E-Scribe News : a programmer’s blog

About Me

PBX 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.

Book Project

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.

Colophon

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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Akismet, del.icio.us, Django, dpaste.com, Emacs, FreeBSD, Freenode, jQuery, LaunchBar, MacPorts, Markdown, Mercurial, OS X, Postfix, Python, SQLite, Subversion, TextMate, Trac, Ubuntu Linux, wmii

A Django site.
(Finally!)

Copyright 2008
by Paul Bissex
and E-Scribe New Media

The MacBook

MacBook The MacBook is out today. It's a bit more than an iBook replacement; for Apple laptop fans this single detail from the tech specs page says that loud and clear:

Extended desktop and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 1920 x 1200 pixels on an external display, both at millions of colors.

Finally! Goodbye, unauthorized hacks.

At 5.2 pounds it's about the same weight as the old Titanium.

Avaiilable in black; Apple remote; 1280 x 800 display; MagSafe power connector; audio line-in; gigabit Ethernet; Bluetooth 2.0.

Black is only available in the most expensive, $1499 configuration. The only other difference between that one and the $1299 model is their 80GB and 60GB respective hard drives. Apple could have at least pretended that they weren't charging a gratuitous premium for the one that looks cooler.

Still, I want one.

Tuesday, May 16th, 2006
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5 comments

Some related posts: The iPhone keyboard doesn't suck • iPod touch: one week down, one week to go • A farewell to Palms (hello, iPod touch) • Was the old Mac a hacker's machine? • What is the iPhone running, really? • New MacBook Pro • Obsolescence • Apple battery recall • ExpressCard: what it is • Best feature of the new MacBook Pro
• Comment from David Gammel, later that day

I love that they made the select button black too. Such style. :)

So, do you think they will come out with a 13-inch MacBook Pro or is this it?

• Comment from Paul, later that day

I think this may be it. I perennially cling to the fantasy of an Apple subnotebook (under 4 pounds) but I don't think Uncle Steve is insterested.

They tweaked the MacBook Pro a litle bit too -- for instance it now has a glossy screen option.

• Comment from michel, later that day

is a glassy screen a good thing ?

on pc it seemed to me a "false good idea" (nice to see but in fact very not good to use).

what do you think ?

• Comment from Paul, later that day

My guess is that it adds some durability in high-abuse settings (e.g. schools). Or it's just trendy. Or both...

• Comment from Tom Barnes, 6 months later

It's a very efficient iBook but still to expensive

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