All_Things_Bright_and

3 in 1

PDA（或者说掌上电脑），移动电话，iPod

并不支持3G，可能是认为3G并没有那么实用，但是，加入了EDGE这个2.75G的支持，
比GPRS这2.5G高级那么一点点点

不知道何时上市，即使上市，不知道是否还是高价策略。

i开头的东西

这个词语，好像代表着设计，质量，吸引眼球，还有价格

都是apple带动的产业啊

你能说出多少i开头的？现实存在的绝对超过你想象的

好昂贵的价格。设计的价值体现啊。

且不说软件一堆，什么itunes，iphoto，imovie，ixx的，这ipod带动的产业就够庞
大的，从bwm，nike的配套产品，到levi‘s的裤子，都有ipod的接口，还要古董的真
空管音响，虽然是古董，可是那个价格，据说是最昂贵的配套产品，如果宝马不算的
话

后记：今天发现i开头的也有不是apple的东西，sun的iForce，呵呵

wal-mart的工会事件，更令人攻击其压榨劳工，特别是在Honduras,costa rica,se
asia 的压榨。

而apple随着最近的新鸿海foxcom ipod工厂事件也为有识之士不愤。

我的感觉是，小时候受教育，教材里面讲资本主义如何，后来学社经，提到市场经济
，我就纳闷，那么提到的资本家，剥削，怎么避免呢？还有现在提知本主义，难道知
本就不资本了么？

身为资本家，要求利润最大化，有什么办法能压缩成本又讨好所有人呢？

而这两个冒出头来，个人觉得，沃玛特是因为其价格之低，allways low price已经
是其registered mark,其强势的采购政策，使得供应商无法拒绝为其供货。

而apple那个代工，看看当地政府吧，敢把他赶走？那是20,000劳工啊，劳工可以就
不干了吗？一个两个可以。再说了，这样的工厂已经够好了，看看这个报告。

“Report of iPod Manufacturing”
Report on iPod Manufacturing

August 17, 2006

Like many of you, we were concerned by reports in the press a few weeks ago
alleging poor working and living conditions at a manufacturing facility
in China where iPods are assembled. Our Supplier Code of Conduct mandates
that suppliers of Apple products follow specific rules designed to safeguard
human rights, worker health and safety, and the environment. We take any
deviation from these rules very seriously.

In response to the allegations, we immediately dispatched an audit team comprised
of members from our human resources, legal and operations groups to carry
out a thorough investigation of the conditions at the manufacturing site
. The audit covered the areas of labor standards, working and living environment
, compensation, overtime and worker treatment. The team interviewed over
100 randomly selected employees representing a cross-section of line workers
(83%), supervisors (9%), executives (5%), and other support personnel (3
%) including security guards and custodians. They visited and inspected factory
floors, dormitories, dining halls, and recreation areas. The team also reviewed
thousands of documents including personnel files, payroll data, time cards
, and security logs. In total, the audit spanned over 1200 person-hours and
covered over one million square feet of facilities.

To ensure the accuracy of the investigation, the team cross-referenced multiple
sources of information from employees, management and personnel records.
For example, working hours and overtime reported in the interviews were
corroborated with line-shift reports, badge reader logs, and payroll records
of those specific individuals to confirm that they were paid appropriately
.

We found the supplier to be in compliance in the majority of the areas audited
. However, we did find violations to our Code of Conduct, as well as other
areas for improvement that we are working with the supplier to address.
What follows is a summary of what we’ve learned, what’s already being done
in response, and our commitment to future diligence and action.
Labor Standards

The team reviewed personnel files and hiring practices and found no evidence
whatsoever of the use of child labor or any form of forced labor. This review
included examining security records targeted at discovering false identification
papers — an important check for companies serious about preventing illegal
employment of any kind.
Working and Living Environment

The manufacturing facility supports over 200,000 employees (Apple uses less
than 15% of that capacity) and has the services you’d expect in a medium
city. The campus includes factories, employee housing, banks, a post office
, a hospital, supermarkets, and a variety of recreational facilities including
soccer fields, a swimming pool, TV lounges and Internet cafes. Ten cafeterias
are also located throughout the campus offering a variety of menu choices
such as fresh vegetables, beef, seafood, rice, poultry, and stir-fry noodles
. In addition, employees have access to 13 different restaurants on campus
. Employees were pleased with the variety and quality of food offerings.

The supplier owns and leases dormitories that are offered at no charge to
employees, provided they help in cleaning common areas to maintain the facility
. Workers are not required to live in these dormitories, although the majority
do. Our team randomly selected and inspected a wide range of dormitories
(both supplier-owned on-campus and off-site leased facilities) that collectively
house over 32,000 people. Buildings are separated by gender, with female
dorms containing a private bathroom/shower for each room and male dorm rooms
typically sharing bathroom/shower facilities. The dorms have TV rooms, potable
water, private lockers, free laundry service, and public telephones. Many
also have ping-pong and snooker tables, and sitting/reading areas. All of
the on-campus dorms have air conditioning. Visitors are permitted in the
dorms, although a sign-in process is used for security purposes.

Our audit of on-site dormitories found no violations of our Code of Conduct
. We were not satisfied, however, with the living conditions of three of
the off-site leased dorms that we visited. These buildings were converted
by the supplier during a period of rapid growth and have served as interim
housing. Two of the dormitories, originally built as factories, now contain
a large number of beds and lockers in an open space, and from our perspective
, felt too impersonal. The third contained triple-bunks, which in our opinion
didn’t provide reasonable personal space.

To address this interim housing situation, the supplier acquired additional
land and is currently building new dormitories. These plans were in place
prior to our audit, and will increase the total living space by 46% during
the next four months.
Compensation

Our investigation confirmed that all workers earn at least the local minimum
wage, and our sample audit of payroll records showed that more than half
were earning above minimum wage. Employees also have the opportunity to
earn bonuses. In addition, the supplier provides a comprehensive medical
plan including free annual checkups.

We did find, however, that the pay structure was unnecessarily complex. An
employee’s wage was comprised of several elements (base pay, skill bonus
, attendance bonus, housing allowance, meal allowance, overtime), making
it difficult to understand and communicate to employees. This structure effectively
failed to meet our Code of Conduct requirement that how workers are paid
must be clearly conveyed. The supplier has since implemented a simplified
pay structure that meets the Code of Conduct.

We also discovered that the process for reporting overtime was manual and
monthly, and while not a violation of the Code of Conduct, it was subject
to human error and relied too much on memory for dispute resolution. To
address this issue, the supplier will link the payroll system and electronic
badge system, which will automate the recording of hours worked and pay
calculations. This update will be completed by October 1.
Overtime

We found no instances of forced overtime and employees confirmed in interviews
that they could decline overtime requests without penalty. We did, however
, find that employees worked longer hours than permitted by our Code of Conduct
, which limits normal workweeks to 60 hours and requires at least one day
off each week. We reviewed seven months of records from multiple shifts
of different productions lines and found that the weekly limit was exceeded
35% of the time and employees worked more than six consecutive days 25%
of the time. Although our Code of Conduct allows overtime limit exceptions
in unusual circumstances, we believe in the importance of a healthy work
-life balance and found these percentages to be excessive.

The supplier has enacted a policy change to enforce the weekly overtime limits
set by our Code of Conduct. The policy change has been communicated to supervisors
and employees and a management system has been implemented to track compliance
with the Code of Conduct. Supervisors must receive approval from upper level
management for any deviation.
Worker Treatment

Employees work in factories that are generally bright, clean and modern with
air-conditioned assembly line areas, and are provided with protective gear
. There’s an employee grievance process in place, including a telephone
hotline, a CEO mailbox for complaints and employee suggestion boxes.

Our interviews with employees revealed areas of both satisfaction and dissatisfaction
. A majority of employees interviewed were pleased with the work environment
and specifically noted the opportunity for advancement, widespread year-
end bonuses, and the reputation of the supplier in the industry. Additionally
, employees consistently mentioned that they felt safe and secure in both
the workplace and the dormitories.

Employees expressed dissatisfaction with some aspects of the workplace. The
single largest complaint (approximately 20% of interviewed workers) was
the lack of overtime during non-peak periods. The second largest complaint
(less than 10%) was the transportation schedule for employees living in
off-campus dorms, which they felt was inadequate outside of working hours
. Results of the interviews have been shared with management, and will be
addressed where appropriate. For example, the transportation schedule is
being reviewed for adjustment.

During our interviews with employees, we explicitly asked every line worker
whether they had ever been subjected to or witnessed objectionable disciplinary
punishment. Two employees reported that they had been disciplined by being
made to stand at attention. While we did not find this practice to be widespread
, Apple has a zero tolerance policy for any instance, isolated or not, of
any treatment of workers that could be interpreted as harsh. The supplier
has launched an aggressive manager and employee training program to ensure
such behavior does not occur in the future.
The Future

Recognizing that some aspects of workplace auditing (such as health and safety
) lie beyond our current expertise, we’ve engaged the services of Verité
, an internationally recognized leader in workplace standards dedicated to
ensuring that people around the world work under safe, fair and legal conditions
. We are committed to ensuring compliance with our Code of Conduct and will
complete audits of all final assembly suppliers of Mac and iPod products
in 2006.

We recognize that monitoring compliance is an ongoing process requiring continual
progress reviews. When violations are discovered in any supplier, we will
require corrective action plans, with a focus on prevention and systemic
solutions. We will also ensure that action plans are implemented and in
cases where a supplier’s efforts in this area do not meet our expectations
, their contracts will be terminated.

We are encouraged with the actions to date in response to our audit. However
, we realize that auditing compliance is only one step in the journey toward
driving change. We have also joined the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct
(EICC) Implementation Group, which has established industry-wide standards
and offers valuable resources for evaluating suppliers. The EICC was a key
benchmark when our own Code of Conduct was created and as an industry leader
, Apple will make important contributions to this group.

Apple is committed to the highest standard of social responsibility in everything
we do and will always take necessary action accordingly. We are dedicated
to ensuring that working conditions are safe and employees are treated with
respect and dignity wherever Apple products are made.
Home > Report on iPod Manufacturing

附录

苹果公司报告的中文译文

关于iPod制造的报告

　　和许多人一样，我们非常关注几周前有关iPod中国制造厂工作条件恶劣的指控。
我们的供应商行为准则“Supplier Code of Conduct”（供应商行为准则，译者注）
要求所有苹果产品供应商遵守其中条款，以达到保护人权及环境、保障工人健康及安
全的目的。我们对执行该准则要求非常严格以防任何偏离。

　　作为回应，我们很快派出一个由人力资源部、法律及运营部门组成的调查小组，
亲赴富士康龙华工厂展开调查，范围涉及劳动标准、工作及生活环境、薪酬、加班及
劳工待遇等。调查小组随机访问了100多名工人，其中83%的一线工人、9%的工长、5
%的管理人员及3%的后勤人员（包括保安及门卫）。调查小组还现场调查了厂房、宿
舍、食堂及休闲区等，查阅了数千份文件，包括个人档案、工资条、打卡纪录及安全
日志等。总体而言，调查小组的工作时间超过1200个人力小时(person-hour)，现场
查看区域超过100万平方英尺。

　　为了保证调查结果的准确性，调查组综合参考了员工、管理层等各种来源的信息
。例如，工作时间及加班数据综合参考了值班报告、工资记录等各方面信息，以证实
工人获得了适当报酬。

　　调查组认为，在大部分调查项目中，该供应商遵守了苹果的规定，但调查组的确
发现了违反“供应商行为准则”的行为及需要改善之处，调查组正与该供应商着手解
决。以下是调查结果及对该结果的反馈。

劳动标准

　　调查组查阅了个人文档并监督了招聘过程，未发现任何雇佣童工或强制劳动的行
为，调查方式包括检查是否存在伪造的身份文件等。这是一项非常严格的检查，以防
止公司有任何非法雇用行为。

工作及生活环境

　　该制造厂拥有超过20万名员工(其中从事苹果产品制造的不足15%)，相当于一个
中型城市。厂区内有工厂、员工宿舍、银行、一家邮局、一家医院、超市和足球场、
游泳池等众多休闲设施、电视机房及网吧等。整个厂区遍布多家员工自助餐厅，食物
品种丰富，包括新鲜蔬菜、牛肉、海鲜、米饭、猪肉、面条等。此外，厂区还有13家
各具特色的餐厅供员工选择。员工对食物的种类和质量均感到满意。

　　该供应商自建宿舍或者在外租用宿舍免费提供给员工居住，并要求员工负责公共
区域的清洁。尽管该供应商未强制要求，但大部分工人都住在宿舍。调查小组随机检
查了大量宿舍(包括厂区内宿舍及在外租用宿舍)，涉及员工超过3.2万人。宿舍按男
女划分，女员工宿舍有单独卫生间，男员工宿舍一般为公用卫生间。宿舍内配有电视
房、私人柜子、免费洗衣服务及公用电话。许多宿舍楼还配有乒乓球室、台球室、阅
览室等。厂区内的宿舍全部安装了空调。来访者可进入宿舍，但出于安全考虑，他们
在签字后方可进入。

　　调查组在厂区内宿舍未发现违反“供应商行为准则”的情况，但调查组对访问的
三家厂外宿舍的居住环境感到不满。这些房屋是供应商在员工人数激增的情况下作为
临时宿舍为员工租用的。其中在两间原本是为工厂建设的宿舍，调查组看到一个开放
区域内放置了大量床位和柜子，从调查组角度看，这种环境过于缺乏隐私。第三间宿
舍包括三层床位，我们的意见是不适合提供给人居住。

　　为了解决临时宿舍问题，该供应商已购买了新土地并正在建设新宿舍楼，此项计
划在调查之前就已制定完毕，在未来四个月内，新宿舍楼可将厂区的居住面积提高46
%。

薪酬

　　调查小组证实，所有工人的工资均达到当地最低工资标准，调查组查阅的工资记
录显示，至少一半工人的收入超过了最低标准。除了工资，员工还有机会获得奖金。
此外，该供应商还提供一年一次的免费体检等综合医疗福利。

　　但是，调查小组发现，该供应商的工资结构过于复杂。员工工资包括基本工资、
技能奖金、考勤奖金、食宿补贴、加班费等，计算方式较难与员工解释并沟通。这种
工资结构明显违反了“供应商行为准则”有关向员工明确传达工资计算方式的要求。
不过，该供应商已按照“供应商行为准则”要求，采取了更为简单的工资计算方式。

　　调查组还发现，加班时间主要通过人工方式按月计算，虽然这种做法未违反“供
应商行为准则”，但可能出现人为失误，出现争议时也缺乏文字记录证明。为解决此
问题，该供应商将把工资系统与电子打卡系统联网，自动计算加班时间及加班费。这
项系统升级工作将于10月1日完成。

加班

　　调查组未发现强制加班情况，受访员工也证实，他们即使拒绝加班也不会受到处
罚。但调查组发现，员工加班时间超过了“供应商行为准则”有关最高每周工作 60
小时、至少休息一天的规定。调查组检查了多个产品线工人7个月的加班情况，发现
35%的人的每周工作时间超过“供应商行为准则”上限，25%的人一周连续工作六天。
尽管“供应商行为准则”允许在特定情况下出现加班超时情况，但调查组认为保持工
作与生活的平衡至关重要。

　　该供应商已颁布了新规定，以执行“供应商行为准则”对每周加班上限的规定，
该规定已向工长及工人传达。该供应商将实施一项管理制度，监督对“供应商行为准
则”的执行情况。特殊情况下，工长必须经过上一级管理层的批准才能采取有违规定
的措施。

员工待遇

　　员工工作的工厂总体来说明亮、干净、现代化，装配线区域配有空调，并提供了
保护用具。工厂设有员工投诉程序，包括热线电话、负责接收投诉的CEO邮箱和员工
建议箱。

　　调查组对员工的采访发现既有满意的地方又有不如人意之处。大多数受访员工对
工作环境感到满意，特别是晋升的机会、范围较广的年终奖金、供应商在业界的声誉
等方面。此外，员工经常提到他们在工作地点和宿舍都感到安全。

　　员工对于工作地点的某些方面表达了不满。抱怨最多的是在工厂淡季加班不足，
大约占受访工人的20%，抱怨第二多的是对住在厂外的员工的交通安排，员工们感到
下班后车次安排不足，有此抱怨的大约占受访工人的不到10%。采访结果已与管理层
沟通，将在适当情况下解决。比如，班车时刻正在进行检查调整。

　　在采访员工时，调查组明确地问过方方面面的工人，他们是否受到过或者看到过
令人不快的纪律惩罚。两名员工表示他们曾被要求立正站立。虽然调查组并未发现这
种情况很普遍，但苹果实施的是零容忍政策，任何粗暴对待工人的事例都不能容忍。
该供应商已经启动了积极的经理和员工训练计划，以确保此类行为不再发生。

未来

　　鉴于对工作场所某些方面的检查（比如健康和安全）超出了我们目前的能力，我
们已邀请 Verité提供服务，Verité是国际公认的工作标准方面的领袖，该机构专
注于确保世界各地的人们能够在安全、公平和合法的条件下工作。我们承诺确保符合
我们的行动守则，将在2006年完成所有Mac和iPod最终装配供应商的检查。

　　我们认识到监督供应商遵守守则是一个持续的过程，需要持续的审查。如果发现
该供应商违反守则，我们将要求该供应商拿出整改行动计划，我们注重预防和系统性
的解决方案。我们还将确保行动计划的实施，如果该供应商在这方面的行动没有达到
我们的预期，供应合同将终止。

　　目前为止，该供应商针对审查的采取的行动令我们感到鼓舞。然而，我们认识到
审查是否遵守守则只是促成变化的一步，我们已加入电子工业行动守则（EICC）实施
机构，该机构已建立业界标准并提供评估供应商的有价值的资源。EICC是一个我们行
动准则制订的重要标尺，作为业界领袖，苹果将对这一机构做出重要贡献。

　　苹果承诺在所做每件事上都承担最高标准的社会责任，并将始终采取必要的相应
行动。我们致力于确保所有生产苹果产品的地方工作条件安全，员工得到尊重和尊严
的对待。
面对工人血汗　雇主是否有愧？
联合早报：http://www.zaobao.com/yl/tx060902_506.html
● 韩方明（香港）

　　近日来，中国有一件诉讼案引起全社会的关注和议论。事缘台资企业富士康下属
全资子公司鸿富锦精密工业 (深圳)有限公司，以上海《第一财经日报》的有关报道
失实、有损其企业利益为由，将该报两名记者控上法庭。

　　此案在中国各地立即掀起轩然大波，有关的报道和评论铺天盖地。有人以此来论
证中国的舆论监督所处的困境，有人由此提出了司法公正的问题，还有人呼吁有关当
局要更加关注广大劳工的生存状况，如此等等。一个普通的名誉权官司，竟然“牵一
发而动全身”，所有人都找到了宣泄情绪、表达观点和推动某个诉求的切入点。

资本之手无处不在

　　富士康为何绕开报社而起诉记者个人，并且索赔3000万元人民币之巨，然后又改
变初衷索赔一元，其用意和考虑不在我讨论之列。我只是觉得，如此大的企业，对两
个记者下如此重手，是否少了一点大企业应有的仁义和厚道？

　　富士康一贯以个性方式与媒体打交道，在台湾被称为“好讼成性”，而此次对上
海两名记者的诉讼手法似乎就是其“例牌”。窃以为，作为台湾电子行业的领军企业
，并且以现代化的企业管理享誉世界，其老板也是在国际上有名头的企业家，原本应
该更自信地面对记者的批评，不应惧怕媒体和社会的监督。

　　中国毕竟还是一个法治社会，鸿富锦当然有权通过法律途径解决争议。但是，很
多人都认为，鸿富锦在诉讼过程的一些做法，给社会大众留下了以势压人的印象。现
在，几乎所有媒体及其从业人员，乃至全社会都愤愤不平，这对一个大公司来说，实
在是不值得的。

　　在当今市场经济社会，资本的手似乎在经济以外的领域不断延伸，在媒体、司法
、民意等等领域无处不在，无所不能。笔者的感觉是，它已开始严重影响到社会和生
活的秩序，使和谐变得不和谐，使原有的不和谐又更加凸显。在一个分工有序的社会
里，这是不应该有的现象。而从中国媒体和民众的反应来看，富士康的诉讼方式，已
经给媒体和人心公道留下了“为富不仁”的味道。

　　企业家成功有道，只要是合理合法，赚的是“阳光下的利润”，他就自然会得到
所有人的尊重。很多企业家在致富以后，仍然不忘关心那些为企业作出过贡献的员工
，包括占绝大多数的普通工人，因此赢得了社会大众的尊重、认同和维护。这对扩展
和增强企业家的事业与地位，是非常珍贵的。

歧视中国劳工的双重标准

　　有一句老话叫“饮水思源”。企业家们应时刻牢记，自己的成功绝对不只是靠自
己的努力而来。如果没有社会提供的环境和机遇，如果没有那些认同你、帮助你、为
企业发展默默工作的工人，那么，你就不可能拥有一个成功的工厂，更不可能跻身于
富人行列。

　　据悉，富士康每年有大笔的财富积累，但却被海内外诸多媒体称为“血汗工厂”
。这些报道是否有瑕疵，现在并不是最重要的。最重要的是，如同其他所有企业一样
，一个拥有数十万员工的大型企业，绝对没有理由罔顾工人的权益。

　　榨取普通工人的劳动价值，老板更富，工人更穷，如此积累下来的财富，掩盖不
了“滴着血和肮脏的东西”。企业家在享受尊贵生活的同时，也必须顾及员工的尊严
和体面，否则他自己就无尊严可言。强悍霸道，唯利是图，这样的企业主除了拥有钱
财之外，其他则一无所有。

　　一些有识之士曾经慨叹，某些跨国公司在世界其他地区自有一套维护工人权益的
基本规则，但在中国却我行我素，听不得批评，反而还要对这些批评采取法律行动。
这不仅是短视的，而且也是可怕的。这些企业主应该为自己享受的这种“超国民待遇
”而感到羞耻。

　　大企业或者大企业主在受到媒体的批评时，首先做的应是反思和反省，不能依仗
权势，动不动就拿钱去砸人，拿钱买“老虎皮”吓唬人。否则，总会有一天搬起石头
砸了自己的脚。

　　一个普通的案件，经过全社会的关注和参与讨论，其意义已经远远超出了案件本
身，扩及到了道德、阶层矛盾、资本安全、社会稳定等重要方面。假若这些讨论能够
使所有的企业主都经常扪心自问，面对可怜的工人的血汗时会心有不安，那么，这场
纷纷扰扰的议论就是值得的。

　　我也希望，那些一直为资本和企业家鼓与呼的财经媒体，它们在评选年度“最受
人尊敬的企业”的同时，更应该评选出“最不受人尊敬的企业和企业家”。对那些缺
乏社会责任心的企业主，媒体就应该使它们的日子不好过。

·作者是旅居香港的投资银行家，全国政协委员说实话，我确实对apple产品的设计
很感兴趣，如果说压榨劳工的话，其他工厂就不存在这问题了吗？某些人吃饱了饭了
。

什么是iPod？iPod是APPLE 推出的一种大容量MP3播放器，采用Toshiba出品的1.8英
寸盘片硬盘作为存储介质，高达10～40GB的容量，可存放2500～10000首CD 质量的MP3
音乐，它还有完善的管理程序和创新的操作方式，外观也独具创意，是APPLE少数能
横跨PC和Mac平台的硬件产品之一，除了MP3播放， iPod还可以作为高速移动硬盘使
用，可以显示联系人、日历和任务，以及阅读纯文本电子书和聆听Audible的有声电
子书。

iPod历程

第一代iPod

第一代iPod的推出在当时引起了轰动，它不但漂亮，而且拥有独特和人性化的操作方
式以及巨大的容量，iPod为MP3播放器带来了全新的思路，此后市场上类似的产品层
出不穷，但iPod依然因为它的独特风格而一直受到追捧。

第一代iPod于2001年10月23日发布，容量为5GB，2002年3月21日新增 10GB版本iPod
，两者都装备了APPLE称为scroll- wheel的选曲盘，只需一个大拇指就能完成进行操
作，10G iPod还新增了20种均衡器设置，iPod使用带宽达400Mbps的IEEE1394接口进
行传输，配合Mac操作系统上的iTunes进行管理，这在当时是相当先进的设计，再加
上iPod与众不同的外观设计，让它成为APPLE打造的又一个神话。

第二代iPod

第一代iPod早期的型号是为Mac操作系统设计的，在PC上难以使用它，为此喜欢 iPod
的PC用户不得不借助一些第三方软件来使用，苹果看到其中的商机，在2002年6月17
日推出了能够支持Windows操作系统的 “Windows版iPod”，同时增加了20G版本的iPod
，自此Mac和 Windows版本iPod都有5GB、10GB、20GB三种容量，这就是大家所说的第
二代iPod ，由此iPod成为APPLE阵营中距离PC用户最近的产品之一。

How your product can inspire The Nod
http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2006/07/how_your_produc
.html

Thenod
Sit in a cafe with a Mac PowerBook, and chances are you'll get The Nod--that
acknowledging, approving, knowing, we're-special look. MINI Cooper owners
give each other The Nod at intersections. Display GNOME on your ThinkPad
and you'll get The Nod. But run Windows on your Dell and you won't. (Never
confuse the "I feel your pain" look with The Nod.)

To give The Nod is to recognize and appreciate another person who "gets it
", whatever it is. The Nod is NOT simply a "you have something I have" look
. I don't get The Nod when I wear, say, my standard-issue Nike Air trainers
. But I DO get it when my SmartWool socks are spotted by another SmartWool
fan. I never got The Nod using a Pentax point-and-shoot, but when I pulled
out my new Nikon D200 on a train, another D200 owner on the train not only
gave me The Nod, but greeted me like a long lost friend. I don't get The
Nod when I wear a plain white T-Shirt. But slap a Parelli logo on the shirt
and I get The Nod from other like-minded horse owners.

Carrying a JavaOne backpack at the JavaOne conference doesn't earn me The
Nod... everyone gets one when they register. Why, then, do so many conference
alumni use their older JavaOne bags? The ones from previous years? Because
demonstrating that "I was here at the beginning... way back in 1997" earns
The Nod.

Why do some things get The Nod but not others? And isn't it really the user
that gets The Nod, and not the product?

When we give The Nod to another, it's NOT about the thing we have in common
--it's about what having that thing says about us.

Maybe the message for us--as product/service creators--is:

It's NOT about having a remarkable product--it's about helping our users
be remarkable.

The Nod is a way for one user to tell another:

"We're smarter."

Or

"We're risk-takers."

Or

"We're more indie."

Or

"We've been at this from the beginning (unlike these clueless newbies)."

Or

"We're more concerned about the environment."

Or

"We're more fun."

Or...

The Nod means we recognize an attribute of the person who has that-thing-
we-also-have... an attribute we value. In other words, simply by having/wearing
/using/participating in this thing, I'm inherently assumed to possess intelligence
, sense of humor, thriftiness, coolness, courage, independence, social responsibility
, acquired taste, geekiness, trendiness, cutting edginess, sexiness, experience
, expertise, or whatever that's linked to that thing. The Nod says "I acknowledge
something meaningful about you." and could be as simple as, "You discovered
the same little-known indie band that I did. We know something most people
don't."

To help your product, service, or cause get The Nod you need at least two
things:

1) The product says something about the person who has it.

2) There's a way for others to spot another person who has it.

I can't give you The Nod for being One-Who-Gets-It if I have no way to know
--one more reason that Pride/Tribe Items like T-Shirts and stickers are so
important! We are defined in some ways by the things we choose, and having
the T-Shirts and stickers is a way to help express who we are to others.
It's a way of revealing to the world a little of ourselves, and also a way
to connect to others with whom we share that attribute.

Attributes that earn The Nod

We don't need to make cars or computers to have our users give The Nod to
one another. The attribute (i.e. what having that thing says about the user
) doesn't even need to be about the product itself. The fact that I use trash
bags doesn't say much about me. But buying them from some obscure, expensive
-but-environmentally-friendly company might (as long as I have the T-Shirt
to prove it). Having an iPod doesn't say much about me (everyone else has
one too). But keeping it in a cat-shaped case might. The important thing
is that it's the case maker, not Apple, that earns The Nod there. Drinking
wine doesn't say as much about me as being One Who Drinks Stormhoek might
.

So we must always be asking, "What does being a user of my product say about
the user?" If the answer is... nothing nod-worthy, we don't necessarily
have to change the product itself... we can sometimes retrofit an attribute
onto it through community, the values of the company, changing the user-
experience in some external way (like improving user training and support
!), or even the look-and-feel of the marketing.

Here's a list of some attributes that earn The Nod. Could your product have
one or more of these? Is there a way for people to know?

(In no particular order)

1) Little-known Treasure
Surprise, delight, and approval... "You've discovered the same 'secret' I
have."

2) Sheer coolness
"You're cool (like me) for having this."

3) Acquired Taste
"Most people aren't able to appreciate this. You're obviously one of the
special ones (like me)."

4) Fun
"You're someone who likes to have fun."

5) Risk-taking / Rule-breaking / Edgy / Bold
"As the saying goes, If you aren't on the edge, you're taking up too much
room. You're obviously out on the edge (like me)."

6) Advanced / Expert / Elite
"The fact that you have this means you're truly an expert, like me."

8) Smart / Intellectual
"Only truly intelligent people would have this."

9) Not Trendy, individual, more indie-than-thou
"You're someone who doesn't follow the crowds (like me), and doesn't give
a s*** about what's popular"

10) Geekier-than-thou
"Like the joke says, there are only 10 kinds of people in the world... those
who know binary, and those who don't."
(GNOME, MAKE magazine, etc.)

11) Highly-engineered
(Like acquired taste, only geekier. Few people would appreciate the elegance
of the design/construction of this device...)

12) Socially Responsible
"You're someone who respects the environment (or some other cause), like
me."

13) Wacky, crazy, weird
(Like 'not trendy', only... weirder)

14) The finer things...
"You appreciate the best... and aren't afraid to pay for it."

15) Cutting edge
"You're a brave early adopter."
(or a trend-setter)

16) Founding member
"You're someone who's been at this from the beginning, not like those newbies
today who don't have to hike 10 miles in the snow uphill both ways to get
something to compile..."
(This is one of my favorites... think how many people love to play the, "
I've been at this longer than you" card. Do you have a way to let others
recognize your long-time/alumni users?)

17) Rational, Logical, Sensible, Thrifty
"You're not like those idiots out there paying a premium for something just
because it has a cool logo..."

One more time--The Nod is not really so much about having a remarkable product
. It's about helping your users be remarkable. It's about your users getting
The Nod--earning the respect of others for being a fellow user.

So, who are you helping get The Nod today?

Thenod2

Your ideas? Anything you'd add to the list of attributes that might get The
Nod?