Random Thoughts Thread

[lisalover1]

I like minimalism sometimes. I really dislike the look of something like, say, Windows 8 though.

Of course i'm of the opinion that everything can work if it's pulled off right.

One of the biggest problems with W8's "metro/modern" UI graphical design (I could rant for hours about its actual usage mechanics) is that it lacks both iconography and consistency. In a traditional graphical OS, you can expect an application's icon to look the same and perform the same each time you launch it, and you expect it to be easy enough to remember what it looks like at a glance.

In Windows 8 (and more so in Windows Phone), most apps' live tiles both lack color and a consistent image. Live tiles - by nature - will always be displaying changing images and information, so you can never truly grasp where everything is on the start screen with just a glance. The only way that the start screen is useful is if you want to passively glance at information across many apps, and don't care about specifics. But, that isn't how most people use their computers, and even if it is, it is too minimal to be really useful, and is better-suited to lockscreen info-feeds like Android's "daydream" feature than anything.

Plus, now that Windows Phone 8.1 encourages all app icons to be transparent to accommodate custom backgrounds, you can be sure that the use of color to memorize an icon will be a thing of the past for the OS to an even greater degree.

someone's really into design

Aww, thanks! I love to ramble for pages on end about design stuff; it's why I'm switching to game design for my major! ^_^

[darsparx]

Yeah hard to go wrong in game design(I'd love to learn more about doing it but still trying to get the stuff like english I out of the way at my college and then go to uni for the rest). But I got to agree with you on Win 8....so many things wrong in my head that I just can't put a finger on one thing to say it. I've touched and tried to use it several times and it just feels wrong...kinda why I'm glad I've got a mac from starting college. Yes it has minimalism to some extent(but it doesn't really go overboard on it right now, it's just right. and don't judge on having a mac, they're decent computers for me even though I'm going to build a windows 7 pc since all the stuff I want to play support those better)

[isiolia]

Yes it has minimalism to some extent(but it doesn't really go overboard on it right now, it's just right. and don't judge on having a mac, they're decent computers for me even though I'm going to build a windows 7 pc since all the stuff I want to play support those better)

OS X has some stupid form > function decisions in it right now too, like making all the icons in the left bar of a Finder window greyscale where color versions are more immediately recognizable.

Every OS has issues like that if you look for them, and technical quirks/annoyances too. Some wind up being a matter of generation I think too though, like the spacial versus navigational file manager (a big swap from OS9 to OSX).

[darsparx]

Yeah but the design flaws of os x(even in the one about to come out) don't bug me nearly at all compared to windows 8 right now. (plus this computer has lasted way longer than any windows computer, even taking care of them they usually have crapped out long before the 2 yr mark and this mac is still going strong...probably the biggest reason I asked for one)

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Say what you will about Apple software (I'm not a fan), MacBook Pros, along with ThinkPads, are pretty well the only laptops I have used that haven't felt rather disgustingly cheap and fragile.

I'm off to the Apple Store today to see about shipping in this MBP for depot repair.

[isiolia]

Yeah but the design flaws of os x(even in the one about to come out) don't bug me nearly at all compared to windows 8 right now. (plus this computer has lasted way longer than any windows computer, even taking care of them they usually have crapped out long before the 2 yr mark and this mac is still going strong...probably the biggest reason I asked for one)

The main parts of Windows 8 that people don't like can be almost entirely ignored, leaving an OS that's basically a tuned version of Windows 7. I don't like the touchscreen/tablet type stuff in 8/8.1 either, so I don't use that part of it.

I deal with quite a few laptops at work, and sure, Apple's are very nicely built. They do have problems though, and generally speaking, are difficult and/or expensive to fix if you do have an issue. I've seen plenty of PC laptops last a long time as well.

To a point, the lack of product range just forces Mac users to buy a better tier of machine. Going from a $500 HP pieceofcrap to a $1500 Macbook Pro certainly makes an impression...but buying a $1500 PC laptop would too.

Personally, I don't care, I own/use both, I support both, and there are things I like/dislike about either.

[darsparx]

It may be the nostalgia talking, but I'm really craving anything megaman nt related.....I think I caught what counted as the first 2 seasons but missed the rest somehow and mostly because I think it mostly came on that online service I swear cartoon network had before this last bit of stuff they've really started now. Guess next month I'll have to stop avoiding it and try finding the dvds and games Well at least one or two of the games and some of the dvds....

Also can I say it's now also the only time I can't stand dubbers for anime? The original had a theme song and everything apparently, yet all we got the lan introduction(which is nice but the song is better)

[Xeogred]

Funny food thoughts.

Anyone have any tips on sneaking spinach into things? Would spinach in boiling water ruin it at all? The idea I had was to blend it in with the water used to make rice. Wonder if I'd still get the magic spinach properties in that way.

Can't believe I never thought to grate some up to throw on top of left overs.

[Hobie-wan]

Funny food thoughts.

Anyone have any tips on sneaking spinach into things? Would spinach in boiling water ruin it at all? The idea I had was to blend it in with the water used to make rice. Wonder if I'd still get the magic spinach properties in that way.

Throwing vegetable bullion cubes in my rice when cooking works, so I don't see why spinach water would be a big deal. Now maybe you want to wash the spinach extra good since it can hold onto dirt, use the water to make the rice, then if you're adding spinach, do so after the rice is cooked. I'm no food expert, but that's the experiment I'd do if it were me.

[Xeogred]

That actually sounds pretty ideal too, I'll give that a shot next time.