HG's Profile

It's a mistake to compare Leopard to Vista. Leopard is evolutionary to be sure, but it's evolving from Tiger which predates Vista, so I don't see how Leopard is copying Vista at all. They're on different tracks with Leopard carrying forth the heritage of Mac OS X which began 7 years ago. Where was Vista then? As for there being nothing for users, you better spend more time with the applications like Mail, iChat, Address Book, iCal. The collaborative and interconnected new features of these apps are welcome for people who want to get more work done quickly and easily. Check out smart dates in the body of an email. They highlight when you roll your cursor over them and they can be made into events in your calendar. That's not only cool, but damned useful.

@Beeblebrox Mac users don't need to kiss anyone's foot. The fact of the matter is that Microsoft and Adobe made plenty of money in the 1980's off of the Macintosh and the desktop publishing phenomenon that Apple ushered in. By the way, that phenomenon was created by Apple's one-two punch: the simple WYSIWYG interface found exclusively on the Mac and Apple's introduction of the first laser printers for computers. If any foot kissing is in order, it should be from Windows users to Apple, for all the software that was developed on the Mac that was then ported to Windows once that crappy OS finally became usable. As for entering other companies markets. Adobe and Microsoft have been unpredictable partners. You could even say that with partners like these two, who needs enemies. Their software has been inconsistent in quality and quantity. Mac users have had to endure Adobe's and Microsoft's glacial code-base creaking toward another update, while fresh and exciting software is being produced more quickly by younger companies using the latest Cocoa APIs. I wouldn't worry that a dominant Apple will scare developers. Quite the contrary, Apple backbone only inspires confidence in others. As for Photoshop. Just because people are good with Photoshop (which requires contorting one's intuitive nature) doesn't mean that Photoshop is worthy of existing. Photoshop is an abomination. Even Adobe's John Nack admits Photoshop has an unnecessarily high barrier to entry. It seems Adobe's admittance of this fact reveals that the old farts are the die-hard Photoshop 'experts', but new users are finding the software too daunting to use. Of course Adobe needs new money so they're scrambling to improve the product. Apple should write an image manipulation application that's fun, truly creative and intuitive to use--not so much to teach Adobe a lesson, but just to help right-brained users be more productive. If Adobe (or Microsoft) cop some ideas from Apple's efforts, then that's fine too. People on the Windows side will benefit as a side-effect and there'll be more foot kissing owed to Apple.

Zune is emulating iTunes, so it's no alternative for artists or consumers. It would stand to alter the flow of profits into Microsoft's fat pockets though. Who should get the credit? I think young people. They couldn't afford to buy music at the industries prices, so they innovated new ways of disseminating their cultural values. I think they'll continue doing this. iTunes showed the industry a way to adapt that was acceptable to a large enough segment of consumers. Is it the ultimate solution? I don't think any DRM enforced solution is, whether it's Zune or PlayForSure. Ideally artists should sell directly to consumers. Music should be sold unprotected, returning fair use rights to customers. In such a scenario, artists would defray the loss of money due to piracy on the sales of concert tickets and merchandize.

I think if the zealots are getting to you, then you're spending too much time on the internet. I think personal experience will change user's attitudes towards Macs, not anything anyone writes on the web. The web is too hobbled with inaccuracies, subjectivism, and ulterior motives disguised as good advice to trust. Where ever one can replace writing with physical demonstration one begins to see real success. The Apple stores are doing it. I do it in my work with students in our labs. Administrators bravely do it againsts the forces of Microsoft, by sticking to their guns and using Apple in one-to-one programs in their school districts. Many places give you no choice to use a Mac. And other places subtly make it difficult. I think if you use a Mac you are brave. And braver still if you have the capacity to influence demonstrable change. Maybe we ought to stop spending so much time writing about these things and resume our work. But we should never let misconceptions and curiosity be unanswered. We can share our experiences with others and eliminate the ignorance.