Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by LaminatorX on Sunday October 19 2014, @11:58PM   Printer-friendly
from the tomorrow dept.

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.

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 2) by snick on Monday October 20 2014, @02:14PM

    by snick (1408) on Monday October 20 2014, @02:14PM (#107816)

    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.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   2  
  • (Score: 2) by quacking duck on Monday October 20 2014, @11:28PM

    by quacking duck (1395) on Monday October 20 2014, @11:28PM (#108016)

    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.