http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/ #FF00AA fr Copyright 2010 2010-03-12T21:21:03+01:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Panic Status Board http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/10/10692-panic-status-board/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/10/10692-panic-status-board/ Obviously inspired by Panic’s dream setup that’s been making the rounds for two days. I can’t afford a 46-inch industrial screen (slurp), but I have a Mac mini with a web-based screensaver and I know JSON. (Actually, I didn’t, but that way I got to learn.) It looks all gray on the photo because everything’s working right. (Except for the chart of online users on No Pic No Chat, I need to fix the script.) And the photo’s not as cool as Panic’s because, hey, 46-inchers are photogenic, but it’s pretty nice in person.

Obviously inspired by Panic’s dream setup that’s been making the rounds for two days. I can’t afford a 46-inch industrial screen (slurp), but I have a Mac mini with a web-based screensaver and I know JSON. (Actually, I didn’t, but that way I got to learn.)

It looks all gray on the photo because everything’s working right. (Except for the chart of online users on No Pic No Chat, I need to fix the script.) And the photo’s not as cool as Panic’s because, hey, 46-inchers are photogenic, but it’s pretty nice in person.

]]> 2010-03-10T23:36:17+01:00 Petit changement sur mes flux RSS http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/12/10642-petit-changement-sur-mes-flux-rss/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/12/10642-petit-changement-sur-mes-flux-rss/ Les modes de consommation des RSS changent avec le temps ; mes habitudes d’ēcriture aussi. D’une part, je ne poste plus autant de courts liens qu’ā une ēpoque, et je doute que ça revienne prochainement (en partie grāce ā Twitter, en partie parce que ma façon de bloguer a changē). D’autre part, tout le monde lit ses blogs dans Google Reader, de nos jours, dans une interface qui change des agrēgateurs ā l’ancienne — les articles sont affichēs d’une traite au lieu de vous faire choisir dans une liste (je sais qu’il y a une option pour afficher les articles sous forme de liste, mais qui l’utilise ,), et le rēsultat est plus appropriē aux articles courts. En outre, Twitter a aussi changē les attentes des utilisateurs quant ā la façon de recevoir le contenu. J’ai donc changē aujourd’hui la façon dont mes feeds gērent les posts courts et liens : le feed principal (index.xml, celui que tout le monde suit) recevra chaque article court dēs qu’il est publiē, au lieu d’attendre un rēsumē quotidien compilē ā minuit. Et, pour ceux qui trouvent que ça fait trop d’articles dans leur lecteur RSS, il y a un feed de rēsumēs (remplacez index.xml par digests.xml) qui reprend le fonctionnement prēcēdent. Ces modifications ne s’appliquent pas ā mes posts sur Twitter, qui seront toujours repris une fois par jour, parce qu’il est assez clair que, si vous voulez recevoir mes tweets dēs que je les poste, vous devriez me suivre lā oū je les poste. Tant que j’y suis, le compte Twitter qui prēvient de chaque nouveau post sur mon blog est renommē en @garooRSS (ceux qui le suivaient dējā n’ont rien ā modifier, c’est automatique).

Les modes de consommation des RSS changent avec le temps ; mes habitudes d’ēcriture aussi. D’une part, je ne poste plus autant de courts liens qu’ā une ēpoque, et je doute que ça revienne prochainement (en partie grāce ā Twitter, en partie parce que ma façon de bloguer a changē). D’autre part, tout le monde lit ses blogs dans Google Reader, de nos jours, dans une interface qui change des agrēgateurs ā l’ancienne — les articles sont affichēs d’une traite au lieu de vous faire choisir dans une liste (je sais qu’il y a une option pour afficher les articles sous forme de liste, mais qui l’utilise ,), et le rēsultat est plus appropriē aux articles courts. En outre, Twitter a aussi changē les attentes des utilisateurs quant ā la façon de recevoir le contenu.

J’ai donc changē aujourd’hui la façon dont mes feeds gērent les posts courts et liens : le feed principal (index.xml, celui que tout le monde suit) recevra chaque article court dēs qu’il est publiē, au lieu d’attendre un rēsumē quotidien compilē ā minuit. Et, pour ceux qui trouvent que ça fait trop d’articles dans leur lecteur RSS, il y a un feed de rēsumēs (remplacez index.xml par digests.xml) qui reprend le fonctionnement prēcēdent.

 

Ces modifications ne s’appliquent pas ā mes posts sur Twitter, qui seront toujours repris une fois par jour, parce qu’il est assez clair que, si vous voulez recevoir mes tweets dēs que je les poste, vous devriez me suivre lā oū je les poste.

Tant que j’y suis, le compte Twitter qui prēvient de chaque nouveau post sur mon blog est renommē en @garooRSS (ceux qui le suivaient dējā n’ont rien ā modifier, c’est automatique).

]]> 2010-02-12T19:08:52+01:00 “LESS.app For Mac OS X” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/11/10634-less-app-for-mac-os-x/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/11/10634-less-app-for-mac-os-x/ incident57.comThis. Is. Magical. If you don’t know what Less is (I didn’t — or I must have heard about it once and promptly forgotten), it’s a Ruby application descended from Heaven to let you write parametric CSS files. You can set up variables (e.g., color values) in the beginning of your file, reference them everywhere and only have to change the value once when you want to update the look of your entire site. You can do some math on those values (e.g., dimmer or brighter variations of those colors for some elements). You can create helper classes to include into the definition of other classes (e.g., cross-browser shadows or rounded corners), and they can even behave like functions (e.g., take the corner radius as a parameter). More info on lesscss.org. It becomes annoying, though, in that every time you edit your CSS you have to run the file through a compiler — you can’t just upload the parametric CSS as is, you have to turn it into a regular .css file (at least as far as I know; maybe there is, or will be someday, an Apache plugin or whatever). Nobody wants to have to bother with that, and that’s where this excellent new app comes in: just give it a list of folders containing your .less files, and it will watch them and compile them into .css files every time they’re updated. There you go, .css files ready to be uploaded. (For now, the Less app doesn’t automatically send the compiled files to your FTP program, but the developer assures me that’s coming.) If you’ve ever maintained somewhat complex CSS files, you know you want this. A hint: if you want to install the Less compiler on Leopard (the application doesn’t install it by itself, for some reason), you’re going to need one more command-line instruction than documented on lesscss.org. sudo gem update system sudo gem install less Also, the compiler can be a little picky about the CSS it wants to compile. For instance, having a comma-separated list of CSS selectors, with some of them commented out, will throw a syntax error. Just work around it. via daringfireball.net

incident57.com

This. Is. Magical.

If you don’t know what Less is (I didn’t — or I must have heard about it once and promptly forgotten), it’s a Ruby application descended from Heaven to let you write parametric CSS files.

You can set up variables (e.g., color values) in the beginning of your file, reference them everywhere and only have to change the value once when you want to update the look of your entire site. You can do some math on those values (e.g., dimmer or brighter variations of those colors for some elements). You can create helper classes to include into the definition of other classes (e.g., cross-browser shadows or rounded corners), and they can even behave like functions (e.g., take the corner radius as a parameter). More info on lesscss.org.

It becomes annoying, though, in that every time you edit your CSS you have to run the file through a compiler — you can’t just upload the parametric CSS as is, you have to turn it into a regular .css file (at least as far as I know; maybe there is, or will be someday, an Apache plugin or whatever). Nobody wants to have to bother with that, and that’s where this excellent new app comes in: just give it a list of folders containing your .less files, and it will watch them and compile them into .css files every time they’re updated. There you go, .css files ready to be uploaded. (For now, the Less app doesn’t automatically send the compiled files to your FTP program, but the developer assures me that’s coming.)

If you’ve ever maintained somewhat complex CSS files, you know you want this.

 

A hint: if you want to install the Less compiler on Leopard (the application doesn’t install it by itself, for some reason), you’re going to need one more command-line instruction than documented on lesscss.org.

sudo gem update −−system

sudo gem install less

Also, the compiler can be a little picky about the CSS it wants to compile. For instance, having a comma-separated list of CSS selectors, with some of them commented out, will throw a syntax error. Just work around it.

via daringfireball.net

]]> 2010-02-11T15:37:54+01:00 So it’s the iPad, then http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/01/28/10605-so-it-s-the-ipad-then/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/01/28/10605-so-it-s-the-ipad-then/ Well, that was… something. I just about went through all phases of grief during that one-hour keynote, starting when Steve Jobs announced that name and when, a minute later, the first official screenshot of the iPad’s home screen appeared on the web. Omigod, it’s just a giant iPod touch. Or is it? The thing is, Steve Jobs pulled the wool over our eyes from the start, when he said again that netbooks are crap, and it only became evident at the very end, when he announced the list price: the iPad is Apple’s netbook. That’s what it is and nothing else. And it’s offered at an okay price for a product you’d define as "Apple’s netbook" — the upper limit of what could be an okay price, but that in itself was to be expected. It’s not at all what I hoped for, but it’s not just a giant iPod, either — and it’s also noticeably cheaper than I expected. The special version of iWork (I so didn’t see that coming) and the starting price point are what define it as a netbook; as such, it’s not something anyone absolutely needs, but it’s something many people will want, and I’m thinking that a large enough number of those people will buy it. (Of course, unlike netbook makers, Apple will actually make a profit on those sales.) And if you take the optional 3G plan, that makes it that much more of a bargain. Unlocked device (heh, fool Steve Jobs once…), no contract, very competitive prices? Here’s hoping Apple manages to negotiate equivalent offers in the rest of the world — but if they managed to get ATT on board, how hard can it be? (It’s kind of a bargain for a carrier to support both iPhone and iPad anyway, as there’s bound to be customer overlap and customers will end up paying twice for the same unlimited data.) Now, the ball is in Microsoft’s camp, to release the Courier or not. But I’m very afraid Redmond doesn’t have the guts. (Just as afraid as hopeful, really. I need to sell apps on the iPad, so I need to buy an iPad, so that makes the cheap part of me not so eager for Microsoft to offer a decent competitor.) A few additional thoughts, as usual: {suite à lire sur le blog}

Well, that was… something. I just about went through all phases of grief during that one-hour keynote, starting when Steve Jobs announced that name and when, a minute later, the first official screenshot of the iPad’s home screen appeared on the web. Omigod, it’s just a giant iPod touch.

Or is it?

The thing is, Steve Jobs pulled the wool over our eyes from the start, when he said again that netbooks are crap, and it only became evident at the very end, when he announced the list price: the iPad is Apple’s netbook.

That’s what it is and nothing else.

And it’s offered at an okay price for a product you’d define as “Apple’s netbook” — the upper limit of what could be an okay price, but that in itself was to be expected.

It’s not at all what I hoped for, but it’s not just a giant iPod, either — and it’s also noticeably cheaper than I expected. The special version of iWork (I so didn’t see that coming) and the starting price point are what define it as a netbook; as such, it’s not something anyone absolutely needs, but it’s something many people will want, and I’m thinking that a large enough number of those people will buy it. (Of course, unlike netbook makers, Apple will actually make a profit on those sales.)

And if you take the optional 3G plan, that makes it that much more of a bargain. Unlocked device (heh, fool Steve Jobs once…), no contract, very competitive prices? Here’s hoping Apple manages to negotiate equivalent offers in the rest of the world — but if they managed to get AT&T on board, how hard can it be? (It’s kind of a bargain for a carrier to support both iPhone and iPad anyway, as there’s bound to be customer overlap and customers will end up paying twice for the same unlimited data.)

Now, the ball is in Microsoft’s camp, to release the Courier or not. But I’m very afraid Redmond doesn’t have the guts. (Just as afraid as hopeful, really. I need to sell apps on the iPad, so I need to buy an iPad, so that makes the cheap part of me not so eager for Microsoft to offer a decent competitor.)

 

A few additional thoughts, as usual:

{lire la suite sur le blog}

]]> 2010-01-28T00:45:24+01:00 — Cela dit, j’ai adorē ta carte de voeux, je l’ai... http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/01/27/10603/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/01/27/10603/ — Cela dit, j’ai adorē ta carte de voeux, je l’ai montrēe partout autour de moi. — En fait, je m’aperçois que ce n’est pas forcēment que les gens n’ont pas lu le mail en entier, mais surtout que plus personne ne rēpond ā ses mails s’ils n’y sont pas impērativement obligēs ; au dēbut, c’ētait juste moi, mais on dirait que tout le monde m’a rattrapē. Et c’est pour ça qu’on a besoin du bouton "like" sur tous les moyens de communication qui existent.

— Cela dit, j’ai adorē ta carte de voeux, je l’ai montrēe partout autour de moi.

— En fait, je m’aperçois que ce n’est pas forcēment que les gens n’ont pas lu le mail en entier, mais surtout que plus personne ne rēpond ā ses mails s’ils n’y sont pas impērativement obligēs ; au dēbut, c’ētait juste moi, mais on dirait que tout le monde m’a rattrapē.
Et c’est pour ça qu’on a besoin du bouton “like” sur tous les moyens de communication qui existent.

]]> 2010-01-27T18:10:31+01:00 Des mācrōns dāns ŌS X http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/01/25/10599-des-macrons-dans-os-x/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/01/25/10599-des-macrons-dans-os-x/ Comme je le disais il y a une heure, en croyant que ça serait trop compliquē pour ētre viable, j’aime la suggestion de remplacer tous ces accents compliquēs de la langue française par des macrons (et je n’ai rien de mieux ā faire) ; aprēs une heure de recherche, j’ai fini par trouver une façon simple de les saisir sous OS X, en ēditant le keyboard layout ā l’aide de Ukelele (dont l’interface est plus confuse que nēcessaire, mais une fois qu’on sait ce qu’on fait c’est assez simple). Rēsultat, un "French - Macron.keylayout" ā placer dans ~/Library/Keyboard Layouts (tout ça doit bien sūr avoir un nom diffērent sur un systēme en français), puis log-out et log-in, et ça marche, il suffit de l’activer dans le panneau International. En prime, comme je n’ai pas mis d’icōne avec, on peut garder le choix de clavier dans la barre de menus sans se taper le gros drapeau vulgaire en permanence. (Si jamais vous essayez — ce dont je doute, ā la base — et que le clavier ne marche plus du tout aprēs, c’est parce que vous avez cru pouvoir sauter l’option log-out / log-in.) Avec ce layout, les lettres accentuēes sont remplacēes par des macrons, et l’accent circonflexe est un macron qu’on peut associer aux autres voyelles et aux majuscules, donc il n’y a aucune habitude ā changer. Et, tant que j’y ētais, j’ai mis un ♫ ā la place de l’accent grave qui est prēs de la touche Return, parce que ça me frustre toujours de ne pas l’avoir facilement accessible dans mon client Twitter. Si je tombe sur des incompatibilitēs, que j’ai besoin d’envoyer un mail pour le boulot, ou que je reçois trop de plaintes de mes correspondants ou lecteurs, c’est tout simple, il suffit de changer de clavier dans la barre de menus.

Comme je le disais il y a une heure, en croyant que ça serait trop compliquē pour ētre viable, j’aime la suggestion de remplacer tous ces accents compliquēs de la langue française par des macrons (et je n’ai rien de mieux ā faire) ; aprēs une heure de recherche, j’ai fini par trouver une façon simple de les saisir sous OS X, en ēditant le keyboard layout ā l’aide de Ukelele (dont l’interface est plus confuse que nēcessaire, mais une fois qu’on sait ce qu’on fait c’est assez simple).

Rēsultat, un “French - Macron.keylayout” ā placer dans ~/Library/Keyboard Layouts (tout ça doit bien sūr avoir un nom diffērent sur un systēme en français), puis log-out et log-in, et ça marche, il suffit de l’activer dans le panneau International. En prime, comme je n’ai pas mis d’icōne avec, on peut garder le choix de clavier dans la barre de menus sans se taper le gros drapeau vulgaire en permanence. (Si jamais vous essayez — ce dont je doute, ā la base — et que le clavier ne marche plus du tout aprēs, c’est parce que vous avez cru pouvoir sauter l’option log-out / log-in.)

Avec ce layout, les lettres accentuēes sont remplacēes par des macrons, et l’accent circonflexe est un macron qu’on peut associer aux autres voyelles et aux majuscules, donc il n’y a aucune habitude ā changer. Et, tant que j’y ētais, j’ai mis un ♫ ā la place de l’accent grave qui est prēs de la touche Return, parce que ça me frustre toujours de ne pas l’avoir facilement accessible dans mon client Twitter.

Si je tombe sur des incompatibilitēs, que j’ai besoin d’envoyer un mail pour le boulot, ou que je reçois trop de plaintes de mes correspondants ou lecteurs, c’est tout simple, il suffit de changer de clavier dans la barre de menus.

]]> 2010-01-25T23:59:53+01:00 [Opinion] Apple Event Predictions http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/01/23/10591-apple-event-predictions/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/01/23/10591-apple-event-predictions/ Here comes that time of the year when Apple pundits, big and small and wannabe, have to man up and put their credibility on the line, writing up their definitive specialist’s opinion on the matter of what Steve is and isn’t going to announce in his upcoming keynote. (Thankfully, nobody expects any credibility from those types anyway, so there’s nothing to lose.) What’s going to be announced? is the question we ask about four times a year, but this time may well be the keynote of all keynotes: it’s not about a refresh of the Mac lineup, or new functionality in iTunes, but it is (or isn’t?) about the infamous Apple tablet. Even the days before the original iPhone announcement weren’t as frantic: we already knew smartphones then, we knew why they ought to be important, and we thought we knew what we were gonna get (which, to a certain extent, we did). With the tablet, though, Apple doesn’t just present a "breakthrough device" (to quote the horrible expression Jobs used that time): they get to invent a brand new market altogether, and sell us a concept that nobody has managed to make work yet. But is there gonna be a tablet? Yes. It’s that simple. As far as I’m concerned, once an Apple rumor has been written up in the Wall Street Journal, you can consider that it’s been officially confirmed. Besides, given how convinced everyone is and has been for a month, if Apple wasn’t actually going to launch a tablet, you can be sure they would leak that to the WSJ; that thing has been hoped for and awaited and expected before but, at this point, no matter what else Steve Jobs could announce on next Wednesday, stock prices would tank unacceptably if he didn’t show the unicorn. {suite à lire sur le blog}

Here comes that time of the year when Apple pundits, big and small and wannabe, have to man up and put their credibility on the line, writing up their definitive specialist’s opinion on the matter of what Steve is and isn’t going to announce in his upcoming keynote. (Thankfully, nobody expects any credibility from those types anyway, so there’s nothing to lose.)

What’s going to be announced? is the question we ask about four times a year, but this time may well be the keynote of all keynotes: it’s not about a refresh of the Mac lineup, or new functionality in iTunes, but it is (or isn’t?) about the infamous Apple tablet. Even the days before the original iPhone announcement weren’t as frantic: we already knew smartphones then, we knew why they ought to be important, and we thought we knew what we were gonna get (which, to a certain extent, we did). With the tablet, though, Apple doesn’t just present a “breakthrough device” (to quote the horrible expression Jobs used that time): they get to invent a brand new market altogether, and sell us a concept that nobody has managed to make work yet.

 

But is there gonna be a tablet?

Yes. It’s that simple. As far as I’m concerned, once an Apple rumor has been written up in the Wall Street Journal, you can consider that it’s been officially confirmed. Besides, given how convinced everyone is and has been for a month, if Apple wasn’t actually going to launch a tablet, you can be sure they would leak that to the WSJ; that thing has been hoped for and awaited and expected before but, at this point, no matter what else Steve Jobs could announce on next Wednesday, stock prices would tank unacceptably if he didn’t show the unicorn.

{lire la suite sur le blog}

]]> 2010-01-23T16:37:58+01:00 “Developers now can use private API for screen capture on iPhone, says Apple” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/12/16/10569-developers-now-can-use-private-api-for-screen-capture-on-iphone-says-apple/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/12/16/10569-developers-now-can-use-private-api-for-screen-capture-on-iphone-says-apple/ tuaw.comAfter carefully considering the issue, Apple is now allowing applications to use the function UIGetScreenImage() to programmatically capture the current screen contents. […] A future release of iPhone OS may provide a public API equivalent of this functionality. At such time, all applications using UIGetScreenImage() will be required to adopt the public API. This annoys me. A lot. Not because I don’t like the idea of issuing derogations for using this or that function from the private API (which I don’t), but because the reason why everyone wants to use UIGetScreenImage is that it’s currently the only way for an application to capture video and process it on the fly (or to capture video at all on anything but an iPhone 3GS). And I don’t really mind stopgap measures per se, but it scares me to see Apple forum moderators addressing the future issue of having to use the upcoming official screen-capture API, rather than the real problem of not being able to access live video capture from the camera sensor… when the UIGetScreenImage produces awful three-frame-per-second 160-pixel video, and apps for a jailbroken iPhone 3G can instead make somewhat fluid, usable video — because they don’t have to use that terribly inefficient workaround of displaying video, capturing the screen, and encoding it themselves, all on a pretty limited CPU. Sure, just because Apple doesn’t mention an upcoming video streaming API doesn’t mean it isn’t coming, but I can easily see them being content with the access they just opened for capturing screenshots. And, if or when they finally do give developers a direct access to video capture, I can even more easily imagine that they’d still restrict it to the iPhone 3GS. And it pisses me off because there’s no good reason for that, and because I’m not going to be able to upgrade until next summer at best. (Well, I might be able to, but even if I got a huge contract next week it would be stupid to upgrade my iPhone this late in the product cycle.) I have kitten videos to make!

tuaw.com

After carefully considering the issue, Apple is now allowing applications to use the function UIGetScreenImage() to programmatically capture the current screen contents. […]

A future release of iPhone OS may provide a public API equivalent of this functionality. At such time, all applications using UIGetScreenImage() will be required to adopt the public API.

This annoys me. A lot. Not because I don’t like the idea of issuing derogations for using this or that function from the private API (which I don’t), but because the reason why everyone wants to use UIGetScreenImage is that it’s currently the only way for an application to capture video and process it on the fly (or to capture video at all on anything but an iPhone 3GS). And I don’t really mind stopgap measures per se, but it scares me to see Apple forum moderators addressing the future issue of having to use the upcoming official screen-capture API, rather than the real problem of not being able to access live video capture from the camera sensor… when the UIGetScreenImage produces awful three-frame-per-second 160-pixel video, and apps for a jailbroken iPhone 3G can instead make somewhat fluid, usable video — because they don’t have to use that terribly inefficient workaround of displaying video, capturing the screen, and encoding it themselves, all on a pretty limited CPU.

Sure, just because Apple doesn’t mention an upcoming video streaming API doesn’t mean it isn’t coming, but I can easily see them being content with the access they just opened for capturing screenshots. And, if or when they finally do give developers a direct access to video capture, I can even more easily imagine that they’d still restrict it to the iPhone 3GS.

And it pisses me off because there’s no good reason for that, and because I’m not going to be able to upgrade until next summer at best. (Well, I might be able to, but even if I got a huge contract next week it would be stupid to upgrade my iPhone this late in the product cycle.) I have kitten videos to make!

]]> 2009-12-16T13:45:02+01:00 Smoking Apples reviews the Wacom Bamboo Touch http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/11/30/10565-smoking-apples-reviews-the-wacom-bamboo-touch/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/11/30/10565-smoking-apples-reviews-the-wacom-bamboo-touch/ smokingapples.comThis is what I was waiting for: a review written after a longer period of time, by someone who knows about tablets, and evidently understood as well as I do how cool this multitouch tablet can and should be. Moreover, the ‘tap’ to select or click, is slightly delayed, presumably as the device tries to figure out what it is you’re doing. Bugs me no end. To make matters worse, it’s not even good at detecting a tap from a move, randomly selecting windows as you try to move the cursor. I’ve had trouble keeping icons in the dock, as they keep going “poof!”. These two problems sound perfectly understandable (they’re probably the hardest thing to get right), and I’m pretty sure they would both drive me crazy if I bought one. Wacom has tried to implement the same scroll-with-momentum we’ve seen on the iPhone and lately with the Magic Mouse. It feels unnatural, is slow, and gets quite unweildy. Once again, I’m not really surprised, and it’s kinda hard to blame Wacom for trying and almost succeeding. But I’m reverting to my original idea: the only way the external trackpad thing can be done right is for Apple to do it. (And why the hell don’t they?) I’m removing the Bamboo Touch from my wishlist, at least until I get to test drive one extensively, and/or they manage to update the software significantly. (Because, yes, all those issues are in the drivers and can be fixed, but, no, I don’t think they’ll be fixed satisfactorily in a near enough future. The Wacom guys are good, but this is hard, and I’d never have said software was their strongest suit anyway.)

smokingapples.com

This is what I was waiting for: a review written after a longer period of time, by someone who knows about tablets, and evidently understood as well as I do how cool this multitouch tablet can and should be.

Moreover, the ‘tap’ to select or click, is slightly delayed, presumably as the device tries to figure out what it is you’re doing. Bugs me no end. To make matters worse, it’s not even good at detecting a tap from a move, randomly selecting windows as you try to move the cursor. I’ve had trouble keeping icons in the dock, as they keep going “poof!”.

These two problems sound perfectly understandable (they’re probably the hardest thing to get right), and I’m pretty sure they would both drive me crazy if I bought one.

Wacom has tried to implement the same scroll-with-momentum we’ve seen on the iPhone and lately with the Magic Mouse. It feels unnatural, is slow, and gets quite unweildy.

Once again, I’m not really surprised, and it’s kinda hard to blame Wacom for trying and almost succeeding. But I’m reverting to my original idea: the only way the external trackpad thing can be done right is for Apple to do it. (And why the hell don’t they?)

I’m removing the Bamboo Touch from my wishlist, at least until I get to test drive one extensively, and/or they manage to update the software significantly. (Because, yes, all those issues are in the drivers and can be fixed, but, no, I don’t think they’ll be fixed satisfactorily in a near enough future. The Wacom guys are good, but this is hard, and I’d never have said software was their strongest suit anyway.)

]]> 2009-11-30T18:18:31+01:00 [Vidéos] “YouTube – Google Chrome OS Demo” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/11/22/10562-youtube-google-chrome-os-demo/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/11/22/10562-youtube-google-chrome-os-demo/ youtube.com(Yeah, I’m late, I had stuff, okay?) So Chrome OS offers only one full-screen window, and it replaces the task bar with a tab bar at the top. And then, you have popup windows, and there’s a task bar so you can manage them. Oh, and then you have multiple full-screen windows, and there’s Exposé for those. It’s all so damn revolutionary. Or something. To be clear, the only reason I watched the video was that I was curious as to how they managed popups, and they could hardly do it any other way — but the thing is, pretty much all the articles I read presented it as "having a tab bar rather than a task bar." It would be stupid if that were the case, and it’s stupid to describe it that way.

youtube.com

(Yeah, I’m late, I had stuff, okay?)

So Chrome OS offers only one full-screen window, and it replaces the task bar with a tab bar at the top. And then, you have popup windows, and there’s a task bar so you can manage them. Oh, and then you have multiple full-screen windows, and there’s Exposé for those. It’s all so damn revolutionary. Or something.

To be clear, the only reason I watched the video was that I was curious as to how they managed popups, and they could hardly do it any other way — but the thing is, pretty much all the articles I read presented it as “having a tab bar rather than a task bar.” It would be stupid if that were the case, and it’s stupid to describe it that way.

]]> 2009-11-22T03:35:10+01:00 “Smartphone Showdown: iPhone 3GS vs Motorola Droid” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/10/31/10550-smartphone-showdown-iphone-3gs-vs-motorola-droid/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/10/31/10550-smartphone-showdown-iphone-3gs-vs-motorola-droid/ mobilecrunch.comI’m linking this just for the close-up shot of the Droid’s screen— it looks like a super-high-quality printout, not a screen. Which is no surprise, because if my calculations are right, that’s a fucking 260dpi you get on that screen. Whereas the iPhone’s impressive-at-the-time 160dpi was a real advantage when it came to displaying web pages, I can’t imagine how useful 260dpi can really be on a device this size — for it to make a difference on the legibility of small type as compared to the iPhone, the letters would have to be so small that you’d need a magnifying glass to make them out anyway. (Well, that does open up a market for Droid-sized magnifiers like there existed in the GameBoy era.) But damn, that must look so hot you’ll want to lick it.

mobilecrunch.com

I’m linking this just for the close-up shot of the Droid’s screen— it looks like a super-high-quality printout, not a screen. Which is no surprise, because if my calculations are right, that’s a fucking 260dpi you get on that screen.

Whereas the iPhone’s impressive-at-the-time 160dpi was a real advantage when it came to displaying web pages, I can’t imagine how useful 260dpi can really be on a device this size — for it to make a difference on the legibility of small type as compared to the iPhone, the letters would have to be so small that you’d need a magnifying glass to make them out anyway. (Well, that does open up a market for Droid-sized magnifiers like there existed in the GameBoy era.)

But damn, that must look so hot you’ll want to lick it.

]]> 2009-10-31T21:55:23+01:00 [News] “The Apple Store is down” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/10/20/10545-the-apple-store-is-down/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/10/20/10545-the-apple-store-is-down/ I’m probably a little oversensitive on those matters, but I’ll still take it as a little slap on the face that relatively major modifications to the Mac lineup have been announced without a press event at all — nothing to show for it in advance of the Store closing down. 13-inch MacBook: "Unibody" enclosure for the plastic case? Uh… yeah, whatever. (Those Geniuses sure enjoy having you come to the Bar to get your battery replaced, don’t they.) I have to see it in person, but it looks a little toy-like on the pictures, which may be good, or bad — but that design is definitely at odds with every single other Apple product currently available. The new MacBook is also pretty much as light as the Pro now, which doesn’t make much sense for the product lineup, but that’s isn’t news. 27-inch iMac: Hottt. Obviously. Except I don’t like the design — I find that straight horizontal line to be an extremely weird choice, when a simple, uninterrupted black glass pane covering the entire front of the machine would have been so much classier. And it’s a shame that it took this long to finally get video inputs on that thing, but still great that it finally happened. (No picture-in-picture, though. And for some reason it’s only on the 27-incher.) Can’t quite figure out why Apple is evidently adopting the SD card as a Mac standard for good. Magic Mouse: (God, that’s even worse than "Mighty Mouse.") I guess having a smaller surface accounts for the need to use fewer fingers in the gestures, but it’s still gonna be confusing to laptop users that they have to scroll with one finger, and swipe with two. Not to mention that the right click seems even more specific than it already was with the previous mouse. I’ll have to play with it sometime, but I still wish they’d finally release an external trackpad. And I don’t think it’s very pretty — or, more to the point, I don’t think it really fits the computers it’s going to connect to. Mac mini server: Cool. Geeky cool. I mean, it’s just about useless, but who wouldn’t want one? (First I thought it would be super flat, and it would be fantastic. Then I saw it wasn’t thin at all, and was disappointed. But finally I found out it had two hard drives, and now I’m a little horny.) P.S. I can’t believe the hideousness of that new remote.

I’m probably a little oversensitive on those matters, but I’ll still take it as a little slap on the face that relatively major modifications to the Mac lineup have been announced without a press event at all — nothing to show for it in advance of the Store closing down.

 

13-inch MacBook: “Unibody” enclosure for the plastic case? Uh… yeah, whatever. (Those Geniuses sure enjoy having you come to the Bar to get your battery replaced, don’t they.) I have to see it in person, but it looks a little toy-like on the pictures, which may be good, or bad — but that design is definitely at odds with every single other Apple product currently available. The new MacBook is also pretty much as light as the Pro now, which doesn’t make much sense for the product lineup, but that’s isn’t news.

27-inch iMac: Hottt. Obviously. Except I don’t like the design — I find that straight horizontal line to be an extremely weird choice, when a simple, uninterrupted black glass pane covering the entire front of the machine would have been so much classier. And it’s a shame that it took this long to finally get video inputs on that thing, but still great that it finally happened. (No picture-in-picture, though. And for some reason it’s only on the 27-incher.) Can’t quite figure out why Apple is evidently adopting the SD card as a Mac standard for good.

Magic Mouse: (God, that’s even worse than “Mighty Mouse.”) I guess having a smaller surface accounts for the need to use fewer fingers in the gestures, but it’s still gonna be confusing to laptop users that they have to scroll with one finger, and swipe with two. Not to mention that the right click seems even more specific than it already was with the previous mouse. I’ll have to play with it sometime, but I still wish they’d finally release an external trackpad. And I don’t think it’s very pretty — or, more to the point, I don’t think it really fits the computers it’s going to connect to.

Mac mini server: Cool. Geeky cool. I mean, it’s just about useless, but who wouldn’t want one? (First I thought it would be super flat, and it would be fantastic. Then I saw it wasn’t thin at all, and was disappointed. But finally I found out it had two hard drives, and now I’m a little horny.)

 

P.S. I can’t believe the hideousness of that new remote.

]]> 2009-10-20T18:54:28+01:00 "Dropbox Affiliates Program Being Shut Down" http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/10/08/10531-dropbox-affiliates-program-being-shut-down/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/10/08/10531-dropbox-affiliates-program-being-shut-down/ I never got around to adding the banners on my blog (what with having my own iPhone apps to promote… in vain), so I couldn’t care less, but I’m just surprised by the tone of the message: (Where "CJ" stands for the — unbelievably convoluted and unfriendly, so no argument there from me —advertising network that they went through to offer their affiliates program.)

I never got around to adding the banners on my blog (what with having my own iPhone apps to promote… in vain), so I couldn’t care less, but I’m just surprised by the tone of the message:

(Where “CJ” stands for the — unbelievably convoluted and unfriendly, so no argument there from me —advertising network that they went through to offer their affiliates program.)

]]> 2009-10-08T01:50:45+01:00 [Previews] Echofon for Mac (beta) [3 étoiles] http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/30/10520-echofon-for-mac-beta/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/30/10520-echofon-for-mac-beta/ echofon.comWhat, another Twitter client? Well, every developer of a Twitter app for the iPhone with any semblance of success is going to want to transport that success onto the Mac, so why not? (If you have no idea what success Echofon has, that’s because it was better known as Twitterfon.) Facing Tweetie, or even Twitterific and its simple functionality but fancy black window, Echofon is the plainest Twitter client of them all — and I kinda like that about it. It’s a simple, regular OS X window, with just a title bar, tabs, and a content view; and it handles multiple accounts, Growl notifications, permanent keyword searches and so on. As for the multiple accounts, they’re modal — à la Bluebird, where you switch from one account to another, and you’re only really logged into one account at a time. Which is not very convenient if you want to monitor incoming messages on all your accounts at the same time, without having to cycle through all accounts on every hour in order to check them up — and I’m still slightly puzzled as to who on Earth wants their multiple-account Twitter client to work like that. Well, the thing is, I partly do, because Tweetie, with ten accounts open simultaneously, becomes an unreliable resource hog… so I’ve gotten to use Tweetie to monitor my many accounts (for which process I’m currently trying to switch to an online solution — Splitweet seems to work okay) and have Twitterific always running on my main desktop just for my main account. So I can now dump Twitterific for a simpler application, with a less attention-craving interface, that also lets me switch accounts for occasional needs. (The litmus test for me being that it seems to let you seamlessly reply to a message with another account than the one that originally received it — that matters to people who use separate accounts to group their subscriptions, by theme or whatever.) Oh, right, and it also syncs with the iPhone app, which I couldn’t care less about (I don’t think I ever even installed Twitterfon.) Conclusion: I’m using it for now, and you should probaby check it out, but seeing how simple it is the final version better not be too expensive. (And, since I’ve never paid for a Twitter application anyway, there better be an ad-supported version, too.)

echofon.com

What, another Twitter client? Well, every developer of a Twitter app for the iPhone with any semblance of success is going to want to transport that success onto the Mac, so why not? (If you have no idea what success Echofon has, that’s because it was better known as Twitterfon.)

Facing Tweetie, or even Twitterific and its simple functionality but fancy black window, Echofon is the plainest Twitter client of them all — and I kinda like that about it. It’s a simple, regular OS X window, with just a title bar, tabs, and a content view; and it handles multiple accounts, Growl notifications, permanent keyword searches and so on.

As for the multiple accounts, they’re modal — à la Bluebird, where you switch from one account to another, and you’re only really logged into one account at a time. Which is not very convenient if you want to monitor incoming messages on all your accounts at the same time, without having to cycle through all accounts on every hour in order to check them up — and I’m still slightly puzzled as to who on Earth wants their multiple-account Twitter client to work like that.

Well, the thing is, I partly do, because Tweetie, with ten accounts open simultaneously, becomes an unreliable resource hog… so I’ve gotten to use Tweetie to monitor my many accounts (for which process I’m currently trying to switch to an online solution — Splitweet seems to work okay) and have Twitterific always running on my main desktop just for my main account. So I can now dump Twitterific for a simpler application, with a less attention-craving interface, that also lets me switch accounts for occasional needs. (The litmus test for me being that it seems to let you seamlessly reply to a message with another account than the one that originally received it — that matters to people who use separate accounts to group their subscriptions, by theme or whatever.)

Oh, right, and it also syncs with the iPhone app, which I couldn’t care less about (I don’t think I ever even installed Twitterfon.)

Conclusion: I’m using it for now, and you should probaby check it out, but seeing how simple it is the final version better not be too expensive. (And, since I’ve never paid for a Twitter application anyway, there better be an ad-supported version, too.)

]]> 2009-09-30T01:56:23+01:00 [Rumeurs] “Microsoft’s Courier tablet: A Franklin Covey planner on steroids?” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/29/10519-microsoft-s-courier-tablet-a-franklin-covey-planner-on-steroids/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/29/10519-microsoft-s-courier-tablet-a-franklin-covey-planner-on-steroids/ blogs.zdnet.comMy source said that Courier is an incubation project, meaning it’s further along than a Microsoft Research project, but still not in the commercialization pipeline. That said, he heard the  delivery goal is mid-2010. That seems pretty darn ambitious to me, but he also said Microsoft is currently leaning toward using the Xbox model — in other words, making the device itself, and not relying on its current Tablet partners — so that could speed things up a bit. I can’t verify any of what my source has told me. But I figured I’d put it out there, as it jibes with what Gizmodo has unearthed. I find it hard to imagine that a product "still not in the commercialization pipeline" could be slated for mid-2010, but one is allowed to dream. Meanwhile, the latest rumors reiterate that the Apple tablet will just be a larger iPhone or iPod touch, basically a media player and basic communicator running iPhone OS. And here’s me hoping that Steve Jobs watches the Courier’s demo videos, and decides to halt and reboot the tablet project entirely, once more, even if that means the release is postponed again. Let me repeat what I wrote recently: I absolutely do not want an iPhone OS tablet anymore. The iPhone still gets away with its drab, monotonous interface because the mobile phone space was such a dreadful mess three years ago that consistency was the most important thing Apple’s software design could bring to the table; that doesn’t to the netbook form-factor. On a ten-inch screen, we now need sophisticated, not streamlined.

blogs.zdnet.com

My source said that Courier is an incubation project, meaning it’s further along than a Microsoft Research project, but still not in the commercialization pipeline. That said, he heard the  delivery goal is mid-2010. That seems pretty darn ambitious to me, but he also said Microsoft is currently leaning toward using the Xbox model — in other words, making the device itself, and not relying on its current Tablet partners — so that could speed things up a bit.

I can’t verify any of what my source has told me. But I figured I’d put it out there, as it jibes with what Gizmodo has unearthed.

I find it hard to imagine that a product “still not in the commercialization pipeline” could be slated for mid-2010, but one is allowed to dream.

Meanwhile, the latest rumors reiterate that the Apple tablet will just be a larger iPhone or iPod touch, basically a media player and basic communicator running iPhone OS. And here’s me hoping that Steve Jobs watches the Courier’s demo videos, and decides to halt and reboot the tablet project entirely, once more, even if that means the release is postponed again.

Let me repeat what I wrote recently: I absolutely do not want an iPhone OS tablet anymore. The iPhone still gets away with its drab, monotonous interface because the mobile phone space was such a dreadful mess three years ago that consistency was the most important thing Apple’s software design could bring to the table; that doesn’t to the netbook form-factor. On a ten-inch screen, we now need sophisticated, not streamlined.

]]> 2009-09-29T21:21:05+01:00 “Help and learn from others as you browse the web: Google Sidewiki” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/24/10514-help-and-learn-from-others-as-you-browse-the-web-google-sidewiki/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/24/10514-help-and-learn-from-others-as-you-browse-the-web-google-sidewiki/ googleblog.blogspot.comToday, we’re launching Google Sidewiki, which allows you to contribute helpful information next to any webpage. Google Sidewiki appears as a browser sidebar, where you can read and write entries along the side of the page. As a blog owner (and developer), I hate the idea of off-site comments; especially some that I have no control over. There are two problems when applying this idea to blogs: first, you can’t have the whole discussion on Sidewiki (what’s with the stupid name?), because some of your readers will have it and some won’t; second, some users will comment on individual entries, but some will post comments on the home page, and the discussion will be broken further, even among Sidewiki adopters. The first problem could be circumvented by letting web developers manually embed Sidewiki on their pages for everyone (as of now they can use an API to access and manage the comments, but they have to develop the whole solution themselves — I wonder if WordPress et al. will end up actually adopting that), but it wouldn’t solve all the problems — ultimately, this is something that many companies have tried to do before, and one thing where I hope Google’s weight doesn’t manage to suddenly trigger adoption. Just let us webmasters manage our own conversation. It’s already hard enough with people responding to tweets, commenting on Facebook and on FriendFeed, and on Digg or whatever; we don’t need even more dilution. Or is too late to worry about that? Maybe we might as well give up.

googleblog.blogspot.com

Today, we’re launching Google Sidewiki, which allows you to contribute helpful information next to any webpage. Google Sidewiki appears as a browser sidebar, where you can read and write entries along the side of the page.

As a blog owner (and developer), I hate the idea of off-site comments; especially some that I have no control over. There are two problems when applying this idea to blogs: first, you can’t have the whole discussion on Sidewiki (what’s with the stupid name?), because some of your readers will have it and some won’t; second, some users will comment on individual entries, but some will post comments on the home page, and the discussion will be broken further, even among Sidewiki adopters.

The first problem could be circumvented by letting web developers manually embed Sidewiki on their pages for everyone (as of now they can use an API to access and manage the comments, but they have to develop the whole solution themselves — I wonder if WordPress et al. will end up actually adopting that), but it wouldn’t solve all the problems — ultimately, this is something that many companies have tried to do before, and one thing where I hope Google’s weight doesn’t manage to suddenly trigger adoption. Just let us webmasters manage our own conversation.

It’s already hard enough with people responding to tweets, commenting on Facebook and on FriendFeed, and on Digg or whatever; we don’t need even more dilution. Or is too late to worry about that? Maybe we might as well give up.

]]> 2009-09-24T03:28:36+01:00 “Justine Bateman Angry At The Internet” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/24/10513-justine-bateman-angry-at-the-internet/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/24/10513-justine-bateman-angry-at-the-internet/ g4tv.comThis is so awesome. Twitter’s "Project Retweet," which embeds entries retweeted by your contacts directly into your timeline, has only been shortly available for some VIPs as a beta test, and already one of those unwitting VIPs freaked out when her timeline was polluted by tweets from people she doesn’t follow — assuming the retweeted authors had just managed to game the system and force their tweets upon her. I don’t know what kind of deal you cut with TwitterBerry or how much it cost you, but suddenly you’re on my Twitter feed and I NEVER OPTEN TO FOLLOW YOU nor do I wan to. To be fair, this is probably as much her specific application’s fault as it is Twitter’s (it’s up to the app to display in a clear way that the message is a retweet, and I can imagine that a BlackBerry app unwisely left it out to save some pixels), but the point is: this is a case of a lambda user being right, and "Project Retweet" has always been a bad idea. I can’t wait to see how Twitter reacts. (That’s what beta-testing is about, isn’t it?)

g4tv.com

This is so awesome. Twitter’s “Project Retweet,” which embeds entries retweeted by your contacts directly into your timeline, has only been shortly available for some VIPs as a beta test, and already one of those unwitting VIPs freaked out when her timeline was polluted by tweets from people she doesn’t follow — assuming the retweeted authors had just managed to game the system and force their tweets upon her.

I don’t know what kind of deal you cut with TwitterBerry or how much it cost you, but suddenly you’re on my Twitter feed and I NEVER OPTEN TO FOLLOW YOU nor do I wan to.

To be fair, this is probably as much her specific application’s fault as it is Twitter’s (it’s up to the app to display in a clear way that the message is a retweet, and I can imagine that a BlackBerry app unwisely left it out to save some pixels), but the point is: this is a case of a lambda user being right, and “Project Retweet” has always been a bad idea.

I can’t wait to see how Twitter reacts. (That’s what beta-testing is about, isn’t it?)

]]> 2009-09-24T03:12:43+01:00 “Google brings Chrome’s renderer to IE with browser plugin” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/23/10511-google-brings-chrome-s-renderer-to-ie-with-browser-plugin/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/23/10511-google-brings-chrome-s-renderer-to-ie-with-browser-plugin/ arstechnica.comGoogle has a plan to drag IE into the world of modern browsing by building a plugin that will allow it to use Chrome’s HTML renderer and high-performance JavaScript engine. Wow. This is amazing, and unexpected. Running Google Chrome in an MSIE plugin — it’s so obvious, in retrospect! Those users who resist installing a new browser (or can’t because of lazy sysadmins) will be much more liable to install a plugin, especially one that’s branded by Google. It’s such a simple idea, why didn’t anyone do it before? (Partly because it’s not that simple, technologically, I’ll wager.) mashable.comTheir ace in the hole? None other than Google Wave, the highly anticipated real-time communication platform that will launch to the public next week. Today, on the Google Wave Developer Blog, the company essentially said this: if you want to use Google Wave, Install the Chrome Frame or drop Microsoft’s browser. I’m not sure how much power Google Wave is really going to have in driving Chrome Frame’s adoption (YouTube would provide a much better incentive — and I’m sure it soon will, as Google knows this just as well), but that doesn’t matter: as soon as the plugin reaches 1.0 (it’s "early-stage" right now, whatever that means — Google can’t use the word "beta" anymore to denote anything, it would be meaningless), many webmasters will be requiring its installation. The instructions to do so are here, even though it’s a little early for anyone to make end-users install it — but there’s information on how to get your PHP scripts to detect whether Chrome Frame is installed (look for "chromeframe" in the user agent string), and alter your site’s layout and functionality accordingly. It just takes a single meta tag to get your pages to render in Chrome Frame when it’s available, and I’m going to add it to all my pages right away (and so are you): meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="chrome=1" This is huge for all webdesigners: even though for most sites you can’t afford to require a compulsory plugin install, it will still become that much easier to convince our bosses and clients that it’s okay to leave vanilla-MSIE6 users hanging dry with a reduced-functionality version of the site, since pretty soon most of the Internet Explorer laggards will be getting the site in Chrome Frame anyway.

arstechnica.com

Google has a plan to drag IE into the world of modern browsing by building a plugin that will allow it to use Chrome’s HTML renderer and high-performance JavaScript engine.

Wow. This is amazing, and unexpected. Running Google Chrome in an MSIE plugin — it’s so obvious, in retrospect! Those users who resist installing a new browser (or can’t because of lazy sysadmins) will be much more liable to install a plugin, especially one that’s branded by Google.

It’s such a simple idea, why didn’t anyone do it before? (Partly because it’s not that simple, technologically, I’ll wager.)

 

mashable.com

Their ace in the hole? None other than Google Wave, the highly anticipated real-time communication platform that will launch to the public next week. Today, on the Google Wave Developer Blog, the company essentially said this: if you want to use Google Wave, Install the Chrome Frame or drop Microsoft’s browser.

I’m not sure how much power Google Wave is really going to have in driving Chrome Frame’s adoption (YouTube would provide a much better incentive — and I’m sure it soon will, as Google knows this just as well), but that doesn’t matter: as soon as the plugin reaches 1.0 (it’s “early-stage” right now, whatever that means — Google can’t use the word “beta” anymore to denote anything, it would be meaningless), many webmasters will be requiring its installation. The instructions to do so are here, even though it’s a little early for anyone to make end-users install it — but there’s information on how to get your PHP scripts to detect whether Chrome Frame is installed (look for “chromeframe” in the user agent string), and alter your site’s layout and functionality accordingly.

It just takes a single meta tag to get your pages to render in Chrome Frame when it’s available, and I’m going to add it to all my pages right away (and so are you):

<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="chrome=1">

 

This is huge for all webdesigners: even though for most sites you can’t afford to require a compulsory plugin install, it will still become that much easier to convince our bosses and clients that it’s okay to leave vanilla-MSIE6 users hanging dry with a reduced-functionality version of the site, since pretty soon most of the Internet Explorer laggards will be getting the site in Chrome Frame anyway.

]]> 2009-09-23T16:11:47+01:00 “Courier: First Details of Microsoft’s Secret Tablet” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/23/10510-courier-first-details-of-microsoft-s-secret-tablet/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/23/10510-courier-first-details-of-microsoft-s-secret-tablet/ gizmodo.comCourier is a real device, and we’ve heard that it’s in the "late prototype" stage of development. It’s not a tablet, it’s a booklet. The dual 7-inch (or so) screens are multitouch, and designed for writing, flicking and drawing with a stylus, in addition to fingers. The demo video of the interface is fantastic — this is not a netbook, or a tablet computer, or whatever: it’s a digital notebook, with tailor-made software and specific functionality — and I’d buy it in a heartbeat. But then, the concept itself entails some limitations: since this is not going to run regular applications, it’s not going to replace your laptop, or even your XP netbook, so it better be real cheap. And, with two multitouch screens, it’s gonna have a hard time being affordable. Still, Microsoft’s Entertainment Devices division (the same people who designed the Xbox and the Zune) is definitely talented. This video gives new expectations for whatever Apple might or might not release in tablet form someday. The iPhone software is two years old (plus design time) and the visuals and basic paradigms are becoming passé; if the tablet is going to wow us, its software has to be as specific as the Courier’s — I’m suddenly not so much interested in a tablet that would run OS X or iPhone OS. I want this thing.

gizmodo.com

Courier is a real device, and we’ve heard that it’s in the "late prototype" stage of development. It’s not a tablet, it’s a booklet. The dual 7-inch (or so) screens are multitouch, and designed for writing, flicking and drawing with a stylus, in addition to fingers.

The demo video of the interface is fantastic — this is not a netbook, or a tablet computer, or whatever: it’s a digital notebook, with tailor-made software and specific functionality — and I’d buy it in a heartbeat.

But then, the concept itself entails some limitations: since this is not going to run regular applications, it’s not going to replace your laptop, or even your XP netbook, so it better be real cheap. And, with two multitouch screens, it’s gonna have a hard time being affordable.

Still, Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices division (the same people who designed the Xbox and the Zune) is definitely talented.

 

This video gives new expectations for whatever Apple might or might not release in tablet form someday. The iPhone software is two years old (plus design time) and the visuals and basic paradigms are becoming passé; if the tablet is going to wow us, its software has to be as specific as the Courier’s — I’m suddenly not so much interested in a tablet that would run OS X or iPhone OS. I want this thing.

]]> 2009-09-23T15:12:14+01:00 I’m sure there’s absolutely no reason for this... http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/10/10480/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2009/09/10/10480/ I’m sure there’s absolutely no reason for this consequence of iTunes 9’s installation to make me nervous.

I’m sure there’s absolutely no reason for this consequence of iTunes 9’s installation to make me nervous.

]]> 2009-09-10T03:40:07+01:00 “iBooks list view” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/12/10697-ibooks-list-view/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/12/10697-ibooks-list-view/ mrgan.tumblr.comThe iPad ad shows the iBooks app has already gained a list-view button. I found it funny and weird when people, earlier this week, debated the propriety of iBooks’ physical-metaphor view and how poorly it would scale to a well-furnished library — because I had never doubted for a second that there would be a way to switch to list view. C’mon, they make UI mistakes sometimes, but not that bad.

mrgan.tumblr.com

The iPad ad shows the iBooks app has already gained a list-view button.

I found it funny and weird when people, earlier this week, debated the propriety of iBooks’ physical-metaphor view and how poorly it would scale to a well-furnished library — because I had never doubted for a second that there would be a way to switch to list view.

C’mon, they make UI mistakes sometimes, but not that bad.

]]> 2010-03-12T20:39:19+01:00 “iPad mute switch magicked into a ’screen rotation lock’ overnight, a flurry of other tidbits emerge” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/12/10696-ipad-mute-switch-magicked-into-a-screen-rotation-lock-overnight-a-flurry-of-other-tidbits-emerge/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/12/10696-ipad-mute-switch-magicked-into-a-screen-rotation-lock-overnight-a-flurry-of-other-tidbits-emerge/ engadget.comOne of the quirkier details is that what was previously known as the mute switch on the iPad – similar to the one on the iPhone – is now known as the "screen rotation lock" on Apple’s website. Every iPhone user will shout that it’s awesome, but there’s something very wrong about having the same switch perform two completely different tasks on two sister devices. Also, the iPad is gonna get push notifications (presumably), so it does have a use for a mute switch. At least that means the OS is gonna support orientation locking and we might get a software switch on the iPhone (which still needs that functionality much more than the iPad ever will).

engadget.com

One of the quirkier details is that what was previously known as the mute switch on the iPad – similar to the one on the iPhone – is now known as the "screen rotation lock" on Apple’s website.

Every iPhone user will shout that it’s awesome, but there’s something very wrong about having the same switch perform two completely different tasks on two sister devices. Also, the iPad is gonna get push notifications (presumably), so it does have a use for a mute switch.

At least that means the OS is gonna support orientation locking and we might get a software switch on the iPhone (which still needs that functionality much more than the iPad ever will).

]]> 2010-03-12T20:22:45+01:00 “Amazon.com’s 1-Click patent confirmed following re-exam” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/11/10695-amazon-com-s-1-click-patent-confirmed-following-re-exam/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/11/10695-amazon-com-s-1-click-patent-confirmed-following-re-exam/ techflash.comThe U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is confirming Amazon.com’s controversial 1-Click patent following a re-examination that lasted more than four years. That’s just depressing.

techflash.com

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is confirming Amazon.com’s controversial 1-Click patent following a re-examination that lasted more than four years.

That’s just depressing.

]]> 2010-03-11T04:06:19+01:00 “Apple ne sauvegarde pas son Time Tunnel” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/09/10690-apple-ne-sauvegarde-pas-son-time-tunnel/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/09/10690-apple-ne-sauvegarde-pas-son-time-tunnel/ macgeneration.comTime Machine aurait pu s’appeler Time Tunnel, ainsi que le relève le site Patently Apple. Cette marque, déposée par Apple à la fin de l’année 2006, est désormais abandonnée (Time Machine est arrivé avec Mac OS X Leopard en octobre 2007). On comprend mieux, d’un coup, l’interface de Time Machine. Je me demande s’ils ont abandonné à cause de droits sur le nom, ou parce que la spirale donnait des vertiges aux utilisateurs.

macgeneration.com

Time Machine aurait pu s’appeler Time Tunnel, ainsi que le relève le site Patently Apple. Cette marque, déposée par Apple à la fin de l’année 2006, est désormais abandonnée (Time Machine est arrivé avec Mac OS X Leopard en octobre 2007).

On comprend mieux, d’un coup, l’interface de Time Machine. Je me demande s’ils ont abandonné à cause de droits sur le nom, ou parce que la spirale donnait des vertiges aux utilisateurs.

]]> 2010-03-09T18:12:40+01:00 “Apple’s New Stance On ‘Cookie Cutter’ Apps: Add More Features Or Perish” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/08/10688-apple-s-new-stance-on-cookie-cutter-apps-add-more-features-or-perish/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/08/10688-apple-s-new-stance-on-cookie-cutter-apps-add-more-features-or-perish/ techcrunch.comBetween the developers I spoke to, the consensus was this: Apple doesn’t appear to be opposed to ‘app generators’ and templates per se, but in the last month or so it has started cracking down on basic applications that are little more than RSS feeds or glorified business cards. In short, Apple doesn’t want people using native applications for things that a basic web app could accomplish. Nevermind the part about pulling the rug from yet another bunch of iPhone-based businesses, as it’s par for the course by now, but this particular rule is bullshit. Some sites have dedicated readers who want to have a shortcut or two on their Springboard — and most users don’t know, or want to know, about manually adding a shortcut from within Safari. They just want to click a link and download an app, because Apple has spent the last year emphasizing that "there’s an app for that." I understand, and support, the desire to remove those apps from App Store listings — but not banning them altogether. If Apple wants to approve everything that can be installed on an iPhone (for security’s sake, let’s say) and doesn’t want to pollute the App Store, here’s a novel idea: just approve the apps in such a way that they don’t appear in listings and search but are only accessible by using the direct URL. Or are they also trying to cut down the in-house testers’ workload?

techcrunch.com

Between the developers I spoke to, the consensus was this: Apple doesn’t appear to be opposed to ‘app generators’ and templates per se, but in the last month or so it has started cracking down on basic applications that are little more than RSS feeds or glorified business cards. In short, Apple doesn’t want people using native applications for things that a basic web app could accomplish.

Nevermind the part about pulling the rug from yet another bunch of iPhone-based businesses, as it’s par for the course by now, but this particular rule is bullshit. Some sites have dedicated readers who want to have a shortcut or two on their Springboard — and most users don’t know, or want to know, about manually adding a shortcut from within Safari. They just want to click a link and download an app, because Apple has spent the last year emphasizing that “there’s an app for that.”

I understand, and support, the desire to remove those apps from App Store listings — but not banning them altogether.

If Apple wants to approve everything that can be installed on an iPhone (for security’s sake, let’s say) and doesn’t want to pollute the App Store, here’s a novel idea: just approve the apps in such a way that they don’t appear in listings and search but are only accessible by using the direct URL. Or are they also trying to cut down the in-house testers’ workload?

]]> 2010-03-08T16:35:25+01:00 Ambilight for video http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/08/10687-ambilight-for-lt-video-gt/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/08/10687-ambilight-for-lt-video-gt/ beautifulpixels.comI can’t believe this works. Of course, it doubles or triples the amount of CPU power it takes for my Mac mini to play a video (haven’t even tried on the old iMac), and it’s not very pleasant to watch (do real Ambilight TVs lag so much?), but it’s a nice tech demo for HTML 5.

beautifulpixels.com

I can’t believe this works.

Of course, it doubles or triples the amount of CPU power it takes for my Mac mini to play a video (haven’t even tried on the old iMac), and it’s not very pleasant to watch (do real Ambilight TVs lag so much?), but it’s a nice tech demo for HTML 5.

]]> 2010-03-08T15:02:55+01:00 “Microsoft’s Courier ’digital journal’: exclusive pictures and details” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/05/10686-microsoft-s-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-details/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/05/10686-microsoft-s-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-details/ engadget.comThat looks much smaller than it did in my head — pretty much an iPad folded in two. It better have a super-high-resolution screen if it’s gonna be of any use. As we’ve heard, the interface appears to be pen-based and centered around drawing and writing, with built-in handwriting recognition and a corresponding web site that allows access to everything entered into the device in a blog-like format complete with comments. Cool.

engadget.com

That looks much smaller than it did in my head — pretty much an iPad folded in two. It better have a super-high-resolution screen if it’s gonna be of any use.

 

As we’ve heard, the interface appears to be pen-based and centered around drawing and writing, with built-in handwriting recognition and a corresponding web site that allows access to everything entered into the device in a blog-like format complete with comments.

Cool.

]]> 2010-03-05T19:37:05+01:00 “HTC: Don’t Carry Your Nexus One In Your Pocket” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/05/10685-htc-don-t-carry-your-nexus-one-in-your-pocket/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/05/10685-htc-don-t-carry-your-nexus-one-in-your-pocket/ gizmodo.comAfter being recommended by Google to speak to HTC’s technical support, Crave was told that "putting a phone in a tight pair of jeans and sitting down would usually cause the kind of damage," and that "people sometimes forget that they don’t go in pockets." Nice. Apple’s humidity sensors don’t seem so bad now.

gizmodo.com

After being recommended by Google to speak to HTC’s technical support, Crave was told that "putting a phone in a tight pair of jeans and sitting down would usually cause the kind of damage," and that "people sometimes forget that they don’t go in pockets."

Nice.

Apple’s humidity sensors don’t seem so bad now.

]]> 2010-03-05T19:32:06+01:00 “Finger Fail: Why Most Touchscreens Miss the Point” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/05/10684-finger-fail-why-most-touchscreens-miss-the-point/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/05/10684-finger-fail-why-most-touchscreens-miss-the-point/ wired.comYou’re not crazy, and neither are we: The touchscreen on the Apple iPhone really is more responsive than the screens on the BlackBerry Storm, the Motorola Droid, the Nexus One and many other phones, even though all of these devices use essentially the same touch-sensing hardware. Though handset makers buy their touchscreens as components from the same select pool of suppliers, a good touchscreen experience requires more than just hardware. It requires a bit of design alchemy blending software, engineering and calibration for the perfect feel. Few smartphone makers have managed to get that balance right, say experts. Followed by a long article correctly concluding that Steve Jobs’s perfectionism is to thank for this.

wired.com

You’re not crazy, and neither are we: The touchscreen on the Apple iPhone really is more responsive than the screens on the BlackBerry Storm, the Motorola Droid, the Nexus One and many other phones, even though all of these devices use essentially the same touch-sensing hardware.

Though handset makers buy their touchscreens as components from the same select pool of suppliers, a good touchscreen experience requires more than just hardware. It requires a bit of design alchemy blending software, engineering and calibration for the perfect feel. Few smartphone makers have managed to get that balance right, say experts.

Followed by a long article correctly concluding that Steve Jobs’s perfectionism is to thank for this.

]]> 2010-03-05T19:22:33+01:00 “According to ATT CEO: iPad will be a ‘Wi-Fi driven product’” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/04/10683-according-to-at-amp-t-ceo-ipad-will-be-a-wi-fi-driven-product/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/04/10683-according-to-at-amp-t-ceo-ipad-will-be-a-wi-fi-driven-product/ iphonefreak.com“My expectation is that there’s not going to be a lot of people out there looking for another subscription,” he said during a webcast of an investor conference, adding that the device would be a mainly “Wi-Fi driven product.” Translation: "We absolutely haven’t planned to provide the network capacity needed for people to use the 3G data plan we’re offering. And if you do start using it, we’ll have to slap a 500MB reasonable use limit. Unlimited data for $30? Come on, if you believed we actually meant it, it’s your own damn fault for being so gullible."

iphonefreak.com

“My expectation is that there’s not going to be a lot of people out there looking for another subscription,” he said during a webcast of an investor conference, adding that the device would be a mainly “Wi-Fi driven product.”

Translation: “We absolutely haven’t planned to provide the network capacity needed for people to use the 3G data plan we’re offering. And if you do start using it, we’ll have to slap a 500MB ‘reasonable use’ limit. Unlimited data for $30? Come on, if you believed we actually meant it, it’s your own damn fault for being so gullible.”

]]> 2010-03-04T14:17:05+01:00 “Google Releases Gesture Search for Android” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/04/10682-google-releases-gesture-search-for-android/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/04/10682-google-releases-gesture-search-for-android/ mashable.comGesture Search is pretty straightforward: you open it up and then draw letters. Draw a M and you’ll get contacts, bookmarks, and apps that start with M. Draw an o and you’ll get results starting with “Mo,” and so on until you find what you’re looking for. Queries can also be erased by drawing a line left to right, while drawing right to left removes the last letter in the current sequence. Want! But for Apple to do that on the Spotlight home screen would mean to acknowledge that the software keyboard isn’t perfect, and I don’t see that happening.

mashable.com

Gesture Search is pretty straightforward: you open it up and then draw letters. Draw a M and you’ll get contacts, bookmarks, and apps that start with M. Draw an o and you’ll get results starting with “Mo,” and so on until you find what you’re looking for. Queries can also be erased by drawing a line left to right, while drawing right to left removes the last letter in the current sequence.

Want!

But for Apple to do that on the Spotlight home screen would mean to acknowledge that the software keyboard isn’t perfect, and I don’t see that happening.

]]> 2010-03-04T14:00:11+01:00 “Official Google Webmaster Central Blog: Google’s SEO Report Card” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/03/10681-official-google-webmaster-central-blog-google-s-seo-report-card/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/03/10681-official-google-webmaster-central-blog-google-s-seo-report-card/ googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.comAn interesting point that I don’t remember giving much thought about, even though it should be obvious: nobody cares about the title that’s displayed on top of a browser window; it should be 100% optimized for when it’s show in search results. Also, the report mentions that you can go to Google’s Webmaster Tools and decide which variants of your URLs should be prioritized for which geographical user base; I have to check that out. Nah, it’s useless except for some very exceptional cases.

googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com

An interesting point that I don’t remember giving much thought about, even though it should be obvious: nobody cares about the <title> that’s displayed on top of a browser window; it should be 100% optimized for when it’s show in search results.

Also, the report mentions that you can go to Google’s Webmaster Tools and decide which variants of your URLs should be prioritized for which geographical user base; I have to check that out. Nah, it’s useless except for some very exceptional cases.

]]> 2010-03-03T17:52:35+01:00 “Apple vs HTC: a patent breakdown” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/02/10680-apple-vs-htc-a-patent-breakdown/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/02/10680-apple-vs-htc-a-patent-breakdown/ engadget.comThe upshot of this whole thing — with patents covering very basic aspects of object-oriented operating system development — is that you can’t create a new operating system nowadays (or a phone, or much of anything) unless you have a portfolio of patents of your own so that you can force every other player in the field to sign a non-aggression pact with you, like Microsoft and Apple did back then. Or you can stay in Europe. (For now.)

engadget.com

The upshot of this whole thing — with patents covering very basic aspects of object-oriented operating system development — is that you can’t create a new operating system nowadays (or a phone, or much of anything) unless you have a portfolio of patents of your own so that you can force every other player in the field to sign a non-aggression pact with you, like Microsoft and Apple did back then.

Or you can stay in Europe. (For now.)

]]> 2010-03-02T21:07:13+01:00 “HTC feeling Apple’s fury over smartphone patents” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/02/10679-htc-feeling-apple-s-fury-over-smartphone-patents/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/02/10679-htc-feeling-apple-s-fury-over-smartphone-patents/ arstechnica.comWe think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours. Of course, most of those are bullshit patents. Uh, I mean, software patents. Gotta wonder what’s the ultimate motivation for this. I guess it still smarts Apple, and Jobs personally, that Microsoft was able to copy all it could from MacOS and, now that Apple has pretty much reinvented the smartphone and does own patents, it’s tempting to use them. But the timing is weird, right after Nokia slapped Apple with the same kind of suit, and just about the same rhetoric. Is Apple bullying forward, going after the smallest possible actor of the field, the one who won’t have patents of its own to fight back with? Or could they think it will make them look more serious in their negotiations (or trials) with Nokia?

arstechnica.com

We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours.

Of course, most of those are bullshit patents. Uh, I mean, software patents.

Gotta wonder what’s the ultimate motivation for this. I guess it still smarts Apple, and Jobs personally, that Microsoft was able to copy all it could from MacOS and, now that Apple has pretty much reinvented the smartphone and does own patents, it’s tempting to use them.

But the timing is weird, right after Nokia slapped Apple with the same kind of suit, and just about the same rhetoric. Is Apple bullying forward, going after the smallest possible actor of the field, the one who won’t have patents of its own to fight back with? Or could they think it will make them look more serious in their negotiations (or trials) with Nokia?

]]> 2010-03-02T19:40:55+01:00 "Coding error leads to uneven EU browser ballot distribution" http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/02/10678-coding-error-leads-to-uneven-eu-browser-ballot-distribution/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/03/02/10678-coding-error-leads-to-uneven-eu-browser-ballot-distribution/ arstechnica.comSo there’s a very good chance that the issue here is an honest error. What is remarkable, though, is that it exists. This browser ballot, as simple as it is, has been months in the making. The decision to do the randomization client-side, where it depends on the web browser, rather than server-side, where it would be consistent for all users, is a little surprising. But most remarkable at all is that no one responsible for signing off and saying "that’s an acceptable response to the Competition Commission’s complaint" bothered to do this testing. Or it would be remarkable if we weren’t talking about Microsoft.

arstechnica.com

So there’s a very good chance that the issue here is an honest error. What is remarkable, though, is that it exists. This browser ballot, as simple as it is, has been months in the making. The decision to do the randomization client-side, where it depends on the web browser, rather than server-side, where it would be consistent for all users, is a little surprising. But most remarkable at all is that no one responsible for signing off and saying "that’s an acceptable response to the Competition Commission’s complaint" bothered to do this testing.

Or it would be remarkable if we weren’t talking about Microsoft.

]]> 2010-03-02T13:46:30+01:00 “Steve Jobs personally calls iTunes contest winner…who didn’t believe it was him” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/27/10676-steve-jobs-personally-calls-itunes-contest-winner-who-didn-t-believe-it-was-him/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/27/10676-steve-jobs-personally-calls-itunes-contest-winner-who-didn-t-believe-it-was-him/ 9to5mac.comSulcer, who is a 70 year old grandfather to nine, won by purchasing Johnny Cash’s “Guess Things Happen That Way”.  He had no idea Apple was even having a contest. Oh, come on. You want me to believe that the person who downloaded the 10-billionth iTunes song just happens to be a technology-literate 70-year-old grandfather who knows who Steve Jobs is — and listens to Johnny Cash?

9to5mac.com

Sulcer, who is a 70 year old grandfather to nine, won by purchasing Johnny Cash’s “Guess Things Happen That Way”.  He had no idea Apple was even having a contest.

Oh, come on. You want me to believe that the person who downloaded the 10-billionth iTunes song just happens to be a technology-literate 70-year-old grandfather who knows who Steve Jobs is — and listens to Johnny Cash?

]]> 2010-02-27T14:13:05+01:00 “Compress Your Mac with Squeeze” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/26/10675-compress-your-mac-with-squeeze/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/26/10675-compress-your-mac-with-squeeze/ macstories.netSqueeze is very simple and straightforward: basically, it can keep track of some selected folders and compress them without visible differences to the user, but saving space in the background. It uses the latest HFS-comrpession technology built in Snow Leopard to compress all the files within a folder you choose to be processed. After the compression process, Mac OS will read the file again just fine […] I’ve downloaded it (hey, it’s free on MacHeist, and they’re not even forcing you to tweet this time), but before I decide whether to install it I’ll wait for the technical reviews that don’t gush about it. There’s a reason why OS X doesn’t compress the whole drive by default, and until I read more about the trade-offs implied by using Squeeze, I’ll stay on the fence. (The reason could simply be that it makes the drive unreadable from not-10.6 machines, which isn’t much of a problem.)

macstories.net

Squeeze is very simple and straightforward: basically, it can keep track of some selected folders and compress them without visible differences to the user, but saving space in the background. It uses the latest HFS-comrpession technology built in Snow Leopard to compress all the files within a folder you choose to be processed. After the compression process, Mac OS will read the file again just fine […]

I’ve downloaded it (hey, it’s free on MacHeist, and they’re not even forcing you to tweet this time), but before I decide whether to install it I’ll wait for the technical reviews that don’t gush about it.

There’s a reason why OS X doesn’t compress the whole drive by default, and until I read more about the trade-offs implied by using Squeeze, I’ll stay on the fence. (The reason could simply be that it makes the drive unreadable from not-10.6 machines, which isn’t much of a problem.)

]]> 2010-02-26T16:56:53+01:00 “Dan Frommer Says Palm’s Decline ’Shows That Apple Is Screwed Without Steve Jobs’” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/25/10674-dan-frommer-says-palm-s-decline-shows-that-apple-is-screwed-without-steve-jobs/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/25/10674-dan-frommer-says-palm-s-decline-shows-that-apple-is-screwed-without-steve-jobs/ daringfireball.netAnd if a bunch of [former] Apple geniuses can’t kick butt on their own at Palm, how are they going to kick butt without Steve at Apple? That’s an interesting point, and I disagree with Gruber’s arguments about it. The thing is, though, that Palm failed for three reasons: (1) they were going against Apple, (2) they were two years late on the iPhone market, and (3) they didn’t have enough cash for the first webOS phone to be really good hardware. None of those reasons will apply to Apple post-Jobs (for a while).

daringfireball.net

And if a bunch of [former] Apple geniuses can’t kick butt on their own at Palm, how are they going to kick butt without Steve at Apple?

That’s an interesting point, and I disagree with Gruber’s arguments about it. The thing is, though, that Palm failed for three reasons: (1) they were going against Apple, (2) they were two years late on the iPhone market, and (3) they didn’t have enough cash for the first webOS phone to be really good hardware.

None of those reasons will apply to Apple post-Jobs (for a while).

]]> 2010-02-25T19:23:05+01:00 “Facebook Glitch Sends Messages to Wrong People” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/25/10673-facebook-glitch-sends-messages-to-wrong-people/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/25/10673-facebook-glitch-sends-messages-to-wrong-people/ blogs.wsj.comLast night, in an embarrassing glitch for Facebook that raises questions about privacy on the site, some users of the social-networking service began getting hundreds of personal messages that weren’t intended for them. Jesus-Christ, you can not afford to fuck that up. Well, I guess you can, evidently.

blogs.wsj.com

Last night, in an embarrassing glitch for Facebook that raises questions about privacy on the site, some users of the social-networking service began getting hundreds of personal messages that weren’t intended for them.

Jesus-Christ, you can not afford to fuck that up.

Well, I guess you can, evidently.

]]> 2010-02-25T18:34:06+01:00 “Get a P8TCH at the Boing Boing Bazaar” http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/25/10672-get-a-p8tch-at-the-boing-boing-bazaar/ http://www.ff00aa.com/fr/archives/2010/02/25/10672-get-a-p8tch-at-the-boing-boing-bazaar/ boingboing.netFor $24.95, the buyer gets a 2x4-inch, velcro-backed commando patch with a cryptic design, and a unique QRcode. Not "unique" as in "remarkable", but rather "unique" as in "each patch is different from every other". Each patch has a short URL embedded on it that is controlled by the owner. You can choose to send it to your RSS feed, a PayPal donation page, or a YouTube video of last week’s comedically inept attempt to sled down a hill. I kinda totally want one. (But $25?)

boingboing.net

For $24.95, the buyer gets a 2x4-inch, velcro-backed commando patch with a cryptic design, and a unique QRcode. Not "unique" as in "remarkable", but rather "unique" as in "each patch is different from every other". Each patch has a short URL embedded on it that is controlled by the owner. You can choose to send it to your RSS feed, a PayPal donation page, or a YouTube video of last week’s comedically inept attempt to sled down a hill.

I kinda totally want one. (But $25?)

]]> 2010-02-25T00:43:19+01:00