“Sorry, Apple. Papyrus Condensed does not qualify as a ‘feature’…..Apple has all but ignored typography since OS X was born, seven years ago.” – Stephen Coles, typogrphica.org

Sometimes it’s in public. Sneaking a date at the coffee shop.

And sometimes it’s even at work under the harsh flourescent lighting.

I can’t help it. It’s just who I am, and so, I ask–nay, PLEAD–that you all stop discriminating against folks like me.

I’m looking at you, Adobe, who will gladly let me install software on two machines (appreciated!) but refuse to acknowledge that a good chunk of your users are bi-OSuals. Some of us have been known to even tangle with that Linux once in a while. Yes, I know, you can get an extra licensing fee from us by refusing to allow it, but all you’re really doing is driving us to clandestine open source brothels where we can get a quick fix of software without jumping through registration hoops.

And Apple. Apple, apple, apple… I can’t believe even you would stoop to this level. You even allow Windows on your own machines. A little hypocritical giving your stance on who your iPods can date, eh? I have a 160gb iPod. I’d like to put my music on it. I’d like to put my photos on it. iTunes on my PC. iPhoto on my Mac. Not allowed, huh? What, are we living in the 50s still? Are you still hung up on inter-OSual dating? What gives?  I’m rather disgusted by your OSist prejudices, Apple. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

“Nearly every other computer system refuses to recognize curse words, and, in effect, condescend to their users. Apple, by recognizing the reality of English discourse, exhibits respect for their customers.” – Peter Merholz

“…the Apple logo is no longer on the Command key on the new keyboards” – John Gruber

Looks like I have 2 options:

1. Never change keyboards, and in fact, dig up and old Apple II with the ‘closed Apple’ key – just to keep it real.
2. Print up an lifetime supply of ‘open apple’ stickers for placing on the Command key of every new keyboard I see.

UPDATE:
Here’s the Wikipedia entry on the Apple’s Command Key, including the rise and fall of the ‘closed’ or ‘solid’ Apple key (spoiler: it became ‘Option’). According to that entry, between ’84 and ’86, there were no apple keys on the keyboard.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/switched-on-apples-brash-flash-clash-rehash/

I find my mac loyalty waning as they become a bigger player in the world of consumer electronics. Has anyone noticed that Best Buy is now an Apple Authorized Reseller? I’m sure that has something to do with CompUSA closing half it’s stores, but I digress.

I was excited when I heard about the iPhone and although it’s way outside my budget and not really a necessity, I’d been thinking that an iPhone was in my future somewhere. Now that this Flash support issue has been a present for over a month and there’s some possibility it may not get resolved anytime soon, as a flash developer I’m thinking this may not be the phone for me.

Now I’d still tell you any day of the week that Apple is on so many levels, a better company then Adobe. Don’t even get me started about Microsoft. That said, I’ve got to start to consider what (from a Flash Developer’s perspective) is the best mobile device competing with the iPhone? Any thoughts?

Julio also covers several of the theories as to why Apple has released Safari for Windows, though he missed the one that I’m finding most plausible: John Gruber suggesting that it all has to do with Google Ad-Sense revenue.

During CEO Steve Job’s keynote presentation at the annual Apple Developer Conference this week, he announced to a stunned crowed, that the forthcoming version of Mac OS X, dubbed “Leopard”, will be the last. Replaced by what is being called ‘iTunes OS’.

Apple ‘iTunes OS’ may be the long rumored cross-platfrom OS some claim will supplant Microsoft’s Windows while saving Apple millions of dollars annually on development, marketing, and support costs.

The first signs of this change can be seen in the Leopard Finder, the sidebar with ‘devices’, smart searches, and the integrated Apple Store make it indistinguishable from the cross-platform iTunes media player.

This surprise “one more thing” hasn’t been well received by the Mac blogging community:

“Overall, it was a disappointing keynote.” – Michael Tsai

“Really cool? Sure. Really useful? Uh-huh.” – John Gruber

As if Scandinavia needed yet another reason why they have it so good. Still, they keep pumping out bullet points on the ‘pros’ column: Norway has just declared iTunes illegal. More specifically, they feel that proprietary DRM is bad for competition. And if DRM isn’t proprietary, there’s little value in it for the media and device manufacturers. So, good for Scandinavia and European consumers, albeit perhaps bad for Apple.

In related news, eMusic…the wonderfully DRM-free AND affordable MP3 web site site has just added Tom Waits to its library. Now I can afford his latest album!

Fulfill both your giving and greedy side by purchasing a MacHeist software bundle. 8 great free applications from independent software developers. And as a bonus, if they raise 50k and 100k total, they’ll toss in two additional apps for everyone. 25% of your purchase goes towards one of 8 different charities of your choice.

So, you can see why I’m not impressed by the pissing match between Target and Disney.

“Our space, signing, promotional programs and the hundreds of millions of consumers in our stores annually should not be undervalued.” – Target President Gregg Steinhafel

Mr. Steinhafel – I completely agree, Disney is selling movies on iTunes for less than they’re charging you because – the digital versions are in-fact less valuable; lower quality, not pre-backed-up, hyper-touchy DRM, can’t wrap it up and stuff it in a Christmas stocking.