If you're running the apps full screen/maximized, which is usually the most useful mode, then all it takes is a swipe or two across the trackpad to switch virtual desktops, or control-Left/Right.

I realize that's not the answer you wanted, but again, 80% of the time you will be using apps maximized, and 80% of the time you will only be switching between two of them, and 80% of the time you will only have one window from each app open.

I'm not saying it's perfect by any means. Yes, it could do a better job with cues on how to use it efficiently or guard-rails for common confusing workflows. And it's very confusing coming from Windows or Linux. But I've come to like it, particularly with the added gestures in Lion.

I think Apple does a pretty good job of following 80/20. Cater to 80 percent of use cases, make them big, easy, and pretty, and then tuck the 20% away. It's a design philosophy. I cannot recall a workflow removing the animation would have made it quicker.

Now, it's interesting that you bring up this video game thing, because Assassin's Creed series keeps making me watch animations and I can't turn them off. Over 1 second to bring up the damn map! That's a waste of time... while I'm wasting time playing games.

Last I heard, Chrome doesn't support HTTPS Everywhere because it doesn't have the plugin hooks to do it. That's the main reason I stuck with Firefox. https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere

Ah, the Internet. Raising the quality of life for everyone.

Precisely why I have a computer for each purpose. I mean, this goes both ways - music software and audio drivers can be a nightmare with regards to DRM and instability.

If my recording PC gets fubar'd, I can just format, reinstall, and use my network backups... same with the gaming PC. It's sad, but that's the way it has to be until virtualization is fast enough to run these things. Workstation PC is Linux, which just doesn't get screwed up on the same level as Windows does.

That and some countries have censorship laws that require game modifications... or the games are banned completely.

Steam is not nearly as annoying as iTunes, because there's no magic dance I need to do to transfer purchases from one device to another... but that's another story.

Steam makes me buy more PC games than I could ever play, because it's all right there at my fingertips with enticing sales and instant gratification. Personally, I've bought every Assassin's Creed game on Steam as well, despite having played one or two on Xbox. Voting with my dollars... I support the series, I support Steam, and I support Ubisoft's support of the PC platform. Yes, you can all thank me for throwing dollars at Ubisoft to make PC somewhat profitable for them.

Honestly, I'm probably one of the few that doesn't care about "crappy console ports". That's what my HTPC is - an Xbox 360 that can run games at 1080p/60fps.

Solid state drives have driven up the price of hard disk space again, and driven down the capacity. Additionally, a lot of people have the extra processing power/ram to spare and may even come out ahead on performance with compression on.

How much have we gained!? Notice how much he talks about "working" when he has time aka "furiously posting on forums and writing emails".

I can't believe I read that overly verbose nonsense. He writes about people wasting his time with formalities, but his rider is a waste of time with all that verbiage.

This. This is why we can't have nice things.

Those purposes are already legal? Well, then my health insurance is already breaking the law.

Ignoring the oxygen deprivation, I'm not sure anyone riding that coaster would be the same again, anyway.

Tech companies are just giving consumers what we want - less complexity. Perhaps our government is, as well. Scary.

Your post is very informative. I think I see an obvious solution from what you've posted.

Let's use the ground as a battery and then geothermal to recapture it!

Let's make our own "ring of fire"!!!! It worked for Johnny Cash.

I believe WebOS had sufficient Android compatibility, at least on the tablet. I think this is a smart move for HTC - they can finally differentiate themselves and control their own destiny. For a while during the Windows Mobile/early iPhone era, they were kind of screwed.