So you're saying that somehow, the machine you're using right now to play the songs you own right now will stop playing the music once newer iTunes or Tiger (or later releases) come out? While it's possible that they'd change DRM rights, leaving users out in the cold seems a distant possibility, and even then no one is forcing you to update.
i've been an avid user of iChat AV's audio chat feature on both broadband and 56k connections since late december '03. recently, skype for osx came out and i've had the chance to try mac/mac and mac/pc (and other combinations) on both 56k and broadband. also, these are transpacific (mexico/aus) conversations, so ymmv
my opinion is that on broadband, both are of comparable quality, though ichat produces a richer sound, while skype manages to reproduce the mic with more fidelity which feels harsher and somewhat higher pitched. i prefer ichat's reproduction, but it's all personal taste.
on 56k, ichat will simply cut out when the connections drops below 4kb/s or so. skype seems to scale the quality which causes a bit of confusion and is annoying. i prefer the silence over distortion and abstractions, so again ichat wins for me.
skype does have a few major advantages though. it's cross platform (AIM/iChat seems to have problems with everyone i've tried to call) and already has conferencing features built in (though it's unusuable at 56k). i'll have to wait for Tiger to come out to see how the conference feature compares, and if iChat's architecture is better to narrowband users than skype's. oh, and skypeout, but haven't tried it yet.
the very pleasent surprise was the skype is an attractive and easy to use program and feels at home on osx. definately worth the hype, but i'm sticking to ichat.
my my, trolling apple for getting praised on quartz's merits? that's a new low, especially considering the fact that there were screenshots in the article (yes, the one linked on top... you know, rtfa?)
does the squeezebox also work as a wireless 802.11g bridge (the linksys WET54G costs $150)? How about a print server (a wireless 802.11g belkin print server costs $120)? does it offer NAT routing?
yea, didn't think so
These are some of the enhancements that are part of Mac OS X 10.3.3 Update.
Networking and.Mac enhancements
Addresses issues, such as a lost network connection, that could occur when connecting to a network device that forces the network speed and/or duplex setting (known as a "locked" device). AppleTalk Browsing is now on by default. Resolves an issue in which name conflicts could occur among Network Service Entities. Available servers can be seen when browsing Windows Workgroups or Domains. Enhancements to/Network browsing include: Servers appear on the desktop and in Finder window Sidebars, AFP Authentication options are available, and you can disconnect a server by dragging its icon on the desktop to the Trash or by clicking the Eject icon in the Sidebar. Improves synchronization between.Mac and your computer..Mac no longer attempts to automatically sync files over a wireless network (or "hotspot") before the computer is authorized to use the network. Enhances an Open directory plug-in, which is used in network environments: The Active Directory plug-in is no longer sensitive to the case of the domain; the plug-in now works in ".local" domain environments; the plug-in is now less sensitive to DNS records that don't have matching reverse lookup. Improves compatibility with certain third-party wireless networking PC cards, such as the Honda AH-G10. More...
Enhances the IrDA menu item when IrDA networking is active. Finder and applications that allow you to browse the file system will now refresh the contents of a remote network volume's folder or directory when the folder's contents change.
DVD Player enhancements
DVD Player will no longer quit if an unsupported PCI video card is installed in your computer. More... DVD Player supports more DVD video discs that are designed to play automatically. Improved DVD playback when "Digital Audio Output" is selected in DVD Player preferences. DVD Player now recognizes and plays DVD+R media.
Application enhancements
Images retain their characteristics when you import them in iPhoto. More... Addresses an issue in which Mail could unexpectedly quit when marking some types of unsolicited messages (or "spam") as Junk. Addresses issues that may cause Address Book and other applications to unexpectedly quit if the Classic Mac OS fonts are disabled in Font Book. Text shadow opacity and color are saved in RTF documents and preserved when you copy or paste.
Image Capture can now import files whose names begins with an underscore character ("_").
Finder enhancements
Improves security by requiring an administrator to authenticate for each Finder action that needs authentication, such as installing software. In earlier Mac OS X Panther versions, an administrator who authenticated may have unknowingly given elevated priviledges to the non-admin user for 5 minutes. This change also prevents a normal user from performing administrator actions if an administrator user has authenticated during their session. When you use an Open menu command to choose a file in Finder or an application, the flashing button now says "Choose" instead of "Open". Addresses an issue in which Finder unexpectedly quits if the View menu option "Show icon preview" is enabled while dragging a significant number of icons to another location.
Other enhancements
Improvements in start up time that some computers experienced under some installations of Mac OS X 10.3.2 Update. More... Improves print operations when a pending print jobs is moved to the queue of a printer that has different capabilities. More... Improves recognition of Hi-Speed USB devices by PowerBook G4 and iBook G4 computers when woken from sleep. A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) panel is available in Energy Saver preferences, as well as a UPS menu bar item, when a UPS power management system
the newton predates all these pda's. we're talking a device from that's at least 6 years old. if i started talking about the marvels of a current desktop computer, wouldn't it be obvious that it is more powerful, and therefore likely to run more advanced software than one years older? i don't see why this is so hard to see, to me it seems like uninformed Apple bashing.
it's funny that if this was an MS release, they'd dub it WindowsXX or something alone those lines to hide the fact that they aren't using a new kernel and are instead version upgrades. Windows 2000 is running the NT5 kernel, hence 5.0.x with x being service packs and minor updates) Windows XP is 5.1.x, and Win2k3 is 5.2.x
sure, apple could take the MS route and dupe buyers, but they're sticking to their nomenclature and adding real features instead of changing the theme, name, and patching some security holes like most of MS's 'upgrades'.
well, it's not only the legality, but how many users could (and would) rip their own dvd's? it's not like with music were any number of spyware infested music jukeboxes rip subpar audio content into exclusive, DRM enabled formats *wink*WiMP/Real*wink*, but ripping DVD's is a task not every casual user will embrace. also, the usefulness of such a device is questionable, as stated before. the device's saving grace i'd imagine would be TV rips, i could see Sony adding support for the proposed device in their PVRs. as for the legality... wouldn't it fall under the age old time shifting defense?
i can imagine brainstorming this idea with that loveable bunch of luddites
"of course billing kazaa will work! who cares about the x number of other p2p clients out there, i'm sure like, 3 people use them, on their pinko lunix systems. maybe we should ask Dell to install this on everybodies computer, and AOL to add this exciting new feature to its internet!"
MacRumors notes that Kodawrisan was able to identify the G4 as a 7447 (despite Apple hinting at it being a 7457). It seems the only difference between the two is that the 7457 supports an L3 cache (which was noticeably absent from the new PowerBooks and attributed to a new architecture)
you're right, the G5 doesn't support ECC (check the Virginia Tech Supercomputer threads for those complaints...)
and no, IF you buy the RAM from Apple, the price skyrockets and the Dell and Apple are pretty much evenly priced, but honestly, who the hell would pay those prices? Also, you're probably configuring the Dell for 4x512mb sticks when the G5 config uses 2x1gb, and again the Dell is more expensive.
really though, scratch that and leave the default RAM in and just add aftermarket prices, and you'll see the Dell is still much more expensive (i know i sound like a broken record right about now)
according to PCMAG, the G5 cost $4349 as tested. Using the apple store, i can get that with the 2x1gb RAM modules, superdrive, no bluetooth/wifi, Radeon 9800, and a modem. now, let's configure a similar Dell Precision 650. the review doesn't mention that the Dell has a Radeon VE 32mb, no 56k modem, a 120gb ATA HD (compared with the G5 and its 160gb SATA), and uses DDR266 (compared to the G5 using DDR400, but that can't be blamed on Dell, but the mobo config). According to PCMAG, they were "comparing the results with a similarly configured (and priced) Dell Precision 650 Workstation". Funny how they give the exact price of the G5 and not of the "similarly priced" Dell.
as you can see, the Dell is $835 more. now, let's try and be objective, something PCMAG disavowed in their introduction saying they took Apple's claims about the speed of the G5 "with a grain of salt". in other words, the test was designed to debunk Apple, thus throwing objectivity out the window.
IF we were to buy the RAM by a third party, drop the 56k modem on the G5, and leave the default video card (which is still better than the Dell), the system would cost $3188 (RAM is DDR400, 512mb+1gb on pricewatch). The Dell would cost $4057 (again, with RAM from pricewatch). That would make it $869 more.
On top of that, PCMAG admits to not taking into account a certain loading time (for controls... they don't explain what it is, but they make it obvious that said delay is not experienced on the Mac). According to the story, "on the Windows system, loading the controls often took a minute or more. If these times are added back to the actual test times, both Macintosh computers would have clearly outperformed the Windows-based computer." They don't make a note of it on the actual benchmarks, just the preface.
so if anything should be taken with a grain of salt, it's PCMAG.
You've got to listen to me. Elementary chaos theory tells us that all robots will eventually turn against their masters and run amok in an orgy of blood and kicking and the biting with the metal teeth and the hurting and shoving.
Well, everyone says that, but in the end gets a bootleg instead.
Me? I only buy albums i truely enjoy, based on band loyalty. Even if i have it readily available for free, its good to support the artists you like.
"Not without an act of God"
or one of the supreme court;)
While MS is still allowed to bundle applications, there will never be any war, be it browser, chat clients, media players, and whatever the hell else they bundle in XP nowadays. Consumers want simplicity, they dont care about power features, they dont mind if IE is slower than Opera and Mozilla, in much the same way people dont care about their cars much other than gas mileage and crash tests.
Simply put, the overwhelming number of causal PC over users will determine which software will lead, and as long as IE is built in, things are not going to change.
Well, I am pretty sure the supreme court already judged a similar case, putting the precedent which should be used to fight of this new threat.
The judge argued that there was no legal obligation to pay the artist, because the artist had already gotten royalties from the original sale. CD's are a product, itellectual property, true, but in the end, you are paying for it much the same way you would pay for a table lamp. Demanding you to pay a percentage of the price on the used product is as preposterous as the lamp maker demanding a cut of the sale:/
Slashdot Mirror
So you're saying that somehow, the machine you're using right now to play the songs you own right now will stop playing the music once newer iTunes or Tiger (or later releases) come out? While it's possible that they'd change DRM rights, leaving users out in the cold seems a distant possibility, and even then no one is forcing you to update.
i've been an avid user of iChat AV's audio chat feature on both broadband and 56k connections since late december '03. recently, skype for osx came out and i've had the chance to try mac/mac and mac/pc (and other combinations) on both 56k and broadband. also, these are transpacific (mexico/aus) conversations, so ymmv
my opinion is that on broadband, both are of comparable quality, though ichat produces a richer sound, while skype manages to reproduce the mic with more fidelity which feels harsher and somewhat higher pitched. i prefer ichat's reproduction, but it's all personal taste.
on 56k, ichat will simply cut out when the connections drops below 4kb/s or so. skype seems to scale the quality which causes a bit of confusion and is annoying. i prefer the silence over distortion and abstractions, so again ichat wins for me.
skype does have a few major advantages though. it's cross platform (AIM/iChat seems to have problems with everyone i've tried to call) and already has conferencing features built in (though it's unusuable at 56k). i'll have to wait for Tiger to come out to see how the conference feature compares, and if iChat's architecture is better to narrowband users than skype's. oh, and skypeout, but haven't tried it yet.
the very pleasent surprise was the skype is an attractive and easy to use program and feels at home on osx. definately worth the hype, but i'm sticking to ichat.
2 werds: 1 buttan mouse
my my, trolling apple for getting praised on quartz's merits? that's a new low, especially considering the fact that there were screenshots in the article (yes, the one linked on top... you know, rtfa?)
does the squeezebox also work as a wireless 802.11g bridge (the linksys WET54G costs $150)? How about a print server (a wireless 802.11g belkin print server costs $120)? does it offer NAT routing? yea, didn't think so
Enhancements
.Mac enhancements
/Network browsing include: Servers appear on the desktop and in Finder window Sidebars, AFP Authentication options are available, and you can disconnect a server by dragging its icon on the desktop to the Trash or by clicking the Eject icon in the Sidebar. .Mac and your computer. .Mac no longer attempts to automatically sync files over a wireless network (or "hotspot") before the computer is authorized to use the network.
.
These are some of the enhancements that are part of Mac OS X 10.3.3 Update.
Networking and
Addresses issues, such as a lost network connection, that could occur when connecting to a network device that forces the network speed and/or duplex setting (known as a "locked" device).
AppleTalk Browsing is now on by default.
Resolves an issue in which name conflicts could occur among Network Service Entities.
Available servers can be seen when browsing Windows Workgroups or Domains.
Enhancements to
Improves synchronization between
Enhances an Open directory plug-in, which is used in network environments: The Active Directory plug-in is no longer sensitive to the case of the domain; the plug-in now works in ".local" domain environments; the plug-in is now less sensitive to DNS records that don't have matching reverse lookup.
Improves compatibility with certain third-party wireless networking PC cards, such as the Honda AH-G10. More...
Enhances the IrDA menu item when IrDA networking is active.
Finder and applications that allow you to browse the file system will now refresh the contents of a remote network volume's folder or directory when the folder's contents change.
DVD Player enhancements
DVD Player will no longer quit if an unsupported PCI video card is installed in your computer. More...
DVD Player supports more DVD video discs that are designed to play automatically.
Improved DVD playback when "Digital Audio Output" is selected in DVD Player preferences.
DVD Player now recognizes and plays DVD+R media.
Application enhancements
Images retain their characteristics when you import them in iPhoto. More...
Addresses an issue in which Mail could unexpectedly quit when marking some types of unsolicited messages (or "spam") as Junk.
Addresses issues that may cause Address Book and other applications to unexpectedly quit if the Classic Mac OS fonts are disabled in Font Book.
Text shadow opacity and color are saved in RTF documents and preserved when you copy or paste.
Image Capture can now import files whose names begins with an underscore character ("_")
Finder enhancements
Improves security by requiring an administrator to authenticate for each Finder action that needs authentication, such as installing software. In earlier Mac OS X Panther versions, an administrator who authenticated may have unknowingly given elevated priviledges to the non-admin user for 5 minutes. This change also prevents a normal user from performing administrator actions if an administrator user has authenticated during their session.
When you use an Open menu command to choose a file in Finder or an application, the flashing button now says "Choose" instead of "Open".
Addresses an issue in which Finder unexpectedly quits if the View menu option "Show icon preview" is enabled while dragging a significant number of icons to another location.
Other enhancements
Improvements in start up time that some computers experienced under some installations of Mac OS X 10.3.2 Update. More...
Improves print operations when a pending print jobs is moved to the queue of a printer that has different capabilities. More...
Improves recognition of Hi-Speed USB devices by PowerBook G4 and iBook G4 computers when woken from sleep.
A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) panel is available in Energy Saver preferences, as well as a UPS menu bar item, when a UPS power management system
sweet, new drivers for my video [h]ardware. maybe i'll finally be able to play UT on my GF2!!111
the newton predates all these pda's. we're talking a device from that's at least 6 years old. if i started talking about the marvels of a current desktop computer, wouldn't it be obvious that it is more powerful, and therefore likely to run more advanced software than one years older? i don't see why this is so hard to see, to me it seems like uninformed Apple bashing.
i thought masturbation was the weapon of choice for the athletically minded gamer.
i love you rosie
it's funny that if this was an MS release, they'd dub it WindowsXX or something alone those lines to hide the fact that they aren't using a new kernel and are instead version upgrades. Windows 2000 is running the NT5 kernel, hence 5.0.x with x being service packs and minor updates) Windows XP is 5.1.x, and Win2k3 is 5.2.x
;)
sure, apple could take the MS route and dupe buyers, but they're sticking to their nomenclature and adding real features instead of changing the theme, name, and patching some security holes like most of MS's 'upgrades'.
oh, and osx sounds sexier than osxii
well, it's not only the legality, but how many users could (and would) rip their own dvd's? it's not like with music were any number of spyware infested music jukeboxes rip subpar audio content into exclusive, DRM enabled formats *wink*WiMP/Real*wink*, but ripping DVD's is a task not every casual user will embrace. also, the usefulness of such a device is questionable, as stated before. ... wouldn't it fall under the age old time shifting defense?
the device's saving grace i'd imagine would be TV rips, i could see Sony adding support for the proposed device in their PVRs. as for the legality
i can imagine brainstorming this idea with that loveable bunch of luddites "of course billing kazaa will work! who cares about the x number of other p2p clients out there, i'm sure like, 3 people use them, on their pinko lunix systems. maybe we should ask Dell to install this on everybodies computer, and AOL to add this exciting new feature to its internet!"
MacRumors notes that Kodawrisan was able to identify the G4 as a 7447 (despite Apple hinting at it being a 7457). It seems the only difference between the two is that the 7457 supports an L3 cache (which was noticeably absent from the new PowerBooks and attributed to a new architecture)
you're right, the G5 doesn't support ECC (check the Virginia Tech Supercomputer threads for those complaints ...)
and no, IF you buy the RAM from Apple, the price skyrockets and the Dell and Apple are pretty much evenly priced, but honestly, who the hell would pay those prices? Also, you're probably configuring the Dell for 4x512mb sticks when the G5 config uses 2x1gb, and again the Dell is more expensive.
really though, scratch that and leave the default RAM in and just add aftermarket prices, and you'll see the Dell is still much more expensive (i know i sound like a broken record right about now)
according to PCMAG, the G5 cost $4349 as tested. Using the apple store, i can get that with the 2x1gb RAM modules, superdrive, no bluetooth/wifi, Radeon 9800, and a modem. now, let's configure a similar Dell Precision 650. the review doesn't mention that the Dell has a Radeon VE 32mb, no 56k modem, a 120gb ATA HD (compared with the G5 and its 160gb SATA), and uses DDR266 (compared to the G5 using DDR400, but that can't be blamed on Dell, but the mobo config). According to PCMAG, they were "comparing the results with a similarly configured (and priced) Dell Precision 650 Workstation". Funny how they give the exact price of the G5 and not of the "similarly priced" Dell.
... they don't explain what it is, but they make it obvious that said delay is not experienced on the Mac). According to the story, "on the Windows system, loading the controls often took a minute or more. If these times are added back to the actual test times, both Macintosh computers would have clearly outperformed the Windows-based computer." They don't make a note of it on the actual benchmarks, just the preface.
as you can see, the Dell is $835 more. now, let's try and be objective, something PCMAG disavowed in their introduction saying they took Apple's claims about the speed of the G5 "with a grain of salt". in other words, the test was designed to debunk Apple, thus throwing objectivity out the window.
IF we were to buy the RAM by a third party, drop the 56k modem on the G5, and leave the default video card (which is still better than the Dell), the system would cost $3188 (RAM is DDR400, 512mb+1gb on pricewatch). The Dell would cost $4057 (again, with RAM from pricewatch). That would make it $869 more.
On top of that, PCMAG admits to not taking into account a certain loading time (for controls
so if anything should be taken with a grain of salt, it's PCMAG.
You've got to listen to me. Elementary chaos theory tells us that all robots will eventually turn against their masters and run amok in an orgy of blood and kicking and the biting with the metal teeth and the hurting and shoving.
Well, everyone says that, but in the end gets a bootleg instead. Me? I only buy albums i truely enjoy, based on band loyalty. Even if i have it readily available for free, its good to support the artists you like.
"Not without an act of God" or one of the supreme court ;)
While MS is still allowed to bundle applications, there will never be any war, be it browser, chat clients, media players, and whatever the hell else they bundle in XP nowadays. Consumers want simplicity, they dont care about power features, they dont mind if IE is slower than Opera and Mozilla, in much the same way people dont care about their cars much other than gas mileage and crash tests.
Simply put, the overwhelming number of causal PC over users will determine which software will lead, and as long as IE is built in, things are not going to change.
Well, I am pretty sure the supreme court already judged a similar case, putting the precedent which should be used to fight of this new threat. The judge argued that there was no legal obligation to pay the artist, because the artist had already gotten royalties from the original sale. CD's are a product, itellectual property, true, but in the end, you are paying for it much the same way you would pay for a table lamp. Demanding you to pay a percentage of the price on the used product is as preposterous as the lamp maker demanding a cut of the sale :/