Notes on Mac OS X 10.7 Developer Preview

By
February 27, 2011
Software

It’s good to know that Apple hasn’t abandoned development of its desktop operating system, however I’m personally underwhelmed with it so far.

Mission Control

  • The user interface elements are not consistent throughout the OS. Some elements, such as the login window still have remnants of the old UI, which look out of place. While a fresh coat of paint is always something neat and to be expected of a new release, I wouldn’t exactly decide in favor of the new desaturated approach to visual design, or the buttons that look transplanted from GNOME. Don’t get me wrong, GNOME is an awesome window manager, but I’d prefer Aqua any day.
  • The new ‘About this Mac’ application is a commendable effort and stays true to the ‘it just works’ mantra.
  • Launchpad is buggy, slow and superfluos to desktop computing. I understand that they want to get rid of the Dock, maybe even Finder, but instead of making things easier to access, they implanted a mobile UI paradigm into a full-blown OS. You can fully replace the Dock with Spaces, Mission Control and Launchpad, but why do I need three things to do what one small application does?
  • I’ve wanted for so many years to get back to the MS-DOS days of single tasking, and full screen applications do just that. Aside from photo and video editing, which already had full screen views, why would I want to fill my entire screen with just one application? To make use of the Spaces feature and distract myself with beautifully rendered smooth transitions… .
  • They’ve implemented Sessions, which means that when you restart, the n-th applications that you had opened, will be restored, which does an amazing job at simulating how time would pass if you were in the accretion disk of a black hole.
  • The new Mail app is wonderful from both a design and functionality standpoint. I’m sorry for the developer of Sparrow.app which will have its user-base significantly diminished.
  • FileVault had its security significantly boosted, with whole disk encryption now implemented.
  • Scrolling is bass-ackwards. They’ve removed the open application Dock indicators by default. The WiFi status icon is always animated, even when connected (AirPort Express) and options like show time connected don’t do anything. You can now reset your account password using an AppleID and use iChat with your Yahoo! Messenger ID. FaceTime is installed by default. Accounts for services like Gmail, Yahoo and MobileMe are available to all applications that make use of the API. For example, if you set up your email account, those settings will be available to chat applications.

An open letter to SyFy

By
February 25, 2011
Op-Ed
1 Comment

During the last 7 years or so, I always looked forward to a new Stargate episode every single week of the season. I started watching Stargate when I was twelve years old. My admiration for Amanda Tapping’s character, portrayed in the show, is probably one of the reasons I choose to study Physics. If this is not a testament to the quality of the writing and acting this show has to offer, I don’t know what is.

It saddens me greatly to hear that for the first time in more than a decade, Stargate will not be on air anymore. Although every series had its strong points and faults, it always managed to capture my attention unlike any other show on television. In my opinion, the Stargate franchise is up there with Star Trek, Firefly, Star Wars. It’s in a very exclusive club in the mind of most fans of science fiction. Although all good things must come to an end, I don’t believe it’s time to give up on Stargate.

With Stargate Universe, the writers and producers made a leap of faith, and brought something new and fresh to the storytelling. I believe this is no small feat to accomplish. The fact is that Stargate Universe put the characters in the foreground, bringing up morality, values into the mix, not just great space adventure. It certainly makes for a more interesting journey.

There will always be a push back from people used to the old approach. Insert Galileo Galilei’s struggle here. This is not to condemn the criticism as pointless, as there were a few instances where the focus shifted too heavily to human drama. Every side has reasonable reasons to support their stance.

If anything, the shift in the way we consume media is at fault for the seemingly low ratings. Its audience tends to be at the cutting edge of technology trends, and advertisers are lagging in realising the potential of online distribution methods. Sticking with this series might be a leap of faith from an economic standpoint, but one that will surely pay off in the long-run. Giving up on a great show like SGU might make sense in the short-term, but how can you afford to give up on an audience that’s been there, more or less growing with Stargate, for more than 10 years?

An audience that’s still there, a community.

PlainText for iOS: A Must Have App

By
February 24, 2011
Software

I have discovered probably the best iOS application out there: PlainText. Its versatility spawns from its Spartan simplicity and elegant design.

A free download from the App Store, PlainText uses your Dropbox account to store and sync plain text files between your computer and mobile devices, anything that works with Dropbox. Because it allows text input from mobile devices, you can use it for everything from to-do lists/reminders, short notes, expenses list, and even writing blog posts on the go (which I’m doing right now). Since it has a local cache and no bells and whistles to drain the battery, it is the perfect companion for the mobile blogger.

Create a stack from your PlainText folder and have every file only a click away.

If you’re proficient enough with the onscreen iPhone keyboard you could easily use this application to take class notes, keep track of homework and anything you can think of. Why carry your MacBook on campus when you could just pack your iPhone or iPod touch? Add a stand, an Apple Bluetooth keyboard and a charger for those long sessions and you’ve got yourself nothing less than a workhorse for modular mobile computing.

Revise your notes on the bus, or write your next novel, PlainText is a stroke of genius that’s there whenever you need it. Get it from the AppStore.

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