This very day, the MacBook arrives. Lo-and-behold, I think Mikey likes it. Except that I’m playing the part of Mikey. But I really do like it. And wouldn’t you know, it actually runs the photo editing program I use rather well! I loaded a trail copy and put it through the paces – I think it’ll be able to handle the demands of Aperture just fine…

No, it’s not quite super-fast or anything, it’s not redefining what photo editing is, but it’s still about instantaneous on almost every adjustment. So with it’s capabilities known, it really makes justifying a new MacBook Pro very very difficult. Because, for the extra $1,700, what would I be getting? A better video card, backlit keys, and a larger screen. All nice things mind you, but almost two-grand–worth? Yeah see, I’m not seeing that. At that price, I could seriously just get a 20’ iMac to do in-depth photo editing on a larger screen if I just can’t make it through on the MacBook. And it'd be larger & faster then anyways.

And this is only an issue because Aperture is supposedly very intensive on the graphics card, making the MBP a more logical choice on paper. But like I said, it seemed to do just fine overall on the MacBook, real-world case and all.

Yes, the internal debate begins once again. Though this time, I’m not trying to justify the bigger, badder version, I’m trying to write off its few remaining selling points. Damn, I think I’ll just order the new little beast now, that way there’s nothing to debate anymore.



Downside to the Newly-Lusted Machine
The screen IS smaller. Photo editing is more cramped. But pixel density isn’t all that much different actually, so while I see almost the same amount of stuff, it’s a good ratio smaller. But it keeps me from hunting with my eyes, which I guess is good. Yeah, after playing with The Girl’s new MacBook while she was at work, then getting back on my behemoth 17” PowerBook, it just felt too large.

Never thought I’d say that. But there you go.



Freakin’ Gadgets! They got Her Too! NNNOOOOOO!!!!
The Girl got all her Birthday presents yesterday. ALL of them. So in the span of about 2 hours, she got a new CD (not really a gadget, but it arrived in the same box as…), a new Canon ELPH, and the aforementioned new Laptop. As I was perusing the web yesterday before they all arrived, she’s on the old computer looking up videos on Apple’s site about how to use the new iPhoto. And now, after a couple years of watching me do what I do with camera & computer, and thinking me weird, she finally gets it. She’s telling me about all these cool things that she can do in iPhoto, like tagging pictures and creating events, and it hits her: She’s heard all of this before.

And I have to tell her, Yep, it’s official; you’re a gadget freak now, my dear. Welcome. For there is no turning back, only smaller gadgets to behold. And hold. And hold…



Leopard First Impressions
Now I haven’t been playing with the new kitty too long now, but so far so good for the most part. It feels nice and fast. I like how the new Finder connects to other computers & devices, for one. But with only one computer to test it out on, I’m not able to try some of the nicer things about Leopard I was looking forward to, such as screen sharing. Oh well, with time, my new laptop should be here any day now…. ☺

But there’s other things that I just don’t think I’ll make use of, really. Spaces, for one. I mean, yeah I get it, but to me their “Exposé feature sort of makes Spaces just more a nuisance than anything. Now I have to hunt down a new SPACE when I switch programs? Let’s see, where did I put that window…. Space 1? Space 12? Damn.

I’ve seen people talk about keeping programs with great full-screen support in their own space, but it just doesn’t make sense to me. It’ll be full-screen when you’re using it, so does it matter whether there’s nothing or something behind it? It’s all the same to you at that point, right? So just use the one Space, that way when you go away from that program, all your stuff is still right there, and you don’t have to hunt spaces to find it.

Eh, to each his own I guess. After all, I’m the one who wants the 30”, pocket-capable supercomputer. Can’t complain too much. Maybe just a lil’.



In Otherwise Unrelated News…
A family-member-of-sorts of mine just got onto city council! Yay! Good news, since I heard through the grape vine that some candidates were running a smear campaign against him.

See, he has a retarded daughter. She’s a ward of the state & lives in a home. Someone found this out and used it in some pamphlets to basically state that he “dumped” his daughter, and if he can’t raise his poor little girl, how is he qualified to help lead this little po’-dunk town full of drunkards and morons?

Wow. Politics. Just, wow. Damn, and he takes really good care of her, too. Brings her home all the time to visit, takes her places… I guess it sounds good on paper, but the reality is – having met her – she’s not the type of retard you leave around the house unattended. This ain’t Life Goes On. This is full-fledged, crap my daughter’s only 2 years old mentally, 30 years later, and oh crap, now she’s having another seizure. Crap. But somehow him doing the best that can be done for her was spun into some schtick about his abhorrent parenting abilities. Wow, Just… wow.

Guess I’ll never be getting into politics! Too many people to kill to cover up my past. And hey, I’m not that kind of Italian. Or at least that’s what I tell the authorities… ☺

Peace.

Tags: Technology, Politics