That codec they showed off looked cool... H.264?
on
Mac mini All About Movies?
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· Score: 2, Interesting
They were messing around with some open codec at one of the keynotes (I think it was the one where they first showed Tiger). Looked like it would be cool for streaming. Same quality as divx at half the size? Something like that?
Coming from x86, they will seem remarkably fast at some stuff, and kinda pokey at others. I have a 1.33 in my laptop and it's quite tollerable. I think the processor speeds are a comfortable fit for the hardware. If you're thinking net-appliance or a casual workstation, it's cool. Get a lot of RAM.
A friend of mine had a pair of these and I tried them out... They're a little awkward at first cuz they go pretty deep in your ear, however its like having a "line-in" jack on the back of your head. The frequency response is amazing and they block out most of the sound around you (anything that you can't hear with your ears plugged).
He stuck it to the man big time. They gave him his phone call at the police station, but he gave them a bogus number. They put a metal plate over the keypad so he couldn't hack them.... OR SO THEY THOUGHT: He hung up and dialed his hacker buddy with the reciever. What a HACKER!
I believe this character was modeled after Kevin Mitnick, who could negotiate modem connections and send data (ie. hack your planet) using only his mouth and a phone.
Yeah, whatever. Any platform as long as it's not windows. If you're nice enough to build and install a system for someone, that's cool. I'm not that nice. I'll tell them where to take their money and spend it on a system free of headaches.
I too hated Macs 6 years ago. OS9 was horrid. These days things are different. I switched from x86/Linux to Mac after using them at work long enough to realize all my Linux crap compiled under OSX just fine. I could run it side by side with the Mac counterparts of the various commercial apps I had to occasionally reboot into Windows for. Plus it was less effort to maintain than Linux, which is good cuz I'm getting lazier.
Testimonial aside, the point of my post was to convince others to stop trying to make Windows work. If you're not *forced* to use it, then don't. Use something else. Life will be easier.
I dont think the mac mini is targeted at those wanting the cheapest, most expandable pc they can get, and don't care what OS it runs.
I think it's geared towards a couple niche markets: someone who's pissed off with windows to the point of junking their PC and replacing it with a mac (perhaps by the advice of a relative/friend who's sick of dealing with their windows problems for them). Also, for those wanting a net appliance (think cobalt qube). Lastly, for those curious about OS X and/or macs in general, but not ready to make the full switch to the platform. Training wheels for a real mac, could run side by side with their existing PC (KVM switch or control it over network).
Apple's a premium brand and will be for the forseeable future. I can get just as drunk on miller high life as I can on newcastle, but I still prefer the newcastle and will pay the extra money for it. Can you dig it?
The platform still plays a key role, simply by the processes it uses for various tasks, like installing an application. The process can have security as a result, even if the user is an idiot.
My weak analogy: Accidents on a roadway with no signs, lanes markings, or traffic laws could simply be blamed on "bad drivers". However, having lanes and laws to dictate the driving process, help reduce the likelyhood of even bad drivers getting in an accident.
If it were only popularity causing an OS to be targeted, then my plan to switch folks to Mac could blow up in my face when Mac is the most popular platform in the world, which should happen roughly.... never.
It seems like every slashdot link I click on, I have to coral-ize myself. Can we all just start supplying these when submitting articles? The world would be a better place.:-)
Uh, you could always drop the platform for Mac instead. For the average home internet user who is using software with Mac counterparts (web, email, office...) this is not a bad idea. I switched my stuff and my parents too, and for the past 2 years the only effect all this spyware/worms/etc has had on me is cluttering up my news headlines, occasionally I get an inbox full of worms when one is rampant on the campus network.
Honestly, there really is no excuse to stick with Windows unless there's some mission-critical program that is vital to your business needs or something. It's just not an enjoyable user experience to begin with, and security/viruses/spyware/adware is enough to make it a real pain in the ass. Just switch folks, it's easier than you think.
These questions aren't asked in Japan...
on
Oh! Super Toaster!
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· Score: 1
They make more money selling hardware than they would make from licensing it. Allowing clones would undermine their business model.
The reason you're seeing Apple develop all these cool things, is not because they're getting away from the hardware market. These products (iPod, iLife, OS X, etc.) are all designed to help SELL MORE MACS, and it appears to be working. They're showing that Macs are more than a different platform, it's a lifestyle. Much like BMW/Volkswagon advertise that their cars will change the way you feel about driving.
I've done a few projects using Smarty. It's pretty nifty, keeps all your markup separate from your code... It has some simple flow control stuff in it that makes the code nice and clean too.
Recently, I've been using this to serve up XUL and it works remarkably well.
We have a company that refuses to use an open standard, or even simply to license their technology to other companies, in order to leverage the huge market share they have in one area to boost sales in an other area.
OSX, at it's core, is quite standards compliant (after all, it's a flavour of UNIX running some very common OSS), so I know you're not complaining about that.
Your comment is probably about iTunes/iPod/ITMS. Let me explain this carefully: APPLE IS A HARDWARE COMPANY. They are not in the business of designing free music players just to take a bath on the development cost. Every software product, every service that Apple offers, is designed to sell more Apple hardware.
And honestly, who starts a giant torrent tracker full of pirate software and doesn't expect legal hassles from it?
Slashdot Mirror
CORAL link for this article.
well, I tried...
They were messing around with some open codec at one of the keynotes (I think it was the one where they first showed Tiger). Looked like it would be cool for streaming. Same quality as divx at half the size? Something like that?
why is it that every time I get mod points there's nothing like this around?
Seriously, I just use all my mod points modding down other people with "get a free mac mini" sigs.
Apple makes a snazzy bluetooth keyboard and mouse. To connect to your TV, you should get a DVI to Component cable or adapter. Something like these:
Adapter
Cable (I would get this)
Coming from x86, they will seem remarkably fast at some stuff, and kinda pokey at others. I have a 1.33 in my laptop and it's quite tollerable. I think the processor speeds are a comfortable fit for the hardware. If you're thinking net-appliance or a casual workstation, it's cool. Get a lot of RAM.
eom
A friend of mine had a pair of these and I tried them out... They're a little awkward at first cuz they go pretty deep in your ear, however its like having a "line-in" jack on the back of your head. The frequency response is amazing and they block out most of the sound around you (anything that you can't hear with your ears plugged).
He stuck it to the man big time. They gave him his phone call at the police station, but he gave them a bogus number. They put a metal plate over the keypad so he couldn't hack them.... OR SO THEY THOUGHT: He hung up and dialed his hacker buddy with the reciever. What a HACKER!
I believe this character was modeled after Kevin Mitnick, who could negotiate modem connections and send data (ie. hack your planet) using only his mouth and a phone.
Yeah, whatever. Any platform as long as it's not windows. If you're nice enough to build and install a system for someone, that's cool. I'm not that nice. I'll tell them where to take their money and spend it on a system free of headaches.
I too hated Macs 6 years ago. OS9 was horrid. These days things are different. I switched from x86/Linux to Mac after using them at work long enough to realize all my Linux crap compiled under OSX just fine. I could run it side by side with the Mac counterparts of the various commercial apps I had to occasionally reboot into Windows for. Plus it was less effort to maintain than Linux, which is good cuz I'm getting lazier.
Testimonial aside, the point of my post was to convince others to stop trying to make Windows work. If you're not *forced* to use it, then don't. Use something else. Life will be easier.
end-of-message.
c'mon, you gotta give it up for that.
I dont think the mac mini is targeted at those wanting the cheapest, most expandable pc they can get, and don't care what OS it runs.
I think it's geared towards a couple niche markets: someone who's pissed off with windows to the point of junking their PC and replacing it with a mac (perhaps by the advice of a relative/friend who's sick of dealing with their windows problems for them). Also, for those wanting a net appliance (think cobalt qube). Lastly, for those curious about OS X and/or macs in general, but not ready to make the full switch to the platform. Training wheels for a real mac, could run side by side with their existing PC (KVM switch or control it over network).
Apple's a premium brand and will be for the forseeable future. I can get just as drunk on miller high life as I can on newcastle, but I still prefer the newcastle and will pay the extra money for it. Can you dig it?
The platform still plays a key role, simply by the processes it uses for various tasks, like installing an application. The process can have security as a result, even if the user is an idiot.
My weak analogy: Accidents on a roadway with no signs, lanes markings, or traffic laws could simply be blamed on "bad drivers". However, having lanes and laws to dictate the driving process, help reduce the likelyhood of even bad drivers getting in an accident.
If it were only popularity causing an OS to be targeted, then my plan to switch folks to Mac could blow up in my face when Mac is the most popular platform in the world, which should happen roughly.... never.
It seems like every slashdot link I click on, I have to coral-ize myself. Can we all just start supplying these when submitting articles? The world would be a better place. :-)
Uh, you could always drop the platform for Mac instead. For the average home internet user who is using software with Mac counterparts (web, email, office...) this is not a bad idea. I switched my stuff and my parents too, and for the past 2 years the only effect all this spyware/worms/etc has had on me is cluttering up my news headlines, occasionally I get an inbox full of worms when one is rampant on the campus network.
Honestly, there really is no excuse to stick with Windows unless there's some mission-critical program that is vital to your business needs or something. It's just not an enjoyable user experience to begin with, and security/viruses/spyware/adware is enough to make it a real pain in the ass. Just switch folks, it's easier than you think.
...when making any consumer electronics device.
...$6,400 fine for every copy distributed without copyright owner's permission.
Luckily, there were no downloads of these fine films.
...think the older one was better.
You don't need fancy electronic guns to have your armed uprising destroyed by a nuclear blast.
They make more money selling hardware than they would make from licensing it. Allowing clones would undermine their business model.
The reason you're seeing Apple develop all these cool things, is not because they're getting away from the hardware market. These products (iPod, iLife, OS X, etc.) are all designed to help SELL MORE MACS, and it appears to be working. They're showing that Macs are more than a different platform, it's a lifestyle. Much like BMW/Volkswagon advertise that their cars will change the way you feel about driving.
Not that the two can't be the same, but just something to think about :-)
LAND OF THE FREE INDEED.
I've done a few projects using Smarty. It's pretty nifty, keeps all your markup separate from your code... It has some simple flow control stuff in it that makes the code nice and clean too.
Recently, I've been using this to serve up XUL and it works remarkably well.
We have a company that refuses to use an open standard, or even simply to license their technology to other companies, in order to leverage the huge market share they have in one area to boost sales in an other area.
OSX, at it's core, is quite standards compliant (after all, it's a flavour of UNIX running some very common OSS), so I know you're not complaining about that.
Your comment is probably about iTunes/iPod/ITMS. Let me explain this carefully: APPLE IS A HARDWARE COMPANY. They are not in the business of designing free music players just to take a bath on the development cost. Every software product, every service that Apple offers, is designed to sell more Apple hardware.
And honestly, who starts a giant torrent tracker full of pirate software and doesn't expect legal hassles from it?