Releasing songs instead of albums is definitely the future. See it on iTunes with Tegan and Sara who just released a new "single." It's not to support a new album or anything, just a new track they want to sell. There are other examples.
It just makes sense. Lots of bands, like Radiohead (one of my dear favorites) seem to be resisting the change, citing the great concept albums they've made. But I think they'll come around. Look at Nine Inch Nails, taking five years between records. That could be two tracks a year instead. As a fan, I'd definitely prefer the latter.
And as a musician myself I feel much more free when I know I don't have to finish 10 songs just to release the one I'm really proud of.
Kinda like Botox, the difference being that most people don't know what botulin toxin is to begin with, although the "toxin" part is a big clue. I have a feeling it'll be called something like HumaImmunex and most people won't actually make the connection to HIV.
The problem is spatial differences and the human mind. As fast as you can, do the following: raise your right hand. A significant number of people will either pause to figure out which is their right or raise their left hand in error. Makes you wonder how many people that correctly raise their right hand do so accidentally.
Our minds are not perfect and it takes a lot of learning, error and experience to handle left/right button clicks quickly. Most people would rather just work than build up the experience to use a multi-button mouse effectively. An example of this is the number of experienced computer users that type with hunt-and-peck.
And that's also the reason why people have trouble with multi-button mice and not phones: people do not look at the mouse while they use it.
part of it is sheer torture (font handling, for instance)
I'd like to know what is wrong with OS X's font handling. I assume you're comparing it to Windows. They both use a fonts directory, and they both work the same way: put a font file in the directory and it will be available to all programs instantly.
The key differences being that in OS X you can organize your fonts into sub folders, you can use both Mac and PC fonts (even windows TTFs) and - the really big plus for multi-user machines - each user can install fonts that only they have access to.
So what was it you preferred about Windows's font management?
By your description of Wikipedia's bent I'm not sure there is a way to make it bent free. Anything else would probably be seen as an insensitive, conservative, christian* bent.
I'm also not sure how any of, "politically correct, liberal, secular humanist," decreases reliability?
I know what you mean, but there is an argument for having layers in that order. It doesn't seem like Paint.net is using the features I'll describe from Photoshop, but it could be forward thinking on their part. At the least it might be interesting to read about the flaws in Photoshop's scheme.
The current order Photoshop uses makes sense until you start to use layer effects, grouping or layer sets. In a simple document all other layers are clipped by the background, by definition. This puts the children of an object above their parent.
However, when a layer is given layer effects the effects are listed below their parent. This is especially confusing since the effect is actually on top of the layer visually.
To add more complication grouped layers are above their parent (now called a clipping mask, as opposed to a layer mask). So if you have a lot of layers using the same clipping mask you have to scroll down to find the parent, but scroll up to find the visually topmost layer.
This is the opposite of layer sets. To put layers inside a layer set you put them below the set, or below their parent. And if you add a layer mask to the set itself you can create something that looks identical to grouped layers, yet the parent layer which clips all the other layers is topmost in the layer list.
And here's where the real mess is: group some layers together and add a layer effect to the parent (lowest) layer. Inner shadow illustrates this perfectly. In the palette you'll see:
- Child layer
Clipping mask (child layer)
- Inner shadow (layer effect)
However, visually, the inner shadow is above them all, covering even the child layer. So the layers are being composed like this:
Inner shadow (layer effect)
Child layer
Parent Layer
Pretty confusing. Use some nested layer sets, effect, groups and a few hundred layers and you'll really notice how odd things are. Obviously the solution isn't easy, especially when any change to the current method would cause screams from millions of users.
So for a new graphics app to use 'top down' layer ordering might not a be such a bad idea. That's the method layer sets and layer effects currently use, not to mention windows' file explorer (or folder view in Mac OS finder).
I'll add that it doesn't even look particularly nice. Too much italics for one thing, and that ragged edge on the left page seems particularly jarring.
This is one of the few instances where justified type would look better. In this case, with a border on the right page, I think it would have looked much better. Then there is the way that the list of names only has a partial last line. This is easy to fix, anyone with experience designing for newspapers could think of several ways.
I assume that there is too much text to have fine enough control over the font size to do it so the easiest solution is probably to duplicate enough names to fill out that last line. Pick a few people who donated the most and it could even be fair (not that anyone would read that many names and recall the duplication).
To quote the West Wing (poorly), "This is economics at work, sorting itself out. There are inefficiencies, hypocrisy, but that's how it works. In the end the market will find a solution."
Even Bush can only keep the lid on it for so long.
I'm a professional designer with much experience with web sites. I've also worked on many other projects including a familiar theme for Enlightenment back when Enlightenment was popular.
I've seen a lot of sites designed by developers and I can tell you what to do - listen to what I say and you'll be better than 90% of the sites on the net: keep it simple.
This works on so many levels it's ridiculous. The most well designed sites with the most expensive designers do this as a matter of course. It's not only refreshingly easy on the eyes it's also good business.
Don't try to be gabocorp or razorfish - those guys already have the look-at-me-look-at-me-look-at-me market saturated. Most paying clients want something more professional. Stick to what you do well - developing, hopefully - and it'll get the recognition it deserves with a design that lets your real work shine through.
Pick a nice color scheme, stay away from comic sans and courier and you're halfway there. Leave the graphics for photos and logos, use color sparingly, and limit yourself to as few different colors and fonts as possible.
If you're really interested you could pick up a few design or mac magazines - really! even if you don't use a mac - just to get an idea of what clean & simple design is like.
Hey guys. I can (and do) email you whenever the idea strikes my fancy, since your email addresses are public, and you actually answer once in a while, but why don't I use this public forum as a means to address you instead?
I have a two-part question:
1) Will you have my babies? Granted you're both male and so am I so there's probably not a lot we can actually do on the procreation side of things but given a scientific breakthrough that may arrive at any time, would you be interested in raising the kids of a nearly complete stranger alongside your own?
2) As a follow-up question I would like to know: how many web comic artists are as completely batshit nuts as Scott Kurtz?
For Windows, just right-click on the icon on the task bar at the bottom (or wherever you dragged it) of your screen and select close.
For Mac, uh, no right-click, but there's probably something equally easy you can do.
For the mac it's even easier: since the menubar isn't part of the window you can just select File->Close Window as normal.
He wants to appoint strict interpreters of the law.
I must point out that he has only said he wants to appoint strict interpreters of the law. I'm not being mean to Bush, either. All politicians say something during campaigns but then do the opposite.
Personally, my test is this: if what they say sounds too good to be true it probably is.
Better Pod-o-lantern
on
Halloween Fun
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
What about the rest of the Bay Area? I thought I heard something about great net access in Palo Alto a while ago, can anyone remind me what I'm thinking of?
I'm sure this is not the only inaccuracy in the game. For example it does seem that these egyptians speak English. Why don't they speak the actual ancient languages of the time?
Because the fact is that this is a simulation in modern times and English is one of the common languages of our time. In that same vein treating women equally is also common. Just because the simulation takes place in a different time is not an excuse to spread hate and propaganda.
I wonder if you would think this a small issue if instead the comments were racist, as was also common in ancient times.
most AIDS-related deaths aren't due to the virus itself, but rather it weakening your immune system enough for something else to get you.
That is in fact how everyone does from AIDS. A weak immune system isn't itself terminal, however, without defenses otherwise weak illnesses are life-threatening.
Slashdot Mirror
Releasing songs instead of albums is definitely the future. See it on iTunes with Tegan and Sara who just released a new "single." It's not to support a new album or anything, just a new track they want to sell. There are other examples.
It just makes sense. Lots of bands, like Radiohead (one of my dear favorites) seem to be resisting the change, citing the great concept albums they've made. But I think they'll come around. Look at Nine Inch Nails, taking five years between records. That could be two tracks a year instead. As a fan, I'd definitely prefer the latter.
And as a musician myself I feel much more free when I know I don't have to finish 10 songs just to release the one I'm really proud of.
Kinda like Botox, the difference being that most people don't know what botulin toxin is to begin with, although the "toxin" part is a big clue. I have a feeling it'll be called something like HumaImmunex and most people won't actually make the connection to HIV.
The problem is spatial differences and the human mind. As fast as you can, do the following: raise your right hand. A significant number of people will either pause to figure out which is their right or raise their left hand in error. Makes you wonder how many people that correctly raise their right hand do so accidentally.
Our minds are not perfect and it takes a lot of learning, error and experience to handle left/right button clicks quickly. Most people would rather just work than build up the experience to use a multi-button mouse effectively. An example of this is the number of experienced computer users that type with hunt-and-peck.
And that's also the reason why people have trouble with multi-button mice and not phones: people do not look at the mouse while they use it.
part of it is sheer torture (font handling, for instance)
I'd like to know what is wrong with OS X's font handling. I assume you're comparing it to Windows. They both use a fonts directory, and they both work the same way: put a font file in the directory and it will be available to all programs instantly.
The key differences being that in OS X you can organize your fonts into sub folders, you can use both Mac and PC fonts (even windows TTFs) and - the really big plus for multi-user machines - each user can install fonts that only they have access to.
So what was it you preferred about Windows's font management?
From the article:
a signal spread out so broadly that it just looks like background noise if you aren't the one it's aimed at.
Would pose a problem for SETI if this is what all the other intelligent civilizations are doing.
The real joke is that Apple only sues little guys.
You consider Microsoft little?
By your description of Wikipedia's bent I'm not sure there is a way to make it bent free. Anything else would probably be seen as an insensitive, conservative, christian* bent.
I'm also not sure how any of, "politically correct, liberal, secular humanist," decreases reliability?
--
*as one example.
The current order Photoshop uses makes sense until you start to use layer effects, grouping or layer sets. In a simple document all other layers are clipped by the background, by definition. This puts the children of an object above their parent.
However, when a layer is given layer effects the effects are listed below their parent. This is especially confusing since the effect is actually on top of the layer visually.
To add more complication grouped layers are above their parent (now called a clipping mask, as opposed to a layer mask). So if you have a lot of layers using the same clipping mask you have to scroll down to find the parent, but scroll up to find the visually topmost layer.
This is the opposite of layer sets. To put layers inside a layer set you put them below the set, or below their parent. And if you add a layer mask to the set itself you can create something that looks identical to grouped layers, yet the parent layer which clips all the other layers is topmost in the layer list.
And here's where the real mess is: group some layers together and add a layer effect to the parent (lowest) layer. Inner shadow illustrates this perfectly. In the palette you'll see:
- - Child layer
- Clipping mask (child layer)
- - Inner shadow (layer effect)
However, visually, the inner shadow is above them all, covering even the child layer. So the layers are being composed like this:Pretty confusing. Use some nested layer sets, effect, groups and a few hundred layers and you'll really notice how odd things are. Obviously the solution isn't easy, especially when any change to the current method would cause screams from millions of users.
So for a new graphics app to use 'top down' layer ordering might not a be such a bad idea. That's the method layer sets and layer effects currently use, not to mention windows' file explorer (or folder view in Mac OS finder).
10 minute break? How can you even get started without it?
By not being addicted to caffeine. Without that dependancy it's pretty easy.
I'll add that it doesn't even look particularly nice. Too much italics for one thing, and that ragged edge on the left page seems particularly jarring.
This is one of the few instances where justified type would look better. In this case, with a border on the right page, I think it would have looked much better. Then there is the way that the list of names only has a partial last line. This is easy to fix, anyone with experience designing for newspapers could think of several ways.
I assume that there is too much text to have fine enough control over the font size to do it so the easiest solution is probably to duplicate enough names to fill out that last line. Pick a few people who donated the most and it could even be fair (not that anyone would read that many names and recall the duplication).
To quote the West Wing (poorly), "This is economics at work, sorting itself out. There are inefficiencies, hypocrisy, but that's how it works. In the end the market will find a solution."
Even Bush can only keep the lid on it for so long.
The menu bar is in a very unconventional place - up in the titlebar. Not standard placement in any way, but possibly a better use of Fitts Law?
Has anyone seen this kind of menu bar placement before?
...is a new name.
Few management types are going to approve of using a BDSM-themed program no matter how free it is.
The attempt at making a cute raccoon-like animal the mascot doesn't help. We all know that he's wearing nothing but leather and pain below the neck.
what does a piece of hardware for playing MP3s have to do with personal computers?
Well, you have to plug the former into the latter to use it. Obviously.
I'm a professional designer with much experience with web sites. I've also worked on many other projects including a familiar theme for Enlightenment back when Enlightenment was popular.
I've seen a lot of sites designed by developers and I can tell you what to do - listen to what I say and you'll be better than 90% of the sites on the net: keep it simple.
This works on so many levels it's ridiculous. The most well designed sites with the most expensive designers do this as a matter of course. It's not only refreshingly easy on the eyes it's also good business.
Don't try to be gabocorp or razorfish - those guys already have the look-at-me-look-at-me-look-at-me market saturated. Most paying clients want something more professional. Stick to what you do well - developing, hopefully - and it'll get the recognition it deserves with a design that lets your real work shine through.
Pick a nice color scheme, stay away from comic sans and courier and you're halfway there. Leave the graphics for photos and logos, use color sparingly, and limit yourself to as few different colors and fonts as possible.
If you're really interested you could pick up a few design or mac magazines - really! even if you don't use a mac - just to get an idea of what clean & simple design is like.
Hey guys. I can (and do) email you whenever the idea strikes my fancy, since your email addresses are public, and you actually answer once in a while, but why don't I use this public forum as a means to address you instead?
I have a two-part question:
1) Will you have my babies? Granted you're both male and so am I so there's probably not a lot we can actually do on the procreation side of things but given a scientific breakthrough that may arrive at any time, would you be interested in raising the kids of a nearly complete stranger alongside your own?
2) As a follow-up question I would like to know: how many web comic artists are as completely batshit nuts as Scott Kurtz?
Technically, some electors are bound to the results of their state. Notably, Ohio.
For Windows, just right-click on the icon on the task bar at the bottom (or wherever you dragged it) of your screen and select close. For Mac, uh, no right-click, but there's probably something equally easy you can do.
For the mac it's even easier: since the menubar isn't part of the window you can just select File->Close Window as normal.
He wants to appoint strict interpreters of the law.
I must point out that he has only said he wants to appoint strict interpreters of the law. I'm not being mean to Bush, either. All politicians say something during campaigns but then do the opposite.
Personally, my test is this: if what they say sounds too good to be true it probably is.
I like this pumpkin better.
When was Microsoft in Palo Alto?
What about the rest of the Bay Area? I thought I heard something about great net access in Palo Alto a while ago, can anyone remind me what I'm thinking of?
I'm sure this is not the only inaccuracy in the game. For example it does seem that these egyptians speak English. Why don't they speak the actual ancient languages of the time?
Because the fact is that this is a simulation in modern times and English is one of the common languages of our time. In that same vein treating women equally is also common. Just because the simulation takes place in a different time is not an excuse to spread hate and propaganda.
I wonder if you would think this a small issue if instead the comments were racist, as was also common in ancient times.
most AIDS-related deaths aren't due to the virus itself, but rather it weakening your immune system enough for something else to get you.
That is in fact how everyone does from AIDS. A weak immune system isn't itself terminal, however, without defenses otherwise weak illnesses are life-threatening.
Give me the robot perspective!