I've bought a couple of apps that were well reviewed but that turned out not to be for me. Big deal; uninstall within 24 hours for a full refund.

You won't be scoffing when the world floods and Kevin Costner finds out that you have that precious, precious paper and steals it. But you'll still have that iPad!

The real problem that I have with it is that they actively block alternative means of installing applications, making their store an all-on-nothing affair. You either use the apps that Apple tells you that you should be using or you don't use them. If I have to utilize a technical solution to fix a policy problem then the product is inherently flawed. If I feel like using Flash to slow my device to a crawl and kill my battery (which I can speak to being bullshit arguments firsthand having used Flash on my Droid for a while now) then I'm going to kick my device's ass playing Flash games. THAT'S magical.

That said, Android has the opposite issue with the uncontrolled state of the Market actively dissuading developers and users, but given the choice I'll go with openness without question. I would prefer that Google put more restrictions on the official Market in order to provide more incentive to developers and users to adopt Android while still allowing alternative software repositories to exist. If someone wants to release an Android application that either violates Market terms, such as a hardcore pornography app, or that only runs in unsupported configurations, like rooted devices, then they are still perfectly capable of doing so and it really isn't a big deal for people to install those apps.

Very much so. Some people prefer one or the other. I like the regular keyboard better, especially since neither of those line-based keyboards have a voice button and I use that all of the time.

Nah, plenty are open: http://android.git.kernel.org/. Dunno about Market, though.

Not sure what source you want for the functionality of an application that is provided with nearly all Android devices. I guess www.android.com might work. Unless you were referring to apps to install the .apk files without using the Market, in which case Astro File Manager is awesome for all sorts of file types, including .apk files, although it may require root access to use. There are also standalone .apk installers that are available that work without needing root access.

Apple seems to be doing alright splitting their attention between Mac OS X and iPhone OS, although I did see gripes from some of their customers after their last developer conference regarding Mac OS X being treated as an afterthought. Yet the next Mac or i will likely still presell hundred of thousands of units sight-unseen.

Damn straight. Intel is a company that has always served multiple niches. Just as some people prefer Symbian, iPhoneOS, and Windows Mobiles, others will choose from Android and Meego. Smart move on their part to leave the all-in on a single platform strategy to other companies.

Wouldn't that be "nearly normal?"

Ah yes, the "Psychic Detection of How Much of an Ignorant Dumbass the Other Person Is Clause." Almost worthy of a semester of study by itself.

If I decide to start broadcasting information to the neighborhood via my shirt that is going to cause me to lose my shit and start threatening lawsuits because my shirt button wasn't properly secured then Granny is free to fire away.

I suppose that could be one criteria used to decide when to throw someone in a cage.

Well Google won't be laughing when they're not getting laid because of this, now will they?!?

How is it reasonable? I've known some of the dumbest of dumbasses who still know enough about the difference between secured and unsecured wi-fi access points to mooch off of the open ones. Seems more reasonable to me to expect that if you leave your connection open that people are going to jump on in.

To cope with the ceaseless realization that some day, no matter how hard you try to avoid it, you will die. Most people simply cannot cope with living every minute of their lives knowing that their very existence will end. Religion provides a hope that oblivion isn't inevitable. Of course, such a powerful psychological coping mechanism is ripe for use as a means of control, which is why the idea is reinforced in nearly every religion that the less that you accept the precepts on faith (passed down from the select few at the top, of course), the less chance that you have of avoiding the horrible fate that forms the basis of the desire to believe in the first place.

I wholeheartedly understand and sympathize with the religious. I just wish they'd keep it to themselves as I'd much prefer to spend the few precious years that I do have in a rational world.