It's a good thing, given they are using a Volkswagen, that part of the criteria for winning isn't being able to autonomously open or close the likely non-working power windows.
I don't consider my clamshell iBook G3 333 or my PowerMac G4 Dual-533, or my iMac G3 400 MHz to be recent. All of them boot from firewire. Indeed the only firewire Mac that doesn't boot from firewire is the very first one: the blue & white PowerMac G3 tower. If you're looking for a Mac on the cheap, my advice is that you take a pass on any Blue & White - it isn't worth any price IMHO, and not just due to the non-booting firewire.
After you've finished watching the latest Star Wars abomination and realize that not only did you pay for it, but you could have spent the time sleeping or maybe recreating that crazy nail scene in Blade Runner on your own hand just for fun, you're bound to feel sick, so it makes perfect sense to take sick leave.
That's what Apple says and I've verified that a G4 doesn't cut it - on my 1.5 GHz G4 PowerBook the HD videos Apple has up for offer play at much less than 30 fps. Totally unacceptable as a video component. The Mac mini is the only current Mac that seems viable as a set top box, but that has a lowly G4 and tiny 2.5" hard drive - it's right out. No one is going to put a G5 tower next to their HD-TV and the iMac G5 has an extraneous display and would be precariously balanced on or near a TV, so you wouldn't want it there either. Of course this may mean they have a G5-based set-top box in the works, but then they have to deal with the heat - having fans in such a box won't cut it IMHO, and it needs to be thin. The "year of HD" may be coming, but I don't know if it will be soon.
While kids do get over things quickly, I take issue with the claim that kids do not scare easily. I can tell you that my toddlers (4 and 2) get scared by such things as running the vacuum. Pretty much any loud noise will do it. Further there have been nights when our 4 year old has been tossing and turning and calling out in an unsettled fashion in his sleep. I think it's safe to say that that was due to a nightmare. Now, it's much harder to say what triggered it, if anything. In any case by the morning they've forgotten all about it.
... for me the games industry is dead and has been for quite some time. I have absolutely zero interest in playing another Doom variant, always found video game RPGs stultifyingly boring, etc. Indeed the only thing I do play on occasion are classic games: Bosconian, Mappy, Robotron, Food Fight, etc, etc, all via MAME (MacMAME, specifically). Those games are still fun and indeed are more fun than the latest variation of Doom and they take a *lot* less time to play too - they're perfect for killing bits of time. Oh, and I play "Parachute" on my iPod mini when I'm on the pot;), but it annoys me that the game just ends for no apparent reason.
Bottom line: The movie probably doesn't suck that bad at all, but the "The book was better" fanatics are going to jump all over it.
I think it's telling, though, that the movie preview isn't funny at all. Absolutely not at all. There isn't even a "chuckle" in it. Out of the 2 hours or whatever of the film they could have chosen from, the best they could find for the preview was people falling down and getting smacked in the face? This is not a good sign, especially since very little (any at all?) of Adams' humor in the books and TV shows (I'm ashamed to admit that I've never heard the radio shows) was slapstick.
Trojans and malware are a normal part of free software. Do you really expect to get something for free? Are you saying we shouldn't install freeware any more? I didn't think so. What the hell is with this "DNS" anyway? I'm sure glad America Online doesn't force that on me. Anyway, if they did have it I sure wouldn't request it. I think I've got some spray that would take care of it, but I don't need that hassle. No fuckin' thanks!
by providing an iTMS Subscription service, ala Napster's "On the Go". Napster offers (reportedly) poor quality, no indie music and no support for the Mac (all of which are deal killers for me.) If there were a similar, but done right, "on the go" subscription service for iTMS, for me it would put the last nail into "broadcast" music radio (not that it had much life anyway), be it satellite or otherwise. Apple could provide daily (hourly?) "radio" playlists sans "radio personalities" (and perhaps even some with "personalities" inserted between some tracks if you wish) that you can select to sync directly with your iPod to carry it with you. And with that on your iPod you can skip forward, back, pause, etc. Try that on XM. Not to mention that you could do it yourself, including exactly what you wanted, if Apple extended iTunes so that, with a subscription, the iTMS became part of your iTunes "Library", and thus applicable to "smart playlists".
A pay-for internet magazine posts an article featuring designs known not to be by Apple and which any shmuck can see will never be used by Apple because they are pretty stupid. This is Apple slashdot worthy news? Usually I don't complain about this kind of thing, but that the article is subscription-only just puts it way over the top.
With all the effort put into wobbly windows and transparency, it seems like they ought to have windows and buttons themselves looking fairly slick. Instead they look like a slight improvement over Windows 98.
The problem is, of course, that the fact that 911 does not work like you expect is hidden away in the belly of a service agreement that no one reads. They are actively trying to hide this information so that people will not steer away from VOIP in droves. I know I won't be getting VOIP until they come up with a much, much better solution to the problem. In a panic situation you need it to work like it always has, that is, how it has saved countless lives.
Until one of these anti-virus software vendors can prove that their software is less harmful to Macs than the alleged/pending viruses, I'll continue to leave Virex 7.2 installed just to make the admin's happy, but sure as hell won't upgrade (again) to version 7.5.x, which causes innumerable and far-reaching problems. It has always been the case and continues to be the case, that on Macs, virus protection software is far more harmful than the alleged viruses they allegedly protect against.
The new version will feature lots of digitally-added shit being thrown at the audience. Probably to counteract the popcorn, goobers and raisinets being thrown at the screen.
and your VW's AC is broken and the power windows no longer work. At least you'll be entertained, and the dim video will be preferable to the flickering dash lights.
A cell tower was recently installed very near our home. A level-head and concerned neighbor went around with a petition, not to force the removal of the tower, but, restrainedly, just to demand that the community be involved in any such future decisions that may impact health and well being, him noting his concerns about the health impact of the tower. We signed the petition. Is there any research showing negative health effects of nearby cell towers, especially on children?
Apparently the Linux version of Firefox received quick "hotfixes" for the variety of security flaws that cropped up in Firefox 1.0, but the Mac version, at least, did not receive a single security update until today with this release, and it appears that there are still some remaining old and unfixed security flaws. The oldest being from August and September of 2004. While still much better than Internet Explorer, it doesn't make for a particularly stellar security patching record by any means. Not on the Mac anyway. Did the Windows version receive timely "hotfixes" for these flaws? What about the remaining unpatched flaws? To be fair, they did fix the IDN flaw quicker than Apple, which has yet to release a fix for their Safari?, but that's a first.
Slashdot Mirror
It's a good thing, given they are using a Volkswagen, that part of the criteria for winning isn't being able to autonomously open or close the likely non-working power windows.
I don't consider my clamshell iBook G3 333 or my PowerMac G4 Dual-533, or my iMac G3 400 MHz to be recent. All of them boot from firewire. Indeed the only firewire Mac that doesn't boot from firewire is the very first one: the blue & white PowerMac G3 tower. If you're looking for a Mac on the cheap, my advice is that you take a pass on any Blue & White - it isn't worth any price IMHO, and not just due to the non-booting firewire.
From 1up.com from page 4, under a picture:
"Two fans means more power!"
If only they had put 4 fans in this puppy. Ah well, I guess we'll have to wait for Xbox 720....
After you've finished watching the latest Star Wars abomination and realize that not only did you pay for it, but you could have spent the time sleeping or maybe recreating that crazy nail scene in Blade Runner on your own hand just for fun, you're bound to feel sick, so it makes perfect sense to take sick leave.
That's what Apple says and I've verified that a G4 doesn't cut it - on my 1.5 GHz G4 PowerBook the HD videos Apple has up for offer play at much less than 30 fps. Totally unacceptable as a video component. The Mac mini is the only current Mac that seems viable as a set top box, but that has a lowly G4 and tiny 2.5" hard drive - it's right out. No one is going to put a G5 tower next to their HD-TV and the iMac G5 has an extraneous display and would be precariously balanced on or near a TV, so you wouldn't want it there either. Of course this may mean they have a G5-based set-top box in the works, but then they have to deal with the heat - having fans in such a box won't cut it IMHO, and it needs to be thin. The "year of HD" may be coming, but I don't know if it will be soon.
While kids do get over things quickly, I take issue with the claim that kids do not scare easily. I can tell you that my toddlers (4 and 2) get scared by such things as running the vacuum. Pretty much any loud noise will do it. Further there have been nights when our 4 year old has been tossing and turning and calling out in an unsettled fashion in his sleep. I think it's safe to say that that was due to a nightmare. Now, it's much harder to say what triggered it, if anything. In any case by the morning they've forgotten all about it.
... for me the games industry is dead and has been for quite some time. I have absolutely zero interest in playing another Doom variant, always found video game RPGs stultifyingly boring, etc. Indeed the only thing I do play on occasion are classic games: Bosconian, Mappy, Robotron, Food Fight, etc, etc, all via MAME (MacMAME, specifically). Those games are still fun and indeed are more fun than the latest variation of Doom and they take a *lot* less time to play too - they're perfect for killing bits of time. Oh, and I play "Parachute" on my iPod mini when I'm on the pot ;), but it annoys me that the game just ends for no apparent reason.
Gates found a code monkey harboring a blue dalmatian iMac in his office.
I think it's telling, though, that the movie preview isn't funny at all. Absolutely not at all. There isn't even a "chuckle" in it. Out of the 2 hours or whatever of the film they could have chosen from, the best they could find for the preview was people falling down and getting smacked in the face? This is not a good sign, especially since very little (any at all?) of Adams' humor in the books and TV shows (I'm ashamed to admit that I've never heard the radio shows) was slapstick.
Trojans and malware are a normal part of free software. Do you really expect to get something for free? Are you saying we shouldn't install freeware any more? I didn't think so. What the hell is with this "DNS" anyway? I'm sure glad America Online doesn't force that on me. Anyway, if they did have it I sure wouldn't request it. I think I've got some spray that would take care of it, but I don't need that hassle. No fuckin' thanks!
by providing an iTMS Subscription service, ala Napster's "On the Go". Napster offers (reportedly) poor quality, no indie music and no support for the Mac (all of which are deal killers for me.) If there were a similar, but done right, "on the go" subscription service for iTMS, for me it would put the last nail into "broadcast" music radio (not that it had much life anyway), be it satellite or otherwise. Apple could provide daily (hourly?) "radio" playlists sans "radio personalities" (and perhaps even some with "personalities" inserted between some tracks if you wish) that you can select to sync directly with your iPod to carry it with you. And with that on your iPod you can skip forward, back, pause, etc. Try that on XM. Not to mention that you could do it yourself, including exactly what you wanted, if Apple extended iTunes so that, with a subscription, the iTMS became part of your iTunes "Library", and thus applicable to "smart playlists".
They could actually end up seeing a decent movie.
Just to play devil's advocate... what about their friends' parents? Or does your brother not let his daughter out of the house?
Maybe not them, but Americans are very much threatened by it.
A pay-for internet magazine posts an article featuring designs known not to be by Apple and which any shmuck can see will never be used by Apple because they are pretty stupid. This is Apple slashdot worthy news? Usually I don't complain about this kind of thing, but that the article is subscription-only just puts it way over the top.
With all the effort put into wobbly windows and transparency, it seems like they ought to have windows and buttons themselves looking fairly slick. Instead they look like a slight improvement over Windows 98.
And you know a wireless wall-power-level bunny vibe would have serious sales potential.
The problem is, of course, that the fact that 911 does not work like you expect is hidden away in the belly of a service agreement that no one reads. They are actively trying to hide this information so that people will not steer away from VOIP in droves. I know I won't be getting VOIP until they come up with a much, much better solution to the problem. In a panic situation you need it to work like it always has, that is, how it has saved countless lives.
Until one of these anti-virus software vendors can prove that their software is less harmful to Macs than the alleged/pending viruses, I'll continue to leave Virex 7.2 installed just to make the admin's happy, but sure as hell won't upgrade (again) to version 7.5.x, which causes innumerable and far-reaching problems. It has always been the case and continues to be the case, that on Macs, virus protection software is far more harmful than the alleged viruses they allegedly protect against.
The new version will feature lots of digitally-added shit being thrown at the audience. Probably to counteract the popcorn, goobers and raisinets being thrown at the screen.
and your VW's AC is broken and the power windows no longer work. At least you'll be entertained, and the dim video will be preferable to the flickering dash lights.
No gigantic eyes!
A cell tower was recently installed very near our home. A level-head and concerned neighbor went around with a petition, not to force the removal of the tower, but, restrainedly, just to demand that the community be involved in any such future decisions that may impact health and well being, him noting his concerns about the health impact of the tower. We signed the petition. Is there any research showing negative health effects of nearby cell towers, especially on children?
Apparently the Linux version of Firefox received quick "hotfixes" for the variety of security flaws that cropped up in Firefox 1.0, but the Mac version, at least, did not receive a single security update until today with this release, and it appears that there are still some remaining old and unfixed security flaws. The oldest being from August and September of 2004. While still much better than Internet Explorer, it doesn't make for a particularly stellar security patching record by any means. Not on the Mac anyway. Did the Windows version receive timely "hotfixes" for these flaws? What about the remaining unpatched flaws? To be fair, they did fix the IDN flaw quicker than Apple, which has yet to release a fix for their Safari?, but that's a first.
Obviously a well worn device for these folks.