This is a great discussion you’ve started here, Jason. I see it as being more about your ability to ship than merely about shipping great vs. mediocre stuff.

If you can reliably ship stuff, then holding off for great is justified. If, however, you use your desire to ship the awesome as a means of delaying shipping hardly anything at all, those around you (customers, team members, whatever) become less enthusiastic and less tolerable about your quest for greatness.

Apple can wait two years to ship a great feature because they reliably ship other stuff – 3 phones in this example, not to mention other hardware and software – throughout those two years.

posted by Cameron Moll on Thursday, Jul 02, 2009