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MacOSX and “natural” mouse scrolling

May 9th, 2012
by Administrator.
2 comments

When I first starting using Mac OSX, as with most people, I’ve found, the “natural” mouse movement was a bit jarring. I was tempted to turn it off but I thought to myself, “self, the Mac OSX developers went out of their way to put this here. They disrupted lots of people by making it the default. There must be a reason for it.” So I decided to leave it on.

After a few weeks of use, I can see why: it just makes more sense. Scrolling in a way that is more “reality like” makes the whole process that much more intuitive. If you have a touchscreen smartphone or tablet (which all work this way since it would be silly to have any other action with a touchscreen device) you’ll appreciate it even more.

However, all of that being said, I’m turning it off. Why? I work in a environment where I am using multiple operating systems each day. I can’t afford to buy only Mac OSX. And even if I could, there are things that a Mac just can’t do, thanks to hardware limitations, mostly. On top of that, I often use other people’s computers and I certainly can’t make them choose Mac OSX just because I did. Jumping from one method of scrolling to another and back again in rapid succession becomes tedious. It’s hard enough dealing with “Control” vs “Command” for common keyboard short cuts like Copy and Paste. But the “natural” scrolling just takes too much time to get used to over and over again.

Some day, I imagine, all Operating Systems will feature a “natural” scrolling option. And then jumping to that method might make more sense. But, until then, I’ll have to stick with the usual. Sometimes, following the herd is where it’s at.

However, if you’re in a Mac only environment and you aren’t using “natural” scrolling, I urge you to try it. Give it a week and see what you think when it’s over.

Mac OSX Lion vs Windows 7 vs Ubuntu 11.10

Apr 20th, 2012
by Jim Reverend.
3 comments

First, a little bit of history: Long, long ago, when talks of climate change were in their infancy, 1GB of RAM was something geeks drooled over, and anything even related to blue tooth would have had you running to your doctor, I was a Linux user. Before that, before Windows 3.1 even, I used whatever interface I could get my hands on. But, when there finally became a choice to make, Linux was my choice.

About 7 years ago, due to lack of decent photo editing software, I switched to Windows: Windows 95, to be exact. Then Windows XP, then Windows Vista, and now, finally, Windows 7. It’s been a fun ride. I’ve complained all the way, of course, but jealousy over another operating system due to lack of software in my own simply never came up.

Fast forward to today. Most of my friends use a Mac. And when it comes to developers, graphic designers, writers, comic artists, and other creative types, basically ALL of my friends use a Mac. So I decided to try it. Mac OSX Lion, to be exact. I’m actually surprised it’s taken me this long to make “the switch”. What I’m not surprised about is the number of complaints I have.

I have so many complaints, in fact, that it made me curious, once again, about the state of Linux (in this case, specifically, Ubuntu 11.04) on the Desktop. So, what follows is a comparison of the three from the eyes of a geek, nerd, father, web application developer, photographer, hippie. Your opinion will, no doubt, vary, and that’s good. That’s how it should be.

There are several aspects to a specific platform. One of those is the Operating System itself: how core features like windowing, launching applications, and customization work. Secondly, there is the hardware itself, the features it provides, and the way those features are implemented. And finally, there is the software that allows the use and expansion of a platform.

Let me start with a quick synopsis of each platform. For Mac OSX Lion, the hardware is included. In this case, it’s a 2012 Model, Mac Book Pro w/ 15″ screen, 4 GB RAM, Intel 2.2 Ghz i5 processor. In the case of Windows 7 and Ubuntu 11.10, it’s an AMD X6 2.8Ghz 6 core processor, and 12 GB of RAM displayed in a 23″ LCD monitor. Totally different specs, but, due to the nature of the Mac platform, I was unable to test the Mac setup on anything other than Mac hardware. It should also be known that, as far as price goes, the Ubuntu/Windows machine was $950 (less for Ubuntu since the included copy of Windows 7 wouldn’t be required). The Mac Book Pro was $1800. So, almost double the price.

The first thing I noticed about Mac OSX is that, contrary to the claims of most of my friends, things do not “just work”. Despite at least 10 different Operating Systems and at least 5 different Windowing systems, Mac OSX left me confused. And despite being a fully recognized operating system, there are software gaps. The depth and breadth of what you see on the Windows platform is simply not there. And in many cases when it is there, it’s because someone has made a Linux application work on Mac OSX, which means that that application doesn’t fit the feel of Mac OSX and leaves the platform feeling disconnected and even more confusing. Finally, even some of the Apple provided applications don’t work in ways you would expect, even after you’ve gotten a feel for the OS.

Ubuntu still has the same problems it did 7 years ago. It looks nicer than it did, has more features than it used to, and is overall a fantastic system. But, just like before, it lacks the polish and cohesive nature of a more mature, more developed operating system. On top of that, while there are certainly more applications available, there still isn’t the depth and breadth that the Windows community enjoys. Installation is still problematic, and lesser used features simply don’t work.

Windows is windows. Some advancements have been made in the UI, many of which are quite nice and very welcome. However, the underlying architecture remains mostly the same. This means that installation and basic setup is painless. However, as soon as any additional applications are involved, the end result is an unknown depending on how that software uses the platform. Most applications fit the UI feel of Windows, but many do not. The UI does not feel as polished as Mac OSX and, in some cases, even Ubuntu wins out in this department. Extending the operating system beyond the original designs is almost impossible and most software that tries to do so fails miserably.

So now, on to specifics.

 

Mac OSX Lion

Mac OSX was breathtaking upon start up. The UI, though different than what I’m used to, feels polished and welcoming. Fonts are consistent. Button placement is obvious. Setup is incredibly simple. I’d feel comfortable handing a Mac to my Mom and expecting that, with a few pieces of information jotted down on a scrap of paper, she’d be able to set it up. Mac really wins in this department. Windows is complicated. There are basic things that need to be done on a new computer that Windows does not make obvious. Things like wireless setup, locating software to perform tasks, and creating a secure user account. Even Ubuntu (aside from actual installation which I did not have to do with Mac OS X) does a better job of this than Windows does. In fact, in many aspects, Ubuntu gets very close to the Mac OSX feel during initial use.

Mac OSX, however, started to get confusing the first time I tried to install software. Installing via the App Store is easy and Apple approved. You click, it installs, and then it pops up a window showing you where your application is and making it easy to get to. So as long as what you want is in the App Store, the Mac is a breeze. Unfortunately, as I said before, Mac suffers from a lack of depth and breadth in the application arena. And, if you are limited to only the App Store, it suffers even more so. So, inevitably, installing software outside of the App Store is bound to happen. And this is also where things get complicated. Some packages come as “.dmg” which the Mac opens and looks at as a separate hard drive. Many of these “.dmg”s offer a window that shows the icon for the new app, and an icon for your applications directory. It isn’t always obvious that the install happens when you drag one icon on to the other. However, I eventually figured that out and felt like I had a handle on things. Then I installed another piece of software. This one worked differently. This one decided to use a “Finder” window to display the contents of the “.dmg”. When one application creates a new Finder window, the Mac doesn’t make this obvious. So you’re left wondering if it even worked and clicking on things and trying to figure what to do next until you finally click on the “Finder” icon to go look for it and realize that it’s made a new window that needs your attention. The same thing happens if the application you’re downloading uses a “.zip” file for distribution. Once you get past this hurdle and remember to check Finder if things don’t work the way you expect, application installation gets pretty simple.

A friend gave me a developer release of Mac OSX Mountain Lion. So I thought I’d try it. I had no idea that I needed a developer license in order to do this “legally”. So I tried it. It was broken. And that’s okay. It’s beta. That’s what betas are for. So I decided I wanted to go back. And that’s when I met the Mac User Community. These people are, largely, a bunch of jerks. Their response to other people asking similar questions to mine — “How do I get back to Lion” — was simply “you shouldn’t have installed it in the first place!” or “you made a backup didn’t you?” or “I can’t tell you unless you’re an Apple developer, and if you were an Apple developer you’d already know this.” This elitist and unwelcoming response doesn’t give you the same warm, fuzzy feeling that you get from most of the Windows and Ubuntu communities where people are looking to help one another.

When attempting to have multiple users logged in at once, I encountered another strange error. Portions of windows from one logged in account intermittently appeared in blotches on the screen of the other logged in account. This would be terrible if the account in the background had received a sensitive email or had other sensitive materials on the screen. Eventually, after this event, the system got so confused that I had to hold down the power button and just reboot.

The Mac hardware is stellar. The trackpad is big and easy to use. And the integration of that hardware with the software is outstanding. Scrolling, pointing, clicking all make perfect sense. Two finger scrolling on Windows is cumbersome, and only slightly less so on Ubuntu. But on the Mac, it’s just easy. The keyboard feels nice, the card reader does things that make sense, the power adapter is the easiest I’ve ever seen. It’s obvious why Apple chooses to pair Hardware and Software together as a cohesive platform, because the attention to detail in this area is simply fantastic.

I have only two complaints about hardware when it comes to Mac. The first, is that it simply costs too much. The price tag is off putting to most people who see systems with better specs sitting next to it for half the price. The second complaint is that Mac doesn’t offer anything for the truly POWER user. So if I need an application that will run fast, with lots of Ram and lots of processor power, Mac is simply not an option for that software because they don’t have the hardware to go with it. If I could get my hands on a 48 core processor with 256 GB of RAM, as long as it was made in a supported way, I could run Ubuntu or Windows on it. And since the hardware is more expensive on the Mac side of things, when it comes to sheer processing power, you’re always going to get more with Windows and even more with Ubuntu due to the seriously decreased overhead of the platform.

While I understand Mac’s desire to pair hardware and software, they are limiting themselves and their user base. If expanding their base of possible users is what they want, they need to come up with a hardware approval program that dictates the bare minimums. And they need to allow the Operating System to be installed on machines that meet or beat that criteria. I don’t even care what the criteria is, as long as their own hardware can pass the tests. But, if I can piece together hardware that meets or exceeds all the technical requirements (even if it includes things like an ambient light sensor, or a backlit keyboard) then the OS needs to be buyable and installable. This will allow the Mac platform to be used in cases where it would be a very good fit today if only Apple would allow it.

 

Ubuntu 11.10

The Ubuntu installation is terrible. I installed it on two different machines, actually. The first failed at the end of the install telling me it couldn’t install the MBR. Without any kind of explanation or system knowledge, there’s no way a “regular guy” would know what to do at that point. I’m not a regular guy. So I answer the question and, even then, I got it not-quite-right and had to fix something manually after reboot. Most people aren’t going to know how to do this and I don’t believe they should be expected to. On my second install, I tried to install Ubuntu alongside Windows. The install, again, failed, by selecting a portable USB drive as the installation point and then trying to put the MBR on that disk, which would have never been seen at boot up. Thankfully, I know what I’m doing and fixed the issue. My mom could not have installed Ubuntu.

Once installed, however, Ubuntu was easy. The UI is beautiful and friendly. It’s easy to find things. Easier, even, than Mac OSX. Customization is obvious and simple. I was quite pleased at how quickly I could get a basic system up and I was very comfortable handing this foreign interface to my girlfriend who had no trouble visiting websites and performing other basic tasks.

Once the surface was scratched, though, Ubuntu’s not-quite-stable nature showed it’s head. I was trying to connect to a shared drive on my network. A drive that Mac OSX and Windows 7 had no trouble connecting to (not to mention my XBOX 360, Android Phone, and Google TV). But Ubuntu simply couldn’t connect to it. It gave error messages that didn’t make sense. I understand more than most, and I was able to dig deeper and make it happen, but I would say that most people without extensive platform knowledge wouldn’t have been able to make it happen.

At another point, when I was performing an upgrade that the system popped up to recommend, the progress bar had stalled. Despite my clicks and attempts, it wasn’t moving. So I closed the window. This left the machine in a state where te keyboard did not work upon reboot and the system was absolutely unusable. Again, my prior knowledge came in handy as I booted into recovery mode, manually fixed the problem, and then rebooted. This is not something my Mom could have handled.

Ubuntu also offered me a choice in regard to display drivers. While the geek in me appreciates the choice, most users just want whatever works best (which was not the default). If this is an option Ubuntu wants to continue offering, then they need to make it more hidden and less obvious. In this way, a serious tinkerer will find it and make their choice, but the average user doesn’t need nor want to be bothered with this sort of thing.

 

Windows 7

Windows is just windows. The platform is powerless. Even the Mac (with severely less capability in the hardware department) felt faster at most tasks. And Ubuntu absolutely blew it out of the water. The system is bloated. The UI is complicated. And factory installed additions to the OS make it even less cohesive and more complicated. Once an installation has been cleaned up, it’s easy enough to use. But that is, in part, because people are just used to the way it works. Handing Windows to my Mom would result in some success, but also a lot of questions. She would get a lot further on her own with Mac OSX. And, assuming she didn’t bump into any of the absolutely broken thing in Ubuntu, she’d even get a lot further there. If Windows wants to continue to compete in this arena they are going to need a backend overhaul and some serious redesign in the UI.

Applications in Windows are second to none. If there is something I want my computer to do, no matter how obscure or niche, I stand the greatest chance of being able to do it on Windows. If I have some strange piece of hardware I want to use, it’ll probably work in Windows. That can’t be said for Mac OSX or Ubuntu. These platforms both need more hardware support and more Application Development. There’s really no such thing as TOO MUCH when it comes to these things, but there certainly is such a thing as NOT ENOUGH.

Most advanced tasks are made even more difficult by Window’s UI. With Ubuntu and Mac OSX, if the UI doesn’t support it, there is still a way to dig into the guts of the OS, tap into a huge user community, and make it happen any way. With Windows, if the UI doesn’t support it, in most cases, it can’t be done. And the things the UI supports are not always obvious. Bluetooth is a joke. Dealing with disk storage and intelligent file placement is a joke. The registry continues to be a nightmare and it’s only been augmented in recent years by a series of hidden directories that make it almost impossible to figure out what’s making a certain thing happen. Mac OSX handles this beautifully. Applications, Configuration, and supporting files are all well contained, easily found, and fully tinkerable, if you dare. Ubuntu is less-good, but still, completely manageable, especially considering the large, very helpful user community. In Windows, it feels like most things are hinged on a wink and a prayer.

 

Conclusion

If you can afford to pay double the price for the hardware, and are willing to pay double the price for some of the accessories you might need, and you don’t have a need for huge computing resources or very specific application requirements, Mac OSX is the way to go. It’s easy to use for those who just want to get something done. And the system underpinnings are well designed and advanced enough that someone with knowledge and skill in the platform can make almost anything happen.

If you can’t (or don’t want to) afford the price tag, have high computing resource needs, Ubuntu might be right for you. However, you’ll also need to be very knowledgable about the system in order to get some fairly common tasks done because things tend to break. You’ll also need  to be capable of doing research ahead of time for hardware and software to make sure Ubuntu suits you.

If you have need for high computing power, have specific hardware needs that are un met by the above options, or are unwilling to pay the Mac Tax and don’t have the technical skills to manage Ubuntu, then Windows is your only choice. It’s not a terrible choice, and I’m sure that, with an occasional call to a more technical friend, most people will be able to manage with Windows. Because of these things, I can’t see the population, en masse, to choose anything other than Windows.

If Apple is interested in making Mac OSX something for EVERYONE, then at a bare minium they will need to lower the price. An easy way to do this and appease power users and tinkerers is to implement an “approved hardware” system. This will let commodity hardware manufacturers design inexpensive systems that will run Mac OSX. Apple can maintain their current hardware line and those that have come to love Mac and pay the Mac Tax believe they are getting what they pay for and they will continue to do so. Users who need more power than a Mac Mini can buy an “off brand” system with Mac OSX installed knowing that they aren’t getting the very best in hardware, but that the hardware they do have is approved to work fully with Mac OSX. And the power users that need 8 cores and 24 GB of RAM can find or build a system that suits their needs. With this in place, the depth and breadth of application support Windows users enjoy will begin to be shared on the Mac Platform.

If Ubuntu is interested in making it something for everyone, they will need, more than anything else, to work out the kinks. The UI is beautiful. But if the processes the UI is built upon don’t work reliably in almost every case, then the UI is worthless because an expert is going to be required to sort out the mess any way. Once these bits are cleaned up and made “mom proof”, then Ubuntu needs to do more to pair itself with hardware manufacturers in order to enable more people to buy preinstalled Ubuntu systems so that the installation procedure because unimportant to the average user.

If Windows is interested in keeping the something for everyone that they’ve already made, they need to overhaul the underlying system. Even if that means throwing everything away and starting over (as Apple did with Mac OSX) then that’s the route they need to take. And while recent UI improvements are outstanding and very welcome, there’s a long way to go to making a system that’s as easy to use as Mac OSX or Ubuntu.

For me, in my home, I’m sold on Mac. I love the platform and, as situations arise where new machines are needed, I’ll be buying Mac whenever my wallet can handle the blow. However, I’m not about to throw away the well-made, fully-functional systems I already have. And since Apple refuses to let me use those systems with their OS even though they are more than capable, Ubuntu is the best choice for me because I’m capable of fixing something if it breaks. If I weren’t then Windows would be my only choice.

I want CLICKLESS, paperless billing!

Jun 21st, 2011
by Jim Reverend.
No comments yet

I love paperless billing. Companies push it as a green initiative. Some even go so far as to charge to continue paper billing. And it is green. But companies are more concerned with the money “green” that it brings and not so much the “eco” green. But, regardless of why they are doing it, I’m a fan.

I like saving the planet. I prefer email to snail mail. The only way it could be any better is if I could force EVERYONE to send me email so I’d never have to check my postal mailbox again.

But, there is one part about the paper bill that I miss. When I get a paper bill, I open it and everything I need to know is right there in front of me. I don’t need to look up passwords or account numbers or payment amounts. I open the bill, I pay the bill, I throw the bill away. It’s that simple.

With paperless billing, it’s hit or miss. Some companies provide all of the information on the paper bill in the emailed bill. I love these companies, but they are few and far between. Chase is the worst of all. First, they provide NO information about anything other than the last 4 digits of the account number that the bill is for. Secondly, their online site will not show you  your account number and they won’t give it to you on the phone. So you have to either go into a branch office or turn paper billing back on.

I’d like three options when it comes to billing (well, really, I only want one, but, I offer the other two for people who like complicated lives): 1. Paper Billing; 2. Paperless billing requiring a click and a login; 3. Clickless, Paperless billing with all the information from the paper bill present in it. If my email account isn’t secure, that’s my own problem. It’s not like the postal service is at all secure.

New Server

Jun 14th, 2011
by Jim Reverend.
No comments yet

I’ve lost track in regard to how many homes this website has had in however many numbers of years it’s been online (another statistic I’ve lost track of).

Regardless, here it is, with yet a new home. If you have any trouble with the site, let me know, please.

Buzz: The New Kid in Town

Mar 26th, 2010
by Jim Reverend.
No comments yet

Less than a month ago, Google unleashed a new creature into the wild: Google Buzz. In an already crowded room full of social media giants, why would Google even bother? In part, because they are Google. Webmail already existed before google released gMail, and yet gMail has certainly taken its share. But also because Buzz is just unique enough to stand on its own.

Buzz is like Twitter in that it’s easy to use and by default open and public. It’s like Facebook in that you can share more than just a status update. It’s like Tumblr in that each of the different types of things you can share is formatted in a way best suited to it. It’s like Loopt in that you can publish your location as well.

It’s different than all of these in that it does these things in a way that is easy to understand, integrated with the gMail experience, very mobile capable, and built using a hybrid of open standards as up and coming protocols to tape it all together.

Will it let you do something that you couldn’t already do? Not exactly. Just like  gMail, it’s about making an existing experience better, not about making something altogether new. But, I’d argue that, even at one month old, it does a lot of things better already. Of course, it has some room for improvement too.

To understand what is better about it, you really have to try it. But it can be compared and contrasted with other services.

Take Twitter, for example. When it comes to making a status update, typing text into a box is typing text into a box. There’s no “better” or “worse” about it unless it can read our minds. Google hasn’t announced that feature, yet. However, Twitter was built around the age of the the text message, SMS. And while SMS is still widely used and isn’t going away anytime soon, smart and capable platforms (like iPhone, Android, and others) make SMS seem archaic in comparison. The 140 character limit of a Twitter status update is an example of this. As a PRO, Buzz has no such limitation. As a CON, however, Buzz is not capable of being delivered to your mobile handset by SMS.

The use off Twitter has sort of evolved though. It’s initial use case — a sort of global, opt in, mobile connected chat room — is no longer all it is used for. While it’s usage patterns have evolved, the service really hasn’t. People now include links, and hash tags with many of their Twitter updates. Even with URL shorteners getting shorter and shorter, a link takes up about 19 characters. Include a space separator, 5 characters for a hashtag, plus the hash and a separating space, and you’ve used up 27 characters leaving you only 113 to write commentary. This means that Twitter is being used less and less for new content and more and more for passing around content written somewhere else.

With its lack of character limitation, Buzz is better suited for sharing links and various media with commentary. Even without commentary, Buzz does a better job simply because, in Twitter, a link is still just a link. In Buzz, smart display features kick in to highlight photos, embed movies, and play audio.

Tumblr is an interesting service in that they were one of the first to realize that due to trending usage patterns, Twitter was, literally, dying for feature enhancements. They took the idea behind Twitter, stripped it of its SMS roots, and added new display features for the most commonly shared media types. They gave users the ability to embed and customize, tacked on comments and group blogs, and added features to allow for sharing and searching amongst one another. What was born was a beautiful, feature rich platform for sharing both thoughts and links to interesting things.

Tumblr pretty much stopped right there, but maybe that’s enough. As an engine for publishing short form thoughts and links, in a manner that allows you to express your own personality in look and feel, it is one of the best. Buzz doesn’t come close to the customization and embedding features Tumblr provides. And though Tumblr only allows two protocols for integration with other services, they are the most commonly used protocols: RSS and ATOM.

Since Tumblr, other services have come out with a slight twist on the feature set. The most notable of these is Posterous. While it lacks some of Tumblr’s customization and rebroadcasting features, it adds additional points of outgoing integration– Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr, to name a few. However, it doesn’t allow for any incoming service integration at all. And it’s preferred method of interaction is plain ole email. This means that there probably won’t be “an app for that” and you probably don’t need one.

Buzz’s greatest competition is Facebook. Compared with this social networking giant, the biggest differences are lock-in and open standards. Buzz relies, as often as possible, on open standards. This means that, as long as the site you wish to connect it to is using open standards, there is little to no learning curve or development required to get the two to integrate. Facebook, on the other hand, requires an application to be developed for it specifically suited to that integration task. The difference is subtle and, because of this, I’d argue that, right now, Buzz is closest to Facebook in it’s realized feature set.

Buzz has the strong, technical upper hand between the two in that it is more open and encourages interoperability. In fact, someone else could, tomorrow, invent a Buzz-alike service and, right out of the box, it would play nice with Buzz allowing content to flow back and forth between the two with little to no effort. Also, being integrated with gMail, Buzz has the potential of competing with Facebook’s user base. However, users, in the end, don’t care about this. What they care about is the answer to this question: who and what can I connect with RIGHT NOW? And, at least RIGHT NOW, between the two, Facebook wins.

But know this: Buzz is a force to be reckoned with. It doesn’t have everything right on the first pass. Not by a long shot. But if it continues to maintain technical superiority over Facebook, while adding new features implemented elsewhere (like Tumblr and Posterous and Twitter) and not currently present ion Facebook while maintaining its influx of users, it won’t be long before the two are neck and neck in who and what can be connected to. And at that point, Buzz might just take the lead.

To get a feel for some of these services, check me out there.

twitter: revjim (status updates)
twitter: revjimweb (automated updates from all my various blogs)
facebook: Facebook
tumblr: revjim
posterous: Now, Daniel! (status updates)
posterous: Life of Daniel (a log of interesting communication)
Google Profile
Google Buzz (all of my sites fed in along with some original content)

Digital Book Reading

Nov 12th, 2009
by Jim Reverend.
No comments yet

In my mind there was simply no way to take the paper out of book reading. Something about dog earing and page turning and the dryness of each page between my fingers was just too much a part of the experience to give up. Then, at one point this week I found myself without a book to read. Then I remembered the Amazon Kindle. This device is a digital book reader — that it, it allows you to read electronic books on an electronic screen. More specifically, I remembered there being a version of Amazon's Kindle (iKindle) available for the iPod Touch. So I decided to give it a try. Within minutes I was reading "by Reason of Insanity" in all of it's digital glory. So, how did it go?

Well, first of all, it was a poor book choice. I picked it, admittedly, because it was the first option that seemed somewhat appealing of the free books available from Amazon. It turns out — surprise — I'm not really a fan of the "legal thriller". Nor am I fan of Randy Singer's writing style, obvious plot points, and contrived yet flat characters. That being said, the book is not terrible. Just not great either.

But that's not what matters. What matters is that reading a book in this digital manner was, believe it not, quite enjoyable. Within 20 (very small) pages (though I have no idea how many pages that equates to in the real book) I was used to the format and the medium itself became transparent.

I loved the idea that my book was stored inside a device I was already carrying with me. I didn't have to remember to lug around a book (or two or three) and it was almost impossible that I would forget it in a doctor's office or airplane seat back as I've done many times before. It remembers where I left off, allows me to bookmark pages and highlight passages, and the books download wirelessly so I can order now and read it now, even if I don't have a computer handy.

I can't imagine purchasing the actual "Kindle" device, though. $260 is not a terrible price point considering that it comes with free 3G wireless access. It does have some features above and beyond the iPhone/Touch app: The screen is bigger, for starters. And it's been created specifically for reading text. So the contrast is appropriate for reading and you can see it direct sunlight. Additionally, it has some crazy battery life, so you never have to worry about going without. But, at the same time, bigger means more to carry and, despite being engineered for the task, carrying fewer things is one of the points of going digital when it comes to reading. Then again, I've only read a quarter of one book in this manner. And I've never actually touched a Kindle. Maybe with time and some hands on experience, I'd change my mind. 

On the down side, books have always had a secondary purpose for me. Despite reading being a very introverted activity, the book itself became a social thing. Every book on my shelf was a conversation piece. I have always been a BIG fan of GIVING books to people after I've read them instead of loaning them out. Not having the books on my shelf, in my bag, or on my coffee table eliminates that possibility. Additionally, with Kindle, loaning a book is not an option. I'd have to loan you my iPod Touch or Kindle device to make that happen at which point, you'd have ALL of my books, among other things.

Barnes and Noble has recently announced the "Nook". A Kindle rival, this device promises to have all the features the kindle has, plus a secondary color screen and the ability to loan out books. Additionally, just like iKindle, Barnes and Noble has the eReader application available for iPhone/Touch. As soon as I finish reading my most recent purchase, The Stolen Child by Keith Donahue, I'll give B&N's eReader a spin. The book pricing is roughly the same, and B&N is claiming 1,000,000 titles to Amazon's 360,000. Sadly, neither of them seem to offer Suzanne Collin's new book, Catching Fire. 

So, in conclusion, if you're an avid book reader like I am, Amazon's Kindle, iKindle for your iPhone/Touch, B&Ns Nook, or the eReader app may be just what you're looking for to simplify your life, make yourself more portable, and provide more reading material at your fingertips. And, when you've forgotten your book, it certainly beats picking something off the shelf at the drug store and hoping for the best. In fact, that was how I ended up starting the first book I ever gave up on.

So what are you reading?

Posted via email from revjim’s posterous

Camping Sucks

Oct 24th, 2009
by Jim Reverend.
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Okay, camping doesn't suck. But I'm sure you'd like to know why, even though I went camping last night, I'm waking up in my bed this morning. Here goes.

First, despite having them on three different lists, I forgot diapers again. Not a huge deal. I had enough to make it until morning, but still.

Secondly, Celeste through a huge fit when I tried to put her down. And I didn't handle it very well. She eventually went to sleep with a smile on her face asking for more "brown bear brown bear book", but still. I think she may have been frightened by the tunnel nature of the tent. A larger one is probably a good idea.

Third, because I was so busy trying to get her to sleep I didn't straighten myself out until it was cold, dark, and quiet. So, in between tossing and turning, I was doing it as quietly as possible so as not to wake Celeste or my campmates.

Fourth, I forgot to bring a sleeping pad or air mattress. Not a big deal either, in the summer. The people we camped with lent us an extra, but it didn't work with only one because there wasn't enough room for Celeste and I. Sleeping pads serve a secondary function: they insulate you from warmth sapping ground.

Fifth, without a sleeping pad my -10F rated sleeping bag wasn't cutting it. It was beyond cold. I kept checking Celeste to make sure she was okay, and she was. But between the worry and the cold itself, it was hard to sleep.

Sixth, I finally got up and put on two long sleeve shirts and a jacket. My legs would still be cold but at least I could probably sleep that way.

Seventh, when I got back in my sleeping bag, the zipper broke. Mummy bags do not work without a zipper. I ended up exposed to either the cold ground or the cold air.

Eighth, at 1am I decided that if I didn't get some sleep I was going to be horribly grumpy all day and that wouldn't be good for Celeste or I… so we left.

Lessons learned:
1. Get a bigger tent. Not huge, just bigger.

2. Mummy bags suck and have a single point of failure. When possible, bring blankets.

3. Always bring a sleeping pad, cot, or air mattress. At the very least, bring extra blankets or find a pile of leaves and pine needles to put under the tent.

4. Never trust equipment you haven't used several times. Bring a backup plan.

5. Never trust the packaging any product is in.

6. Never go camping with a toddler and only 45 minutes of both planning and packing… unless you're camping nearby and can go home if needed. :)

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a little walk in a long wood

Oct 13th, 2009
by Jim Reverend.
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All the rain up here is really weighing heavy on my plans to spend time outdoors. I didn’t really figure out much to do inside, so I’m scrambling to find stuff C will enjoy.

Yesterday, we went for a nice walk in the woods — William’s Woods, to be exact. It was a little squishy on account of being in a marsh and the recent rain. But we had fun anyway. C loved looking for each trail marker along the way and I got some beautiful photos. I ended up carrying her for most of the 2 mile walk because the roots were thick and the terrain rough and sloped. But she didn’t seem to mind. We saw a downy woodpecker, a blue jay, and a snake. In all three cases, I was more interested in letting C look at them than I was making any motions to get my camera, so, there are no photos.

Looking up information online, the snake was either a Ribbon Snake or a Garter Snake. The former is apparently very rare here and a species of special concern. I’ve looked over the comparison photos over and over again trying to decide which one I saw, and I just can’t. He was in fallen leaves so I couldn’t see his sides, and his head was pointed away from us. More than anything, I’d done very little research on snakes before going hiking and just wanted to stay far enough away to ensure we didn’t get bit, just in case, and yet close enough that C could enjoy it.

After lunch, C was ready for a nap. But, despite my best efforts, she just wouldn’t go down. So we decided to take a drive to Middlebury, just for a trip in the mountains. Of course she fell asleep within a few minutes, but I finished the drive anyway. She woke up just as I was pulling into the drive way. Her request: “ride in the white caaaar!??”. I tried to explain to her that we’d just finished a 2 hour drive, but she wouldn’t hear of it. By the time I decided I needed to go to the store anyway, she was in total breakdown mode. It was the first time it had ever happened for me. I asked to her to calm down so we could talk and waited patiently for the 15 minutes or so in which she was upset and inconsolable.

We spent the rest of the evening inside, coloring pictures, playing with bowls, and reading books. We ran to the store around 7pm or so and had fun looking for things and playing silly games. A lady at the store came up to me and said, “your little girl is precious and you seem like a really good father”. That made me feel really, really good.

Today is supposed to be cold and rainy. We’re driving up the lake to see my brother and do some sightseeing. I’m going to have to pack my bags FULL of stuff for C to do, just in case the rain is so bad it’s not worth trying. The plan is to do some driving around and some walking and playing, pick up his girls when they get out of school, and then make supper for when his wife gets home. Then we’ll drive back down to my grandmothers.

It should be a fun day, especially if the weather cooperates.

I hope you enjoy this photo of Celeste walking on my grandmother’s driveway. The plastic bag she’s carrying is for collecting leaves.

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Startled Awake

Oct 11th, 2009
by Jim Reverend.
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I've been in and out of sleep for the past 3 hours. I keep waking up from the same basic nightmare: an older (10 or so) kid is threatening C and I continuously handle it in a way that leaves her dead or paralyzed.

The waking up part is a byproduct of the room we're sleeping in. I don't known what's in here, but I'm very allergic to it. My throat is scratchy, my ears itch, my eyes are watering, and I keep sneezing. It didn't start until I made the bed last night, so it must be in here somewhere. C is sleeping well, though, so that's good.  I'll have to make a run for some antihistamine (maybe benadryl since I'll be sleeping anyway) today so I can survive tonight.

Yesterday was a good day. C warmed up to my grandparents pretty quickly. We went exploring a bit too. Than my brother and sister-in-law came over ith my two neices and we played and had dinner. It's so awwesome to watch how C interacts with other, older, kids. Being around them makes her want to run more and be held less.

She is such a joy. Nothing compares to the happiness I feel when I see her happy and interested in her environment.

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Moving Over

Oct 10th, 2009
by Jim Reverend.
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Yesterday was nice and expected, but not at all how I like to spend my vacation time. We ate breakfast at grandma's house, then drove to my mom's house. There we walked around the yard for a bit, and then went out for lunch. When we got home the baby napped and mom and I played "upwords". When the baby woke up we carved a pumpkin and roasted the seeds. Then we went to visit an aunt. Then we went back to my grandmother's for dinner. After dinner, C and I went for a little walk. Then we had raspberry pie. Then I gave her a bath. We played for a little more and then I brought my mom home. Then we came back to my grandma's, she and I talked for a bit, and C and I were in bed by 9:30.

Today is our last day in New York. Sometime right after lunch, C and I will pile into the car and take a ferry across the lake to Vermont. 15 minutes after that we should be pulling down the long driveway to my grandmother's house.

I'm going to miss my mom and my grandmother. Despite the fact that we conflict often, I know my mom means well and she genuinely cares about C and I. We just need more time to sort out how to fit in the same space. My grandmother has been nothing but kind, and accomodating, and generous. Despite being 76 years old, she's done everything she can to make us feel at home.

Vermont should be a nice change. My mom requires a lot of structure in order to be happy. If you've ever wondered where I get that side of me from, wonder no more. But toddlers (and as I'm starting to learn, happiness) and structure don't go together well. My Vermont family will be less strict and less demanding of our time which means we'll get a chance to just BE and enjoy this beautiful countryside and crisp, cool, air.

It's cold out and my laptop is in the car, so you don't get a photo today. But you can rest assured that C was very, very cute yesterday. She's taken to placing her forehead directly into whatever animal she see and shouting "hiiiiii, kitty!". Or, in the case of my grandmother's big brittney spaniel, "hiiiiiii, Mr. Jingles!".

Which reminds me. I should get a photo of C and Mr. Jingles before we head out again today. I'm sure she'd be happy to see those again.

My grandmother has so many old photo albums. Useless, perhaps, at the time. But so treasured now. It's encouraged me to start keeping digital albums of our adventures and days online. Not so much for right now, but to go back to later and remember.

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