It is frustrating when I cannot find the documentation for something I am doing on a computer.
Google HelpGoogle lacked a consolidated help page for all of their products. So they created the page cited above so that people can get to it directly.
It was getting pretty difficult to even keep track of what software Google had. True, their is The Labs web page. This new one still seems extremely handy.
Pretty good financial news for Apple investors just came out. They had a really good quarter.
Apple Posts USD 472M Profit on Revenues of USD 4.37B - OSNews.com:
revenue of USD 4.37 billion and a net quarterly profit of USD 472 million
The same article says that Apple shipped over 1.3 million computers last quarter. They also did over 8 million iPods.
Their sales revenue keeps rising, their profits keep going up, their product volume keeps increasing.
Meanwhile, they somehow manage to ship new versions of their operating system at just the right intervals (1-1/2 years on average), hire great programmers, and continuously improve the power of their OS and flagship applications.
Not only that, they have incredible power built into their multi computer language programming IDE (database designer, OOP modeler, editor, compiler, linker, etc.). And they keep increasing the quality of their programming documentation and developing new APIs for programmers to use.
On top of that, their computer hardware keeps getting faster and their operating system keeps getting more efficient, making their systems
really go fast.
It is pretty crazy. When you hear someone in the computer field say something is
impossible
, you look over at Apple and Apple is already successfully doing it.
Not only that, they are not tooting their own horn. Though rows of engineers in Cupertino may be silently rolling their eyes about the latest claims of what is impossible - they must be keeping their mouths shut and continuing type type away, doing the impossible.
Apparently, you can make a profit doing that - and, apparently it can make your stock price go up too.
France's highest court has thrown out key parts of the anti-iPod law that legislators drew up earlier this summer.
New York Times via C-Net:
The French constitutional council, the country's highest judicial body, has declared major aspects of the so-called iPod law unconstitutional, undermining some controversial aspects of the legislation.
Ipod
uber alles.
Just six years or so ago, Microsoft was banging a gong saying,
Let the markets decide what products people buy, not legislation.
I wonder why they have not chimed in Apple's favor on the subject of this law.
Seems strange they would go on record with one opinion based solely on one principle:
let the marketplace decide - and now, have completely abandoned the principle and the oral retorts.
Consumers want iPods. Consumers prefer iPods.
Legislation should not get in the way of consumers who want to have iPods and buy - or use music they have bought - for their iPods.
Mac sales have really taken off for Apple computer. Recent survey results indicate that while this year was terrific, next year seems like could be better than ever.
E-Commerce News: Enterprise:
According to the Wall Street Journal, JupiterResearch surveyed technology decision makers at 258 medium and large businesses and projected that 33 percent would be running Macs next year, while only 21 percent were doing so now.
Last year Apple sold 4.7 million Macs, up 35 percent from 2004, and way ahead of the 16 percent growth for the industry as a whole during the same period.
Of course, 2007 is also the year that Vista might come out. Admittedly, 2006 was too - so there might be no Vista events impacting bottom lines.
If the Vista O.S. does come out, it will give Apple a chance to complete head-to-head with Microsoft's best effort at a mass-market O.S. to date.
That is exactly what Apple's Mac OS X is, so it could make for an interesting rumble in the marketplace. Both companies might take the time to point out not just major features but also some secondary details that would normally be glossed over in ads.
Product reviewers might actually relish writing product evaluation articles. Next year could afford the those writing such articles to do in-depth product reviews. With Mac OS 10.5 coming out next year, 2007 could be The SuperBowl of computer operating systems.
Companies are getting more attached to their data and less attached to individual programs. General purpose browsers are heavily used now, whereas a decade ago companies were just beginning to learn about them. A dozen years ago, only a couple existed.
The ability to search for data - and find it, quickly - and to interoperate with different programs are things that departments and workers expect nowadays.
A lot has changed on the playing field between Apple and its competitors since 2001, the last time they both suited up for a match.
Since then, Apple has released 4 new versions of its operating system for sale.
Next month they are going to quietly demonstrate Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) to Macintosh developers at
Apple's WWDC.
With Apple's rising marketshare, stock price, sheer product power/beauty - and the deep/rapid fall in their computer prices - Apple in 2006 is not at all the same creature as Apple in 2001.
Plus, if you
look at Apple's stock price for the past five years, they are not doing too badly in that department either.
Mac sales have really taken off for Apple computer. Recent survey results indicate that while this year was terrific, next year seems like could be better than ever.
E-Commerce News: Enterprise: Macs Gaining Market Share Among Businesses:
According to the Wall Street Journal, JupiterResearch surveyed technology decision makers at 258 medium and large businesses and projected that 33 percent would be running Macs next year, while only 21 percent were doing so now.
Last year Apple sold 4.7 million Macs, up 35 percent from 2004, and way ahead of the 16 percent growth for the industry as a whole during the same period.
Of course, 2007 is also the year that Vista might come out. Admittedly, 2006 was too - so there might be no Vista events impacting bottom lines.
If the Vista O.S. does come out, it will give Apple a chance to complete head-to-head with Microsoft's best effort at a mass-market O.S. to date.
That is exactly what Apple's Mac OS X is, so it could make for an interesting rumble in the marketplace. Both companies might take the time to point out not just major features but also some secondary details that would normally be glossed over in ads.
Product reviewers might actually relish writing product evaluation articles. Next year could afford the those writing such articles to do in-depth product reviews. With Mac OS 10.5 coming out next year, 2007 could be The SuperBowl of computer operating systems.
Companies are getting more attached to their data and less attached to individual programs. General purpose browsers are heavily used now, whereas a decade ago companies were just beginning to learn about them. A dozen years ago, only a couple existed.
The ability to search for data - and find it, quickly - and to interoperate with different programs are things that departments and workers expect nowadays.
A lot has changed on the playing field between Apple and its competitors since 2001, the last time they both suited up for a match.
Since then, Apple has released 4 new versions of its operating system for sale.
Next month they are going to quietly demonstrate Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) to Macintosh developers at Apple's WWDC.
With Apple's rising marketshare, stock price, sheer product power/beauty - and the deep/rapid fall in their computer prices - Apple in 2006 is not at all the same creature as Apple in 2001.
Plus, if you look at Apple's stock price for the past five years, they are not doing too badly in that department either.
Apple has written a short article on how to support PDF files in your Cocoa application programs you write yourself. That is one part you do not have to write. Apple has done it for you.
Taking Advantage of PDF Kit in Your Cocoa Application:
PDF has become a de facto standard in the world because it makes it easy for users to create, distribute, and view documents.
And now making the PDF document format available in your Cocoa application is easy, with PDF Kit. Available in Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger, PDF Kit allows you to display and manipulate PDF
documents in your application without writing a lot of custom file handling code. By implementing aspects of Adobe's PDF specification for
you, PDF Kit minimizes development time on your part. Even Apple's own applications such as Safari and Preview use
PDF Kit to display PDF content.
It is nice that Apple has included lightning fast PDF viewers in the Macintosh for a couple of years.
With Tiger (Mac OS X 10.4) they have consolidated their gains, and made it easy for any programmer/program to help his program
get its PDF on
as the saying goes.
Microsoft was so entranced with PDF that they wanted to include similar support to that which Apple has for it in their own OS, coming out sometime in 2007. However, Adobe put its foot down and so far, it does not look like the two companies are able to come to an agreement.
Fortunately, Apple has.
I just read a pretty positive review about the MacBook notebook from Apple - the Intel-based replacement for the G4-based iBook. The price of this notebook is amazingly
low.
Robert Weston, Associated Press Writer: Financial News - Yahoo!Finance:
Apple Computer Inc.'s latest laptop looks sleek, runs fast and should give makers of Windows-based notebooks considerable cause for concern.The MacBook, which replaces Apple's iBook consumer notebooks, is the last of the mobile Macs to make the switch to Intel Corp. chips that have powered Windows PCs for years. With extra software, the newer Macs can run Microsoft Corp.'s Windows as well as Apple's Mac OS X.
This could spell trouble for notebook makers who can't offer the best of both worlds, particularly in light of the MacBook's starting price of $1,099.
This ability to run Windows, coupled with the very inexpensive price - for a notebook, no less - puts non-Apple manufacturer's at a disadvantage. Try as they might, they cannot make their hardware into an Apple.
Insisting on all kinds of ways that software can be restricted has kind of boomeranged on the old PC makers.
Now Apple has its hat on at a jaunty angle and they are left following behind, asking if they can run the fancy, glitzy, powerful Mac OS X too.
No
, Apple replies.
Sigh..., they respond mournfully.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is too happy to sell a copy of MS-Windows to the growing number of Mac users with Intel-based Macs. Especially, since the market for MS-Windows has kind of backed up - due to a trifecta of overseas piracy, saturation of the US market, and telescoping delays for the long-awaited Vista and Microsoft Office 2007.
Those problems will come tumbling down in a year or whatever, but in the meantime - sure, it is okay for Apple Macintosh owners to buy a retail/non-OEM copy of Windows.
It is nice that Apple is helping Microsoft out. Given the way things stand these days, they really do not have to do that. It is kind of cool that Apple is being so generous.
My mom bought a Macintosh last week
My mom and step dad just purchased a brand-new Apple
iMac last week.
They bought bought one of those Intel Duo (dual core) based iMacs, opting for the one with the 20-inch screen.
I think they are going to be very happy with it.
Unlike their very old PC - this one comes with a recmote control, can burn DVDs (they can make their own home movies on it), has a flat screen display, takes up practically no deskspace at all (just do not put it close to the wall so it cannot cool itself), comes with built-in high-speed wireless transceiver, and has nice stereo speakers in it.
I think it cost a lot less than their old computer too. It was an old Dell notebook. The company that made the operating system for Dell, has stopped all support for that product.
Dell does not make their own OS, so basically the defects remaining in the product will never be fixed. She could buy the latest OS - but there is no way to know if it would be compatible with her model.
With the Apple OS+computer, Apple can certainly tell her as each new OS comes out whether it is compatible with her model or not.
I know she is going to like the state-of-the-art Tiger (Mac OS X 10.4) operating system that comes with her Mac. It just came out last year, and it is the cat's pajamas.
I think when Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) comes out next year, she will really like that one too.
Apple upgrades their OS about every year and a half. They charge a very reasonable $129 for it. They support the previous OS and, for a good while, the one before that one too.
The real key to being able to upgrade your computer to new operating systems for a long time is to have Dell or Apple install more RAM in it. You can do this when you buy it. Or you can do it later.
If you do it later, you can save a little bit of money by doing it yourself, if you know what you are doing. If you do not know how to do it safely, you can save yourself a lot of money and time by paying a technician at the store to do it.
Operating systems, and application programs, have steadily increasing appetites for RAM.
The Dell was my Mom's first non-used computer. She used it for about six years. I am hoping she gets just as many years and even more happiness out of this new Macintosh.
This new book on the guts of the Mac OS X operating system used by Apple computers sounds really impressive.
Amit Singh:
The book "Mac OS X Internals" (ISBN 0321278542) describes the architecture and design of Apple's operating system. The book is targeted at anybody who is curious about Mac OS X and has a system-level interest in operating systems. At a very high (and simplistic) level, I expect this book to appeal to both those who use Mac OS X, and also those who do not.
The primary audience among the existing users of Mac OS X are those who wish to have a deep and solid understanding of the system's composition and working. This category includes power users, developers, and administrators.
I just read that the book contains
1600 pages!
I have about a dozen books about OS X programming. None of them are even close to
this size!
Desmond Elliott, a student majoring in Computer Science at a prestigious university in the UK is doing work on the Mozilla Camino web browser for the Macintosh.
He is slightly compensated, presumably, by one of the small grants Google has set aside for people who undertake to do open source projects and successfully complete them.
He also gets major intrinsic satisfaction, I expect, from being able to practice his future trade in a way that benefits other people and proves/improves his own skill.
Summer of Camino blogger Desmond Elliott:
I am a 22 year old Computer Science student at Edinburgh University. I am working on the Google Summer of Code Program with Mozilla on the Camino web browser.
It seems rather interesting that the companies this young programming student's efforts indirectly benefit - Google, Mozilla, and Apple - all 3 are headquartered in California, over on the west coast of the United States. Yet he himself is quartered in Edinburg.
There ought to be some way that such a munificent hard worker could get a suntan out of all this hard work.
I bought a new printer today for my
Macintosh. It is an
Epson CX7800.
It is one of those amazing all-in-one printers:
- computer printer
- photo printer
- high resolution scanner for papers/books
- scanner for film negatives
- photo media card reader
It is about all the printer I will ever need.
I checked, and the ink cartridges for it sell for pretty reasonable prices too.
This one is on sale today - in fact, today is the last day of the sale - at
Best Buy.
I had been thinking about getting one of these all-in one printer/scanner things for a while. What pushed me over the edge on this one was several things:
- price: under $150, with today's $30 discount
- color display screen: so I scan scan/load photos and print - without using my computer.
- ability to read xD, SD, and SM media cards - I have all 3
- works with Mac - which of course, most printers do
- ability to scan in negatives: I have so many from when I was a kid, dating back to grade school
I have limited table space where I keep my computer.
So this new printer/scanner will let me do everything in one spot, without moving my computer around. Pretty cool.
They are crazy to be selling it so cheap.
Bill Russell did a really funny skit about the problems that Macs sometimes had back in the old times, before Mac OS X came out in early 2001. Basically, the 1990s Mac experience is what he is describing.
Even then, I think he exaggerates a little. However, he is such a good, funny communicator it is entertaining nonetheless.
In general, the takeaway is: just be glad that Steve Jobs came back to Apple at the end of the 1990s and converted the Mac to use his Unix-based operating system from his NeXT computer.
