comments on ... Re: What's Missing in Mac OS
comments on ... Re: What's Missing in Mac OS
- Subject: comments on ... Re: What's Missing in Mac OS
- From: Matt Johnston <email@hidden>
- Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2003 08:28:00 +0000
On Thursday, February 27, 2003, at 05:02 am, Karan Misra wrote:
Somehow Mac Game-Porting companies like to see the sales of the game
before porting them and hence, they come up very late.
As has been said elsewhere, Apple doesn't give a fig about games.
Mac Messengers
In Windows, the Messenger software senses
automatically (using a background app) when the Internet gets connected
and they log you in, in the background. Plus, the taskbar shows the
status of all your messengers, offline or online.
IIRC, these applications have their Dock icons to work with. Also, they
can be set to auto-open and not have any visible windows.
Plus, both Yahoo! and MSN Messengers for Mac OS don't allow services
like Voice Conversations and Video Conversations.
Yahoo allows video.
Microsoft Office
Actually, there should be a full suite of
software including Microsoft Publisher and FrontPage but then I
wouldn't be realistic as Microsoft definitely doesn't have the
resources to built (or port) so many products to the Mac.
They certainly have the resources, they do NOT have the willingness.
They won't port access because they "say" that Filemaker owns that
niche. Utter tripe. It's so Macs can't displace Windows as Access
clients. Access is a completely closed shop. Frontpage is another area
that MS has strategically decided not to continue development for the
Mac. Project is a complete travesty in this respect and it's entirely
strategic and nothing to do with resources.
Internet Explorer
Yes, I think improvement here is needed in terms of both:
a) speed
b) speed
c) speed
Hasn't been updated in two years so it's pretty unlikely we'll see
anything soon. MSN for Mac is coming first.
Peripherals on the Mac
For a Windows PC, you can buy any CD-RW drive or DVD-R drive and fit it
into your PC and it'll work but finding a drive for a Mac is not such
an easy thing. Same goes with PCI Cards, etc.
I've had zero problems with CD/DVD drives (getting third party DVD-R
drives to work with iDVD is another thng entirely). I agree on the PCI
cards but then it's the same argument as the applications - do we need
access to 100 aftermarket PCI cards?
Apple should also consider getting USB 2 into our
Macs because with Intel's backing, USB 2 is gaining prominence and it
doesn't help to ignore it.
Intel is the only company "backing" USB2.0 because they are the chief
developer and IP holder. I agree that Apple should support it but I can
also guarantee that you won't see it on the MAc til FireWire 800 is
standardised across all Macs.
Menu Extras
Well, I think many menu extras have got stranded in OS 9. The Microsoft
Office Manager used to be great, but it's gone. Apple is acting like an
adamant fool here. I would like to see menu extras for IM software
(mentioned above).
If we try to avoid revisionism for a second, Apple never advocated the
use of menu extras in Mac OS 9 either. It's the same situation. As
Apple are STILL developing many aspects of Mac OS X, I feel it is
acceptable for them to claim areas are off limits - developers cry foul
when these limits are imposed but also cry foul when Apple changes the
APIs for areas like this. In this sort of situation, Apple can't win.
M
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