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Peter Kirn

Member since: May 21st, 2006

Peter Kirn's Latest Comments

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TUAW.com10 Comments
Download Squad1 Comment

Recent Comments:

Qumana blogging client (TUAW.com)

Sep 18th 2007 1:18PM Ergh... enough with the ill-informed Java bashing.

"Resource usage" ... really not a significant issue on modern machines. The default heap size isn't even all that big. There are plenty of so-called "native" apps that are resource hogs.

"Interface inconsistency" ... the fault of developers, not of Java. In fact, I'd argue the upcoming Swing toolkits can give you more UI consistency -- and not only that, but do it *across platforms*, which is a relevant issue for Mac users wanting to boot multiple OSes.

You're right to be a snob about UI; I know I am. But blame brainless developers, not Java. If you want to develop a terrible UI using Cocoa, you certainly can (we've absolutely seen them). If you want to build a great UI in Java, you can, too.

All of that said, yeah, I'll be looking more at MarsEdit than this one.

Firefox's popularity repeats Microsoft's dominating mistakes all over again (Download Squad)

Jun 13th 2007 11:16AM Well, wait a minute.

Browser extensions are possible in IE and FF and NOT in other browsers. In fact, the reality is that you can't do everything with magical web standards -- sometimes you need software code for more integration. Firefox has provided a fantastic, open platform for that. Tools like Safari have not. Some Safari users don't care, which is why they have a significant market share. But you have a choice.

And blaming Firefox for standards issues seems a little ... counterintuitive.

In fact, it seems like there's another party here ... let's see, we've got the standards, the browsers, and the websites. Where do the websites come from ... ah, yes. Designers. I have about 35% market share for Firefox on my site, for instance, maybe 45% if you count related browsers. Just how insane would I have to be to shut out the other half? And how would we blame Firefox for that problem? Because they "dominate" ... erm ... less than half the market?

So confused.

Designers: test multiple browsers. Install virtualization software on Mac. Try Opera. Try Safari for Windows. Whatever.

Netscape Navigator 9 beta is out (TUAW.com)

Jun 7th 2007 7:09PM "Firefox is not usable as an everyday Mac browser."

Huh?

And Camino, while nice, kills the very reason I use Firefox in the first place, which is extensions.

I'm not totally pleased with Firefox's performance, no -- it runs better on Windows and Linux, and I hope that gets addressed. But to say something unusable suggests, well, that something can't be used. And nothing could be further from the truth. Dumping Safari for Firefox's supreme compatibility, the power of GreaseMonkey, slick Gmail scripts that let me power through email, advanced web testing tools for development, etc., is one of the first things I do on a Mac. I've also converted friends and family, including many on later-model G4s. I've never heard complaints about the Firefox browser's UI, and you can skin it to look like whatever you want anyway. (I skin the whole Mac UI via Uno, as do many, and never have to set eyes on brushed silver again.)

Netscape 9 just has no usable feature that I can see. And talk about bloat -- all the meaningless sidebars and other nonsense that are why we dumped it in the first place.

Don't get me wrong. Firefox isn't the right choice for everyone. The Mac has tons of fantastic browser choices, each with strengths of their own: Opera, Camino, OmniWeb, and absolutely Safari. Choice is good. Netscape is, well, still pretty bad.

Vista on the Mac (TUAW.com)

Jan 30th 2007 12:07AM Also, suggestion: can we talk about specific compatibility issues with virtual machines and Apple's somewhat incomplete Vista drivers, rather than just a re-hashed, parallelized OS vs. OS debate? I expect some of this will change in Leopard, but in the meantime that's a whole lot more useful than more philosophical punditry.

Vista on the Mac (TUAW.com)

Jan 30th 2007 12:02AM This was exactly what Boot Camp was made for -- what, a bootloader like in XP, Linux, and various other OSes?

The Mac has absolutely no unique advantage over other PCs in its capability to run Windows and virtual machines. The one (HUGE) advantage is that your other partition is OS X. And I think partitions for Vista and OS X should indeed be a great combination, though not for ANY of the reasons listed here. Also, if your primary interest is gaming, until DirectX 10 is available on Mac you're really better off dual-booting XP, not Vista -- that ugly old UI will only be up for a couple of moments. Skin it if you have to.

Ask TUAW: What are you most excited for at Macworld 07? (TUAW.com)

Jan 4th 2007 11:31AM I'm most excited for:
* The top Flash experts at Flashforward
* Parties with some of the SF-area VJs and electronica folks
* Getting to see my SF mates, Mac folks, hang with other creative Mac users
* See my Apple friends
* Parties
* Getting to meet up with some of my favorite musicians
* Getting to perform out with my MacBook in San Fran

I always get a kick out of the keynotes, but there's a lot more to the Mac than Apple's latest press releases.

Over 2000 Universal apps available (TUAW.com)

May 31st 2006 8:08PM Max/MSP/Jitter, baby! Seriously, I saw the deep interactive toolkit running on Intel Macs at NAMM, and it's going to unleash a whole lot of fabulous new sound, video, and 3D graphics when it comes out.

I'm also desperate for Flash, because it should also run really nicely on Intel Macs. But we probably don't want to get started on Adobe.

In the music market, while a lot of big apps are out (see Pro Tools LE, as of today, on top of Reason, Logic, and Live), plug-ins are still slow in coming. Native Instruments Reaktor tops my list.

Macintosh Portable, Pippen make PCWorld Worst tech list (TUAW.com)

May 26th 2006 4:35PM The Portable seems an odd choice to me. It was a very reliable machine. I'd expect to see the PowerBook 5300 on there (sent mine back no fewer than 6 times, 4 of which were logic board replacements, 1 display replacement).

And where's the Apple III? I think any machine for which routine diagnostics include picking it up and dropping it onto a hard surface ought to quality as some of the world's worst technology. Unquestionably Apple's worst machine ever.

Bluetooth iPod functionality days away (TUAW.com)

May 23rd 2006 11:45PM NOT using Bluetooth is very good indeed. Sound quality on BT is still inferior to cheap headphones and a cable, at about 10x the price.

Just say iDon't to iPods (TUAW.com)

May 22nd 2006 3:04PM Now, wait a second . . . try marketing by depicting people who don't buy your product as lemmings? Where have we, cough, heard that before?

Anyway, I don't think people DO seriously consider iPod's competitors, this discussion being evidence of that. The SanDisk players, for instance, have removable storage so you can easily expand their capacity, which is pretty cool, and recording capabilities sorely lacking on the iPod. That's not saying you can't go get an iPod, but I don't think the iPod is just the superior product.

Of course, lame and poorly conceived viral marketing is unlikely to help. :)