when people talk about DRM, why does no one ever bring up the activation process and licence code palava that is Microsoft Windows, i’m home for the week – not only does the pc (used less and less these days for work, more for games and defraging / gathering dust) get a virus, which 24 hours on is getting to the point of “ah, lets re-install”, it also required me, for the THIRD time, PROVE to microsoft that we own the license.
1. proved that we owned the software during installation “Product Key”
2. by Activation, on the phone as I recall – where I had to tell someone that “yes, we’ve had to reformat the computer because Windows got a virus, or something” – they couldn’t help with that of course… just making sure I wasn’t selling ‘their’ software to anyone.
3. (this weekend) when i tried to do a software update… i know i’m months late – but wtf; enter another code, phone them- again!
so, yeah- DRM; see microsoft. OS X does not require activation or any phone calling, nor do the updates require me to punch in a 40 digit code to prove my worthyness. i hate iTunes DRM as much as the next informed user, I understand it to: both how to get around it and why it IS nessasary (for iTMS to exist, at least). i think the lack of DRM on the Apple OS / Hardware throws this post off.
Simple really, want a screensaver for OS X that actually looks like the matrix code, raher than the other gazillion savers out there (which just don’t)? Red Pill is pretty cool, and its free! Oh, I also just re-discovered Shapeshifter, so I’ve got a Star Wars themed mac today (Kamino). I’ve not had this much fun since Windows 98’s “Themes”.
Update: the file has been moved here.
As a “switcher” I guess the biggest difference for me, which is only becoming apparent, is that I don’t ‘run’ anything. Talking to some software people today (in the Windows world) I kept hearing “well I’m running x, we tried y but x is a yearly subscription of…”. Norton, AVG, F-Force (wtf?), anything with the words Professional or Corporate Edition in the title — they were all so proud too.
I’m not proud, I’m just saying I don’t ‘run’ anything. I switch him on, use iPhoto or Safari for a bit, then put ‘em away. Humph, I guess I don’t get this ‘running’ idea because my computer isn’t broadcasting itself to all around, while being hammered by a gazillion viruses, I don’t really need 24hr protection… well maybe in the armpit department – what a great day! *I see skies of blue…*
Well it will be a Wonderful world when Apple announce the MacBook (Today?). I know, sounds uber-geek-lovin’ of me; but I can’t wait.
Momentus occasion ladies and gentlemen [*insert George Clooney sized stage pause*]. For the first time, tonight, my iBook’s fan went on. Three months on, and what did it take for my Mac to make a sound: OS X, running Mail, Safari (browsing Google Maps / eBay / Flickr / Random Googles – in tabs), iTunes (streaming to the AirPort Express – Garbage “Can’t Cry These Tears”), iChat-ing, Virtual PC running both Windows 98 (copying files from CD) and Windows XP Pro Installer, and I just noticed I’m running on “Better Performance” with an external USB Hard Disk attached and spinning.
Well, pretty amazing feat; our Acer (same age give or take a month) starts to panic its arse off if you so much as open two windows. I’m running 3 operating systems and the fan just went off again, oh well at least I know it works… Why do computers make noise at all, I really don’t understand how you can use the internet with a headache.
This year Apple Computers will celebrate 30 years. I know they’re just another company but I’m a fanboy. They introduced their masterpiece “The Macintosh” 30 years ago today – to a large theater full of people in a rather dramatic fashion (some things don’t change) with this ad, it then played during the Super Bowl and made quite an impression. It wasn’t for me, I joined in (I wasn’t born) a bit later. This is one of the ads that I remeber downloading on our Compaq Presario back in ‘98:
Inspired by the re-appearance of the funny Mac logo I would go on to dig out our old Macintosh LC II before buying my first iMac (in Bondi Blue) some years – and many Windows Machines – later. From there it was a jump over to the iBook (in Graphite), another iMac (DV in Graphite) another iBook (dual USB), [should I mention my Quadra 900 here... cost me ?ĮŽĢ5] a third iMac (this time in Lime Green – Billy has this working to this very day!) and now I’m on the Powerbook G4. On Thursday Lucy’s giving me a Macintosh LC II… they were going to throw it out, or dismantle it- no, I won’t hear of it. I’m going to boot up OS 7.5 and rock the shit. 80MB Hard Disk’s were standard back in ‘92.
