I think you need to rename this article...
...Boffins Break El Reg's Understanding Of The Laws Of Thermodynamics.
1720 publicly visible posts • joined 2 Mar 2007
Apple never invented computers, smart phones or mp3 players. What they did was they simplified them so people, who where not technically competent, could understand and use them and believe themselves to be on par with the technically competent people who did not use Apple products.
The downside of this is that the average Apple user is unable to innovate mainly because they remain technically incompetent. And it's for this reason that they would slavishly buy anything Apple would have to offer rather than coming up with something better. It also explains that why, when they seen non-Apple companies making better products, they start chanting the mantra 'don't try- Apple have already perfected it'.
...by allowing them to loan on my money to other parties and making a nice chunk of interest out of it. Also I'm sure my money (and others) appears in some line in their yearly reports, indicating some form of success in their business and encouraging others to invest.
And I allow the banks to do this with my money for free. So if the bank wants to make it easier for me to transact my money with them; don't be taking the piss and try charging me for it. After all, a house safe is free, available 24 hours and a lot safer (pardon the pun).
I had this exact conversation with my bank manager 25 years ago and have not been charged any transaction charges since.
"We even did some statistics on the amount of use the statistics system got too. Zero per cent. No one looked at it - like we said they wouldn't."
Yep- that's so bloody true. In my case, I was able to unplug and decommission all the hardware involved and it was over a year before anyone noticed.