Here are ten things you see on the Internet that sort of annoy me.
Everyone writes one of these "Top 10" lists around this time of year.
It's compulsory, like dropping AOL when you get high speed
Internet.
1. The term "Blog"
With apologies to Ren and Stimpy and various "neojournalists:"
What types down stairs wearing old underwear
and leaves you in a fog?
What's great for a laugh and cuts downloads in half?
It's bLog, bLog, I think I'll stop shaving my beard!
Everyone reads a blog! You're gonna love 'em, bLogs!
Come on and write your blog! Everyone needs more bLogs!
2. Pop-Positions
The only thing I find more annoying than pop-up ads are the
various mangled terms used to describe the variants. Pop-under,
pop-over, pop-after, pop-before, pop-in, pop-out, pop-left, pop-top,
hop-on-pop, pop-up video, soda-pop, don't-call-me-pop, pop-up,
pop-down, pop-it-all-around....
If you've never seen a modern American male teenager
attempt to run across campus while wearing stylin' hip hop
jeans, you just have not lived to see it all. One hand
behind holding up the pants while the other flails
helplessly attempting to maintain balance. While carrying a
backpack. In the rain. More fun than a rabid squirrel in a
tent revival. Pull your pants up, kid, while they'll still
stay up of their own volition.
3. Use of chat room spelling on papers and advertising.
Sry this is l8, and so on. This is about as goofy as the trend of
young male teenagers wearing their pants down under their
derrieres.
I have the same exact reaction to people who are attempting to
spell words by typing upside down and backwards. 7734, son, I used to
do that with my old Casio.
I really shouldn't write this stuff after watching a Tommy Lee
Jones movie.
4. Microsoft and innovation in the same sentence.
'Nuff said.
5. Ease = Cheap
If Microsoft's IIS is cheaper than a free Linux server because its
server software is easier to use, then logic forces me to conclude
that an Xserve is the cheapest server of them all - for the same
reason.
6. Did you know Satan's contractual obligations with Mike Dell
end in Q2 2003?
7. Niches
Computer articles that use the new buzzword for Apple: "niche" is
the new "beleaguered," only with less hate mail.
8. Internet Research
"Internet" and "research" in the same sentence makes my blood
boil. Just watch: "I got all of my references from www.google.com."
BAM! Owwww, that hurts.
9. Cause of the Day
Soapbox issues that seem really important at one time but not at
all at another. Mine, for example, is the banning of rumor site
writers from Macworld press functions. What's up with that now? Not
much. Just look at GraphicPower,
which was such a hotbed of activity a few months ago for MWNY. Kid's
off on a completely different tangent now. Ahh, youth.
10. At Number Ten
End of the year Top 10 lists, especially those that have contrived
items just to round off the lists. Puh-leeze. At least we waited for
the new year to publish ours. At least most of ours are related to
the Internet one way or another.
iPods that never passed beta or focus groups, 09.13.
"What most Apple fans don't realize is that there were a few iPod variants that never made it out of beta testing and the focus group stage."
Mac of the Day: iMac Core2, Sep. 2006 - Apple introduced the biggest screen ever in an iMac with a 24" Core2 Duo model at 2.16 GHz.
List of the Day: MacBook List for those using a MacBook or MacBook Pro.
September 6 in LEM history: 99: G4 vs. Pentium III - 00: Setting up a server - 02: Norton Utilities warning - 10 greatest computer annoyances - 06: iMac Core2 Duo - Mac mini Core Duo - The iMac Core2 value equation - 07: Apple seduction - Why I really want an iPod touch - iPod history, 2005 to present - Upgrading a Power Mac G - Apple intros iPod touch, classic, and video nano
Listen to Just the Music with the V-Moda Vibe Earbuds, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 09.05.
Well built, the noise canceling earbuds will let you hear all the nuances of your music without letting through background noise.
Best iPod touch Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.05.
Refurb 8 GB, $199; new, $284; refurb 16 GB, $299; new, $370; refurb 32 GB, $399; new, $453.
Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.05.
Used 1.83 GHz Core Duo, $999; 2.16, $1,125; new, 2.2, $1,450 after rebate; refurb 2.4, $1,699; 2.5, $1,999; 2.6 Santa Rosa, $1,849; rebates on new.
Best iMac G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.05.
Used 15" 700 MHz CD-RW, $279; 800 Combo, $300; 1 GHz $390; 17" 800 MHz SD, $439; 1.25 GHz, $449; 20", $569.
Tomorrow's Solid State Drives and Notebooks, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 09.04.
Flash drives are great but have some shortcomings. Some thoughts on building better SSDs and notebooks to use them.
Best 12" PowerBook G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.04.
Used 867 MHz Combo, no APX, $490; 1 GHz, $550; SuperDrive, $625; 1.5 GHz w/o APX, $660; w/APX, $675.
Best Mac mini Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.04.
Used 1.25 GHz G4 SD, $549; 1.42 Combo, $409; new 1.83 Core2 Combo, $569 after rebate; 2.0 SD, $769 after rebate.
Best 17" PowerBook G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.04.
Used 1 GHz, $779; 1.33 GHz, $799; 1.5 GHz, $859; 1.67 GHz, $910.
11 Mac Browsers Compared, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 09.03.
The latest versions of Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari, Shiira, iCab, Radon, Firefox, Netscape Navigator, SeaMonkey, Flock, and Camino tested in Leopard.
Best eMac Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.03.
Used 700 MHz Combo, $120; 1.25 GHz SuperDrive, $150; 1.42 GHz, $349.
Best Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard' Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.03.
Mac OS X 10.5, single user, $99; 5 users, $140; 10.5 Server, 10 users, $395; unlimited, $850.
Best MacBook Air Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.03.
Refurb 1.6 HD, $1,499; new, $1,690 after rebate; refurb 1.8, $1,699; new, $1,919 a/r; refurb 1.6 SSD, $2,099; new, $2,294 a/r; refurb 1.8, $2,299; new, $2,400 a/r.
Psystar Strikes Back, Countersues Apple, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 09.03.
Psystar is trying to paint Apple as a monopoly and force it to license the Mac OS.
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