http://tidbits.com/ All recent comments on TidBITS en-us Copyright 2018 TidBITS Publishing Inc. Fri, 30 Mar 2018 00:00:00 EDT Fri, 30 Mar 2018 00:00:00 EDT editors@tidbits.com (TidBITS Editors) editors@tidbits.com (TidBITS Editors) http://tidbits.com/images/tb_logo_152x55.png http://tidbits.com/ 55 152 TidBITS badge http://db.tidbits.com/article/17866?rss#comments_37632 Fri, 30 Mar 2018 16:42:16 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17866#comments_37632 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17866?rss#comments_37631 Fri, 30 Mar 2018 14:09:39 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17866#comments_37631 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17871?rss#comments_37630 Fri, 30 Mar 2018 12:53:30 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17871#comments_37630
The 10.5 Pro is still the iPad I want. Even if it will be double the price of this new version.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17872?rss#comments_37629 Fri, 30 Mar 2018 12:51:20 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17872#comments_37629
The master page option seems limited to the Book format. Disappointingly it doesn't permit page guides to be added to a master page (well you can use them to design but they're not there when you add a page from the master template). While you can have pages side-by-side you can't design master pages side-by-side.

Can probably tell I'm looking for a simpler quicker version of InDesign... Sigh.
]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17866?rss#comments_37628 Fri, 30 Mar 2018 12:47:03 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17866#comments_37628
https://meta.discourse.org/t/avatar-flair-not-badges-for-groups/48576

If there's any other specific information you want me to try and get, let me know either here or drop me an email.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17866?rss#comments_37626 Thu, 29 Mar 2018 17:50:26 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17866#comments_37626 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17866?rss#comments_37625 Thu, 29 Mar 2018 17:38:54 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17866#comments_37625 http://community.monzo.com]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17833?rss#comments_37624 Thu, 29 Mar 2018 14:09:10 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17833#comments_37624
I've had a couple of Insteon hubs over the years (started out when we began traveling a lot & wanted a realistic “lived in look” without futzing with a dozen little timers) and like the ability to turn up the heat from standby to comfy temp) on our way home.

Even that is complex and I had to spend a half hour yesterday with tech support to fix a glitch.

Programming a PC is complex. A house, with many more variables, even more so. Results CAN be worthwhile, tho.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37623 Thu, 29 Mar 2018 03:58:29 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37623 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17873?rss#comments_37622 Thu, 29 Mar 2018 02:24:31 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17873#comments_37622
Once Apple led the education field and not just in America. Then Apple let it all go. Now it is having to 'relaunch' its education offering in a competitive field and with something not all that competitive.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17846?rss#comments_37621 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 20:31:54 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17846#comments_37621 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17873?rss#comments_37620 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 20:18:16 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17873#comments_37620
One of the local firms handling repairs was told by a school Manager of them that they went as low as half retail price plus a discounted care policy. So what Apple will actually be charging a given school district will only be known by Apple and that District.

That repair firm was selling the MacBooks as part of the Apple contract for a hundred bucks refurbished after three years in the schools.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37619 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 17:56:26 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37619 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37618 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 17:12:06 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37618
Checked the error console and it revealed a Unicode character causing the problem.

The publishing process had converted to curly quotes!

All working for me now after a "straighten quotes"]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17873?rss#comments_37617 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 17:11:15 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17873#comments_37617 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17873?rss#comments_37616 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 17:08:21 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17873#comments_37616
Education budgets are so strapped that a $100 price difference per device can be decisive. Apple never likes to compete on price, and they couldn't sell any iPad at the price of the cheapest Chromebook, so they will have to be satisfied with a smaller share of the pie.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17871?rss#comments_37614 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 11:05:42 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17871#comments_37614 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37613 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:30:08 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37613 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37612 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 09:37:42 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37612 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37611 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 06:40:41 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37611
I don't use an iPad for reading. I've found a Kindle Paperwhite to be almost ideal. It disperses the light from the sides of the screen to light a normal e-ink display. You can customize font size, contrast and brightness, and line spacing. It closely approximates both the size and brightness of the average paperback book. More expensive Kindles and iPads have more features, but they all use a backlit display that you have to tweak for readability. I realize my case is somewhat unique, but it's nice to have choices. I recommend a Paperwhite for a simple reading experience that closely resembles the paper experience. Oh, and you can read it in bed without a lamp disturbing your spouse. ;-) And the display doesn't light up a room either, unlike more traditional e-readers.

At the same time, I still like the paper experience from time to time and occasionally order a paperback book when I want to be able to easily share it with others, something that's hard to do with DRM protected e-books.

As for technical books, like those from Take Control, PDF is my format of choice. You can customize the page in Acrobat and, of course, graphics are preserved inline, as intended by the author. I've downloaded a few in ePub format to try out in iBooks. Oh, and there is a nice Kindle reader for the Mac (and iOS and Android as well—and Windows). The Kindle reader for Mac offers some page tint options as well, for readability.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37610 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 05:33:29 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37610
As for all those files, I expect that shoving them into subfolders would eliminate most of the stress on the Finder. Not organizing your stuff is always a problem in one way or another. ;-)]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37609 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 05:24:54 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37609 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37608 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 05:02:54 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37608
As for start times, after you've launched an app the first time in a work session, subsequent launches will go faster because OS X caches the necessary launch files and thus can access them more quickly. This is a separate issue from your font problem. It used to be, back in the day, that having a lot of activated fonts could slow down app launch times, but with modern computers, fast CPUs and Ample RAM have mostly eliminated this problem. That's not to say that a huge font list won't impact apps a little, but it's not near the problem it used to be. Having a healthy font cache is probably the reason it no longer matters much.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17866?rss#comments_37607 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 04:46:17 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17866#comments_37607 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37606 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 21:33:33 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37606 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37605 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 21:00:32 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37605
]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37604 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 20:59:53 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37604
www.maplepop.com/web/mr/help.php#pc_upload

(note"pc"includes Win, Mac, Linux, etc).

If the books in iBooks are DRM free ePubs then no further action required. If they were ePubs bought from the iBook Store, then you need to use iBookCopy from TunesKit to access your iBooks Library.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17872?rss#comments_37603 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 19:37:06 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17872#comments_37603 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37602 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:56:17 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37602 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37601 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 17:09:47 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37601
"iBooks only supports EPUB and PDF books, which MapleRead SE also supports. However, EPUB books purchased from Apple Store are encrypted with Apple's proprietary encryption scheme. Thus, no iOS app can legally decrypt them. Some users search the web and find their ways to decrypt such books before importing them to their favorite reading apps.

See also FAQ "How to read non-DRM-free ebooks?"
https://www.maplepop.com/web/mr/help.php#drm
]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37600 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 16:54:31 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37600 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17865?rss#comments_37598 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 16:16:31 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17865#comments_37598 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17872?rss#comments_37597 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 16:03:39 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17872#comments_37597
http://twitter.com/settern/status/978712343344484352]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17872?rss#comments_37596 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 15:21:23 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17872#comments_37596 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37595 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 13:54:36 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37595 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37594 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 13:28:25 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37594
I've got a fair number of books already in iBook – will I need to import those and how?]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37593 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 12:16:48 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37593 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17852?rss#comments_37592 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 11:57:20 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17852#comments_37592 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37591 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 11:41:18 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37591 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17866?rss#comments_37590 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 11:20:57 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17866#comments_37590 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17866?rss#comments_37589 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 11:14:39 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17866#comments_37589
I renewed my supporter relationship with Tidbits last week. The charge showed up in my bank account by the end of last week but the "Apple" does not show up at all. Is this a glitch or is there a delay of some length that is known at your end but not publicized.

Last year I moved into Maryland from elsewhere. I updated my address for Tidbits and selected Maryland from the pull-down menu. My new address showed up in the ttransaction summary and was correct except for the "State" which incorrectly shows "MA" instead of "MD". Perhaps your system grabs the first two letters of State name? If so, supporters from MAine, MAssachusetts and MAryland will share the same State abbreviation. A week later I still could not log into my account to explore, but will try again once my "Apple" shows up when I surf to Tidbits main site. Good luck with the Infrastructure conversion.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37587 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 11:07:41 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37587
What I meant was: first opening an app in a given session on the computer, not when it's new—as in the first time used after being downloaded.

For example, whenever I open an existing Excel or Word file, it takes 20-25 seconds for the actual file to open, with the beach ball going, though the app menu appears immediately across the top of the screen. Then if I want to format a cell in Excel, it takes another 15 or so seconds for the format menu box to appear. FilemakerPro does the same thing.

But once these things have been done once, everything works normally thereafter, unless I quit the app and then open it. Then the same things repeat.

It's like it has a hard time loading things into RAM. I have 8GB on the iMac.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37588 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 11:07:19 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37588
For navigating large books, MapleRead offers two functions that fingers lack: it can search for strings of text and it flips instantly to and from endnotes. It also offers numerical and/or graphical indicators of where you are in a chapter and in the book.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37586 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 10:46:59 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37586 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17866?rss#comments_37585 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 10:42:11 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17866#comments_37585
Usernames can't be changed (but are largely irrelevant, since you should login using your email address) and you can change the email address.

There's no connection between a WordPress.com login and our site.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37584 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 10:35:14 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37584 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37583 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 10:33:54 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37583 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37582 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 10:31:11 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37582
I see no reason this would be connected to folder contents, since you're not doing anything related to folders when you see the problem.

Also, hierarchical folders aren't an issue (that's how the Photos library works under the hood), just folders with a flat list of thousands of files.
]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17846?rss#comments_37581 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 09:25:56 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17846#comments_37581 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37580 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 09:03:45 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37580 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37579 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 05:21:30 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37579 You say "Eventually, I found some hints that a folder containing a very large number of files could cause Dropbox, and thus the Finder, to choke." but it is not clear to me where this folder is located.

Is this any folder that is only my Mac? Or is it a folder on my Mac that is linked with DropBox? Or is it a folder that resides only in DropBox?

Thanks for the clarification.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37578 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 04:43:12 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37578 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37577 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 04:30:19 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37577 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37576 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 01:55:12 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37576 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37575 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 01:52:28 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37575
One concern I originally had that is unmentioned in your story, is that by turning on the "Full access" option, you allow the developer to capture all for your keystrokes. This may no longer be true, but I have not enabled that option this time around .]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17865?rss#comments_37574 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 01:27:40 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17865#comments_37574 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17867?rss#comments_37561 Tue, 27 Mar 2018 00:47:59 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17867#comments_37561
I do know that some folders are stuffed, because they are filled with photos filed in hierarchical folders:

Pictures/Digital Camera/Year/Month/Date (back to 2008!)

And Pictures has more in than just the Digital Camera folder.

Do you have suggestions how to store these differently so they're not so stuffed? Should they be off my hard drive altogether?]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37573 Mon, 26 Mar 2018 23:29:17 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37573 http://db.tidbits.com/article/17846?rss#comments_37572 Mon, 26 Mar 2018 23:05:05 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17846#comments_37572
Some of this change brings worthy improvements, some is just a way to sell more products, but all of it has unleashed a level of complexity that even us video engineers find troublesome!

Apple products have their own technology problems, but the inherent complexity of HDR, HDMI, HDCP, 4K/UHD, surround audio, etc. are not Apple's fault.

BTW, I would contend that the "soap opera effect" is not about refresh rate. It's when "features" designed to remove motion judder and blur discombobulate the 24frame cadence of video shot on film, making it look "flat" and harsh--in addition to screwing with the motion. The reference is to a time when most TV was shot on film, until soap operas started being shot directly on videotape.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/17850?rss#comments_37571 Mon, 26 Mar 2018 22:55:15 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/17850#comments_37571