The movie about the particle collider this particle's discovery.

"Chi-b Chi-b, BANG BANG"

/me ducks

I hadn't upgraded for some time and (foolishly?) decided it was time. Unity was... Well, a disappointment. Not too long ago a friend who lives and breaths netbooks was having a strong dislike to Win7, and I suggested he try Ubuntu. It was faster than Win7, he was able to get drivers for everything, and he liked the desktop. I agreed with him entirely. However on a big screen or multi screen... Not so much.

Then I read some quotes by Mark Shuttleworth. For a minute I thought I was reading something by Bill Gates or the late Lord Steve Jobs: 'There is going to be a crowd that is just too cool to use something that looks really slick and there is nothing we can do for them'. My dear sir, it's not a matter of "cool", it's a matter of your desktop environment is crap. Now, I'm no power user. In fact, I'm more the "Walt the Janitor" of the computing world (or perhaps the Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor...) and really just use the best option for what I want to do, and in an ideal world how I want to do it. I don't use a flat screwdriver on a Phillips-head screw due to its looks, and I'm not exactly "too cool" to use something that looks "really slick". I like shiny, I like bells and whistles, and I like machines that go "PING". That said, Unity is complete shit IMO. I won't go into details on why I don't like it, and I'm sure of course that there are those here who would disagree with me on the reasons, but I just flat out have not found it an "enjoyable" desktop experience. As well, the statement by Shuttleworth: "I think the report actually meant that the launcher should be movable to other edges of the screen. I'm afraid that won't work with our broader design goals, so we won't implement that. We want the launcher always close to the Ubuntu button."

That quote right there was the nail in the coffin with me for using Unity. Yes, I know it's petty, yes I know that my reason is somewhat trite, but it just bothers me when someone says "This is how you should use your computer, and how it should look. No, you can't change that." I really did give Unity about 2 weeks of use, and got to the point where I was very comfortable using it, but it wasn't enjoyed comfort, it wasn't "ah, this is my desktop".

Credit where it is due, while I had some issues with performance, I was able to get around that (changing drivers for video card), as always with Ubuntu right from the get go I had zero problems with other devices, printers, etc. But now I'm using KDE.

When I tested it out, it did much better than my Android, with no "training". Try Android voice with a Boston accent. I tell it to call my favorite bar and it calls a sheep.....

One of the people who worked on Watson, the computer mind put to the test on Jeopardy, is my former brother in law. When BrotherInLaw -1 began on computer AI there was, at the time, no one more advanced than he to challenge his thesis. The stuff we're seeing now in Siri is very much like what Watson did and projects BIL -1 has been working on for over 10 years, only put to "commercial / consumer" use; something inevitable. I doubt anyone involved with the first missions to the moon were all up in arms saying "What? Velcro? *ththt* That's been out for ages." Remember, to much of the media and your average user, this IS bleeding edge!

This is what happens with technology. It gets invented, it gets used in science and technology circles for a while then, if it's got commercial appeal, it ends up in the hands of Joe 6GB.To those lambasting Apple, while I assure you is something I enjoy, is sort of shooting fish in a barrel.

All that said, I use Android for one very simple reason: Apple's Ap Store policy makes me rage. Their puritanical requirements on nudity, "obscenity", etc as well as their tight fisted control over interface is preposterous and reprehensible. When I'd heard they forced a German news agency change their iPhone ap due to a few boobies was when I decided I would never, ever own one. Many of my users have them, they're bought by my employer, I've been offered a new iPhone each year, but for the last two years I've very much enjoyed my Android. The voice command blows, no argument. The screen pivot is comical. But all the aps I have, I enjoy. I can play around with whatever aps I want and not brick the device. To me, that's a fair cop; One programs functionality (Siri) does not out weigh freedom to do as I wish with my devices.

Sup dawg, I herd you like Android, so I put an Android in your Android so you can Android while you Android.

OK, now I feel dirty.

As noted, do they ship refurbs? Ages ago while working for a computer retailer, we once had a Mac that someone took home which had been "re-imaged" by our service department... And when the customer got it home, it booted into BeOS. Not that I would have turned my nose up to it back then, it was a 9600 with "tons" of RAM (512, remember those days? If you had 256 people would come from far and wide just to touch your screen).

I just remove the tops then take the hammer to them. Brilliantly cathartic, let me tell you.

I've read the book by her handler, Roger Fouts, about Washoe and the other chimps he worked with.

Much as I am a proponent of medical research going forward, I can't help but feel strongly that testing on chimps/great apes is one of the biggest mistakes we could possibly make.

Really the best remedy would be homeopathy. What better way to treat an imagined allergy than an imagined cure?

On a lark, I created a username and accounts on both Yahoo and Google, then using a name something along the lines of "Honeypot", created an account on Facebook using one of the email addresses (Y! I believe). I then added a bunch of contacts in the address book of both Yahoo and Gmail, different people in each address book. In short order, I began seeing ads within Facebook while logged into the honeypot address suggesting I friend people from the address books of the account NOT tied to the Facebook account. Can't recall which email service I'd done this with first, but I am pretty sure that a Yahoo account was associated with Facebook. In other words, I would log in to Yahoo, then to Facebook, then to Gmail. Yahoo was associated with the Facebook account. After a few days, I began to see names of people whose names were in the GMail account (and I knew were email addresses associated with real Facebook accounts) suggested as friends in Facebook.

I then repeated the same; creating a new address in Gmail then a Facebook account. Few days later of going back and forth, I started seeing names in the second Gmail account popping up when I logged into the new Facebook account.

Certainly none of this is a shock to anyone, but I don't get why Google feels the need to come up with G+ and compete with Facebook. Stick to fscking search, stick to what you're best at. I don't understand this Microsoft mentality of "Oh, we didn't have this first and make money with it? Lets do one of our own! And fire the people in charge of marketing and precognition. They should have known social networking would become such a huge hit."

I don't know if I would entirely agree with this. As someone who services both Macs and PCs, across the board I would put the percentage of ignorance as roughly the same. Consider how many PC users willingly click on the popups that say "Your computer is at risk! Click here to clean" or "Your computer has detected spyware. Click to clean". As well, consider how many PC users visit video sites which claim that in order to view this video of Lindsey Lohan and a great dane getting freaky, you need this "special" video plugin. On both sides of the home computing world, there is at least as many gullible people on Windows as on Mac, it's just that Fruit Heads seem to have this foolish idea that they're somehow immune. As noted by many, the Safari exploit alone is an issue, but there are decidedly more.

Frankly what goes up my nose sideways is this statement: "One of those features is the introduction of the Mac App Store, an Apple-controlled storefront for selling and distributing applications"

So allowing Apple to have final say on what I do and don't get to install on my computer is somehow better? This is precisely what will make me jump ship again; I've used them since the mid 80s, jumped ship with system 7.5 ("Error type 11 has just occurred, please kiss your ass goodbye") then came back at around system 10.2, and while I really enjoyed the OS, this idea that somehow putting all my "trust" in Apple's hands, that somehow Mr. Jobs and crew must know what's best for me, that boggles my mind. Again, as noted by others perhaps not in this thread, Apple has become the Big Brother their ads once suggested they broke away from. If, now don't get me wrong I do mean "if", Apple decides that they want to make the app store the singular method to install apps as it is on the iPad and iPod, that'll be the end of it for me. Which is a pity, because it is a rather nice desktop OS.

The worst IT job I ever had was with Jayne Mansfield. You know, she was a fantastic bird, you know ..... big tits, huge bum, and everything like that, but I had the terrible job of retrieving routers from her bum. Bloody hell, that was a task. Well, it was quite a task 'cause she had a big bum ... But I had to, used to go round, you know, of an evening ... when Jayne was sleeping or sort of comatose, like, you know, you know, just lying there, and, er, I had to retrieve these routers from her arsehole.

(and if any of you get that ref, you're a very sick person)

Oh come on. It's not like he created something that *clicks the link* JEEESUS CHRIST!

Well they could tell you, but then they'd have to kill you.

They're tempted to have a big nose and be immensely popular with homosexuals?

/me ducks

Ah, a zealot I see.

First, I have a MBP right here in my lap, less than one year old. If I have the screen at a reasonable brightness for the time of day, am using the intertubes (as I am quite clearly right now), I get perhaps, maybe 2-3 hours at best. And, by the way, MBA and MBP are two decidedly different devices, and ... yes, reading back I talked about the MBP. KTHX.

As noted, I am one of those people who remembers when Apple had, you know, good service. I called Apple because in the past I had called about an iTunes issue and received good service.

"Even if that did really happen".... Pardon, but are you suggesting I'm fabricating? Let me guess, you have a poster of Steve on your wall that you kiss nightly before bed. Apple's "customer service" is in the toilet. Let me put it to you this way: I call Dell, not the greatest of manufacturers, mind you, at 9am on a Monday telling them that a drive has failed on one of my servers, or a keyboard on a laptop, or the power supply on a workstation. By 3pm at the latest, I have a replacement in my hand. My last XServe, when a drive failed in the array I was told I would have to get it serviced by an "authorized technician", and that the drive would have to go back to Apple or I'd pay top dollar for the replacement. I work for a law enforcement agency, giving back the hard drive intact is not an option, even if the drive has failed. That was, of course, the last XServe in our building.

Look, don't get me wrong. I absolutely have loved the Mac OS since 10.2. Time Machine is a thing of beauty. In that time I've had three MBP as my primary workstation and have had several users on them as well due in large part to the security, ease of use and greatly reduced support I've had to provide to those users. That said, when I've had to get parts replaced, it's been comical. 1-2 weeks to wait for a part, a simple part that a lobotomized baboon could replace blindfolded? Come on. That's not service. The only people who give high ranks to Apple customer service are those who are blinded by the rainbow.

Google, Apple, Microsoft. They do all seem interchangeable these days.

I've been using Apple computers since I first got my grubby, sticky little fingers on an Apple ][ yonks ago. It's been a love / hate relationship, and until somewhat recently the "hate" times were more due to issues I had with the computers and OS themselves more than the company. Think IIfx, nubus, Appletalk and "The Error Of Type 11 Has Just Occurred, Please Kiss All Your Stuff Goodbye". During the hate times, I would go to Windows, then back to Mac, then to WinNT, then on to Linux (so I suppose I should in some ways thank Microsoft). I came BACK to Apple / Mac with Mac OS 10.2, and found I really enjoyed it, so I've stayed with it most of the time until recently with two big issues:

- Apple deciding to make the new MacBook Pro so that you need to be Apple Certified in order to change the damned battery. That's just evil and stupid IMO. I can take one of the things apart in my sleep and put it back together before I'd had my coffee, but I need to get certification just to replace the BATTERY? Or hard drive? I can't even ORDER the battery to keep on hand?! "Oh but the battery lasts for 7 hours!" Horse pats. It lasts for perhaps 2, at best, when brand new, and you'll only see anything even remotely resembling 7 hours if you are ONLY working on a text document and have disabled AirPort and half the other features of the computer. Apple simply wants control, as usual, of all aspects of its computers and wants you to shell out the dosh needed to work on them.

- I had a simple issue with one of my users and his iTunes accounts. After going through what I thought was all of Apple's knowledge base on iTunes, I called with my question and got a person relatively quickly. I explained what I was trying to do, and then that I'd already been through the tech articles. The Apple service rep asks me to go to their support site, to which I tell him I'm already there. He ignores what I'm saying and starts to read off the URL. I say "Yeah yeah, /support/itunes, I'm there already and ..." he interrupts me and tells me to click here, click there, and directs me to a web submission form. Then, he proceeds to tell me to put my first name into the field for the first name, my last name into the field that says last name, and then explain to me how to fill in all the fields and then "See the big button that looks like an envelope? Click that to send the message." All the while, his tone is that of one trying to explain to your dottering old intoxicated uncle that in fact you really shouldn't put your Metamucil in your trousers. I was stunned to silence. 20+ years of customer service work, both as manager and agent, and I'd NEVER talked to someone that way. While managing customer service, and even helpdesk, if I'd heard one of my employees speaking to even the most vapid of customers that way, I'd have sacked 'em. I was fucking livid. I thanked him, told him this was the LAST Apple product we'd have in my office, and essentially that he'd provided the worst customer service experience I've ever had to deal with, and I'd dealt regularly with Intuit and Adobe so that's saying something.

Yes yes, TL;DR The upshot is I'm sick of them. Rude, contemptuous of their own customers to a staggering degree now. Used to be I could call Apple with an issue and my Mac had free tech support for as long as the machine ran. Getting service for hardware, while slow and you certainly had to have an Apple certified person work on it, things were done at quicker than a glacial pace and something as simple as a laptop battery replacement were things you could do yourself. Add to that what I've seen when getting my hands on the next gen of the OS, and no thank you. Back to Linux desktop for myself, and Windows for all my users.