Yeah, I see your point. However if I were to ever switch to Linux (shudder), I could just burn my AACs to CD and then rip them to mp3 or ogg. Granted I would lose some quality, but it is possible.
Or maybe Apple will make iTunes for Linux. Yeah, probably not.;)
Actually, AAC is a standard that any device can add to their list of supported formats. I'd be willing to bet that a firmware update to most mp3 players would fix that just fine. I've been told that there are a few players already that will play AAC files, but I couldn't tell you which ones...
Now, whether or not they'll play DRM-enabled AAC files from the iTMS is another story...
Well I've been a Mac user for a while and love iTunes on my iBook, and I just installed iTunes for PC on my parent's machine. It feels just like iTunes for Mac, very polished, very smooth. I imported a bunch of songs (bad Kazaa, bad!) and they all were read in fine. It sees my shared playlist on my iBook and I can play the files from it just fine. Haven't gone up to the iBook to see if it works the other way, but it should. So far I'm very impressed with the quality of it, considering it's a Windows app.
Now I just get to tell my family about how buying the music is better than copying it for free.;)
But all you're closing is the window. If you want to close the application you should tell it to quit. Besides, with the memory management that OS X has, you don't have to worry about open applications bogging down your system.
And closing the window has nothing to do with hiding it. If you close a window in, say, Word, the document is then gone. You don't open another window and get that document back, you get a new document. If you want to hide the window, you can actually hide the application, or simply minimize the window to the dock.
And I can understand about the Calculator thing. I mean, when you open your hard drive (what the hell is C:?), you're prompted with the following folders: Applications, Library, System, and Users. I know it's very confusing for the calculator to be in the applications folder.
Ok, so that was a little harsh, but come on, it does make sense. It's not hidden in an "Accessories" folder or anything like that. It's right there with every other application.
Maybe it is just a preference, but I have yet to show someone both systems and have them choose Windows as a better one.
A lot of it is the little things, like your system preferences being in an app called *gasp* System Preferences. I love that it's application-centric, not window-centric. Closing a window of an application doesn't shut down that application (why should it?). There's the whole services menu that just rocks. The fact that you don't have to "start" when you want to shut down.;) Instead you push the power button and the shut down menu comes up.
I could go on and on, but overall it's because things are where you'd expect them to be...
I was mainly referring to UI design, leaving out hardware and software issues. But the fact that it runs on a small portion of hardware is the reason that it runs so well. Apple is able to control what goes in their boxes, and they can program for it accordingly. If they had to program for all the billions of PC configurations you could have, I'm sure they'd have the same problems that MS and Linux do. But the fact is they don't have to, and their OS is better because of it.
As for software, that's a very subjective complaint and it varies from user to user. I've never had a problem with finding a piece of software that I needed, and I don't feel that I'm lacking anything. However that may be different for others.
I still say that the actual interface is better than anything else out there.
So use the mouse you have now. OS X does have support for a three button mouse with a scroll wheel right out of the box, no other drivers needed. If you want to use the other 2 buttons you'll have to download the Logitech/MS drivers. It's not like everyone that buys a dell keeps the dell mouse... This argument is old and holds no water.
The RIAA is not responsible for finding artists. That's the job of the labels. The RIAA is just a group of the top record companies that formed to retain the rights of the companies (read: make sure they get all the money they can while screwing over whoever they need to).
But I do agree, they could definitely be spending money elsewhere. They're trying to fix a bullet hole with a bandaid.
Though frankly, they still dont have a decent competitor for everyday desktop computing, which is a shame.
WRT Linux, I'm inclined to agree. But Mac OS X is way more than a "decent competitor." In fact, I feel it surpasses Windows in every aspect of desktop computing. The *only* thing that Windows has over OS X is games. Other than that it can't hold a candle to the user experience that Mac OS X offers.
Oh, and I thought this even when 10.0 was released, and switched to Mac because of it.
Who said I was a liberal? The way I've always seen myself was as a moderate. And I think both Republicans and Democrats are pretty dumb equally... I tend to make my own decisions instead of following what a party tells me I should think...
Yeah! He's up there with Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt! I mean look at everything he did! Saved the economy while he was in office only to put the country into a huge debt after he left! What other leader could do a great thing like that???
Oh yeah, forgot the [/sarcasm]
Heh, a coworker once called me a socialist for saying that Reagan wasn't the greatest president that ever lived. So I guess if you don't like Reagan, you must be a socialist! I love the logic of Republicans.
Considering the G5 wont be shipping until August, you should have no problems having it shipped by Apple directly to you at college. And even if it does ship early (I don't think that's ever happened with Apple), most schools have mail rooms that are open year round and they will keep it there until you arrive.
Not sure about a home version (which last I checked wasn't offered on the PC side either), but the academic version is available from Apple's own store for $199, and I've found it much cheaper (around $160) at my campus computer store.
Slashdot Mirror
Yeah, I see your point. However if I were to ever switch to Linux (shudder), I could just burn my AACs to CD and then rip them to mp3 or ogg. Granted I would lose some quality, but it is possible.
;)
Or maybe Apple will make iTunes for Linux. Yeah, probably not.
I've bought three albums from the iTMS, and they haven't been locked into an "Apple format." In fact, I can play them on my PC just fine with iTunes.
The format is AAC, and it's a standard format, not something that Apple invented...
Actually, AAC is a standard that any device can add to their list of supported formats. I'd be willing to bet that a firmware update to most mp3 players would fix that just fine. I've been told that there are a few players already that will play AAC files, but I couldn't tell you which ones...
Now, whether or not they'll play DRM-enabled AAC files from the iTMS is another story...
Well I've been a Mac user for a while and love iTunes on my iBook, and I just installed iTunes for PC on my parent's machine. It feels just like iTunes for Mac, very polished, very smooth. I imported a bunch of songs (bad Kazaa, bad!) and they all were read in fine. It sees my shared playlist on my iBook and I can play the files from it just fine. Haven't gone up to the iBook to see if it works the other way, but it should. So far I'm very impressed with the quality of it, considering it's a Windows app.
;)
Now I just get to tell my family about how buying the music is better than copying it for free.
Where's the "-1 Uber Geek" mod when you need it?
Ah yes, he forgot the often unadvertised feature of guns, when they bake you a pie and bring you flowers on your birthday...
Guns are used for nothing but killing, whether you respect them or not...
Maybe for Alanis Morisette...
So the biggest virus threat on the mac comes/came from Microsoft? How surprising! :)
But all you're closing is the window. If you want to close the application you should tell it to quit. Besides, with the memory management that OS X has, you don't have to worry about open applications bogging down your system.
And closing the window has nothing to do with hiding it. If you close a window in, say, Word, the document is then gone. You don't open another window and get that document back, you get a new document. If you want to hide the window, you can actually hide the application, or simply minimize the window to the dock.
And I can understand about the Calculator thing. I mean, when you open your hard drive (what the hell is C:?), you're prompted with the following folders: Applications, Library, System, and Users. I know it's very confusing for the calculator to be in the applications folder.
Ok, so that was a little harsh, but come on, it does make sense. It's not hidden in an "Accessories" folder or anything like that. It's right there with every other application.
Maybe it is just a preference, but I have yet to show someone both systems and have them choose Windows as a better one.
I could go on and on, but overall it's because things are where you'd expect them to be...
As for software, that's a very subjective complaint and it varies from user to user. I've never had a problem with finding a piece of software that I needed, and I don't feel that I'm lacking anything. However that may be different for others.
I still say that the actual interface is better than anything else out there.
So use the mouse you have now. OS X does have support for a three button mouse with a scroll wheel right out of the box, no other drivers needed. If you want to use the other 2 buttons you'll have to download the Logitech/MS drivers. It's not like everyone that buys a dell keeps the dell mouse... This argument is old and holds no water.
The RIAA is not responsible for finding artists. That's the job of the labels. The RIAA is just a group of the top record companies that formed to retain the rights of the companies (read: make sure they get all the money they can while screwing over whoever they need to).
But I do agree, they could definitely be spending money elsewhere. They're trying to fix a bullet hole with a bandaid.
Though frankly, they still dont have a decent competitor for everyday desktop computing, which is a shame.
WRT Linux, I'm inclined to agree. But Mac OS X is way more than a "decent competitor." In fact, I feel it surpasses Windows in every aspect of desktop computing. The *only* thing that Windows has over OS X is games. Other than that it can't hold a candle to the user experience that Mac OS X offers.
Oh, and I thought this even when 10.0 was released, and switched to Mac because of it.
Unless, of course, the devil is Microsoft and you can get lots of money from said contract. :)
I think Jimmy from cell block D wants to show him his 'Oh' face.
Yeah, I would've bought it for PS2. Instead I'll probably just download it for PC...
And we all know the FCC has a lot of power over in the UK... ;)
DF :)
But how do you know he's a spammer?
...... I got better...
Well he turned me into a newt!
And you just took an obvious joke and assumed it was serious. Time to take a deep breath and lighten up...
Who said I was a liberal? The way I've always seen myself was as a moderate. And I think both Republicans and Democrats are pretty dumb equally... I tend to make my own decisions instead of following what a party tells me I should think...
Yeah! He's up there with Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt! I mean look at everything he did! Saved the economy while he was in office only to put the country into a huge debt after he left! What other leader could do a great thing like that???
Oh yeah, forgot the [/sarcasm]
Heh, a coworker once called me a socialist for saying that Reagan wasn't the greatest president that ever lived. So I guess if you don't like Reagan, you must be a socialist! I love the logic of Republicans.
Considering the G5 wont be shipping until August, you should have no problems having it shipped by Apple directly to you at college. And even if it does ship early (I don't think that's ever happened with Apple), most schools have mail rooms that are open year round and they will keep it there until you arrive.
Not sure about a home version (which last I checked wasn't offered on the PC side either), but the academic version is available from Apple's own store for $199, and I've found it much cheaper (around $160) at my campus computer store.