A few disparate thoughts have been flowing through my mind, and a few of them relate to technology. I should rename this to “nikky rambles on a bit about things.”
Building your Desktop as a Rite of Passage
The best way to spot a nerd is to ask about their desktop computer. They have one, of course, and it’s always a custom-built machine with beefy specs, jerry-rigged hardware, and the look of a machine that they picked out and created. Whenever we go out and get our first real jobs, we always go out and make a new desktop. It may not look that pretty, but they’re a rite of passage to truly reach nerdvana: where the central computing hub is complete with Model M keyboards, IPS monitors, and SSDs.
iOS as a Tonka Toy
I realized the other day that iOS has a very consistent design language: one that focuses on making a user feel comfortable with a touchscreen even though they’ve never used one before. it was revolutionary at the time, but it seems like Android has overtaken iOS lately in terms of multitasking, notification, and vendor-supported apps. iOS uses outdated design language that isn’t too relevant in a time where most of us are familiar with touchscreens, and I’m afraid Apple is too scared of their profit margins to change this. Or they’re going to use the non-standard “lightning” plug as a way to raise the $100 billion required to give iOS a much-needed facelift for this decade.
Keyboards Aren’t Going Anywhere, and Neither are Computers
Computer sales are flat. That’s understandable, as a lot of laptops and desktops are just glorified media centers and most users are realizing that tablets and smart TVs are better options for them. But the pundits and naysayers often decry the end of the computer era, and that’s absolutely insane. The keyboard is still the most efficient way of getting information and text onto a computer. Voice recognition sucks, and will continue to suck for a very long time. It’s not the end of the computer; only the end of the computer being used sub-optimally.
Why are Open Source Users Flocking to OS X?
I’ve noticed a lot of users who are very familiar with open source frameworks, languages, and communities migrating to the very closed and proprietary OS X. I’m not sure if this is because they think that the Unix core of OS X is “good enough” for an environment to work on OSS technologies, because Apple is “cool” or something else entirely. The culture of hacking and knowing your OS inside and out go hand-and-hand, and I’m wary of those who forsake Linux desktops in favor of OS X.
Nikky's Notes 