While my SwiftUI knowledge remains quite limited, the more I learn the more I suspect that “because it’s in SwiftUI” is not a sufficient explanation for why the new macOS System Settings app looks and behaves the way it does.
It’s still fun to go out with an iPad as my “ultra-lightweight” machine—in my case, a 2020 iPad Air and the Keyboard Folio. In some ways, it’s really hard to beat, although in other ways, it’s still irrationally frustrating. Definitely curious what iPadOS 17 will bring next week…
Me: I wonder if I should make my app subscription-based rather than a single purchase…
Also me: Maybe see if you can write the app before you worry about pricing models, hotshot
As much as I appreciate Hello Weather, I think I’m going back to Carrot. It has more detail, better widgets, and a much better iPad app.
I’ve never been a multiple-monitor person, but having Hacking with macOS open on the iPad Air in portrait mode next to the Studio Display is pretty great.
I’m trying to learn Swift as my first “non-web, non-scripting” language in literally decades. It’s exciting, although I’m clearly swimming against the tide in focusing primarily on the Mac. (If the project happens, I’d want it on the iPad, too, on general principle.)
Watching the first seasons of “Midsomer Murders” with my mom. This show was sure keen on working gay panic into the plot even when it had no connection to the case.
Following my earlier thought: going with SwiftUI would limit my audience (only Mac and possibly iPad), be far harder to do (I’ve really only made web apps, so I’d have to learn from scratch)—but it’s probably the right choice, because I think that’s the version of the app I’d most want to use.
Continuing to noodle around with a fiction brainstorming app idea, but also continuing to dither on whether to do it full server-side web in Elixir, more SPA-style (which offers a possibility of Electron-based desktop apps), or learning Swift & SwiftUI for desktop-only (and Mac-only).
You may think all HDMI cables are the same, but I tried an AudioQuest® HDMI cable recently as an experiment and discovered a profound difference—the number of HDCP errors my Apple TV reported went up by an order of magnitude!
I think I have now hit the “too many monthly subscriptions” point and am going to have to start quietly looking for things to cancel. Probably YouTube Premium is on the chopping block.
Since I no longer have space for surround speakers, I’m considering replacing my A/V receiver with a great two-channel hi-fi system—possibly going very minimalist with active speakers. It’d be a big change, though.
I still don’t know if I can pull off the spiritual replacement for Dramatica plot development software that’s in my head, but I can promise if it ever happens it will not involve GPT in any fashion.
I have bought a JBL Flip 6 Bluetooth speaker to replace a seemingly dying Bose SoundLink Mini II. The Flip is good for its size and price, but the SoundLink is just…better. Possibly worth the price difference better.
I perversely hope Dramatica keeps failing to show any visible progress in making a 64-bit release of their fiction brainstorming software, because it might eventually kick me into making my vaguely-sketched-out alternative.
The weather is (usually) one of Florida’s (increasingly few) saving graces.
Safe and secure under an ancient oak tree, but definitely not on a schedule.
In a quest to see if a problem I’ve been having with a wifi-enabled A/V receiver is actually the house wifi, I’ve switched out my old router for two Eero Pro 6s. It’s too early to be positive it’ll fix the receiver, but everything is a LOT faster suddenly.
I demoed the active speakers I’m considering replacing my home theatre system with, now that I have no space for surrounds, and it’s really good—but the local dealer has a 25% restocking fee if I do an in-home audition and take it back. I want to support local stores, but…yikes.
I saw someone post a screenshot of Mark Zuckerberg announcing “Meta Verified” and genuinely thought it was Zuckerberg dryly trolling Elon Musk, not a real product.
Not thrilled with Akamai killing the Linode brand. The product is the same for now, but it’s hard not to get Joyent/Textdrive flashbacks here, as they kept pushing their low-end customers out the door in pursuit of bigger and bigger fish.
Time to begin the Update All The Things dance. I have content caching enabled on my Mac Studio to theoretically make this marginally faster, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a difference in practice.
I was in a Best Buy with a Magnolia Hi-Fi substore in it and an employee—who actually knew about hi-fi—suggested Best Buy was “sunsetting” that concept. If true, that’s a shame; they carry KEF, Arcam, and a few other good but hard-to-find audio brands.
I’m slowly edging toward the idea of replacing my 5.1-now-3.0 home theater setup with a two-channel audio system. Despite the temptation, probably not just two HomePods (no matter how I slice it, they’ll be a step down sound-wise). But what?
Every time I take the iPad out with me for serious portable computing, I’m reminded why I like it—with the Smart Folio keyboard (no, not the Magic Keyboard) it’s so light and versatile. But it is just so easy to smack into OS/software-driven limitations.