New Apple Peel column at Applelust.com

Posted by Pierre Igot in: Macintosh
February 20th, 2004 • 4:43 am

My latest “Apple Peel” column is up at Applelust.com. It’s entitled “The Mac OS X Hall of Shame – Part 3” and deals more specifically with issues such as file name extensions, repairing permissions, and other maintenance tasks.

Feel free to comment on it below.


2 Responses to “New Apple Peel column at Applelust.com”

  1. Pierre Igot says:

    Thanks for your comments. Yes, using the word “shame” might have been a bit harsh — but on the other hand the fact that some issues have been around for years is not exactly something to be proud of. I am all for being patient with Apple, especially considering that they have limited resources compared to other industry juggernauts and still have to compete with them as well. But patience has its limits.

    You are fortunate enough never to have been burned by one of Apple’s updates… Well, good for you. I haven’t been that fortunate, and I can assure you that it is not I haven’t been cautious — unless your idea of being cautious is waiting six months or even a year after the release of a system update before installing it.

    I took pains to indicate, in each of my columns, that I still think OS X is the greatest OS around. But just because it’s better than the competition, doesn’t mean that it is perfect. My experienced with regular users of OS X is that there are still too many glaring issues that are preventing them from enjoying the magnificence that you describe.

  2. Chap says:

    I think the Hall of Shame report is way too harsh. I can’t even think “shame” and “Panther” in the same sentence. (However, as a developer, I CAN think “shame” and “applescript” in the same sentence – but that’s a different story.) I’ve had very few corrupted or forgotten prefs, the Dock is something I’m growing used to (I use Cmd-Tab and Expose a lot). Never been burned by a software update. Mildly annoyed at occasional inconsistencies in the UI. Filename extensions – well … that’s just life. God grant me the serenity…

    This is a magnificent, phenomenal OS, easily the best when you consider both aesthetics and technological sophistication. It isn’t perfect, but it continues to improve. I don’t get the idea that Apple engineers are lackadaisical, or that “fine tuning” is not an Apple value. You only need to compare a good Apple GUI to one for Windows or *nix to have Attention To Detail practically slap you in the face.

    I didn’t object to the points you made so much as the tone in which you made them, which seemed hysterical to me in comparison to the actual severity of the defects (or sometimes “different design decisions”) you listed. So I can’t chord with your outrage – it seems out of proportion.

    Now, Applescript, on the other hand: don’t get me started! :-)

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