Macs, Cat Food, and Microsoft Screws Up

Hi, here's a few topics for today:

1) I recently got a Mac for the first time.  It's a laptop (called a MacBook) and I have to say it is very nice.  Everything in the interface is backwards.  Also, I definitely think that Windows has a superior feature with left click/right click as opposed to Mac's just click.  But overall I like it.

As you might guess, the reason I got a Mac is that we are developing a Mac product.  I sent out a newsletter yesterday with a request for beta testers.   I got a ton of testers for Windows, but we could definitely use more testers for Macs.  Email me at [email protected] if you have a Mac and would like to be a beta tester for what will eventually be the greatest solitaire game available for Macs.

Oh, and the MacBook came with a remote control. Now how far away do they think you can really get from a laptop?

2) The pet food recall saga continues.  The best place for information is at Howl911.  I am switching to cat foods without wheat gluten.   After trying some new brands, it looks like Natural Balance will be our cats new dry food.  In a unscientific preference test, it is the preferred food, especially by torties.

3) Microsoft really screwed up with their latest Windows Update.  See this Slashdot article.  Among the applications it breaks is Solitaire Plus.  We used to sell this game (and we still sell the Mac version), so we've been getting a lot of email about it.

This is why I never turn on Windows Updates.  It is supposed to fix security problems, but to me the real security risk is that Microsoft will update something that will totally crash Windows.  I wouldn't be surprised if it happened someday.

Comments

[The 26th Man]

I'd love to be a Mac beta tester.

The Apple Mighty Mouse has the right-click feature, as well as the indispensable scroll ball, BTW.

[barry]

Hi-
Right-clicks are implemented throughout all Mac apps, AFAIK, so its really a non-issue. Apple should give-in and not ship 1-button mice. I'd go mad with no right-click.

Yeah, the remote control is a funny idea really.
Frontrow on my Mini is cool, but lacks full PVR features.

[Michael McCulloch]

The problems with Solitaire Plus have been fixed. Click my name below for the details.

As far as the MacBook, you can get the right click menus by pressing the Ctrl key when clicking. You can also connect most any USB scroll mouse. I have a MS Mouse myself on my Mac.

One cool feature of the trackpad is using two fingers allows you to scroll windows.

The FrontRow remote is for users that might want to connect the MacBook to a TV. Most bigscreens now have VGA or DVI ports and the Mac connects to them for use as a media center using FrontRow. I like it far better than XP Media Center myself. I have a Mac mini on my TV as my music and photo hub for the family.

But, the fact remains I don't find the Mac compelling for everyday use over my XP PC just yet.

[macgirl]

you have an error in the games for one link!

[Sixpak]

Not sure if the laptop comes with the mighty mouse but it actually is indeed a 2 button (ok, technically a 5 button) mouse. Going to the preferences, then the keyboard & mouse, and you'll find options for making your mouse behave better.

[Joe Bruno]

If holding down Ctrl while clicking is the way you do right-click on the Mac, then how do you do Ctrl-left-click? Or Ctrl-right-click?

By the way, what language do you use for Mac development? VB isn't there as far as I know.

[Gregg Seelhoff]

>If holding down Ctrl while clicking is the way you do right-click on the Mac, then how do you do Ctrl-left-click? Or Ctrl-right-click?

You don't. Instead, you could use Command-click, if you needed the equivalent. The Mac has Control, Option, and Command keys, whereas Windows uses only Ctrl and Alt. The Command on Mac is closer to Ctrl on Windows, despite the naming. :)

>By the way, what language do you use for Mac development? VB isn't there as far as I know.

We are developing using C++ and the Carbon framework (as opposed to Cocoa).

[Joe Lieberman]

Man Tom,

I am no fan of Macs, to be honest, but simultaniously I LOVE what they are doing with their ad campaign. Windows left its self wide open releasing such an awful package (Vista) and Mac is taking full advantage of it. Maybe in a year when Vista is actually stable and doesn't come with a ton of trialware crap they'll start to recover. I wonder how much market share Mac will take while they sort out their mess.

This was a case of MS thinking they still have a complete monopoly and didn't give their competition credit, nice to see they are wrong on occasion.

-Joe