Allen Stafford - Main

What does having a mac have to do with anything? You can't offer MP3's? I can't even browse the site without a PC. Man their web designer/developer sucks, it isn't 1998 guys.

Thats what I get for leaving eMusic.

I try to not keep it a secret that I use proprietary software. It is in the about section and the copyright. I am very apologetic about it but if the open solutions suck “I ain’t using them.” This is the cause with bloggng software. Movable Type is the best out there in my opinion…hands down. I love it and I am willing pay for it; however since my switch to Linux and efforts to move to open software (as much as possible) I began to wonder if I could continue using it, my decision was…I couldn’t. Word Press, Drupal, Text Pattern and those nuke systems wouldn’t cut it, but my programming skills are getting much better, so I went looking for someone else who switched away from movable type to something custom. Sometime ago Jeff Croft made the switch to a custom Django setup. Django is a python based system, which is great considering I am getting into blender, which uses python for scripting. It seemed as though I had a suitable option for migration away from MT.

If I remember correctly Apple’s website was almost 7 years old. Now they have a new design and it is sexy. Gentoo could use something like this.

I had a relapse. It has been one of those weeks, I needed to get some things done and I wanted to automate some parts of my work process and Linux demanded too much work. The environment, which usually empowers me, was more bitter than sweet. I found myself back on MacOS using Automator, doing in about ten clicks what it would have taken me an hour to do in Linux. Design deadlines and client specific requirements have me using proprietary software again…Sigh. Shouldn’t I feel bad? I don’t, instead of having to use a buggy beta or find work around to missing features; however there is a nagging feeling I the back of my mind because that isn’t always the case (When it comes to office software open office works just as good as Msoffice), but for the most part things just work. In time I am sure I will return to Linux but right now I am browsing with safari.

So I am still using my Macintosh. My excuse is that my client load is getting higher and I don’t have the same workflow under Linux. Over the last three weeks getting my work done and not having to think about the process and not having to learn anything about something outside the app are my primary concerns. The technical demands of my work are all filled by Linux, but the truth is that every time I look at my desktop I am amazed at the amount of finesse Apple developers have; which makes my workflow a whole lot smoother. Right now my favorites apps are the obvious Adobe products, but on the shareware side skEdit, chronosync and transmit (panic brings me back every time) have my heart.