Sunday, January 11, 2009
Alternative Viewing
Richard has just put on The Andrew Marr Show, and he’s gone out to see David Cameron’s house, because the Tory Leader is now too important to come into the studio. Oh, god, and now it’s royal news. Much as I’m fond of Andrew Marr, and much as I enjoy his Prisoner fanboy opening titles, I’d rather watch almost anything else. Even ITV (well, on Tuesdays, when ITV4 at least is now repeating proper The Prisoner).
Before I go off to the bedroom to read instead, then, links to two online clips for your entertainment, one very funny, one loving.
I’m no huge fan of Microsoft, but I use a PC. And not being hugely technical, I tend to use my computer to type things into and watch things on, for which it’s adequate. I sometimes find Apple tempting because they have rave reviews from some people I know, and look pretty. But I can’t imagine touching a Mac with a bargepole for the foreseeable future. Why? Partly because learning to use a whole new system and worrying about compatibility with my last decade and a bit of PC stuff rates too high on my cantbearsedometer, and partly because of the Mac ad campaign.
No, ‘being just like everybody else’ isn’t a great selling point for me… But ‘excluding everyone else, because I’m part of a superciliously snobbish proselytising cult’ just utterly gets on my wick (and anyway, some of us prefer would prefer David Mitchell, at least if he hadn’t taken all that money from Apple). It gave a brilliant opening to giant corporation Microsoft to advertise the PC as something people-sized that breaks down barriers and lets people talk to each other instead, and that was a poke in the eye Apple fully deserved, the wankers. “Life without walls” is a Liberal message; ‘We are superior beings, so we can look down on 90% of people for being rubbish’ isn’t. Oh, and claiming that PC users are just following the herd when you’ve got massive market dominance in many other technological fields through your many iBrands doesn’t impress me, either.
So thank you, Forceful and Moderate, for this. It made me laugh.
Thanks, also, to the lovely Simon Guerrier for reminding me about this terrific recreation of a Doctor Who trailer from 1968. I’ve heard it before on audio and seen it accompanied by stills, but the CGI recreation of some of Patrick Troughton’s mannerisms is quite uncanny.
PS I love Richard very much, and this is not having a dig at him. It’s having a dig at Andy Marr luvvying up to the even-more-up-himself-than-Apple-with-even-less-reason Mr Cameron.
Before I go off to the bedroom to read instead, then, links to two online clips for your entertainment, one very funny, one loving.
I’m no huge fan of Microsoft, but I use a PC. And not being hugely technical, I tend to use my computer to type things into and watch things on, for which it’s adequate. I sometimes find Apple tempting because they have rave reviews from some people I know, and look pretty. But I can’t imagine touching a Mac with a bargepole for the foreseeable future. Why? Partly because learning to use a whole new system and worrying about compatibility with my last decade and a bit of PC stuff rates too high on my cantbearsedometer, and partly because of the Mac ad campaign.
No, ‘being just like everybody else’ isn’t a great selling point for me… But ‘excluding everyone else, because I’m part of a superciliously snobbish proselytising cult’ just utterly gets on my wick (and anyway, some of us prefer would prefer David Mitchell, at least if he hadn’t taken all that money from Apple). It gave a brilliant opening to giant corporation Microsoft to advertise the PC as something people-sized that breaks down barriers and lets people talk to each other instead, and that was a poke in the eye Apple fully deserved, the wankers. “Life without walls” is a Liberal message; ‘We are superior beings, so we can look down on 90% of people for being rubbish’ isn’t. Oh, and claiming that PC users are just following the herd when you’ve got massive market dominance in many other technological fields through your many iBrands doesn’t impress me, either.
So thank you, Forceful and Moderate, for this. It made me laugh.
Thanks, also, to the lovely Simon Guerrier for reminding me about this terrific recreation of a Doctor Who trailer from 1968. I’ve heard it before on audio and seen it accompanied by stills, but the CGI recreation of some of Patrick Troughton’s mannerisms is quite uncanny.
PS I love Richard very much, and this is not having a dig at him. It’s having a dig at Andy Marr luvvying up to the even-more-up-himself-than-Apple-with-even-less-reason Mr Cameron.
Labels: Adverts, BBC, Conservatives, Doctor Who, Patrick Troughton, Personal, Technology, The Prisoner
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So, today is stating the obvious day, then?
- you love Richard very much.
- “Life without walls” is a Liberal message; ‘We are superior beings, so we can look down on 90% of people for being rubbish’ isn’t.
- David Cameron is so far up his own arse he has to open his mouth to see.
You'll be telling us next that the Lib Dems are the only party worth voting for at the moment, and it's more fun playing Lego Batman as the villains than as the heroes ;)
...
Sorry, I just lost my train of thought because Mat did his Talkie Toaster impression at me...
- you love Richard very much.
- “Life without walls” is a Liberal message; ‘We are superior beings, so we can look down on 90% of people for being rubbish’ isn’t.
- David Cameron is so far up his own arse he has to open his mouth to see.
You'll be telling us next that the Lib Dems are the only party worth voting for at the moment, and it's more fun playing Lego Batman as the villains than as the heroes ;)
...
Sorry, I just lost my train of thought because Mat did his Talkie Toaster impression at me...
Bang to rights, I guess!
Much like 'Mat has a tendency to distract you' ;-)
Though 'Apple comes across as less Liberal than Microsoft' would be counter-intuitive to many people, given their posing as counter-cultural.
Anyway, this grumpy posting was mainly an excuse to post a couple of links to exciting clips, given that I feel incapable (to state the obvious) of writing a two-line piece...
Much like 'Mat has a tendency to distract you' ;-)
Though 'Apple comes across as less Liberal than Microsoft' would be counter-intuitive to many people, given their posing as counter-cultural.
Anyway, this grumpy posting was mainly an excuse to post a couple of links to exciting clips, given that I feel incapable (to state the obvious) of writing a two-line piece...
“Life without walls”
You don't own a 360 then?
...
Anyway, I missed the memo where computers where about liberty and freedom.
I thought they were tools. Y'know, functionality.
I'm not an Apple evangelist, I have Windows and Linux on my machines, but I see genuine value in my Macintosh's.
Screw the marketing. No-one buys Macs just because they have an Apple logo on them.
Even if it is a very beautiful logo...
...I mean, just look at it...
...it's so shiney and fab.
Ahem. Sorry.
You don't own a 360 then?
...
Anyway, I missed the memo where computers where about liberty and freedom.
I thought they were tools. Y'know, functionality.
I'm not an Apple evangelist, I have Windows and Linux on my machines, but I see genuine value in my Macintosh's.
Screw the marketing. No-one buys Macs just because they have an Apple logo on them.
Even if it is a very beautiful logo...
...I mean, just look at it...
...it's so shiney and fab.
Ahem. Sorry.
If you're going to talk about computers in terms of 'liberty', then GNU/Linux or (Free/Net)BSD is the only real choice...
People choose GNU/Linux or BSD because they want freedom, or for technical advantage. People choose Windows because it's a default that's just 'there' and which they're comfortable with. People choose Macs because they are willing to spend twice as much money as everyone else in order for a false perception of superiority.
Apple is the New Labour of computer companies.
People choose GNU/Linux or BSD because they want freedom, or for technical advantage. People choose Windows because it's a default that's just 'there' and which they're comfortable with. People choose Macs because they are willing to spend twice as much money as everyone else in order for a false perception of superiority.
Apple is the New Labour of computer companies.
# posted by 
: 10:31 pm, January 11, 2009
: 10:31 pm, January 11, 2009
I have to admit that my ranty goodness today was largely a build-up to the comedy clip, but that long-held irritation with Mac adverts did just spill out.
I'm sure you're right about open-source, Andrew but... (mumbles) I'm lazy.
And thank you, Richard; I'm quite fond of Richards in general :D
I'm sure you're right about open-source, Andrew but... (mumbles) I'm lazy.
And thank you, Richard; I'm quite fond of Richards in general :D
Laziness is perfectly fine. I've used Windows myself in the past. Just agreeing with you on the Mac thing - if someone's happy with what they've got, that's fine, but if people want change they should try for *real* change...
# posted by : 10:04 am, January 12, 2009
: 10:04 am, January 12, 2009
People choose GNU/Linux or BSD because they want freedom, or for technical advantage. People choose Windows because it's a default that's just 'there' and which they're comfortable with. People choose Macs because they are willing to spend twice as much money as everyone else in order for a false perception of superiority.
Freedom, sheedom.
I don't see how a computer is different to a camera, a car, or a toaster.
It's a tool.
Macs are less trouble than Windows machines. It's a designed environment, which some people like.
Also, in my long experience, Macs are far better made than most PC vendor machines.
Anyway, the "Macs are overpriced" meme is a nonsense now. Sony and Tosh both charge similar prices for the same hardware - and they're well-built too.
You pays your money, you takes your choice. I don't think Linux snobbery is any more virtuous than Mac snobbery.
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Freedom, sheedom.
I don't see how a computer is different to a camera, a car, or a toaster.
It's a tool.
Macs are less trouble than Windows machines. It's a designed environment, which some people like.
Also, in my long experience, Macs are far better made than most PC vendor machines.
Anyway, the "Macs are overpriced" meme is a nonsense now. Sony and Tosh both charge similar prices for the same hardware - and they're well-built too.
You pays your money, you takes your choice. I don't think Linux snobbery is any more virtuous than Mac snobbery.
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