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| Mayan Prophecy (Image via Social Network Asia) |
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Mayan Doomsday Prophecies: A Hoax
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Adobe CS6 Design and Web Premium Mac Review
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| Adobe CS6 Design and Web Premium Mac (Image via Amazon aStore) |
The software is quite large and needs a fairly heavy-duty machine to work best. My 27" iMac with a 3.4Ghz quad-core i7 processor, 1TB solid-state drive and 16GB of memory is blindingly fast with most apps, but only "okay" with some of the more complex PhotoShop filters. Some of the blur and sharpen algorithms can take 15-20 seconds on my system. I do a lot of serious photography, and driving my Epson R3000 with PhotoShop seems to produce (very) slightly better looking prints than any other app I've used, including older versions of PhotoShop - I guess this makes all the resources worth it.
I tend to use PhotoShop and Dreamweaver more than the other apps, and the CS6 upgrade was a major difference for me and definitely worth the upgrade from CS5. I admit to having a bit of a "love/hate" relationship with PhotoShop - I know what it can do, but I tend to spend way too much time searching for just the right tool and outcome I want. No different from previous versions of PhotoShop, for all the power of these products, Adobe certainly could use a few lessons in user-experience design.
There's a whole community of add-on apps for PhotoShop, and I'm happy to report that most of the ones I tried, especially the Nik Software ones, worked flawlessly with CS6. To me, this would have been a deal-breaker, so I'm glad things just seemed to work.
To be clear, while these are some of the industry's most powerful apps for web design, they aren't really best for the casual user. It can take months to master each of the capabilities in this suite, and unless you're willing to put in the time, you'll probably find yourself overwhelmed. Adobe has a very good trial program where you can try before you buy - definitely take advantage of it if you're not sure what you're getting into.
Still, with the right commitment, the rewards can be stunning, world-class web sites, beautiful photographs, compelling documents and so forth...
Article Source:
http://www.amazon.com/review
Review: The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
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| The Casual Vacancy (Image via Amazon aStore) |
What I have always loved about Rowling's writing is her ability to create characters that seem real. She knows her characters,she knows what to do with them, and she isn't afraid to let bad things happen to them. In this novel, she has dozens of characters to work with, and oftentimes background information has to be supplied and the actual plot suspended so that the reader can keep up with everyone. I personally don't mind because I find these characters absolutely fascinating, but the lack of action isn't going to appeal to everyone.
With many books it is very clear who the reader should be "rooting" for, since one character seems to stand above the rest morally or in talent. If you are expecting the same formula in this book you will be disappointed, because each character is deeply flawed, each with his or her own ugliness. My point is that there is no hero, unless you count the deceased Barry Fairbrother, and I even wonder about him. Again, I find this refreshing. It makes me irrationally annoyed to see so many bestsellers about a klutzy, yet otherwise completely endearing protagonist attracting all men within a ten mile radius. You will not find that here. Thank God.
The counterpoint to this is that each character is also endearing or relatable in his or her own way. With each shifting viewpoint (and there are many), new insights are revealed that make it easier to understand each character. It is a style that makes it hard to put the book down, since she never gives you all you want to know at once.
Other points: I'm a fast reader, and ordinarily I'd have knocked this out in a night, but I decided to stretch it out over a couple of days. I really think this helps for understanding the characters and their connections better -- if you don't get those, you won't understand the plot.
Also, many people are commenting on the use of strong language, sexuality, and rape. Personally, I think if you are going to write about problems in a small town and the people in it, these things almost beg to be addressed. That Rowling did not avoid them speaks to her strength as a character writer; it doesn't mean, for example, that she's using four letter words just because she can't think of a better one.
Article Source:
http://www.amazon.com/review
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Microsoft Windows 8 Pro Review
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| Microsoft Windows 8 Pro (Image via Amazon aStore) |
There are complaints that Windows 8 boots directly to the Metro Screen, I mean Windows 8 style interface. The Windows 8 Quick User Interface supports what most people do on computers 90% of the time - surf the internet and social network ~ one click to run IE10, email, Facebook, listen to music, or look at photos are just a few quick actions. Windows 8 installs in 20min, cold boots in 10-20sec, and wakes from sleep in 2-5sec. I think that is a huge improvement over Windows 7.
Windows 8 is not a new, alien system or interface; it's a better Windows 7 that is Unique and very Intuitive. It can use any combo of touch, keyboard, and/or mouse. For those without touch, there are very few differences when it comes to using the desktop - drag, point, and click [no need to genetically alter your arms, hands, or eyes]. However, the desktop is missing the familiar
To those people who want the same look and feel. Stay with Windows 7, no one will force you to upgrade for at least 10 years. I believe People are Smart, Capable and want Better Computer Systems. Making progress does not always mean keeping the same "look and feel". Name an automobile company that is still around today because they are producing the exact same look and feel. Companies survive by upgrading their products and corporate image.
Windows 8 is not an abortion or a disaster. I welcome the changes. It is progress toward a unified ecosystem for a company that is doing what every company should; provide value to its shareholders by being innovative, forward thinking, and creative. I do not work for Microsoft or own stock. I do have a Windows 7 phone and plan to upgrade to a new WP8 when they are released.
By the way, I've been using [sorry for the passive voice] my Windows 7 touch laptop for two years without installing any additional virus protection software. I have not had a virus or spyware issue. People using Apple PC's think that their systems cannot get viruses. The fact of the matter is that 80% of homes and 95% of businesses use Windows. If you are a malicious hacker, which system would you target to propagate your malware?
Article Source:
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