed my router with Tomato firmware because I wanted more control. I've jailbroken my iPhone 3-4 times to test something.
it's the continued "why can't Apple be more open" and "oh noes Amazon is evil for not letting the Kindle read Epub" and that sort of thing that drives me crazy. The answer is always "because they will make more money by not doing that crazy thing you're thinking about".
I guess I'm just cranky today. I'll try to be more of a jerk to +Joshua M. Neff later.
BIG geek points for "Flatuous Flamingo". LOL
BIG geek points for "Flatuous Flamingo". LOL
"Flashed my router with Tomato firmware" is the winner for me, Roy. I think Jason might not want to admit that in public.
And I guess I see it both ways, in that I do want Apple to be more open and I do want hardware makers to settle on Epub or some other standard. But I also know it's a business environment we are all operating in, and if you don't like the locked down stuff, the best recourse is to not buy it.
"Flashed my router with Tomato firmware" is the winner for me, Roy. I think Jason might not want to admit that in public.
And I guess I see it both ways, in that I do want Apple to be more open and I do want hardware makers to settle on Epub or some other standard. But I also know it's a business environment we are all operating in, and if you don't like the locked down stuff, the best recourse is to not buy it.
"I do want Apple to be more open and I do want hardware makers to settle on Epub or some other standard."
YES, THIS.
But because that's not the case, I don't buy myself Apple products and I use Calibre to convert DRM-free EPUB books for my Kindle.
"I do want Apple to be more open and I do want hardware makers to settle on Epub or some other standard."
YES, THIS.
But because that's not the case, I don't buy myself Apple products and I use Calibre to convert DRM-free EPUB books for my Kindle.
+Jason Griffey I agree wanting Apple to be more open is futile. I don't think it's futile to push Amazon to be more open though. I think it's worked to some degree with Barnes and Noble. It's different when you're building on top of something that is open vs. when you're the owner of the stack from top to bottom (like Apple).
+Jason Griffey I agree wanting Apple to be more open is futile. I don't think it's futile to push Amazon to be more open though. I think it's worked to some degree with Barnes and Noble. It's different when you're building on top of something that is open vs. when you're the owner of the stack from top to bottom (like Apple).
I know a lot of people that are staunch advocates of RedHatDebianUbuntuFlatuousFlamingo (okay, maybe not FlatuousFlamingo) because it's open source and not some proprietary operating system. I know very, very few people that download the source code for RedHatDebianUbuntuFlatuousFlamingo and modify it for their own use.
I know a lot of people that are staunch advocates of RedHatDebianUbuntuFlatuousFlamingo (okay, maybe not FlatuousFlamingo) because it's open source and not some proprietary operating system. I know very, very few people that download the source code for RedHatDebianUbuntuFlatuousFlamingo and modify it for their own use.