I got a Palm Tungsten C last September, and to be honest, I can't imagine not having a PDA any more. Not only do I keep all my errands, meetings, social events, and contacts on it, the built-in keyboard makes it very practical for taking notes in meetings and writing significant tomes. Plus, there's the usual assortment of games, photos, and ebooks/RSS readers. I don't even have a craving for a laptop any more, as my Palm handles all those needs perfectly.
But now that my needs are met, I have zero motivation to go out and buy another one. I plan on using my current PDA until it breaks into little rusty pieces, but hopefully that won't be for a while. In the interim, what do I need another PDA for?
Re:Why are there so many Apple stories on here?
on
DIY Mac mini Overclocking
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· Score: 2, Insightful
I'm a hardcore computer nerd, but this Apple news isn't the slightest bit interesting to me.
Let's see: the resurrection of NeXTSTEP, the blissful marriage of open source with corporate proprietary technology, a rallying point against the Microsoft hedgonomy, a desktop UNIX that your grandmother can use, a box with a groundbreaking price-point and footprint, and definite proof that geeks can have style, and you have zero interest whatsoever?
The definition of "hardcore computer nerd" must be very lax in your neck of the woods.
I think this is a result of the open competition between manufacturers, and as longa s Mac's are the toy of a single company, they will always lack this aspect of providing what the customers REALLY want or need, but only what the company is willing to provide.
Actually, I think this is the result of Windows users who are emotionally insecure, and willing to clutch at any straws they can to reassure themselves their rig is "better" than a Mac.
I have yet to hear an iPod owner say, "It's a hassle to use, but damn if it doesn't look cool." Have you? Or are you just pulling your stereotypes of iPod owners out of your posterior?
Any moron can invent an MP3 player. Just look at all the cheapjack no-name players from Asia.
It takes an Apple to invent a better MP3 player -- one that's so easy to use, all you have to do is plug it into your computer and it essentially does everything else.
I don't think Apple does much innovation of that kind anymore. They seem to have taken another track to the typical "lead, follow, or..." paradigm: taking something that exists, and making it better and easier.
Apple boxes are way too high priced for what you get, IMHO and the opinions of ALOT of people.
Too bad for you that prices aren't set by opinion alone.
As the saying goes, you get what you paid for. If you buy cheap, don't complain at the cheap security that lets your PC get buried under an avalanche of trojans and spyware...
The sheer number of people that are recommending it demonstrates something: There is a demand for multiple-buttons, scrollies, and basically enhanced pointer device functionality on Apple laptops....among the nerd readership of Slashdot.
How much demand there is for this functionality exists outside of the geek marketplace is another matter.
Would I be trolling if I say that I think Jef Raskin is totally overrated? He likes to promote himself as the "creator of the Macintosh" and an expert in optimal user interfaces, but let's remember that he opposed the use of GUIs, and believe that the "optimal" user interface involves chording combinations of arcane keystrokes. Just read the description of Raskin's [url=http://www.jagshouse.com/swyft.html]Canon Cat,[/url] then compare it to your favorite user interfaces, and realize how way off-base Raskin is.
To be fair, Jef does have some nice ideas, such that a computer should turn on instantly, and that commands across different applications should be consistent. But hey, we've already got [url=http://www.apple.com/ibook/]computers that do that.[/url]
The worship of Jef Raskin as some sort of unparalleled visionary has no basis in reality.
To be fair to Steve, he did insist the key developers sign the inside of the case, and they did receive free Macs after the presentation (see the already-cited folklore.org site).
And if that's still not good enough, let's note that Andy Hertzfeld himself has given Steve Jobs the mantle of Father of the Macintosh:
"But ultimately, if any single individual deserves the honor, I would have to cast my vote for the obvious choice, Steve Jobs, because the Macintosh never would have happened without him, in anything like the form it did. Other individuals are responsible for the actual creative work, but Steve's vision, passion for excellence and sheer strength of will, not to mention his awesome powers of persuasion, drove the team to meet or exceed the impossible standards that we set for ourselves. Steve already gets a lot of credit for being the driving force behind the Macintosh, but in my opinion, it's very well deserved."
According to Andy Hertzfield, all of the stuff was done on the Mac, except for the "Chariots of Fire." The software team cheated, however, by using a Mac with 256K of RAM instead of the stock 128K.
Slashdot Mirror
I got a Palm Tungsten C last September, and to be honest, I can't imagine not having a PDA any more. Not only do I keep all my errands, meetings, social events, and contacts on it, the built-in keyboard makes it very practical for taking notes in meetings and writing significant tomes. Plus, there's the usual assortment of games, photos, and ebooks/RSS readers. I don't even have a craving for a laptop any more, as my Palm handles all those needs perfectly.
But now that my needs are met, I have zero motivation to go out and buy another one. I plan on using my current PDA until it breaks into little rusty pieces, but hopefully that won't be for a while. In the interim, what do I need another PDA for?
I'm a hardcore computer nerd, but this Apple news isn't the slightest bit interesting to me.
Let's see: the resurrection of NeXTSTEP, the blissful marriage of open source with corporate proprietary technology, a rallying point against the Microsoft hedgonomy, a desktop UNIX that your grandmother can use, a box with a groundbreaking price-point and footprint, and definite proof that geeks can have style, and you have zero interest whatsoever?
The definition of "hardcore computer nerd" must be very lax in your neck of the woods.
I think this is a result of the open competition between manufacturers, and as longa s Mac's are the toy of a single company, they will always lack this aspect of providing what the customers REALLY want or need, but only what the company is willing to provide.
Actually, I think this is the result of Windows users who are emotionally insecure, and willing to clutch at any straws they can to reassure themselves their rig is "better" than a Mac.
It's impossible to have any sense of shame after you've sold your soul.
I have yet to hear an iPod owner say, "It's a hassle to use, but damn if it doesn't look cool." Have you? Or are you just pulling your stereotypes of iPod owners out of your posterior?
I don't think there's a difference in Bill Gates' mind.
Any moron can invent an MP3 player. Just look at all the cheapjack no-name players from Asia.
It takes an Apple to invent a better MP3 player -- one that's so easy to use, all you have to do is plug it into your computer and it essentially does everything else.
That is why the iPod is a raging success.
I don't think Apple does much innovation of that kind anymore. They seem to have taken another track to the typical "lead, follow, or..." paradigm: taking something that exists, and making it better and easier.
There, I fixed that for you.
Yes but maybe Microsoft understands that one of the tools to competion is understanding why your opponents are ahead.
This is a joke, right? In Microsoft's entire history, their responses to a competitive threat are:
1. Buy 'em out.
2. Stomp 'em out.
There's nothing in there about "understanding"; all problems are nails, and they've got a sledgehammer.
What's really pissing off MS right now is that none of these tactics will work w/r/t Apple and the iPod.
Less than what you'd have to spend for a Windows PC that can run Final Cut Pro.
Apple boxes are way too high priced for what you get, IMHO and the opinions of ALOT of people.
Too bad for you that prices aren't set by opinion alone.
As the saying goes, you get what you paid for. If you buy cheap, don't complain at the cheap security that lets your PC get buried under an avalanche of trojans and spyware...
The sheer number of people that are recommending it demonstrates something: There is a demand for multiple-buttons, scrollies, and basically enhanced pointer device functionality on Apple laptops. ...among the nerd readership of Slashdot.
How much demand there is for this functionality exists outside of the geek marketplace is another matter.
Uh, dude - get it right.
Apple bought the rights to the Xerox PARC stuff. Couple'a million shares of stock, IIRC.
"Copied" is what Microsoft did.
IIRC, the NeXT had three-button mice, and Steve Jobs' head didn't explode from the experience.
Not that this would stop the one-mice-button trolls...
"Granted Shark Tale didn't do quite as well, but I think people recognize that Dreamworks' animated releases are consistently high quality."
They do? Aside from the Shrek movies and The Prince of Egypt, I can't think of a Dreamworks Animated movie worth a damn.
In contrast, everything Pixar has done has been golden.
Those "Apple" ads are for an Apple third-party retailer, not for Apple.
Compare the ads to Apple's corporate web site. Totally different style and aesthetic.
Too bad the Dell doesn't come with XP.
Would I be trolling if I say that I think Jef Raskin is totally overrated? He likes to promote himself as the "creator of the Macintosh" and an expert in optimal user interfaces, but let's remember that he opposed the use of GUIs, and believe that the "optimal" user interface involves chording combinations of arcane keystrokes. Just read the description of Raskin's [url=http://www.jagshouse.com/swyft.html]Canon Cat,[/url] then compare it to your favorite user interfaces, and realize how way off-base Raskin is.
To be fair, Jef does have some nice ideas, such that a computer should turn on instantly, and that commands across different applications should be consistent. But hey, we've already got [url=http://www.apple.com/ibook/]computers that do that.[/url]
The worship of Jef Raskin as some sort of unparalleled visionary has no basis in reality.
You lose the bet. According to Andy Hertzfeld, it was written by Steve Hayden, the same guy who conceived of the "1984" commercial.
To be fair to Steve, he did insist the key developers sign the inside of the case, and they did receive free Macs after the presentation (see the already-cited folklore.org site).
And if that's still not good enough, let's note that Andy Hertzfeld himself has given Steve Jobs the mantle of Father of the Macintosh:
"But ultimately, if any single individual deserves the honor, I would have to cast my vote for the obvious choice, Steve Jobs, because the Macintosh never would have happened without him, in anything like the form it did. Other individuals are responsible for the actual creative work, but Steve's vision, passion for excellence and sheer strength of will, not to mention his awesome powers of persuasion, drove the team to meet or exceed the impossible standards that we set for ourselves. Steve already gets a lot of credit for being the driving force behind the Macintosh, but in my opinion, it's very well deserved."
I don't think a Bittorrent client comes in the native OS install for Windows, does it?
According to Andy Hertzfield, all of the stuff was done on the Mac, except for the "Chariots of Fire." The software team cheated, however, by using a Mac with 256K of RAM instead of the stock 128K.
When he's sitting at the computer, I imagine the USB port is easier to reach than the wall plug is.
The only reason he's given so far in this thread is, "I'm too scared to learn a new (easy to use, UNIX-based, highly supported) OS."
Color me unsympathetic to his "dilemna."
My niche is "a computer that always works reliably."
Macs fill that very nicely.