Alright. Cute rant, but remember this: the reason Apple gear is such high quality is because they put a lot of money into research, design, and development. To recoup said monies, they have chosen to make their modestly priced devices compatible with a lot of other modestly priced accessories. The reason they can price so modestly is that they know they've got a good product. An iPod would probably be another $50 or more if it used Atrac3...and you probably and you'd probably look to Sony or Creative.
In this, Apple's a lot like Sony. They spend time designing things, rather than just doing what everybody else does, and in turn their prices are a bit higher. And in designing them, they look to make really dramatic choices. Like using a standard audio format media for EVERY device, from computers to MP3 players. Bash AAC all you like, but when it first showed up it was better than MP3 and more available than WMP. Nowadays, you can't buy a Apple device that doesn't have a AAC playback in it somewhere, which is pretty cool. In the same time, competing computer and media companies have created no less than 4 different audio types, including MP3Pro and WMP. Apple's dogged devotion to AAC has made things easy for customers and made them a pretty penny...there's NO reason for them to switch formats.
Personally, I agree with you on Atrac3, but since some of my favorite artists are on Sony or Arista, I'm hoping instead that Sony adds AAC support to the audio players. Because Apple is NOT going to change their mind -- nor should they, because as you list their failures, I could make an equally large list of successes. Things like the iMac, the QuickTime, the PowerMac G5, and the goddamn iPod.
When will people get it through their heads that speed does not equal dangerous driving.
There is nothing wrong with going fast if all the relevant conditions allow for it. Speed cameras do nothing but act as a revenue source for the police. Nothing more nothing less.
Before you ask, some of those conditions are plain common sense things like "Are there a lot of cars around?", "Is there good visibility?", "Is it raining?", "Is my car capable of handling a quick stop?", "Do I know how to handle my car at higher speeds?".
I have been reading all the comments about how p2p apps place a "huge strain" on their networks. Here is the dilema.
Uni's usually have big pipes. They have big expensive Cisco routers. They have gigabit. They have fibre. Generally they have all the cool stuff.
What's the point of having all that cool/powerfull/expensive equipment if you are not going to use it?
Seriosuly, if I bought all that stuff only to find out that it was sitting mostly idle, I would be seriously pissed off that I wasted money on stuff I don't use.
Because of the way technology gets better and cheaper, if your kit not sitting at 75% utilisation 24/7, you pretty much wasted your money.
This is what rich doctors would have you believe, when actually it's their anti-compettive practices that have driven prices up. They keep the number of doctors artificially low, so as to keep demand high. They also use licensure to force people to purchase mundane services from them instead of having the choice of cheaper alternatives. For example, you have to pay a dentist to clean your teeth, even if they don't do the cleaning themselves, their nurse does it. You talk about OBs, well if you've ever had a baby you would know that the doctor is usually only present for a couple of minutes, the nurses do everything. Guess who gets the bulk of the pay though...
You sir, are full of it.
I work for 7 Orthopaedic surgeons so I can speak with authority. The reason why there are so few doctors/surgeons is because...
$160,000/year/surgeon Insurance Premiums...
$50,000/month rent for rooms in a Major hospital. Thats right, they pay more per month for rent, than you earn in a year.
$300/hour/surgeon running cost for the practice.
The fact that it is really really hard to become a surgeon. (hint... this is a good thing.)
One lost lawsuit against you make it almost impossible to get insurance.
Two lost lawsuits against you throws your 15 years of medical studies in the bin.
We just took on a new surgeon last month. In the first day of taking bookings, we booked up an entire week. Thats 8 appointments per hour, 4 days per week (He operates the other day and 2 other nights.) Now, the earliest a new patient can see him is late April.
If you want to see one of our senior surgeons, your waiting till July. That's for patients WITH PRIVATE HEALTH COVER.
Most of our surgeons work 16 hour days. They are rich because they work Damn Hard! You try working in a job where a persons lively-hood, ability to walk and possibly life is literally in your hands. Then come back and tell me they get paid too much.
BTW... That OB/Gyn is only there for a short time because he only needs to be there for a short time. While he/she is not with you, he/she is with another patient and another nurse. If he/she was there for the entire time that the nurse was, you can bet your butt that the bill would be 10 times as much. Same goes for the dentist.
Until you are a surgeon or work directly with one... Shut the hell up about something you know absolutely nothing about.
Here is my quick account of setting up a Mac (10.3.2) to print to a Brother MFC-8820D.
I plugged one end of there ethernet cable into the printer and the other into my laptop. So far so good.
Being a highly competent user, I then went straight to the Printer Setup Menu and click add printer. I chose IPP printing. Then I turned to the sales guy and asked for the default IP address of the printer. He didn't know. I didn't know. It wasn't in the manual either.
I cursed. I yelled. I was annoyed. I sent two people off the go and find out the default IP of the network card.
While sitting there quietly spouting profanity I looked in my list of currently configured printers. Well buff my nuts and serve me a milkshake! There, in the list was the Brother printer all configured and ready to go. I didn't have to do anything.
I selected it and pressed the "Configure" button. It launched a web browser and brought up the configuration page.
I fell off my chair.
I later learned that the printer supports ZeroConf network discovery. Apple takes that further by selecting the correct driver automatically. It work just as well via USB, only if I think want to share it to other Macs I then have to follow the very complex task of clicking the "Share Printer" box in the System Prefs.
>as well as providing a tool to use in developing cheats that will work on bNet (by providing a nice reference on the network protocol)
If anything, this reflects poorly on Blizzard. What's the first rule of anti-cheat online gaming?
NEVER TRUST THE CLIENT!... EVER....
You must assume that you have absolutely no control over what commands the client will issue and when it will issue them.
The system should be designed so that even if I had the source code to the client I wouldn't be able to cheat. Just like the source code is useless in breaking well designed encryption systems.
If Blizzard really cared about cheating they would have designed B.Net and all of their games to work like this.
And because little Timmy never get bruised, his natural immune system never gets a work out.
Timmy grows up and wonders why he always gets every bug that goes around, heals very slowly and is generally unhealthy.
Here's a tip. Kids are supposed to be dirty. They are supposed to eat snails and slugs. They are supposed to fall over and cut themselves. They need to fall down the stairs occasionally.
Ever wondered why babies try to put everything in their mouth? One of the reasons is so that their immune system can grow.
I am not sure why they used that for an analogy as Pearl Harbor was not a surprise attack. Pearl Harbor was deliberately allowed to happen so as to force the American people into WW2 and to make sure the Japs didn't know the US had cracked their codes.
The only way Pearl Harbor would be applicable is if you were using it in the context of Microsoft deliberately allowing crippling attacks on it's software so as to push through a new system whereby it (MS) has ultimate control.
Slashdot Mirror
For a hardware company, they sure do write a shed-load of software...
I think Apple should be defined as a Systems company. Both are equally as important as the other.
Back in 1988, I recorded a Pet Shop Boys concert on DAT, and got mugged outside the stadium. Does that count as instant distribution?
Actually, that mugging was to STOP the distribution of said music. You have to understand that they were acting with the good of humanity in mind.
Extra Extra Read all about it!
Exercising helps you lose wight!
Film at 11.
*sigh*
Hail Bagels - Prince of the Obvious!
I can see your a smart one!
Alright. Cute rant, but remember this: the reason Apple gear is such high quality is because they put a lot of money into research, design, and development. To recoup said monies, they have chosen to make their modestly priced devices compatible with a lot of other modestly priced accessories. The reason they can price so modestly is that they know they've got a good product. An iPod would probably be another $50 or more if it used Atrac3...and you probably and you'd probably look to Sony or Creative.
In this, Apple's a lot like Sony. They spend time designing things, rather than just doing what everybody else does, and in turn their prices are a bit higher. And in designing them, they look to make really dramatic choices. Like using a standard audio format media for EVERY device, from computers to MP3 players. Bash AAC all you like, but when it first showed up it was better than MP3 and more available than WMP. Nowadays, you can't buy a Apple device that doesn't have a AAC playback in it somewhere, which is pretty cool. In the same time, competing computer and media companies have created no less than 4 different audio types, including MP3Pro and WMP. Apple's dogged devotion to AAC has made things easy for customers and made them a pretty penny...there's NO reason for them to switch formats.
Personally, I agree with you on Atrac3, but since some of my favorite artists are on Sony or Arista, I'm hoping instead that Sony adds AAC support to the audio players. Because Apple is NOT going to change their mind -- nor should they, because as you list their failures, I could make an equally large list of successes. Things like the iMac, the QuickTime, the PowerMac G5, and the goddamn iPod.
The thing I can't work out why the stupid kids were charged! They all wanted to be there. There were no innocent injured bystanders.
If these kids are flat-out dumb enough to want to fight each other for no apparent reason, then I say let them do it.
The world is over-populated enough as it is and a bit of chlorine in the gene pool wouldn't go astray.
You should clarify the fact that "Microsoft bends over backwards to help developers."
It should have read "Microsoft bends over backwards to help developers that do not occupy a space that Microsoft wants."
Look at how much MS shat on Real, Netscape, Apple, Citrix, Corel and god knows how many other companies because they were in a space MS wanted.
When will people get it through their heads that speed does not equal dangerous driving.
There is nothing wrong with going fast if all the relevant conditions allow for it. Speed cameras do nothing but act as a revenue source for the police. Nothing more nothing less.
Before you ask, some of those conditions are plain common sense things like "Are there a lot of cars around?", "Is there good visibility?", "Is it raining?", "Is my car capable of handling a quick stop?", "Do I know how to handle my car at higher speeds?".
What about a high powered laser?
Would that be able to travel 65,000 ft and still have enough energy to do some damage?
You could probably fit one in a truck along with the generator to power it.
I have been reading all the comments about how p2p apps place a "huge strain" on their networks. Here is the dilema.
Uni's usually have big pipes. They have big expensive Cisco routers. They have gigabit. They have fibre. Generally they have all the cool stuff.
What's the point of having all that cool/powerfull/expensive equipment if you are not going to use it?
Seriosuly, if I bought all that stuff only to find out that it was sitting mostly idle, I would be seriously pissed off that I wasted money on stuff I don't use.
Because of the way technology gets better and cheaper, if your kit not sitting at 75% utilisation 24/7, you pretty much wasted your money.
iDVD 4 is free when you buy a new Mac
This is what rich doctors would have you believe, when actually it's their anti-compettive practices that have driven prices up. They keep the number of doctors artificially low, so as to keep demand high. They also use licensure to force people to purchase mundane services from them instead of having the choice of cheaper alternatives. For example, you have to pay a dentist to clean your teeth, even if they don't do the cleaning themselves, their nurse does it. You talk about OBs, well if you've ever had a baby you would know that the doctor is usually only present for a couple of minutes, the nurses do everything. Guess who gets the bulk of the pay though...
You sir, are full of it.
I work for 7 Orthopaedic surgeons so I can speak with authority. The reason why there are so few doctors/surgeons is because... $160,000/year/surgeon Insurance Premiums...
$50,000/month rent for rooms in a Major hospital. Thats right, they pay more per month for rent, than you earn in a year.
$300/hour/surgeon running cost for the practice.
The fact that it is really really hard to become a surgeon. (hint... this is a good thing.)
One lost lawsuit against you make it almost impossible to get insurance.
Two lost lawsuits against you throws your 15 years of medical studies in the bin.
We just took on a new surgeon last month. In the first day of taking bookings, we booked up an entire week. Thats 8 appointments per hour, 4 days per week (He operates the other day and 2 other nights.) Now, the earliest a new patient can see him is late April.
If you want to see one of our senior surgeons, your waiting till July. That's for patients WITH PRIVATE HEALTH COVER.
Most of our surgeons work 16 hour days. They are rich because they work Damn Hard! You try working in a job where a persons lively-hood, ability to walk and possibly life is literally in your hands. Then come back and tell me they get paid too much.
BTW... That OB/Gyn is only there for a short time because he only needs to be there for a short time. While he/she is not with you, he/she is with another patient and another nurse. If he/she was there for the entire time that the nurse was, you can bet your butt that the bill would be 10 times as much. Same goes for the dentist.
Until you are a surgeon or work directly with one... Shut the hell up about something you know absolutely nothing about.
Tomorrow never comes.
Well, at lease we now know what those G5's were for!
The guy got fired for taking a photo!
Here is my quick account of setting up a Mac (10.3.2) to print to a Brother MFC-8820D.
I plugged one end of there ethernet cable into the printer and the other into my laptop. So far so good.
Being a highly competent user, I then went straight to the Printer Setup Menu and click add printer. I chose IPP printing. Then I turned to the sales guy and asked for the default IP address of the printer. He didn't know. I didn't know. It wasn't in the manual either.
I cursed. I yelled. I was annoyed. I sent two people off the go and find out the default IP of the network card.
While sitting there quietly spouting profanity I looked in my list of currently configured printers. Well buff my nuts and serve me a milkshake! There, in the list was the Brother printer all configured and ready to go. I didn't have to do anything.
I selected it and pressed the "Configure" button. It launched a web browser and brought up the configuration page.
I fell off my chair.
I later learned that the printer supports ZeroConf network discovery. Apple takes that further by selecting the correct driver automatically. It work just as well via USB, only if I think want to share it to other Macs I then have to follow the very complex task of clicking the "Share Printer" box in the System Prefs.
>as well as providing a tool to use in developing cheats that will work on bNet (by providing a nice reference on the network protocol)
If anything, this reflects poorly on Blizzard. What's the first rule of anti-cheat online gaming?
NEVER TRUST THE CLIENT!... EVER....
You must assume that you have absolutely no control over what commands the client will issue and when it will issue them.
The system should be designed so that even if I had the source code to the client I wouldn't be able to cheat. Just like the source code is useless in breaking well designed encryption systems.
If Blizzard really cared about cheating they would have designed B.Net and all of their games to work like this.
Great, we have the rat... now we just need some turtles.
What ever happened to OLED screens. They werre supposed to be the next big thing as far as display technology goes.
http://www.wave-report.com/tutorials/oled.htm
The CIA Factbook states the following
/ as.html#Geo
Australia: slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states.
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos
What military threat is Australia facing which is beyond the ability of the Australian military to cope with?
Indonesia. A few hours from the south islands to the top of Australia. 300 million people and bugger-all space.
Australia. 17 Million people in a space about the size of North America.
Do the math.
Well, Australia is an anagram for....
A Trial USA
I am thinking of moving to China... At least there you KNOW the government is out to screw you.
And because little Timmy never get bruised, his natural immune system never gets a work out.
Timmy grows up and wonders why he always gets every bug that goes around, heals very slowly and is generally unhealthy.
Here's a tip. Kids are supposed to be dirty. They are supposed to eat snails and slugs. They are supposed to fall over and cut themselves. They need to fall down the stairs occasionally.
Ever wondered why babies try to put everything in their mouth? One of the reasons is so that their immune system can grow.
In all honesty, I can't see what is so special about Centrino that Intel wants to keep it so secret.
It's a freaken' wireless chipset and a power efficient CPU. It's not like no one else makes them.
I am not sure why they used that for an analogy as Pearl Harbor was not a surprise attack. Pearl Harbor was deliberately allowed to happen so as to force the American people into WW2 and to make sure the Japs didn't know the US had cracked their codes.
The only way Pearl Harbor would be applicable is if you were using it in the context of Microsoft deliberately allowing crippling attacks on it's software so as to push through a new system whereby it (MS) has ultimate control.
So if this guy is so great, has he broken Windows Media yet?