There's no guarantee of security no matter how you do your banking. A major bank in Canada (CIBC) lost a lot of credibility when it was discovered they'd (mistakenly) been sending customer records, unshredded, to a junk yard somewhere in the United States.
The sad part is the junk yard owner was calling the bank for two years to report this to them, and they didn't listen.
When the guy finally called the media, CIBC sued the junk yard owner!
For example, Windows tells me every time I unplug from the physical Ethernet and go wireless.
I know that already. Why does it need to tell me?
I could go on and on. Usability problems in Windows are so numerous, and usually inconsequential or tiny when considered individually. But as a whole, they add up, and it's why I use a Mac running OS X at home, even though I'm forced to use Windows at work.
Oh... another favourite? When I reduce my resolution, Windows re-arranges my desktop icons. When I increase the resolution back (perhaps after doing a presentation when hooked up to a projector) the icons do not go back to where they were. Very annoying if you care about where icons are on your desktop. Mac OS X conveniently remembers where your icons were at the higher resolution and puts them back where they belong (where they were before you reduced the screen resolution).
Predictability in interfaces is a key component of good usability.
Apple knew this and made it a reality in 1984.
Windows and Windows applications try for it but fail miserably.
I haven't used Linux and the various GUI environments lately, but the lack of a standardized GUI, bottom line, is most definitely a problem for the average home user or corporate user. Period.
And my friend still asks me why I switched to Mac.
Scriptygoddess's description of the BuyMusic.com "experience" is exactly why; it sounds typical of most software and / or services on the Wintel platform. One manufacturer blames another for problems, nothing works, et cetera.
I know there are *a few* good applications and user experiences out there on the Windows platform. I used a Windows PC (with Linux installed on a second partition) for years.... but yeah... it just doesn't compare to the simplicity, consistency, and dependability of using a Mac running OS X.
After programming a computer all day long at work, I really like coming home to one that doesn't piss me off. =)
The only fully VT420 compatible terminal client for OS X that I've found (that works perfectly with DEC TPU and similar VMS applications) is dataComet (and dataComet Secure, which provides SSH support). See http://www.databeast.com/.
It doesn't behave quite the way an OS X program should (the Preferences window is non-standard, for example) but the emulation is excellent.
1. This is bad karma. I would share my iTunes music with my immediate circle of friends; this is just like them coming over to my place to listen to a new album. Posting my iTunes Library URL to something like Spymac Music is like leaving my CD collection outside my house, with a sign that says "Copy Me".
2. It probably won't work well anyway. Most cable and even some DSL links have upload speed caps of 20 to 30 kpbs. Even an MP3 encoded at 128 kbps will have trouble getting through that pipe quickly enough.
In short, I hope this Spymac Music "service" dies a quick death. Some may point out that not everybody will have copyrighted music in their iTunes Library, to which I would reply "Yeah. Some. Like 0.01% of the population."
In closing... maybe Spymac itself will die a quick death. Most Mac users recognize that it's rumor predictions are consistently way off base, the content is juvenile, and overall, it is just plain bad.
Slashdot Mirror
... then I'm not interested, and I suspect that would apply to many other users as well.
There's nothing wrong with bundling features into an OS.
Now when you are a convicted monopolist who does it to crush your competition, that's when it becomes a problem.
There's no guarantee of security no matter how you do your banking. A major bank in Canada (CIBC) lost a lot of credibility when it was discovered they'd (mistakenly) been sending customer records, unshredded, to a junk yard somewhere in the United States.
The sad part is the junk yard owner was calling the bank for two years to report this to them, and they didn't listen.
When the guy finally called the media, CIBC sued the junk yard owner!
No. The lawyers for record companies won't allow it; music sales are balkanized into seperate markets by country.
This is why it takes Apple so long to roll out in each country -- they must negotiate rights for each market, one by one.
To purchase from the Canadian iTMS, you must have a credit card with a Canadian address.
Not sure how I possibly heard this, but supposedly these guys and gals make a pretty decent music jukebox.
Who wants to bet that a "Dilbert" probably pointed out the problems with the new memory architecture, but was over-ruled by a PHB with no clue?
Hear hear.
Crap running on different iron is still crap.
I don't even know where to start with shooting down this train of logic, if we can even call it that.
For example, Windows tells me every time I unplug from the physical Ethernet and go wireless.
I know that already. Why does it need to tell me?
I could go on and on. Usability problems in Windows are so numerous, and usually inconsequential or tiny when considered individually. But as a whole, they add up, and it's why I use a Mac running OS X at home, even though I'm forced to use Windows at work.
Oh... another favourite? When I reduce my resolution, Windows re-arranges my desktop icons. When I increase the resolution back (perhaps after doing a presentation when hooked up to a projector) the icons do not go back to where they were. Very annoying if you care about where icons are on your desktop. Mac OS X conveniently remembers where your icons were at the higher resolution and puts them back where they belong (where they were before you reduced the screen resolution).
People want to buy music, not rent it.
I'll be trying it when I get home from work.
In the interim... I'm interested to know... how exactly do you use smbclient to connect to a Windows 2003 SMB share with encryption enabled?
Look at everything you just said.
... n until it is "fairly secure".
Use Windows, but follow steps 1, 2, 3
See the problem here? =)
Running on a Centris.
Email. Web. Safety from viruses and worms.
'Nuff said.
In a word, never.
***For what I personally need to do***, Mac OS X is better than Linux 99.9% of the time.
Where can I donate specifically to the team of programmers working to bring KOffice up to finished, final release quality on OS X?
I would gladly pay to encourage their efforts.
Browser based, so I have to download the file to some folder, then find it, then play it in WMP.
No artist pages with any interesting information.
I had at least three windows pop open when browsing the store.
The only thing the Walmart Music Service might be good for is driving down the cost of online music.
Given my five minute impression of the store, I certainly wouldn't want to shop there; the overall experience is rather poor.
I'll continue betting that iTMS will remain the market leader.
Following SOCAN's logic, I guess we should sue General Motors the next time somebody uses a Chevy to rob a bank.
Predictability in interfaces is a key component of good usability.
Apple knew this and made it a reality in 1984.
Windows and Windows applications try for it but fail miserably.
I haven't used Linux and the various GUI environments lately, but the lack of a standardized GUI, bottom line, is most definitely a problem for the average home user or corporate user. Period.
And my friend still asks me why I switched to Mac.
Scriptygoddess's description of the BuyMusic.com "experience" is exactly why; it sounds typical of most software and / or services on the Wintel platform. One manufacturer blames another for problems, nothing works, et cetera.
I know there are *a few* good applications and user experiences out there on the Windows platform. I used a Windows PC (with Linux installed on a second partition) for years.... but yeah... it just doesn't compare to the simplicity, consistency, and dependability of using a Mac running OS X.
After programming a computer all day long at work, I really like coming home to one that doesn't piss me off. =)
The only fully VT420 compatible terminal client for OS X that I've found (that works perfectly with DEC TPU and similar VMS applications) is dataComet (and dataComet Secure, which provides SSH support). See http://www.databeast.com/ .
It doesn't behave quite the way an OS X program should (the Preferences window is non-standard, for example) but the emulation is excellent.
YMMV.
1. This is bad karma. I would share my iTunes music with my immediate circle of friends; this is just like them coming over to my place to listen to a new album. Posting my iTunes Library URL to something like Spymac Music is like leaving my CD collection outside my house, with a sign that says "Copy Me".
2. It probably won't work well anyway. Most cable and even some DSL links have upload speed caps of 20 to 30 kpbs. Even an MP3 encoded at 128 kbps will have trouble getting through that pipe quickly enough.
In short, I hope this Spymac Music "service" dies a quick death. Some may point out that not everybody will have copyrighted music in their iTunes Library, to which I would reply "Yeah. Some. Like 0.01% of the population."
In closing... maybe Spymac itself will die a quick death. Most Mac users recognize that it's rumor predictions are consistently way off base, the content is juvenile, and overall, it is just plain bad.
Why is it ANYONE who does not use Microsoft products is considered a religious zealout? I'm serious. This has been going on for over 13 years now.
Hear, hear. Exactly what I was thinking.
What, even the slug book [miketaylor.org.uk]? :-)
;-)
Yes, I think even the slug book!
Manning Publications Company always seems to have these creepy cover illustrations.
I much prefer the O'Reilly animals.
And yes. I am being a little facetious here.