Linked by Thom Holwerda on Tue 8th Jan 2013 23:27 UTC
So, a rudimentary jailbreak for Windows RT made its way onto the web these past few days. Open source applications were ported right away, and it was confirmed that Windows RT is the full Windows - it's exactly the same as regular Windows, except that it runs on ARM. Microsoft responded to the jailbreak as well.
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RE[8]: Comment by saso
by Thom_Holwerda on Wed 9th Jan 2013 10:38
in reply to "RE[7]: Comment by saso"
Member since:2005-06-29
I don't think that it is as simple as that. Most non technical users use one app at a time, maximized. They might have several apps open, but they switch back and forth, they don't do window management, they do application management.
This is not my experience - at all. Virtually everyone I know uses multiple windows at least for some tasks, and even when they maximise, the taskbar still *delivers context*. In Metro, everything, even anchor elements like the task switcher, is hidden away, only available through clicks or gestures.
It adds a lot of overhead to everything, especially when you add desktop applications into the mix. You can't switch straight to your desktop application from a Metro application - no, you first have to bring up the application switcher, select the desktop, and only *then* can you select the proper application.
It's an overly complicated cumbersome mess.
Member since:2005-11-10
"I don't think that it is as simple as that. Most non technical users use one app at a time, maximized. They might have several apps open, but they switch back and forth, they don't do window management, they do application management.
This is not my experience - at all. Virtually everyone I know uses multiple windows at least for some tasks, and even when they maximise, the taskbar still *delivers context*. In Metro, everything, even anchor elements like the task switcher, is hidden away, only available through clicks or gestures.
It adds a lot of overhead to everything, especially when you add desktop applications into the mix. You can't switch straight to your desktop application from a Metro application - no, you first have to bring up the application switcher, select the desktop, and only *then* can you select the proper application.
It's an overly complicated cumbersome mess. "
My own experience with Windows 8 went like this:
1. Opening the Desktop and using Windows Explorer to browse a folder with pictures;
2. Double-click one picture, to open it;
3. The picture opens up in a full-screen Metro application. So far so good;
4. Spend 5 minutes trying to go back to where I was before, in Desktop mode;
5. Pressing Escape sent me to the Metro application, I was basically stuck with it. Then I found out that I could use Alt-F4, but there was no visual indication whatsoever;
6. Something similar happened when I tried playing a sample MP3 file;
7. Giving up on Windows 8 forever.
RE[9]: Comment by saso
by BluenoseJake on Wed 9th Jan 2013 12:46
in reply to "RE[8]: Comment by saso"
Member since:2005-08-11
Most of the people I work with, in my department at a University (118 employees, several dozen students) work that way, it drives me crazy, but that's they way they are. In all the other jobs I've had (I'm 41, I've been doing this for awhile now) it's been the same way. Users just don't do window management, for the most part. Power users, sure, Geeks, sure, but the 30 yr old receptionist? No way.
Member since:2010-09-23
[quote]It adds a lot of overhead to everything, especially when you add desktop applications into the mix. You can't switch straight to your desktop application from a Metro application - no, you first have to bring up the application switcher, select the desktop, and only *then* can you select the proper application.[/quote]
Or you can just press ALT+TAB, like we have done since.....Windows 95 at least.
I really loved the way Windows 7 added "pin to left/right 50%" and I also don't like how apps works on big screens (the 25%/75% is useless to me). But the above is just misinformation
News
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/17/13 17:58 UTC
"The Internet is one of the most transformative technologies of our lifetimes. But for 2 out of every 3 people on earth, a fast, affordable Internet connection is still out of reach. And this is far from being a solved problem. There are many terrestrial challenges to Internet connectivity - jungles, archipelagos, mountains. There are also major cost challenges. Right now, for example, in most of the countries in the southern hemisphere, the cost of an Internet connection is more than a month's income. Solving these problems isn't simply a question of time: it requires looking at the problem of access from new angles. So today we're unveiling our latest moonshot from Google[x]: balloon-powered Internet access." Insane.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/17/13 17:52 UTC
"MineAssemble is a tiny bootable Minecraft clone written partly in x86 assembly. I made it first and foremost because a university assignment required me to implement a game in assembly for a computer systems course. Because I had never implemented anything more complex than a 'Hello World' bootloader before, I decided I wanted to learn about writing my own kernel code at the same time. Note that the goal of this project was not to write highly efficient hand-optimized assembly code, but rather to have fun and write code that balances readability and speed. This is primarily accomplished by proper commenting and consistent code structuring." Just cool.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/14/13 21:03 UTC
Jon Rubinstein, former CEO of Palm: "Well, I'm not sure I would have sold the company to HP. That's for sure. Talk about a waste. Not that I had any choice because when you sell a company you don't get to decide that. Obviously, the board and shareholders decide that. If we had known they were just going to shut it down and never really give it a chance to flourish, what would have been the point of selling the company? I think the deal we had with Verizon really hurt us, but who knew that at the time? These things are all hindsight."
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/14/13 20:46 UTC
"And so it is with Dell's Alienware X51 R2, a small form factor gaming PC in console digs. It's shaped similar to Microsoft's Xbox 360 Slim, and though it's slightly larger than either a 360 or PlayStation 3, the X51 R2 would be right at home in a living room setting nestled next to a large screen TV. Indeed, it's adept at running Steam's Big Picture mode, and if your primary objective is to play games in the living room, go ahead and consider the X51 R2 a hybrid game console." This is obviously not the only machine like this - still, these are very valid console alternatives even for those that don't like being hunched over with a cramped WASD-claw. Also, PC gamers among us: could you get away with the $699 model for gaming?
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/14/13 17:32 UTC
From Bloomberg: "Microsoft, the world's largest software company, provides intelligence agencies with information about bugs in its popular software before it publicly releases a fix, according to two people familiar with the process. That information can be used to protect government computers and to access the computers of terrorists or military foes." The lid has officially been blown off.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/14/13 11:39 UTC
"The key takeaway we've reached (after two less than 24 hours playing with the iOS 7 Beta release) is this - every App must consider even basic updates to its UI to survive in a post-iOS 6 world." Great. Telling developers to update their entire application - user interface and behaviour alike - to target a look and behaviour that isn't final yet. Seems like potential for a lot of wasted work here.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/14/13 11:32 UTC
"Overall the app is really basic, and designed for on the go editing. Microsoft says it's not planning to create an iPad version, noting that tablet users can utilize the Office Web Apps instead. We'd like to see some additional options for editing, including more clear options for text formatting and the ability to insert and change images, but it's a solid attempt for something you're only really going to use for editing in emergencies." A resounding meh can be heard from all over the world.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/13/13 19:39 UTC
"Today, most people are using modern browsers that support the majority of the latest web technologies. Better yet, the usage of legacy browsers is declining significantly and newer browsers stay up to date automatically, which means the leading edge has become mainstream. Given these factors we've decided to retire Chrome Frame, and will cease support and updates for the product in January 2014." Eh.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/13/13 14:45 UTC
The Next Web: "First of all, many of the new icons were primarily designed by members of Apple's marketing and communications department, not the app design teams. From what we've heard, SVP of Design Jony Ive (also now Apple's head of Human Interaction) brought the print and web marketing design team in to set the look and color palette of the stock app icons. They then handed those off to the app design teams who did their own work on the 'interiors', with those palettes as a guide. We've also been hearing that there wasn't a whole lot of communication between the various teams behind say, Mail and Safari. And that there were multiple teams inside each group that were competing with various designs, leading to what some see as inconsistencies in icon design. Those may well be hammered out in days ahead." What. Reminds me of how Microsoft does (used to do?) things.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/13/13 11:43 UTC
"The German Parliament, the Bundestag, has introduced a joint motion against software patents. The resolution urges the German government to take steps to limit the granting of patents on computer programs. In the resolution, the Parliament says that patents on software restrict developers from exercising their copyright privileges, including the right to distribute their programs as Free Software. They promote the creation of monopolies in the software market, and hurt innovation and job creation." After New Zealand, we now have one of the most powerful economies in the world moving to ban software patents for all the reasons smart people have been outlining for years. also: "The government should also push to ensure that software is covered by copyright alone, and that patent offices (including the European Patent Office) stop granting patents on software." Germany is not a country the EU can ignore. Very good news, this.More News »
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Member since:
2005-08-11
I don't think that it is as simple as that. Most non technical users use one app at a time, maximized. They might have several apps open, but they switch back and forth, they don't do window management, they do application management.
We are not normal users. Don't get fooled into thinking that because we do something one way, that the entire computing base do things in the same way, if that was the case, the market would look entirely different.