What's so fantastic about Apple?

[Brian-M]

Still it makes me sad that I don't live 200 years from now, when TVs will probably be made from a material you can fold and put in your pocket and when unfolded would become something like a 100" TV which could also project 3D stereograms.

Nah, they'll have TV screens in sunglasses with optical arrangements to create an illusion of a really huge screen a comfortable distance away. Since you've got a different screen for each eye, 3D will be standard. Cameras built into the glasses will allow magnification of distant objects, improve visibility in areas with high-contrast lighting, and be capable of acting as night-vision goggles.

The handles (arms? ear-stems?) of the glasses will have speakers in them for sound, and motion sensors will adjust the sounds you hear with every slight movement of your head, to provide a convincing illusion of surround sound.

 

[Chris L]

This is wrong. Even before Apple introduced the FairPlay DRM scheme, iTunes never allowed simple drag-and-drop functionality to transfer music to iPods, and iTunes always scrambled the filenames of the audio files that it placed on the iPod.







What a goofy special pleading that statement is.





"Always had"?

Apparently not anymore.

I simply cannot understand why anybody would waste their money on a computer device that is specifically designed to prevent them from using their own data however they please. It's like buying a car that will only take you to places where the car manufacturer wants to allow you to go. Totally asinine.

I didn't know they had removed that feature. Yes that is stupid. I wasn't actually defending the iTunes/iPod idea in any case, only trying to show that the record companies didn't make Jobs bind them together. That was his idea for his own (customer unfriendly) purposes. That he included a way around DRM in (older versions of) the software would seem to indicate he wasn't comfortable with the idea (the guy's own record collection included lots of boot leg albums).

I've dealt with the crap-ware known as iTunes enough to know that it isn't the best way to go for handling music files. That's why I don't own any iToys. I prefer treating music files like any other kind of file. Using a special application (beyond the OS file manager) is just plain stupid.

 

[Chris L]

But that's not what we were talking about, is it? I'm talking about paying more money for less computing power, like you get when you buy an Apple computer.

A top-of-the-line video card would probably be a waste, but in terms of basic processing power, you can never have too much.

You're also completely sidestepping my point that Apples cost more than even computers with far better specs.

I wouldn't pay more for an under powered system, no matter how cool the CEO was. Yes, you can get a much more powerful and capable machine for the same money as you'd spend on the Apple. No, I certainly wouldn't want Aunt Martha (who has no idea who Steve Jobs was anyway) spending her Bingo money on a fashion statement. I'd also have an easier time with technical support for a non-Apple machine, as I'd have a much better idea about what technology she was dealing with (especially if I had built ot for her in the first place.

 

[John Albert]

I didn't know they had removed that feature. Yes that is stupid. I wasn't actually defending the iTunes/iPod idea in any case, only trying to show that the record companies didn't make Jobs bind them together. That was his idea for his own (customer unfriendly) purposes. That he included a way around DRM in (older versions of) the software would seem to indicate he wasn't comfortable with the idea (the guy's own record collection included lots of boot leg albums).

I've dealt with the crap-ware known as iTunes enough to know that it isn't the best way to go for handling music files. That's why I don't own any iToys. I prefer treating music files like any other kind of file. Using a special application (beyond the OS file manager) is just plain stupid.

I had no idea Jobs actually came out and admitted he made the iPod dependent on iTunes just to force consumers to install Apple software on their machines. I just assumed he hid behind the "record companies made me do it" excuse. I guess his vanity craved the accolades for forging a "brilliant business model," despite admitting he basically screwed over his own customers.

Wow, dude. I just reread my last post there and realized how snippy I was with you. My apologies for that!

Guess it's past my bedtime here, and I'm getting cranky. I'd better hit the hay.

 

[Stomatopoda]

Nah, they'll have TV screens in sunglasses with optical arrangements to create an illusion of a really huge screen a comfortable distance away. Since you've got a different screen for each eye, 3D will be standard.

lol biological tetrachromatic binocular eyes

They can't even see polarization or radio, and connect to the wrong side of the brain.

 

[Darat]

Let me take that a step further:

"We all use the tools that we CHOOSE TO believe best fit our wants and needs."

So, if we choose to believe that only by having the fastest processor and latest graphics card that the computer is worthy of our needs, then that will be the focus. It's not rational, but belief never is....

More for the R&P section but I can't see how we ever "choose" to believe something.

 

[BobTheDonkey]

More for the R&P section but I can't see how we ever "choose" to believe something.

Cognitive dissonance. Sometimes it's subconscious. Sometimes it's a conscious decision to ignore evidence in defense of what one has thus chosen to believe.

Think of it as "choice after the fact".

 

[Kid Eager]

More for the R&P section but I can't see how we ever "choose" to believe something.

See - you've chosen to believe that by suspending any further examination and accepting your current view.

Am I good or what? Note to self: find a cause worthy of my talents (either that or dedicate myself to professional trollery)

Apologies to anybody who can't keep up with my brilliance. Ever since my wife has insisted on my "voluntary" participation in her lentil and dry sand diet, my acceptance of the status quo has deteriorated markedly and everything I think now seems to be brilliant.......

 

[John Albert]

Let me take that a step further:

"We all use the tools that we CHOOSE TO believe best fit our wants and needs."

Exactly.

Some people will even choose less useful, less powerful and less versatile tools under the FALSE belief that they're better, even despite objective evidence that they aren't better, for superficial reasons like how the tool looks and how smugly the marketers and salesmen aggrandize the tool.

So, if we choose to believe that only by having the fastest processor and latest graphics card that the computer is worthy of our needs, then that will be the focus. It's not rational, but belief never is....

In all cases, more raw processing power is a definite benefit. Having more processing power can objectively accomplish more in a smaller time frame. Having more processing power reduces latency and makes the user experience smoother. Having more raw processing power extends the computer's useful life span as software becomes progressively more complex and resource-demanding over time.

If you really believe otherwise, then go ahead and try to make the case for spending significantly more money to buy less usability and service life.

Am I good or what? Note to self: find a cause worthy of my talents (either that or dedicate myself to professional trollery)

Apologies to anybody who can't keep up with my brilliance. Ever since my wife has insisted on my "voluntary" participation in her lentil and dry sand diet, my acceptance of the status quo has deteriorated markedly and everything I think now seems to be brilliant.......

The Dunning-Kruger effect is strong with this one.

 

[This is The End]

"Always had"?

Apparently not anymore.

I simply cannot understand why anybody would waste their money on a computer device that is specifically designed to prevent them from using their own data however they please. It's like buying a car that will only take you to places where the car manufacturer wants to allow you to go. Totally asinine.

Lots of interesting comments at that thread.

I love this one:

I called Apple Support and they said it was removed. No reason given.

<snip>

They also said you can e-mail them and they will send you a cd with your music on it.

 

[Kid Eager]

Exactly.

Some people will even choose less useful, less powerful and less versatile tools under the FALSE belief that they're better, even despite objective evidence that they aren't better, for superficial reasons like how the tool looks and how smugly the marketers and salesmen aggrandize the tool.





In all cases, more raw processing power is a definite benefit. Having more processing power can objectively accomplish more in a smaller time frame. Having more processing power reduces latency and makes the user experience smoother. Having more raw processing power extends the computer's useful life span as software becomes progressively more complex and resource-demanding over time.

If you really believe otherwise, then go ahead and try to make the case for spending significantly more money to buy less usability and service life.





The Dunning-Kruger effect is strong with this one.

You really don't know when to stop, do you. I warned you in advance of my brilliance, and instead of putting on sunblock, you say "ooh , shiny" and expose yourself completely.

I thank you for your agreement on my first quoted point - even if you appear to have trouble with using words. Your assertion of false belief may well be the case if we allow the word "false" to indicate "something that isn't supported by the evidence", but that is exactly my point. People choose to believe a bunch of stuff based upon accrual of information at a point in time and that becomes their baseline for all subsequent discourse. They choose not to re-examine their preconceptions or gather new information to test their baseline against new realities.

You need to be more careful with your use of absolutes. Saying "in **ALL** (my emphasis) cases more raw processing power is a definite benefit." Absolutely wrong. Raw processing power can be undesirable in some situations. Ponder for a second and I'm sure you'll think of some. I only have to produce one scenario to invalidate your proposition, so consider this as giving you a gentlemanly chance to corrrect yourself.

Your strawman claim of having to spend more money has previously been invalidated. Clinging to your quaint belief that "more expensive" is a synonym for "overpriced" is becoming and increasingly precarious position, leaving aside the whole tawdry argument about realistic price comparisons and comprehending the concept of "value".

Thank you for finishing with a passing reference to Dunning-Kruger. It gives me an excuse to do this:



Anyhow, must go now. My Mensa meeting is about to start.

 

[Brian-M]

In all cases, more raw processing power is a definite benefit.

Not in the case of power consumption and battery life.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

I think the link to the Apple Discussion board is on a different topic.

I can still burn an audio Cd from iTunes, then rip back as .mp3 files. Or play it on any CD player. Or put it aside as an archive, just in case (which I do).

I think that was what was alleged was possible, and is still true.

I find Apple hardware pretty robust. About my only issue in the last decade or so is the built in SuperDrive on my MacBook Pro, which first got wonky and now barely ever works. I still like to use CD's and DVD's for archives, and still rip the occasional music CD.

So I found an LG CD/DVD player/burner* for about $37 on Amazon or eBay and it serves my occasional needs perfectly.

Anyone buying a MacBook Air that needs a CD/DVD burner can do that. I think over the next few years physical media will be seen less and less, and CD's will become about as utilized as floppies are now.

Working on a "Report from the Walled Garden" to follow...


*only weird thing is that is requires two USB ports, so if you only have one available on your device, you need a powered hub to make it work - pretty poor design on LG's part, I'd say.

 

[TheL8Elvis]

Exactly.

Some people will even choose less useful, less powerful and less versatile tools under the FALSE belief that they're better, even despite objective evidence that they aren't better, for superficial reasons like how the tool looks and how smugly the marketers and salesmen aggrandize the tool.

In all cases, more raw processing power is a definite benefit over not having enough. Having more processing power can objectively accomplish more in a smaller time frame. Having more processing power reduces latency and makes the user experience smoother. Having more raw processing power extends the computer's useful life span as software becomes progressively more complex and resource-demanding over time.

If you really believe otherwise, then go ahead and try to make the case for spending significantly more money to buy less usability and service life.

You really should stop speaking in absolutes all the time. I don't think it's helping you.

You are conflating processing power with usability. An obvious example is with mobile phones. Earlier iphones had much less RAM and processing power than similar android phones, but had a clearly better user experience in terms of smoothness and stuttering (or lack thereof).

Others have pointed out things like power consumption, etc. Especially relevant in the mobile/portable arena.

 

[TheL8Elvis]

One of the things I like about non-Apple x86 systems is that I can build the system to fit the needs of the person using it. I can also easily upgrade the system with commodity parts as the needs of that person change. I can also put whatever OS is best suited to the applications being run without voiding any warranty. Not everyone needs that kind of flexibility of course, but I do.

When was the last time you built a notebook computer, mobile phone, tablet or portable media player ?

Just saying ... desktops are not the extent of what there is. They also comprise apples smallest sales market, IIRC.

 

[TheL8Elvis]

This is wrong. Even before Apple introduced the FairPlay DRM scheme, iTunes never allowed simple drag-and-drop functionality to transfer music to iPods,

You can simply drag and drop files onto itunes, not windows explorer or whatever. But I assume that's not what you meant by simple.

and iTunes always scrambled the filenames of the audio files that it placed on the iPod.

Incorrect.

 

[Fishstick]

Not in the case of power consumption and battery life.

Arguable to some extent. A more powerful dualcore might end up consuming less than a less powerful single-core simply due to architecture. Depending on how good either CPU is at stepping, that makes a big difference as well.

 

[TheL8Elvis]

I've dealt with the crap-ware known as iTunes enough to know that it isn't the best way to go for handling music files. That's why I don't own any iToys. I prefer treating music files like any other kind of file. Using a special application (beyond the OS file manager) is just plain stupid.

You Apple haters have some mad dialectic skills
to paraphrase: Apple sucks and is stupid and my way is better, so there...

I understand the desire to handle files in the way I prefer. I have all my music in a file share. Organized the way I want. And I can still use iTunes. Shocking, I know.

Also, is it really that difficult to believe that a majority of computer users don't really want to use a computer ? That they just want an easy way to put manage their media, and that they can't even find the downloads folder without help ??? That even though the iphone is a walled garden, it works well for them because they don't care about all the things you are going on about, and not just because of marketing ?

 

[TheL8Elvis]

I think the link to the Apple Discussion board is on a different topic.

I can still burn an audio Cd from iTunes, then rip back as .mp3 files. Or play it on any CD player. Or put it aside as an archive, just in case (which I do).

I think that was what was alleged was possible, and is still true.

It's exporting your entire library to a cd/dvd versus creating/burning cd. You can no longer do the former, you can still do the latter.

I find Apple hardware pretty robust. About my only issue in the last decade or so is the built in SuperDrive on my MacBook Pro, which first got wonky and now barely ever works. I still like to use CD's and DVD's for archives, and still rip the occasional music CD.

So I found an LG CD/DVD player/burner* for about $37 on Amazon or eBay and it serves my occasional needs perfectly.

Anyone buying a MacBook Air that needs a CD/DVD burner can do that. I think over the next few years physical media will be seen less and less, and CD's will become about as utilized as floppies are now.

Working on a "Report from the Walled Garden" to follow...


*only weird thing is that is requires two USB ports, so if you only have one available on your device, you need a powered hub to make it work - pretty poor design on LG's part, I'd say.

It's based on the power limit for the usb standard, and fairly common. Get a firewire version, then you need only 1 cable

You can also just use remote cd/dvd

 

[Darat]

You Apple haters have some mad dialectic skills


...snip...

Criticism doesn't imply hatred.