The availability of iMac Peripherals and USB drivers for them are one of the undiscussed issues that are unresolved about the iMac, and are also of prime importance vis-a-vis the iMac launch and acceptance. With the exception of the Imation LS-120 SuperDrive (RFI Q2 '97) and the Hewlett-Packard printers, what peripherals with "Bug Free" USB drivers will be available for the iMac at its launch? Will there be a lot? A little? A trickle? Damn few? None?
RFI is referring to those peripherals, such as: Scanners, External Storage Devices, Input/Output, Cameras (digital and QuickCam), ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Not to mention USB/SCSI interface devices that would allow "legacy" peripherals to be used with the iMac, and later the USB Macs coming down the pike. Will the peripherals and drivers be there in bug free quantity and quality concurrent with the iMac launch? Several sources were skeptical, if not downright derisive.
If the drivers aren't completely written, tested and debugged, no company in its right mind would ship those peripherals to meet Apple's iMac launch deadline. No company would want to face the PR debacle of shipping products "that don't work" and face either massive returns rates and/or product recalls. Nor would doing so do "Great Things" for the iMac. While those accustomed to "the bleeding edge" (early adopters) might be used to such things, even if the iMac is initially targeted at the Mac's installed base, it is being marketed as a "Consumer Product." And that means that it has to work right out of the box. And, RFI suspects that the production problems and delays are also impacting the delays of peripheral and driver work. RFI has heard from several third parties that they still haven't received their "seed iMacs" in order to see how much work needs to be done to make their products work with the iMac and its USB. And, it's less than 2 months away from iMac's reported launch; official and otherwise.
Remember, "working right out of the box, plug-n-play" has to be one of the key features of the iMac. And that includes networking and peripherals. Also remember that RFI videotaped a 6 year old setting up a 6400/200 from start to finish (sans heavy lifting) post haste. The iMac should be even easier.
And when that power button gets hit, everything better work and work right the first time. Even if that means installing the driver software for the peripherals. And, it should all be "No Brainer" type work.
On the flip side. If there are not sufficient peripherals available in bug free quantity (or quantity at all), by the time the iMac launches we can see and hear the reviews, statements and comments right now. Especially statements by salespeople to potential customers. No amount of spin, PR, marketing, etc. will convince customers to buy a box whose peripherals aren't available or are "TBA." Salespeople will steer them away from the iMac and head them right over to the Compaq Kiosk for one of those Internet PCs.
Without the drivers, the USB peripherals won't work. Without the peripherals, except for the Imation LS-120 SuperDrive and HP Printers, sales of the iMac might be impacted. Without iMac sales, companies will be loathe to write iMac USB drivers for their peripherals until the entire Mac line embraces and migrates to the USB standard. Without those peripherals..... See a vicious circle starting? Sound familiar? Like with games and other software?
Granted, Apple is going to embrace USB, but will all the third parties be ready by the time the iMac launches? Several sources say no. We shall see what we shall see. It's one thing to announce you're going to support it, it's something else entirely to have the products "Ready for Market" when the iMac is launched. Keep your fingers crossed and pray really hard. And if anybody "upstairs" owes you something....
Enough said. For now.
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