M. T. MacPhee's Profile

  • Aug 15, 2006
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Latest comments made by: M. T. MacPhee

  • 1) Uhh... those would be cubic inches, not square inches.... :) 2) e:leaf said "...and no one except someone who hasn’t bought a printer in at least 6 years uses serial ports anymore...." Alas. If only it were true. I'm not trying to explain, justify, or condone this, but there are lots and lots of black boxes out there which do very specific tasks which are set up through a good old-fashioned serial port (under Windows)(only). For example, consider the Shure P4800 and its cousins, the DFR11 and DFR22. Programmed via a RS-232. Since it is impossible to purchase a portable computer with RS-232 today, Shure also has a lengthy tutorial on using a USB-to-RS232 converter on the website. Sigh. Shure is not the only offender in this. The PC brain is a perplexing puzzle. Double sigh.
    M. T. MacPhee had this to say on Aug 14, 2006 Posts: 7
    Is the New Mac Pro Really Cheaper than a Dell?
  • 60: Don't remind me. Mine is in this house somewhere. Somewhere. That's why I need to win - the only way to find the old one is to get a new one...!
    M. T. MacPhee had this to say on Mar 29, 2006 Posts: 7
    Win a shuffle (or 5 Reasons a shuffle is Better than a nano)
  • I'm really impressed that iSupply knows all about how much Apple pays for things. I guess Steve must have sent around a memo detailing all the costs, right? Or maybe iSupply supplied Steve with liquors and hookers and Steve blabbed all he knew. Yeah. That's it. Sounds just like him. Mike
    M. T. MacPhee had this to say on Sep 22, 2005 Posts: 7
    The Truth is Out There
  • I take you point, but your “No I don’t know any good tech guys for your PC. I have a Mac. Rarely need to spend money on tech support.” or “Viruses? Spyware? Not a problem, I’ve got a Mac.” gambit misses the mark. Why? Because They. Don't. Believe. You. I know. I've tried. However, something that might work is to increase awareness of the Apple stores (not that we have one where I live, you understand). Insinuate a visit to an Apple store into a conversation: "You need some lighting ideas? Lets go over to the Apple store and have a look. Some of the best lighting I've seen." Or even more deviously: "Oh look. There's the Apple store. Do you mind if we go have a quick look?" Or more directly: "No software for the Mac. Gee, that's not my experience. Let's go over to the Apple store and have a look." Let the store do its job.
    M. T. MacPhee had this to say on May 30, 2005 Posts: 7
    Mind your market
  • Go to John Gruber's excellent Daring Fireball site for a complete discussion of the "Security through Obscurity" shibboleth, in the article entitled "So Witty". Check out the rest of the site, too. Mike http://daringfireball.net/2004/06/so_witty
    M. T. MacPhee had this to say on Apr 12, 2005 Posts: 7
    Macintosh Security: No Need for Perfection
  • The point, it seems to me, is not whether "Mac OS sucks less than Windows", or "Mac OS is better than Windows". The point is Apple has to *say* that "Mac OS sucks less than Windows", or "Mac OS is better than Windows". You know. Advertising. There are many otherwise intelligent, thoughtful folks out there who don't know that Apple still makes computers, and are sure that you can not send emails with them (or run Office). They believe they are only good for graphics, or are the same today as they were in the Apple ][ lab at their old school. The cure? Tell someone. Count how many Dell, IBM and Intel commercials you see in a day. Compare and contrast with Apple (iPod spots don't count. There is no Halo Effect. Show me the data.). If you do see one, it is some sort of feel-good schmaltz. Blech! Instead, show it off. Make commercials which use Office to build a spreadsheet, make a chart, and put it in a doc. Connect to iTMS and buy a song (two birds with one stone). Expos� a little. For that matter, show off making an "�" (I've never managed to do that on a Windows system, not for lack of trying, or asking folks who should know such as Qu�becois). Summary: Get the word out, whatever it is.
    M. T. MacPhee had this to say on Mar 15, 2005 Posts: 7
    The Mac, Merely a Safe Windows System?
  • Hmmm. While your points are well taken, there are a few for the other side, as well. The great thing about a podcast is that it can be produced when, and only when, there is content. Being produced, they can then be their natural length. A minute and a half if that is what the content deserves. Seventeen hours forty-two minutes twenty-six seconds if that is what the content deserves. Compare and contrast with "normal" "broadcasters" who need to have twenty-two minutes of material ready for 20:00 on Tuesday come hell or high water - or lack of a muse. I find a certain lack of polish appealing. I have just watched several sporting events broadcast over the weekend. The "professionals" seem to believe that we have tuned in solely to listen to them babble. I am definitely willing to trade narcissistic professionalism for earnest amateurism. Don't forget. If you don't like the content, you don't have to listen to it. If you don't like the content over several shows, you can unsubscribe. As for production values, I am sure that soon there will be some hardware/software packages which will help the situation immensely. So. Will podcasting fail? I dunno. I thought the fax was the stupidest idea ever - who would want a fuzzy illegible copy when you could have a crystal clear Telex original? I now excuse myself from making predictions about that sort of thing. I can tell you, however, that right now, I subscribe to several, and listen to them in preference to all but my most favourite standard broadcasts.
    M. T. MacPhee had this to say on Mar 14, 2005 Posts: 7
    Why Podcasting Will Fail