Oh shit :lol
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Apple Event Jan19 |OT| Students of the US... you've nothing to lose but your bookbags
- Thread starter Blackhead
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Oh shit :lol
Huh? Safari still supports XP, even.
Edit: Actually, what are you talking about? I'm not even sure what that statement means. Did you not know that Safari was available for Windows?
1. you don't know that the app isn't using Lion specific features. you are assuming this.
2. Mac users update to new OS revisions incredibly quickly.
3. the criticism is toward you because it's a petty complaint for an app that you're not even going to use. If you were serious about writing a textbook, then 30 dollars to get on Lion is chump change and not a legitimate barrier to entry. you just sound like you're complaining because you like to whine about inconsequential bullshit and that's just a pet peeve of mine when I see it.
What?
Meus Renaissance
Member
A better comparison would be if Google launched a new browser for a fee and marketed a new app that is exclusive to that browser as free on their slideshow. Plenty of people will have heard about the iBooks author today and its availability on the store and its $0 price tag. They'll go to the App store to download it only then having to release they need a new OS at a cost of $$. That's not right.
entremet
Member
Because you need a mac to run safari and cheapest mac laptop is 1000. sarcasm me thinks.
@meus, you're picking at straws. lol.
Ephemeris
Member
News to me. Apple has really gone downhill. :/
I was just being stupid, like everyone else. I think the original argument was that Apple depracts it's OSs quicker than others.
Gamecocks625
Member
and boom goes the dynamite
yes and no, lion adoption rate has actually been really really bad, think it's at like 2%
HOWEVER
they sold like 4 million macs this year? or quarter? and not one of those had 10.6 on it
so yes, lion attachment rate is high i guess, but mostly because newly purchased computers have it
edit: 30 bucks for a new OS and free app(s)
or 30 bucks for one app and no new os update hrrmmm....
but, this aside, if the app was 30 bucks would anyone care?
It's an obvious "Macs are too much money" joke..
Ephemeris
Member
I compare it to iCloud instead. iCloud is free, but requires Lion to run on the Mac.
And for the people I've spoken to on 10.6 and earlier in regards to it, it's mostly a "well tell me how to get 10.7!" than a "that's not right!" response.
Exactly. Let me reframe it. "iBooks Author: $30 (and comes with free copy of Lion), or FREE (if you already have Lion)."
last I saw, it was around 16% in November. not great, not terrible. I imagine with all the new Mac sales from Xmas, it's over 20% now.
Sure, but both run like shit so we try to forget they exist.
Admittedly i havn't tried Safari in a while.
Meus Renaissance
Member
Give me an example of what could make an app incompatible with 10.6, or in other words, why it cant support 10.6 and be compatible with Lion's enhancements. Out of the major functions they've demonstrated of Author, what function could not be implemented outside Lion?
2. Mac users update to new OS revisions incredibly quickly.
And so that would be you response to someone who would want to try this free app? "Others tend to pay for the upgrade". That has nothing to do with my point here, which isn't about the OS, or its value, but for giving arguably misleading information about this app.
3. For someone who can criticise me for making assumptions, you seem to have a habit yourself. I was actually interested in experimenting with the app, an interest peaked by the notice of how much it would cost. I then realise I'd need to pay for it. By contrast, were the app advertised at $30 then I wouldn't have wanted to go download it. It's not inconsequential to me, it's inconsequential to you - an important distinction, if anyone is being petty it is your characterisation of me.
I'll give you credit for one thing, Meus. No one can derail a thread better than you.
I'm not gonna bother answering your other questions because I don't really give a shit. You care about the Lion compatibility. I don't.
But I'll check back in once I've had a chance to play around with the program and see how it works. I'll try to let you know if I think it's worth 30 bucks.
I'm not gonna bother answering your other questions because I don't really give a shit. You care about the Lion compatibility. I don't.
But I'll check back in once I've had a chance to play around with the program and see how it works. I'll try to let you know if I think it's worth 30 bucks.
Pristine_Condition
Member
In October, Net Applications, the web analytics firm, reported that Lion already had a 30% of the active OS X user base. That's in just about four months, which was described as remarkable considering that was about the same proportion of users as Net Applications reported that Windows 7 captured in the Windows base in about two years.
Since Lion is the only OS shipping with new Macs, one can only presume that that share is now much, much higher since that report in October, especially considering the record sales numbers of Macs in that period of almost 5 million units in the quarter that ended in that month, and the predictions of this holiday's Mac sales being even higher than that.
So, if the share of Lion users on OS X isn't 50% by now, it's probably fairly close.
Since Lion is the only OS shipping with new Macs, one can only presume that that share is now much, much higher since that report in October, especially considering the record sales numbers of Macs in that period of almost 5 million units in the quarter that ended in that month, and the predictions of this holiday's Mac sales being even higher than that.
So, if the share of Lion users on OS X isn't 50% by now, it's probably fairly close.
he doesn't even own an ipad and he's obsessed with this shit?
fucking hell, my brain just fell out of the side of my head.
Kabuki Quantum Lover
Member
Hell, I would've upgraded to Lion by now if I didn't have a 32-bit Macbook (first-gen)... but that's not even the point of this thread. Damn derailing.
Meus Renaissance
Member
I've said it before (maybe it was in PM) I intend to get an iPad again soon
To me, price is important. To me, Lion is not. In regards to adoption, the same report you cited earlier about the 16% adoption rate for Lion indicates the vast majority were still on Snow Leopard so its logical to assume that many who watched today, who as of yet have no interest in Lion, saw the "free" tag of the app before realising they'd effectively need to pay for it, therefore its arguably not free considering the majority would still not be on Lion. My point was they should have made that clear in their slideshow.
So its not really a big thing, I agree but it is still an annoyance to me. Simply because you disagree doesn't anyway negate that despite what you may think - because ultimately, its my opinion.
As for your review? I'm not interested but I'm sure it'd be a welcome read to others.
krypt0nian
Banned
You've just been Marty Chinn'd.
Gamecocks625
Member
Man, I love our Apple threads. Brings out the crazies for all to see.
I'm really curious about how I can use iTunes U in the classroom, now.
I'm really curious about how I can use iTunes U in the classroom, now.
Kung Fu Jedi
Member
Wow! Dropped into the thread to see what everyone thought about the announcements this morning, and instead see a discussion on how "free" iBooks Author really is. GAF never ceases to amaze me.
I thought the announcements were pretty great this morning, even for an event that was completely non-hyped and wasn't meant for the general public. I'm intrigued about the possibilities for self publishing in general, and hope that Author continues to evolve outside of the textbook market as well.
I thought the announcements were pretty great this morning, even for an event that was completely non-hyped and wasn't meant for the general public. I'm intrigued about the possibilities for self publishing in general, and hope that Author continues to evolve outside of the textbook market as well.
Technosteve
Banned
where is Marty? i feel all the new people in the apple threads only add 0.00001% to the conversation. I mean Fuck Apple only goes so far in engaging in the conversation.
wonderkins
Member
You should walk away from the computer. This type of name calling is indefensible. Unbelievable that an adult would act as you are.
Meus Renaissance
Member
I agree and I apologise for that. I'll edit my comment
I had missed this part of the post until you quoted it. I'm not sure how I feel that I got such a rise out of him. it wasn't my intention.
I don't have more than an hour experience with lion but I know like 5 people who bought lion and then went backwards due to them hating many of the giant issues and poorly thought out changes in Lion.
150$ is why I'll buy the 4 year old version for 50 and sell it after the semester for 40. Unless there is a decade between updates or it's a field with new developments having an old edition is almost always fine but occasionally a hassle in finding the right page.
Also don't discount piracy. People who pirate music/movies/games certainly don't give a shit about pirating overpriced text books. Also know a few classmates who find piracy of games/music to be disgusting but pirate text books due to the price gouging on them.
What I'm most excited about are open source textbooks. I used two last semester and some of the biggest/best schools are jumping on board here and there. (Friend at MIT told me half his books last semester were open source)
RubxQub
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Apple takes cut of book sales + people buy bigger iPads to hold more books + more people purchase iPads to take part in iBooks for school = bookoo bucks for Apple.
I can see the full plan now. They want you to have an iPad just for your books. LOL I'll get the cheap 16GB iPad to store my 16 text books, and then have my REAL iPad with my movies, games apps on it.
I prefer SL over Lion, but if Lion is needed to keep my computer up to date (and get the most out of the programs I use with my computer) I can suffer with it.
These file sizes aren't an issue for the intended audience. Secondary school students would have 6 full textbooks at a time, on average. If every book is the full 2GB, the student would still have room on a 16GB iPad. And not every book will be 2GB, of course.
Besides, they're going to bump the storage at some point. Maybe this year with the iPad 3.
i hate apple threads.
that said, this is merely another way to make money and I don't understand how this will benefit kids or high schoolers. As a graduate student, I've tried the Nook color for the some textbooks. While its awesome if you merely have to read them with no notetaking, for anything intensive its almost impossible to take notes on the actual device and math/physics textbooks...forget it.
E-textbooks are a nice idea but for those of the population that like to highlight, write in em, or do what not electronic is not the way to go. Also, remember in some schools there are open book tests. What then? Disable the kids wifi? Can people stop arguing about lion and actually talk about what was offered by the company today.
the other shity thing about e-texbooks as they are now and what they will be with the Apple stamp of approval: Costs. Unless they cost somewhere about half as much as physical books, then there is no reason to make your life a little more complicated/buy notebooks to take notes in, print certain pages (if you can) etc.
that said, this is merely another way to make money and I don't understand how this will benefit kids or high schoolers. As a graduate student, I've tried the Nook color for the some textbooks. While its awesome if you merely have to read them with no notetaking, for anything intensive its almost impossible to take notes on the actual device and math/physics textbooks...forget it.
E-textbooks are a nice idea but for those of the population that like to highlight, write in em, or do what not electronic is not the way to go. Also, remember in some schools there are open book tests. What then? Disable the kids wifi? Can people stop arguing about lion and actually talk about what was offered by the company today.
the other shity thing about e-texbooks as they are now and what they will be with the Apple stamp of approval: Costs. Unless they cost somewhere about half as much as physical books, then there is no reason to make your life a little more complicated/buy notebooks to take notes in, print certain pages (if you can) etc.
You should probably watch the videos on Apple's site.
The eTextBooks seem pretty damn impressive, but Apple kind of put themselves in a corner for the short-term here.
Since several titles are ranging from 800MB to over 2GB, there's obviously going to be issues getting a lot of them onto an iPad. Moving forward, Apple either needs to offer a good solution for expansion (SD or something) ... or internal sizes need to start ramping up (while remaining cost-effective).
Obviously there are USB workarounds in the short-term ... but that's hardly an elegant solution. Regardless, I love the direction this is moving in.
Since several titles are ranging from 800MB to over 2GB, there's obviously going to be issues getting a lot of them onto an iPad. Moving forward, Apple either needs to offer a good solution for expansion (SD or something) ... or internal sizes need to start ramping up (while remaining cost-effective).
Obviously there are USB workarounds in the short-term ... but that's hardly an elegant solution. Regardless, I love the direction this is moving in.
Crazymoogle
Member
Electronics cut out the substantial costs of distribution and printing. They can do paid updates or yearly revisions still if they want. At worst it's a free valve for more money while they try to work out batch printing deals with schools. At best they can cut down on material costs and make the same (or more) money each year. (And I really wouldn't be surprised if the publishers were concerned that their income was going to be eventually be moved to individual sales anyway, given the state of educational budgets these days)
We don't have to think of this stuff as immediately displacing textbooks. It's really just the dip into the market, just as we saw with ebooks. Assuredly the other gardens (Amazon, Kobo, etc) will get on board with their textbook stores and etextbooks will become more and more prevalent as tech improves and cost goes down. Gotta start somewhere, right?
herpy derpy i did. thanks giga. But it just seems like posturing and their traditional "This is awesome because we are so creative!" Textbooks are interactive, entertaining!
As a grad student, and a person who used to work in admissions for a college, I'm just asking how is this changing what the nook/kindle has been doing?
edit: it doesn't. And if it isn't allowed for computers... look how awkward it is to type. Long notes? Please.
outunderthestars
Banned
I think this is a wonderful program. I could see this giving the open source textbook movement a powerful new tool to create and distribute books.
Are the Kindle/Nook textbooks just electronic print text books? If so, the couple textbooks on iBooks are much, much better. Just the Life freebie has a bunch of awesome interactive stuff. The freely-rotatable 3d model of the nucleosome and the cell interior modules are really impressive to me. The automatic quiz card thing is AWESOME.
But, I really want a stylus. I hope that iPen thing that's coming out is good.
now this is legitimate. And it really does deserve praise.
teamaxe, yea they are just text but how does a rotatable 3d version of a cell or movable nucleotides justify getting an ipad and buying the (semi discounted) software to kids? I still feel like its a old people/people out of touch with students dictating what they think the kids want in a way that makes them oogles of money.
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