4 posts tagged “mac”

Well, I promised a Linux run down, so here it is.

I'm running Ubuntu v6.10, its pretty awesome. At first, I was pissed off because I couldn't figure out how to get it to run in 1600x1200 (resolution), I mean, I've been running that in Windows on my 21" LCD, and after over a year of that, 1024x768 looks HORRIBLE on a 21". I had to get my hands dirty and work in the command line, and THAT was cool. I mean, getting something to work in that command line is a total high for computer nerds.

But, now, the contraversal bits. Linux, even Ubuntu is not user friendly. I mean, when I have to help my cousins fix their computers (I'm the tech support guy for my family, its a bummer) they know how to run a simple installer (Download the .exe, and hit "Next" throughout all the dialog boxes), but they would never be able to use Ubuntu.

I mean, you can teach people who run Apple computers that "You are on a Mac. When you want to install something, you have to look for the special Mac link," and they get it, but, after talking with my friends Chris and Mark (who have set up Linux on family computers) people don't seem to get that Linux is different from Windows.

But, Linux is still teh l33t for us old computer nerds. ;)

Ahem, perhaps I'm going too far with my love of Mac OS X.

I recently got two theme add-on's for Firefox and Thunderbird that make it look EXACTY like Safari and Apple Mail, the default browser and mail app from Mac OS X. So... erm, it looks a lot like Mac.

Even stranger, in my graphic arts class, we've got to design a t-shirt and note pad, and I made mine with the apple log and the words, "iShirt" and "iPad".

And the only Mac I own is my iPod.

Well, for the past 17 years, I've been blissfully unemployeed, living off handouts of cash from my parents, grandparents, and other family members. However, since my 15th birthday, my parents have been getting more and more strict, saying "Get your own job," or something to that effect. Yikes. Back in the day when I collected comic books, I had to save up my lunch money all week just to get enough cash to make my monthly run to the comic store to pick up my latest issue of Ultimate Spider-Man.

Well, I've finally decided I've got to take the plunge and get a job, so a few week ago, I put on my brave face and my stern voice and went into Kmart and caught myself an application, and went back, carefully filled it out, then turned it back in. I waited two weeks, and finally, called Kmart at 3:03 in the afternoon and I was told the "hiring lady" had left. I called a few more times, but apperantly, the lady leaves before I get out of school (just like my teachers... :) ) so I gave up on Kmart, I'm looking at a Pick & Save (Wisconsin grocery store) and a Blockbuster, both on my way home from school, and both supposedly cool places to work from friends who work their or previously worked there.

Anyway, the point of my store is what fine item I'll chose to buy with my $6.50 an hour pay check (minimum wage in Cheeseland is 6.50, nice eh?). The one item that convinced me to take the plunge and get a job was a Xbox 360, and the game Dead Rising particular. I'm a huge fan of my orginal Xbox, and I love everthing zombie. But, I've been thinking, and I was instead going to build my own computer, then an Apple MacBook, but now I've decided.

I'm going to get a... Dell Desktop. Thats right, possibly the oddest thing I'd ever choose, but here's why. While I've always wanted to build my own PC, its just more expensive than Dell's production line machines, even one cutomized to my tastes (high mid-range gaming stuff, and a TV tuner so I can have a cheap TiVo/DVR) comes in at just under $1500, while a similar system, built from parts at newegg.com comes in at just over $2200.

Why not an Xbox 360? Well, it would be stupid to just buy it for one game, and besides Dead Rising was critically acclaimed when it first came out, but now, my friends are frusterated with it, and are getting pissed. Why not an Apple MacBook? While its true, I am a huge Apple fanboy (who doesn't even own a Mac), I really want to play games like Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 (plus one more game that is my secret gaming fetish, I'll reveal it in an upcoming blog, stay tuned). My PC runs both of those games, but either at poor visual settings, or poor framerates, or maybe both, but my customized Dell I've picked out (its what I'm calling high mid-range. Its not a screaming new 7950GX2 card, but its not a 6200GS, either), will play most current games without trouble.

So, I'm losing some major nerd street cred here by picking a Dell Desktop over a Xbox 360 (minus points from the gamer crowd) and a MacBook (minus points from the Apple crowd), but maybe those items will be after my Dell. I'll post more stuff about this future Dell rig after I get my job and get closer and closer to getting enough money for it.

Later, guys.

Alright, I just listened to the second episode of Windows Weekly. Windows Weekly (or WW), is the latest podcast in Leo Laporte's "twit.tv" network, with a focus on Windows.

Alright, the first 'webisode' of WW was... um... uncomfortable. I don't know what it was, but just simply... odd. I've been reading Paul Thurrott's Windows Supersite for about five months, and so when he teamed up with one of my favorite podcasters netcasters, Leo Laporte, I was pretty excited. The 'atmosphere' between Leo and Paul was... odd, and sometimes the conversations got... cold. The two didn't seem to 'click' and I was pretty disappointed, it looks like WW might be a flop.

Well, the next week, Thurrott made an appearance on TWIT, and he was pretty good. I'm a bit of a TWIT traditionalist, I only like when its regulars on the 'cast (Dvorak, Patrick Norton, Robert Heron, Prager, etc. etc. etc.) but with Thurrott, he already felt like a regular, and the 'cast was a good listen.

This past weekend, Leo had a problem with his servers or something, so I didn't get webisode #2 of WW until this morning, so I popped it onto my iPod and listened to it on my walk home from school. First thing I noticed (and loved) is the Windows login and logoff sounds bookmarking the 'cast. Brilliant, just brilliant touch. I couldn't help but smile when I heard the sounds. Most positively a Laporte-like touch.

The actual 'meat' of the podcast was much better. Laporte and Thurrott clicked unlike the first episode. The topics were interesting, and the banter between them was enjoyable has well.

So, I'm going to give the Windows Weekly podcast 8 stars out of 10 stars.  I'm assuming the first episode's faults were simply just growing pains, it was the "pilot" of sorts. So, looks like another great podcast netcast from Leo and more great Windows info from Paul.

One more thing I'd like to touch one, more and more often, people are complaining about certain twit podcasts, calming that even though their taglines say "with Steve Gibson/Amber MacArthur/Paul Thurrott" that they are becoming more and more of Leo's podcast. Personally, I don't have a problem with that, and I don't think its necessarily true. Its a bit overblown, and I think Leo kind of like the Ed McMahon to Amber MacArthur's Johnny Carson... ok, maybe thats not the best example, but Leo just brings up topics and "drives the boat" while the respective "expert" discusses the topic with Leo. So, thats all I have to say on that.

The really really last thing, I just want to say that Leo is trementous netcaster/broadcaster. I'm listening to MacBreak Weekly right now, and he can switch between a Windows guy and a Mac guy flawlessly. Now, I think from listening to his little bits on twit that he is probably a Mac guy in his personal life, but on Windows Weekly, he didn't sound like a Mac guy playing a Windows guy, or a general computer guy playing a Windows guy. It probably is harder than that may seem.

OK, now I'm done.

External Links: Windows Weekly Homepage