My name is Paul Bissex, and e-scribe.com is my consulting business. I build web applications using as much open source software as possible. From September to June I teach web design and other important non-photographic professional skills to photographers. In the '90s I wrote technology commentary and reviews for magazines, newspapers, and web publications, including Wired, Salon.com, FamilyPC, the late lamented Web Review, and the Chicago Tribune. Feel free to email me.
I'm co-authoring a book, "Python Web Development with Django", with Jeff Forcier and Wesley Chun. It will be published by Prentice Hall in July 2008, but is available for pre-ordering on Amazon now.
This site is built on a fresh trunk checkout of Django, running on Python 2.5.1, served by Apache and mod_python. The database is SQLite. The operating system is FreeBSD, on a VPS hosted at Johncompanies.com. Comment-spam protection by Akismet. Vintage topo imagery from the Maptech archive.
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Copyright 2008
by Paul Bissex
and E-Scribe New Media
In case you missed the news, there's a new laptop in town. It's supposed to be really fast and stuff. But my favorite feature is the new MagSafe power connector.
On Tuesday morning, before the keynote, one of my students happened to stop by my office to show me what had happened to the power adapter on his PowerBook. His roommate tripped over the power cord while he was working on the couch. Here's the damage (not covered under warranty, naturally):
A few hours later, the MacBook Pro was introduced. Here's the new power connector:
Apple explains: "...tripping over a power cord wont send MacBook Pro flying ... the cord simply breaks cleanly away, without damage to either the cord or the system."
D'oh!
Yeah. I'm guessing this will solve that problem, because the cord no longer depends on friction to stay in. The third-party adapter makers must be freaking out!
I think I have gone through 3-4 power adaptors and at $150 a pop damn pricey as well. I look forward to the new cord design, but wish the whole industry could just come up with a standard interface
Yeah, but then notebook manufactures couldn't make money selling replacement power adaptors for a fortune. A new one for my dv2000 cost me $70. Anyways, you have to consider the difference in voltages and such, at least some manufactures (Lenovo, HP) use the same adaptors across all their notebook lines, with only a difference in wattage.
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I'd just be happy if it keeps a constant seal over time. My Mac powercords always end up getting "mushy" and loose.