Archives
- August 2007
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Thotmarket
Thursday, August 30, 2007
I'm addicted. Check out http://thotmarket.com. very cool!
Bloggin from my Dashboard
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Just downloaded the Google Blogger Dashboard widget for mac... pretty cool.
Site Changes
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Just finished some changes to my site. I revamped the work page (again) as I was unhappy with the initial redesign. Please feel free to comment on the site and make suggestions...Labels: website
The Mac, Part 2
Monday, August 27, 2007
Continued from Part 1...Software
One of my requirements was to be able to run my essential design software, such as Dreamweaver and Fireworks. Luckily, these two programs come in Mac versions, and I didn't have to buy anything new. I was also able to find Mac versions or equivalents of all the software I need. Naturally, I immediately installed Firefox, which I find is somewhat faster on the Mac. I got Adium for instant messaging, and was amazed at how much better it is than any of its Windows counterparts. For recording, I decided to invest in new software rather than run my stone-age copy of Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 through a Virtual Machine. I purchased Logic Express 7 along with the computer, and while I still have a long while to go before I have really learned how to use it, I am impressed by what I have seen so far. On a related note, I also am quite impressed with GarageBand '08, which is really good for quickly stitching stuff together. The included software instruments are also spectacular. iMovie is also quite good for quick jobs, though it lacks some really important features, and can be a bit frustrating in its simplicity. For example, I find its automatic transition length feature to be annoying and difficult to turn off.
Complaints
As much as I love my new MacBook (and even though it's as close to perfect as I have yet seen a computer come), I do have some complaints. Possibly the biggest problem I have is the lack of a filmstrip view in Finder. I would like to second Molly Wood of Buzz out Loud in saying that I am astonished that an OS that is so graphically oriented would lack such a useful feature.
Also, it can be a bit annoying for a former Windows user to realize that clicking the Big Red Close Button doesn't exit the program, but merely the window. To actually quit the program and free up RAM, you have to click the Application name in the Finder bar and click quit or click Cmd-Q. As I use the computer more, I am starting to not mind this so much... it's just a matter of getting used to it.
The only other annoyance I can think of is the lack of a "start" type app menu... While the dock is great, it is more comparable to Windows desktop icons, and opening the application folder a billion times can get a bit annoying.
Wrap Up
I'll make this short... I really like my MacBook (as I'm sure you could tell) and am now a loyal Apple fan. This computer is for people that are serious about computing, but is also easy enough for beginners to use. I'll write another analysis after I have used it longer.
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P.S. I really like the Expose feature and find it beats the crap out of Aero's "Flip."
The Mac, Part 1
Monday, August 27, 2007
All right... so earlier I said I'd do a sort of review of my new machine...and I wasn't lying. So here goes Part 1 of what will be a continuing saga chronicling select parts of the life of my new MacBook.The Box
My MacBook arrived in a brown cardboard box courtesy of FedEx... I must congratulate Apple on the superfast buildup and shipping times, they saved my life. Inside this corrugated brown box was the elegantly designed MacBook box. I must admit that Apple sure has style like no other. I rabidly tore through the outer packaging and beheld my bride (sort of). Lookwise, it's totally awesome. From the glowing Apple logo on the back of the display to the lights on the caps lock and num lock keys on the super-smooth keyboard, this is a computer that just begs to be used.
First Impressions
I hurried to flip open the notebook and turn it on. After using it a few minutes, I was pleased to see that even though I have been a right clicker since I was three (or thereabouts), I did not have too much trouble getting around. I immediately was taken in by the slickness and smoothness of the entire experience. There is just something about this computer that makes it work. While it is super fast, it is not jerky, like Windows can sometimes be.
To Be Continued...
Back to School (for the First Time)
Monday, August 27, 2007
Oh my... the summer just tore by. And now it's time to go back to school... for the first time. Having been homeschooled for my entire life, college is an even newer experience. Although I know it will be a lot of work, I'm also confident in my abilities and also excited about what lies ahead. I'm also hoping to maybe get a job at the local Best Buy to bring in some cash. Geek Squad here I come??
Wow.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Alright. I admit it. Windows sucks...compared to a Mac.I just got my MacBook yesterday, and it totally rocks. It's smoking fast and absolutely gorgeous... I'll write a fuller review later...
Dying of Anticipation
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
I just ordered my Macbook last Thursday, and have been in a state of anticipation ever since. It's scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning...wicked fast, Apple! It will be my first Mac, and I have very high expectations. It's the white 2.16 GHz model, with 120 Gb hard drive and 2 Gb of RAM. It will have Logic Express preinstalled (I've been using an ancient copy of Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 up to now...time for something...modern...and Mac compatible.) As a student, I also get a $200 rebate on any iPod $200 or more, so I bought a 30Gb white iPod with video (just arrived via FedEx...beats the crap out of my old Zen V Plus in almost every way...love it). And I also got a $100 rebate on a $100 printer... sweeeeet! Well, I've got to get back to waiting... and getting my accumulated mess of files into order for transfer onto the new machine...Maybe I'll write a review...
'Till then,
Happily anticipating.
Labels: anticipation, apple, computer, mac
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