You're right. $200 for an inkjet printer will give you great results.
But the problem is when it comes to archival quality. That $200 inkjet printer will more than likely begin to fade under certain conditions (sunlight, atmosphere, etc.) - For best results, you'd probably have to tuck those precious images into a photo album.
Most consumers purchase these printers for the quality of the picture. They see a print out and think, "Wow! The images I've taken with my Canon A95 will look GORGEOUS!"
Archival life isn't something they tend to think about. The ones who are aware, realize that they can usually just print the images out again.
The professionals (even amatuers), however, know if they're going to sell their prints, they need a nice, archival printer. Epson's 2200 was HUGELY popular because of this. It uses pigment based inks (rather than dye based - which is what you'll find in most of the lower end photo printers) which results in fantastic archival quality.
If a photographer is serious about printing, they should look at: Epson R800, R1800, and the 2400. There are higher end printers out there (4000 is a gorgeous printer), but you're looking at some big bucks.
The R800 begins at $400. The R1800 at $550 and the 2400, I believe is $850.
I've been using the S+arck mouse with my G5 for a while now. I've been using a two button mouse since my first Mac (running OS 9).
As for the one-button mouse, I think Apple has it right on. I work at a retail store, dealing with people who are less than computer saavy. A typical conversation:
Me: "Okay now, I want you to right click for me..." Them: "Right click?" Me: "Yes, on your mouse, hit the right button." Them: "Okay, I've done that." Me: "Okay, now click on 'Properties' and then..." Them: "Is that RIGHT click?" Me: "No, Left click."
And it will go on and on.
With a Mac and the OS, walking a user through is much simpler. There's no need to worry about right/left click, nor is there a need to worry (typically) about options being hidden in contextual menus. It's perfect for novice users.
However, if you so desire to use a multibutton mouse, OS X will support up to five buttons out of the box. And yes, those right clicks will bring up contextual menus that will allow users to get to the information "quicker" than before.
What gets me the most is when I'm talking to a PC user who laughs about the one button mouse. I mention that I'm using a two button mouse, which they reply, "Well, Apple should supply one in the box!"
"Do you have the original mouse that came with your PC?" "No, I have a Logitech MX1000."
So it's alright that they bought a new mouse for their PC, but Mac users should be forever stuck with the one button mouse? HUH?
I lived there for three years while i was a kid. When we went on school trips, kids would pull out their lunches and start swapping.
You had the upperhand if you had spam musubi, rice and spam with seaweed wrapped around - a lot like sushi, just a larger portion (and cooked...typically).
My mom use to make something similar (basically spam musubi, but with an additional portion) - When I went on a trip, I remember pulling out my lunch and some Hawaiian kid looks over and goes, "OHHHH! YOU HAVE SPAM MUSUBI!? I'LL TRADE! I'LL TRADE!?"
This is long before I knew what spam musubi was or Hawaiian's lust for the meat. At the time, it confused me why/how someone could get so excited about spam, rice, and seaweed...
The people who are still using IE are the people who are aggravated at the on-slaught of spyware/adware and viruses. They get so pissed when they talk about their "web experiences" and "pop-ups". They would greatly benefit with FireFox. Unfortunately, they're the "less" tech saavy...so a pre-bundled browser would be great for them!
The sad reality though, when you give them an alternative, they rarely want to hear it. They're so far deep in the hole of computing misery, that a glimmer of light means nothing to them.
When I offer FireFox as an alternative, I have had people scoff at me, saying something along the lines of, "I don't want to download anything else..."
Even though 99% of their issues could be solved by using a browser which isn't inviting the scum of the internet in.
LIES!!
Having less than 10% does not constitute as almost being dead!! NO! NEVER!! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!
They will cater to a niche market, who enjoys removing spyware, rendering pages wrong...yes...yes.../Yes, I'm a Mac User
AFAIK, this did not start with the Acid2 tests. This has been an on going issue with the KDE developers. It was the Acid2 test that pushed them over the limit.
Also, it was not "Apple" that created a build of webcore that passed the test. It was David Hyatt, a software developer, who created the patches so Safari would pass the Acid 2 test. None of the patches have been implemented into Safari yet. He, in fact, stated publicly, that while Safari did pass Acid2, it broke other aspects of Safari. So, I'm willing to bet there is much more work before those patches are included into Webcore.
Secondly, it has not been accusations of Apple not adhering to the standards. Nor was it an issue with Apple's code being "messy" (while KDE developers have stated such-which is one reason they say it makes it harder to decipher a diff file...) The issue at hand is this:
Uninformed Slashdotters, who believe the relationship between Apple and KDE is great. That a partnership was forged when Safari was released and the two work hand in hand.
That is the issue. After the Acid2 test debacle, they had to let the world know that, NO, Apple does not come by after every patch, and say "Hey! Here's the 6MB diff file. Let me explain it to you!", while Apple and KDE developers code into the night, occasionally stopping to play a game of WoW.
Instead, they're sent a huge diff file...and that's pretty much it. So when people (Slashdotters, for instance), start with the "Well, Apple has it?!? Why don't you?" - they should realize it's not KDE's fault. Nor is it Apple's fault. Granted, the relationship is far from perfect. It's OUR fault, for ever believing there was this "perfect" relationship to begin with.
I'm sorry, but how does asking X11 related questions to Apple store employees relate to the GPL issue?
Or, talking very loudly about how "Safari and Mail suck"? How exactly does that relate?
I was not trolling. I was merely making an observation and replying to certain aspects of your post, which were not directly related to the GPL issue you were ranting about - which, I must ask, what was the actual GPL issue you were ranting about? The only thing I can see in your original post is: "the fact that Apple is being a parasite on the GPL just adds insult to injury for me" - The rest is just you going off on some rant about how your going to ask tough questions, why people consider OS X productive, etc.
I never said Mail.app was a good app. I said it was a decent app, that gets the job done. It works fine for me. Some power users may find mail to be a bit limiting. But for me, and the majority of people, who just need POP/IMAP functionality, it works.
And no, I don't work for Apple. If I did, I would tell you. I'm a regular joe user, who uses Photoshop, Illustrator, Director, Cinema 4D, Final Cut Pro, and a slew of other (pro?) apps on a regular basis. Yeah, I'm not a linux geek by any means. I don't launch into Terminal, just so I can launch an app, or edit some text documents, using emacs. But I do use the Mac enough (as well as a PC) to understand what is right for me. Prior to my first Mac, I only used PCs. I had no need for a Mac - everything I could do on a Mac, I could do on a PC. It wasn't until I started working with video that I realized Final Cut Pro was a much better app (than Premiere, anyway) - Switching to a Mac was tough at first. But I asked questions, understood the differences, and finally learned how to use the machine in such a way, that i was MUCH more productive than I had ever been on my old PC.
Final question - suppose you do ask those tough, scary X11 questions and the people at the Apple store look at you and say, "Honestly sir, I don't know." What would you do? Would you resort to plan B, and start screaming "Mail sucks!"? Or, would you continue asking away, until they lied and you could pound your chest and scream, "WRONG! THAT'S WRONG! APPLE SUCKS!"
I have a few questions?
How does asking a bunch of "X11 related questions" make you feel better? And do you usually deal with issues your having by behaving like an immature 7 year old?
Were you one of those kids who had the ball, but only wanted to play by his rules?
"NO!!! WE DO IT THIS WAY!!!...YOU GUYS SUCK! I'M GOING HOME! GIVE ME MY BALL BACK!"
Honestly, I have no issues with Safari. It works fine. FireFox, which I also have downloaded, works fine. I use Mail.app, and it too, works fine. Maybe it's because I'm not using some "super 1337 g33k feature" that you are, but for me and my typical, everyday usage, it's a decent app.
As far as productivity - yes, it is the apps that make the difference. But the apps that come bundled with Mac OS X is what makes OS X so special. I have met people who had a digital camera, a digital camcorder, but was using a Windows machine. It wasn't until they got their fast Mac that everything started to come together. iMovie, iPhoto, and iDVD puts a lot of power into the hands of the average user.
Lack of Airport Extreme support in Linux is a bummer. But it's hardly an Apple issue. Well, if you consider it Apple's fault because they chose that particular card, then yes. But, BroadCom is the manufacturer of the card, and they have decided not to open their wireless cards.
Honestly, if you can't stand the iBook as much as it sounds like, you should sell it on eBay. You'll find that Macs have a great re-sell value. Just becareful of all the scammers...then again, an "i-i-i-iBook" story would be nice.:)
A major issue with Apples iPod accessory, as well as Belkin's is the transfer speed from card to iPod!
It takes about 4-5 minutes to transfer roughly 110 MB of information (iPod device - a bit faster with belkin..) While this may not be an issue with casual users of digital cameras (who only have a 128 or 256 card), people who use higher end dSLR cameras with 1GB cards will find they have to wait 45minutes for a transfer!!
Even worse is the battery drain caused by using these devices! That little iPod harddrive was not meant to be spinning for 45 minutes straight!
So for professionals, definitely stick with the dedicated media wallets. Much faster transfers. Larger LCD screens (for certain models), and you won't be killing your iPod battery charge which means more music when your on your shoots.
I have to agree!
I've never had an issue when connecting to a wireless network with my PowerBook. I live in an apartment complex filled with college students. I can walk around with my Powerbook and watch as it jumps onto "open" networks when I walk out of the coverage area of the router I was connected to... All seamlessly, with no interaction by me.
A couple months ago, I decided to install Ubuntu on my Powerbook (which I purchased in 2004 - July). Since Airport Express isn't supported in Linux, I had to use my ethernet port for the first time. I typically use a Wirless network I have set up. After a few minutes, I realized my ethernet port was not working. So I jumped back into OS X, where I confirmed the hardware issue.
I took it to the Apple store, where the "genius" behind the bar ran the hardware test. Everything passed. Ethernet port was there. All was good. However, the genius was stumped. Although the ethernet port was there, it would not obtain an IP address. So another "genius" comes over and starts playing around with the ethernet cord. He was pushing, pulling, moving the thing up and down!! He couldn't figure it out either.
So they decide to send it to Apple. The problem listed were: "Ethernet port not working, hinges too tight" - the Hinges on my PowerBook are so tight, they creak/crack when opening, and apply pressure to the bottom of the screen.
Anyways, an Apple tech calls and leaves me a voicemail to explain the problem - The ethernet port was not working, because it was broken off the logic board! They wanted $935 to repair it! NINE-HUNDRED-THIRTY-FIVE dollars, to repair something I've NEVER used. 935 to fix an issue that the genius behind the damn bar could have caused.
To say the least, I was fucking pissed.
A week goes by - I'm fuming. I didn't have time to call them. Because I didn't call, they decided to send back the PowerBook.
I got the PowerBook back. Hinges were not fixed either. I was hoping they would have *at least* repaired that. But whatever. I power up the PowerBook and start working. The battery was low, so when it prompted me to plug in the adapter, I did. However, a new problem had manifested! The damn power adapter was no longer working!
I now had a PowerBook that had a dead ethernet port, extremely tight hinges, and would not run off the adapter or charge the battery.
So I call up AppleCare. Walk through the menu, and get a gentlemen, who asks for the serial number. He then explains that because it was 90 days AFTER the date of purchase, I was no longer supported for telephone support. WTF? He said, "We can charge you a one time fee of 50 dollars, or buy AppleCare for 289."
Nice.
I found out later that he failed to mention one thing - Hardware telephone support is 1 year, while software is only 90 days. I would have been charged 50, but had it refunded once they realized it was a hardware issue.
So giving up on AppleCare telephone support, I took the thing to an Apple Reseller (I decided NOT to take it back to the geniuses!) - The technician there was extremely professional -- and being that she had probably 10+ years of additional experience in tech support (compared to the two geniuses - both probably under 20) - I realized I should have went there first.
I explained the situation. She noted that the ethernet port was dead and the power adapter was no longer working. She also jotted down my observation at the Apple store and how the geniuses were manhandling my PowerBook.
Well, a week goes by, and she calls me. She explains the situation - Ethernet port is broken off the logic board (which I knew), and that they wanted to talk to me. When she tried to explain the situation, the person at Apple "did not want to hear it, and only wanted to talk to me." - What she was told.
So I call up AppleCare, and get a lady (Suzzane), who tells me the ethernet port is broken off the logic board.
I begin explaining the situation, when she cuts me off and says "I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I can only tell you what the problem is. You have to talk to the reseller about financials."
Huh?
So I explain to her that the reseller was told that I had to call Apple to discuss the situation.
"Sorry, we have a contract with resellers that prohibit us from de
Please stop spreading the "DRM = iPod" FUD. iRiver mp3 players support DRM. Dell mp3 players support DRM. Creative mp3 players support DRM.
DRM friendly products? Any mp3 player that was created within the last 2 years will be DRM friendly.
My first mp3 player had no support for DRM files. It also allowed me to use a MMC card. It was a Diamond Rio Mp3 player with 96 MB of total storage capacity. Personally, I prefer my 10 GB iPod with mp3 files loaded on it (read - NO DRM!)
So yes, the iPod may support DRM. Some people may utilize the DRM "feature" to playback their iTMS purchased music. BUT, it's not mandatory to have your music files wrapped in DRM for playback... (Same goes with EVERY OTHER mp3 player out there!)
Slashdot Mirror
You're right. $200 for an inkjet printer will give you great results.
But the problem is when it comes to archival quality. That $200 inkjet printer will more than likely begin to fade under certain conditions (sunlight, atmosphere, etc.) - For best results, you'd probably have to tuck those precious images into a photo album.
Most consumers purchase these printers for the quality of the picture. They see a print out and think, "Wow! The images I've taken with my Canon A95 will look GORGEOUS!"
Archival life isn't something they tend to think about. The ones who are aware, realize that they can usually just print the images out again.
The professionals (even amatuers), however, know if they're going to sell their prints, they need a nice, archival printer. Epson's 2200 was HUGELY popular because of this. It uses pigment based inks (rather than dye based - which is what you'll find in most of the lower end photo printers) which results in fantastic archival quality.
If a photographer is serious about printing, they should look at: Epson R800, R1800, and the 2400. There are higher end printers out there (4000 is a gorgeous printer), but you're looking at some big bucks.
The R800 begins at $400. The R1800 at $550 and the 2400, I believe is $850.
Exactly what I was thinking.
I could have easily posted numbers from my website, which would have shown otherwise. Heck, here they are:
Windows 60.53%
(unknown) 22.37%
Macintosh 15.79%
Linux 1.32%
Does this mean I get +5 Informative?
I've been using the S+arck mouse with my G5 for a while now. I've been using a two button mouse since my first Mac (running OS 9).
As for the one-button mouse, I think Apple has it right on. I work at a retail store, dealing with people who are less than computer saavy. A typical conversation:
Me: "Okay now, I want you to right click for me..."
Them: "Right click?"
Me: "Yes, on your mouse, hit the right button."
Them: "Okay, I've done that."
Me: "Okay, now click on 'Properties' and then..."
Them: "Is that RIGHT click?"
Me: "No, Left click."
And it will go on and on.
With a Mac and the OS, walking a user through is much simpler. There's no need to worry about right/left click, nor is there a need to worry (typically) about options being hidden in contextual menus. It's perfect for novice users.
However, if you so desire to use a multibutton mouse, OS X will support up to five buttons out of the box. And yes, those right clicks will bring up contextual menus that will allow users to get to the information "quicker" than before.
What gets me the most is when I'm talking to a PC user who laughs about the one button mouse. I mention that I'm using a two button mouse, which they reply, "Well, Apple should supply one in the box!"
"Do you have the original mouse that came with your PC?"
"No, I have a Logitech MX1000."
So it's alright that they bought a new mouse for their PC, but Mac users should be forever stuck with the one button mouse? HUH?
In Hawaii, Spam is VERY popular!
I lived there for three years while i was a kid. When we went on school trips, kids would pull out their lunches and start swapping.
You had the upperhand if you had spam musubi, rice and spam with seaweed wrapped around - a lot like sushi, just a larger portion (and cooked...typically).
My mom use to make something similar (basically spam musubi, but with an additional portion) - When I went on a trip, I remember pulling out my lunch and some Hawaiian kid looks over and goes, "OHHHH! YOU HAVE SPAM MUSUBI!? I'LL TRADE! I'LL TRADE!?"
This is long before I knew what spam musubi was or Hawaiian's lust for the meat. At the time, it confused me why/how someone could get so excited about spam, rice, and seaweed...
But honestly, it's good s**t.
Distribute FireFox on new PCs.
The people who are still using IE are the people who are aggravated at the on-slaught of spyware/adware and viruses. They get so pissed when they talk about their "web experiences" and "pop-ups". They would greatly benefit with FireFox. Unfortunately, they're the "less" tech saavy...so a pre-bundled browser would be great for them!
The sad reality though, when you give them an alternative, they rarely want to hear it. They're so far deep in the hole of computing misery, that a glimmer of light means nothing to them.
When I offer FireFox as an alternative, I have had people scoff at me, saying something along the lines of, "I don't want to download anything else..."
Even though 99% of their issues could be solved by using a browser which isn't inviting the scum of the internet in.
LIES!! Having less than 10% does not constitute as almost being dead!! NO! NEVER!! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!! They will cater to a niche market, who enjoys removing spyware, rendering pages wrong...yes...yes... /Yes, I'm a Mac User
AFAIK, this did not start with the Acid2 tests. This has been an on going issue with the KDE developers. It was the Acid2 test that pushed them over the limit.
Also, it was not "Apple" that created a build of webcore that passed the test. It was David Hyatt, a software developer, who created the patches so Safari would pass the Acid 2 test. None of the patches have been implemented into Safari yet. He, in fact, stated publicly, that while Safari did pass Acid2, it broke other aspects of Safari. So, I'm willing to bet there is much more work before those patches are included into Webcore.
Secondly, it has not been accusations of Apple not adhering to the standards. Nor was it an issue with Apple's code being "messy" (while KDE developers have stated such-which is one reason they say it makes it harder to decipher a diff file...) The issue at hand is this:
Uninformed Slashdotters, who believe the relationship between Apple and KDE is great. That a partnership was forged when Safari was released and the two work hand in hand.
That is the issue. After the Acid2 test debacle, they had to let the world know that, NO, Apple does not come by after every patch, and say "Hey! Here's the 6MB diff file. Let me explain it to you!", while Apple and KDE developers code into the night, occasionally stopping to play a game of WoW.
Instead, they're sent a huge diff file...and that's pretty much it. So when people (Slashdotters, for instance), start with the "Well, Apple has it?!? Why don't you?" - they should realize it's not KDE's fault. Nor is it Apple's fault. Granted, the relationship is far from perfect. It's OUR fault, for ever believing there was this "perfect" relationship to begin with.
I'm sorry, but how does asking X11 related questions to Apple store employees relate to the GPL issue?
Or, talking very loudly about how "Safari and Mail suck"? How exactly does that relate?
I was not trolling. I was merely making an observation and replying to certain aspects of your post, which were not directly related to the GPL issue you were ranting about - which, I must ask, what was the actual GPL issue you were ranting about? The only thing I can see in your original post is: "the fact that Apple is being a parasite on the GPL just adds insult to injury for me" - The rest is just you going off on some rant about how your going to ask tough questions, why people consider OS X productive, etc.
I never said Mail.app was a good app. I said it was a decent app, that gets the job done. It works fine for me. Some power users may find mail to be a bit limiting. But for me, and the majority of people, who just need POP/IMAP functionality, it works.
And no, I don't work for Apple. If I did, I would tell you. I'm a regular joe user, who uses Photoshop, Illustrator, Director, Cinema 4D, Final Cut Pro, and a slew of other (pro?) apps on a regular basis. Yeah, I'm not a linux geek by any means. I don't launch into Terminal, just so I can launch an app, or edit some text documents, using emacs. But I do use the Mac enough (as well as a PC) to understand what is right for me. Prior to my first Mac, I only used PCs. I had no need for a Mac - everything I could do on a Mac, I could do on a PC. It wasn't until I started working with video that I realized Final Cut Pro was a much better app (than Premiere, anyway) - Switching to a Mac was tough at first. But I asked questions, understood the differences, and finally learned how to use the machine in such a way, that i was MUCH more productive than I had ever been on my old PC.
Final question - suppose you do ask those tough, scary X11 questions and the people at the Apple store look at you and say, "Honestly sir, I don't know."
What would you do? Would you resort to plan B, and start screaming "Mail sucks!"? Or, would you continue asking away, until they lied and you could pound your chest and scream, "WRONG! THAT'S WRONG! APPLE SUCKS!"
I have a few questions? How does asking a bunch of "X11 related questions" make you feel better? And do you usually deal with issues your having by behaving like an immature 7 year old? Were you one of those kids who had the ball, but only wanted to play by his rules? "NO!!! WE DO IT THIS WAY!!!...YOU GUYS SUCK! I'M GOING HOME! GIVE ME MY BALL BACK!" Honestly, I have no issues with Safari. It works fine. FireFox, which I also have downloaded, works fine. I use Mail.app, and it too, works fine. Maybe it's because I'm not using some "super 1337 g33k feature" that you are, but for me and my typical, everyday usage, it's a decent app. As far as productivity - yes, it is the apps that make the difference. But the apps that come bundled with Mac OS X is what makes OS X so special. I have met people who had a digital camera, a digital camcorder, but was using a Windows machine. It wasn't until they got their fast Mac that everything started to come together. iMovie, iPhoto, and iDVD puts a lot of power into the hands of the average user. Lack of Airport Extreme support in Linux is a bummer. But it's hardly an Apple issue. Well, if you consider it Apple's fault because they chose that particular card, then yes. But, BroadCom is the manufacturer of the card, and they have decided not to open their wireless cards. Honestly, if you can't stand the iBook as much as it sounds like, you should sell it on eBay. You'll find that Macs have a great re-sell value. Just becareful of all the scammers...then again, an "i-i-i-iBook" story would be nice. :)
A major issue with Apples iPod accessory, as well as Belkin's is the transfer speed from card to iPod!
It takes about 4-5 minutes to transfer roughly 110 MB of information (iPod device - a bit faster with belkin..) While this may not be an issue with casual users of digital cameras (who only have a 128 or 256 card), people who use higher end dSLR cameras with 1GB cards will find they have to wait 45minutes for a transfer!!
Even worse is the battery drain caused by using these devices! That little iPod harddrive was not meant to be spinning for 45 minutes straight!
So for professionals, definitely stick with the dedicated media wallets. Much faster transfers. Larger LCD screens (for certain models), and you won't be killing your iPod battery charge which means more music when your on your shoots.
I have to agree! I've never had an issue when connecting to a wireless network with my PowerBook. I live in an apartment complex filled with college students. I can walk around with my Powerbook and watch as it jumps onto "open" networks when I walk out of the coverage area of the router I was connected to... All seamlessly, with no interaction by me.
That's an amazing story! Let me share mine.
A couple months ago, I decided to install Ubuntu on my Powerbook (which I purchased in 2004 - July). Since Airport Express isn't supported in Linux, I had to use my ethernet port for the first time. I typically use a Wirless network I have set up. After a few minutes, I realized my ethernet port was not working. So I jumped back into OS X, where I confirmed the hardware issue.
I took it to the Apple store, where the "genius" behind the bar ran the hardware test. Everything passed. Ethernet port was there. All was good. However, the genius was stumped. Although the ethernet port was there, it would not obtain an IP address. So another "genius" comes over and starts playing around with the ethernet cord. He was pushing, pulling, moving the thing up and down!! He couldn't figure it out either.
So they decide to send it to Apple. The problem listed were: "Ethernet port not working, hinges too tight" - the Hinges on my PowerBook are so tight, they creak/crack when opening, and apply pressure to the bottom of the screen.
Anyways, an Apple tech calls and leaves me a voicemail to explain the problem - The ethernet port was not working, because it was broken off the logic board! They wanted $935 to repair it! NINE-HUNDRED-THIRTY-FIVE dollars, to repair something I've NEVER used. 935 to fix an issue that the genius behind the damn bar could have caused.
To say the least, I was fucking pissed.
A week goes by - I'm fuming. I didn't have time to call them. Because I didn't call, they decided to send back the PowerBook.
I got the PowerBook back. Hinges were not fixed either. I was hoping they would have *at least* repaired that. But whatever. I power up the PowerBook and start working. The battery was low, so when it prompted me to plug in the adapter, I did. However, a new problem had manifested! The damn power adapter was no longer working!
I now had a PowerBook that had a dead ethernet port, extremely tight hinges, and would not run off the adapter or charge the battery.
So I call up AppleCare. Walk through the menu, and get a gentlemen, who asks for the serial number. He then explains that because it was 90 days AFTER the date of purchase, I was no longer supported for telephone support. WTF? He said, "We can charge you a one time fee of 50 dollars, or buy AppleCare for 289."
Nice.
I found out later that he failed to mention one thing - Hardware telephone support is 1 year, while software is only 90 days. I would have been charged 50, but had it refunded once they realized it was a hardware issue.
So giving up on AppleCare telephone support, I took the thing to an Apple Reseller (I decided NOT to take it back to the geniuses!) - The technician there was extremely professional -- and being that she had probably 10+ years of additional experience in tech support (compared to the two geniuses - both probably under 20) - I realized I should have went there first.
I explained the situation. She noted that the ethernet port was dead and the power adapter was no longer working. She also jotted down my observation at the Apple store and how the geniuses were manhandling my PowerBook.
Well, a week goes by, and she calls me. She explains the situation - Ethernet port is broken off the logic board (which I knew), and that they wanted to talk to me. When she tried to explain the situation, the person at Apple "did not want to hear it, and only wanted to talk to me." - What she was told.
So I call up AppleCare, and get a lady (Suzzane), who tells me the ethernet port is broken off the logic board.
I begin explaining the situation, when she cuts me off and says "I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I can only tell you what the problem is. You have to talk to the reseller about financials."
Huh?
So I explain to her that the reseller was told that I had to call Apple to discuss the situation.
"Sorry, we have a contract with resellers that prohibit us from de
Please stop spreading the "DRM = iPod" FUD. iRiver mp3 players support DRM. Dell mp3 players support DRM. Creative mp3 players support DRM.
DRM friendly products? Any mp3 player that was created within the last 2 years will be DRM friendly.
My first mp3 player had no support for DRM files. It also allowed me to use a MMC card. It was a Diamond Rio Mp3 player with 96 MB of total storage capacity. Personally, I prefer my 10 GB iPod with mp3 files loaded on it (read - NO DRM!)
So yes, the iPod may support DRM. Some people may utilize the DRM "feature" to playback their iTMS purchased music. BUT, it's not mandatory to have your music files wrapped in DRM for playback... (Same goes with EVERY OTHER mp3 player out there!)