Geek & Mild by Sean Sperte
Link: .Mac Mail Issues
Trouble with your read or deleted .Mac mail not wanting to stay read or deleted? Seems we’re not alone. One guy said it’s like zombie-mail – they keep coming back! (Update: It’s not gotten better, but worse. This looks like a serious issue.)
31-May 2006
The Rosetta Dilemma
My first order of business after receiving a MacBook Pro on loan for 4-8 weeks was to install and run Adobe’s Creative Suite 2. What I found in initial testing was what I had feared: Rosetta’s emulation doesn’t cut it for Photoshop.
To be fair, Apple’s done a fantastic job at something that’s potentially mind-blowing in terms of software engineering. To the end user, Rosetta is virtually transparent, meaning if you launch an application that’s not compiled to run on the Intel processor then you’ll never notice Rosetta stepping in and claiming juris-my-diction (/end crude Matrix reference). The application’s icon bounces in the dock a few more times, perhaps, but that’s about it.
When you consider what exactly Rosetta is doing then you’ve got to be impressed by it. Every CPU call; every calculation; every process; everything must go through an emulation cycle – potentially doubling the operation’s time and distance. For Rosetta to be as fast as it is shows a lot: Apple did a great job. In fact, that Apple even designed and built Rosetta speaks highly of their dedication to their user base (consumers and developers alike).
My observation is that Rosetta’s speed is comparable to a typical pre-Intel Mac’s. I tested several (read: “2 or 3”) non-universal applications and found that while I noticed a speed difference – the rest of the computer’s processes are incredibly fast – I rarely felt distracted or frustrated by the delays. Ahem. That is, until Photoshop was launched.
I’ve read several op-ed articles (and associating comments, thank you Newsvine) that both defend and blame Adobe for not updating their software to run natively on Macintels. One thing that is consistent throughout is the fact that Adobe had plenty of time to prepare for the switch, whether it was 6 or 9 or 12 months. Even if it had been 2 months, I still feel that such a huge transition in computing should be perceived as priority number one for any company that enjoys such a large user base from Mac owners and patrons. If you ask my opinion, Adobe sat on their huge (and growing), collective butt just to spite Apple … and it may end up biting them in that same butt.
The dilemma Adobe now faces is that they’ve said a universal (Intel-friendly) version of their software will not be available until CS3 is released, sometime in 2007. They said this way back when there were only two Intel Macs on the market and the world was still skeptical about Apple’s move … uh, just a few months ago. But a lot has changed since then. I don’t know the exact numbers, but based on reviews and my incredibly accurate observational skills, Apple’s sales of new Intel-based systems is quite good: Which isn’t so good for Adobe. Here’s what the a recent board meeting at Adobe could look like:
Adobe-Head-Honcho #1: So, my teenage daughter just got herself a Macinbook or whatever.
Honcho #2: Yeah? Black or white?
Geek Advisor: I think they’re called “MacBooks.”
Honcho #1: I think she said white.
Honcho #3: You know they’re charging like 400 bucks more for the black?
Honcho #2: No way!
Honcho #1: Oh yeah, she mentioned that. She asked me for a copy of Photoshop for it.
Honcho #2: I’ve got a copy right here. (Pulls out a 95-pound box from the bookshelf and hands it to Honcho #1.)
Advisor: You might want to hold off on giving her that, sir.
Honcho #1: What? Why?
Honcho #3: Yeah, I heard our software won’t run on those new MacTops.
Honcho #1: What?!
Honcho #2: That’s baloney! It runs just fine –
Advisor: That’s not true, it runs, but –
Honcho #1: Are you saying that my daughter can’t run #@$%ing Photoshop on her #@$%ing Apple?!
Advisor: …
Honcho #2: …
Honcho #3: …
Honcho #1: Crap.
If I were Adobe right now I’d be working my fingers to the bone getting a universal binary out. Why? Because of users like me – users that are about to upgrade their Mac and have only one reason to not do so. Users that are beginning to wonder if that reason is really such a big deal in the first place. Users that are starting to look for other tools that accomplish what Photoshop and Illustrator do (with probably less stress, for less money). Users that are crossing their fingers in hope that Apple will introduce a “Photoshop killer” (or something truly ground-breaking, like a graphic design app that’s actually intuitive!).
I doubt Adobe is working on little more than rearranging their offices to make room for their new Macromedia friends right now, though. I know this must be true because I’ve got this nagging Adobe Updater thing that’s supposed to remind me when a new update is ready, and lately it’s been rather quiet. Whatever they’re working on over there it’s certainly not their current applications.
So in the meantime, what am I to do? I want to upgrade to a Macintel so bad I can taste it … and using the MacBook Pro lately hasn’t helped the situation. Compared to my PowerBook the Intel machine screams. I can only take so much of this speed and torture before I pack up “Caspian II” and post an eBay ad. Again, the only thing stopping me is Adobe.
30-May 2006
Why Apple Missed The Niche
Apple missed an important demographic by introducing a consumer-level portable instead of a smaller professional portable: Me.
I don’t dare assume I’m in the majority (of Apple consumers) by being a graphic designer and a [wannabe-]mobile-professional, but I’ll take some liberty in saying that I’m part of an influential niche market – one that’s been ignored by Apple’s recent offerings. Especially considering the very latest, the MacBook.
With a 13.3-inch, glossy, widescreen display, an Intel core-duo processor, and cool, showy features like the mag-safe power connector, built-in iSight camera, wireless remote, and motion sensor protector, the MacBook seems like a viable “upgrade” for me. I’m using a now-archaic 1.67GHz PowerBook G4, introduced not even than 18 months ago. So why does the potential upgrade feel like it would be more of a downgrade to me?
I’ll tell you why.
Firstly, I’m a professional; or at least I like to consider myself one. I design graphics and websites, and as such, use a computer as my primary tool. Technical requirements aside, I demand a certain level of quality for my tool(s). The MacBook, though “designed by Apple in California”, does not meet that demand. It’s a consumer product, not a professional one. If feels cheaper, looks cheaper and is cheaper than my PowerBook.
Secondly, while it’s not directly the fault of Apple, the dilemma of Adobe not updating their products to run natively on the Intel processor means s-l-o-w performance from Photoshop on the MacBook (and MacBook Pro for that matter). Trust me, I know. I’ve managed to install and use Photoshop CS2 on a borrowed MacBook Pro. (That’s another story entirely.)
Finally, should I decide to order a MacBook, I will first have to sell my PowerBook – something I don’t want to do. Not that I’ve built some attachment to Caspain II (okay, maybe a little bit of sentiment), but I don’t think I could get near what it’s worth for it … to me. Similar models are getting between $1100 and $1300 on eBay; less than half what I paid for it just over a year ago.
So what could’ve Apple done to get me to upgrade (without hesitation)? A smaller than or 13.3-inch, ultra-portable, aluminum, backlit, duo-core, non-glossy, iSight-equipped, feature-laden, not-too-hot, no foam MacBook … called “The Macintosh ProBook”. And I suspect others in my demographic would follow me in throwing down their credit cards for something like that, too.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the MacBook is a great product. “I Approve™” it still, and will still recommend it for anyone considering. Apple nailed it when it comes to offering a near-perfect consumer portable, I doubt it not. There’s not a better laptop, PC or Mac or otherwise, in its price range or class. Bottom line: The MacBook rocks.
It just doesn’t rock me.
28-May 2006
Links: Inspiration
Where do I go for inspiration? Gee, I don’t know. But this looks like a promising possibility.
25-May 2006
Overheard at Starbucks
“My son told me this morning he wants ‘Starbucks cupcakes’ instead of a birthday cake this year.”
Only in Seattle.
25-May 2006
Link: SmackBook Pro
It’s still a bit too early for me (there’s no officially released binary), but SmackBook Pro looks like a very cool, very promising interface for desktop or OS switching with Mac laptops with the motion sensor. Watch the video.
25-May 2006
Link: Safari Tidy
Safari Tidy is a Safari plugin (duh) that checks websites for validation … on the fly. Purty nifty.
24-May 2006
MacBooks
I’m sure you’ve heard, but Apple announced the successor to their iBook line of consumer portables on Tuesday, the MacBook. We knew this one was coming, but it’s still nice to see it happen … finally.
Speaking of finally, I took a break this afternoon/evening to head to my local Apple Store to get my grubby hands on one – a full DAY AND A HALF after they were announced. It felt like an eternity, let me tell you.
Impressions? Slick. Slick as in “not quite sexy, but still cool enough to make your PC friends drooly-jealous”. While the white variation is only slightly more cool than the original iBook, the black is exceptionally “slick”.
And yes, Martin. I Approve™.
In a similar vein, I’m currently using and, in fact, writing this entry on a brand new, 2.0ghz MacBook Pro; and loving it. This thing really screams. Especially at the simple stuff like launching and switching apps, organizing files, surfing the web, etc.
So long story-short – I get to “borrow” it for 4-8 weeks while my wife’s laptop is being repaired by Fujitsu. Word to the wise: It pays to get the extended warranties on PC’s. ;)
Impressions, reviews and thoughts on the MBP later.
17-May 2006
Link: Voice Candy
Voice Candy. “It does for the microphone what Apple’s Photo Booth does for the webcam.” Neat.
14-May 2006
Link: The making of the Camino icon
The making of the Camino icon, one of my favorite OS X app icons.
14-May 2006
Link: US Air Guitar Championship
I may be out of practice but I bet I still got what it takes to compete in the US Air Guitar Championship. Just ask my wife. (Oh. Oh, I want it. Bad.)
13-May 2006
That Which Needs Work
I’m not a negative person, so don’t let the latest of my writings fool you. Still, I’ve gotta get some of this stuff off my chest and I figure my blog is a good place to do that. You don’t mind do you?
So, as pleased with the redesign as I am, there’s still some portions of the new TCC site that have been left undone, frustrate me, or even make me cringe. Since most of my readership here are web developers, designers, or saavy web-surfers, I thought I’d lift the rug and show the dirty underneath – as a sort of behind-the-scenes, help-me-out-if-you-can, yes-I’m-human-too thing. So, without further ado …
That, of the TCC redesign, which needs work:
- The favicon. Please. Have you ever SEEN a dumber favicon?
- The events calendar. I’ve had it with EasyPHPCalendar. I’m ready for Google Calendar’s API already. (Update: Okay so they’ve got an API, now I just need someone to write an EE module for it.)
- Event registration. I don’t think ANY of the forms validate, and they’re all horribly built. And not only do I not have the time to fix them, I’m having to add to the mess with new registrations going up this weekend!
- IE’s rendering of list items and, more specifically, the footer. Where do I begin with this one? Why, oh why, does IE insist on adding whitespace to list items? Try as I may, I can’t seem to get the sitemap to appear correctly in IE. Then there’s the issue of the sitemap somehow dropping off/out of the footer area. ARGH!
- The members section. I had such high hopes for this section of the site … Where did April go, by the way?
- The events calendar. Yes, again. The list on the homepage of upcoming events is powered by the same system, which sucks even more when in displayed in “list mode”.
- The lack of inline images. I think the site really lacks in the “this is what our church looks and feels like” department. We need a professional photographer on staff, for sure.
- Pastor’s Perspectives blog. I really wish I could’ve made this better than it is. Sure simple is good, but to me it just looks thrown together (uh, probably because it was).
- Print stylesheet. This one needs work mostly because it doesn’t exist. Ahem.
- RSS feed(s). Again with the doesn’t exist stuff. My goal here would be to have one main feed with literally everything on the site – audio archives, news, volunteer opportunities, comments, etc. – listed in reverse-chronological order. I think this may require some sort of not-yet-created module for EE, though. I’d also like to have singular feeds for each database.
- Ministries’ profiles. The ministries page in the about section really needs work. Honestly, each and every ministry of the church could have it’s own website, as they’re all so active, impacting and important.
Notice anything else that needs work?
12-May 2006
2.72
Standby for a quick rant.
Since launching the redesign of the TCC site I’ve been overwhelmed by the response. The site was featured on a few gallery and forum sites, I received tons of email, got IM’s, in-person compliments, and the obligatory mom blog post. I personally feel I’m just enjoying the wake made by Jesse’s great design. (That’s a wakeboarding reference, for those living in the alps.)
I also officially “rebooted” the site, even though I was over a week late in doing so. The CSS Reboot site allows for late entries, so it matters not. To my surprise, the site is getting votes, even though it appears in the middle of a long list of rebooted sites, some 10-12 pages into the system.
Still, the rating (as it is now) is 2.07 … out of 5. I remember reading about the ratings being harsh on another blog last week, but I had no idea it was this bad.
At first I thought I was just being defensive, but when I double-checked the score against the highest rated – read that again: “the highest rated” – site I found that the TCC site wasn’t doing too bad. The best rating, among hundreds of rebooted sites (including such greats as Jeff Croft, Natalie Jost, Avalon Star, and Jonathan Snook!) is: 2.72.
2.72
Out of 5.
Out. Of. 5.
Is this not ridiculous to anyone else? Are those voting really being that harsh? Do these designs really suck that bad? Is there a problem with the system?!
So while I’m somewhat disappointed the site’s receiving a D rating on CSS Reboot, I feel a little better knowing Jeff Croft’s amazing masterpiece isn’t getting much better.
Not that I care about ratings. :)
10-May 2006
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