Well, I've made only good experience with the police in WA. When I visited Seattle in 2003, I was stopped when biking without helmet (I'm a foreigner and didn't know that you have to wear one). The policeman was very friendly and told me that I should go and buy a helmet (I didn't get a ticket). So, probably it was an advantage to be a foreigner. Here in Austria, you better not be a foreigner when you're stopped by the police...
the mouse features a built in speaker to provide audio feedback
On Apple's homepage all I could find was the following:
Now Hear This
Mighty Mouse even sounds as good as it feels. The audio feedback built into Mighty Mouse provides an aural sensation that responds to your movements. When you scroll or click, Mighty Mouse produces subtle sound effects based on your actions.
Sooner or later, Apple is going to have to decide which side of the fence to call home
Perhaps Apple decides to be neither a hardware nor a software company. Currently, they seem to focus more on the iPod than on anything else (recent hardware AND software updates were really poor..)
Many laptops are very quiet and the "centrino" based systems even more so (yeah, Intel's done a good job on those CPUs)
My GF has a Toshiba Centrino laptop, and whenever it is running I ask my self if somebody is vacuum-cleaning our flat. Before that, she had a Sony Notebook with an AMD desktop processor inside which was absolutely silent. It's not only the processor, but also the design of a notebook that makes it either noisy or silent.
Actually aesthetics is the unique selling point of Apple notebooks nowadays, cause the current i- and Power-Books are really lame with respect to performance (I'm not an Apple hater.. I own a brand new Powerbook myself). But as long as the other manufacturers make sure that their notebooks look like cheap toys there will always be somebody (like me;-)) who buys Apple notebooks.
Actually, in Austria and Germany there was a company called Vobis who sold computers with OS/2 off the shelf. Lateron, they sold computers with Alpha processors running Windows NT. They were also the first company who shipped computers with Star Office instead of Microsoft Office. Alas, they went bankrupt as far as I remember, which is really a pity. I'm pretty sure they would have been the first ones to ship computers exclusively with Linux.
Well, it's worth a try, but you won't have to pay for such a solution, at least not if you made your laptop reasonably safe by using passwords. I found The Beacon on the Internet (Google Cache, PDF version is on Rufy.com), that's something every moderatley talented programmer can do to secure his laptop... (using cron and scripts).
Mine too, but my insurance paid the whole 1600 bucks after some burglars who broke into my flat took it with them. Though I'd really love to see those bastards caught.
I agree with most of your arguments. But: The thing that has changed is that Windows will run on future Macs. So anyone who HAS to use Windows now and then but had Linux installed as primary operating system has a new alternative, now (as long as Apple was using PPC, one had to buy a second computer if one wanted to run Windows and OS X).
Funny enough that everybody claims to know everything about the Microsoft development cycle and how crappy the Windows code is:
De Raadt says their beloved program is starting to look a lot like what Microsoft puts out. "They have the same rapid development cycle, which leads to crap," he says.
"Linux people do what they do because they hate Microsoft. We do what we do because we love Unix,"
Well, the younger generation didn't grow up in the 70s, so why should they love an operating system that emerged long before they were born? He's probably right, a lot of Linux-users just hate Microsoft, and they would use everything that turns out to be an alternative, no matter if it's Unix or not. Now, IBM managed to take advantage of Linux, and it's probably just a matter of time until IBM becomes really unpopular again, and then people will start using.. hmm.. what? Apple? Probably not, Jobs is about to make a bogeyman out of himself...
In the long run, Microsoft Windows will survive, especially considering that they invested a lot of time and money to increase their code quality in the last few years.
If Steve applied for a job at his own company he probably would not even get interviewed.
Actually they even fired him a few years ago... they only hired him again after he had built up another tremendously successful company;-) AND he only gets one buck per year, so you see: Dropping out doesn't pay off *g*
Since there's no 4GB iPod shuffle, I'm sure you mean the mini. But all that iPod stuff has a major disadvantage compared to the iRiver: The built-in battery. Apart from that fact that you can't exchange it, it doesn't even last nearly as long as an off-the-shelf battery in the iRiver FP series.
Think bigger.. Imagine running Windows! How often have I been asked if my Mac could also run Windows. So many friend who really love the design of my laptop, but as long as it doesn't run Windows...
Next year I'll be able to tell them "Of course, no problem." Then, Apple can switch from OS X to Windows as soon as Longhorn comes out.
(Yeah, I love my Mac, but this move pisses me off. I bought a powerbook last week, and now its value has tremendously dropped. I'll have to face it, it's outdated technology).
Well, think about it again. For how long will Apple support the G5? Which version of OS X will be the first Intel-only version?
Since I owned an Apple Newton I do already know the way Apple will go. And I'm not willing to re-experience this over and over again. I've had it. The Powerbook I just bought is the last Mac I'll ever have.
Not shown is the processor, which will be incorporated into the power supply.
Have you patented this idea before posting it? Boy, think of how small the future desktop computers will be if you incorporate everything into the power supply!;-) Excellent idea (and I don't think it will make replacement power supplies more expensive.. they are already extremely pricey, especially the ones from Apple)
While dialing (like you used to do 20 years ago) to move a cursor up and done is of course much more intuitive than using a joystick...;-)
While I can't operate my iPod clickwheel with one hand without looking at it this works perfectly well with my iRiver iFP180T (which is extremely usefule when you are using it in a car while driving).
Even IF Microsoft supports this format, it's still the question if this will work out in practise. Think of XMI: In theory, it's an open standard, but try exchanging UML models between tools of different vendors... it only works to a certain extent.
Slashdot Mirror
Well, I've made only good experience with the police in WA. When I visited Seattle in 2003, I was stopped when biking without helmet (I'm a foreigner and didn't know that you have to wear one). The policeman was very friendly and told me that I should go and buy a helmet (I didn't get a ticket). So, probably it was an advantage to be a foreigner. Here in Austria, you better not be a foreigner when you're stopped by the police...
On Apple's homepage all I could find was the following:
They say nothing about a speaker..
Perhaps Apple decides to be neither a hardware nor a software company. Currently, they seem to focus more on the iPod than on anything else (recent hardware AND software updates were really poor..)
My GF has a Toshiba Centrino laptop, and whenever it is running I ask my self if somebody is vacuum-cleaning our flat. Before that, she had a Sony Notebook with an AMD desktop processor inside which was absolutely silent. It's not only the processor, but also the design of a notebook that makes it either noisy or silent.
Actually aesthetics is the unique selling point of Apple notebooks nowadays, cause the current i- and Power-Books are really lame with respect to performance (I'm not an Apple hater.. I own a brand new Powerbook myself). But as long as the other manufacturers make sure that their notebooks look like cheap toys there will always be somebody (like me ;-)) who buys Apple notebooks.
Some third world countries and Guantanamo bay, not to forget.
Actually, in Austria and Germany there was a company called Vobis who sold computers with OS/2 off the shelf. Lateron, they sold computers with Alpha processors running Windows NT. They were also the first company who shipped computers with Star Office instead of Microsoft Office. Alas, they went bankrupt as far as I remember, which is really a pity. I'm pretty sure they would have been the first ones to ship computers exclusively with Linux.
Well, it's worth a try, but you won't have to pay for such a solution, at least not if you made your laptop reasonably safe by using passwords.
I found The Beacon on the Internet (Google Cache, PDF version is on Rufy.com), that's something every moderatley talented programmer can do to secure his laptop... (using cron and scripts).
Mine too, but my insurance paid the whole 1600 bucks after some burglars who broke into my flat took it with them. Though I'd really love to see those bastards caught.
Are you sure you're not talking about Zurich, Switzerland? (well, of course your "girl friend" might have given you a wrong address
(I'm currently living in Vienna, but will move to Zurich soon)
Seems "too much sun" also does brain damage ;-)
For those of us that don't understand fuzzy logic, what's "too much", "too little" and "some" in Lux?
I agree with most of your arguments. But: The thing that has changed is that Windows will run on future Macs. So anyone who HAS to use Windows now and then but had Linux installed as primary operating system has a new alternative, now (as long as Apple was using PPC, one had to buy a second computer if one wanted to run Windows and OS X).
If the developer kit comes with this box then it isn't "just a PC". It's a PC in an Aluminium G5 enclosure.
Funny enough that everybody claims to know everything about the Microsoft development cycle and how crappy the Windows code is:
Well, the younger generation didn't grow up in the 70s, so why should they love an operating system that emerged long before they were born? He's probably right, a lot of Linux-users just hate Microsoft, and they would use everything that turns out to be an alternative, no matter if it's Unix or not. Now, IBM managed to take advantage of Linux, and it's probably just a matter of time until IBM becomes really unpopular again, and then people will start using.. hmm.. what? Apple? Probably not, Jobs is about to make a bogeyman out of himself...
In the long run, Microsoft Windows will survive, especially considering that they invested a lot of time and money to increase their code quality in the last few years.
Actually they even fired him a few years ago... they only hired him again after he had built up another tremendously successful company
Since there's no 4GB iPod shuffle, I'm sure you mean the mini. But all that iPod stuff has a major disadvantage compared to the iRiver: The built-in battery. Apart from that fact that you can't exchange it, it doesn't even last nearly as long as an off-the-shelf battery in the iRiver FP series.
Yeah, like the Apple Newton.
Think bigger.. Imagine running Windows! How often have I been asked if my Mac could also run Windows. So many friend who really love the design of my laptop, but as long as it doesn't run Windows...
Next year I'll be able to tell them "Of course, no problem." Then, Apple can switch from OS X to Windows as soon as Longhorn comes out.
(Yeah, I love my Mac, but this move pisses me off. I bought a powerbook last week, and now its value has tremendously dropped. I'll have to face it, it's outdated technology).
Well, think about it again. For how long will Apple support the G5? Which version of OS X will be the first Intel-only version?
Since I owned an Apple Newton I do already know the way Apple will go. And I'm not willing to re-experience this over and over again. I've had it. The Powerbook I just bought is the last Mac I'll ever have.
The XBox Homepage doesn't work correctly with Mozilla (1.04) and looks darn ugly even with Internet Explorer...
Not shown is the processor, which will be incorporated into the power supply.
;-) Excellent idea (and I don't think it will make replacement power supplies more expensive.. they are already extremely pricey, especially the ones from Apple)
Have you patented this idea before posting it? Boy, think of how small the future desktop computers will be if you incorporate everything into the power supply!
While dialing (like you used to do 20 years ago) to move a cursor up and done is of course much more intuitive than using a joystick... ;-)
While I can't operate my iPod clickwheel with one hand without looking at it this works perfectly well with my iRiver iFP180T (which is extremely usefule when you are using it in a car while driving).
Even IF Microsoft supports this format, it's still the question if this will work out in practise. Think of XMI: In theory, it's an open standard, but try exchanging UML models between tools of different vendors... it only works to a certain extent.