Why do I need my own love life? I can just read other people's!
I won't write to you my own life. It's almost as interesting as yours, except no steamy love triangles and stuff. More like... love... polygons... of some sort. Except without the shapes. It's like a love line. A love equation could represent it is y = 2x + 3. My love gradient is 2.
That doesn't even make sense...
Email me, and I will... do something. Just email me, please.
I'm only going to say this once:
I'm not a physics student.
There. Now stop pestering me.
An article landed in my inbox tonight. A friend of mine wanted my opinion on it. I've decided to take this argument apart one by one. I'm not saying that I disagree with him overall or that I think his advice isn't worth it, I just feel that I could contribute to the arguments.
Begins:
• If there is any guaranteed axiom about purchasing a Mac, it's this: Don't buy a Mac during the holiday season. Major announcements are always made at Macworld Expo in January. That means there is a good chance that any Mac you buy prior to New Year's will immediately be replaced by something newer, cheaper and twice as good.
This is kind of obvious, but good advice nonetheless. Personally, I'm waiting until about the time of WWDC in June/July before getting a MacBook. If in the mean time they come out with something cooler, like a 17" model, or one that catches fire less, then I'll go for that. I can wait. Keep in mind that Apple was originally telling people that it was going to release Intel Macs until June anyway.
Personally I'm interested in what they can come up with for their 30th anniversary on 1 April.
• Speaking of everyone being surprised, the rumor sites pretty much got it all wrong this time around. As a group, they predicted Intel-based iBooks and Mac minis. Instead, we got Intel-based iMacs and the MacBook Pro. At least they were right that an Intel-based something would be released. But that's not saying too much. Which is why you shouldn't depend on rumors to make your purchasing decisions.
Generally speaking, if rumour sites are saying that something will happen, something will happen. However, they don't get the details correct very often, if at all. If it comes May and you're thinking "damn it, I'm gonna go get me one of them ol' MacBooks", but the rumour sites are saying "zomg 17" nuclear macbooks tomorrowz!1", then wait one more day, or one more week. It could mean nothing, but at least you won't be kicking yourself when the Zomg Nuclear 17" MacBook comes out. Check out these guys once in a while. Then check out these guys.
• Many pundits have tried to minimize the significance of Apple shifting to Intel processors. You read things such as: "Who cares what's running inside the machine, as long as everything still works the same?" This logic works well if we are discussing shifting from one DVD drive manufacturer to another. But a processor shift really is a big deal.
For starters, not everything works the same on Intel Macs. In particular, for your current software to run on an Intel Mac, it needs either to be upgraded to a "universal binary" version or be able to run in Rosetta (the PowerPC emulator included as part of Mac OS X for Intel Macs). Some notable software does not yet fit in either category. This includes Apple's own Pro apps (e.g., Final Cut Studio, Aperture, and Logic). Apple says updated Pro apps will be out by April.
Similarly, Microsoft's Virtual PC will not run on Intel Macs. Microsoft says that it is studying the feasibility of an upgrade, but has made no formal commitment as yet.
[As noted by a reader and by my own subsequent testing since I first wrote this column, AppleWorks does work on Intel iMacs. Accordingly, I have edited out comments indicating that the contrary might be true.]
Many shareware and freeware utilities will also need to be updated to run on Intel Macs. Check out sites such as VersionTracker.com to see if your favorite utilities are in this category.
I don't want to be an alarmist here. Many, many programs will work just fine on Intel Macs (although, if the program uses Rosetta, it will likely run slower than on a comparable PowerPC Mac). And those that do not work today will likely be upgraded soon. Still, if you can afford to wait awhile before buying a new Mac, you can bypass even these minor transition headaches.
Boo hoo. Nobody cares. Really. It is a big thing, yes, but don't let the fact that Microsoft Word isn't Universal yet put you off ordering one until after it has been ported. Take a look at your favourite software company's websites and see what plan they have for porting their software to Intel Macs. If they don't have one, or they are dropping support for Macs after the move to Intel, find another software company. They don't care about you. That company's not a real man, and you deserve a real man, sister.
All Macs will eventually be Intel, and hanging around on the PowerPC just so that a company will support you is silly. You'll wind up in the mess that three years down the track they'll drop their support for Macs because they're too old to run their latest releases, then you'll look around and find that everyone else dropped support for you, too. Meanwhile your friends on Intel Macs will still be happily bouncing along with support.
• There is no more Classic environment in Mac OS X for Intel-based Macs. If you used Classic at all, for any programs whatsoever, it's time to bid them adieu.
Boo hoo. There's also no modem, no floppy drive and they've dropped support for the old keyboards that came with Mac Plusses. You know, the ones that used RJ-11 ports? Sad, I know. They also don't have support for all your abacus software, too.
• Don't expect a new Intel-based Mac to have the 2X to 5X speed boost (as compared to the latest G5 iMac and PowerBook G4) touted in Apple's ads. These claims are based on benchmark tests. While such tests are a useful way to make relative comparisons of different computers, they don't simulate real world usage — where factors such as the speed of your hard drive and the nature of the software you use play a bigger role. These can be a bottleneck, slowing down the otherwise indicated speed. Steve admitted as much at his keynote.
Still, you should see a noticeable speed improvement. And if you are going from a G3 or G4 iMac, you will likely be very impressed by how much faster a new iMac is.
Duh.
• If, despite all of the above, you are still determined to buy an Intel Mac before the day is over, I recommend sticking with the iMac for now. It is basically the same machine as the current G5 iMac, except for the shift in processors. So, aside from potential problems due to the Intel processor itself, you can be confident that there won't be any "new model" glitches and bugs to be worked out.
The 15" MacBook Pro, in contrast, although similar in design to the current PowerBooks, is a fundamentally new architecture. As such, there is a much greater potential for as-yet-undiscovered problems. Especially as it isn't even shipping yet. Hardware design issues usually get addressed in a revised upgrade that comes out about 3-4 months later. So you might want to wait for that.
But there's an even more compelling reason to wait: It is virtually certain that a 12" and 17" MacBook Pro are waiting in the wings, set to replace the current PowerBook models of the same size. My money says that these notebooks will have significant new features not included in the current 15” MacBook Pro. When these models get released, the 15" model will be similarly upgraded so as to maintain feature parity. I'd wait to see these "real" MacBook Pros before I bought one. Remember, it's a fact, not a rumor, that every Mac will be transitioned to Intel processors before the end of 2006 (probably well before the end). So you know they are coming.
Agreed. This is why I'm waiting. :)
• Don't try to boot an Intel Mac from an external hard drive that was formatted with a version of Mac OS X 10.4.4 installed from a PowerPC Mac. It won't work. The converse is true as well. It turns out that there are two separate versions of 10.4.4 and each one is machine specific. Apple promises to eventually release one universal version of Mac OS X, but it is not there yet. If this is a cause for concern for you, it is yet another reason to consider waiting before you purchase.
Duh. Also, don't expect IRIX to boot natively, too. Crazy, but it doesn't work.
• Don't buy any devices that require FireWire 800. Apple dropped the 800 port from the MacBook Pro (and it was neither on the old or new iMac). When I asked Apple about this, they replied that customer feedback indicated a lack of demand for this feature, so they dropped it. The Intel-based replacements for the desktop Power Macs may still sport this port, but it is otherwise gone.
This is true, but nobody really cares. The only persons to care would be the people who hang out on MacInTouch.com and complain about how the new Macs are crap and how they're waiting for the next revision before they're getting one. Seriously, don't be like these dudes. As far as I can tell, they're sitting there writing in on their Fat Macs.
It is still possible to simply buy a FireWire 800 expansion thingo for your ExpressCard, if you really need it. Then you can complain about the costs, too. You could sit there on MacInTouch.com and whinge about how Apple is making you fork out the extra $50 to those poor starving artists who are buying Apple Pro gear.
• If you still use a dial-up connection to the Internet, now is an especially good time to think about moving to broadband. The new Intel Macs do not come with a built-in modem (although you can buy an external modem as an accessory).
The 1980s called. They want their technology back. There is no modem. Get over it.
• The built-in iSight camera, included with both the iMac and the MacBook Pro, is an excellent idea overall (eliminating the extra bulk and cost of a separate camera). However, there is one notable downside: You can't move the camera separately from the display. This means you cannot position the camera to the side of the display (to perhaps get a better angle on your face), turn the camera to face the display (useful to show someone else what is on your screen), or conveniently hold it in your hand to scan barcodes (as you might want to do with the popular Delicious Library program).
I think that he's pretty much scarping the bottom of the barrel at this stage.
Anyway, I hope that proved insightful and/or interesting. Me? Like I said, I'm waiting for some months, particularly until after 1 April to get mine. Should be hot when I do, though.
DESK, Huw Federation: Three new previously unknown cities were discovered on the south coast of the Federation last week. The cities, Whiteboard, Door and Tre'Leg were discovered by a lost backpacker from Kimia who stopped there to ask for directions.
`I went down the road because I didn't know that it didn't exist,' said the backpacker, who wishes to remain anonymous. `I was on the run from the police... I mean I was just driving along... and I didn't have a map so I thought that it was a good place to hide... I mean pick up some petrol.'
`I've been a farmer around these 'ere lands for over 40 years,' says farmer John Mavis. `And not once 'ave I 'ad the need to go down dem roads. Kids these days don't know what they're up to...'
Apparently, the cities have been well marked on road signs, but no one has ever actually taken those roads.
The cities are fully populated and are in excellent order and condition. Whiteboard, in particular, even has taps and a monorail public transportation system.
The Government has launched a massive study into the new cities. Preliminary results show that the locals are strangely tame and unfrightened of humans.
`Dude,' says one of the locals. `How couldn't you notice us. We're, like, totally on of the maps, man... Like... whoa...'
However, a survey has shown that no citizen is familiar with Whiteboard, Door or Tre'Leg.
`...My hands are huge...' the local continued.
Hooray! Comments are working.
And there hasn't been an update in ages! Huw's been busy! Shut up already!
In the mean time, leave a comment or something.
How to get somebody lynched and keep your anonymity in three easy steps.
Step 1 - Make a flyer or broadside that displays your target's information and some kind of right-wing political view, preferably one students really hate. For example, "Student Unions? NO THANKS!". "Raise student fees today!" is another good one.
Step 2 - Post it up on a billboard somewhere in the Australian National University, preferably at night when no one can see you.
Step 3 - Profit.
Now that you have this knowledge, it is up to you whether or not to use it for good or for awesome.
Next entry will be brought to you by a Scandinavian male stripper dressed as a Vulcan who goes by the name of "Admiral Dorvaak"... come back in a few entries time...