Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Thanks, Steve. For everything.

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  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Rich Lock,

    Goodbye Mr Chips...

    I’ve never, in my entire life, used an Apple product. Ever.

    Though it wouldn't surprise me if you have used a device, or program, that was the way it was in response to an Apple innovation, IIRC at least one of the Windows updates was very similar to the Mac desktop environment, and so on...
    They raised the bar virtually every step of the way...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Though it wouldn’t surprise me if you have used a device, or program, that was the way it was in response to an Apple innovation

    No doubt. I've not not used Apple because of some sort of philosophical objection. But I wass thinking about it this morning and I've never used an Apple desktop or Macbook, and I've never owned an iPod, IPad, or IPhone.

    But I am something of a late-adopter...

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to Rich Lock,

    Oh my love - my tall, lovely, English love. I feel only sadness for you. :)

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report

  • Mark Cubey, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Actually, Apple mice in general. I can’t recall a good one, and some of them were/are basically unusable. I use a Microsoft one!

    So do I. And a Magic Mouse. But mostly with Apple kit these days my primary interface is with the fingers... (so much so that I'm having all sorts of issues with my new Kindle. But I digress....)

    It's the mid-80s, and the first Apple I use is an Apple II, writing green text on a black screen doing work for the visionary Sue May at OnFILM. I'd worked on Linotype and Compugraphic typsetters (input all the typsetting code as you go, no memory, print out galleys and if there was a mistake, do it again) and so the Apple II was revelatory.

    My flatmate bought a DOS PC, and I got to play on that, but then a friend suggested going into business doing a thing called desktop publishing so I bought a Mac 512KE. We loan financed an SE20 (massive 20mb hard drive) for $18k, but the work it generated soon paid it off and the rest is history... proving on the way to the design companies, ad agencies, typesetters etc that their scoffing naysaying about how these Apples would never replace REAL design tools was flat out wrong. Heh.

    I wish I still had the SE30 that for so long was my favourite machine: sturdy, luggable, fast and able to do whole magazines inside the box. Freehand 3. Pagemaker 4. Greyscale. Those were the days.

    Now I'm at work, on a PC (sigh), having just talked to designer Tony Parker about the Best Design Awards, which he'll be reporting on for the programme tomorrow morning (there'll be a minute's silence at the Awards tonight's for Steve...)and wondering if the 4S stands for "for Steve", if they kept the design of the new phone the same so that a revised design could come out from a post-Steve company and keep the faith... and thinking how much one visionary leader can do to enrich the lives of many, like my kids, whose love for the laptop, the Mini, the phone, the iPad and (even more) the Pixar catalogue, is wholehearted.

    It's been a great quarter century. Thanks, Steve.

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 66 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Mark Cubey,

    Boxing on...

    I wish I still had the SE30 that for so long was my favourite machine: sturdy, luggable, fast and able to do whole magazines inside the box. Freehand 3. Pagemaker 4. Greyscale. Those were the days.

    +1
    My entry point, too - a revelation!
    (I still have my waxer though...)

    Mr C I must say that you did some damn fine work
    on that machine (and beyond)...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • James Butler, in reply to Russell Brown,

    fscking buttons on the fscking mice

    Since OS X is Unix, if you want to fsck, you can just open a terminal and type “fsck”. Why does it need to be a button on the mouse?

    Actually, Apple mice in general. I can’t recall a good one, and some of them were/are basically unusable. I use a Microsoft one!

    Microsoft mice, and (some of) their keyboards, are about the only MS products I would happily pay money for. They’re never the best on the market, but they’re comfy, cheap and sufficiently well made.

    Unless the industry changes drastically in the future (and the odds are that it will, I guess) I don’t imagine I’ll ever buy another Apple product – the iPod Touch I own is a great piece of kit, but the iOS ecosystem is too limited for my taste. But I’m happy to accept that I’m a small demographic, and Steve’s genius was tailoring technology to enhance the experience of the large demographic, rather than expecting people to tailor their thoughts and actions to the technology. Other tech companies are slowly learning that lesson.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report

  • Samuel Scott,

    I would say a good 95% + of the music I have made has been made using Mac computers. Not that this has always been a healthy relationship (Mac have been very good at making sure their new software doesn't like protools until digidesign fix a whole bunch of things).

    I once signed a record deal which included a Macbook Pro. I ran this little bastard into the ground.

    ...I wonder is Jobs used a mouse with 'right click'? Maybe in the afterlife (the special afterlife reserved for the super rich) they have mac mice with two buttons!

    South Wellington • Since Feb 2008 • 315 posts Report

  • Martin Lindberg,

    A common complaint about Apple’s release process is that it’s pretty ruthless about not supporting older versions of software or hardware. Microsoft, being generally more corporate-friendly, go to extremes to keep supporting older versions. Typing this on a corporate Windows XP PC using IE6 I’m inclined to go with Apple’s approach. Especially when PAS renders like this.

    ETA: LOL, ie6 failed to attach file and edit-window crashes browser. iPhone to the rescue.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to James Butler,

    Since OS X is Unix, if you want to fsck, you can just open a terminal and type “fsck”. Why does it need to be a button on the mouse?

    I used "fscking" as a humorous alternative to "fucking". But you probably knew that ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    I've been trying to write an ode, inspired by this one. But I just can't get a rhyme for "one-button mouse". Can anyone help?

    I do have the lines:
    with Mac, iPad and iPhone my life is replete
    He rescued my life from <end>, <home> and <delete>

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • James Butler, in reply to Martin Lindberg,

    ETA: LOL, ie6 failed to attach file and edit-window crashes browser. iPhone to the rescue.

    You can't attach a file with an iPhone, either...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Jackie Clark,

    I feel only sadness for you. :)

    Well, having just been to the rather harrowing world press photo exhibition, I'm not really inclined to lose any sleep on my own behalf by white whining.

    Besides which it just occured to me that I've seen all three 'toy story' films, 'finding nemo', 'the incredibles', 'wall-e', and 'up', so maybe that counts?

    Anyway, last day of the exhibition is Sunday. so I'd urge everyone to go if they haven't already. But you'll probably need a stiff drink afterwards.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report

  • James Butler, in reply to Russell Brown,

    rainier_wolfcastle.gif

    I used “fscking” as a humorous alternative to “fucking”. But you probably knew that …

    That’s the joke.

    ETA: Was meant to be animated. Oh well.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to James Butler,

    You can't attach a file with an iPhone, either...

    No, but I could edit the post so that's a bonus. Will try from home later on my Mac ;-)

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell,

    BTW I'm in the SF Bay Area at the moment - the media, in particular the NPR stations seem to be all Steve all the time today, it's a bit like a president died

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    My meter’s running…

    But I just can’t get a rhyme for “one-button mouse”. Can anyone help?

    That one-button mouse is a drag
    when clicking, and rolling in passes
    it makes the pressing business a fag,
    indeed, the cursor the networking classes

    that’s all I’ve got…
    though “un-buttoned blouse” comes to mind
    and 'souse' and 'dowse' and 'louse'

    or perhaps
    clicking gaily with a one-button mouse
    gets Arts and Letters Daily (sans Dutton) in-house

    (well odes do allow irregular meter)

    here’s hoping such
    drollery re scrollery
    is a fitting corollary…

    …and you’d think with Steve Jobs’ connections to Pixar and therefore Disney it would have been de rigueur not to have embraced the classic "two button mouse”

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Steve Reeves, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    The use of a one-button mouse
    Requires a display of some nouse...


    In fact, the "nouse" is the "nose mouse", as in nose-activated, too...

    Near Donny Park, Hamilton… • Since Apr 2007 • 94 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Martin Lindberg,

    Especially when PAS renders like this.

    I can verify it looks damn fine on the free-to-use HP tablets down at their 'Wintergarden' demo dome at the far end of Wynyard Quarter's main drag (shared with Kokako coffee). Encouraged the HP reps to use this as a great example of a media-optimised local site. <waves>

    And Wynyard is as amazing as everyone says (though I didn't sample the expensive eateries). If you're in Auckland, do head on down sometime.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Marcus Turner,

    It feels like Friday. I heard this guy on National Radio the other night, and went looking for him. Very impressive.

    Since Nov 2006 • 212 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Steve Reeves,

    ...if you are to create
    a stylish
    'do not touch the exhibits'
    sign for the New Dowse...

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • chris, in reply to JacksonP,

    Oh well. From helping to install the Apple 11e computers in our school in 1981

    irrational.

    we all owe him

    platitudes.

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report

  • chris,

    Consider it the way you might consider the funeral of a member of your own family

    That’s hardly appropriate. I didn’t call him an asshole. He seemed more troubled than anything else.

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report

  • Hilary Stace,

    Merger of the Occupy Wall Street movement and Steve Jobs

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report

  • JacksonP, in reply to chris,

    Oh well. From helping to install the Apple 11e computers in our school in 1981

    irrational.

    You mean anachronistic? Yes, I installed the Apple ][e two years before it was released. We were ahead of our time in rural New Zealand.

    It was thirty years ago, and my mind was clouded by grief. Give me a break already. Have to consult the Oracle to get my story straight. Although few are as happy as Larry.

    You know, we live in a very egalitarian world. We don’t like heroes. And Steve is one of these heroic guys whose accomplishments are of such epic proportions, and it gnaws away at our egalitarian sense of the world.

    Larry Ellison.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to chris,

    we all owe him
    platitudes.

    would you please just take direction from this blog's owner about what tone is appropriate. no one thinks you're smart or funny.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

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