Post #189,903
1/12/05 5:38:18 AM
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Manjoo / Salon's take
One hopes each time, another nail in the pussywillow coffin for [link|http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2005/01/12/macworld/| The Beast]. Excerpt - Jobs also said that the iMac G5 did well last year; it's now the company's most popular Mac. But that's not saying so much, because the truth is -- and here's where the Mac fanatics press Send on their hate mail -- nobody buys Macs. Sure, if you live in San Francisco or New York, you've probably seen a Mac or two around (maybe that time you went to the Apple shop to buy your iPod). You may have used a Mac in school. Perhaps you even know someone who owns a Mac. But as wonderful and storied as it is, the Mac is just about irrelevant today. Apple has a minuscule 3.5 percent share of the American computer business. And worse than that, the Mac could be losing its place at Apple, too: If iPod sales continue to rocket as they are, where do you suppose Apple will commit its future R&D resources? (The answer may already be clear: The biggest announcement at today's Macworld was not the Mac Mini but instead yet another new iPod, this one a tiny, 512 MB model that starts at $99. Called the iPod Shuffle, the entry-level player lacks an LCD display and is meant to play songs in random-play mode.)
All of this is by way of saying that the Mac Mini may be the thing to save the Mac from forever languishing in obscurity, or at least to save it from the wrath of iPod. The computer is, for starters, beautiful. But it's not beautiful in the same way that other Macs are beautiful, for it doesn't include many of the components we all associate with Macs -- a well-designed flat-panel screen, an elegant keyboard and that vexing one-button mouse.
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Post #189,907
1/12/05 7:52:11 AM
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When...
...iPod sales start talkin' the numbers in terms of revenue and margin that the Mac sales do, call me.
I anticipate a long wait for the call.
This is just another one of those "Apple is dying" gags that pops up every now and again.
It's a good way of getting ad impressions, but it's hardly cutting-edge reportage.
In next week's Salon: "FreeBSD Is Dying, Netcraft Confirms"
Peter
[link|http://www.ubuntulinux.org|Ubuntu Linux]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
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Post #189,932
1/12/05 12:33:34 PM
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Color me surprised
This eliminates the standard "macs are expensive" complaint.
This device is clearly the beginning of the home media center convergence. It replaces a lot of crap like your dvd/cd player, radio tuner (most radio is net streamed now too - along with a lot of great stuff not on the "air"), that kokopelli cd rack, the wireless access point (add airport extreme card), home file server, host your website/blog, and brings the web to your sofa (get a bluetooth keyboard).
Amazing level of value.
And yet - the posters at CNET are panning it on the basis that Dell sells a lame celeron with fewer interfaces and a really crappy glass screen for $399. Or that there is no software (mini comes with more software than most people use). Or that you *have* to have a KVM switch to use it alongside your PC (where did that come from?).
There is a tremendous lack of *vision* as to what this little gem can be made to do and a lot of carping about what has been left out. The processor is described as "underpowered" (1.25 GHz!).
I don't get the lack of enthusiasm and tremendous negativity shown. Its a great product. Plus the PC crowd always neglects to add in the recurring cost of virus control.
Maybe its Billy and Bally doing the shill dance.
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." --Albert Einstein
"This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mental losses." --George W. Bush
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Post #189,934
1/12/05 12:53:27 PM
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A lot of the press doesn't understand it.
It could be a very important product for Apple, but they need to connect the dots.
If someone jumps out and shows the average Joe how to make a decent TiVo box out of this thing quickly and easily, I think it'll really take off.
"It'll let you record TV shows! It'll let you send e-mail to your grandkids! It'll save your digital pictures! It'll save all of your music! You can surf the web and not worry about viruses and spyware! ..." A TiVo won't do all that, a regular PC won't do all that.
I haven't seen this much "excitement" about an Apple computer in a long time. But it needs to find its niche in the home quickly before the MS/Dell duopoloy brings out a lame pseudo-clone and steals Apple's thunder.
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #189,945
1/12/05 2:28:49 PM
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That new USB tuner includes what's needed.
[link|http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/01/11/eyetvwonder/index.php|MWSF: Elgato, ATI bring EyeTV Wonder to Mac] EyeTV Wonder features a 125-channel analog TV tuner and an S-Video and composite video input that can connect to cable television, VCRs and gaming consoles. It also sports stereo analog inputs. You can schedule and record programs using TitanTV, an online programming guide that also supports remote programming over the Internet. ElGato's web site isn't responding at the moment, wonder if they're being bombarded by people interesting in doing this. Darrell Spice, Jr. [link|http://spiceware.org/gallery/ArtisticOverpass|Artistic Overpass]\n[link|http://www.spiceware.org/|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
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Post #189,947
1/12/05 2:36:20 PM
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Could be! Thanks.
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Post #189,977
1/12/05 7:56:25 PM
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I can't the find the article I saw about that...
There was someone I read semi-regularly who pointed out that Apple could lose money on the MacMini and still stay out in front. Why? Apparantly, Apple has a large cash surplus. If they're willing to lose $1billion subsidising the MacMini, they'll find out if such a relatively cheap device will sell in quantity. If it does, they've made a considerable dent in the Wintel market. If not, well, it was an experiment anyway.
Wade.
Is it enough to love
Is it enough to breathe
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
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Is it enough to die
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be Anything but Ordinary
Please
| -- "Anything but Ordinary" by Avril Lavigne. |
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Post #189,978
1/12/05 8:08:52 PM
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Cringely?
[link|http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20050107.html|Here] - see #3.
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #189,984
1/12/05 9:19:40 PM
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Yes! I thought it was Dave Winer... )
Is it enough to love
Is it enough to breathe
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
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Is it enough to die
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be Anything but Ordinary
Please
| -- "Anything but Ordinary" by Avril Lavigne. |
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Post #189,963
1/12/05 5:41:47 PM
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Boggle...
I think we are just at the beginning of the curve. People don't buy PCs that often, and it takes a while for expensive habits to change.
The next computer I buy will be an iMac for my wife and son to use on the kitchen desk. Probably within the next few months, because they're currently using an aging Inspiron with a dying keyboard and fussy USB connector.
Regards,
-scott anderson
"Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
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Post #189,966
1/12/05 6:09:20 PM
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Really...
People don't buy PCs that often Mkay. Sure. How many people here DO buy PCs very often? I'll raise my hand first. at $1200 surplus a month (average and not always) I can. -- [link|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net|greg], [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ iwethey[link|http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=134485&cid=11233230|"Microsoft Security" is an even better oxymoron than "Miltary Intelligence"] No matter how much Microsoft supporters whine about how Linux and other operating systems have just as many bugs as their operating systems do, the bottom line is that the serious, gut-wrenching problems happen on Windows, not on Linux, not on Mac OS. -- [link|http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1622086,00.asp|source]
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Post #189,968
1/12/05 6:37:57 PM
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Really.
I bought 3 machines in '04, 2 new iBooks and a used tray-loading iMac for my son. A 14" iBook replaced an aged K6-2/500 desktop that my wife was using, that was handed down from me when I got issued a laptop from my employer. A 12" iBook is mine, which I intend to hand down to my son in the fall of 06 when he starts Middle School. Prior to this year, I can't remember the last whole computer I bought.
That K6 machine was something that evolved over time, upgrades here and there. In fact, I still have it, it's running Sarge headless as a local fileserver. Still have the wife's old computer, too. It's a K6-300 running IPCop, also headless, as my internet gateway/firewall/router, and I have another K6-300 that my brother gave me as an internet server sitting on the DMZ, also running Sarge. (these three are what I wanted that KVM from Joe for, btw)
So yes, there are people (even geeky people) that don't buy computers everyday.
--
Steve
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Post #189,971
1/12/05 6:58:03 PM
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Can I have your job?
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Post #189,994
1/12/05 10:27:30 PM
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I only work part-time.
And so does the wife.
My rate might be higher than some here... but still.
And, I have done a few Consulting job resulting in me having a better year than I ever had at the GRCC, or Genzink or GFS or... well I guess I had a better year than I thought.
History of performance does not guarantee future performance. But, I seem to pickup side jobs.
Sometimes, companies feel I don't respond quite as fast as I need to. I offer that, even though I might take a bit longer to respond, I usually get the stuff done before the faster responders... ehh.
And, Thane, if you want my job... I am guessing you'll have to ramp up.
-- [link|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net|greg], [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ iwethey[link|http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=134485&cid=11233230|"Microsoft Security" is an even better oxymoron than "Miltary Intelligence"] No matter how much Microsoft supporters whine about how Linux and other operating systems have just as many bugs as their operating systems do, the bottom line is that the serious, gut-wrenching problems happen on Windows, not on Linux, not on Mac OS. -- [link|http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1622086,00.asp|source]
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Post #189,983
1/12/05 9:17:34 PM
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You (and we) are hardly the typical PC-buying public.
My parents have had two machines only since forever. One of them is 3 years old, the other a bit older.
One set of in-laws has had a single computer for about 3 years. That was their first. The other picked up one 2 years ago, also their first.
My sisters each have one. Most people that I know who aren't computer hacks only have one. I would suspect that people buy new computers on pretty much the same timescale as a new car.
Regards,
-scott anderson
"Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
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Post #190,002
1/12/05 10:39:37 PM
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Yeah... I know.
I renew my machine nearly twice a year now.
-- [link|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net|greg], [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ iwethey[link|http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=134485&cid=11233230|"Microsoft Security" is an even better oxymoron than "Miltary Intelligence"] No matter how much Microsoft supporters whine about how Linux and other operating systems have just as many bugs as their operating systems do, the bottom line is that the serious, gut-wrenching problems happen on Windows, not on Linux, not on Mac OS. -- [link|http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1622086,00.asp|source]
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Post #190,008
1/12/05 10:44:36 PM
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You are DEFINITELY not the average PC-buying public.
I touch my machines every 1-3 years.
Regards,
-scott anderson
"Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
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Post #190,023
1/13/05 1:39:38 AM
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I'm now on a 3-year cycle
Because that's the length of the finance deal on this here Dell thinger.
It's a G5 after that, I wot; probably not new but rather a couple of years old, given the same financial conditions in 2 years time that I have now.
Peter
[link|http://www.ubuntulinux.org|Ubuntu Linux]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
|
Post #190,027
1/13/05 2:52:11 AM
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Looking for a missionary to support? <:)
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Post #190,048
1/13/05 10:32:22 AM
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That is after giving my 10% and...
before giving direct support to our(my church's) own Missionaries, who were recently held hostages by a group of men who usually stop vehicles at make shift passages and kill the people after jacking them out of the vehicle and take everything including the vehicle and clothes leaving the bodies to be ravaged by the hyenas and vultures and other carrion eaters.
They basically nego'd with the group after telling them they were missionaries. They agreed to drop them 2 miles from a town, but kept everything they had. Bad thing is they were moving from one town to another at the time. Losing EVERYTHING.
Henry Hoogeterp is our missionary. I have been sending money into their account monthly ~$100-300 of that surplus a month. initially last year (November when it happened) the wife and I were tapping that entire amount to them.
-- [link|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net|greg], [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ iwethey[link|http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=134485&cid=11233230|"Microsoft Security" is an even better oxymoron than "Miltary Intelligence"] No matter how much Microsoft supporters whine about how Linux and other operating systems have just as many bugs as their operating systems do, the bottom line is that the serious, gut-wrenching problems happen on Windows, not on Linux, not on Mac OS. -- [link|http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1622086,00.asp|source]
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Post #190,063
1/13/05 11:13:22 AM
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Wow.
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Post #190,076
1/13/05 12:37:31 PM
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But a good thing came of it...
Henry made sure to have one of them take his personal customized Bible. Tons and TONS of notes and markup... helpin those in Africa understand.
Just this past Saturday, the bandit that Henry gave his Bible to, professed faith, he managed to get them the Rover and Hitch-container with most of the furniture and clothes back... Furniture that missionaries have though is minimal. But the clothes were important.
Evidently the group got spooked by the fact they robbed Missionaries. Still, all the personal things they had are gone and all of the traveling money is gone.
All in all, Henry said if it help one person to get to closer to God and be saved... the losses matter not.
-- [link|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net|greg], [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ iwethey[link|http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=134485&cid=11233230|"Microsoft Security" is an even better oxymoron than "Miltary Intelligence"] No matter how much Microsoft supporters whine about how Linux and other operating systems have just as many bugs as their operating systems do, the bottom line is that the serious, gut-wrenching problems happen on Windows, not on Linux, not on Mac OS. -- [link|http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1622086,00.asp|source]
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Post #189,972
1/12/05 7:04:26 PM
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Ill-informed.
Last I heard, the statistic was that 20% of iPod buyers that were PC owners prior to buying the iPod purchase a mac as their next computer purchase.
And clearly the guy writing the article has never gone down to the guy doing the website layout work...cause I bet he's doing it on a MAC.
Apple quickly lost the computer of all the people challenge...but the areas where it has made its inroads it has protected quite well.
If you push something hard enough, it will fall over. Fudd's First Law of Opposition
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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Post #192,438
2/1/05 4:13:16 AM
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And now: the Bestials reply to Manjoo
[link|http://www.salon.com/tech/letters/2005/02/01/mac/| Salon] prints Beastly rebuttals. (Page 2 then returns to Elysian Gardens, visions of iBooks in Asia wowing Hot backpacker girls, concluding)
[...]
The iMac is my therapy, my platonic wife, my go-to universe for countless things creative, fun and communicative.
I'd sooner lower my testicles into a vat of boiling acid than even use a Windows computer again -- let alone own one.
I guess that's about all I can say in Apple's favor.
*Logic* is Never enough; the visceral hatred for the mixture of stupidity, cupidity + FuckYou, Luser machinations - which-all Is The Beast -- cannot be fathomed as deterrent-force, by the spreadsheet mind. ..Then there's the Beauty thing. Something you use every day oughtn't look, feel, sound like a rusty Ford Escort, less'n ya ain't got no cuth at all. Oh well.
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