dotmike's Profile

  • Jan 04, 2006
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Latest comments made by: dotmike

  • There could be positives, but for the HUGE amount of resources needed to bring the QuickTime framework and iTunes app to Linux, I'd much prefer to see Apple work on making Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard competitive with Windows Vista. (Arguably Tiger already is, but I'm sure you'd agree that there is certainly room for improvement.) [Hey James, here's an article idea for you: head on over to the CES keynote segment which shows Vista's interface and give us your thoughts!]
    Australiadotmike had this to say on Jan 06, 2006 Posts: 6
    When Will Apple Notice Linux?
  • If the Macintels can ultimately run Windows .exes in a window similar to how Classic/OS 9 apps (anyone still use those?!) were run, then this could help increase Apple's marketshare. Just think: the one machine could boot OS X, dual-boot into Windows, and/or possibly run Windows programs alongside Mac apps with no performance penalty, AND triple-boot into open-source Linux goodness. Plus if they get Dell style volume discounts from Intel, the machines may not cost more than a few hundred extra, if that. With these benefits as a hardware choice, Intel Macs have a chance of getting in the door of the corporate world. And once inside, the possibility to switching more and more to Mac native apps becomes higher. Microsoft won't fall, but Apple can rise!
    Australiadotmike had this to say on Jan 01, 2006 Posts: 6
    Microsoft to fall over in 2006? pfft!
  • You've actually got it better than those of us down-under for the holidays. In Australia, the average price for an adult admission is now over $14.70 AUD. Throwing that into the currency converter widget, that's $10.79 USD.
    Australiadotmike had this to say on Dec 30, 2005 Posts: 6
    When was the last time you went to the movies?
  • While I'd dispute the perception that Firefox is *that* far ahead for the average user (watch Amanda Congdon's Rocketboom.com segment for what the man in the street thinks concerning the IE vs Firefox game - tabbed browsing is about the only feature addition they know of), there's an additional big factor: Firefox is perceived as more secure than IE. Getting infected just by visiting a web site is less likely to happen with Firefox. This is a big factor in why it is recommended by experts who do know what is under the hood to novices who don't. The same applies to Mac OS X. Secure, virus-free computing (for the moment). That's sure to attract a lot of new users if they can keep ahold of some of their Win32 programs when they buy a Macintel. Personally, though, I don't WANT Apple to gain much more than a mid-teens marketshare. Virus/trojan/worm writing is a profitable business and the vast numbers of Windows users make it likely the perpetrators will stick with that platform, but if the Mac grows substantially then it becomes a fair target too. (And don't kid yourself it can't be done.) At the height of its popularity in the late 1980s, Macintosh had a maximum of 18% of the market. If it can get back there and go no higher, I'd be happy.
    Australiadotmike had this to say on Dec 27, 2005 Posts: 6
    Firefox Sets The Bar For Mac Adoption
  • I feel this is a really strange thing to think about. The reason Apple ported iTunes was because it needed it on Windows to provide a good synching solution for the iPod (previously MusicMatch was provided for Windows iPods). QuickTime was actually the forerunner of Apple's Window software which started in the mid-90s, and that was done to establish the APIs and formats of this very encompassing media platform, and more recently, to provide a foundation for much of iTunes' playback capabilities. This is very different from the purpose of a standalone app. Although Apple also made a Windows compatible AppleWorks, (this was a very hush hush release, done solely for an educational niche), standalone apps are not in its interest. In summary, a Windows iLife ports are a wild idea and are simply not going to happen because: 1. iLife is an incentive to buy a Mac. 2. iTunes isn't "really" part of the paid-for/new-Mac iLife suite, it's free for everyone. So iTunes should not be seen as the "first piece" of iLife that has been ported, it's an entirely separate issue. 3. iPhoto / iMovie / iDVD / GarageBand don't encourage people to buy a video iPod, they encourage people to buy a Mac. 4. Despite much popular misinformation, Apple still makes a lot more money from Mac hardware and software sales than iPods (25%). 5. Apple doesn't need free apps to promote its brand under Windows and/or stick it to Microsoft, which are what Picasa is used for by Google. And potentially the biggest reason: 6. With the Intel switch, Mac hardware is soon going to become possible to run Windows software. A great selling point will be that existing Windows users can be encouraged to buy a Mac as their next computer because they won't lose the ability to run their old software, PLUS they'll get all the great Mac-only software ... like iLife. That would make it a REALLY bad time to encourage users to stay with their PC and Windows!
    Australiadotmike had this to say on Dec 23, 2005 Posts: 6
    Should Apple Port the iLife Suite?
  • Even if you don't watch video on the 5G "video iPod" at all, it is still worth getting one I feel: - it has a beautiful large 320x240 screen so pictures are crisp & bright and many more details are visible, which makes displaying photos or album art that much nicer - the large screen also allows more text lines to be displayed, so you can have a longer main menu or see more track titles without having to scroll - the Notes font is larger and more readable, the higher pixel density allows for more font smoothing so the text is better formed and less "chunky" - blue dots to the left of a name indicate unlistened-to podcasts (a surprisingly useful feature) - many other subtle little "I love this" touches sprinkled in to the new firmware - thinner, very sexy feel, option of getting a black one - it's just a newer, better iPod...
    Australiadotmike had this to say on Dec 22, 2005 Posts: 6
    Thinking about a 5G iPod