Hard News: The Southern Apps
197 Responses
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Geoff, yes but no. I'd love to go, and thanks for the offer, but I have an unavoidable previous engagement - one's wife only turns 40 once...
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the silent killer is ad banners that sit there hogging resources even when their page or tab isn't visible
It's a (minor) problem even in fairly benevolent work environments, where management are usually inclined to turn a blind eye to personal internet use, unless it seems to be really spiking higher than the norm. Resource-hungry banner ads tend to really add to that.
I really don't understand why most workplaces don't just install a decent adblocker as standard practice. Or seem to have an ingrained antipathy to switching away from IE, to Firefox or similar.
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We sat down last night and figured out some really neat iPad cover Designs, they seemed so clever in the Cauliflower Cheese induced euphoria of the late evening. They did all kinds of gymnastics to give functionality and protection, some were akin to the most complex origami others had a hard as nails football boot feel.
All to no avail, how can you compete with These?. -
Just seen the only intro to Media 7, a long add for iPad and a TVNZ App store application.
Now I understand why Russell is re-writing internet history (I snorted coffee when I read about Apple heroically pushing HTML5...especially the video bit).
It might be helpful when writing "iReviews" to note your commitments to Apple, Russell. I had no idea but now that I do I will refrain from commenting on these particular articles.
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It's a (minor) problem even in fairly benevolent work environments, where management are usually inclined to turn a blind eye to personal internet use, unless it seems to be really spiking higher than the norm. Resource-hungry banner ads tend to really add to that.
Or rootkits.
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Don, you have a substantial business in OSS development, right?
I guess everyone has some sort of axe to grind - sometimes it's financial, sometimes its about being in with the cool kids.
Personally, mine is that I do Android apps as a private venture and corporate software development as a day job.
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Rich, don't think the OSS bit is particularly relevant. I *am* however an InternetNZ councillor and so I certainly buy into the idea that the founders of the Internet deliberately designed it to be "open and uncapturable" and that this is fundamentally what has made the Internet such a runaway success. People like Russell also believe this and have championed that cause brilliantly.
In the past there have been times when the Internet has become in danger of becoming closed and captured, as someone mentioned, there are cycles. But preventing this happening does not happen by accident, Firefox applied these principles and challenged Microsoft's control of the way folks accessed the Internet, just in time.
The danger with the near constant and overwhelming flow of Apple hype, coupled with their successful product lines, means that there is a danger of a new hegemony appearing and one that wants to control and restrict how users interact with technology *and* content. Apple could make products that would be just as successful without these inane and ultimately dangerous restrictions.
They fact that they don't right now does not mean that they would not respond to pressure in the future. So, can't we shoot for the best of both worlds? Great Apple tech and freedom to use it how we want to?
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Don, you think Apple is that dangerous? They're really not that big, powerful or pervasive. I don't feel throttled by them because I don't use them, with the one annoying exception of Quicktime. They can't control and restrict how I interact with technology - the best they can do is encourage me to try it their way for some $.
Russell is allowed to like them, and say so, without being complicit in a dangerous conspiracy to control the internet. They are an innovative force, and they manage this by what really seems to outrage you, the fact that they can actually profit from software and the internet.
Perhaps the founding fathers of the internet would be outraged. I don't care, I never swore any blood oath to them. They are not Gods. The world moves on, the internet moves on, and interaction with technology moves on. I'm happy Apple have a little piece of it, because they make some good gear, which I tend to get the trickle down effects of.
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Just seen the only intro to Media 7, a long add for iPad and a TVNZ App store application.
We had a panel featuring people from two media companies who'd invested in iPad development, one of which, ACP, has done a really nice job of implementing the magazine experience on the new platform. TVNZ was keen for us to mention its forthcoming app too. I don't see why we shouldn't have. It's relevant.
Honestly Don, short of refusing to cover Apple at all, what wouldn't be "an ad" in your view?
Now I understand why Russell is re-writing internet history (I snorted coffee when I read about Apple heroically pushing HTML5...especially the video bit).
I just said what I understand to be the case: that Safari was the first browser to support HTML 5 audio and video tags. If that's not the case, just show me. Don't accuse me of lying.
And I think it's evident that Apple's hardline stance on video has hurried along major content providers into HTML 5 support. Again, if that's not the case, show me. Don't accuse me of lying.
It might be helpful when writing "iReviews" to note your commitments to Apple, Russell. I had no idea but now that I do I will refrain from commenting on these particular articles.
No, please do comment, Don. I have no "commitments to Apple" that I'm aware of, and I'm getting a bit tired of being accused of dishonesty by you.
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3410,
I recently jailbroke* my iPod by installing ROCKbox OS.
Whilst it doesn't work quite as smoothly as iTunes, and crashes occasionally, what has amazed me is just how crippled the machine is under iTunes. There are literally scores more functions now available to me.
The fact that Apple asks me to buy hardware add-ons for functions that the machine is in fact capable of doing without them (such as recording, ie) doesn't impress me much.
But I still love it (even though I also hate it).
*Is it still "jailbreaking" if it's an iPod? -
They fact that they don't right now does not mean that they would not respond to pressure in the future. So, can't we shoot for the best of both worlds? Great Apple tech and freedom to use it how we want to?
It's happened more than once. With the iTunes Store, Apple got music companies on board with a DRM scheme that soothed their fears while actually being viable for consumers -- unlike Microsoft's Windows Media horrorshow.
This had perverse effects that benefited Apple, but locked in the music companies. It was also a pain for customers. Jobs made it clear that Apple would prefer to drop DRM, and the company did so as soon as each music company relented -- EMI was the first.
I fully expect this is what we'll see with the iPad. But much of what you're complaining about is the reality of 1.0 software. No app is prevented from screen-mirroring, but, for some reason, run-of-system doesn't support it. It's irritating rather than evil.
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Russell is allowed to like them, and say so, without being complicit in a dangerous conspiracy to control the internet.
I had an email calling me an "uber-consumerist whore". But just the one ...
Funny thing is, I generally try and avoid using the iTunes Music Store. It doesn't work for me on price, quality or community.
Edit: Although I did buy the 'Bed Intruder Song' yesterday. Gotta help out Antoine and his family ...
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I recently jailbroke* my iPod by installing ROCKbox OS.
Whilst it doesn't work quite as smoothly as iTunes, and crashes occasionally, what has amazed me is just how crippled the machine is under iTunes. There are literally scores more functions now available to me.
Interesting! It's available for a whole bunch of other music players too, I see. Feature comparisons here.
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I guess everyone has some sort of axe to grind - sometimes it's financial, sometimes its about being in with the cool kids.
There are other times, aren't there?
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3410,
Feature comparisons here.
Once you get deep inside the settings there is actually a lot more than that; admittedly mostly minor things, but probably twice as many in total.
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Don, here's an early survey (from last year) of HTML 5 browser support. Safari 4 (we're onto 5 now) was found to offer "by far the best feature set in the current market, outdoing competitors like Firefox 3.5 and even Google Chrome."
Vimeo is still saying its HTML5 player won't work on Firefox, and YouTube's player will only work with a beta version of Firefox 4 that supports WebM.
It does seem that WebKit -- maintained as OSS by Apple and used in Safari, Chrome, Shiira, iCab 4, OmniWeb 5.5+, Epiphany, Adobe AIR, Midori, Adobe Dreamweaver CS4, the Google Android browser, the Palm WebOS browser, Symbian S60 browser, OWB and Steam -- has set the pace here.
This doesn't mean Apple is the perfect citizen. But it doesn't mean I'm re-writing history either.
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Hi Russell. Thanks for explaining the iPad ads.
Russell is allowed to like them
Of course he is. But he is also an independent commentator, with a great track record of bringing balance and insight to his audience. That's why we love him so :-) Personally I find those two things missing from his reviews of Apple stuff.
HTML5 ... for a long time Apple delayed the release of HTML5 (along with others) and opposed the inclusion of video tags. They were still pushing Quicktime as a platform and claiming IP over video formats (which they still do through a company they have shares in).
Youtube and Vimeo were offering HTML5 video well before Apple banned Flash from their platforms.
BTW, the controls Apple put over users are nothing to what they do to developers, especially when they change the T&Cs mid-stream.
Couple of posts from Rob O'Callahan to look at. The first explains why resisting ActiveX in Firefox enabled a whole lot of new innovation to take place...off the MS platform. Second is a review of the way developers are at risk using the Apple store.
http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/roc/archives/2010/01/activex_all_ove.html
http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/roc/archives/2010/04/more_apple_evil.html
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Ok, I past the boring point a long time ago so I leave you with this plea from someone on twitter
Can publishers follow Apple's lead and only publish Apple hype to Apple devices?
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Before about 1980, if you wanted to program computers, you had to work for an institution that could afford one, and get approval for what you wanted to do
Since then, its been possible to buy a cheap computer, program it, and distribute that program to an increasing population of people who could use it. There've been no a priori restrictions on what or how you did it.My fear is that we're now moving away from that into a space where that isn't the case, and the population who can run any program will fall. I don't want to see a world where programming freedom is something that happened between 1980 and 2020.
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Of course he is. But he is also an independent commentator, with a great track record of bringing balance and insight to his audience. That's why we love him so :-) Personally I find those two things missing from his reviews of Apple stuff.
Don, I've been using Apple products since 1986, and continued to when it was extremely unfashionable to do so -- obviously I'm bringing that to the table. But you seem to want me to ignore my actual experience with the product and write what you think.
My experience with the iPad -- I'm not sure how many more times I have to say it -- is that some things about it frustrate me, and some things thrill me.
And you haven't made the case that Apple is evilly controlling the internet, at all.
Couple of posts from Rob O'Callahan to look at. The first explains why resisting ActiveX in Firefox enabled a whole lot of new innovation to take place...off the MS platform. Second is a review of the way developers are at risk using the Apple store.
Apple says it wants developers to develop for iOS in C, C++ or Objective C, and won't allow cross-compilers. Robert dubs that "evil" (perhaps hard-nosed would be a better term -- let's not devalue the real meaning of evil too much). Others in his own discussion thread, and in lots of others places, disagree.
From Daring Fireball:
What Apple is saying here is, if you’re going to write a native iPhone app, then you need to target our platform; if you want to do something else, then target the iPhone with an optimized web app. I.e., the iPhone OS supports two software platforms: Cocoa Touch and the web. Apple isn’t going to let anyone else build a meta-platform on top of Cocoa Touch.
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My fear is that we're now moving away from that into a space where that isn't the case, and the population who can run any program will fall. I don't want to see a world where programming freedom is something that happened between 1980 and 2020.
I guess you hate gaming consoles then?
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And you haven't made the case that Apple is evilly controlling the internet, at all.
I agree, if for no other reason that you know I'd be all over that bad boy.
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Youtube and Vimeo were offering HTML5 video well before Apple banned Flash from their platforms.
That is totally incorrect. Both Youtube and Vimeo annouced HTML5 video in January of this year. The iPhone has been out since 2007.
Don, how can you accuse Russell of "re-writing internet history", and then come out with that statement?
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That is totally incorrect. Both Youtube and Vimeo annouced HTML5 video in January of this year. The iPhone has been out since 2007.
Is true. Long before HTML5 was an issue, YouTube offered an MPEG4-based alternative to Flash specifically to support the iPhone.
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I'd rather that gaming consoles were open (which would turn them into game-oriented computers) and that we lost the cross-subsidy between consoles and games.
However, consoles only play games (mostly because they are restricted) and hence it doesn't matter as much.
With pad form factor devices, it's possible that they *will* become the standard individual computing device. It's also possible that Apple and Microsoft will try and move the walled garden model up the food chain to conventional systems like PC and Mac.
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