Letters to the Editor
blunderdog
Published Letters: 509 Editor's Choice: 10
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Am I the only one?
[Read the article: Is it "contradictory" to decry the right's tactics while insisting on their equal application?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I watch John McCain for any TV clip longer than 2 minutes, and he simply does not appear to be in proper possession of his faculties.
Am I the only one who feels so strongly about this?
I simply can't understand the response of everyone I mention this to--they almost universally laugh. Often long and loud. I never really get a response one way or the other as to whether they agree or disagree with my view.
As has been pointed out--there are things that are simple facts. "Slinging" them at the candidates for President is not the same as presenting fictional or fantastic representations of the candidates themselves.
I can't understand why Obama and Hillary BOTH don't just dismiss McCain. Almost anything he says can be immediately repeated verbatim to portray him as an idiot who lacks even the most rudimentary understanding of the facts.
Clinton/Obama "attack" ad:
VO: My opponent, John McCain says people don't care if we're in Iraq for 100 years.
[Video of John McCain making repeated talking-point errors and having someone whisper in his ear or correct him.]
VO: Is this a man you want in the Oval Office?
"Vote for {not-McCain campaign logo!"
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How hard is that? What can McCain possibly say in a debate with either Dem candidate?
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The "Optional" Part
[Read the article: Evernote: Software to help you remember everything, forever]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]That's important. Lots of strong negative reactions to the idea of archiving everything, or not forgetting.
But Evernote is optional. You don't have to record anything, nor do you even have to think about recording everything.
I like the idea of being able to securely and privately capture things that are a hassle for me to keep track of. I'm not sure yet if Evernote is right for me, because I'm pretty paranoid about putting an intimate personal portrait of my mind into the hands of someone else.
But I sure as hell intend to try it and find out.
My hope is that it'll be an easy way to make notes to myself about things I see/hear/read about and don't have immediate time to investigate. I live in NYC, and there's so much going on that I end up seeing hints of things and not following up because I forget relevant details. Evernote looks like it'd be good for that.
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A bit late to the party.
[Read the article: Let's fight: Popular Mechanics says Macs beat PCs in style and speed]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The Mac is a superior system in every way at this point, and yes, for that superiority you pay a bit more--but only in the sense that there is no "basement-grade" Mac, which is what people are getting when they get $600 laptops.
To all the folks who've pointed out that they can't run the software they need, that's just not really right. Macs run Windows NATIVELY now. They are high-end Intel Core Duo systems with great video and sound. The Macs at my office run Vista far better than the Lenovo Thinkpads which have it pre-installed. (The Thinkpads can handle XP just fine.)
Macs also simulate Windows incredibly well. (In an effort to start a tangential flame-war: VMWare Fusion pwns Parallels!!!1!) You really can open up a "Windows" app on an OSX desktop background.
When cost is discussed, I think it's important to realize that the Mac default OS has a better selection than Windows of the most used stuff. Mac Mail, iCal, Safari, drive tools, and all the assorted widgets we expect of a 'puter. The freebies from Apple are generally fully functional and flexible products, unlike the "Windows Mail" (or scheduling software, heh) that comes with Vista.
Window really kinda needs MSOffice, and you usually pay a few bucks for that. For those few hundred bucks you effectively "get" Outlook, a great integrated mail/schedule client, and Excel, a great spreadsheet.
All of that with the fact that OSX has the best interface and overall packaging. This isn't solely a subjective evaluation, although of course everyone should buy what they prefer after being properly familiarized. There are numerous metrics you can use to evaluate how well an OS works "ergonomically," and Apple has spent decades on a consistent and pleasant interface.
As Electro Robot pointed out (in a great post), Macs are good for many folks, if "They're not running corporate IM clients or Lotus Notes or specialized corporate apps like I do. They don't need to run highly tuned JVMs. They don't run SAP or Oracle financials & help desk tools and they certainly aren't running VMware or Tivoli Federated Identity Management on top of a DCE/DFS or an LDAP core."
What is all that crap anyway, when you think about it? It's just work. When your life is about your work, and your work requires Windows, you've got a fine reason to settle for the PC "platform."
But you can have all that and OSX too. And it's worth the few hundred bucks you pay for a computer that truly does everything.
PS: Totally agreed that Apple needs to get on the ball and put the trackstick on MacBook Pros. I can't believe I can get fiber-optic lit keys but no nipmouse.
PPS: I'm a tech, and my life is full of ancient hardware, so I'm typing this on a 6 year old Athlon running XP. If I ever spend money on a PC again, it'll be a Mac.
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@ KateTex
[Read the article: "She's not as bad as you think"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You're conflating "Hillary-haters" with "Obama-supporters." They're not always the same thing, although there's plenty of overlap.
"Any conjectures out there (other than the previously discussed sexism)?"
As to why Hillary inspires such hatred, the reasons are many. She's associated with the Clinton administration, which many people hate. She's viewed by some as a political opportunist because of her run for the NY Senate. She was a board member at Walmart for years, and some people have deep-seated hatred of Walmart and all things related.
Far more reasons can be listed, and many of them are irrational. But then hatred tends to be irrational, yet there's obviously plenty enough to go around. Look at the folks who hate Obama, too.
Me? I hate McCain.
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run for US Senator of NY, not NY Senate
[Read the article: "She's not as bad as you think"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]wish I could correct that.