Archive for May, 2005
Safety in Switching
Tuesday, May 31st, 2005Intel’s CEO tells computer users frustrated with spyware to buy a Mac. Security guru Winn Schwartau is “mad as hell” at Windows’s “inherent” insecurity and has switched to a Mac. And the FTC wants ISPs to temporarily disconnect Windows users with infected computers. Not surprisingly, Apple’s typically slow summer quarter looks to be a blockbuster with Switchers primarily concerned with security.
ASL – Day One
Monday, May 30th, 2005To: A tapped on head
L (rotating) and I
Boston Sunset
Friday, May 27th, 2005
OS 10.4 Second Impressions
Thursday, May 26th, 2005After using Mac OS X 10.4 for awhile, I have mixed feelings.
The underlying technology improvements in 10.4 are incredible, particularly for developers. These additions and improvements are worth upgrading to 10.4 alone. I feel that Tiger is the most significant update to Mac OS X yet and I highly recommend upgrading, regardless if you are a developer or not.
That said, surface features are mediocre and bugs abound.
In general, I don’t like the new Mail app. I do not like the mailboxes on the left. I don’t like that I cannot arrange the mailbox order. I don’t like that the mailboxes are no longer bolded when there are unread messages. I especially don’t like inconsistent user interfaces. I abhor brushed metal and I hate Mail’s new brushed-metal-meets-aqua-but-not-really. Cage Figher makes the new Mail less f’ugly, but only slightly.
I have reinstated LaunchBar’s rank in my dock. Spotlight loads Applications last in its search, despite Applications being at the top of my designated search priorities. This second or so additional delay is not acceptable when I use it primarily as an application launcher.
I still haven’t found anything useful to put on my Dashboard other than the weather.
Automator is clearly a solution looking for a problem. I don’t need another application to run Photoshop commands when Photoshop has had recordable actions for many years.
iCal still doesn’t support group-managed calendars. Sharing a calendar is nice, but allowing multiple people and computers to edit a shared calendar is great.
iChat does not allow you to be online with multiple screen names concurrently. AIM for Windows does. Come on Apple… catch up. Also, I am one of the unfortunate souls experiencing the erroneous “Insufficient Bandwidth” error that prevents me from A/V chatting with anyone, even though I could in Panther. Additionally, iChatAgent stops responding at least three times a day during file transfer… and I transfer LOTS of files via IM.
My complaints are resolvable and, fortunately, Apple listens to its customers. Life always could be worse: I could be back in Windows.
Noreaster
Wednesday, May 25th, 2005
I talked to Skye today and asked her to send my greetings to the sun from Los Angeles. The sun said, “Hi,” back and hopes to see me soon.
I hate Boston weather.
Hankin and Bug Bites
Tuesday, May 24th, 2005Some bloodthirsty entity drank me for dinner one night last week. I awoke with three large, itchy welts on my arms. The welts decreased in size, but still itch. Closer inspection reveals that each welt has two insertion points about .5mm apart. I do not know if the insect had two fangs or if I was the menu for an insect date. Apparently I was good enough for three courses. My initial reaction to these irritating welts was annoyance and desire to kill the preying beasts if I ever encountered them again. But then, completely unprovoked, I began to think about what Alan Hankin would do.
Alan would probably be amazed that such a tiny creature could bite me multiple times without my noticing, that the numbing agent would still bother me well after the creature left, and that blood not puss comes out of the insertion points when the welt is squeezed. While Alan may be gone, he changed the way I look at the world. Everything living on this planet, regardless if it is deemed to have a soul or not, is amazingly adapted for survival. The respect for all life I encountered in his class makes me now squeamish even to kill the ants that sometimes invade my kitchen. I know this may sound bizarre, but forgetting that we are all subject to mother nature is all too easy these days.
Quote
Sunday, May 22nd, 2005Are you feeling particularly like a fat retarded kid?
— Bryan, in response to my humming Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da by The Beatles
Comcast
Saturday, May 21st, 2005I kicked Verizon in the bum and welcomed Comcast into my home. It’s faster, cheaper, and the customer support is friendly.
*Edit*
Comcast has no contracts because it is not afraid that you will leave from lousy service. The salesman gave me a great deal on cable and internet access. The first month is even free! Now that Comcast was able to break through the lockout agreement between Verizon and my apartment management company, Comcast has been selling like crazy in Harbor Point. Everyone here (all 3,000 residents for sure) were mad as hell at Verizon for its slow DSL, rude customer support representatives, and insane pricing. We’re not taking it anymore. Welcome Comcast!
Hollaback Guy
Friday, May 20th, 2005A probing analysis of Gwen Stefani’s ‘Hollaback Girl’
I had to rip an Emerson IT manager a new one this week and Gwen Stefani prepped me with her Hollaback Girl song. While the song is great for preparing one for verbal battle, some of the lyrics are a bit… confusing. Google enlightened me and here I am sharing the knowledge.
2 AM Conversation
Wednesday, May 18th, 2005I think
the hardest thing
about graduation
is saying goodbye
to friends
you’ll never
have a 2 AM conversation with
again.
