A lot of universities in my area had a big Apple promotion where you received a free iPod Mini with the purchase of a 14" ibook, powerbook, or G5 system. That, coupled with the sweet academic discount, really makes Mac's a favorite among students. I myself am a recent acquirer and I owe a lot of it to the academic discount which saved $300 off the ibook purchase. I'm not really a "convert" though. Still have the dual disk XP, Fedora Core 4.
I think a big reason people do not switch is because it's free. They are suspicious of anything where there is not a fee attached. "How can it be any good if there isn't some big corporate machine behind it?" They might think. It's like people who goto Red Lobster, even when there is a better, cheaper fresh seafood mom and pop restaurant down the street. I've seen people eat the worst dish with a high price tag and grimace, mumbling, "It's good." Another example is in the self-publishing world, you should never give anything away for free because there is no perceived value.
But who does value something free? People who don't have a lot of money? I sometimes wonder why inner city schools aren't using Linux machines rather than getting expensive grants for Apples. How come no one ever evangelizes to the poor? My first experience with Linux (I think it was a little lite thing called Dragon Linux) was because I couldn't afford Windows to put on a whiped Thinkpad I had bought used.
Well you do get what you pay for. Support out of Bangalore, India. I really enjoy re-activating my MS products and spending 30 minutes on the phone explaining how I have my disks partitioned and how I've reinstalled and the damn activation code is like 20 blocks of 6 characters or something.:/
As an implementer of Flash in a business environment, it's important to be able to edit the source files. Too many times I've received a.swf from a client and it is missing something (usually click tracking which has to be embedded, or a URL, or it's too heavy and needs optimization, etc.).
Having the source.fla becomes important. But a lot of "designers" are so full of themselves and their Flash masterpeice getting the.fla is nearly impossible. I guess they're afraid you're going to rip off their wicked script or something. And then you find out they are using a non-macromedia Flash-like application so they do not have.fla files but some other kind of format, which you do not have, nor will invest the time to gownload the free trial because after all you're dealing with 100 advertisers and insertion orders that must go up *today* and if the designer had complied with the specifications in the first place you wouldn't be wasting time back and forth with some snot that thinks they know everything.
Then, they insist on making the needed changes themselves. 3 days are lost while they milk their client (our mutual client who they are creating the artwork for) for more money, and revenue is lost. The mutual client thinks we are being hard headed and unflexible and doesn't understand nor want to hear the whys.
fun times
I know of a local CRT recycler who teamed up with a retail electronics store to be a drop point for old CRT's. For free. The incentive was if you came into the retail electronics store and turned in your monitor, you could get discounts on electronic equipment (including a new monitor). OF course you don't have to buy anything, but it's nice situation as the retail store has many locations.
I remember as a kid being so excited about this and the gold disk inside (just in case). I think it's the first time I had ever heard so many languages spoken at once when watching it on TV.
I guess parents think they are protecting their kids or sheltering them. I wonder if they contemplate violence on TV at night after dinner while they're watching their sex and violence shows? I'm sorry, I meant the cops, mystery, ER, law shows.
I still fail to comprehend exactly why they put the IE render option in the new Netscape
I know. When it came time to check or uncheck that box, I unchecked it because it just didn't feel right. Many people would list the reason they use Firefox and Netscape is because it is *not* IE (among the many reasons you listed). Some people are so adamant that they simply will not use a website that is not compatible. It feels like Netscape is tainted now. Did they do it because they're owned by AOL which has always been a good friend to IE?
I understand what you're saying. But knowing just one peice of Adobe doesn't increase one's employability (at least in a competitive geographical location, like I am).
Back in '97, I taught myself graphics and web stuff. I used cheap, but good, software like Micrographx Picture Publisher and PSP. This worked fine for a long time as any internet company I went to didn't care what tools you used as long as you got the job done. I was laid off a year and a half ago and back in the job market and noticed everything required Photoshop experience, and many job postings required basically the Suite.
So while I do understand your point about learning at home, my perspective is that the monopoly Adobe has on the graphics world makes it such that only people with significant $ to spend on software, can learn it enough to become employable.
I suppose with any educational expense it is the cost of learning and an investment in onself. It just chafes that the choice is Adobe or forget it.
Unfortunately, people are having to know both web and print these days. Kinda like how there used to be a division between web designers and web programmers. Now, employers are expecting people to do both. They get more bang for their buck that way, and graphic designers are a dime a dozen.
I disagree. Corel makes a wonderful graphics suite which I would say is comparable to Photoshop and costs much cheaper. However, finding employment in a US company that uses Corel is very difficult. You *have* to have Photoshop on your resume and toolkit to become gainfully employed. And I don't know why it's ok to be a poor starving artist in the traditional paint and canvas kind of way, but when it comes to anything digital we're expected to be made of money.
I wonder how many sites maintain the "powered by X" at the bottom? It seems a lot of sites seem to want to portray their creation as totally of their own and not even give a nod to the Open Source CMS which they are using.
One of the reasons I liked Mambo is because even though it is not required to have "powered by mambo" in the footer, the Mambo team encourages it (no.5) and it does seem well, proper, to do so.
There just seems to be this thought that anything Diane Warren writes is the best thing. The Enterprise theme is very awful. However, a few eprisodes they did the Alternate (dark/evil/badong) Universe and the them was awesome. So many things improved with the final episodes it makes me resentful - were they holding out?
Oh finally I can override that damn Need for Speed Underground 2 soundtrack!
I wonder how customizable this whole audio set up will be. Will the annoying Holo flavored start menu be replaced and can we play our own music while it sits idle? I'm tired of the creepy sounds.
The Lightsynth is a great addition but I like a simpler Ambient Light. Now, if only the hard drive weren't so loud...
For me, focusing creates a barrier for creativity. When I am sitting upright or standing I am in "active" mode and must be doing something. Also, sitting is a habit of schooling. When you are in school you sit in these rigid desks and are expected to pay full attention to the teacher. There is pressure to produce or perform when sitting at a desk. Desk/sitting = work and tasks.
When I lay down, it gives my brain permission to wander and not focus and I will sit and draw for hours not even knowing what I am drawing or thinking about it - very similar to doodling - and the most amazing drawings emerge. Sometimes I will take those drawings and then sit at my drawing table and work from there after the idea/concept has been firmly realized.
Slashdot Mirror
It's happening on eBay. I'm amazed people would pay that much for something that they know they could get at a regular price after the holidays.
A lot of universities in my area had a big Apple promotion where you received a free iPod Mini with the purchase of a 14" ibook, powerbook, or G5 system. That, coupled with the sweet academic discount, really makes Mac's a favorite among students. I myself am a recent acquirer and I owe a lot of it to the academic discount which saved $300 off the ibook purchase. I'm not really a "convert" though. Still have the dual disk XP, Fedora Core 4.
I think a big reason people do not switch is because it's free. They are suspicious of anything where there is not a fee attached. "How can it be any good if there isn't some big corporate machine behind it?" They might think. It's like people who goto Red Lobster, even when there is a better, cheaper fresh seafood mom and pop restaurant down the street. I've seen people eat the worst dish with a high price tag and grimace, mumbling, "It's good." Another example is in the self-publishing world, you should never give anything away for free because there is no perceived value.
But who does value something free? People who don't have a lot of money? I sometimes wonder why inner city schools aren't using Linux machines rather than getting expensive grants for Apples. How come no one ever evangelizes to the poor? My first experience with Linux (I think it was a little lite thing called Dragon Linux) was because I couldn't afford Windows to put on a whiped Thinkpad I had bought used.
Well you do get what you pay for. Support out of Bangalore, India. I really enjoy re-activating my MS products and spending 30 minutes on the phone explaining how I have my disks partitioned and how I've reinstalled and the damn activation code is like 20 blocks of 6 characters or something. :/
I felt the same way about Snow Crash
As an implementer of Flash in a business environment, it's important to be able to edit the source files. Too many times I've received a .swf from a client and it is missing something (usually click tracking which has to be embedded, or a URL, or it's too heavy and needs optimization, etc.).
Having the source .fla becomes important. But a lot of "designers" are so full of themselves and their Flash masterpeice getting the .fla is nearly impossible. I guess they're afraid you're going to rip off their wicked script or something. And then you find out they are using a non-macromedia Flash-like application so they do not have .fla files but some other kind of format, which you do not have, nor will invest the time to gownload the free trial because after all you're dealing with 100 advertisers and insertion orders that must go up *today* and if the designer had complied with the specifications in the first place you wouldn't be wasting time back and forth with some snot that thinks they know everything.
Then, they insist on making the needed changes themselves. 3 days are lost while they milk their client (our mutual client who they are creating the artwork for) for more money, and revenue is lost. The mutual client thinks we are being hard headed and unflexible and doesn't understand nor want to hear the whys.
fun times
I know of a local CRT recycler who teamed up with a retail electronics store to be a drop point for old CRT's. For free. The incentive was if you came into the retail electronics store and turned in your monitor, you could get discounts on electronic equipment (including a new monitor). OF course you don't have to buy anything, but it's nice situation as the retail store has many locations.
I remember as a kid being so excited about this and the gold disk inside (just in case). I think it's the first time I had ever heard so many languages spoken at once when watching it on TV.
I guess parents think they are protecting their kids or sheltering them. I wonder if they contemplate violence on TV at night after dinner while they're watching their sex and violence shows? I'm sorry, I meant the cops, mystery, ER, law shows.
In my opinion, sometimes doing something that isn't practical or "valid" leads to creativity and discovery.
I found his rationale compelling
Rationale and Goals of this project (a little over half way down the page)
Are you a big Wal-mart goer or something?
What does one call a Wal-mart goer anyhow? A Wal-martian?
just trying to lighten up
I know. When it came time to check or uncheck that box, I unchecked it because it just didn't feel right. Many people would list the reason they use Firefox and Netscape is because it is *not* IE (among the many reasons you listed). Some people are so adamant that they simply will not use a website that is not compatible. It feels like Netscape is tainted now. Did they do it because they're owned by AOL which has always been a good friend to IE?
don't forget the spray paint for huffing and the Enquirer for feeding your need to pry into others lives and rightiously criticize them.
Yeah, in N.FL back in the day you couldn't even rent movies like "The Last Temptation of Christ" because the stores wouldn't carry it out of fear.
Back in '97, I taught myself graphics and web stuff. I used cheap, but good, software like Micrographx Picture Publisher and PSP. This worked fine for a long time as any internet company I went to didn't care what tools you used as long as you got the job done. I was laid off a year and a half ago and back in the job market and noticed everything required Photoshop experience, and many job postings required basically the Suite.
So while I do understand your point about learning at home, my perspective is that the monopoly Adobe has on the graphics world makes it such that only people with significant $ to spend on software, can learn it enough to become employable.
I suppose with any educational expense it is the cost of learning and an investment in onself. It just chafes that the choice is Adobe or forget it.
Unfortunately, people are having to know both web and print these days. Kinda like how there used to be a division between web designers and web programmers. Now, employers are expecting people to do both. They get more bang for their buck that way, and graphic designers are a dime a dozen.
Elements? We're talking the core complete software (Photoshop CS costs over $1000 for the suite). But I do agree Paint Shop Pro is great.
But you can still work with cheaper materials and no one asks when you show you art, oh did you use X brand gouche?
I disagree. Corel makes a wonderful graphics suite which I would say is comparable to Photoshop and costs much cheaper. However, finding employment in a US company that uses Corel is very difficult. You *have* to have Photoshop on your resume and toolkit to become gainfully employed. And I don't know why it's ok to be a poor starving artist in the traditional paint and canvas kind of way, but when it comes to anything digital we're expected to be made of money.
It doesn't matter. Just an ethical question I was wondering and it's OT, sorry about that.
One of the reasons I liked Mambo is because even though it is not required to have "powered by mambo" in the footer, the Mambo team encourages it (no.5) and it does seem well, proper, to do so.
There just seems to be this thought that anything Diane Warren writes is the best thing. The Enterprise theme is very awful. However, a few eprisodes they did the Alternate (dark/evil/badong) Universe and the them was awesome. So many things improved with the final episodes it makes me resentful - were they holding out?
I wonder how customizable this whole audio set up will be. Will the annoying Holo flavored start menu be replaced and can we play our own music while it sits idle? I'm tired of the creepy sounds.
The Lightsynth is a great addition but I like a simpler Ambient Light. Now, if only the hard drive weren't so loud...
When I lay down, it gives my brain permission to wander and not focus and I will sit and draw for hours not even knowing what I am drawing or thinking about it - very similar to doodling - and the most amazing drawings emerge. Sometimes I will take those drawings and then sit at my drawing table and work from there after the idea/concept has been firmly realized.