Links 01/12/08
As John Gruber puts it: "Maybe they’re not so dumb after all."
Ars Technica: Under pressure from EMI, RIAA could disappear
From the article:
EMI was the first of the majors to drop DRM at iTunes and Amazon, moves that have made its digital music a more attractive option. But if EMI can force a restructuring of the IFPI and RIAA, the impact could be just as significant for the industry.
Windows Errors That Are Really Funny
"Error: The operation completed successfully." Even Windows admits how unusual it is for it to do something right. (Zing!)
Links 01/09/08
Apple – Mac Pro
The Mac Pro received a substantial update yesterday. The standard configuration comes with a whopping eight cores of processing power, but if you need to pinch those pennies, you can save $500 by settling for a measly four cores! In related news, the XServes saw a comparable upgrade.
Newsgator: NetNewsWire 3.1
NetNewsWire is free as of today. It was formerly $30. If you are a Mac user, this is a great application, and I recommend you give it a try.
Indexed: Even Grandpa Was a Punk Kid Once
This post is so very true. It's amazing what you can communicate through a Venn diagram and an index card!
Whatever: Why It Won't Work
John Scalzi on Sony's, um, brilliant (cough) new way of selling DRM-free tracks. I think he nails it on the head. From the article:
So to recap, what you’ve got here is a system that makes people leave their house in order to download music at their house, and makes them go to a store to get music that they could get at the store, somewhere else.
via Daring Fireball
Links 12/02/07
Many gaming sites and other blogs are reporting over a possible controversy regarding the firing of GameSpot reviewer Jeff Gerstmann after he gave a poor review to a game that had very prominant advertisements all over the site. Here are a couple of places for some good takes on what's been going on:
Valleywag: Jeff Gerstmann - Valleywag seems to be where the story originates from, and this link takes you to all of their posts regarding Mr. Gerstmann.
Game Stooge: RIP, Journalistic Integrity - This editorial offers some balanced insight into some of the larger issues at work here. From the article:
The other problem is that writers are reporting rumors as fact, and visibly biased. It is “clear” that Gerstmann was fired due to a low review score given to a game with major advertising on the site. Why? According to most of these websites, correlation is causality. No other facts are needed, such as the fact that Gerstmann was fired two weeks later when the last of the major game releases had been released and reviewed – an obvious time to release an editor.
SitePoint Blogs: In All Fairness … Internet Explorer Still Stinks
Why is this still the dominant browser again? Kevin Yank explores the many ways Internet Explorer 7 has not improved since Internet Explorer 6. As a side note, if you view this site in any version of IE, check out Firefox. Suddenly, my site and many others will look better!
TUAW: NBC officially removed from the iTunes Store
The Universal group must have some huge chip on their shoulder to shaft their viewers with such a restrictive service in place of iTunes. It's like their CEO is on some personal vendetta against Steve Jobs.
Links 08/19/07
I've read most of the top 20, and I'm pleasantly surprised by number one.
Ars Technica: AACS DRM tentacles reach far into operating systems
So, when thinking about this issue, we have to ask ourselves: is a company like Microsoft or Apple likely to tell Hollywood to jump off a cliff? No, because both companies know that users will want to play HD DVD or Blu-ray discs on their computers. Microsoft didn't tell AACS LA to stuff it, and Apple won't tell them to, either.
Marcello's Homepage – Comics – Calvin & Hobbes
Every Calvin and Hobbes comic strip ever published. I can now sleep better at night just knowing these are here.
PagesUser: A Huge Saving of Space
So that's where all those megabytes went... I had a hunch.
Red Sweater Blog: We're In This Together
It’s pretty awe-inspiring to sit in the same room while the makers of competing products such as BBEdit and TextMate, or Transmit and Fetch discuss product design issues, laugh at each other’s jokes, and yes, withhold some of their more strategic plans! But almost everybody in the room, competitor or not, is respecting each other’s work, and having a great time.
This is something I really like about being a Mac user. The third-party developers (especially the indies) are generally nice people, and the cut-throat feeling pervasive in the Windows software market is all but absent.
Infinite Loop: The secrets to Apple's success in marketing to teenagers
In addition to the reasons listed in the article, I think another factor in Apple's success with young people is that Apple doesn't talk down to them or try to create a blatantly corny atmosphere of "hipness."
Links 04/13/07
Daring Fireball has two posts regarding some facts about AAC and some of the recent misinformation spreading around regarding the audio format.
Nobel Intent: Teachers and testing under scrutiny
I love the opening lines:
Education is a perennial political football. It is one of those lovely subjects where everyone feels that, since they went to school once, they have an equally valid view of "what is wrong with education today."
TUAW: More Leopard Delay Reaction
In case you didn't here, Leopard is experiencing a four-month release delay from June to October. My take is that the sky is not falling – not even close. Others disagree. TUAW's post here aggregates some sensible and entertaining views on the delay.
Links 04/02/07
The songs will be 256kbps AAC files instead of 128kbps protected-AAC files. They will be $1.29, and you can upgrade your current iTunes-purchased EMI songs for $0.30. These songs will also play on any device that supports AAC.
Additional Coverage
Links 02/09/07
In a completely unexpected and uncharacteristic move, Steve Jobs writes an open letter on the Apple website regarding his thoughts on DRM, muisc labels, and future possibilities. He even goes so far as to say Apple would embrace DRM-free sales through the iTunes store if they could get the labels on board. Of course, this has generated a lot of feedback. Here's just a fraction:
- Presentation Zen: DRM Must Die
- Daring Fireball: Reading Between the Lines of Steve Jobs 'Thoughts on Music'
- Playlist: Partners, Rivals React to Jobs' Anti-DRM Comments
Neatorama: 11 Most Important Philosophical Quotations
I took some philosophy in college for fun. I haven't studied it much since, but I still find it, and the individuals involved, endlessly fascinating.
Tech Republic: Don't Be Misled By These 10 Windows Vista Myths
When upgrading to a new operating system, it is good to be informed, but don't get caught up in negative hype.
Links 01/23/07
I really like this post about how good it is to say positive things about your competition in public situations. I don't care if you're Steve Jobs or Steve Ballmer, taking too many jabs at the competition just gets tacky.
Ars Technica: iTunes DRM called out by France and Germany
...and the pressure is mounting...
CPUs: Sensemaking 1
Creating Passionate Users contributor Dan Russell is starting an interesting series on how we processes and make sense of complex information. Personally, when trying to make sense of something I am trying to absorb, instead of taking normal notes, I try to create a presentation on how I would relate this information to others. It's kind of geeky, but it works for me.
Ars Technica: Zune 2.0: The Empire Strikes Back
I'm interested to see what future updates for the Zune bring to the table. Case in point: think of an XBox. Now think of an XBox 360. Microsoft has shown that it is capable of learning from past mistakes and leapfrogging itself by a wide margin.