Apple won't dump the Click Wheel yet. Just because Apple patented the scroll strips doesn't mean it'll be the next big thing. Anyone remember when Apple patented a tablet design? Everyone went nuts saying "the iTablet will be announced at the next MacWorld." I have yet to see an iTablet. Have any of you seen an iTablet yet? Didn't think so.
I decided to have some fun with Monolingual (http://monolingual.sourceforge.net/), after reading your comment. After stripping out the unneccessary localizations, FF2 for OS X is 50.2 MB. After stripping out PowerPC G5, G5 64-bit, Intel and Intel 64-bit architectures (keeping previous generations because I have some apps that were compiled for G3s and earlier that I'd like to keep functioning) and retaining PowerPC, PPC G3, G4, G4+, was 30.6 MB. I expect that if I were to remove PPC/G3/G4 (I use a G4+) I would find my FireFox to be even smaller.
Thing to remember is that these are precompiled binaries, built to function anywhere. Binaries compiled on-system (from source) are most likely significantly smaller (depended on how efficiently they're coded that is)
Other notes: On the whole, I recovered about 1.1 GB by removing un-utilized localizations, and around 4.1 GB in unused architectures. There's definitely some bloat in the software, but that's what you get with a multi-architecture system. I expect if more Windows apps had 64-bit binaries included, we'd see (more) bloat there. Big thing to remember: Apple is in the trailing edge of the PowerPC-x86 transition, we can't expect them to abandon PPC all of a sudden.
For a GUI version that does more than just that, try Monolingual, which identifies your architecture and offers to strip out incompatible binary data, and also offers to strip out unused locales.
I know that Apache, NFSd, possibly PHP are installed by default, but GCC and other compiler toys are installed separately, but provided by Apple, usually on the OS disc. They're in the XCode Tools, but they're all there. Apple even gives you the option to download the latest versions of XCode for free, all you have to do is sign up through Apple's Developer Connection (free registration) and sit through the two gigabyte download. But given that this is FIRST PARTY support, that's damn good. I actually kind of like it how the developer tools are separately installed, because if I was an average luser, I'd be PISSED if I lost 2-3 GB on tools I never use.
I'm vaguely reminded of of a Wired article on lock picking. If I remember correctly, a Dutch lock pick had developed a method of breaking open a Master Lock bike lock (the kind that used a round key) using a ballpoint pen. Master Lock was really miffed over this, but the lock pick's response was that pretending that the security hole didn't exist didn't make anyone any safer. All he did was bring it into the public's eye.
This is just like that case. Just revamp security, and no more issue. It's not like this guy has devoted his life to cracking the security of North West's Boarding Passes. Speaking as a former employee of North West Airlines, there are A LOT of security holes. We're pretty secure, but there are plenty of ways of making a total mess out of things, such as hiding things in an electric wheel chair. Last I checked, those things weren't scanned or anything, and they're MANDATED to be put on the same flight as the passenger. We took a 25 minute hit (the flight left 25 minutes late) shoving a gigantic wheelchair into a DC-9 that was almost too large to fit in the cargo bin, and weighed at least 200 lbs (I'm not exaggerating). With a little foresight, it wouldn't have been too hard to hide things inside of the wheelchair. Assuming it has dry cell batteries, we won't remove them, and the wheelchair will always be put upright in the bin.
How's THAT for security?
My personal preference (though I understand why people disagree) is for rechargeable batteries. I find it nice to not have to buy batteries for my shiny new game unit, and consider it nice that it's included. Sure, you can use rechargeable AAs with the GP2X, but unless you have a stockpile, you have to pay extra for them.
Again, that's just my opinion. It's not like everyone has to feel and think the same things I do. (P.S. Note how I mentioned that this was controversially a flaw, and that many flamewars have gotten started over this topic)
Yeah, but FileVault is different. FileVault just encrypts your Home directory, this doesn't include parts of the operating system, libraries, or applications. Encrypting those will definitely slow things down. Interesting side note: My iBook claims I need 4084 GB free to encrypt my 23 GB Home directory.
But this brings up an interesting issue. With the new Dual-Core processors (like those used in the MacBooks), what kind of performance hit do people take with their usual usage? One core decrypts, one executes code. Theoretically, aside from waiting for code to be decrypted, there shouldn't be a big hit on speed at all.
What? You mean the GP2X? I mean, it's TOTALLY hacked these days, what with USB Host Mode, WiFi drivers, Qtopia, GPS, etc. Plus, did I mention it has a decent library of games, and has good progress with emulation (at least, with the big consoles from the fourth generation/16-bit era). There's plenty of toys to go around, and at $169, it's not too badly priced. Did I mention that it hooks up to a TV, uses SecureDigital cards, runs a Linux kernel, and has built-in media capabilities rivaling the PSP?
The only big flaw with the console is, and this is a highly controversial point that has sparked many a flamewar, the fact that it runs off of AA batteries instead of a rechargeable one.
With the keyboard what-what? I've never had a problem with my keyboard (except for the A, S, and C rubbing off after two years of use).
Besides, 150F isn't THAT high for the CPU die. Consistently, the rest of the machine operates at a lower temperature. And it's not because of the keyboard, I expect, but rather more to do with the fact that this is a laptop we're talking about. Crack one of those iBooks open some time (I did, when I replaced my hard disk). There's not a lot of room for ventilation in there, and only one fan about three quarters of an inch in diameter. THAT is why they get that hot.
You know, I'd love to see if someone could develop a similar app for the PowerPC-based Macs (iBooks, PowerBooks, etc.) because while I can still use my laptop when it tops out at 150F, I'd love that fan to kick in a little lower. Let's face it, when you have a big lithium ion brick in a small, carefully (and barely) ventilated box with a hit metal block, wouldn't YOU like to keep that battery cooler?
iBook G4 user speaking here. On low load, battery power only, my iBook G4 (29 months old, 1 GHz) runs between 90F and 100F depending on the surface and under-machine ventilation (as you can imagine, your body heat helps your laptop get a little hotter. That's the Processor Die, specifically. On wall power, pulling 100% load for a while, the machine hits 150F (Again, processor die). That's when the fan kicks in. However, even at that temperature, I have no problem putting the thing on my lap. However, I wouldn't mind being able to have the fan kick in at a lower temperature, such as 130F.
I'd have to say that what's going on is unusual for a higher education institution. I've been on three college campuses, and none of them have done this. One was a community college, another was a statue university, the third is now private. Mind you, they do block ports for most P2P, and severely throttle down anything with.torrent in the name. However, they don't block anything outright.
Since the majority of the comments seem to be off-topic, I thought I'd start my own thread and get my 2 in.
When I was in high school, a couple years ago, we were told all bout TurnItIn.com, and what it did, and how it did it. The biggest thing was that we weren't given an option. And the classes that did use this were actually the ones with teachers who cared about us, and probably trusted us the most to not cheat. So, I'm not sure if this was his decision to use it, or if it was the school's/district's.
Either way, we weren't given the option of this. After our paper went into the machine, we had no clue what happened to it, or if it was even read by a hyumahn or not. Either way, I'm against total reliance on one system like this, for all schools. If all the schools in the United States, or the majority at least, were to rely on this, what kind of impact would it have should the system crash and have one or two days of maintenance before it comes back up (however unlikely that is, though a DDoS is possible)?
As far as the students ethics go, I find it rather... entertaining. I think they know so many things are done in the name of Intellectual Property that perhaps it's time they shows some of the absurdness of it all. Sort of like piracy: someone's going to figure out how to record that show and share it on the internet.
Oh, by the way, in case you're interested, anyone remember the Fake Paper Detector, created to detect papers put together with a script? It flagged one of my blog entries I feed through it for fun (complaining about the sorry state of Ubuntu/PPC before they cleaned it up) as being 66% likely to be fake. Just how infallible IS TurnItIn.Com, I wonder? Does anyone even know?
TiVo is (or was supposed to, at least) do it EXACTLY THE WAY YOU SAID. Additional data is sent to your TiVo, and when you fast forward over an ad, a mini-ad pop-up was displayed on screen.
...Yes, I'm grasping the concept you're trying to explain. I grasped it the first time you mentioned it. What I'm trying to say is that I think TiVo is already doing that.
You mean what TiVo does now? I think TiVo was going to do that. I think they actually did it, but I might be wrong (I don't own TiVo, proud owner of MythTV)
Yeah, but you're missing the point. I don't want to spend $60 on an overglorified box with a fan. I'd rather do what this guy wants to do: start my fan at a lower temperature (say, 125F instead of 150F), so that I can keep my laptop at a lower temperature.
Besides, the last thing I want is to have to carry around more junk with my laptop, let alone another thing that requires MORE batteries or another power cord.
You'll notice that only the Windows version of VPC is free. Mac users still have to shell out. True, VPC for Mac isn't exactly virtualization (it's straight up emulation), but it's all pretty much buzz words (Yes, I know what the difference is), when you consider that the two products accomplish the same task, and have the same name.
I'm all for change, but it might as well be legitimate. At least the "Linux will eventually rule the world" articles are longer than 240 words, have some real analysis, and/or some known personality whose opinion has some weight.
I know. I'm sorry. I'm such a n00b. I'm just so used to how things are done at "legitimate" news sites, I.. I stepped out of line. I'm sorry, and I promise I'll never do it again.
(Dons the American Flag Pin of Resist Logic +12) My fellow Slashdotians, I promise lower taxes, better schools, safer borders, a budget surplus, and free little flags for everyone!
Uhh, you go play a Pinball game for your X360. Then go to your local arcade, or bowling alley, or movie theater, or airport, or whatever, and try a real pinball machine. THAT'S gaming. None of that pseduo-3D pinball, where they use reflective overlays, but I mean a real pinball machine with a real metal ball and real electric switches. At the airport where we work, we have a Lord of the Rings pinball machine, designed old school. It makes noises, uses digitized voice samples, FM synthesized music, flashing lights, multi-ball, the whole nine yards. Nothing comes close to that in your own home... unless you want to buy a whole pinball machine.
Overall, it's been my experience that there's just something about an arcade. The flashing lights, the noise, the fact that if you start doing really really well, people might actually stop and watch for a bit. I own a copy of Crazy Taxi, DDR Max 2, Soul Calibur 2, but I've freely and willing plunked down cash on all of those games in an arcade. I don't have a huge plastic seat with speakers blasting behind my head, with a force-feedback wheel at home. Nor do I have a pair of huge metal dance pads, complete with an oversized speaker set with lights, and (if you're willing to count the Pump It Up cabinets) the large rear display screens. And while I have an arcade stick, I don't have a stand-up cabinet with a customized button configuration with most of the important combos overlayed around my screen.
Nor would I want to. For that kind of experience, I'd have to pay thousands upon thousands of dollars (not to mention all the space that would consume). I'd have to customize things for each game. I'm not made of money. If I was real Soul Calibur nut, I'd buy an official arcade stick, but I know that once Final Fantasy XIII comes out, the arcade stick and cabinet configuration isn't going to cut it. Home consoles are arcade machines made to function for any game. Because all of the customization has been ripped out, and you need to manually add it back in for every game (and need to buy the parts), it's not going to match the arcade experience and be affordable.
I'll spend $20 in an arcade, sure, but I won't spend $2,000 to have that same experience at home for just that one game.
Slashdot Mirror
Apple won't dump the Click Wheel yet. Just because Apple patented the scroll strips doesn't mean it'll be the next big thing. Anyone remember when Apple patented a tablet design? Everyone went nuts saying "the iTablet will be announced at the next MacWorld." I have yet to see an iTablet. Have any of you seen an iTablet yet? Didn't think so.
Thing to remember is that these are precompiled binaries, built to function anywhere. Binaries compiled on-system (from source) are most likely significantly smaller (depended on how efficiently they're coded that is)
Other notes: On the whole, I recovered about 1.1 GB by removing un-utilized localizations, and around 4.1 GB in unused architectures. There's definitely some bloat in the software, but that's what you get with a multi-architecture system. I expect if more Windows apps had 64-bit binaries included, we'd see (more) bloat there. Big thing to remember: Apple is in the trailing edge of the PowerPC-x86 transition, we can't expect them to abandon PPC all of a sudden.
For a GUI version that does more than just that, try Monolingual, which identifies your architecture and offers to strip out incompatible binary data, and also offers to strip out unused locales.
I know that Apache, NFSd, possibly PHP are installed by default, but GCC and other compiler toys are installed separately, but provided by Apple, usually on the OS disc. They're in the XCode Tools, but they're all there. Apple even gives you the option to download the latest versions of XCode for free, all you have to do is sign up through Apple's Developer Connection (free registration) and sit through the two gigabyte download. But given that this is FIRST PARTY support, that's damn good. I actually kind of like it how the developer tools are separately installed, because if I was an average luser, I'd be PISSED if I lost 2-3 GB on tools I never use.
:
I r a kriminal?
I'm vaguely reminded of of a Wired article on lock picking. If I remember correctly, a Dutch lock pick had developed a method of breaking open a Master Lock bike lock (the kind that used a round key) using a ballpoint pen. Master Lock was really miffed over this, but the lock pick's response was that pretending that the security hole didn't exist didn't make anyone any safer. All he did was bring it into the public's eye. This is just like that case. Just revamp security, and no more issue. It's not like this guy has devoted his life to cracking the security of North West's Boarding Passes. Speaking as a former employee of North West Airlines, there are A LOT of security holes. We're pretty secure, but there are plenty of ways of making a total mess out of things, such as hiding things in an electric wheel chair. Last I checked, those things weren't scanned or anything, and they're MANDATED to be put on the same flight as the passenger. We took a 25 minute hit (the flight left 25 minutes late) shoving a gigantic wheelchair into a DC-9 that was almost too large to fit in the cargo bin, and weighed at least 200 lbs (I'm not exaggerating). With a little foresight, it wouldn't have been too hard to hide things inside of the wheelchair. Assuming it has dry cell batteries, we won't remove them, and the wheelchair will always be put upright in the bin. How's THAT for security?
Again, that's just my opinion. It's not like everyone has to feel and think the same things I do. (P.S. Note how I mentioned that this was controversially a flaw, and that many flamewars have gotten started over this topic)
Yeah, but FileVault is different. FileVault just encrypts your Home directory, this doesn't include parts of the operating system, libraries, or applications. Encrypting those will definitely slow things down. Interesting side note: My iBook claims I need 4084 GB free to encrypt my 23 GB Home directory. But this brings up an interesting issue. With the new Dual-Core processors (like those used in the MacBooks), what kind of performance hit do people take with their usual usage? One core decrypts, one executes code. Theoretically, aside from waiting for code to be decrypted, there shouldn't be a big hit on speed at all.
The only big flaw with the console is, and this is a highly controversial point that has sparked many a flamewar, the fact that it runs off of AA batteries instead of a rechargeable one.
Besides, 150F isn't THAT high for the CPU die. Consistently, the rest of the machine operates at a lower temperature. And it's not because of the keyboard, I expect, but rather more to do with the fact that this is a laptop we're talking about. Crack one of those iBooks open some time (I did, when I replaced my hard disk). There's not a lot of room for ventilation in there, and only one fan about three quarters of an inch in diameter. THAT is why they get that hot.
You know, I'd love to see if someone could develop a similar app for the PowerPC-based Macs (iBooks, PowerBooks, etc.) because while I can still use my laptop when it tops out at 150F, I'd love that fan to kick in a little lower. Let's face it, when you have a big lithium ion brick in a small, carefully (and barely) ventilated box with a hit metal block, wouldn't YOU like to keep that battery cooler?
iBook G4 user speaking here. On low load, battery power only, my iBook G4 (29 months old, 1 GHz) runs between 90F and 100F depending on the surface and under-machine ventilation (as you can imagine, your body heat helps your laptop get a little hotter. That's the Processor Die, specifically. On wall power, pulling 100% load for a while, the machine hits 150F (Again, processor die). That's when the fan kicks in. However, even at that temperature, I have no problem putting the thing on my lap. However, I wouldn't mind being able to have the fan kick in at a lower temperature, such as 130F.
I'd have to say that what's going on is unusual for a higher education institution. I've been on three college campuses, and none of them have done this. One was a community college, another was a statue university, the third is now private. Mind you, they do block ports for most P2P, and severely throttle down anything with .torrent in the name. However, they don't block anything outright.
When I was in high school, a couple years ago, we were told all bout TurnItIn.com, and what it did, and how it did it. The biggest thing was that we weren't given an option. And the classes that did use this were actually the ones with teachers who cared about us, and probably trusted us the most to not cheat. So, I'm not sure if this was his decision to use it, or if it was the school's/district's.
Either way, we weren't given the option of this. After our paper went into the machine, we had no clue what happened to it, or if it was even read by a hyumahn or not. Either way, I'm against total reliance on one system like this, for all schools. If all the schools in the United States, or the majority at least, were to rely on this, what kind of impact would it have should the system crash and have one or two days of maintenance before it comes back up (however unlikely that is, though a DDoS is possible)?
As far as the students ethics go, I find it rather... entertaining. I think they know so many things are done in the name of Intellectual Property that perhaps it's time they shows some of the absurdness of it all. Sort of like piracy: someone's going to figure out how to record that show and share it on the internet.
Oh, by the way, in case you're interested, anyone remember the Fake Paper Detector, created to detect papers put together with a script? It flagged one of my blog entries I feed through it for fun (complaining about the sorry state of Ubuntu/PPC before they cleaned it up) as being 66% likely to be fake. Just how infallible IS TurnItIn.Com, I wonder? Does anyone even know?
TiVo is (or was supposed to, at least) do it EXACTLY THE WAY YOU SAID. Additional data is sent to your TiVo, and when you fast forward over an ad, a mini-ad pop-up was displayed on screen.
...Yes, I'm grasping the concept you're trying to explain. I grasped it the first time you mentioned it. What I'm trying to say is that I think TiVo is already doing that.
Yeah, I remember a story on Slashdot (wow! Go figure!) about that. Fast forwarding through commercials would have yielded a box with an ad in it.
You mean what TiVo does now? I think TiVo was going to do that. I think they actually did it, but I might be wrong (I don't own TiVo, proud owner of MythTV)
Still, don't you find it interesting that the only videos of these LINUX powered, OPEN robots, happen to be in WINDOWS-centric, CLOSED formats?
Besides, the last thing I want is to have to carry around more junk with my laptop, let alone another thing that requires MORE batteries or another power cord.
You'll notice that only the Windows version of VPC is free. Mac users still have to shell out. True, VPC for Mac isn't exactly virtualization (it's straight up emulation), but it's all pretty much buzz words (Yes, I know what the difference is), when you consider that the two products accomplish the same task, and have the same name.
I'm all for change, but it might as well be legitimate. At least the "Linux will eventually rule the world" articles are longer than 240 words, have some real analysis, and/or some known personality whose opinion has some weight.
I know. I'm sorry. I'm such a n00b. I'm just so used to how things are done at "legitimate" news sites, I.. I stepped out of line. I'm sorry, and I promise I'll never do it again.
(Dons the American Flag Pin of Resist Logic +12) My fellow Slashdotians, I promise lower taxes, better schools, safer borders, a budget surplus, and free little flags for everyone!
Overall, it's been my experience that there's just something about an arcade. The flashing lights, the noise, the fact that if you start doing really really well, people might actually stop and watch for a bit. I own a copy of Crazy Taxi, DDR Max 2, Soul Calibur 2, but I've freely and willing plunked down cash on all of those games in an arcade. I don't have a huge plastic seat with speakers blasting behind my head, with a force-feedback wheel at home. Nor do I have a pair of huge metal dance pads, complete with an oversized speaker set with lights, and (if you're willing to count the Pump It Up cabinets) the large rear display screens. And while I have an arcade stick, I don't have a stand-up cabinet with a customized button configuration with most of the important combos overlayed around my screen.
Nor would I want to. For that kind of experience, I'd have to pay thousands upon thousands of dollars (not to mention all the space that would consume). I'd have to customize things for each game. I'm not made of money. If I was real Soul Calibur nut, I'd buy an official arcade stick, but I know that once Final Fantasy XIII comes out, the arcade stick and cabinet configuration isn't going to cut it. Home consoles are arcade machines made to function for any game. Because all of the customization has been ripped out, and you need to manually add it back in for every game (and need to buy the parts), it's not going to match the arcade experience and be affordable.
I'll spend $20 in an arcade, sure, but I won't spend $2,000 to have that same experience at home for just that one game.