As an IT guy, when Apple released its new Intel-based Macs I got pretty excited. I own three different models today - a Macbook, Mac Pro, and iMac. They've all performed quite well, beyond my expectations really.
 
Here's the "gotcha." Software NOT written specifically for these new Intel Macs runs sluggishly. I've seen it for myself using Nikon's Capture NX program. Capture NX is an image processor. Think Photoshop, but without trickery. You can adjust levels, saturation, and things like that...but not paste your head on Sylvester Stallone's body. It's critical for me because it "understands" my digital photos better than any third-party program could hope to. But it's brutally slow on Intel Macs, taking up to 30 seconds for even basic commands or edits.
 
I've heard scant rumors that Nikon is working on an Intel-version. Nothing official. To my way of thinking, the more often Nikon hears from customers, the faster we'll get it. Following that logic, I went to Nikon's Web site to locate a feedback form, submit a plea for them to get it together, and then forward a link to the form to all my Nikon-wielding friends. It was going to be a real grassroots effort. It ended up being more like clapping with one hand.

(You can skip the next three paragraphs if you know exactly what it's like to be lead on a wild goose chase for information on a Web site).

After guessing at nikon.com and loading their "worldwide" site, I selected the "Americas" link. Next came a very corporate-centric view of the Nikon organization. In fact, the page could have served double-duty as a laminated card for new recruits at Nikon HQ. They could tack it up by their phones for that "at-a-glance" view of the food chain during their first few weeks on the job.

I followed the path "USA," then "Nikon Inc.," then "Products," and finally "Photographic Equipment." Remember, I just wanted to submit feedback about Capture NX. Incredibly, after all that drill-down goodness, I got redirected to a NEW domain - NikonUSA.com. My navigation choices were NikonDigital, NikonNet, NikonMall, NikonWorld, and so forth. Each appeared to go off to yet another separate domain. Sigh.

But wait - under the main navigation - was that a "Contact Us" link I spied? Yes! Except it sent me to what I call a Web cattle shoot: a series of pulldown menus, where you make category selections, with each selection determining what the next menu will be, and so on. Great for product specifiers. For feedback...not so much. My choices included "Rebate Information," "Nikon Mall," "Photography," and "Employment." I picked "Photography" and got a second menu with a "Photo Imaging Software" option, leading to a third pulldown menu showing "Capture NX."

And here's where it really got frustrating. After all this rigamarole, the very next screen offered a phone number but absolutely NO OTHER WAY to send feedback to Nikon.

I've been down this road before. I can only hazard a guess that Nikon has made a (misguided) effort to reduce "noisy" email feedback from its Web site. "Yes, but who's gonna READ all that email if we open the floodgates? Let's just not get any. Problelm solved, meeting over." Believe it or not, I've been in meetings where clients all but came out and said as much.

But there's a cost to this approach in the online world: damage to the brand, as well as missed opportunities for valuable feedback. I sure hope their marketing department is at least monitoring blog posts, forum threads, and Apple Discussion Forums because they've given themselves no way to hear from me directly. That's unfortunate for them. Why? Because one of the points I've been making is that if there indeed is a Capture NX update on the way, it better be free considering how long we've had to wait for it.

Now that I think about it, Capture NX should have come for free with the nearly $2000 dollar camera and lens rig I purchased from Nikon in the first place.

See how these grassroots things get started? When customers like me get the discussion going, it won't sound like clapping with one hand. It'll sound like a rock concert.