On Sat, Jan 30, 2010 at 12:16:57AM -0500, Yanik Doucet wrote: > another interesting point of view > > http://speirs.org/blog/2010/1/29/future-shock.html
Just to be clear. I don't object to a nice user interface. I don't object to having the machine just work. I don't object to being able to use the machine as an ordinary user. I don't object to not needing to be an OS expert to be able to use a machine. I don't object to a comfortable ebook-reading experience. What I object to is DRM. I object to being tied to one supplier of all software and media. I object to having software be forbidden if there's a remote chance that it might be possible to program with it in some way. I object to having books disappear from my shelf in the middle of the night because the bookstore I bought them from has changed its mind. I object to having to buy my books all over again because the machine I read them on is obsolete and no longer repairable. I see no reason why good ergonomics has to be combined with DRM. -- hendrik > > > 2010/1/29 <[email protected]> > > > On Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 12:08:11PM -0500, Jeremy wrote: > > > Andrew Oulton wrote: > > > > Netbooks offer greater expansion and initial function than iPhone or > > > > iPad. So with regards to the iPad, what functions set it apart from > > > > my cell phone, and from my PC to warrant its existance and cost? Is > > > > $500 USD to START (on a dead-end non-expandable device) worth this > > > > difference? Who gets the most out of a device like it? How long till > > > > those few points are better served by something else? > > > I have owned an "ipad" for a few years now, it is called an Archos. > > > Certainly did not take over the world, and it is more open by leaps and > > > bounds than the ipad. Costs less, has an 80GB disk (smallest size they > > > sell), touch interface, wifi, opera browser, removable battery, records > > > mp4 from inputs, has USB host interface, same size screen, samba file > > > sharing (which with a hack enables ssh access), has many hours battery > > > life, and even has a stand on the back so you can put it on a table and > > > watch it :) The new ones have 3g as well. > > > > > > It is funny how all the press seems to have never imagined something > > > like this before. Go look at future shop. > > > > Apple has a large and dedicated following. THey will follow Apple > > anywhere. The big advantages they have over the leading software > > producer is that > > (a) what they sell works out of the box > > (b) keeps working > > (c) looks good. > > and most important, > > (d) has a reputation of (a), (b), and (c) above. > > > > But I have so far not invested in an ipod or an iphone, and will > > probably continue not doing so. I have an old Nokia cell phone that > > pretty well is just a cell phone. I suppose I can play a game on it if > > I want, but I > > don't. > > > > I have a Nokis N800 that I also carry with me. That's for my > > non-cellphone uses of almost-wearable electronics. I'd be happy to have > > all of this in one device in my pocket, bot so far, I haven't found > > anything that's enough of an advantage over what I've go now to be worth > > spending money on. > > > > And the current crop of ebook readers, well, if it's going to be > > DRM-crippled or a *third* thing to carry everywhere, well, I'm not > > interested. I use my N800 to read in bed. That and paper books. The > > big disadvantage of the N800 is a lack of publications in free form. I' > > currently partway through a .pdf book on quantum gravity that I acquired > > from the author's web site. It's too slow changing pages. By the time > > you get to the second half of a sentence, you've forgotten the first. > > > > Please correct me if I'm wrong, and if there is something better I > > should be looking at, but I haven't found it yet. > > > > -- hendrik. > > _______________________________________________ > > mlug mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://listes.koumbit.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mlug-listserv.mlug.ca > > > _______________________________________________ > mlug mailing list > [email protected] > https://listes.koumbit.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mlug-listserv.mlug.ca _______________________________________________ mlug mailing list [email protected] https://listes.koumbit.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mlug-listserv.mlug.ca
