Rob is glad that his children have left him, but wishes that he didn't feel so glad. Oh, and he is busy hoping that they realise that they still have to revise for their GCSEs. Free-range useless children are not a good thing.
Status report Page 691
Robyn is off out to be a normal again sooooon, and looks like a 70s throwback.
In fairness Griff, Apple didn't pioneer many of those. Things like Bootcamp and Spotlight just extended on ideas that occured ages ago. The Dock is merely superficial, really. Kind of just building on the taskbar if you ask me. 
Quote: Griff @ May 23 2009, 7:31 PM BSTI notice that all the much-vaunted new features in Win 7 are things that have been on Mac OSX for years...?
'Super Toolbar' (Win 7) = 'The Dock' (Mac OSX)
Horrible. Turned it off.
Quote: Griff @ May 23 2009, 7:31 PM BST'Virtual PC Mode' (Win 7) = 'Boot Camp' (Mac OSX)
Not new. Virtual PC has been available since at least 2004.
Quote: Griff @ May 23 2009, 7:31 PM BST'Live Search' (Win 7) = 'Spotlight' (Mac OSX)
Only new in that it's now part of Windows proper rather than individual apps. No big deal, and at times very annoying. (I think this may have been in Vista too, actually.)
The other features I've not the experience of to comment on. None of the ones you raised are particularly major points as far as I'm concerned, or indeed have seen elsewhere. "Vaunted" itself is arguable "much-vaunted" even more so.
I see also that the BitLocker thing was available under Vista. I can't see that it's anything more than a niche feature anyway.
Quote: Griff @ May 23 2009, 7:53 PM BSTElliott - if the ideas were such common currency - which I don't fully accept but we'll let that pass - but if they were, surely that just makes Microsoft's tardiness in implementing them even more shameful?
I guess, but I still don't get what the big deal is. Microsoft are taking off Apple's products, so? Apple tend to nick most of their ideas from smaller developers anyway, Microsoft's just another step up the chain.
Quote: Scatterbrained Floozy @ May 23 2009, 7:51 PM BST
You're of partying whilst I argue about computer. I'm sooooo the cool one in our relationship. 
Quote: Griff @ May 23 2009, 7:58 PM BSTSpotlight is one of those things you don't realise how useful it is until you need it.
Spotlight is amazing. It should've been a standard feature on computers since forever.
Quote: PhQnix @ May 23 2009, 7:57 PM BSTYou're of partying whilst I argue about computer. I'm sooooo the cool one in our relationship.
Yes.
(I prefer this edit. 
)
Quote: Griff @ May 23 2009, 7:58 PM BSTThe Dock is ace a terrible, unusable, counter-intuitive mess.
Anyway, Elliot's right. Apple have always stolen, and not any more speedily than Microsoft have apparently done. They've just done so from smaller organisations rather than things which are high-profile.
Quote: Aaron @ May 23 2009, 8:03 PM BSTYes.
(I prefer this edit.
Me too. Sorry about mucking it about though Aaron. You all posted too fast.
Quote: Griff @ May 23 2009, 8:04 PM BSTWhat's unusable about the Dock? You put all your favourite applications in there and then launch and cancel them from there. It stops your Desktop being cluttered with apps, and you don't have to navigate through endless pop-up boxes like the Windows Start menu.
It's all about what you're used to though, which is why they never jump to much between different iterations of operating systems. The Dock is great if you're new, but annoying for most seasoned windows users.
Quote: Griff @ May 23 2009, 8:05 PM BSTPfft. Talent imitates, genius steals. That's why Apple have a Genius Bar in all their shops.
And Microsoft perfect and develop upon what Apple have 'settled' with. The latter could do with a bit of modesty. Although I suppose 'genius' is relative to Apple users, which would explain the objectionable, obnoxious twats who generally staff the Bars.
It's also quite telling that they need them in the first place, and that they're so in-demand that one has to book an appointment.
Quote: Griff @ May 23 2009, 8:04 PM BSTWhat's unusable about the Dock? You put all your favourite applications in there and then launch and cancel them from there.
Big and clunky. Too easy to make it pop-up by accident, and unless there's an option to use nice small icons, like on the old Windows Quick Launch bar, that I've not seen, then it's too big to be permanently on show (unless you have a massive screen I suppse).
Quote: Griff @ May 23 2009, 8:04 PM BSTIt stops your Desktop being cluttered with apps, and you don't have to navigate through endless pop-up boxes like the Windows Start menu.
There's no need for endless pop-up boxes. You're free to re-arrange and move your program shortcuts (and create new ones) as much as you want. And there's the old aforementioned Quick Launch bar.
And anyone who clutters up their desktop should be barred from using a computer forever.
Quote: Aaron @ May 23 2009, 8:19 PM BSTAnd anyone who clutters up their desktop should be barred from using a computer forever.
Bye everyone, it's been nice knowing you. 
Thunderstorm is brewing outside. Yay.
Quote: PhQnix @ May 23 2009, 7:57 PM BSTYou're of partying whilst I argue about computer. I'm sooooo the cool one in our relationship.
I never contested that. 
Robyn knows her place! 