jeudi 9 octobre 2003

Involuntary beta-testing for Apple "Last Monday, as Geoff Duncan was preparing the TidBITS issue for distribution, Software Update notified me that I could install Mac OS X 10.2.8. It was late, I was tired, and I let it download and install without really thinking about the consequences," Adam Engst told us on TidBITS late in September. "There but for the grace of God...!" thought I. But it was past horrors, not divine intervention, which had me check the web to read what others were finding before updating with Apple's latest wonder. The mishaps of many who did the same as Adam (and as I invariably used to do myself), before Apple pulled 10.2.8 to re-release it several days later, have been too widely and sadly documented to recall. Yesterday I decided it was safe, but I've noticed precious little by way of real improvements. Only 15 days ahead of the release of Panther (Apple's countdown began yesterday too), I was half-inclined not to bother. Upgrading has become a long, tedious business if you're wise and run back-up and maintenance routines either side of the job. For all the major improvements I saw in Panther at Apple Expo last month, I doubt I'll be rushing to install it. As ever, Apple's supposedly complete list of info about the 10.2.8 update simply isn't. Just for instance, it gives you a new build of the Safari browser, but the knowledge base article refers simply to "several enhancements for Safari". Yes. Such as...? The Kid has been instructed never to run a system update programme until Daddy's given her the nod. It's a pity it has to be that way. Some people at MacFixit are reporting problems even with the re-released build. Using the terminal application to fix them isn't exactly child's play. I fail to understand why Apple now seems to consider the Mac-using community at large to be its beta testers. But now I've got an iPod, Cupertino is mainly back in my good books. The little beauty is an absolute joy of first-class engineering. 8:44:10 PM  link   your views? [] Winning styles My own vote goes to Gilles Lescure's entry to a graphics competition organised by the ever interesting design review, 'Création Graphique': But it's one heck of a difficult choice! Almost 500 artists submitted their work to the magazine and its panel of judges for this year's competition, which entailed using as a starting point one or more of six photos from Getty Images and coming up with a design on the theme of Freedom. Lescure was among 25 finalists but not among those the jury selected for the three award-winners. The first prize went to Mathieu Pallet, who came up with the puzzle, published with several of the other entries in this month's issue of the review. The team of Création Graphique' have put the designs of all 25 finalists ('galérie') on the web and given anybody who cares to take a look a chance to vote, until October 15, on whether they agree with the jury. It's once you've voted ('pixelcréation' homepage) that you find out which design almost a quarter of more than 700 visitors, so far, appreciated the most (an opinion different both from the jury's and mine). As I said, it's a tough choice. 'pixelcréation' has meanwhile taken commendable steps to render its site partly international and put up a graphic "encyclopaedia" of links to the work of 500 designers worldwide, a good move I don't remember from my last visit. 7:14:07 PM  link   your views? []

nick b. 2007 do share, don't steal, please credit under artistic licence terms; contributing friends (pix, other work) retain their rights.