Archive for the 'Mac' Category

Notes on Leopard

Published
by
Daniel
7 months, 4 weeks ago
in Mac
. 0 Comments

These are just a bunch of small things that either I’ve noticed or have been pointed out to me about Leopard:

  • iChat supports IRC-style status updates. You can type “/me is installing Leopard” into an IM window, and it will display it in a style similar to iTunes track notification messages, or away message changes, substituting your name for “/me”. (thanks, Andy)

  • GOOD: iChat now has a profile editor, catching up with the official AIM client. From 1998. BAD: Lime green and/or white italic underlined text on hot pink backgrounds.

  • Because iChat officially supports invisibility now, it no longer displays the ‘This person is not online.’ alert when you try to message an offline contact (since it has no way of knowing if they’re offline or just invisible). Instead, AOL seems to be queueing messages for the next time they log on. That’s cool, because now you can leave a message for someone, instead of setting up an alert to notify you when they do log on, in hopes that you’ll still remember whatever it was you wanted to say.

  • GOOD: iChat can log into multiple AIM/Jabber accounts simultaneously. BAD: Five simultaneous accounts means five separate buddy lists. Still, slowly catching up to Adium.

  • Spaces is awesome, especially on an untethered laptop (meaning: away from additional 20″ display). I never “got” virtual desktops before I used this implementation.

  • Screen Sharing is nice to have in the OS, but I was very disappointed that it doesn’t go all full screen and swoopy when used outside of iChat. It also doesn’t work out-of-the-box with Ubuntu’s built-in VNC server (Gutsy Gibbon). (Update: It works using instructions found here.)

  • Stacks are ugly. Which folder is that, anyway? Also, you have to mouse around with the contextual menu just to actually open the folder. No amount of clicking, double-clicking, or mashing modifier keys helps.

Some issues that it would be wonderful if plugin developers could address:

  • Time Machine should issue a Growl notification when a backup finishes (because it gives me a fuzzy feeling to know that the last hour or two of work is now safe)

  • Time Machine needs a Dashboard widget displaying its current status, which is currently only viewable in the system preferences pane.

  • Quick Look needs to report on the contents of archives: .zip, .gz, .tar, .dmg, etc. A nice little list of the files’ names and sizes would be extremely helpful (I shall arrogantly assume Aladdin Allume SmithMicro is already working on one for .sit). Also, CSS files’ previews should render as text, like .txt and .php files do.

  • iChat should employ some sort of Quick Look-like view for inline images. Once you’re used to Quick Look in the Finder, it’s frustrating to hit the space bar and have nothing happen, then remember you have to launch Preview to see that image at a comprehensible size.

And, as is tradition, I’ve already got my installation hacked up with a bunch of plugins, some Alpha-quality, some not:

  • Chax 2.0 — Adds the features Apple forgot

  • WidescreenMailPlugin — Makes your Mail window extremely narrow

  • MiniMail — Like the mini iTunes window, but for Mail

  • Saft for Leopard — Essentials like type-to-find, double-click-for-new-tab, and undo-tab-closing

  • PlugSuit — Plugin enabler and manager prefpane. Lets you use many regular old InputManagers on Leopard.

The Tale of the Wireless Mighty Mouse

Published
by
Daniel
9 months, 1 week ago
in Mac
. 1 Comment

We spent last week in Maryland, visiting with my family. I planned to work some of time we were there, and when I pulled my Mighty Mouse out to use it, I discovered that it had been damaged in transit. Or at least it appeared to be; the side-squeeze buttons must have been messed up somehow, for they kept registering clicks over and over, zooming my Dashboard in and out quite alarmingly.

So off we trekked to the closest Apple store. I once tried to make my whole setup as wireless as possible (including sound), but found it impractical with the technology of that time. I thought I might start heading that direction again, so I used the opportunity to pick up a wireless version of the Mighty Mouse.

Either I completely forgot my prior experience with MacMice’ The Mouse BT, or else I figured Apple’s quality would be better. The Mouse BT was (and presumably still is, since I still have it somewhere) a two-button alternative to Apple’s then-current Apple Wireless Pro Mouse, it suffered from a slight, annoying lag which I suspect affects all Bluetooth mice to some degree. Plus, it ate batteries.

Back to the present: I was initially impressed with Apple’s new wireless mouse. It looks and works just like the wired version (which is still my favorite mouse, second only to my MacAlly iOptiNet). Except for the lag. The stupid, unpredictable Bluetooth lag. Like, when I move the Bluetooth mouse in small, tight circles, I don’t even get a consistent circle from the cursor. In my opinion, a wired mouse just feels Snappier™.

So I’m selling it, of all places, on Craigslist. It’s sort of an experiment. If you live in Upstate SC, or if you want to pay for postage to where you are, feel free to send me $60 for it — which is a $10 savings over buying it new, I might add. Enjoy.

Oh, and if anyone wants my old The Mouse BT, you can have that for like $30 ($70 retail in 2004). Same deal with the postage.

Update: As Doug points out, it could be my hardware. This time, I’m using a Belkin Bluetooth adapter, since my internal Bluetooth module is fried. However, I was using the built-in Bluetooth with my The Mouse BT back in the day. Coincidence? Maybe. Either way, I can’t use the mouse now. :)