Why I hate Mac & OSX
Rotten Apple
Henrik "Mauritz" Johnson's Blog
Friday, August 28, 2009
Why I hate Mac & OSX
I already wrote one article on why I don't like Mac computers or the OSX
operating system. However, the last one was written before I had really used
it that much. I have now been forced to use a Mac computer quite a lot
because the iPhone SDK is only available for Mac computers and I have been
playing around with that a lot lately.
The computer I have been using is a Macbook Air, which is supposedly pretty
much a top of the line model when it comes to laptops. When I got it I got a
lot of excited Mac users telling me to just give it a few weeks and I would
come to love it. It's now been about 5 months and I can with certainty say
that it is definitely the worst computer I've owned in the last couple of
years. So here goes explaining why.
Hardware
First of all the most obvious flaw which is the track pad with just one
button. It baffles me how anybody could be so stupid that when they had
designed an operating system such as OSX which is so obviously made for two
mouse buttons and then build the computers with just one button. With that I
mean that there are tons of functionality in every application you can think
of that is only accessible through the CTRL+Click context menu. On desktops
you at least have an option to enable two mouse buttons, but it seems on
laptops you have no such luck.
Next thing that annoys me immensely is that Apple have removed a bunch of
very useful keys from the keyboard. The ones most obvious to me is PageUp,
PageDown, Home and End. All keys which you as a coder use a lot. Granted I
have the really small laptop, but even the 17" Macbook Pro still doesn't
have those keys.
That brings me to the other problem with the keyboard. Mac computers have no
less than 5 modifier keys. Granted Windows machine have basically the same
set of modifier keys. The difference is that on Windows two of them are use
very sparingly. On Mac you use all 5 modifier keys and a dizzying array of
combinations. They have also tied up all the function keys with rarely used
OS functionality so that when you are in X-Code for instance instead of
using something easy like F8 for step you are forced to resort to
Command+Shift+O.
Lets move on to the screen which compared to what I am used to really sucks.
The resolution is simply atrocious. True I opted for the smallest version of
laptop and I expect a smaller resolution, but the problem applies to all the
models of their laptop line. If you go with something else than Mac you can
get 1920x1280 resolution on a 15.4" screen but with Mac you need to go all
the way to the ridiculously sized 17" model to get the screen size.
Finally lets go on to build quality. You would think that since Apple
computers are so much more expensive than their PC counterparts you would
get good build quality. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case. My
Air broke within about one month which is a record even for me. Granted
fixing it was easy and fast, but that is usually the case with any named
brand as long as you go for the on-site warranty.
Software
I usually don't have a big problem moving between different computer
platforms. I've been on Gnome, KDE most kinds of Windows and even though I
might have grumbled in a few weeks I'm usually OK with it. Not so with OSX,
it is simply too badly designed for me to get used to.
First of all the whole application/window separation where each application
can have zero or more windows. You use one keyboard combination to switch
between windows and one keyboard combination to switch between windows
within the application. You also have a menu bar that isn't attached to the
windows they are attached to. This setup might be acceptable for a non power
user which only uses a web browser or one application doing a specific task.
For a software developer it sucks. When you develop something in X-Code you
will always have one editor window, one debugger console, one document
window within that application. Then you have one application for the
interface designer and finally one window for the iPhone simulator. So
whenever you are going to another window you have to figure out which
application you need first and then switch to the correct window. In Windows
or Linux you have one list with all your windows and navigation is just much
faster and more convenient.
Secondly also in regards to window handling is the fact that you can't
maximize windows. All window systems I've seen (Including the ones that
predate the original Mac OS) all have a maximize button and I can't imagine
who decided that you didn't need that. There is an "optimize size" button,
but for some reason the optimal size for a web browser for instance is not
the whole screen.
You'd think with it's much touted BSD roots that OSX would play nice with
X-Windows applications from Linux and the like. For some reason this is not
the case. GIMP and Blender for instance works much worse on OSX than they do
on Windows. In Blender you have weird painting artifacts and in GIMP there
is a problem that whenever you click in another window you have to click
twice for the click to be recognized.
Sort of incidental, but I just installed Snow Leopard yesterday and their
progress meter is if possible even more inaccurate than the Microsoft one
when installing Windows. During the period of 1 hour it went from 42 minutes
remaining to 39 minutes remaining. After that I went out to a pub and didn't
get back until 4 hours later and then it was actually finished.
Since what I do on the Mac is software development it is inevitable to
compare X-Code with Visual Studio (And also Eclipse, but they are pretty
similar so I will stick with Visual Studio).
In Visual Studio you have everything you need in one easy to access window
and it changes the layout automatically to include stuff you might need
through different stages of the development cycle. In X-Code everything is
spread out in a gazillion different windows and if you want to look at
different things when coding and debugging it's up to you to move stuff
around.
X-Code doesn't remember watches between different debug sessions. Debugging
anything complex is ridiculously complicated. The only way that works kind
of OK is the text based GDB prompt.
As far as I have managed to figure out you can't inspect the contents of an
array at all without looking at the individual items.
Very mouse centric in it's user interface which is something you strive to
avoid when working with code. I still haven't figured out which keyboard
combination switches the file you look at in the editor without using the
mouse.
X-Code is incredibly buggy (Even compared to Visual Studio). I have to
restart it and even the entire computer all the time when it stops working
(Especially the debugger).
Company
Just have to write a little bit about Apple's support. I've actually really
tried to figure out how to use the Mac in a reasonable way so I have been
visiting the incredibly ineptly named "Genius Bar" in the Apple Store a
bunch of times and have also had some contact with support in regards to
their developer program. Granted, when my computer was actually broken they
did fix it pretty fast and hassle free but apart from that their support
sucks!
I asked them about how you maximize a window and a guy seriously told me
that yes, you can do that. No problem and then showed me how to use the
mouse to resize the window to cover the entire screen.
When I was asking them about if there was a laptop with a PageUp/PageDown
key they asked me why in gods name I needed to do that (Which is funny
because their desktop keyboard still have the keys)?
It took the apple developer program almost 3 months to approve my
membership. The problem was that instead of using the phone number I
provided in my application to call me back they looked it up at PRV (The
official records agency in Sweden) and found another phone number and used
that to try to contact me. The problem is that that phone number has not
been connected for over 5 years now. And with that they stopped and didn't
even try the number I actually provided in the application. Even better is
that though I contacted them several times through email all I got back was
"in progress of reviewing your application" and not a peep about they not
being able to get hold of me. Not until a friend of mine provided me with a
customer support phone number (Which isn't listed on their web site) and a
30 minute yelling match with the customer service representative did they
agree to try a working number.
It's not been over 3 weeks for Apple to approve my first application
submission. Which incidentally is a lot longer than it took to write the
app.
Apple is the only company I know of in the US who require a signature to
their packages when you order something from their website. You can get
around it by signing a waiver, but that requires me to have a printer. You'd
think Apply would assume people having a job and not being able to sign for
packages in the middle of the day. I don't why they insist on this, I've had
much more expensive stuff delivered without signatures from other companies.
David Fritzinger
"Rotten Apple" <rot...@pple.com> wrote:
> http://www.henrik.org/blog.php?URL=http%3A//blog.henrik.org/2009/08/why-i-hate
> -mac-osx.html
>
[snip]
>
> First of all the most obvious flaw which is the track pad with just one
> button. It baffles me how anybody could be so stupid that when they had
> designed an operating system such as OSX which is so obviously made for two
> mouse buttons and then build the computers with just one button. With that I
> mean that there are tons of functionality in every application you can think
> of that is only accessible through the CTRL+Click context menu. On desktops
> you at least have an option to enable two mouse buttons, but it seems on
> laptops you have no such luck.
This shows the author (and, by reflection, rot) is stupid. Anyone who
uses a Mac laptop (at least since the MBP, and, I believe earlier) knows
that you get the function of right clicking by putting 2 fingers on the
trackpad, and clicking the button. Personally, having used both PC and
Mac laptops, I find the Apple solution much more elegant than the PC
solution. And, by moving 2 fingers on the trackpad, you can scroll, both
horizontally and vertically. If the rest of your post is of this
quality, and I am writing about something that rotten wrote, then it is
just the blathering of an uninformed fool. Which, by coincidence,
describes our "friend", rotten.
[crapsnip]
--
Dave Fritzinger
Honolulu, HI
Steve Hix
David Fritzinger <dfri...@nospamtome.hotmail.com> wrote:
> In article <h906qj$6ap$1...@news.albasani.net>,
> "Rotten Apple" <rot...@pple.com> wrote:
>
> > http://www.henrik.org/blog.php?URL=http%3A//blog.henrik.org/2009/08/why-i-ha
> > te
> > -mac-osx.html
> >
> [snip]
> >
> > First of all the most obvious flaw which is the track pad with just one
> > button. It baffles me how anybody could be so stupid that when they had
> > designed an operating system such as OSX which is so obviously made for two
> > mouse buttons and then build the computers with just one button. With that
> > I
> > mean that there are tons of functionality in every application you can
> > think
> > of that is only accessible through the CTRL+Click context menu. On desktops
> > you at least have an option to enable two mouse buttons, but it seems on
> > laptops you have no such luck.
>
> This shows the author (and, by reflection, rot) is stupid. Anyone who
> uses a Mac laptop (at least since the MBP, and, I believe earlier) knows
> that you get the function of right clicking by putting 2 fingers on the
> trackpad, and clicking the button.
Or just tapping the trackpad with two fingers.
The most annoying thing about using Windows laptops now is the stupid
buttons. Well, that and unreliable scrolling using the trackpad.
Rotten Apple
"David Fritzinger" <dfri...@nospamtome.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:dfritzin-4B8124...@news.eternal-september.org...
"While almost anyone who has ever used a laptop knows the basics of using a
trackpad as a pointing device (simply drag your finger over its surface to
move the cursor on-screen), not everyone knows about all the features that
Apple has added to its trackpads over the years."
"Depending on the Mac notebook model, there are up to 10 specialized
trackpad functions you can use to make navigating the screen, Mac OS X and
various applications faster and easier."
"Users of pre-2005 Mac notebooks had to press the control key when clicking
to simulate right clicking, but in newer models with two-finger secondary
clicking enabled, simply tapping the trackpad with two fingers at one time
produces the same effect."
"Note: This feature was introduced with the MacBook Pro and MacBook in 2006,
but PowerBook G4 and iBook models released in 2005 (those that support
two-fingered scrolling) will offer it if they are running Mac OS X Leopard."
http://www.macworld.com/article/134343/2008/07/maclaptop_trackpad.html
David Fritzinger
Steve Hix <se...@NOSPAMmac.comINVALID> wrote:
I don't particularly like tapping on the trackpad, as I have a rather
"heavy" touch, and found myself clicking more often than I meant to.
>
> The most annoying thing about using Windows laptops now is the stupid
> buttons. Well, that and unreliable scrolling using the trackpad.
It strikes me that having 2 buttons on a trackpad is ergonomically bad,
for the following reason. With a 2 or more button mouse, your hand is
always in the same position on the mouse, so it is easy to push the
button you mean to, without having to really think about it. However,
with a trackpad, your hand is moving around, so it is quite easy to
click the wrong button (usually a "right" click when you mean to do a
left click). Perhaps, as you use a 2 button trackpad more, you get used
to it, but since I seldom use one, I find it most inconvenient.
Steve Hix
<dfritzin-A939C7...@feeder.eternal-september.org>,
David Fritzinger <dfri...@nospam.mac.com> wrote:
Rejoice, then; it's not the only supported method, is it?
> > The most annoying thing about using Windows laptops now is the stupid
> > buttons. Well, that and unreliable scrolling using the trackpad.
>
> It strikes me that having 2 buttons on a trackpad is ergonomically bad,
> for the following reason. With a 2 or more button mouse, your hand is
> always in the same position on the mouse, so it is easy to push the
> button you mean to, without having to really think about it. However,
> with a trackpad, your hand is moving around, so it is quite easy to
> click the wrong button (usually a "right" click when you mean to do a
> left click). Perhaps, as you use a 2 button trackpad more, you get used
> to it, but since I seldom use one, I find it most inconvenient.
Agree.
Autymn D. C.
> http://www.henrik.org/blog.php?URL=http%3A//blog.henrik.org/2009/08/w...
>
> Henrik "Mauritz" Johnson's Blog
>
> Friday, August 28, 2009
> Why I hate Mac & OSX
And the cretin can't spell its. Two-thirds of all such complaints
against Macs and MacOS are by ignorant scum--the same brand who fill
every message board with their deluded world-outlook and misbeliefs
who blame their own failings on another side or group.
Whether he must learn a bunch of shell commands, Emacs commands, or
Windows or Linux or Mac shortcuts, he is expected to RthFM to see if
his command works on and by the keyboard, or the cursor; for both,
MacOS always supports a broader and greater lot for navigation (open
Universal Access if needful) and command-input by the modifier keys
and the lone cursor button he loved to put down--by the way, the ctrl
key on the other platform's keyboard is awfully too-far from the other
keys, and I'd need to pinky or thumb Windows commands all the time.
In OS 8 and OS 9, theoretically a click and hold-click could do away
with another mouse button or control-clicks, but sadly OS X
programmers forgot the latter in all but Dock. Let me know if any
other programs support hold-click.
On a laptop keyboard, the situation is much more efficient, but the
tiny keys aren't as sturdy and may wear out after a few years. Home,
End, Page Up, and Page Down are com.-up, com.-down, opt.-up, and opt.-
down. Maximise (Why in the hell?) is opt.-green. The four modifier
keys make the Mac's mouse or trackpad effectively with 17 buttons, and
Windows programs sparely work as well--they instead cram every command
under a right-click menu. Dock is the main window switcher; Universal
Access is the backup; if you cannot learn them well, then get out of
coding. Do you even know what AppleScript is?
-Aut
Autymn D. C.
> On a laptop keyboard, the situation is much more efficient, but the
> tiny keys aren't as sturdy and may wear out after a few years. Home,
> End, Page Up, and Page Down are com.-up, com.-down, opt.-up, and opt.-
> down. Maximise (Why in the hell?) is opt.-green. The four modifier
fn-arrow keys also work; that's what the labels are even.
> keys make the Mac's mouse or trackpad effectively with 17 buttons, and
and gestures make about 25
Mauritz
> > button. It baffles me how anybody could be so stupid that when they had
> > designed an operating system such as OSX which is so obviously made for two
> > mouse buttons and then build the computers with just one button. With that I
> > mean that there are tons of functionality in every application you can think
> > of that is only accessible through the CTRL+Click context menu. On desktops
> > you at least have an option to enable two mouse buttons, but it seems on
> > laptops you have no such luck.
>
> This shows the author (and, by reflection, rot) is stupid. Anyone who
> uses a Mac laptop (at least since the MBP, and, I believe earlier) knows
> that you get the function of right clicking by putting 2 fingers on the
> trackpad, and clicking the button. Personally, having used both PC and
> Mac laptops, I find the Apple solution much more elegant than the PC
> solution. And, by moving 2 fingers on the trackpad, you can scroll, both
> horizontally and vertically. If the rest of your post is of this
> quality, and I am writing about something that rotten wrote, then it is
> just the blathering of an uninformed fool. Which, by coincidence,
> describes our "friend", rotten.
> [crapsnip]
Just for the record, I did not post my blog entry to this group
because it obviously don't belong here.
I just wanted to respond to this post. I know of the double tap.
However, I really dislike the "click by pressing the touch pad". This
dislike came from having too many times accidentally dragged something
or clicked something while just typing on the keyboard and
accidentally touching the touch pad area with my hands. Because of
this I always turn this feature off as much as I can just because it
is so prone to errors. I do have to admit that the multi touch
features of the Mac:s glide point (Or whatever it is called)
definitely makes it the nices glidepoint I have ever used on any
computer. Unfortunately I still hate it though compared to the track
point that I prefer. The advantage of the track point is that you
never even have to move your hands from the keyboard to use it (It's
right there between the G and H keys).
/Mauritz
Fa-groon
(in article
<04274217-a7ea-4d63...@l35g2000vba.googlegroups.com>):
>>> First of all the most obvious flaw which is the track pad with just one
>>> button. It baffles me how anybody could be so stupid that when they had
>>> designed an operating system such as OSX which is so obviously made for two
>>> mouse buttons and then build the computers with just one button. With that
>>> I
>>> mean that there are tons of functionality in every application you can
>>> think
>>> of that is only accessible through the CTRL+Click context menu. On desktops
>>> you at least have an option to enable two mouse buttons, but it seems on
>>> laptops you have no such luck.
>>
>> This shows the author (and, by reflection, rot) is stupid. Anyone who
>> uses a Mac laptop (at least since the MBP, and, I believe earlier) knows
>> that you get the function of right clicking by putting 2 fingers on the
>> trackpad, and clicking the button. Personally, having used both PC and
>> Mac laptops, I find the Apple solution much more elegant than the PC
>> solution. And, by moving 2 fingers on the trackpad, you can scroll, both
>> horizontally and vertically. If the rest of your post is of this
>> quality, and I am writing about something that rotten wrote, then it is
>> just the blathering of an uninformed fool. Which, by coincidence,
>> describes our "friend", rotten.
>> [crapsnip]
>
> Just for the record, I did not post my blog entry to this group
> because it obviously don't belong here.
It "don't belong here"? DON'T belong here? Did you flunk English?
Vincent
"Mauritz" <henrik.p...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:04274217-a7ea-4d63...@l35g2000vba.googlegroups.com...
With Apple it always has been form over function. The cunts like it that
way. It might not work well, but it's really "cool".
-hh
Fa-groon <fa-gr...@mad.com> wrote:
>
> It "don't belong here"? DON'T belong here? Did you flunk English?
Sorry, but since Mauitz isn't an obvious CSMA Troll, he deserves a
courtesy on grammar (particularly since his blog post isn't poorly
written).
> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:07:02 -0700, Mauritz wrote:
>
> >>> First of all the most obvious flaw which is the track pad with just one
> >>> button.
Yes, it does seem odd until you recognize that the 2nd hardware button
has been superseded by multitouch software. It takes some awareness
to find the tutorial, plus some getting used to. FWIW, I found it to
be a pleasant surprise as an upgrade to my 2005 vintage G4 laptop.
> >>> ...On desktops
> >>> you at least have an option to enable two mouse buttons, but it
> >>> seems on laptops you have no such luck.
> >>
> >> This shows the author (and, by reflection, rot) is stupid.
Sorry, but what it really means is that he is still in the "Lack of
Optimism". Windows mindset.
What is meant by this is that if the computer's operator encounters
some issue, those in the Windows mindset tend to throw up their hands
in frustration and say "Stupid Windows!" and stop looking for a
solution.
But an Optimistic Mindset operator says "this doesn't make any
sense ... there's got to be a way and I simply haven't found it" ...
and makes a small effort more to learn about his computer and as often
as not, finds what he was looking for. I personally saw this sort of
self-help many times back when I was helping to supporting ~200
users ... and IMO it was one of the basic reasons why Macs required
(for us) roughly 1/3rd as much IT support in our Enterprise...in
simplest terms, they didn't give up as easily.
In more recent years, the problem has become worse, as Windows
hardware has raced to the bottom: when a particularly key or feature
is missing, the immediate negativity of the "Windows Mindset" was that
it could only have been eliminated because its cheap hardware - - and
no other possibilities, such as that the optimism that there was an
alternative (possibly better) solution.
Continuing with the Blog:
"Next thing that annoys me immensely is that Apple have
removed a bunch of very useful keys from the keyboard.
The ones most obvious to me is PageUp, PageDown,
Home and End. All keys which you as a coder use a lot.
Granted I have the really small laptop, but even the 17"
Macbook Pro still doesn't have those keys."
Same "Windows Mindset" negativity issue: one assumes that the
elimination of a dedicated key means that the function is gone
forever. All of the keyboard layouts have retained the up/down, left/
right keys ... try them with "Command+" ...
... and while you're at it, try also the others (Shift, Control,
Option)
"Mac computers have no less than 5 modifier keys. Granted Windows
machine have basically the same set of modifier keys. The difference
is that on Windows two of them are use very sparingly."
Translation: 2 are very much underutilized on Windows.
"On Mac you use all 5 modifier keys and a dizzying array of
combinations.
They have also tied up all the function keys with rarely used OS
functionality
so that when you are in X-Code for instance instead of using
something easy
like F8 for step you are forced to resort to Command+Shift+O."
Even though I'm not an XCode user, what I immediately saw is that this
shortcut example was a variation on "Command-O", which is the UI-
constant "Open" command. As such, adding "Shift" suggests that its
function will be derivationally similar ... and after a quick Google
search, I see that this is the XCode command for "Open
Dictionary"...YMMV, but this shortcut selection makes logical sense,
as it is an easier mnemonic than "F-anything"
But YMMV applies as to what's easier - if it really bothers you, there
are utilities that allow you to remap.
"Lets move on to the screen which compared to what I am used to
really sucks. The resolution is simply atrocious....you can get
1920x1280 resolution on a 15.4" screen but with Mac..."
You do realize that what you're asking for is nothing less than a full
1080p HDTV theater experience out of a laptop? To meet THX industry
recommendations at a viewing distance of 2ft, you need a 15.6" wide
(not diagonal) screen. As such, supporting 1080p on laptops smaller
than 17" is a waste of resources ...
... but the Windows industry recognizes that some of their customers
buy based on hardware specifications and ignore (or aren't aware of)
their physiological limitations, even though they'll convince
themselves via the PLACEBO EFFECT that they can perceive that there is
a difference.
I don't mean to be cruel, but unless you were able to successfully
pick "Screen B" 80% of the time in a scientifically valid BLIND-BLIND
controlled experiment, you bought based on what you believed was
better, not what you were actually able to perceive.
FWIW, as a rule of thumb, most people can't discern resolutions
significantly higher than 100dpi at typical computer viewing
distances. Afterall, we're not all still 18 years old such that our
pupils are still flexible enough to be able to dilate all the way out
to 7mm pupil diameter (PD)...but by the time that we hit our mid/late
20's, our eyes have already degraded, and our max PD is down to
5mm ... yes, that's a 50% reduction in light-gathering.
"Finally lets go on to build quality..My Air broke within about
one month which is a record even for me."
But the product baseline is full-featured laptops that are <3lbs.
Other than the Air, what other products exist in your sample size to
be a fair comparison? Please note that I said "full featured", so
netbooks with 7" screens don't count...they've sacrificed other things
(such as screen size) in order to get under that 3lb weight bogey.
FWIW, I wouldn't take a Lotus Esprit to a Demolition Derby.
Software....
Two generalized comments: some of us prefer the de-linking of Apps to
Windows, as we loathe how Windows shuts down the App when we choose to
close all windows (such as when moving between projects). Second,
some of us don't like the green button's lack of Maximize=fill screen
paradigm either...although I do have to say that I dislike Window's
version more, since it has an annoying habit of slightly OVERfilling,
whereupon I then waste time resizing.
Other...
"Apple is the only company I know of in the US who require a
signature to their packages when you order something from their
website."
The caveat being "That You Know Of". Suffice to say that they're not
unique in this regards. For example, B&H (a premier retailer of pro-
level photography equipment).
> > Just for the record, I did not post my blog entry to this group
> > because it obviously don't belong here.
Regardless, I hope that you'll see this reply.
-hh
Alan Baker
<04274217-a7ea-4d63...@l35g2000vba.googlegroups.com>,
Mauritz <henrik.p...@gmail.com> wrote:
You'll have to take that up with Edwin...
>
> I just wanted to respond to this post. I know of the double tap.
> However, I really dislike the "click by pressing the touch pad". This
> dislike came from having too many times accidentally dragged something
> or clicked something while just typing on the keyboard and
> accidentally touching the touch pad area with my hands. Because of
> this I always turn this feature off as much as I can just because it
> is so prone to errors. I do have to admit that the multi touch
> features of the Mac:s glide point (Or whatever it is called)
> definitely makes it the nices glidepoint I have ever used on any
> computer. Unfortunately I still hate it though compared to the track
> point that I prefer. The advantage of the track point is that you
> never even have to move your hands from the keyboard to use it (It's
> right there between the G and H keys).
I can't see that needing to move one hand less than 5 inches in order to
be able to use the mouse has ever slowed me down, but everyone is
entitled to their preference, of course.
--
"The iPhone doesn't have a speaker phone" -- "I checked very carefully" --
"I checked Apple's web pages" -- Edwin on the iPhone
"It is Mac OS X, not BSD.' -- 'From Mac OS to BSD Unix." -- "It's BSD Unix with Apple's APIs and GUI on top of it' -- 'nothing but BSD Unix' (Edwin on Mac OS X)
'[The IBM PC] could boot multiple OS, such as DOS, C/PM, GEM, etc.' --
'I claimed nothing about GEM other than it was available software for the
IBM PC. (Edwin on GEM)
'Solaris is just a marketing rename of Sun OS.' -- 'Sun OS is not included
on the timeline of Solaris because it's a different OS.' (Edwin on Sun)
ZnU
"Vincent" <Vvin...@gmail.com> wrote:
> "Mauritz" <henrik.p...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:04274217-a7ea-4d63...@l35g2000vba.googlegroups.com...
> > I just wanted to respond to this post. I know of the double tap.
> > However, I really dislike the "click by pressing the touch pad". This
> > dislike came from having too many times accidentally dragged something
> > or clicked something while just typing on the keyboard and
> > accidentally touching the touch pad area with my hands. Because of
> > this I always turn this feature off as much as I can just because it
> > is so prone to errors. I do have to admit that the multi touch
> > features of the Mac:s glide point (Or whatever it is called)
> > definitely makes it the nices glidepoint I have ever used on any
> > computer. Unfortunately I still hate it though compared to the track
> > point that I prefer. The advantage of the track point is that you
> > never even have to move your hands from the keyboard to use it (It's
> > right there between the G and H keys).
>
> With Apple it always has been form over function.
Heh. You uncultured morons have no idea what that means.
Hint: this is actually a hilariously good example of form following
function: http://images.apple.com/imac/images/overview_hero1_20091020.png
Having a large humming plastic and metal box under the desk that the
user doesn't directly interact with in any way is an example of form
ignoring function for the convenience of engineers.
[snip]
--
"The game of professional investment is intolerably boring and over-exacting to
anyone who is entirely exempt from the gambling instinct; whilst he who has it
must pay to this propensity the appropriate toll." -- John Maynard Keynes
Vincent
"ZnU" <z...@fake.invalid> wrote in message
news:znu-AA9E14.1...@Port80.Individual.NET...
> In article <zIXEm.76028$lR3....@newsfe25.iad>,
> "Vincent" <Vvin...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> "Mauritz" <henrik.p...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:04274217-a7ea-4d63...@l35g2000vba.googlegroups.com...
>
>> > I just wanted to respond to this post. I know of the double tap.
>> > However, I really dislike the "click by pressing the touch pad". This
>> > dislike came from having too many times accidentally dragged something
>> > or clicked something while just typing on the keyboard and
>> > accidentally touching the touch pad area with my hands. Because of
>> > this I always turn this feature off as much as I can just because it
>> > is so prone to errors. I do have to admit that the multi touch
>> > features of the Mac:s glide point (Or whatever it is called)
>> > definitely makes it the nices glidepoint I have ever used on any
>> > computer. Unfortunately I still hate it though compared to the track
>> > point that I prefer. The advantage of the track point is that you
>> > never even have to move your hands from the keyboard to use it (It's
>> > right there between the G and H keys).
>>
>> With Apple it always has been form over function.
>
> Heh. You uncultured morons have no idea what that means.
>
> Hint: this is actually a hilariously good example of form following
> function: http://images.apple.com/imac/images/overview_hero1_20091020.png
Yeah, and a disproportinate number of them have major issues. And they run
slow. But it looks nice and you jerk offs orgasim over it. Sad that you
worship an appliance.
> Having a large humming plastic and metal box under the desk that the
> user doesn't directly interact with in any way is an example of form
> ignoring function for the convenience of engineers.
The one I have runs so quiet no one knows its there.
Stupidity should be painful.
Don Bonham
> In article <zIXEm.76028$lR3....@newsfe25.iad>,
> "Vincent" <Vvin...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> "Mauritz" <henrik.p...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:04274217-a7ea-4d63...@l35g2000vba.googlegroups.com...
>
>>> I just wanted to respond to this post. I know of the double tap.
>>> However, I really dislike the "click by pressing the touch pad". This
>>> dislike came from having too many times accidentally dragged something
>>> or clicked something while just typing on the keyboard and
>>> accidentally touching the touch pad area with my hands. Because of
>>> this I always turn this feature off as much as I can just because it
>>> is so prone to errors. I do have to admit that the multi touch
>>> features of the Mac:s glide point (Or whatever it is called)
>>> definitely makes it the nices glidepoint I have ever used on any
>>> computer. Unfortunately I still hate it though compared to the track
>>> point that I prefer. The advantage of the track point is that you
>>> never even have to move your hands from the keyboard to use it (It's
>>> right there between the G and H keys).
>> With Apple it always has been form over function.
>
> Heh. You uncultured morons have no idea what that means.
>
> Hint: this is actually a hilariously good example of form following
> function: http://images.apple.com/imac/images/overview_hero1_20091020.png
This one?
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10381243-263.html?tag=mncol;title
Do you know what it means?
Alan Baker
Don Bonham <Xcalibe...@yahoo.com> wrote:
Why don't you tell us, "Don" (who doesn't seem to exist prior to this
post...)
wetpixel
<Xcalibe...@yahoo.com> wrote:
It means you can't follow a thread at all (this article has nothing
whatever to do with form or function).
It means you are highly affected by the smallest point, and refuse to
be by the largest and most obvious points. This article points to
exactly _one_ user having a problem.
To counter it, I would have to find exactly one user having a problem
in Windows. (But I don't find either point significant, so I won't
bother.)
Maybe you put this in the wrong thread?
Or it's the wrong sockpuppet?
Vincent
"wetpixel" <wetp...@news.news> wrote in message
news:261020090201169300%wetp...@news.news...
So your answer is "No".
ZnU
"Vincent" <Vvin...@gmail.com> wrote:
It's sad that you have absolutely no taste and no sense of culture.
This, incidentally, more than anything else, has always been the
difference between Apple and Microsoft. Consider, as a seemly trivial
but extremely reveling example, fonts.
In the late '80s, Apple and Microsoft collaborated on TrueType, a new
system to allow desktop computers to use complex vector-based fonts.
When the system was implemented, both companies went looking for new
fonts to bundle with their operating systems, to show off the new
capabilities. A general-use minimalistic sans-serif font was, of course,
a must-have.
Apple bundled Helvetica. Helvetica is an iconic font, a product of a
specific design movement that existed within an authentic historical
context, and which Apple licensed from Linotype, the foundry that owned
the rights.
Microsoft evidently didn't want to pay any licensing fees, and
commissioned a cheap knockoff, Arial.
Of course, you'll dismiss this as utterly meaningless. But the attitudes
that shaped this decision are the attitudes which shape all aspects of
these companies' respective products. And for people who aren't
aesthetically oblivious, it matters.
> > Having a large humming plastic and metal box under the desk that the
> > user doesn't directly interact with in any way is an example of form
> > ignoring function for the convenience of engineers.
>
>
> The one I have runs so quiet no one knows its there.
Which, from the perspective of someone following the aesthetic principle
of form follows function, is about as good as cleaning your living room
by sweeping shit under the rug.
ed
> This, incidentally, more than anything else, has always been the
> difference between Apple and Microsoft. Consider, as a seemly trivial
> but extremely reveling example, fonts.
>
> In the late '80s, Apple and Microsoft collaborated on TrueType, a new
> system to allow desktop computers to use complex vector-based fonts.
> When the system was implemented, both companies went looking for new
> fonts to bundle with their operating systems, to show off the new
> capabilities. A general-use minimalistic sans-serif font was, of course,
> a must-have.
>
> Apple bundled Helvetica. Helvetica is an iconic font, a product of a
> specific design movement that existed within an authentic historical
> context, and which Apple licensed from Linotype, the foundry that owned
> the rights.
>
> Microsoft evidently didn't want to pay any licensing fees, and
> commissioned a cheap knockoff, Arial.
so quick looky-loolin' around the web shows arial was designed in the
early 80s by monotype, based on a 1920s monotype foundry designed font
called monotype grotesque. arial itself was designed for ibm's
printers, perhaps as a knockoff of helvetica (see lots of claims of
this, but nobody seems to cite anything to back it up. maybe just
commonly accepted 'conventional wisdom'), but designed by monotype and
not commissioned by ms. and not to avoid licensing fees, as they
don't own the font (maybe LOWER licensing fees though.. :P ) so your
version of history doesn't appear to quite hold up...
<snip>
Steve de Mena
One reason I have heard for Microsoft going with Arial was that it was
easier to read on-screen. I can understand why Apple, with a big
stake in the desktop publishing field, went with a true Helvetica
instead. The business needs were just different.
Steve
Alan Baker
How in the *world* could one font which is almost identical to another
be "easier to read on-screen"?
John Holt
The characteristics of the letters do have a measurable effect upon
reading rates (with comprehension as a control). The details are not
well understood (at least by me). Some of the factors are the use of
serifs, ratio of decenders, and stem thickness.
--
John Holt
Alan Baker
wrote:
Right.
And in those factors, Arial and Helvetica are 99.99% identical.
MuahMan
> In article <2009102714312416807-me@foonet>, John Holt <m...@foo.net>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > > In article <k5mdnXPWAsKdAXvXnZ2dnUVZ_vidn...@giganews.com>,
Vincent
"ZnU" <z...@fake.invalid> wrote in message
So lacking a counter argument, you resort to redirection. The Mac mini
sucks. I it can't be expanded, it's weak and costs twice that of a PC that
can do more.
Vincent
"Alan Baker" <alang...@telus.net> wrote in message
news:alangbaker-BF22D...@news.shawcable.com...
So you are saying that ZnU is FOS? Yes, I felt the same.
Justin
Hey there buuuuuudy!
want a soda?
ZnU
<fa08fe33-7818-47bd...@z4g2000prh.googlegroups.com>,
ed <ne...@atwistedweb.com> wrote:
Arial is ostensibly based on Monotype Grotesque, but appears to have
deliberately stolen Helvetica's glyph widths so it could be used as a
near drop-in replacement. And whether Microsoft commissioned it or not
(this is a widely told story in the design industry, but now that I poke
around it seems some sources say it was developed for an IBM printer),
it's still a recently developed knockoff of a font with a real cultural
history (it's not for nothing that Helvetica is the only font that has a
feature-length documentary film centered on it), and Microsoft's use of
Arial still demonstrated a sort of apathy towards or obliviousness to
culture, which still seems to pervade Microsoft's products.
I suppose I shouldn't complain too much. After all, the vast majority of
companies that make consumer products have no sense of this stuff
either. But Apple does, and Microsoft looks worse by contrast.
Snit
10/27/09 2:59 PM:
What do you think of MS's relatively new fonts: Calibri and Cambria. I use
Calibri a fair amount and am pretty happy with it.
--
[INSERT .SIG HERE]
Steve de Mena
Because Arial was specifically tweaked (with "hints") for that purpose
(on-screen, especially at smaller sizes). It's very simple.
From one source....
"Nice article on font hinting Jonathan.
While I would normally take the fan boy route and back Apple to the
�core�, there is something to be said for Microsoft�s approach
here�even I can�t deny that their classic web fonts�Arial, Georgia and
Verdana�just �work� on the web and screen, the platforms they were
explicitly designed for, and when reading text in a browser at very
small sizes, function over form is a very practical approach to take."
Steve
Steve de Mena
Why don't you stick to something you might actually know about? For
one, your statement about two type faces being identical in some way
completely ignores the permutations required for various sizes.
Steve
Steve de Mena
> But Apple does, and Microsoft looks worse by contrast.
You state that as if it were "fact", and not just your opinion.
Steve
Alan Baker
LOL
Each platform had to face the same choices with regard to different
sizes, Steve.
Alan Baker
> �core�, there is something to be said for Microsoft�s approach
> here�even I can�t deny that their classic web fonts�Arial, Georgia and
> Verdana�just �work� on the web and screen, the platforms they were
> explicitly designed for, and when reading text in a browser at very
> small sizes, function over form is a very practical approach to take."
Ummmm... ...no.
Hinting was for outline fonts, which Windows didn't have for quite a
long time, and when they finally got it at the system level it was Apple
who gave it to them.
Tim Murray
>>>> How in the *world* could one font which is almost identical to another
>>>> be "easier to read on-screen"?
>>
>>> The characteristics of the letters do have a measurable effect upon
>>> well understood (at least by me). ï¿œSome of the factors are the use of
>>> serifs, ratio of decenders, and stem thickness.
>>
>> Right.
>>
>> And in those factors, Arial and Helvetica are 99.99% identical.
>>
> cite?
Most people can't even see the differences, which are few.
http://ilovetypography.com/2007/10/06/arial-versus-helvetica/
ZnU
> �core�, there is something to be said for Microsoft�s approach
> here�even I can�t deny that their classic web fonts�Arial, Georgia and
> Verdana�just �work� on the web and screen, the platforms they were
> explicitly designed for, and when reading text in a browser at very
> small sizes, function over form is a very practical approach to take."
>
> Steve
The version of Helvetica that Apple shipped was undoubtably hinted as
well. Vector fonts look atrociously bad (not just a little hard to read)
at small sizes on low-resolution devices without either hinting or
anti-aliasing, and the latter was impractical to do in real time on the
hardware of the day.
Vincent
"Justin" <jus...@nobecauseihatespam.com> wrote in message
news:hc7mgc$j36$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
Did you learn that at MacDonald's training center?
Mauritz
> Posting order revised, for self evident reasons.
>
> Fa-groon <fa-gr...@mad.com> wrote:
>
> > It "don't belong here"? DON'T belong here? Did you flunk English?
>
> Sorry, but since Mauitz isn't an obvious CSMA Troll, he deserves a
> courtesy on grammar (particularly since his blog post isn't poorly
> written).
Thank you, indeed English is not my first language (I'm originally
Swedish).
> > On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:07:02 -0700, Mauritz wrote:
>
> > >>> First of all the most obvious flaw which is the track pad with just one
> > >>> button.
>
> Yes, it does seem odd until you recognize that the 2nd hardware button
> has been superseded by multitouch software. It takes some awareness
> to find the tutorial, plus some getting used to. FWIW, I found it to
> be a pleasant surprise as an upgrade to my 2005 vintage G4 laptop.
>
True, but I always try to turn off as much of the "click"
functionality. It works ok with multi touch gestures, but when it
comes to single click the chance of accidentally clicking while just
typing (Or worse dragging) just isn't worth it. If you accidentally
drag a node in XCode to somewhere else it can really mess stuff up
(Especially if you don't notice it until after you have committed your
changes to version control).
> > >>> ...On desktops
> > >>> you at least have an option to enable two mouse buttons, but it
> > >>> seems on laptops you have no such luck.
>
> > >> This shows the author (and, by reflection, rot) is stupid.
>
> Sorry, but what it really means is that he is still in the "Lack of
> Optimism". Windows mindset.
>
> What is meant by this is that if the computer's operator encounters
> some issue, those in the Windows mindset tend to throw up their hands
> in frustration and say "Stupid Windows!" and stop looking for a
> solution.
>
> But an Optimistic Mindset operator says "this doesn't make any
> sense ... there's got to be a way and I simply haven't found it" ...
> and makes a small effort more to learn about his computer and as often
> as not, finds what he was looking for. I personally saw this sort of
> self-help many times back when I was helping to supporting ~200
> users ... and IMO it was one of the basic reasons why Macs required
> (for us) roughly 1/3rd as much IT support in our Enterprise...in
> simplest terms, they didn't give up as easily.
>
> In more recent years, the problem has become worse, as Windows
> hardware has raced to the bottom: when a particularly key or feature
> is missing, the immediate negativity of the "Windows Mindset" was that
> it could only have been eliminated because its cheap hardware - - and
> no other possibilities, such as that the optimism that there was an
> alternative (possibly better) solution.
>
I really do think that I have more of a positive mindset normally.
Originally I am a Linux/Unix user although I have lately been forced
to work a lot on Windows because of work. I usually have no problem
figuring out how the "right way" of doing things are for any given OS.
It's just that on Mac for a software developer it is simply not as
productive as either Windows or Linux mostly because of it being so
mouse centric. In XCode there simply is no way of working with it
without using the mouse (As a good example I can't switch to another
file that I am editing in my project without using the moues and I
have read through the entire list of keyboard bindings to find it and
failed).
> Continuing with the Blog:
>
> "Next thing that annoys me immensely is that Apple have
> removed a bunch of very useful keys from the keyboard.
> The ones most obvious to me is PageUp, PageDown,
> Home and End. All keys which you as a coder use a lot.
> Granted I have the really small laptop, but even the 17"
> Macbook Pro still doesn't have those keys."
>
> Same "Windows Mindset" negativity issue: one assumes that the
> elimination of a dedicated key means that the function is gone
> forever. All of the keyboard layouts have retained the up/down, left/
> right keys ... try them with "Command+" ...
>
> ... and while you're at it, try also the others (Shift, Control,
> Option)
Trust me, I have really looked. There just isn't a page up/page down
combination on the keyboard. There is a scroll up and scroll down,
that is not the same thing though because it doesn't move the cursor
so the moment you start typing it will jump back to where you were
before you started scrolling. I think it comes down to Apple simply
deciding that you're not supposed to use the keyboard to navigate
large documents which I as a coder find very frustrating (I've had a
chat with one of the Genius Bar people about it and got the response
back: Why would you wanna to that?).
> "Mac computers have no less than 5 modifier keys. Granted Windows
> machine have basically the same set of modifier keys. The difference
> is that on Windows two of them are use very sparingly."
>
> Translation: 2 are very much underutilized on Windows.
>
> "On Mac you use all 5 modifier keys and a dizzying array of
> combinations.
> They have also tied up all the function keys with rarely used OS
> functionality
> so that when you are in X-Code for instance instead of using
> something easy
> like F8 for step you are forced to resort to Command+Shift+O."
>
> Even though I'm not an XCode user, what I immediately saw is that this
> shortcut example was a variation on "Command-O", which is the UI-
> constant "Open" command. As such, adding "Shift" suggests that its
> function will be derivationally similar ... and after a quick Google
> search, I see that this is the XCode command for "Open
> Dictionary"...YMMV, but this shortcut selection makes logical sense,
> as it is an easier mnemonic than "F-anything"
>
Actually the problem is that when you are debugging code you have a
tendency to switch fast between these commands a whole bunch of times
(I'm doing these from memory so don't bite my head off if I get one
wrong):
Step Into, Step Over, Run and Step Out:
In Visual Studio they are mapped to: F10, F11, Shift+F11 and F5
respectively
In GDB/Emacs that are mapped to: i, s, o and g
In XCode they are mapped to: Command+Shift+I, Command+Shift+O, Command
+Option+P and don't remember the step out.
It is simply not designed to be productive. Especially the switching
between the multiple different modifiers is a pain.
> But YMMV applies as to what's easier - if it really bothers you, there
> are utilities that allow you to remap.
>
> "Lets move on to the screen which compared to what I am used to
> really sucks. The resolution is simply atrocious....you can get
> 1920x1280 resolution on a 15.4" screen but with Mac..."
>
> You do realize that what you're asking for is nothing less than a full
> 1080p HDTV theater experience out of a laptop? To meet THX industry
> recommendations at a viewing distance of 2ft, you need a 15.6" wide
> (not diagonal) screen. As such, supporting 1080p on laptops smaller
> than 17" is a waste of resources ...
>
> ... but the Windows industry recognizes that some of their customers
> buy based on hardware specifications and ignore (or aren't aware of)
> their physiological limitations, even though they'll convince
> themselves via the PLACEBO EFFECT that they can perceive that there is
> a difference.
>
> I don't mean to be cruel, but unless you were able to successfully
> pick "Screen B" 80% of the time in a scientifically valid BLIND-BLIND
> controlled experiment, you bought based on what you believed was
> better, not what you were actually able to perceive.
>
> FWIW, as a rule of thumb, most people can't discern resolutions
> significantly higher than 100dpi at typical computer viewing
> distances. Afterall, we're not all still 18 years old such that our
> pupils are still flexible enough to be able to dilate all the way out
> to 7mm pupil diameter (PD)...but by the time that we hit our mid/late
> 20's, our eyes have already degraded, and our max PD is down to
> 5mm ... yes, that's a 50% reduction in light-gathering.
In my use case I write code. The more lines I can make out on a screen
the better I can work. I have good eyesight. I always if possible
change to 8 point font and run the highest resolution available. On my
"real" laptop I have 1920x1200 on a 15.4" screen and it is great. I
can fit over hundred lines of code on the screen in one page. I just
don't like the 17" laptops because I bring my laptop with me
everywhere and they are just to cumbersome to bring around. I can pick
out the "good" screen 100 times out of a 100. It's really not hard if
you have good eyesight. Again, it comes down to what you use the
computer for. If all I did was edit photos or watch movies I wouldn't
care that much about the resolution but for writing code you just want
those DPI:s. All I'm saying is that I don't like the fact that with
Apple I don't have the choice even if my needs are in a minority.
> "Finally lets go on to build quality..My Air broke within about
> one month which is a record even for me."
>
> But the product baseline is full-featured laptops that are <3lbs.
> Other than the Air, what other products exist in your sample size to
> be a fair comparison? Please note that I said "full featured", so
> netbooks with 7" screens don't count...they've sacrificed other things
> (such as screen size) in order to get under that 3lb weight bogey.
>
> FWIW, I wouldn't take a Lotus Esprit to a Demolition Derby.
I have a Lenovo X300 which is about the same size (And includes an
optical drive in that package). It has yet to break. Since I wrote
this message the Mac has broken down and needed repair again btw :).
> Software....
>
> Two generalized comments: some of us prefer the de-linking of Apps to
> Windows, as we loathe how Windows shuts down the App when we choose to
> close all windows (such as when moving between projects). Second,
> some of us don't like the green button's lack of Maximize=fill screen
> paradigm either...although I do have to say that I dislike Window's
> version more, since it has an annoying habit of slightly OVERfilling,
> whereupon I then waste time resizing.
I always use a laptop and there you don't have the issue with
incorrectly calibrated screens. I have seen it once in a while when
using a stand alone screens though and I agree that it is annoying.
You would have the same issue with a Mac though if you hooked it up to
a non calibrated screen (Like a TV with a computer input for instance)
with not seeing the menu bar.
>
> Other...
>
> "Apple is the only company I know of in the US who require a
> signature to their packages when you order something from their
> website."
>
> The caveat being "That You Know Of". Suffice to say that they're not
> unique in this regards. For example, B&H (a premier retailer of pro-
> level photography equipment).
Absolutely, it's just a little annoyance. It's just funny to me that
Apple is the one company I do business with that tries to force me to
get a printer (Because you need the printer to print out the
authorization form to leave the package at the door).
> > > Just for the record, I did not post my blog entry to this group
> > > because it obviously don't belong here.
>
> Regardless, I hope that you'll see this reply.
>
> -hh
I did. :)
/Mauritz
wetpixel
<z...@fake.invalid> wrote:
> > Yeah, and a disproportinate number of them have major issues. And they run
> > slow. But it looks nice and you jerk offs orgasim over it. Sad that you
> > worship an appliance.
>
> It's sad that you have absolutely no taste and no sense of culture.
>
> This, incidentally, more than anything else, has always been the
> difference between Apple and Microsoft. Consider, as a seemly trivial
> but extremely reveling example, fonts.
>
> In the late '80s, Apple and Microsoft collaborated on TrueType, a new
> system to allow desktop computers to use complex vector-based fonts.
> When the system was implemented, both companies went looking for new
> fonts to bundle with their operating systems, to show off the new
> capabilities. A general-use minimalistic sans-serif font was, of course,
> a must-have.
>
> Apple bundled Helvetica. Helvetica is an iconic font, a product of a
> specific design movement that existed within an authentic historical
> context, and which Apple licensed from Linotype, the foundry that owned
> the rights.
>
> Microsoft evidently didn't want to pay any licensing fees, and
> commissioned a cheap knockoff, Arial.
>
> Of course, you'll dismiss this as utterly meaningless. But the attitudes
> that shaped this decision are the attitudes which shape all aspects of
> these companies' respective products. And for people who aren't
> aesthetically oblivious, it matters.
Reminds me of TrueType development, too, where Microsoft and Apple took
respective development tasks for open technologies, Apple developing
TrueType. Microsoft failed to deliver their end (a document standard
which might have gone into their XML stuff, I don't know). Even though
Microsoft delivered nothing, Apple shared TT and got a license for
TrueImage, a Postscript competitor that Apple never used and no one
else seemed to care about.
Microsoft is today proudly proclaiming their ClearType tech, which is
hardly more than a tech presented in the early 80s or so and which
Apple and Adobe had been doing for years.
> > > Having a large humming plastic and metal box under the desk that the
> > > user doesn't directly interact with in any way is an example of form
> > > ignoring function for the convenience of engineers.
> >
> > The one I have runs so quiet no one knows its there.
>
> Which, from the perspective of someone following the aesthetic principle
> of form follows function, is about as good as cleaning your living room
> by sweeping shit under the rug.
It's begging the question anyway;
if that is pleasant, why is it a bad policy that Apple wants this from
its products?
if he likes it, why is it unimportant in so many anti-Apple arguments?
if it's so pleasant there, why is it not considered unpleasant for so
many Winboxes that are infamously loud?
David Fritzinger
<94f8afd8-59cb-4065...@v36g2000yqv.googlegroups.com>,
Mauritz <henrik.p...@gmail.com> wrote:
If you want to go between two documents in the same program, use cmd-`.
That will move you between all the windows in the same program. To cycle
among different programs, use cmd-tab.
[big snip]
-hh
> -hh <recscuba_goo...@huntzinger.com> wrote:
> > > Mauritz wrote:
> [heavy editing]
>
> I really do think that I have more of a positive mindset normally.
> Originally I am a Linux/Unix user although I have lately been forced
> to work a lot on Windows because of work. I usually have no problem
> figuring out how the "right way" of doing things are for any given OS.
Understood. FWIW, I wasn't necessarily referring to the 'right way'
paradigm, as much as I was alluding to...call it a 'there is a way to
do this'.
> ... (As a good example I can't switch to another
> file that I am editing in my project without using the moues and I
> have read through the entire list of keyboard bindings to find it and
> failed).
They do build them (as icons) into pulldown menus, but IMO, Apple
doesn't do a good job in consolidating into documentation all of the
various shortcuts. Years ago, I can recall making up my own one page
cheat sheet for JOVE for my own convenience...it quickly became
popular in the office. FWIW, I've kept a copy; here's the link.
http://www.huntzinger.com/text/jovecrib.txt
> > ... All of the keyboard layouts have retained the up/down, left/
> > right keys ... try them with "Command+" ...
>
> > ... and while you're at it, try also the others (Shift, Control,
> > Option)
>
> Trust me, I have really looked. There just isn't a page up/page down
> combination on the keyboard.
Here's an oddity: I tested Command-(up/down/left/right keys) on my
machine before suggested it. This faithfully reproduces home/end and
movement to line begin/line end (although I do now see that it doesn't
do smaller vertical page up/down)...but in cross-checking that this
worked fine on Safari, I also checked it in MS-Word, which I happen to
have open today ... and found that its not supported in that MS
software.
> ... I think it comes down to Apple simply deciding that ...
Possibly; it could be that they assume that relatively large jumps
would be addressed through some equivalent of chapter breaks (goto
page#), or by a keyword search. Or it could simply be a feature that
they overlooked. Have you considered putting in a feature request?
> (I've had a
> chat with one of the Genius Bar people about it and got the response
> back: Why would you wanna to that?).
IMO, Genius Bar staff are primarily intended to be retail support
staff who are merely less unskilled in interpersonal relations than
normal store technology geeks.
> Actually the problem is that when you are debugging code you have a
> tendency to switch fast between these commands a whole bunch of times
> (I'm doing these from memory so don't bite my head off if I get one
> wrong):
>
> Step Into, Step Over, Run and Step Out:
>
> In Visual Studio they are mapped to: F10, F11, Shift+F11 and F5
> respectively
> In GDB/Emacs that are mapped to: i, s, o and g
> In XCode they are mapped to: Command+Shift+I, Command+Shift+O, Command
> +Option+P and don't remember the step out.
>
> It is simply not designed to be productive. Especially the switching
> between the multiple different modifiers is a pain.
Ouch. From a UI perspective, these three Apps really need to be more
consistent. The problem is that the installed base of legacy
customers of whichever Apps are made to change UIs will scream bloody
murder at having to change.
FWIW, you might want to post this observation to a relevant forum
where there's skilled users of two or more of these Apps, and solicit
if anyone has come up with their own personal solution to this UI
problem.
> In my use case I write code. The more lines I can make out on a screen
> the better I can work. I have good eyesight. I always if possible
> change to 8 point font and run the highest resolution available.
FWIW, please do yourself a favor and be studious about taking breaks
to take care of your eyes. Too many hours latched onto a screen from
a decade ago really messed mine up.
> All I'm saying is that I don't like the fact that with
> Apple I don't have the choice even if my needs are in a minority.
Unfortunately, "lack of choice" in hardware elements are a necessary
evil for Apple to keep prices down, because of their relatively small
market share not permitting the appropriate manufacturing economies of
scale.
> > "Finally lets go on to build quality..My Air broke within about
> > one month which is a record even for me."
>
> > But the product baseline is full-featured laptops that are <3lbs.
> > Other than the Air, what other products exist in your sample size to
> > be a fair comparison? ...
>
> I have a Lenovo X300 which is about the same size (And includes an
> optical drive in that package). It has yet to break. Since I wrote
> this message the Mac has broken down and needed repair again btw :).
I have a larger Lenovo thinkpad, as well as its older IBM thinkpad
brother...they are great pieces of hardware. We have a good number of
Dells and HP/Compaqs in our office and the Lenovos tend to last
substantially longer...call it a magnitude of 2x - 3x better. In
general, I have to hand it to IBM/Lenovo for making a relatively
bulletproof product - - they really are a big notch above the
rest...including Apple.
> Absolutely, it's just a little annoyance. It's just funny to me that
> Apple is the one company I do business with that tries to force me to
> get a printer (Because you need the printer to print out the
> authorization form to leave the package at the door).
IIRC, FedEx has self-adhesive hardcopy paperwork to fill out; they're
harder to get ahold of versus a print-it-yourself. But it seems
strange that you seem to be inferring that you don't have a home
printer...? They're often the 'free item' in bundles/rebates, so I
have the darn things coming out of my ears.
-hh
Vincent
On Oct 25, 5:52 am, -hh <recscuba_goo...@huntzinger.com> wrote:
> Posting order revised, for self evident reasons.
>
> Fa-groon <fa-gr...@mad.com> wrote:
>
> > It "don't belong here"? DON'T belong here? Did you flunk English?
>
> Sorry, but since Mauitz isn't an obvious CSMA Troll, he deserves a
> courtesy on grammar (particularly since his blog post isn't poorly
> written).
Thank you, indeed English is not my first language (I'm originally
Swedish).
I'm sorry that a stranger insulted you here, but the man is a well known
clod, without a shred of decency. He is a worthless, bitter, sociopath, who
should do away with himself. Please accept my support.
-hh, you did the right thing, for once.
Tim Murray
> The version of Helvetica that Apple shipped was undoubtably hinted as
> well.
Actually it was undoubtedly crap. In OS 9 and earlier, they shipped a
suitcase with a mix of Type 1 and TrueType and no outline files; in OS X
their dfont file contains only roman and bold.
TBerk
> The computer I have been using is a Macbook Air, which is supposedly pretty
> much a top of the line model when it comes to laptops...
Is this guy kidding, or what?
berk
Alan Baker
<041833c0-34b6-4188...@j9g2000prh.googlegroups.com>,
TBerk <bayar...@yahoo.com> wrote:
Yes. Essentially he is.
He knows that he's posting bullshit, but he's so pissed off at having
backed the wrong horse and having been beaten up over it over and over
that this is all Edwin has left...
Steve Hix
He's a sad little troll with no life beyond spending time in newsgroups
with people he doesn't like, obsessing about products he doesn't like,
and getting simple facts wrong in the process.
Sort of an Eeyore, but not as cheerful.
Tim Murray
> Yeah, and a disproportinate number of them have major issues.
> And they run slow.
Perhaps you can come up with a way to support either claim?
Mauritz
wrote:
> In article
> <94f8afd8-59cb-4065-a4e1-144688009...@v36g2000yqv.googlegroups.com>,
That doesn't work in XCode. In that app all your files are in a list
pane to the right in the window (Sort of by necessity because a
project probably contains a few hundreds and having that many windows
wouldn't work either. You switch the file you are editing on the right
by clicking in the list.
Mauritz
>
> TBerk <bayareab...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > On Sep 18, 7:52 am, "Rotten Apple" <rot...@pple.com> wrote:
>
> > > The computer I have been using is a Macbook Air, which is supposedly pretty
> > > much a top of the line model when it comes to laptops...
>
> > Is this guy kidding, or what?
>
> > berk
Well, lets face it. It is priced as sort of top of the line.
Performance wise the MacBook Pro is obviously better. Still it does
have a price tag that to me would suggest that I should be able to
expect good build quality. Despite of that I have so far had my
MacBook Air repaired no less than 3 times since I bought it in April.
During that same time my Lenovo laptop which I use probably at least
10 hours a day (The Mac I only use when I play around with stuff for
my IPhone) and it hasn't had a single issue during this time.
And if you read the blog I don't complain about the actual performance
of the laptop. I know how to read the specs when purchasing a
computer. Keyboard layouts and such are not available in the spec
sheets though so those are trickier to know before you actually have
the product in your hands.
>
> Yes. Essentially he is.
>
> He knows that he's posting bullshit, but he's so pissed off at having
> backed the wrong horse and having been beaten up over it over and over
> that this is all Edwin has left...
I'm confused as to what wrong horse I have backed. The only reason I
have a Mac at all is because that is the only way that I could play
around writing software for my IPhone (Which is a really neat piece of
electronics, especially once I have my own software on it to fix the
worst annoyances I've found). That said, I am getting increasingly
frustrated by the Apple AppStore approval process that I am pretty
much ready to switch development platform to the Android (It's SDK is
based on the excellent multi platform IDE of Eclipse which I know and
love from before). Now if only AT&T could come out with an Android
phone that I want to use (The Xperia X3 looks promising though).
Mauritz
> In article
> <041833c0-34b6-4188-8f46-87aa16a5d...@j9g2000prh.googlegroups.com>,
>
> > On Sep 18, 7:52 am, "Rotten Apple" <rot...@pple.com> wrote:
>
> > > The computer I have been using is a Macbook Air, which is supposedly pretty
> > > much a top of the line model when it comes to laptops...
>
> > Is this guy kidding, or what?
>
> He's a sad little troll with no life beyond spending time in newsgroups
> with people he doesn't like, obsessing about products he doesn't like,
> and getting simple facts wrong in the process.
>
> Sort of an Eeyore, but not as cheerful.
I know I'm sort of contradicting myself here, but I didn't post this
blog entry on this list and I also never would because it obviously
doesn't belong here. I originally wrote it because I was becoming
increasingly frustrated with the shortcomings (In my opinion at least)
of my Mac. I'm writing this and some other post just to sort of
explain the most obvious misconceptions that I find.
Also, this is probably the first time I'm on Usenet since I was in
college in the 1990's and the only reason I am here now is that
whoever did post this here also posted a link to the thread in the
original blog post. Just curious, what the simple facts I've gotten
wrong too. The top of the line comment was in reference to the
computers price tag and not its performance. All I meant was that with
that kind of price tag you would expect build quality better than
noname laptops. I've owned this laptop since April and even though it
is not my main work horse laptop it has still broken down to the point
of having to send it off to be repaired several times.
wetpixel
<8836c856-e3e8-4800...@g27g2000yqn.googlegroups.com>,
Mauritz <henrik.p...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Oct 31, 12:27�am, Alan Baker <alangba...@telus.net> wrote:
> > In article
> > <041833c0-34b6-4188-8f46-87aa16a5d...@j9g2000prh.googlegroups.com>,
> >
> > �TBerk <bayareab...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > On Sep 18, 7:52�am, "Rotten Apple" <rot...@pple.com> wrote:
> >
> > > > The computer I have been using is a Macbook Air, which is supposedly
> > > > pretty
> > > > much a top of the line model when it comes to laptops...
> >
> > > Is this guy kidding, or what?
> >
> > > berk
>
> Well, lets face it. It is priced as sort of top of the line.
No, it isn't.
It is priced as having something to offer that makes it more expensive.
Price rises concurrent with performance, and when talking about
computers, "top-of-the-line" is all about performance, not price.
> Performance wise the MacBook Pro is obviously better. Still it does
> have a price tag that to me would suggest that I should be able to
> expect good build quality.
Well, yes; but we have to make sure we separate that aspect from the
performance comments.
Alan Baker
<8836c856-e3e8-4800...@g27g2000yqn.googlegroups.com>,
Mauritz <henrik.p...@gmail.com> wrote:
Are you admitting to being Edwin (aka "Rotten Apple") because my
comments were in answer to a specific question about him.
wetpixel
<94f8afd8-59cb-4065...@v36g2000yqv.googlegroups.com>,
Mauritz <henrik.p...@gmail.com> wrote:
<snipped>
> > Continuing with the Blog:
> >
> > �"Next thing that annoys me immensely is that Apple have
> > �removed a bunch of very useful keys from the keyboard.
> > �The ones most obvious to me is PageUp, PageDown,
> > �Home and End. All keys which you as a coder use a lot.
> > �Granted I have the really small laptop, but even the 17"
> > �Macbook Pro still doesn't have those keys."
> >
> > Same "Windows Mindset" negativity issue: �one assumes that the
> > elimination of a dedicated key means that the function is gone
> > forever. �All of the keyboard layouts have retained the up/down, left/
> > right keys ... try them with "Command+" ...
> >
> > ... and while you're at it, try also the others (Shift, Control,
> > Option)
>
> Trust me, I have really looked. There just isn't a page up/page down
> combination on the keyboard. There is a scroll up and scroll down,
> that is not the same thing though because it doesn't move the cursor
> so the moment you start typing it will jump back to where you were
> before you started scrolling.
On the mini keyboard:
command-up moves cursor to top of current page,
next time moves to top of next page.
Steve de Mena
In Finder that moves one up to higher-level folders.
In Finder, Option + arrow key moves to top/bottom Fn + arrow keys
moves up/down a page at a time.
Steve
Nathan
> I have now been forced to use a Mac computer quite a lot because the
> iPhone SDK is only available for Mac computers and I have been playing
> around with that a lot lately.
I don't normally respond to these sorts of posts, but hey.
I'm not going to call you a moron or stupid like other's. I mean you
know what XCode is and how to use it, so you gotta be a certain kind of
savvy.
What I would recommend, since you are forced to use a mac to dev for
the iPhone, is to look into customizing the OS to do what you want. In
the time it took to write your long-ish post, you could have fixed many
of your issues. You are not a Pro user of any platform until you learn
how to bend it to your will.
Two finger click. Keyboard Preferences let you change keyboard
shortcuts in any application. Fn + Up / Down and the like are probably
what you want. I also think you could appreciate the single menu bar if
you tried, since it's infinitly tall. Makes it easy to target it by
flicking the mouse.
I think your mis-givings are not 100% your fault (although, you seem to
have a lot of presupositions about how a computer _should_ work), since
a lot of what you request are changeable, but you just didn't know how.
This is a failure of the OS to present it's customizations in a logical
way.
Either way, since you are forced to use it, maybe take 15 mins to work
out some of your problems. Shaving 10 seconds of annoying-ment off a
day could really add up over time.
Alan Baker
Nathan <nat...@myobie.com> wrote:
> On 2009-09-18 10:52:01 -0400, Rotten Apple said:
>
> > I have now been forced to use a Mac computer quite a lot because the
> > iPhone SDK is only available for Mac computers and I have been playing
> > around with that a lot lately.
>
> I don't normally respond to these sorts of posts, but hey.
>
> I'm not going to call you a moron or stupid like other's. I mean you
> know what XCode is and how to use it, so you gotta be a certain kind of
> savvy.
Just so you know: the guy to who you've replied, Rotten Apple: he
doesn't know the first thing about Xcode.
He was just quoting someone else's blog.
>
> What I would recommend, since you are forced to use a mac to dev for
> the iPhone, is to look into customizing the OS to do what you want. In
> the time it took to write your long-ish post, you could have fixed many
> of your issues. You are not a Pro user of any platform until you learn
> how to bend it to your will.
>
> Two finger click. Keyboard Preferences let you change keyboard
> shortcuts in any application. Fn + Up / Down and the like are probably
> what you want. I also think you could appreciate the single menu bar if
> you tried, since it's infinitly tall. Makes it easy to target it by
> flicking the mouse.
>
> I think your mis-givings are not 100% your fault (although, you seem to
> have a lot of presupositions about how a computer _should_ work), since
> a lot of what you request are changeable, but you just didn't know how.
> This is a failure of the OS to present it's customizations in a logical
> way.
>
> Either way, since you are forced to use it, maybe take 15 mins to work
> out some of your problems. Shaving 10 seconds of annoying-ment off a
> day could really add up over time.
--
Snit
6:53 PM:
> On 2009-09-18 10:52:01 -0400, Rotten Apple said:
>
>> I have now been forced to use a Mac computer quite a lot because the
>> iPhone SDK is only available for Mac computers and I have been playing
>> around with that a lot lately.
>
> I don't normally respond to these sorts of posts, but hey.
>
> I'm not going to call you a moron or stupid like other's. I mean you
> know what XCode is and how to use it, so you gotta be a certain kind of
> savvy.
>
> What I would recommend, since you are forced to use a mac to dev for
> the iPhone, is to look into customizing the OS to do what you want. In
> the time it took to write your long-ish post, you could have fixed many
> of your issues. You are not a Pro user of any platform until you learn
> how to bend it to your will.
>
> Two finger click. Keyboard Preferences let you change keyboard
> shortcuts in any application. Fn + Up / Down and the like are probably
> what you want. I also think you could appreciate the single menu bar if
> you tried, since it's infinitly tall. Makes it easy to target it by
> flicking the mouse.
On a dual headed system, though, it still is a bit awkward.
> I think your mis-givings are not 100% your fault (although, you seem to
> have a lot of presupositions about how a computer _should_ work), since
> a lot of what you request are changeable, but you just didn't know how.
> This is a failure of the OS to present it's customizations in a logical
> way.
>
> Either way, since you are forced to use it, maybe take 15 mins to work
> out some of your problems. Shaving 10 seconds of annoying-ment off a
> day could really add up over time.
>
--
[INSERT .SIG HERE]
Edwin
"Alan Baker" <alang...@telus.net> wrote in message
news:alangbaker-6043F...@news.shawcable.com...
> In article <00bfbcfd$0$23373$c3e...@news.astraweb.com>,
> Nathan <nat...@myobie.com> wrote:
>
>> On 2009-09-18 10:52:01 -0400, Rotten Apple said:
>>
>> > I have now been forced to use a Mac computer quite a lot because the
>> > iPhone SDK is only available for Mac computers and I have been playing
>> > around with that a lot lately.
>>
>> I don't normally respond to these sorts of posts, but hey.
>>
>> I'm not going to call you a moron or stupid like other's. I mean you
>> know what XCode is and how to use it, so you gotta be a certain kind of
>> savvy.
>
> Just so you know: the guy to who you've replied, Rotten Apple: he
> doesn't know the first thing about Xcode.
Did the little voices in your head tell you that?
> He was just quoting someone else's blog.
Who let you know that, Alan?
[snip]
Alan Baker
"Edwin" <thor...@juno.com> wrote:
LOL
Why do you care about Rotten Apple so much, Edwin?
>
> > He was just quoting someone else's blog.
>
> Who let you know that, Alan?
Reading let me know that Edwin. Are you claiming it's not true?
LOL
Chance Furlong
"Edwin" <thor...@juno.com> wrote:
How do you know so much about voices in the head?
Edwin
> In article <c_k6n.2514$s%.1641@newsfe18.iad>,
> "Edwin" <thor...@juno.com> wrote:
>
>> "Alan Baker" <alang...@telus.net> wrote in message
>> news:alangbaker-6043F...@news.shawcable.com...
>> > In article <00bfbcfd$0$23373$c3e...@news.astraweb.com>,
>> > Nathan <nat...@myobie.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >> On 2009-09-18 10:52:01 -0400, Rotten Apple said:
>> >>
>> >> > I have now been forced to use a Mac computer quite a lot because
>> >> > the
>> >> > iPhone SDK is only available for Mac computers and I have been
>> >> > playing
>> >> > around with that a lot lately.
>> >>
>> >> I don't normally respond to these sorts of posts, but hey.
>> >>
>> >> I'm not going to call you a moron or stupid like other's. I mean you
>> >> know what XCode is and how to use it, so you gotta be a certain kind
>> >> of
>> >> savvy.
>> >
>> > Just so you know: the guy to who you've replied, Rotten Apple: he
>> > doesn't know the first thing about Xcode.
>>
>> Did the little voices in your head tell you that?
>
> LOL
>
> Why do you care about Rotten Apple so much, Edwin?
Who says I care about that poster at all?
>>
>> > He was just quoting someone else's blog.
>>
>> Who let you know that, Alan?
>
> Reading let me know that Edwin.
Not with your low level of reading skill. Somebody must have explained it
to you.
> Are you claiming it's not true?
I assume you asked that question merely to show how poor your reading skills
are.
[snip]
Edwin
"Chance Furlong" <T-B...@megakatcity.com> wrote in message
news:T-Bone-90FB43....@news.giganews.com...
Largely through observing a disturbed individual who named himself after an
anthropomorphic cat appearing in a kiddies' cartoon.
Chance Furlong
"Edwin" <thor...@juno.com> wrote:
> "Chance Furlong" <T-B...@megakatcity.com> wrote in message
> news:T-Bone-90FB43....@news.giganews.com...
> > How do you know so much about voices in the head?
>
> Largely through observing a disturbed individual who named himself after an
> anthropomorphic cat appearing in a kiddies' cartoon.
How do you know what anthropomorphics are? Are you a closeted
anthropomorphic fan? Do you go to furry cons and/or visit furry Web
sites?
Edwin
> In article <_Uj7n.19628$_96....@newsfe02.iad>,
> "Edwin" <thor...@juno.com> wrote:
>
>> "Chance Furlong" <T-B...@megakatcity.com> wrote in message
>> news:T-Bone-90FB43....@news.giganews.com...
>
>> > How do you know so much about voices in the head?
>>
>> Largely through observing a disturbed individual who named himself after
>> an
>> anthropomorphic cat appearing in a kiddies' cartoon.
>
> How do you know what anthropomorphics are?
Unlike yourself, my education doesn't come from watching kiddies' cartoons.
> Are you a closeted anthropomorphic fan? Do you go to furry cons and/or
> visit furry Web
> sites?
You must be looking for a soul mate again.
Chance Furlong
"Edwin" <thor...@juno.com> wrote:
> "Chance Furlong" <T-B...@megakatcity.com> wrote in message
> news:T-Bone-B9FC4A....@news.giganews.com...
> > In article <_Uj7n.19628$_96....@newsfe02.iad>,
> > "Edwin" <thor...@juno.com> wrote:
> >
> >> "Chance Furlong" <T-B...@megakatcity.com> wrote in message
> >> news:T-Bone-90FB43....@news.giganews.com...
> >
> >> > How do you know so much about voices in the head?
> >>
> >> Largely through observing a disturbed individual who named himself after
> >> an
> >> anthropomorphic cat appearing in a kiddies' cartoon.
> >
> > How do you know what anthropomorphics are?
>
> Unlike yourself, my education doesn't come from watching kiddies' cartoons.
>
> > Are you a closeted anthropomorphic fan? Do you go to furry cons and/or
> > visit furry Web sites?
>
> You must be looking for a soul mate again.
And who would that "soul mate" be? That is news to me.