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Video: Talking About Firefox 3.5, Apple's Snow Leopard, The Return Of Steve Jobs, & More

I sat down with my colleague Fritz Nelson and we talked about some of the big headlines this week: the release of a new version of Firefox, why the Snow Leopard operating system is more important to Apple than the iPhone 3GS, Steve Jobs's return to work after six-month health-related leave of absence, and Windows 7. Watch after the jump.

One thing I want to clarify: When I describe Steve Jobs as "indispensable," I don't mean that Apple would collapse without him. However, I do think the company would be very different. It might well continue to be as profitable, but the products might not be as good. The product lines might not be as simple as they are today; Apple might become like other electronics companies, with a confusing proliferation of product families with overlapping specs and capabilities.

Democracy is the best form of government but it's a lousy creative process. Creativity can be a team effort—indeed, it usually is—but the team needs a dictator who makes decisions on what to put in—and, more importantly, what to leave out. Jobs has been that dictator at Apple. Most companies don't have dictators, their CEOs are managers who are forced to lead by consensus. And consensus breeds mediocrity.

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