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Erik Karjaluoto writes that he recently installed OS X Yosemite and his initial reaction was “This got hit by the ugly stick.” But Karjaluoto says that Apple’s decision to make a wholesale shift from Lucida to Helvetica defies his expectations and wondered why Apple would make a change that impedes legibility, requires more screen space, and makes the GUI appear fuzzy? The Answer: Tomorrow.
Microsoft’s approach with Windows, and backward compatibility in general, is commendable. "Users can install new versions of this OS on old machines, sometimes built on a mishmash of components, and still have it work well. This is a remarkable feat of engineering. It also comes with limitations—as it forces Microsoft to operate in the past." Bu Apple doesn't share this focus on interoperability or legacy. "They restrict hardware options, so they can build around a smaller number of specs. Old hardware is often left behind (turn on a first-generation iPad, and witness the sluggishness). Meanwhile, dying conventions are proactively euthanized," says Karjaluoto. "When Macs no longer shipped with floppy drives, many felt baffled. This same experience occurred when a disk (CD/DVD) reader no longer came standard." In spite of the grumblings of many, Karjaluoto doesn't recall many such changes that we didn’t later look upon as the right choice.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by PizzaRollPlinkett on Monday October 20 2014, @11:09AM
I think it's funny that I don't get a choice. I never chose to stop buying programming magazines like Dr. Dobbs and MSDN, they just disappeared from the magazine racks. I never chose to abandon Gnome for KDE, but had to because Gnome was ruined. I never chose for Firefox to destroy its UI. I never chose for Apple to stop putting CD-ROMs and ethernet ports on their computers. These decisions seem to be the result of nameless, faceless, inhuman processes beyond anyone's control.
I bought an Apple laptop many years ago partially just to have a portable CD-ROM to take to where I kept archives, so I wouldn't have to haul boxes of archives to a computer. I admit this is probably not a typical use case. But a lot of system admins and so on probably use machines in this way. The laptop is still going strong all these years later, but I would replace it with a cheap Windows box before I'd get another Apple laptop without a CD-ROM.
Apple also did away with the 17" screen laptop. They apparently are abandoning professional users (you know, the people who can afford their hardware and want to pay for quality because they depend on it) to turn the Mac into a big iPhone. Not sure what abandoning professional users is getting them, since pros are the ones who spend real money on quality hardware and software, while iPhone users mainly download free apps. I haven't figured out why Apple is alienating their best customers with real money.
Hey, Apple also got rid of iPhoto? I've spent years importing pictures into iPhoto, and now once again I don't have a choice?
This new Yosemite thing is making Windows 8 look good. I think if I had the choice next year between a Mac and a Windows 10 laptop from Asus, I'd pick the Windows laptop.
(E-mail me if you want a pizza roll!)
(Score: 2) by snick on Monday October 20 2014, @02:14PM
I got a shiny new MacBook this year
I was expecting the "no VGA port", because I'm already whipped.
No ethernet port????
No cable lock capability ???
My MacBook is a brushed aluminum masterpiece surrounded by a tangle of dongles and add-ons to make up for its lack of basic functionality.
(Score: 2) by quacking duck on Monday October 20 2014, @11:28PM
No Ethernet and no cable lock (and no optical drive, and no HDD, and possibly soldered RAM) is at least partly due to how thin they made it. The traditional Kensington lock wouldn't have enough chassis height to turn. In this context, their omission is reasonable.
Apple's justifications for making it so thin, on the other hand, is a whole different matter.
I'm not happy that all these things are gone from a pro machine. I have one of these because work paid for it. I'm extremely ambivalent about my next personal laptop, though.
(Score: 2) by Leebert on Monday October 20 2014, @07:19PM
Indeed; the same thing is happening to the ThinkPad. I am genuinely at a loss as to what to do for my next laptop.