Well, I've been running OSX (10.2.8) for about three months now, and think that's a reasonable trial period. Although I can see how it could be very highly rated for a new user, for me, a long time Mac person, it's irritating features are still dominant.
Yes, I do just love it that I've not had one, notta, system crash during that period. And I do run some heavy aps, all at the same time. So a crash every once in a while wouldn't have disappointed me. But what irritates the bejeebers out of me is the way that years of user experience has been so callously discarded. Why was "make an alias" changed from Command-M to Command-L? New folder is now command-option-N, vs the twenty year practice of Command-N. Command-N now does something useless. And did navigation have to be made so flipping cumbersome? It used to be easy, now it's not. Now it's like working a damned computer! If what you want to do isn't what the system guesses you'll be wanting to do, well hold onto your hat buddy 'cause you're going for a ride. It's as if the next modal Ford came out with the gas on the left and the brake on the right. On the plus side, if Micro$oft had been in charge, the gas pedal would have replaced the volume control knob on the radio, or perhaps that knob would have been given a dual function; push in and turn right to accelerate, pull out and turn right to increase volume. Of course, before using the dual function knob to decelerate, a voice would come out of the speaker asking, "Are you sure you want to decelerate?" You'd have to affirm the request by screaming "Jesus save me!" into the horn button - now conveniently located under the passenger seat. Argh. And now the danged thing won't start back up. I needed to switch back to OS9 to do a few things that won't work under X - scsi connected scanner, that sort of thing. Eventually, after multiple tries, I did manage to get it to restart in system 9. Now, however, it won't go back. It says " .... can't open .... can't open ..... can't open" and then gives up on OSX and opens in 9.2. So I guess I'll have to reinstall the system so I can run the one thing I have that requires OSX. Argh. There's a mole from Micro$oft working at Apple. He needs to be found out, drug out onto the lawn, and have the, well, you know, stomped out of him. OK, I feel better now. BTW: Does anyone want a Newton 130? Works fine, door and flaps missing, backlight flakey, no stylus. Price: put a soft drink in my hand at the next meeting. I got 2100 fin a great deal, and it is a magnificent little machine. Hand writing recognition that's actually useful! Woo hoo! Bill Holt | The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will | be June 22. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>. | List posting address: <mailto:macgroup at erdos.math.louisville.edu> | List Web page: <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup>
