"Simple" means different things to different people.
Apple aims their products at individual people. "Think Different" means "Don't think about your computer". So write your book, keep your spreadsheets, whatever. The user doesn't care about the computer.
Microsoft, in contrast, wants to keep the CIO happy. So you have robust single sign on, reliable and modular patching capability and backwards compatibility. IT cares about the computer.
Open source projects are all over the map. In general, current Linux users are enthusiasts. They WANT to customize Emacs macros and tweak their operating environment. The user cares deeply about the computer, and gets some amount of joy out of futzing with it.
The apple comment was merely tangential observation. My concern is people using "Simple" as an excuse to not deliver. Just like we use different dialogue for different audiences we build software for particular audience. Gnome Shell is not Linux Users.
Your interpretation of "Think Different" is nice but I don't think its what Apple was thinking. In fact it seems Think Different was stated as "there are other alternatives to the PC".
Later on Apple reused the phrase to indicate that they are creative paradigm shifters and in the same league of some one who topples a regime when in a reality they are now the regime/status quo.
Apple aims their products at individual people. "Think Different" means "Don't think about your computer". So write your book, keep your spreadsheets, whatever. The user doesn't care about the computer.
Microsoft, in contrast, wants to keep the CIO happy. So you have robust single sign on, reliable and modular patching capability and backwards compatibility. IT cares about the computer.
Open source projects are all over the map. In general, current Linux users are enthusiasts. They WANT to customize Emacs macros and tweak their operating environment. The user cares deeply about the computer, and gets some amount of joy out of futzing with it.